Eudora is 85 and she's ready to die. So ready that she's reached out to Switzerland, Then a new family moves next door. Young Rosie is a breath of fresh air in Eudora's rigid little world, as is Stanley, a recent widower. These three built a bond across the generations. Does Eudora waver in her position? Well, no spoilers from me but Lyons slowly reels out Eudora's story, making this a little different from other recent novels about older women brightened by a child. Eudora's personal history- her relationship with her mother and sister- was troubled, making her an even more sympathetic character. It's a good read because of the storytelling. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. It's light but it will also make you think.

A heart-felt story of friendship, life and death.

Whoever is making a list of "100 must-read books in a lifetime" must include Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You in it.

This book changes the way we have been looking at life and death. We all deserve a second chance - be it love, friendship or family. Speaking of which, family does not necessarily mean those with whom we share DNA. In this book, we see Eudora realize she's not alone anymore - definitely not in her final days.

The little packet of energy, Rose, surely brings a lot of color in Eudora's otherwise dull life.

I highly recommend this wonderfully charming book. There are books that one should read in a lifetime and Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You is one such book.

This is not the kind of book I would normally reach for, as I would assume that death being involved would make it depressing. However, while this conjured many emotions in me, including sadness and also anger a few times, the main feelings I experienced were amusement and being uplifted. Both Eudora and Rose, and the descriptions of people and events made me smile throughout. I loved seeing how Eudora's life was as a child and younger adult and how it shaped her and her older years. The family that moved in next door was lovely and Rose was so very realistically written that I am sure the author has personal experience of 10 year olds!
Overall an emotional, gentle book exploring relationships and love. I will be recommending this to others!

t takes a lot for a book to make me cry, but this book got me twice. It has major A Man Called Ove vibes, and I loved it, though it was both incredibly sad and at the same time uplifting. This is a book begging to be read on a rainy afternoon with an endless supply of tea.

Blimey, this book will take you on a real journey of emotions. A completely thought provoking story that will stay with you for some time.

Simply stellar. The kind of story that weaves its way into your heart and settles there for a while. Absolutely poignant and beautiful. Heartwarming. Not to be missed. A must read. You will love it.

This is an absolutely wonderful book, it's one that has stayed with me after I finished reading it. I couldn't stop thinking about Eudora's life story. It is designed one of the best books that o have read so far this year.
I have not read any books by Annie Lyons before, but I was attracted to this book by the bright cover design. The blurb put me in mind of ' A Man called Ove' a book that I had read and loved.
The characters in this book were very vivid and well written. It has a fantastic cast of characters, and I loved the friendship that developed between Eudora, Rose and Stanley as well as how they all supported each other.
This book made me think about Elderly people and loneliness. I don't think that society often think about how people were young once, and the life that they lived and the events that shaped them into the person that they are.
This is such an emotional and poignant rollercoaster of a book. There were joyful and uplifting moments but there were also sad moments. The book focuses a lot on death, but also on life and living it. It is very funny in places, but tearful too. Overall it is a lovely and heartwarming read. I can't recommend it enough.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

One of the most charming and life-affirming books of 2020 by far. Eudora Honeysett is 85, she is tired and alone and has decided enough is enough. She is going to take charge of her death, and contacts a clinic in Switzerland. She learns that there is a process that must be gone through, and this can take three or four months. She marks her calendar with the word FREEDOM!

But what Eudora could not have imagined happening is the burst of energy and colour that is Rose, her new neighbours 10 year old daughter. 'A grenade packed full of joie de vivre' Rose quickly establishes herself as a firm fixture in Eudora's life, and changes it beyond all recognition. As Eudora looks back on her life, we learn that she has lived with deep sadness and unresolved guilt. Her beloved father was killed in the war, and from that moment on, she lost her childhood. Her mother, unable to deal with her grief, resents her younger sister Stella, who in turn grows up to be wilful and resentful. Eudora spends her time looking after them both, and trying to negotiate peace between them. Along the way she has glimpses of happiness, but these are cruelly snatched away.

When Rose enters her life, her joy and enthusiasm are infectious and she becomes best friends with Eudora, and Stanley, grieving for the loss of his beloved wife Ada. The three of them form a beautiful and moving friendship, and Eudora, whilst exhausted, starts to live a full and joyful life. She is helping Rose, just as much as Rose is helping her. But as Rose starts school, and as Stanley forms a new friendship, Eudora is still determined to go through with her decision. The clinic have decided they can help her if it is what she still wants. She books her ticket and leaves letters behind for Rose and Stanley. But at the airport, an honest conversation with Stanley makes her reconsider her decision. She sees that she is needed.

