bittersweet novel where 2 people think of each other after a brief encounter but is more a novel of discovery searching and how people cope with dysfunctional emotional families and one copes with grief and mental health and finds himself.

"31 Days of Wonder" by Tom Winter is a well - written, quirky and modern story that took me by surprise. There are comedic moments, as well as many poignant ones and it introduces us to quirky, different characters. It turned out to be a very different kind of book to this what I read - not your usual romance or mystery - but there was still a lot of heart in the descriptions and writing.

As I am used to books that describe the lives' of characters that eventually get together, of their paths criss - cross, I was a little confused when I eventually got to learn that it's not going to be the case here - and it's not a spoiler because we can read it in the synopsis already, and somehow I've missed this part. But whatever.
Nevertheless, I just couldn't get into the book. This issue that I've just mentioned above when the characters don't come together was one of my problems - please do not sue me but for me the characters' paths must cross during the story because if it doesn't happen then why write about them in one book? Yes, of course, I DID get the message of this book, that a chance meeting may change your life for better and for ever, but for me it just didn't wow me. I can't help it.
But of course there were things that I did like in this story. It is told during 31 days, one chapter for one day, and a story about normal people with issues, written in the third person and two alternating points of view. Ben has health problems that are not that apparent at first - and to be honest, only mentioning that he needs his pills etc didn't help to get into the story, I'd love to know from the beginning what it was that he had, maybe it would help me to understand him better. Alice has weight issues and really, I don't know who the people around her were as they didn't have any problems to tell her that yes, she's fat. Even her own mother. It didn't make me to warm to this part of the story as well, even though Alice was likeable and relatable kind of girl. Both those characters learn lots about themselves during their 31 - days - long journey, and we together with them.

The characters and the situations are very down - to - earth and they are believable. They both find themselves in works that feel dull and unnecessary, they have friends that are more or less supportive, they both share a flat with other people, have difficult relationships with their closes ones and it should be relatable for me but it just felt flat and whiney - I am truly sorry that I felt like this because I had great hopes for this story. Yes, it was a different read and I finished it, and I enjoyed it but there was this "something" missing, this something that makes the read exceptional.

"31 Days of Wonder" is a story about changes and seeing good things in yourselves, about taking control of your own life and earning respect for yourself. It shows you that in fact you don't need a lot, that sometimes one smile from a stranger can change everything and how important it is to find the thing that makes us happy. Even though it was not my favourite read, I still appreciated the way the plot went, and how much depth and heart there was in the writing style and storytelling.

Sometimes, I'll have a book arrive on the doormat which, rather than being added to the ever-growing pile of books I'd love to read when I get time, skips the queue. 31 Days of Wonder did just that. It hit the doormat one rainy Saturday morning, and I headed back to bed with it once I'd made a cup of coffee...a couple of hours later I'd read it all and could not wait to share it.

Alice is stuck in a job, a body and a life which she's not happy with.

Ben lives with mental health issues which cause him to say things without realising what he's said until it's too late.

One lunchtime, they meet in a park and change each other's lives. From that moment, the narrative splits between Ben and Alice and each chapter begins with a distance (in miles) between them, too. I read with eagerness to find out when their paths would cross again.

Ben battles his thoughts and tackles various mental and physical challenges throughout his part of the story and Alice, to a lesser extent, does the same. She has her own internal struggles and I spend several of the Alice chapters willing her to find the internal strength she needs to battle some of the pressures in her world.

A really lovely read about overcoming one's challenges, 31 Days of Wonder is published on 10th August.

Really enjoyed this book! Starts and begins with the day Ben and Alice meet on a London park bench. Ben is immediately drawn to Alice with her bright yellow dress, and he has to speak to her and tell her how beautiful she is. Due to a misunderstanding, Ben thinks Alice is travelling home to Glasgow and decides he will cycle from London to Scotland to try and find her, despite only knowing her first name.
Unusual family dynamics have led to both Alice and Ben being slightly 'different' and socially awkward. The book follows the journeys and the changes they both make during the 31 days from their meeting and there is humour and sadness along the way. Some of the book is laugh out loud funny and the humour really appealed to me. I loved the relationship between Ben and his best friend Dave, and the fold up bike brings plenty of laughs!
Really interesting and enjoyable book, I would definitely recommend it.

