I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I hadn’t read anything y this author before but I will be reading more in the future. It was a very good read and had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.

I have been enjoying Judy Leigh's books and realized that I had missed this first book of hers. I love that she writes books about mature characters and normal every day life. Evie is 75 years old and living in a care home. Since her husband died, she seems to be going downhill. She has no desire to continue life the way she is living now. Her son, Brendan, and daughter-in-law seem to be having difficulties and she has no grandchildren. She finally decides to fly the coop and one morning, she walks out of Sheldon Lodge and sets off on a Great Adventure across Europe. She meets some wonderful people, has some great adventures and finds love once again.

I loved Evie. She is an adventurous woman, with a great personality, and a joie de vivre that I would love to have. She is also independent, loveable, sarcastic, clever and had me laughing out loud many times. I love that she spoke her mind, took chances and didn't worry about what other people thought. Then there is Brendan. Him, I didn't like so much. He and his wife Maura were not very nice to one another. For people who loved each other at one time, they do their best to annoy one another. Brendan just wanted things to stay the same and was not willing for things to change as their relationship grew. He wanted his mother back in her care home and did not want her to live her life as she saw fit. He does have a change in the story, but I won't say anymore about it. I love the characters that Judy Leigh creates in her stories, and Evie is amazing. This story is funny and entertaining, but it also has some important messages. No matter what age you are, you need to be happy. You need to do what makes you happy and enjoy life. Children, you need to allow your parents to be happy, encourage them and support them to be the best they can be, to do what they can and don't force them to become old before their time. I loved this book and want to be Evie!

A mixed bag for me - I really liked Evie and her sections of this book, as she rejects care home living for adventure in France, but it was let down for me by the sub-plot about Evie’s son and his wife. Both those characters were quite objectionable and I had no interest in them and their terrible marriage. I would’ve been happier if the book was fully concerned with Evie and her adventures as I really liked her.

I have read later books by Judy Leigh, including The Old Girls Network, and they were much better, more fun and a pleasure to read.

Review posted on Goodreads.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

Evie Gallagher is regretting her hasty move into a Dublin care home. She may be seventy-five and recently widowed, but she’s absolutely not dead yet.

And so, one morning, while the rest of Sheldon Lodge is asleep, Evelyn walks out the front door and never looks back. So begins a road trip that will take Evie first to Liverpool, then on to Brittany, where she buys a camper van and heads south on a Great Adventure.

But not everyone thinks Great Adventures are appropriate for women of Evie’s age, least of all her son Brendan and his wife Maura, who set off in pursuit, following a trail of puzzling text messages.

But when Brendan and Maura finally catch up with Evie, there are shocks in store for all of them … because while Brendan may have given up on life and love, Evie Gallagher certainly has not.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

A lovely story, funny in places; at times heartwarming; at times sad. This is a good-natured yarn about Evie's pensioner emancipation, at the same time as her son has his own journey in his terrible marriage. Nothing remarkably new here but the characters are lovely and this is a couple of days worth of pleasurable reading.

Fun, mostly light and fluffy but a bit cringey in places (must everyone 'wriggle' in and out of everything?!). I picked this up on and off over a long period as a bedtime read so it took a while but in one go I think it would be a pretty quick read. It's also a nice example of an older lady having a life worth looking forward to still, not just looking back over their past.

This book teeters a bit between being rather far-fetched and saccharine and admiration for a very sassy, determined seventy-five-year-old, Evie. I think the first thirty percent of the story had me on the former side, but at the end, I had quite a fondness for this old girl. The same can also be applied to her son, Brendan, and his wife, Maura. The sentiments for him waver between exasperation and sympathy. For Maura, between intolerance and empathy.


For Evie, the death of her husband discombobulates her a bit…and rather rashly decides a care home will be best for her. But at seventy-five, she realises she's not in the slightest bit ready for god's waiting room. So she gathers her things, along with her passport, and sets off for a European road trip. Horrified, Brendan and Maura set off to find her to take her home. But Evie has not only driven off to Europe, she's driven into enlightenment. Brendan and Maura have to prepare themselves.


Ultimately, my patience was rewarded because Evie's character developed quite satisfyingly. Brendan is someone you just want to slap in the face at first, but the author manages to rescue you from GBH by bringing just enough of your sympathy to the surface. As for Maura…well, yes, she starts out being rather unlikeable and domineering. But Brendan's behaviour and attitude is enough to make a Maura.