The closing scenes of this wonderful book are so poignant and I was completely invested in Eudora's story. She is a formidable but vulnerable leading lady, and this book would translate into a gorgeous film adaptation. I adored the memories from her past that allowed us to gain a greater insight into Eudora's life, she truly is a remarkable character with depth and courage and warmth. I cannot say enough good things about this book, it's definitely by far, one of my favourite reads this year.

Beautifully written heart warming and heartbreaking story. I loved the characters in this book. Eudora’s Friendship with Rose is brilliant. I wanted to keep reading. This is a memorable read and a gem of a story.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Eudora Honeysett. An unusual name for an unusual lady. At eighty five, Eudora, having lived in Sidney Avenue, south east London her whole life, is old, tired and fed up of living. Unmarried, childless with only her grouchy cat Montgomery for company, Eudora is contemplating her death. Exploring this taboo subject whilst imagining the most unlikely but heartwarming of friendships I was utterly charmed by this author’s writing. I’ve read a few books in a similar vein in which an elderly protagonist forges a mutually beneficial relationship with someone of a younger generation and find these type of pairings always make for delightful, uplifting reads. This book is no exception.
I liked Eudora from the first minute I made her acquaintance, even though she’s investigating how she can ensure she has the kind of death she wishes, rather than enduring efforts made to preserve her life at all costs. Having lived through WW2, she is unafraid of dying and so the reader finds her communicating with a Swiss-German clinic to initiate the beginning of her end. Ok, I know this sounds incredibly morbid and far from the kind of subject to lift your spirits but hearing her opinions on the dreaded D word, I could understand her logic. Her dialogue with Petra and Dr Greta at the clinic is both funny and immensely sad at the same time, although the tone of their conversations does alter over the course of the novel. To me they represent that faint inner voice of Eudora’s that chooses life over death, a voice that grows louder and louder as the storyline progresses. That sense of old age creeping upon you, the inability of the body to do as the mind wishes and of course the loneliness that is a reality for so many are all feelings that are beautifully observed.

Eudora may be fit and healthy for a woman of her age, swimming at the local leisure centre and doing her daily crosswords but she has no friends, there is no colour in her life and she detests this modern age with people preferring to share their feelings. Eudora isn’t depressed, as she is so fond of saying, she’ll tell anyone she meets that she’s quite well thank you, before retreating back to her self imposed isolation. What she hasn’t bargained for is the arrival of a new family next door, in particular a ten year old girl named Rose who just may convince Eudora that life is for living. Despite her advancing years there’s a possibility she will realise that she still has much wisdom and kindness to impart,and may even enjoy doing so!

With a timeframe that alternates between past and present I could understand why Eudora has chosen to live within her small uncomplicated world, eschewing all offers of friendship. It’s an unhappy past encompassing the loss of her beloved father and her determination to uphold her promise to take care of her difficult mother Beatrice and wayward sister Stella which has kept Eudora from fulfilling her own dreams and ambitions. I had the upmost sympathy for this character whose real self seems buried beneath years of obligations and responsibilities giving me further reason to wish her blooming grandmotherly relationship with Rose prompts her to reconsider her future.

Whilst I loved learning of Eudora’s childhood and adult life, it is the appearance of Rose Trewidney that infuses the reader with a warm fuzzy glow of happiness. She is quite literally a ray of sunshine, remarkably perceptive and intuitive, and even Eudora cannot escape her charm, her non stop chatter. I don’t think anyone reading this will be immune to Rose’s charm, since she’s such a force of nature, a whirlwind of loveliness. Oh so gradually, Rose works her magic, insinuating herself into her neighbour’s life so that Eudora starts to enjoy her days, much to her surprise. With her KGB like surveillance, charting Eudora’s every move, Rose through her own kindness brings out the very best in this elderly lady so that the reader is treated to glimpses of her true nature, one that above all is kind. The author has captured perfectly the innocence of childhood making me fervently wish you could bottle such joy and exuberance which is so often lost in adulthood. With her colourful, sartorial sense of fashion, Rose somehow manages to inject some of her sparkly,glittery,unicorn spirit into Euroda and even Montgomery the cat! I loved the voice of Rose, her straight talking, her inquisitiveness and her love of Eudora’s old fashioned language, the saying ‘meddlers for nosey parkers’ springing to mind. It would seem that the more interaction Eudora has with Rose, the wider her circle of friends become. All the giggles and fun along this one lady’s path to enlightenment are provided by not just Rose but elderly neighbour Stanley too, with the three of them becoming the best of friends. I think it’s also Eudora’s friendship with Stanley that reminds her she’s not the only lonely person inhabiting his noisy, modern world. Every one of their escapades is written with love and warmth at its heart so that Eudora finally has memories to cherish alongside every new experience she embraces.

