Actual rating 4.5

The prologue to Finding Henry Applebee is incredibly well written, almost poetic in tone as this elderly gentleman finds himself on the concourse at Kings Cross station waiting for the Edinburgh train, his suitcase that holds precious mementos at his feet, having of all things a nosebleed. The way in which teenager Ariel comes to his aid, losing most of her coffee in the process is serendipitous and a lovely way to introduce two of the main characters.

Before our characters alight the train we learn more of Henry and Ariel’s backgrounds and what has transpired to make them undertake this journey from London to Edinburgh. Henry is 85, a retired language teacher who lives alone in London with just his dog Banjo and his memories for company. His brother Devlin is two years deceased and a ghostly presence Henry sometimes converses with,looking for guidance in this instance over whether or not to revisit the past and endeavour to put right a broken promise. Ariel on the other hand is only 18, making the long journey from her home in Oystermouth South Wales via London to Edinburgh to fulfil a promise made to her mother Estelle, also deceased. Ariel’s father Linus and young brother Isaac have no idea of her current whereabouts, her best friend Tumbleweed sworn to secrecy. With just one other character left to meet to complete this unlikely trio bound for Scotland I was intrigued as what was in store for them all.

Travis, an American jazz loving saxophone player is sitting across the aisle from Henry and Ariel when he makes their acquaintance, the final member of this trio. There is a musical element to the storyline that begins with this introduction and then remains throughout, connecting the three strangers together, the first of many strange coincidences awaiting in the wings. By the end of the journey Travis, Ariel and Henry are more like old friends than strangers, their conversation easily bridging the age gap. What awaits them upon reaching their final destination will undoubtedly surprise you. At the heart of this novel is a love story that will tug at your heartstrings, a story full of regrets, heartache and missed opportunities but through the tears one that will also make you smile.

By far my favourite part of this novel is the train journey to Edinburgh and Henry’s decision to loosen his tongue and divulge his past to Ariel and Travis who are a willing audience. I was spellbound by Henry’s recounting of his brief love affair with Fran which begins in 1948 when he is on 48 hour leave from RAF Kirkham. About to be demobbed and returning to his home in London, the way in which Henry describes his first sighting of Fran,in the Blackpool Tower ballroom as a coup de foudre is illuminating, sensing that their story doesn’t have a happy ending but not knowing why. I felt shivers down my spine as he remembers spotting Fran sitting alone on that balcony watching the dancers below,losing herself in the music. It is testament to the author’s ability to conjure up such a vivid atmospheric setting evoking images of a bygone era, that made me feel as if I too were sitting there, watching a budding romance unfold. With the war not long won and national service still in operation, Henry is the epitome of a gentleman, impeccably turned out, his old fashioned way of courting and conducting himself making him a relic of the past. As Henry further reminisces,I fell in love with this elderly man who has spent his life in the shadow of one fateful night in 1948, when an event following his goodbye to Fran has disastrous consequences, overshadowing the rest of his life. That Fran was and is the love of his life and how he has chosen never to forgive himself for breaking a promise is what turns this novel into the emotional read it is. In many ways Henry reminded me of my own father, slighter older but also having completed his national service in Singapore, also a lover of jazz. That he is now in the early stages of dementia made this story all the more poignant for me.

The events that compel Henry and Ariel to travel to Edinburgh, one to listen to a book talk and one to deliver a mysterious brown package only addressed to EMH will forcibly bring the past into the present in the most fortuitous of ways. The author has woven a joyful thread through these characters lives, joining them together by happenstance. It is a narrative to make your heart sing, utterly delightful, culminating in a beautiful, poignant ending.

The only reason I have chosen to give this charming novel 4.5 stars rather than 5 is purely because it took me a little while to fully immerse myself in the storyline . There’s an element of the magical and mystical in the way all the strange coincidences occur following Henry’s train journey to Edinburgh that are maybe a tiny bit too fanciful. I think if you can set aside your realistic notions and allow yourself to be swept away by the romance and the glamour of the Blackpool Tower ballroom and lose your heart to Henry and Fran and their brief but momentous love affair, then you’ll enjoy this novel all the more. Personally I was caught up in this sorrowful love story that is definitely one to remember and Henry Arthur Applebee, 85 and counting is a character that has left an imprint on my heart. My thanks to One More Chapter for inviting me to read this novel. I highly recommend it.

