Poor, poor Alice. A kind hearted soul just wanting to get on and enjoy life. Then there's Ben... crazy as a fruit loop and he knows it, and I love that he appears to have no filter when he opens his mouth! Piers and Geneva, well, think about two people who you would hate to work for.... I think that sums them up nicely. Both as shallow as a frying pan, brittle as a twig, and slimy like a slug (sorry to all the actual slugs of the world!). It's amazing how a chance meeting can change the life of a fairly ordinary person. No matter what happens in life, the world doesn't stop turning and life really does go on. I have the feeling that this book has literally been written from the heart, something that I don't always feel when reading, even though other books are great, this one holds that extra sparkle for me.

Many thanks to netgalley, publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK Corsair, and author Tom Winter for kindly providing me with an ARC in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

My review as posted on Goodreads:

This is the first book by Tom Winter which I have read.

I'm not sure what I expected from this book.
It is very sad in some ways.
It is very amusing in parts.
It has some very keenly observed characters and scenarios.
There is some excellent humour.

I ask myself, would I read another book by Tom Winter? Yes on the strength of this novel.

My thanks go to Netgalley and Corsair for a copy in return for this review.

This is a lovely tale of two misfits, Alice and Ben, who meet by chance in a park, and whose brief conversation is the best thing that has ever happened to either of them in a lifetime. Both come from emotionally stunted families, both feel they are damaged and worthless. But somehow, they each see something wonderful in the other, and that something changes the way they think about themselves, and changes their lives for ever.
This is not a burgeoning romance – they never meet again (at least not in the book). This book is about how they take control of their broken lives, stand up for themselves, try something new, and earn the respect of others.
While Ben does have a very supportive friend in Dave, who looks out for him, Ben’s mental health is not the best. He has never felt loved or wanted. His job is monotonous and he can never find the right words to say to anyone. Alice becomes his promise of a better life ahead – a life he needs to work for, basically by riding a bicycle to Glasgow. He sees Alice all along the way, in her bright yellow dress and beaming smile.
Alice is a nice girl, who always tries to see positives in everything, and of whose good nature everyone takes advantage. The casual meanness of the constant digs about her weight by work colleagues, family and even ‘friends’, grind her down. But, Ben said she was beautiful.
This book is an example of how much joy a kind word from a stranger can bring to someone’s life. It makes you want to go out and share your smiles and good wishes. As Ben tells Alice: “you can keep it with you now, can’t you? Anytime you feel low, you can just remember that Ben says you’re beautiful”.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group, Corsair, for offering me an ARC copy of this book (due for release on the 10th of August 2017) that I freely choose to review.
This is a deceptive book. Written in the third person, from the alternating point of view of the two protagonists, where all the action stems from a casual encounter between the two, it feels familiar and we think we know what we’re going to get and where we’re going.
We have two young protagonists (the title reminded me of 300 Days of Summer, although this is chronologically linear, or almost, as the last entry cycles back to the first, from Alice’s point of view this time), Alice and Ben, both quirky, who are not the most popular and do not fit in well with ‘normal’ life (whatever that might be), for different reasons. Alice is overweight, loves food, and as she is doing an internship in advertising is constantly reminded of how important appearances are. She tries to be cheerful and never be negative but does not always manage. We might think she is a bit like Bridget Jones, and well, perhaps there are similarities, but although she has her crazy moments, she goes out of her way to do the right thing and is neither self-absorbed not careless and clumsy by design. Ben has a mental illness (bipolar), but he is not the typical young man who rebels against his condition, refuses to accept advice, and wants to do his own thing. He takes his medication, he questions his odd experiences, and he is fully aware of his shortcomings (that seem to have little to do with his pretty well-controlled illness). He can be impulsive and he talks too much, but he tries his best not to upset anybody.
The two protagonists have plenty in common. They both share an apartment with somebody (Ben with David, his best friend; Alice with Mae, a young landlady from hell), have jobs that do not make them happy, have a difficult and cold relationship with their closest relatives (for Alice, her parents, for Ben, his grandparents), and are looking for something, even if they don’t know what.
Their chance encounter sets things in motion. As I said, readers are likely to believe that this is going to be a romance story where the two protagonists will be separated by circumstances and misunderstandings, going through a number of adventures, and will eventually come together at the end, for the happy ever after, Alice losing weight and showing people at work she is a true winner, and Ben overcoming his self-doubts and becoming a new man. If you have read the description carefully, you might have noticed that it hints at things not being that straightforward (or even twisty but getting us to the expected point). This is not a mystery novel, but I will try and avoid spoilers nonetheless. Let’s say that both protagonists discover things about themselves and those around them, especially that we should not always focus on living up to other people’s expectations (that we might internalise and make ours), but instead, we should try and find what makes us happy, whatever unlikely and even uncool that might be.
The two main characters are well-drawn and likeable. The secondary characters are also well-drawn, some more likeable than others (Ben seems to be blessed with better luck in friends and even in relatives, as his grandmother becomes much more lovable by the end. Alice is less lucky, and her parents, friends, flatmates and bosses are fairly horrible, although Chris has some potential and her parents… well, let’s say they change). There are surprising moments, sad moments, beautiful moments, and ‘aha’ moments of realisation. I suspect readers will identify more with one of the characters than with the other. Ben has the more rounded and significant experience (he insists on doing things from the beginning, even if he has to change plans along the way). Alice seems to be a victim of the circumstances (some self-created) She makes-up things rather than taking action and finds it difficult to say no or give her true opinion. But she does have some memorable scenes and it is difficult not to root for her, although overall I preferred Ben’s character. (And loved the parrot).
A well-written and easy to read story, that flows well, with comedic moments and some sadder ones, that I recommend to people who enjoy stories with quirky characters about ‘normal’ life and human relationships at all levels, with no fancy action, no sex, but a lot of heart.
I will be following the author and will be eager to see what he writes next (and I’m also intrigued by his previous novel).