There are parallels to be drawn between little Rose and Eudora’s sister Stella since they are both exuberant characters. I confess to being slightly cross at the way Eudora has been treated by her family over the years. Unwittingly burdening the younger Eudora with responsibility for caring for her mother and sister, I do blame Albert for setting Eudora on a certain path through life that she feels unable to deviate from. Her nervous, anxious mother Beatrice, compounds this feeling with poor Eudora acting as peacemaker between a warring mother and sister so that she becomes accustomed to a life where her own needs and desires never come first. To my mind selfish Stella relegates Eudora to a lifetime of selflessness, thwarting her few attempts at happiness.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this novel, all of whom add light and colour to Eudora’s life. Whilst it’s by no means original and entirely predictable, the storyline sparkles with warmth and humour and celebrates both life and death. Overwhelmingly it is the magical pairing of the young and old that simply brought joy to my heart,making me smile, laugh and cry. This novel is all about opening your heart to friendship and love, embracing new experiences and letting go of the past. In its lighthearted approach, it also prompts discussion around a subject that makes the majority of us feel uncomfortable, with the words “Death is as important as birth. We celebrate one but fear the other” perfectly summing up the sentiments of a novel that I found incredibly moving and emotional. My wholehearted thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for inviting me to read and review what is a delightful novel. I’ve read some outstanding books this year and the characters from this novel firmly place this one amongst my favourites.

Eudora Honeysett is 85 years old, lives alone with no family and has decided she is done with getting older and all that it involves. Not wanting to end up unable to look after herself, Eudora has decided to enquire about ending her life at a Swiss Clinic, she's adamant this is what she wants. Meanwhile, Rose a vibrant, lively 10 year old moves in next door and when she knocks on Eudora's door to introduce herself, let's just say she brings a whole lot of sunshine into Eudora's beige and lonely world...

This book!! I know what you're thinking, the topic sounds depressing, but bare with me as my goodness what an incredibly heart warming read it was! It's both heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. Switching between Eudora's present and past, you learn so much about her and really get to understand the way she is feeling - you can't help but become attached. The themes of loneliness and grief are apparent through out, not only through Eudora but also with other older characters involved within her story and it really hits home that this sadly, is reality for many elderly people.

And then there is Rose, a little ray of sunshine who befriends Eudora whether she likes it or not! Who brings joy, excitement and hope back into Eudora's life, which was just wonderful to witness. Rose also brings Stanley (an elderly man, who is also lonely) into the mix and together the three of them become like the three musketeers! The fact that Rose states that Eudora and Stanley are her best friends is just the cutest and their friendship, however unlikely was truly endearing and emphasizes the importance of having people around you that care.

Beautifully written and surprisingly entertaining,
Eudora along with Rose and Stanley really will grab a hold of your heart and stay with you long after finishing. If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, then make this your next read.

This is a wonderful, feel-good read despite the fact that Eudora wants to go to a Swiss clinic to be euthanased as she is on her own and 85 with encroaching health problems. Into her life bursts Rose, 10 and a force to be reckoned with. It is a heart-warming story with travels back to Eudora's younger life to add understanding to her character. I was hooked, it is charming.

I was lucky to receive an ebook and an audiobook. The narrator is such a perfect match for the story, she sounds exactly what Eudora should sound like. She really brought the story to life. I didn't want this book to end!

Such a sweet story, Eudora is at the stage in life where shes had enough of living and wants to die on her own terms. After a fall she meets another frail and old woman in hospital who gives her a leaflet for a Swiss clinic that helps with assisted dying ... ok this does sound depressing but stay with me, its gets better.

