A beautiful book. For me, it was a real slow burner, where I didn't realise how invested I was in it until I read 60% in one evening because I couldn't put it down. It is essentially a book about being lost - whether an item of lost property, or lost through dementia, or you have lost who you are or your way in life as well as lost opportunities. It is a gentle read, full of love, sadness and joy. Highly recommended.

Equally heart warming and heart wrenching Lost Property is as described- a story of loss and gain.
I found the first half of the book a little slow but bear with it, I couldn’t put it down by the end.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book although was slightly confused of the premise to begin with. It is worth persevering with and I loved every bit of Dot especially as the story ramped up, with her trip to the sea and everything that happened afterwards.

The whole concept of lost property was really interesting and something to ponder on.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Books.

I actually didn’t like Dot at the beginning - she’s very by-the-book and likes everything done a certain way. However, I loved her character development!

This is essentially a story about Dot finding her way in life - she’s stuck in a routine and doesn’t want to divert from that though she’s got aspirations outside of the Lost Property office.

It’s a heartwarming story about life, love and loss.

I was given the opportunity to read and review this book for an honest opinion - it was a totally different book to what I expected - slow to start off although I hoped it would pick up the pace. Unfortunately it was not for me, but other readers will probably enjoy it.

This is a slow paced story and whilst it is written beautifully I just could not get into it at all. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

a slow pleasant read that i would recommend reading between your normal genres...

I’ll admit I made a pre-judgement on this book and although it contained some surprises I wasn’t expecting, I found it difficult to get into. This is a story about loss in all possible forms, and some of this story was truly heart-breaking but there was a lot of waffling in places plus, the sentences in French really confused me and that definitely put a barrier in place for me. I know that this was to help us understand Dot’s love for language and travelling but it was a bit frustrating because I can’t read French!

Also it was difficult to connect or fully understand Dot as a character, I assume this was the point, as Dot seemed a little lost in herself, but even towards the end I didn’t really feel like I knew who she was. There was too much going on in the story as well, I felt like I had finally understood one part and then something else would pop up that wasn’t really relevant to the rest of the story.

I didn’t love this one, but didn’t hate it either.

When we first meet Dot, in the Lost Property Department, I didn't know what to expect. She seemed work-hungry, and a stickler, but as the story moved forward, there became so much more to Dot, I wasn't sure how she was still standing. Her Mum is sick, and she's still grieving the loss of her Dad, and her job has a new awful manager who seems to be changing everything that makes the place special.

"You see, I know about loss. I know its shape, its weak spots, its corners and sharp edges."

There is humour amongst all the emotions, mainly coming from Dot's work colleagues with a special nod to Anita who truly wants the best for her. Well, Dot and the large bag stuffed with everything inside of it.

Dot's understanding of the importance of belongings, as well as belonging, rings throughout the novel. The poignancy in which the author writes about how much she is struggling, all the while showing a glow of light at the end of her fingertips. Even when Helen Paris tackles depression and loneliness, it feels relatable and deeply moving, and adds a shadow to the Dot we first met, quickly changing any opinion you think you've formed of her.

With her life outside of work next to none, Dot becomes attached to reuniting a man with his holdall bag. She is immediately swept up into the tragic story and meaning behind the item and makes it her mission to reunite them. It leads her down a road she never thought she'd visit, but the entire time the author handles this all with truth and respectfulness. It pauses in moments to allow us, and Dot, to catch up with how she feels, adding to this deeply emotional read.

Overall, Lost Property is a delightful read, deeply emotional and moving, with a warm message at its centre. The idea that things that are lost have meaning, and the book touches on things that don't have to be tangible to be lost: such as Dot's Mum mind, people and even opinions. It deals with sister relationships, and the fear of being a disappointment, all wrapped up inside a sensitive and deeply moving read where guilt has crushed a person to the point of near burying them.

I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't expect to shed tears when I first began reading. Each one I was glad to cry because this book deserved it as well as Dot's character growth (which may have been my favourite thing).

I want to thank the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I enjoyed this novel and it's heartwarming, uplifting message. Lost Property was well written and had a great cast of characters. I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I love love loved this book, a delightfully story full of beautifully written characters, a great summer feel good book that I would read again and again.

A poignant and ultimately uplifting exploration of family, forgiveness, loss and memories. This gently paced story focuses on Dot, a young woman seemingly sidelined by life, but why? She is easy to empathise with, as she stumbles through life, with her keen insight, self-deprecating humour and sense of guilt.

