Every Shade of Happy
by: Phyllida Shrimpton
Head of Zeus, Aria
General Fiction (Adult), Women's Fiction
Pub Date: 8/18/2022

Every Shade of Happy is a beautifully written book with a theme of connecting as family for Ninety-seven-year-old Algernon and his fifteen-year-old granddaughter Anna. After circumstances cause Anna to move in with Algernon, they start from the beginning to get to know each other. This intergenerational story is written with heart and has lovely messages to share through its emotionally compelling characters and plot.

Thank you to Net Galley and Head of Zeus, Aria for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

Heartwarming!

Algernon is ninety-seven years old and set in his ways. He follows a routine that he craves and makes the days go by. Algernon is also very lonely.

Anna is a fifteen-year-old who has recently been uprooted from her home. Her Mother's boyfriend called off their relationship to pursue another. She and her mother, Helene, have nowhere to go.... or do they?


Algernon gets a call one day from his daughter, Helene. They have not spoken in years, and he has never met Anna. He agrees to take them in, and they will forever be changed by it.


Algernon and Anna slowly begin to find that they have more in common than they originally thought.

This was such an enjoyable book about starting over, finding your family, growth, love, and connection. I enjoyed every single character in this book. I also enjoyed reading both Anna's and Algernon's voices. This was such a great touch which provided insight into each's thoughts and experiences.

Beautifully told. If this book isn't on your radar, it needs to be!


#EveryShadeOfHappy #NetGalley

Thank you to Head of Zeus, Aria and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the BEST books I’ve read for a long time. Phyllida’s style of writing is lovely. I really got invested in the characters and even after finishing the book, I’ve found myself thinking about it. I read the book really quickly and have to say I shed tears once or twice. Uplifting and sad at the same time. You have a fantastic gift. Thank you.

#NetGalley #EveryShadeOfHappy

A heartwarming book which inspires hope even in situations which at first appear to be in a state of stalemate.
The characters felt realistic and were well drawn and the emotions arising throughout the story seemed well expressed, neither too sloppy nor too harsh.
Although the idea of the book may not always appeal it is a worthwhile read.

Have you ever wondered how people from other generations perceive you? Every Shade of Happy is an intergenerational novel about a grandfather and a granddaughter with a huge generational gap and the many ways they perceive each other — one says she’s too colorful, the other says he’s too gray.

As someone who is very curious about what’s going on inside a person’s mind, I found this book enchanting. The dual POV made me feel like I have two pairs of eyes seeing the world in more ways than one.

Both Algernon and Anna, despite their huge age gap, were aiming for one thing: living. Every Shade of Happy showed me what it means to live life. It helped me identify the difference between ‘surviving life’ and ‘living life’ through Algernon and Anna’s journey. It was a lovely experience!

Overall, I liked the story and the message it tried to imply. I just wish the pacing was faster because it sure is a slow burner. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this heartwarming book. Read it if you’re feeling gray or if you want to add more colors to your life!

Can a 97 year old grandfather welcome and accept his estranged daughter and the granddaughter he’s never met when they suddenly need a place to call home? Algernon is set in his ways after living alone for 16 years. His wife was the communicator in their family. He has always struggled to share his thoughts and emotions. He strives to connect with both his daughter Helene and granddaughter Anna and never seems able to say what he really means. Anna feels particularly unwelcome and really misses her friends. She struggles at her new school and feels rejected by her grandfather.

I thoroughly enjoyed this inter generational tale. The pace of the book suited the depth of the breach that needed bridging between Algernon and Helene, as well as the lack of relationship with Anna. The character development felt realistic. The emotions were neither trite nor sappy. This heartwarming novel will make a great book club read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A cute story about a grandpa, mother, and daughter, and how they end up living together. It is not an easy move for anyone of them, but after a hard start they find much love for each other. It is an OK read, but I did not warm up to the characters, which was a bummer, because if I would have connected with them I am sure I would have enjoyed this book very much.

Fall into this book from the very first page. Talk about emotions, you can laugh and cry at the same time.. The characters spring to life and it is lovely to have mixed generations. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Not for me, somehow I wasn't feeling like this book or story wanted to be read by me. Did not finish.