I did actually enjoy this by the end. It is all a little bit silly, totally incredible, but it is undeniably rather fun: and you can't help admiring Evie just a smidge. She really does exemplify 'age is just a number'.

A pleasant tale of a lady in her seventies who decided to change her life when her family think she should be settling down to being an old lady. Simple in its writing and pretty predictable..

Evie is a 75 year old living in a care home after the death of her husband. She is finding life boring so leaves the home and sets off on an adventure, travelling through France and having a wonderful time. A woman after my own heart

This story follows Evie ( a pensioner) on her journey from Ireland to France and that of her son and daughter in law following her. I found myself laughing, crying and thinking ‘No’ don’t do it at times. A great easy read

This book is a lot of fun, and is one that I really enjoyed reading.

Evie who is 75 has decided that living in a care home isn't really for her, and decides to leave without telling anyone. After a stroke of luck she ends up taking a fabulous road trip through France and meeting loads of great people.

Her son Brendan whose marriage seems a bit rocky, decides he needs to set off in pursuit of his mum. So we have a book with two separate road trips going on, which takes in a lot of small villages in France and gives a great idea of the various places.

Their two experiences are wildly different, and as much as I loved Evie's story, I just didn't take to Brendan and his wife Maura. He seemed like a real mummy's boy and just dissatisfied with everything and I really wasn't sure what to make of Maura. Evie on the other hand is a fabulous character, full of life and her imagination is wild!

I loved Evies assorted antics and overall thought this was a very entertaining story and definitely an author to keep an eye on for future releases.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I did find it hard to get my head round the fact that Evie was the same woman that started off in the book in a care home.
It was a nice story but too far fetched for me. There were some moments I liked but oh my god what an irritating son.
I found this book neither a comedy or romance.

Evie Gallagher is 75, has been widowed a year and is slowly rotting away in a care home. One day she snaps and decides she's away for the day....but a series at unusually lucky events leads her to head out of Ireland altogether and on an adventure of a lifetime....it's been a long time coming but Evie is about to find herself! In the meantime, her son Brendan thinks she's far too old for this sort of malarkey and with his wife, Maura trails his mother across Europe. All he is interested in is getting her home safely to Dublin but he's also about to learn about himself, his wife and especially even though he's far from home a few him truths too.

This is an amusing tale of a rather mischievous older lady who's been hiding that side of herself for many years. Let loose on her own she enjoys meeting new people, making up a lot of stories about herself and getting drunk quite frequently. Her gregariousness draws people to her leading to many new friendships and a relationship she thought would never be possible for her again. There's only a few laugh-out-loud moments but its definitely a book you'll read with a smile and maybe one or two tears. If you're after something to leave you with a warm feel-good glow, look no further.

At first I was a little disappointed that this book was not funnier but as it progressed I found myself smiling at the incidents and scrapes that Evie got herself into. It was an uplifting story in that Evie managed to escape from the institutionalised life which lay before herand forged a new life and love in her 70s. A wake up call for us all with elderly relatives - that we should consider what they really want to do in their twilight years, not just what is convenient for every one else

A poignant tale of growing old and the trials and tribulations that come with it. Humorous and light hearted in places but with more than a touch of sadness in others. Characters are engaging and story moves along at a good pace. A reminder to us all that inwardly we all remain young at heart. A lovely read and recommended.

A fantastic read which I truly related to - growing old disgracefully! I also enjoyed it very much because of the picture it painted of France - although I must admit that I too have visited a lot of the places visited.


If you are looking for pure escapism with a touch of sadness, this is the book for you.

When I grow old, I want people to look at me when I'm being quiet and wonder what I'm up to! When Evie makes the decision that she is far too young to be in assisted living, she makes a break for freedom! Passport in hand, and with luck on her side, she makes her way through France collecting friends, memories, a wonderful campervan and a new life. Her son follows in hot pursuit and learns some very important lessons about his own priorities along the way.
Heart warming and hilarious, Evie is everything I aim to be one day. You can't help but love her. A fantastic book and strongly recommended.

A happy light-hearted read with some wonderful laugh out loud moments. I really enjoyed this book

I loved this book! Funny and poignant. Evie is 75 and after losing her husband and feeling a bit lost and lonely she moves to a care home. One day she wakes up and thinks I am too young for this. The story follows Evie as she goes on a trip to find herself. She goes from Liverpool to France where she bets on horses, wins a fortune, buys a campervan and has a fun filled time. Her son and his wife are worried and try to track her down. A really great book which shows with the right attitude age is only a number!