Sometimes a moment's connection can change your life...

I remember enjoying the very sweet 'Lost and Found' a few years ago, by the same author. He writes warm and gentle love stories with characters you yearn for, hoping they find happiness.

I love the concept of this - two strangers meet in a park, here a medicated man (Ben) falls instantly smitten with Alice in her yellow dress and vows to find her again. For her part, overweight Alice is flattered at his attention and compliments, and unintentionally makes him her imaginary boyfriend when mocked for her weight at work. Ben continues to 'see' Alice wherever he goes. And so both are affected by their meeting long after, even though their paths remain separate. Will they find each other again? What effects will come of their 'moment'?

It's really sweet, a lovely pair of narratives about two misfits who both need some direction, some connection and passion in their lives.

Two very different lives - Alice is a wallflower, trodden on, mocked ridiculously for her appearance; Ben is coasting through life, going nowhere, raised by staid grandparents after his parents' death and suffering mental health issues soon after. Two lives that are kickstarted by their short meeting, that is constantly referred to and recalled, and over the course of the book you wonder just what will happen at the end - will they meet again? Fall in love? Or will their lives take tangents?

This makes a great summer read, a romance of sorts, a story of finding direction and a love of life and a place in the world.

I didn't think the 'coda' was really necessary, it didn't add anything in my mind to the book, but apart from that I loved the characters and the warmly humorous plot as Alice and Ben grow up and begin to spread their wings and find themselves and their place in the world.

With thanks to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

I was at first a little confused about this book and i don't really like books that are confusing in the first chapter. I found a very good review on this book on Amazon and in there was a explanation of the story line, so after i had read that i started to enjoy the book. The book was a very easy to read which i also like. The story of these two people was very intresing and at the end of the book everything makes sense all in all a ok book

A brief lunchtime encounter at Grosvenor Park, London proves a pivotal moment in the lives of two young adults. Ben barely has a chance to introduce himself to Alice when she is whisked away by her domineering colleague to Glasgow. Not Glasgow, Scotland as Ben assumes, rather to see her irate boss, nicknamed after the city.

This misunderstanding sets in motion a course of actions that changes Ben’s life irrevocably as he becomes intent to find Alice once again…by getting to Glasgow whatever means possible! His loyal friend and flat mate, Dave, is on hand to help, even lending his folding bike to Ben. Before he knows it, he has been encouraged with his grandfather’s unexpected and unusual approval and involvement, to enrol on a charity bike race…one which is cut short by a tragedy within the family.

After the meeting with Alice in the park, he soon sees her again…but the reader (and Ben) is aware that this is a hallucination…one that seems very real and with whom he converses. Gradually her appearances drift further apart until the end when Ben’s childhood trauma is fully revealed and the reason for his supposed mental problems are explained.