This book is like a hot water bottle on a cold day and leaves you with such a warm, fuzzy feeling. Perfect for escaping the world as it is right now. Henry Applebee is 85 and is setting off on a journey that he has waited many many years to make. Along the way he meets Ariel and Travis and they share his life story on their train journey from London to Edinburgh. Little do they know how intertwined their stories are to become.

We flashback to 1948 when Henry meets the love of his life, Francine in the Blackpool Tower. They spend two wonderful days together before he has to move back to London. Despite the distance they share a promise to make it work. But a miscommunication, and an assumption on Henry's part leads him to a rash act that alters the course of their lives forever. Unable to forget her, he searches for Francine, but has no luck. Until a chance article in a local newspaper references her, and a book that her daughter has written. Will he finally get his chance to apologise to her?

Whilst things may not ultimately turn out the way Henry hopes, he gains so much from his decision to be brave and to right the wrong he did by Francine all those years ago. This is a story about courage and forgiveness, about never giving up and ultimately, it's about love. Just gorgeous.

What a delightful read. Read over two nights. Gorgeous, likeable characters and a narrative filled with a collection of plots all neatlunch woven together. Really enjoyable. You’ll need tissues.

This book focuses on the adventure of Henry Applebee who travels from London to Edinburgh whilst reminiscing about his past. He meets two other travellers on his train journey who also share their stories. It was a bit of a slow start for me but I enjoyed the connection between the main characters and the ending was quite lovely.

Thank you to to Netgalley and Harper for opportunity to read this charming book in exchange for an honest review. This was a very moving, engaging story about an elderly gent on a train journey to Edinburgh and the people he meets and shares stories with en route. I really enjoyed this emotional read.

3,5 Stars

A 85 year old man and a teenager as unlikely journey pals on a train ride to Edinburgh. Each with their own mission to fulfil. And during the long hours of travel, we get to know both their stories...

I found Henry's story the most interesting, and I undestand that Ariel's story was important to the plot as well. But I really could have done without third travel pal Travis. His chapters were only half interesting and slowed down the whole story considerably for me. Although I very much liked him as a person, there was no real need to learn his background story.

"Finding Henry Applebee" is a rather quiet, slow, melancholic book which tells the reader that you can never be too old or too young to go out there and look for answers to your questions. And brings with it a real blast from the past at the end.

Henry Applebee is an old man on his way to Edinburgh. The journey is passed in the company of 2 other, much younger people, all strangers initially, and they pass the time by each telling their stories. Of all the people and all the trains, it just had to be this particular one! It had its good bits and bad bits for all 3 of them but although I mainly liked all of Henry’s and Ariel’s chapters, wasn’t at all interested in Travis, so skim read those. A very easy to read book with some sad, some funny parts. Take it on a train journey!

A charming book and definitely more than I was expecting, not at all predictable. I was surprised as I read this story. I think it was very well written, descriptive and emotive. I loved the characters and felt them to be realistic, something that can be difficult. A lovely read .

I enjoyed this book though ,because it follows two different timelines, hard to follow at times. I feel the book would be perfect for romantics

Oh, this was such a lovely story. I fell in love all over again and finished the story thinking that true love really does exist. Henry Appleby is a wonderful man with a beautiful story. And one that made me well up several times too.

The narrative follows two generations and we not only have the dual timeline of Henry in 1948 with present day, but also perspectives from Ariel, Travis and Frank. Seemingly different stories that converge in Edinburgh, readers gradually learn that there is more connecting these travellers than just their final destination. Whilst desperate to hear Henry’s story on the train, I became increasingly keen to know what would happen once the characters reached Edinburgh. As such, I faced the inner conflict of wanting their train to simultaneously slow down and speed up!

Beautifully written, I could vividly imagine myself sitting with Henry and Francine. The narrative is so well-crafted that I felt like I had slipped into the bath: the plot was washing over me, making me feel rather warm and cosy inside. This is my first read by Reynolds and I really hope it is not my last.

Such a heartfelt story! I don’t tend to cry over stories but in this instance, Reynolds has created the perfect formula to pull at my heartstrings. With themes of love and family, Reynolds creatives an immersive story that makes an otherwise long and boring train journey so very addictive. Indeed, I think this book would be perfect for a long travel or even a day sat on the beach. I read this in a day because I could not put it down, wanting to know Henry’s past because he is such an endearing character.

This was such a lovely, innocent story. I loved Henry Appleby and was rooting for him to find perfect happiness. The blend between two generations, old and young, is perfectly created and I enjoyed this different style of love story. If you enjoyed 'Harold Fry' then I urge you not to wait any longer but add this to your reading lists.

With thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely read a book of unlikely friendships a book of chance meeting on a train trip to Scotland A special read a book of life’s surprises.#netgalley#finding Henryapplebee

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I enjoyed this story very much and felt like I knew each character personally due to the description of them. I enjoyed the storyline. This is not my usual genre but in this instance I am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. Thanks again.

I quite enjoyed this book, my first by the author. It was sweet and charming and moving and just what I was hoping for when I first saw it. Recommended!

This is a perfectly okay little book. The plot is endearing and the characters are cute. The beginning of the book is a bit convoluted and dense, but shapes up into something that is a bit more comfortable as the chapters move on. The story of Henry is a good one, if not a bit sad. I enjoyed him as a character. He reminded me a bit of Fredrik Backman's Ove and I wanted nothing but good things for him. His story crushed me a little in some places. Likewise, Ariel and Travis are perfectly fine.

And that...the perfectly fine...is what really made this book a three-star read for me. There was nothing particularly unique or shocking for me. The characters were good and I wanted good things for them, but I wasn't terribly emotional at their individual plights. The plot went more or less where I expected it to go and the "twist" was something I had pretty much surmised to a certain point when I was less than half way through the narrative. I will admit that the overall story line certainly went past the necessarily believable, but it's fiction...I gave that an easy pass. Finding Henry Applebee was a comforting little novel and it read easily.

Absolutely charming story about strangers on a train and how their lives intersect. Loved it ! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I really enjoyed Finding Henry Applebee. Celia Reynolds pens a compelling story that had me unable to put my kindle down. The storyline and characters were so interesting!

This is such a lovely book, that somehow manages to be heart breaking and warming at the same time. I loved the character of Henry and what a gentleman he is. It's fascinating how all the characters' stories intertwine and have an effect on each other. I'd advise a box of tissues to hand as the characters really get under your skin and it's almost impossible not to get emotionally involved. One to be added to your TBR pile.

Travis who is a young Jazz musician who by chance sit together on a long train journey. They begin exchanging their lives and stories and without knowing initially their lives are intricately linked together.
I fell in love with Henry, an old man with a kind heart. His story paints a warm glow of yesteryear and how our lives don't always go as planned. Lost love, family secrets.
Celia Reynolds has formed a fascinating bunch of characters here who all have their motives of travelling. The steady drip feed of characters shows how all decisions in life somehow make an impact on our future outcomes. Moments in life can be pivotal and when they happen some things can never be the same again.
A very happy, emotional and at times sad book. The characters are narrated lovely and would make a lovely gift for christmas.
Thank you for the ARC Net galley.

This was a charming book and not at all predictable. I was genuinely surprised by some of the turns of events and that's a great feeling when you read a lot. Heartwarming on the order of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency stories. This is a book that is both character and story driven and both are done equally well. It moved back and forth in time a little bit so you are slowly developing the picture. I highly recommend this! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC...

#FindingHenryApplebee #Netgalley

A journey overland, a journey through time and a journey of discovery, Finding Henry Applebee is a beautifully written story that delightfully enchants and reminds us that it’s never too late to pursue our dreams or right our wrongs.

Henry Applebee at eighty-five years of age and with the help of his niece finally manages to track down a woman living in Edinburgh whom he lost his heart to sixty-five years ago. When he arrives at Kings Cross train station in London to begin his journey, he is helped in a moment of need by a young woman, Ariel. In appreciation, he offers her a spare first-class train ticket beside him for their trip to Edinburgh. When they get settled they are joined across the aisle by a young Jazz musician, Travis, also travelling to Edinburgh. The insights into Jazz music, which I don't really follow, were very interesting.

Celia Reynolds has drawn fascinating characters that are strikingly painted and have their own purpose in travelling to Scotland. The narrative provides a backdrop to each character by providing time shifts into their background. The steady revealing of the circumstances is delicately handled and as the trip progresses more and more of the adventure becomes apparent. The story creates a warm rosy glow of nostalgia and the exciting anticipation of meeting a lost love, discovering a family secret or achieving an absorbing goal.

This story is following a topical theme involving an older person taking a trip to address some stirring concern before it is finally too late, similar in mood to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. There is something heartening reading a story from an older person’s perspective that looks back at moments in their life, especially when it touches distinguished moments in history.

I would recommend reading this novel and I'd like to thank One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC version in return for an honest review.