Ralph Waldo Emerson famously stated <b> " Life is a journey not a destination"</b>.     This addage has been applied to so many things and I'm adding Jenni Keer's novel to the list.   It not only applies to the type of story she told but it was in keeping with the theme of her debut novel The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker.   In this story the destination was the happily ever after ending she delivered but the journey was delightfully filled with twists and turns, magic, a beautiful friendship and a couple of social issues thrown in for good measure.

To me, the hero of this story was the friendship.   Lucy and her  best friend Brenda have a great time together.  Not only are they neighbours but they share meals, laughs and even have similar hobbies.   What's less conventional about this friendship is that Lucy's in her mid twenties whilst Brenda is about to celebrate her 80th bitrthday.  Lucy is shy and old fashioned.  Brenda is outgoing,  a free spirit with a knack for alternative therapies and perhaps a few magical qualities.   Yet these two girls gelled and I loved the way they looked out for each  other; each helping the other through some of lifes biggest challenges

Every now and then I like to settle down with a light and lovely story, one with a bit of romance, some characters who feel like much loved friends, and a hunky main man.    As author Jenni Keer was quoted as saying  “I’m a fan of the happy-ever-after and my books follow what I call the ‘Four Weddings’ formula: laughs, tears and a girl who always gets her man.”     Sure, that won't work for all readers but The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker ticked all those boxes and it worked for me.

My thanks go to the author, Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars on Goodreads

What a delightful book, I loved it!! The characters were all lovable, and I just loved them all!! Such a beautiful story, about a young lady 'Lucy' and her Nextdoor neighbour 'Brenda'!! Their relationship is very special!! The new neighbour 'George' moves in Nextdoor to Lucy on the other side, a 'stray' cat appears, then the story begins!!!!! Wonderful read!!!!!

An Sweet story of a mismatched pair of close friends one young, one older. The older friend has Dementia and wants to help her friend find love.

What a lovely book, I laughed out loud at times, well written, Lucy is a great character, quirky and easy to identify with.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
Aww, I loved the characters and the relationship they had.
A lovely, cosy read that makes you feel all content and warm inside

I was immediately drawn to the cover and the synopsis. In the end, I’d say that it was an OK read saved by a very moving ending.

Unfortunately, I felt there were too many lengthy parts about not-so-important elements from a narrative perspective. It dragged on many times and it hindered on the pleasure of reading. I always enjoy a fair share of magic in chick-lit, but I found the idea of the locket a bit silly and mostly predictable: I guessed what it was supposed to accomplish. And knowing that in advance sort of killed the suspense.

Regarding the characters, Lucy and Brenda are two endearing characters whose relationship is quite lovely, a highlight of the novel. I really liked Lucy’s personality and I rooted for her to assert herself more and stand her ground, without compromising her true self (a quiet, cat-loving, knitting expert). I liked the message conveyed about Lucy’s sister (leading a not so perfect life when viewed from a juggling working mother). But I was really put off by Lucy’s mother whose conduct was selfish, diva-like and very judgmental regarding Lucy’s way of life.

In the end, I’d say it was a light, easy read, but it wasn’t as exciting as I expected it to be.

Wonderful. Lucy shows a warm and caring side to her nature but she has little self confidence until given a magical locket,by her elderly neighbour, which changes her life ... .

Thank you to both NetGalley and Avon Publishing for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review.
This is a great, light hearted read. I did enjoy this

This turned out to be a most enjoyable and feelgood read, with interesting principal characters and a varied cast of supporting ones as well, including Scratbags, the all-seeing cat. Lucy and George are both well drawn with some unexpected character traits and not always predictable reactions. Neighbour to them both is the redoubtable Brenda who brings a touch of magic to the whole proceedings.There is a real poignancy about Brenda's deteriorating dementia but she always maintains her sense of humour and affection for Lucy.

There is plenty to get your teeth into in this story line. Lucy's family all have their own backstory and you get the feeling that this could apply to George as well. I was able to visualise all the scenes so well. Lucy's workplace is full of office politics and it is good to see how she faces up to some of the challenges there. I always enjoy a story where you get to see characters grow and develop and I definitely felt that this was the case here. There are some genuinely funny moments but a few sad ones too.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

In short: A tapestry of emotions

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

Lucy loves knitting, reading and is good friends with her 79 year old neighbour Brenda, she is content with her life though she wishes sometimes she could be more assertive - for instance one of the things she would do is tell her rather handsome neighbour her name isn't Lisa and of course she will look after his cat but would it kill him to say please?