The workings of a busy lost property office are vividly given life in this story, as every lost item has a history and is a cause of humour or sadness seen through Dot's eyes. The structure and writing style are conducive to easy reading and immerse the reader in the characters and plot.

Contemporary issues concerning family, loss and mental health are woven into this lovely story, which follows Dot's emotional journey of self-realisation to its positive conclusion and the realisation that some things are meant to be left behind.

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

What a brilliant story, which did not go in the direction I had expected, or finish as I had imagined.
I loved the idea of tags on lost property, and the stories behind the people, or even the stories that the staff made up.
I was not ready for the fallout surrounding the lead character Dot, all the thoughts that she had kept to herself over the years, and her relationship with her family members, but I did have empathy with her regarding her mothers dementia.
Very glad that I read this book.

Dot works in Lost Property picking up the bits pf pieces lives and hopefully re-uniting them with their owners.
Her mum is in a home and her sister wants to sell her home but Dot lives there as well.
Her Dad committed suicide and Dot thinks she is to blame.
When she loses her job it is time to rethink her life but can she and has she the courage to face the past.
This is a beautifully written book which will make you smile and maybe have a tear.

Lost Property is a story I found myself fully immersed in from the very first page.

Dot works in the lost property office, a job which she truly loves. As we follow Dot’s story, we learn a lot about her as the story progresses. We quickly come to learn that she has had many difficulties to overcome throughout the years, but those obstacles are the things that have made her the woman she is today.

When Mr Appleby arrives in the office to report his bag missing – a bag which also contained his late wife’s purse – Dot knows she has to help him recover his missing property. The loss he has faced is something that Dot can relate to on a deeper level, and this in turn caused some of her own pain and loss to come bubbling to the surface once again.

I adored everything about this story. Each chapter begins with a lost property label, describing something that has been left behind – and brings to life a story about the item itself, the owner and a memory that accompanies it. I have to say, I never really gave items found in a lost property office much thought before this novel, but reading about the emotional attachment that Mr Appleby had to his late wife’s purse really tugged at my heart strings.

The characters were delightful and had so much depth to their personalities, each of them dealing with their struggles in their own ways. The author really brings the characters to life for the reader, and as you progress through this story, you find yourself feeling a strong connection to each of them, almost as though they have become close friends.

I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster as I read this wonderful story, quickly moving between sadness and loss, to kindness and hope. The story really emphasises the importance of the people we have around us, and the memories which we hold inside too, a truly moving sentiment I must say.

A truly beautiful story that captured my heart. I loved this book.

I enjoyed this book. The characters are warm and real. The story set in a Lost Property office is unique and allows for the exploration of how seemingly insignificant portable property maintains links with lost loved ones. Since her father;s death, Dot has encased herself in a small life but she must come to terms with past events (which she blames herself for) in order to broaden her horizons.

Lost property is a beautifully written poignant book centred around Dot, a mainstay of a Lost Property office in London. The setting itself was extremely apt given that Dot herself was a wee bit lost in life. All the characters are well rounded and believable, but as the book goes on our perspective on each/all of them perhaps, changes slightly. I won't rehash the story but suffice to say I was rooting for Dot throughout, sharing her ups and downs and her hopes and fears. I would recommend Lost Property to anyone that enjoys a book written from the heart. I also think it would be just the ticket for a book club read offering up many avenues of discussion.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Helen Paris has written a wonderful novel that will stay with me for a long time., I really enjoyed reading Lost Property and will read more of this author's work. Well worth five stars.

Lost Property was a mixed read for me. I felt that it started off well and I loved the period feel of the novel (although it is has a contemporary setting), and Dot's unique voice, which for me belonged to another era. I loved the original setting and Dot's passion for her work and customers. Her colleagues are portrayed beautifully and the author really brings them all to life. My first impression was that it was a quirky 'uplit' novel but it's ultimately a book about grief and loss and family secrets. However the novel was too slow paced for me and did not hold my interest throughout. A very promising debut and I'll definitely read more by Helen Paris in the future.

Set in the lost property office of Transport for London, the story of Dot Watson, queen of all items mislaid on the transport system.

Lost Property made me laugh, cry and think.

A brillianr debut, Helen Paris should be watched!

Highly recommended.