Meanwhile, Alice continues to face a gauntlet of verbal abuse about her size at both work and from her parents when she visits them…and inevitably a downward spiral of eating ensues to escape her misery. Her daily humiliation saps her confidence and strength until she is weak, meek and at everyone’s mercy. The ray of hope in her days are Ben’s kind words in the park, a memory that supports her and she even makes up a relationship with him to her family and colleagues…one that to her surprise helps her ultimately and dramatically find her voice.

The daily battles in life take a turn for the positive as the memory of their meeting is the catalyst to changes in both their lives.

‘31 Days of Wonder’ is a whimsical novel, often amusing – even laugh out funny at times – whilst also deeply profound and moving. It’s delightfully surprising in failing to conform to convention and become a straight forward romantic story and instead the lives of the two main character circle each other, their separate narratives mirroring but always kept apart.

It is told from a third person viewpoint of Alice and Ben, each entry by them punctuated by either her location, train times or Ben’s location and distance from Alice. Each chapter is a new day, counting up to the titled ‘31’ and with all such counting devices the book easily becomes a compulsive read, which is abetted by the short segments and chapters as well as being written in the present tense.

The theme of self-acceptance is all-pervasive in the book and reflects the author’s own journey to self-acceptance whilst battling with depression during the writing of this novel. After many re-writes over a long time, the author finally achieved the perfect ending…with light, positivity and hope reigning strong.

This is a charming, beautifully written novel of self-discovery which is engaging and memorable. Definitely not to one miss and I am now keen to read Tom Winter’s other books.

I received a free copy of this book from the Netgalley in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

A very funny book - Ben's way of looking at things and speaking makes for an interesting read! I love how he was constantly focusing on Alice before finding just where he needed to be. It rather ends on a cliff-hanger as I'd love to know what happened to Alice - did she get what she wanted? Overall, a lovely and charming read!

Love story but not in the usual sense - this story is about love for your family and loving yourself primarily. Ben and Alice share a very brief moment in the park that colours their future actions. Alice has no self worth and is being taken advantage of in work and by her friend, Ben's admiration encourages her to see herself as he saw her. Ben has mental health problems and struggles to deal with the loss of his parents in a car crash when he was small. The dual points of view were very interesting to read and I enjoyed the fact that really not a lot happens - just a gentle progression of Ben and Alice's thoughts and feelings.

Whilst this was a pleasant read - showing that life doesn't always pan out as you want it to - I found it ultimately unsatisfying. Whilst there was progress, resolution and good outcomes for the lead characters, I felt that it missed an opportunity to be a really feel-good book. Perhaps that's the point - but for me it was frustrating that the chance meeting didn't give the outcome I was rooting for. With a little dose of magic in places, it did make me think about outcomes, memories and hopes and dreams...

A tale of finding your passion, being true to yourself and not being afraid to do something with your life...

Whilst this story touches on mental health, it is not at the forefront of the tale. I was most moved by the author's footnote that explained his book was delayed by a personal crisis -- and that it was down to "the extraordinary talents of Dr Christian Dombrowe ... Without him, neither this book nor I would be here". Hats off to the author for his persistence, determination and strength in telling Ben and Alice's stories.

3.5*

I wasn't a fan of this groaningly slow story which was predicated on me caring about the eventual meeting of two characters who were seemingly destined to be together. The unfolding of the story in chapters entitled Day 1, Day 2 etc, just made me feel something akin to despair by the time I got to Day 14 and remembered the title meant I had to get through 31 days of this.

Despite a female character who the author took pains to present as a 'woke', modern woman, she was still defined almost exclusively by her size, especially by other women (her boss, her room mate, her best friend, her mother) but in ways so aggressive and insulting, that I no longer believed anyone would speak so offensively, so the insults lost the capacity to outrage and because Alice never fought back or even quietly objected, it frustrated me. Even when Alice imagines the life of a well-dressed man she sees on a train, she pictures his wife as being responsible for her husband's suit and stylish home decor before the writer adds that she'd also be a career woman as an afterthought nod to feminism.

Ben is scarcely more appealing, in spite of the pathos of his background and mental health. Having said that, I much preferred his story. His grandmother, her parrot and the people Ben meets on his travels were all more interesting than the main two characters in my opinion.
This wasn't awful, or even badly-written and many will enjoy it, but it wasn't for me.