Free spirited Brenda has got dementia and her final wish is to ensure her beloved friend Lucy is happy, confident and in the arms of her true love. Brenda has a plan to encourage Lucy in the right direction involving a very special locket, that handsome next door neighbour and a gorgeous black cat...but is Lucy ready to experience all the things life has to offer?

This novel is a delightful read! The characters are lovable with all their little quirks. There are moments to make you laugh-out-loud and others that will break your heart. The plot is slightly predictable but the message at it's core is beautiful, the friendship between Lucy and Brenda smashes ages barriers and the lengths each of them with go to ensure the other is okay is truly heart-warming. Throw in an adorable stray cat, a gorgeous neighbour (straight of the cover of a Mills and Boon book) and you have a charming read, perfect for a lazy weekend.

Thanks to NetGalley & Avon Books UK for sending me this in exchange for an open and honest review.

Beautifully and sensively written, I really enjoyed this book. I loved all of the characters from the start and was quickly drawn into the story. I particularly really liked the character of Brenda - she is so quirky and I enjoyed the mystery about her. This book made me laugh and also made me sad. The issue of dementia is beautifully written into the story.

This is a charming and heartwarming book which I highly recommend. Perfect for an afternoon on the sofa with a hot chocolate. A story of friendship, love, romance, hope and magic spells.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up this book with hopes of reading a romance with a quintessential British heroine and a Darcy type. I got that for the most part, but sometimes the ditziness of the protagonist and somewhat random nature of character's actions made it a little difficult to connect with the story. I also didn't really feel any romance developing beyond the so-called magical "locket" and Lucy going ahead with its instructions which were pretty crazy. Can be a beach read only if you completely suspend reality.

I love that there are so many stories at the moment about cross-generational friendships, which portray older people in a positive light.

'The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker' is a lovely example of this type of story featuring Lucy aged 25 and Brenda aged 79 and their strong friendship, which provides the reader with humorous, magical and poignant moments.

Brenda has lived a full often glamorous life and is still a flamboyant character. However, it's her kind nature that makes her stand out and what draws Lucy to her. Lucy is not typical of her generation, she finds everything in life difficult, lacks self-confidence for a variety of reasons and is still seeking that perfect someone, even though she pretends to everyone, including herself most of the time that she isn't.

The plot see-saws between Lucy's home and work life, with engaging characters in each, they are all very human; flawed and realistic, which makes the story believable too, even though it has a strong flavour of the extraordinary.

There's romance for Lucy, family problems and work stresses. Brenda has to face some cruel realities, but helping Lucy onto her rightful life path makes her focus on the positives rather than the negatives, of her life.

Friendship, frailty and fun sum up this book, one that I would recommend to everyone.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Love love loved this book! Women's fiction is always liberating! Can't wait to pass this down to friends n family! Great read! Thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

An uplifting and delightful story filled with magic and charm!

Some books are just good for the soul and this is definitely one of them! I am really loving this uplit trend in books... with all the madness going on in the world today it is nice to read a book that restores your faith in humanity! This is the kind of book that puts a smile on your face and a spring in your step!

Lucy Baker is 25 and prefers knitting to partying, books to boys, T to booze... she is sweet and quiet and kind and in need of a shot of confidence... Brenda is 78 and Lucy‘s neighbor.... she is a force of nature a bundle of energy and just the shot of confidence that Lucy needs! Lucy and Brenda form a beautiful friendship.... when Brenda is diagnosed with dementia it is her wish that Lucy is happy before she loses her memories....

Such an engaging character driven story filled with so much hope and heart! I absolutely unequivocally loved the bond and friendship between Lucy and Brenda.... we all need a Brenda in our lives, she was so wonderful, whimsical, and wise! Brenda armed with a magical locket is determined to help Lucy learn to believe in herself.... in her work life this will require Lucy to stand up for herself and in her private life this will require Lucy to open herself up... A cat named Scratbag, a moody but hot next-door neighbor, and knit Poldark figures, were the cherry on top of this fabulous book sundae...

Fantastic characters, a story that will tug at your heart strings, and a sweet slow burn romance! Absolutely recommend!