A delightful read fully packed with wit and humour. Cleverly narrated through 31 days from the day of the accidental meeting of Alice and Ben during a lunch- break. It has a magnetic draw from the start which captivates you to discover if their chance meeting does develop further and will they meet again? It focuses on how this enchanting meeting catapult their future decisions?
A definite recommendation to all if you are looking for an easy read!

My thanks to Corsair Books via NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. I gave this a 3.5 stars or 7/10 depending on which rating you prefer.

This is the tale of Ben and Alice who meet on a bench in a park one day. Told in 31 chapters which mimic a 31 day period that could be a calendar month or just 31 consecutive days. This story is quite a quirky read that would make a fab reading group read.

Both Ben and Alice have issues. Ben has health issues that aren't that apparent at first, but is one of the reasons that it took me awhile to settle into the story as I found it quite hard to tell what was going on with him. I read a review that basically told me what his problem was, this did help me understand him a little more. However, it did spoil it for me a little bit too. Alice has body issues that she has to come to terms with, none of us will admit that our body is perfect and I am sure that all of us will be able to relate to Alice.

As Ben and Alice both go on their separate journeys, we learn so much about both of them and they both learn so much about themselves.

I liked this book from the first page and liked it more and more as I read on. I think one thing that is really appealing is the fact that the story is set out over a 31 day period. I loved how the characters were described. I felt sorry for both Alice and Ben for different reasons.

Well worth reading.

31 Days Of Wonder by Tom winter.
This was a good read with good characters. This story is told in 31 Days. Ben and Alice meet one day in a London park. Now they have met Alive wonders why Ben sees her the way he does. Ben who misunderstands a parting remark is planning a trip to Glasgow where he believes Alice lives not realising they live barely ten miles apart. Although a little slow in did manage to read it. 3*. Netgalley and little brown book group UK.

Wow - what a book this is. I predict great things for this book and I can see it becoming a film. You really need to read this wonderful insightful book.

Two very separate stories of Alice and Ben - entwined by the author through a brief meeting at a park. Ben decides to track down Alice - he keeps seeing her anyway - or is it someone else who has a message for him. Two different journeys - one physical for Ben and his bike - discovering himself and what his family means to him whilst working through his mental health issues. The other for Alice with her own issues and being on an eternal diet - but who is she trying to please?

I was intrigued by the book jacket blurb but never expected what an absolutely delightful book this would be. Sure, there are some characters such as Alice's boss from hell and her Mother who aren't so nice but they have some classic one liners. As Alice's Mother asks her "what would you say if I got Botox and went on Twitter?". Both characters also have excellent support in the form of Dave and Rachel - not forgetting Neville the parrot.

It's a great story that in places was deep but also had laugh out loud moments with subtle insights into how people get through life.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars My thanks to LittleBrownBook and Netgalley for an advance copy of the book.

Something a little bit different this time. The new book by Tom Winter is a sweet story and one that strikes a chord especially with the current focus on mental illness. Alice and Ben have a chance meeting in Grosvenor Square in London and don’t realise that the encounter will change both of their lives.
Both are in their early twenties and struggling to find their place in life. Alice is a lowly paid intern at a PR firm juggling a bitchy boss with a lecherous managing director. She’s a little on the cuddly side and they make her feel like a freak just for eating. Having Ben tell her that she is beautiful just about makes her year.
Ben was orphaned at the age of five and brought up by elderly grandparents who did their best for him. He’s supposed to take medication to control the voices in his head but as soon as he meets Alice this becomes less important as he is infatuated by her and imagines that he sees her in her yellow dress everywhere. A misunderstanding means that he decides to follow her up to Scotland – borrowing his flatmates’ fold up bike to make the journey to Glasgow.
It can take a little while to become invested in the characters but stick wIth it. Alternate chapters follow both Ben and Alice as they go about their lives. Lives that they are not enjoying. Alice is desperate to escape her mad landlady and find a job that will pay enough to consider buying her own flat.
Over the next thirty one days they soon realise that a change has been sparked in both of their lives. It might not be the outcome that they were expecting but things are changing for the better. If you are looking for something a bit different this summer holiday then give this one a go.
Supplied by Net Galley and Little Brown Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

