An excellent story full of characters you wont soon forget. This story becomes one of cross-generational friendships, the prevalence of loneliness in the busiest of cities, and the challenges of being authentic to yourself and to others. A lovely ride with a lovely cast of characters!

What a quaint story., but beware: things are a not always as they seem! I liked the interesting plot twist with Julian. He got his comeuppance for his philandering and selfish ways, but also a second chance at life - redemption is probably a better word for this part of the story line.

The narrative meandered a bit, and I wondered whether the author was playing at misdirection, like a magician, but I could also foresee the potential ending of this story right in the first few chapters, so I suppose a bit of misdirection was necessary in order to keep things interesting. I loved how new characters kept being added to the mix, and how their contribution to The Authenticity Project enriched this story. Just a really great read!

I loved this delightful book!

At the story's centre is a school exercise book with the words "The Authenticity Project" written on the front cover.
It was left behind in a coffee shop where it is picked up by Monica, the coffee shop owner. She reads the few sentences written by the person who left it and from that point, we are gradually introduced to a motley cast of characters who, for me, jumped off the pages. I fell in love with each one and only wish they were not just living in Clare Pooley's head, I'd want to meet and spend a lot of time with each one. Masterful writing!.

The plot is uncommon in that the inanimate school book is the star of this story, playing the main role due to its influence on each character after they all write their authentic feelings on its pages. Feelings they have never shared with any human being. The characters eventually all meet and interact with each other, experiencing growth, love, betrayal, successes, fun, tears and camaraderie. Pooley's writing keeps the reader enthralled and involved. I was entertained from start to finish, from snorting to guffawing, puzzlement to cheering, tears of disappointment to high spirits. I didn't want it to end!

As soon as I read the description of this book, I couldn't wait to get approved and start reading it. This was such a charming and heartwarming read, perfect for reading on a cozy winter day.

I really enjoyed the premise of a notebook that weaves the stories of very different characters together. That being said, I do feel like my expectations for a more "authentic" story fell a little bit flat. The characters were definitely unique, but with the title of the book and the book inside the book, I feel like it could have gone a little deeper. As we got later into the book, there were almost too many characters added and it became hard to feel as connected to these new characters as the ones who were added earlier.

I do still think I will recommend this novel, as an uplifting and cute read. I am interested to see how this novel is received once it is released.

Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced digital copy.

This book was absolutely charming. Each character has their story to tell and their own authentic selves to share which they do through a notebook. Each time a story is told the notebook is then left for someone else to find and because people are essentially good, each new person feels like they should help the person before. This results in a chain of good deeds that brings them together and changes their lives. Each new writer propels the plot forward as they read the previous stories and take action. There are a lot of characters but they are all so different that it was never confusing, even when their stories all connect. I quickly grew attached to many of them and even characters I didn’t particularly like at first grew on me as I got to know them.

Things can't be all sunshine and puppies though so you know conflict and drama are coming to tear it all apart. I was a bit sad to see the friendships built in the first part of the book break down. You would think that with everyone baring their souls in the notebook that they wouldn’t be hiding too many secrets from each other but this is absolutely what happens and anguish ensues. In the end everyone has some sort of a conclusion to their story and it is for the most part positive and happy, but also bittersweet. I became emotionally attached to these characters and I admit I was a bit teary.

This is a story with a great big heart and a lot of humour. It’s a feel good read that will make you wonder about the stories of those around you and maybe encourage a little more kindness and understanding as everyone has their own authentic selves hidden inside and it may not be the image you see.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Viking for providing an Electronic Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley for review.

I think my expectations for this book were a little too high.

I was expecting so much more, something life changing, something more authentic but it quickly just turned into yet another Adult Fiction story. That being said, I absolutely loved the way all the lives of the characters intertwined, especially the way Alice saw Monica and the way Monica saw Alice. Such different realities and interpretations for each of them despite being in the same moment. That was expressed and written so beautifully throughout the book.

My favourite lines from the book were in the first few pages.

“How well do you know the people who live near you? How well do they know you? Do you even know the names of your neighbors? Would you realize if they were in trouble, or hadn’t left their house for days?
Everyone lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth instead? The one thing that defines you, that makes everything else about you fall into place? Not on the internet, but with those real people around you?”

It’s not a bad read, but I felt it did not live up to its hype or to the word authentic and that disappointed me more than any other book would.

My love to hate character in this book was definitely Alice. I also wish the author would have written more about Riley later on.

The flow of this story reminded me of Daisy Jones & The Six but better. I remember enjoying that book while reading it but simply being unsatisfied when it ended.

Just when I was getting bored with the story we met nosey Lizzie and got to experience what her meddling did.

Overall not a bad read. Pick it up if you’ve got a chance.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, and Clare Pooley for this ARC!

3.5/5

"What would happen if you shared the truth?" Julian Jessop writes in a notebook he titles "The Authenticity Project." When he leaves this journal in Monicas cafe she is challenged to tell her own truth. As the journal makes it way through each person who reads it, they are confronted with their own truth. What comes out of this small journal changes lives.
Recommended for all. Great read.

*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed reading The Authenticity Project. For the most part, this book was very positive and heartwarming. I loved seeing how each person got connected with the larger group and how all the characters came together. One of the last events seemed to have come out of nowhere, which made me do a bit of a double take, but overall I thought this was a very lovely book.

DNF

I don't have many books that I couldn't finish, but there have been a few. This one now rests among their number.
Halfway through the book, I could no longer force myself to wade through page after page of sad people stuck in torturous, pointless lives. Perhaps this was uplifting for some, but not me.
There are too many other books out there that move me to force myself to read something I don't enjoy.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. My apologies to the author.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Authenticity Project begins when Julian, an eccentric former artist/senior citizen, writes about his feelings of loneliness since the loss of his wife and purposely leaves his notebook behind in a cafe. In doing so, he hopes a stranger will not only read what he's written, but will face their own truth, write it down and pass it on. As each new character discovers Julian's notebook, they not only find relief in writing down their innermost feelings, but also find community with one another, despite their many outward differences.

The Authenticity Project is a feel-good contemporary read with romance and comedy, but what makes it different is its ability to also go deep on real issues, like addiction (and others I won't mention to avoid spoilers). An unexpected twist adds an element of surprise near the end of the story. The characters really came alive for me and I felt I knew them by the end of the book. If you enjoyed A Man Called Ove, I'd encourage you to pick up The Authenticity Project, out February 4th.

I loved the storyline and characters in this book and found it hard to put down. I loved that each character had to write something authentic about themselves in the notebook that would be read by random people. It really makes you think about what your own authentic story would be, and whether this story would hold true to how other people perceive you.. #TheAuthenticityProject #NetGalley

3.5 Stars

I received a free copy of this book to review from Netgalley for an honest review.

I thought that the premise of this story sounded neat. I like that it involved multiple POVs. I wanted to know what we were getting ourselves into. I’m not a fan of the cover art but the story was good enough to overlook that.

I was for the most part sucked into everyone’s stories, it took a little time for me at the beginning. I could see the love interest that ended up happening from a mile away, so that didn’t surprise me. I enjoyed that everyone grew from their experience and presumably became better people because of it.

I also liked that there is enough of a cliff hanger at the end that we might get a second novel but if we don’t it tied off nicely.

I would recommend this to people who enjoy contemporary reads but who also like multiple POVs.

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.

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.

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.