*** many thanks to Avon UK for my copy of this book ***

A lovely romance that has a bit more meaning than just boy meets girl etc. I enjoyed the story for the most part and the characters were interesting and believable, however it seemed to me like there were way too many scenes taking place in Lucy’s work place.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Hopes And Dreams of Lucy Baker

Lucy Baker is an adorable character who simply does not have enough faith in herself. When she meets a new hunky neighbour and a scruffy cat she confides in her elderly neighbour Brenda that she could do with a helping hand where her love life is concerned.
Brenda who is a fabulously eccentric character bestows a magical locket onto Lucy and then sits back to watch the fireworks as Lucy follows the instructions that the locket gives out.
Brenda and Lucy have such a beautiful friendship despite the huge age gap and that really appealed to me as I have friends who are so much older and wiser and still have so much to give.
The knitted characters that Lucy makes provide a fun aspect to her personality and I’ve seen the pictures of the real life Poldark one.
Lucy is a very well developed character as is shown from the various relationships around her with her sister and friends and colleagues.
The story of Brenda’s illness is very touching and poignant and makes for tearful moments however the overall undertone of the book is fun fun fun and I loved reading it.
I shall now wait with bated breath for Jenni’s next book.

http://sincerelybookangels.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-hopes-and-dreams-of-lucy-baker-by.html?m=1

Lucy is happy living alone, with her job in sales for a toy wholesaler and her friend Jess and elderly neighbour Brenda she doesn't need a man.
Then handsome George moves in next door but one and, thanks to a stray cat, they slowly start to get to know each other. Brenda gives Lucy a locket which she says will help her to win the heart of her true love as long as she follows it's instructions and with Jess' encouragement Lucy embarks on her quest but will it work or is George getting totally the wrong impression of Lucy.
Love isn't the only thing on Lucy's mind, Brenda is showing signs of dementia and Lucy has a new manager at work who is looking to streamline things. Between worrying about her dear friend and her job does she even have time for a man?

A really lovely tale with a mischievous cat, a little old lady and a sprinkle of magic! I really enjoyed this story, even the descriptions of Lucy’s work at the toy distributor had me in stitches.

A heartwarming read. 4*

2019 has got off to a stellar start with the quality of the books I have read so far, and I guess it is a streak that has to end some time… but not with this book because this is a novel which has maintained the very high standard of reads with which I’ve started the year. It is a book which has wrapped me in a cashmere blanket of happiness and given me a long, warm hug, leaving me feeling tingly, moved and with a big smile on my face and a small tear in my eye. Quite a feat.

The central story in this book is the unlikely friendship between Lucy and Brenda, which spans easily the decades that divide them age-wise. In most ways, age doesn’t matter because Lucy is mature and wise beyond her years and Brenda is young at heart, but in other ways the age difference is telling, because of the effect it is having on Brenda’s body and mind. Jenni displays the closeness between the two, but also this physical deterioration of the human body with such tenderness and pathos that the book can’t fail to grab hold of the stoniest of hearts and squeeze it until it feels something (a bit too much in my case, since I’m a big softy and blub at the slightest provocation).

I was totally in love with both Brenda and Lucy. They felt very real and alive to me and their friendship was completely believable and genuine and just a delight to behold. They both really care about the other and want what is best for them, and they bring out the best in each other. They really understand each other and have so much in common, despite the age difference, which is the basis for a true and enduring friendship and it is just gorgeous.

I really enjoyed watching Lucy come to life and blossom and expose more of her personality throughout the book. I felt like a proud parent watching her grow in confidence and stature across the pages. There were times when I wanted to reach into the pages and shake her, or warn her not to trust someone, that they were not what they seemed to be, and that it is the hallmark of a truly enthralling book, where the people are so real to you that you are completely engrossed in the story as if you are another character yourself involved in their lives. I was rooting for her all the way through, sharing her joys and triumphs and sadness and, when the book ended, I felt like I was leaving behind a good friend. Luckily, she will still be waiting there between the pages of the book next time I want to meet up with her.

The other story arc is a fairly simple boy meets girl, but is elevated beyond the mundane by the charm of the characters, a good dose of humour and a touch of magical realism. It is a winning recipe for a memorable story that you will be sorry ends and you will definitely want to return to. Added to this is the warmth and ease of Jenni’s writing, which I just loved. One of my favourite lines popped up early on in the book:

“But the night-black cat had vanished completely into the cat-black night.’

This is one of those lines that, as a writer, you mentally high-five yourself for writing and I gave the author a little cheer of congratulation as I read. It is also one of those ‘kill your darlings’ lines that you are always told you should cut (although the premise that you should cut any line you think is great always baffles me – you should just leave yourself with all the lines you aren’t happy with? Odd idea!) and I am SO glad that Jenni’s editor didn’t make her cut this one! From here on, I knew I was going to enjoy every word and there were numerous other bits I highlighted to go back to.

What more do I need to say? I absolutely loved every word of this book and can’t wait to grab the paperback for my collection so I can come back to it next time I want a book that will just make me happy. Go and buy it and give yourself a treat.