What a delightful book! It is a story of finding your way in the world. Humorous in places and sad in others, I empathised with the main characters and hated others. It is well written and I totally recommend it.

This book wasn't awful but it wasn't that good either. I tried really hard to like it but I just didn't.

The story starts in a typical 'boy meets girl' way with Ben spotting Alice across the park and going over to tell her she is beautiful before they are interupted by Alice's machete mouthed boss who whisks her away....leaving Ben to set out on the road to finding Alice.

But this is not your typical 'boy meets girl' because Ben has a plethora of mental health issues which are never identified to the reader - I drew my own conclusions and felt a bit frustrated that we never discover exactly what he is suffering with. On the other hand, Alice is 'overweight' though, once again , we never find out what overweight means in this context, because in this day and age 'overweight' could be classed as anything from a size 30 to a size 10. And it is with this that I have the biggest problem. I was extremely annoyed that the basic message given by the book is that the only person interested in a fat girl would be someone with mental health problems, and the only person interested in someone with mental health problems would be a fat girl....because both of them would be grateful for the interest. I know some will disagree with me but it was the message that I felt that was being shouted - hell, even Alice's boss actually says it to her!

Ben's character gets more development than Alice's - he comes to terms with losing his parents at a young age and deals with a few demons along the way, but all Alice really does is develop into someone who gets mad at the people who fat shame her and give up on her diet - is that really what passes as character development because it doesn't feel like she does it because she is happy with how she looks but because she is fed up. She felt to me like someone that I wanted to shake and shout at and I just wish she had been sparkier in some way.

There are a couple of comic scenes - specially with the parrot (they made me smile), however much of the comedy felt a little forced and I just didn't feel those 'laugh out loud' moments that I was expecting.

Sometimes when you approach a book with an open mind you are taken by surprise. I had never read anything by Tom Winter and I wasn't sure if I would have time to read and review it. I'm so glad I did.

I loved this book. It's a delightful read. It's very funny although some of the humour is quite dark. There are lots of poignant and touching moments too.

Alice is a young, hardworking intern at a PR firm who is overweight, who has a boss from hell and colleagues who seem to put her down all the time, making horrible remarks about her weight. She also lives with an awful flatmate. Alice one of those really nice people who wants to do the right thing and try to please everyone. Her best friend Rachel doesn't have a job because she is convinced she is going to be a pop star despite being a terrible singer. She's pretty bossy and expects Alice to help her achieve her dream.

Ben is a young man with mental health issues – he's impulsive and says what he thinks, but he also has a flatmate who sounds quite sensible and caring. He also has a job. He has been brought up by his grandparents following the death of his parents when he was very young. He knows he has problems.

Ben spots Alice in a park one day – a girl in a yellow dress – and feels compelled to approach her to tell her how beautiful she is but Alice is whisked away by her boss, Geneva, before he can say anything more. But he does hear mention of Glasgow and mistakenly thinks she lives there.

Without too much thought he decides he is going to Glasgow to see her. Despite his flat mate trying to dissuade him, he still wants to go. He seems rather obsessed by Alice who had actually smiled at him. He also starts 'seeing' Alice in various places and situations but knows it's all in his head. He is still determined to go to Glasgow and he sets off on a borrowed bike.

