Well .. that was an unexpected surprise. I got an advance copy of this book from Net Galley and, honestly wasn't sure if it would be my thing. Well, it was. It's an interconnected story about friendship, isolation, redemption and learning that it's OK to let your guard down. The characters are multi-dimensional and each one of them is flawed, sometimes in a surreal and almost whimsical way. I loved both Monica and Hazard and the author's portrayal of Alice (the internet loving, Instagram guru new mom) made me laugh out loud. There are twists and turns that I didn't see coming in the last 3rd of the book that made it impossible for me to put down. The chapter layout got a little confusing for me (I'm really not that smart) but otherwise this novel gets top notch marks. It's a feel good book and a very pleasant way to spend a few hours

I have received ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I admit i am probably not the true target audience for this book.
There was a good chance i’d leave it as dnf however one of the characters is named Monica and i kept seeing Monica from Friends (you will see some strong similarities), so i kept reading. 
It’s a light read, the characters are quite stereotypical, their plot lines following majority of tropes however it’s quite well executed so it is still rewarding to read. And i mean, tropes are not a sin after all. 
I can see this being my recommendation for a cozy easy light read where you don’t want to question the credibility of it too much.

This book quietly took hold and did not let me go.
An interesting premise with characters that drew me in and kept me engrossed until the last page.
Charming, beautiful and bittersweet.  
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.  It was a wonderfully written book with characters that you loved and understood. It begins when Monica finds a scribbler with the “truth” about one mans life. The rest of the book brings in the other characters that find this scribbler and add their stories. These people slowly meet up and with people in reality there are numerous misconceptions that lead to hurt feelings and arguments.  This group of characters greatly compliment each other as their differences and what combine to make each of them a better person. To say more would ruin the story for you but I truly believe you will find this story uplifting  and encouraging. You will be cheering these people on and you will find a bit of you in each of these people. There are a few twists that really  make the story come together.

When it is snowy and cold outside (and my car is buried under 2ft of ❄️ ), superspeed readers like me can read 250+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. LOL

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

The story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to an unexpected friendship, and even love

Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely artist and septuagenarian believes that most people aren't really honest with each other. But what if they were? And so he writes--in a plain, green journal--the truth about his own life and leaves it in his local café. It's run by the incredibly tidy and efficient Monica, who furtively adds her own entry and leaves the book in the wine bar across the street. Before long, the others who find the green notebook add the truths about their own deepest selves--and soon find each other In Real Life at Monica's Café.

The Authenticity Project's cast of characters--including Hazard, the charming addict who makes a vow to get sober; Alice, the fabulous mommy Instagrammer whose real life is a lot less perfect than it looks online; and their other new friends--is by turns quirky and funny, heartbreakingly sad and painfully true-to-life. It's a story about being brave and putting your real self forward--and finding out that it's not as scary as it seems. In fact, it looks a lot like happiness.

The Authenticity Project is just the tonic for our times that readers are clamouring for--and one they will take to their hearts and read with unabashed pleasure.

Although it took me a while to get into the book, I was glad that I stuck it out as the story was compelling once it got going.  The six main characters in the novel were fun to get to know and watch their journies come to fruition. This book would appeal to many readers - in fact, it may be assumed that it is a self-help book from its cover and get some non-fiction readers to read it. (Side diatribe...I hate that superior kind of people that say, while screwing their faces up with disgust, "Oh, I don't real NOVELS" as if you are reading utter nonsensical toilet paper and they are such a better person than you are!"  Bite it, people!!!) 

This is a fun read and I recommend it as a great way to start off the month February when it is released - it is a great book to read and fall in love with. 

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I love emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 💌💌💌💌

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a well written book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

I love when an author is able to write a character that is relatable even when their circumstances don’t mirror your own. The great thing about this book is that Pooley was able to create six characters from which you could find a connection when reading about their story. It wasn’t a funny book but it was definitely heart-warming and engaging. I did feel it was a bit long through the middle, where the story slowed a bit, but the twist near the end picked it right back up. 

Thanks to netgalley and Pamela Dorman Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

It was slow building and I almost stopped reading but I'm glad I didn't! An utterly charming story of a group of people brought together by a notebook.. Julian starts it off by writing  about his loneliness and leaves the notebook, titled "The Authenticity Project" where someone else might find it. The next person has a solution for the former and then writes their own problems and leaves the notebook somewhere else. As this group of people get to know each other, their lives really do become more authentic.

I'm glad Netgalley offered an ARC of this title to librarians because I really enjoyed reading the story. The characters are very interesting and I enjoyed seeing how their lives became intertwined due to The Authenticity Project. Also, I also like the exploration of the concept of authenticity -- how we view ourselves, how we want other people to see us, and how we see the other people through our own particular lenses. Great read -- will be recommending it to my local library system for purchase.