The story is mainly set in the present day but we get glimpses of Eudoras life as a young child from 1940's onwards. Where she had a complicated relationship with her Mother and her younger sister. These give the reader a glimpse of Eudoras past and what shapes her life. I find these stories interesting and quite sad at times.

She starts her enquiry about the clinic but then she meets Rosie and Stanley ...

A lovely story with funny, laugh out loud moments as well as sad times. I really enjoyed this book

Eudora is getting older and worries about death. I liked the characters. I liked the descriptions and dialogue. The tone and pacing was good

I absolutely adored this book. Eudora, Stanley and Rose have the most unusual friendship but for various reasons they all need each other. Eudora has suffered so many sad events in her life and this has resulted in her reaching old age with no family to support or care for her. When Maggie, Rob and Rose move next door, Eudora's life is changed in a way she never felt possible. Eudora is tired of life and wants to have control over her death, this happens but not in the way she planned. Love it, love it, love it!

A big thank you goes out to NetGallery, One More Chapter, and author Annie Lyons for giving me a free E-book Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book has a wonderful journey of an old woman who have found herself willing to forgo life and embrace death. But as she begins the process of ending her life, she finds herself drawn into an unexpected friendship with a bright outspoken little girl, Rose, who has moved into the house next door and a newly widowed man named Stanely. As Rose draws Eudora into amazing adventures, Eudora begins to reexamine her life and the choices she had to make during WWII, the loss of her father, and the care of her mother after the death of her sister Stella. As the time for Eudora to make the final decision of ending her life on her terms, she begins to find a new sense of purpose and excitement for life, can she really give everything up?
This book was such a gem! I really appreciated the author tackling a subject that most people have a hard time talking about -death and the mental health of the elderly as they feel a sense of "purposeless." I loved Rose and the way she pulled Eudora into such crazy adventures. Rose was a fun addition to Eudora and Standely's life. The beginning of this book was slow, but within a few chapters, I was completely drawn in and enjoyed the entire story. The chapters that flashed back to Eudora's past was so sad. Eudora had very hard decisions to make, and some were not even ones she had a good option in either choice. I felt very frustrated with her sister Stella and all the heartache she put her family through. The ending was so good that it had me tearing up by how beautiful the peace Eudora had. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend this book to those who want a book that makes you self examine your life journey. I look forward to more books by this author!

Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You is a charming and heartfelt book about 85-year-old Eudora, told in alternating timelines - Eudora's young adulthood and the present day. Eudora lives alone with her cat, with seemingly no friends or family nearby. She is content with her schedule and routines, but also doesn't want to see her health decline further. She hopes to go to Switzerland and have an assisted death to prevent her life from being prolonged.

When the bubbly ten-year-old Rose moves in next door everything changes for Eudora. She meets a cast of characters and gets thrust into a world full of social time and lots of outwardly emotional conversations, two things Eudora is not accustomed to.

This story is quite profound and deep. There were some really painful parts, particularly reading about Eudora's complicated relationship with her mother and younger sister. I grew to really love all the characters in this book, particularly Stanely, the elderly friend of Eudora and Rose. And of course, Rose, who was impossible not to love. I'd highly recommend this book, and all the lovely characters it contains.

I received an ARC for Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You by Annie Lyons. Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter.

Eudora is old, lonely and miserable, she has given up on life and no longer wishes to live, Eudora writes to a hospital in Switzerland specialising in euthanasia requesting to be considered to end her life.

The book goes from present day and through out Eudora life from a young girl to a woman and the heart ache And joys she has endured.

A new family move in next door to Eudora with an exuberant 10 year old named Rose who makes it her mission to befriend Eudora.

A beautiful book, I absolutely loved it.

Loved this book from start to the end, Different to what I was expecting but well worth 5 stars, Sad and happy parts go together really well and the characters blend together well. Super book and well worth a read.

This book also explains the detail of Dying With Dignity, nothing sordid but very well told, doesn't mean that the story is a sad one . Please read it and enjoy it as I have done This is a 5 star novel.

Eudora Honeysett is 85 years old. she has no family or friends, only Montgomery the cat and she is ready to die. She wants to go to Switzerland and not prolong the agony.
However, that is before she meets Rose, her new neighbour. Rose is 10 and precocious, but very friendly and takes Eudora under her wing.
Eudora begins to doubt her decisions but then Montgomery is involved in an accident.
Can Rose change her mind and will she realise she does have friends and life is worth living.