Tom Winter is a really talented new author. When I read his first book Lost&Found a couple of years ago I was delighted to note the fresh new voice and decided to keep him on my radar.
I have not been able to read his second book yet, but I was happy to see that the latest one, 31 Days of Wonder is available to request on Netgalley. I am really grateful for the opportunity to read it before publication.
I found it a heartwarming story with very loveable main characters. Ben and Alice are two misfits both coming from pretty dysfunctional families. When they meet this brief encounter proves to be a sort of catalyst for both of them. After that point they both start to slowly change their lives. Ben learns to overcome his demons and hopefully finds his place and Alice learns to overcome her inhibitions and to stand up for herself. There is an open ending to the story, but the signs are promising. We can hope for a happy ending for them both.
The story runs on two alternating paralell lines. Each of the 31 days in the title is presented in a new chapter. The last chapter repeats the first one, their first encounter with a little more details giving a sort of frame to the whole story. It is a very clever idea on the author's part.
The situations and the characters are funny and the storytelling lighthearted with some poignant moments. I felt teary at some points. But the story as a whole was uplifting and delightful. I do recommend it to everyone with all my heart.

This was quite a bittersweet story about how meeting someone so briefly could change or affect your life. Quite unusual characters which kept me reading.
Just found it hard to believe the way Alice's work colleagues spoke to her but overall an enjoyable read.

Alice and Ben meet by chance in a random London park. At first sight, Ben really likes Alice and finds himself opening to the idea of love where as Alice struggles to see what Ben see's in her and can't understand why he likes her which has probably been caused by all the negative put downs her mum says to her unfortunately as Alice is a sweet character.

Ben sets about mistakenly to Glasgow as believes Alice is heading there, yet does stay with his grandparents before setting off to go about finding her. Ben also thinks he sees her on the train but he realizes it's his medication causing his hallucination though he does see her again whilst she's working in London as they work close by anyway.

When Ben see's her on her bike she calls to him and he realises he could try loving biking like her and gets the idea to bike up north until he finds the train would be easier as well as quicker and so his adventure begin's!

Over thirty one days, their lives have changed, with death and love causing ripples in their lives. It was okay but not a stunning book to me as I personally didn't completely follow the last chapter well and even upon rereading it couldn't understand it ending the way it did well for how the book worked.

Who knows who Alice was overall? Real? Ghost? Relative?

Still it keeps the book in my mind and it was enjoyable still.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

This review is written with thanks to Corsair Books and Netgalley for my copy of 31 Days Of Wonder.
One day, Ben meets Alice whilst she is eating her lunch on a park bench. Ben and Alice are both in their twenties, doing jobs they hate. Although their conversation is fleeting, they left an impression on each other that is hard to shake. What follows is the story of the next thirty one days in each of their lives, and even if they never meet again, how one chance encounter can have a lasting effect which stays with them forever.
As 31 Days Of Wonder focuses heavily on the lives of two characters, it is important that they are relatable characters that are easy to get behind. Ben and Alice do not begin this way, and at times their difficulties fitting into their respective environments make them hard to reach. However, as the characters grow, they become easier to relate to, particularly as their situations allow Winter to explore a range of issues such as mental health, grief, friendship and body image. I enjoyed these aspects of the novel, as they are issues which are relevant to both my life and modern society as a whole. In addition, Winter also introduces us to a range of supporting characters, who all allow him to present the main themes to the reader, and give them something to consider.
Despite the fact that 31 Days Of Wonder raises some profound issues, there are also several lighter moments which give Winter to add humour to the novel. At times, I found myself laughing out loud at some of the incidents which take place, and I found this added to the richness of Winter's writing, in that it reflects life as a whole, in the sense that even though circumstances can be difficult, there can also be moments of humour.
Overall, I enjoyed 31 Days Of Wonder ​and found it to be a very uplifting novel that is easy to read.

I would like to thank Little, Brown and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ’31 Days Of Wonder’ by Tom Winter in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Alice has a job she hates and an overweight body she is constantly striving to change with dieting; Ben has mental health problems which he keeps under control with tablets. They enter each others’ lives at a bench in Grosvenor Square where Ben tells Alice he thinks she’s beautiful.
Tom Winter’s novel ’31 Days Of Wonder’ is a sensitively written novel with a thought-provoking storyline which I found a pleasure to read. It shows that even if they never meet again, a chance meeting between two people can bring change and understanding to their lives.