Meanwhile Alice, to get out of something her friend Rachel wants to organise, says she has a date with Ben and from there the 'fib' grows.

The story is what happens to both characters in the next month (31 days) and how their very brief encounter starts a journey for each of them that will change their lives Their stories are told separately, each chapter heading telling us how near or far apart geographically they are. The book is funny, poignant and very entertaining.

I liked the wonderful characters, including Neville the parrot, and I wanted to help and encourage Ben and Alice as they slowly come to realise that their lives don't have to stay the same and that things can be different. I rather liked the slightly open ending which nevertheless is full of hope and possibilities.

Perfect summer read! It's well written,characters are amazing,and story is charming. A book for a beach!

I really liked the idea that one chance meeting can change your life, but for some reason this novel felt a bit flat. I wanted to know more and was left feeling that I hadn't really connected with the characters.

A sweet read but lacking in any depth. The story meandered along for what seemed like forever. But lacked the humour and quirkiness of similar novels like Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine..

When I started reading this book, and also from the synopsis, I though it was going to be a bit like "Serendipity" the film staring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale (brilliant film btw) where they meet over a pair of gloves, spend a little time together and then leave it to fate as to whether they meet again. It wasn't long though when I decided that this book was nothing like the film and stopped trying to make comparisons or second guessing and just enjoy this book for what it was rather than trying to turn it into something else.
Alice and Ben meet briefly in a park one day. A short, simple meeting that will turn out to have the biggest impact on each of their lives. The book follows them for the next 31 days and we see how what transpired when they met really had the most profound effect on whole aspects of their current lives.
Ben has some problems which he is kind of getting help for. He takes medication to keep him on an even keel. On meeting Alice, he is instantly enchanted by her and moves heaven and earth to try and find her again. He mistakenly believes her to be in Glasgow and so sets off on a mission to cycle up there to find her, even though Glasgow is a big place, he doesn't know her full name and he is completely unfit.
Alice is a bit of a wallflower. Berated and picked on by her colleagues and family mostly about her weight, she feels a little uncomfortable. Ben telling her she's beautiful starts a bit of a chain reaction in her life.
The rest of the characters are just as well drawn as the main players. I especially loved Ben's gran and Alice's mum - that scene when they are having lunch cracks me up still - although I really didn't like the way she spoke to her daughter, she was good comedy value nevertheless. I mention comedy, to balance the main issues covered in the story, there were some really funny parts, some very much laugh out loud. All included seamlessly into the narrative so never forced but they did give me respite for some of the other things going on.
The story is told in days. Each day is told from the perspective of both Ben and Alice. Each section quite clearly marked as to whose it is. Ben's being marked as distance from Alice.
It also reminded me of the old reason, season, lifetime thing. I am not going to expand on this here as I fear doing so could contain spoilers but for me, it was just another connection to the book that made it all the more special.
When I reached the end of the book I was a little sad. Not from the book itself, more from the fact that I was actually quite sad to be leaving these characters behind. I had got to know, and like, both Ben and Alice over the past 31 days (afternoon in reading time) and I don't think I was ready to leave them yet. But leave them I had to, at least on paper anyway, they will always live on in my head and imagination and I guess that's what an author hopes will happen.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A lovely light hearted novel all about chance meetings.

31 Days of Wonder is a delightful book, and not what I expected at all.

Judging from the blurb, I was expecting this to be a modern love story; two people meet, fall in love, spend 31 days searching the city for each other, meet again by chance, live happy ever after and have 2.4 children.

That’s not what happened at all. If this had been the case the book would have been a cliché. The author decided to take the story in an unexpected direction. Sheer genius! I love it when unexpected things happen in a book.

I fell in love with 31 Days of Wonder, with Alice and Ben. I loved how fragile and vulnerable Ben seemed to be at first and how he went from strength to strength over the course of the book. I loved Alice, how she goes from being the fat girl everyone puts down to being the strong woman who stares life square in the face.