What a beautiful book this is! I adored every minute I spent within its pages. The characters of 97 year old Algernon, his 15 year old grand daughter, Anna, Anna's mum, Helene and the boy next door, Jacob are all so very likeable. Despite his grouchy personality, Algernon hides a warm heart and one can glimpse this sweet part of his character in several places as the book progresses. It was sad to see Anna spiral from her previously bubbly, quirky and colourful self to a lonely and downcast girl who misses her old life, school and friends when she and her mum are forced to move in with her grandfather. Gradually Anna and Algernon begin to break through their respective hard shells - Algernon has always found it hard to express his feelings - and, along with the boy next door who Algernon employs to drive the car, they go on a trip to Cornwall to re-visit some of Algernon's memories from when he was a young man who flew aircraft, rode his beloved horse and fell in love with the girl who was to become his adored wife. This part of the book was so touching and written so beautifully. Hearts are mended, emotions faced and revealed and love - so much love - is discovered. I absolutely LOVED this amazing book. Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of it and this review is voluntarily given in exchange.

Every day of Algernon's 97 years has been broken up into an ordered routine. That's how it's been since the war, and he's not about to change now.

Until his 15-year-old granddaughter arrives on his doorstep, turning Algernon's black-and-white life upside down. Everything from Anna's clothes to the way she sits glued to her phone is strange to Algernon, and he's not sure he likes it.

But as the weeks pass, Algernon is surprised to discover they have something in common after all – Anna is lonely, just like him. Can Algernon change the habits of a lifetime to bring the colour back into Anna's world?

Such a delightful story about family relationships, life and how we approach it. A truly heartwarming and uplifting story which I thoroughly enjoyed.

A very touching read that will touch your heart! Nothing but good things to say about Every Shade of Happy!
Thank you NetGalley!

This is a hug in a book.

The development of the characters and their relationship was very heart warming. I enjoyed the story and it’s development.

A recommendation from me.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

When Anna's mum's boyfriend falls for another man, Anna and her mum become homeless and are forced to move in with Anna's Grandad Algernon. Algernon is extremely old, extremely crotchety, and set in his ways. Anna's mum Helene has barely seen her Dad since becoming pregnant with Anna, as he didn't approve of her becoming an unmarried mother. Without Helene's mother, who was the glue who held the family together, Algernon finds himself alienating his daughter and Granddaughter by putting his foot in his mouth too often.

Anna is miserable in her new school, as Algernon was in his strict boarding school, and he suggests a road trip with Anna, and her new friend Jacob - the boy next door - and driver.

This is a brilliantly written and insightful novel, with much of the story coming from the author 's own experiences with her family. Very poignant, and ideal for fans of 'A Man called Ove' I loved this bittersweet story.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60182644-every-shade-of-happy

Algernon is a 97 year old widower living in Essex. His life is routine based, punctuated by the carriage clock which he got as a retirement present from his office job. However, his 15 year old granddaughter Anna lives in an offbeat world where colour and body art are her main survival aids. Anna and Algernon have never met, but soon their very different lives will collide.

When Anna’s Mum Helene splits up with her partner Harry, they find themselves homeless and having nowhere to live, they relocate to Essex to stay in Algernon’s small home while they get their lives back on track. Anna “the child” is told to sleep in “the shed” but this turns out to be a sanctuary and not the dog kennel that she originally thought it would be.

This heart-warming story is told through three generations of one family, granddad Algernon, daughter Helene and granddaughter Anna and the journey they all go on to get to know each other and to try and face the demons that their past threw at them.
It will have you laughing and crying in equal measure – a really lovely story.

When Algernon’s daughter, Helene, became pregnant following a one night stand his stubbornness refused to allow him to accept the situation or his future granddaughter, Anna.

16 years passed before Helene and Anna, desperately in need of a temporary home, saw him again.

During their stay there’s much Algernon tries and fails to communicate. He’s not used to sharing this thoughts and feelings and struggles to connect.

However he persists and love finds a way.

Beautiful story that delves into the inner lives we live, how difficult those can be to share and the importance of finding a way to do so.

Every Shade of Happy, by Phyllida Shrimpton, is an amazing read. It brings all the "feels", both good and bad/sad. A big thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest opinion. I don't know what I expected with this one, but it far exceeded anything I could have imagined.

A bit of a slow burner but ended up being a lovely story about family relationships and life in general and how we approach it.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Bit slow at the start but once it picked up I was glued. Loved the plot, the characters and the setting. Really great character development and loved the relationship between Algernon and Anna . Really sweet ending too!

I absolutely loved this book. It was a delightful read. Algernon an old man takes in his daughter, Helene and grand-daughter, Anna after they become homeless.
He has been emotionally shut down for many decades and unable to open up about his feelings and have any kind of meaningful relationship with us daughter.
Slowly Anna cracks his shell and builds a bridge between him and his own daughter.
A slow but well paced exploration of family dysfunction, misunderstandings, self discovery and real connection.
So relatable in many levels. I will be looking out for more books by Phyllida Shrimpton in the future.

thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance in exchange for an honest review