Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc of 'The Unretirement'. I thoroughly enjoyed this warm and cosy hug of a book. Recently retired, and sadly widowed, Maggie's not quite ready to give up just yet and reckons its time to put her cookery skills to good use. I loved everything about this book, great characters, great storyline.... and mouthwatering recipes too! Highly recommend for your holiday read.

The Unretirement by Penny Mirren was a charming and fun escapade into the unexpected twists and turns of life. Plus, I'm interested in almost any story set largely in a kitchen! The main characters are Maggie and her daughter Hannah. I enjoyed the loving and supportive relationship these two have, as Maggie tries to find her purpose in the aftermath of her husbands unexpected passing and Hannah is trying to juggle a career and raising a young daughter after divorce.

The supporting cast of characters in this story were so fun and down-to-earth! Also, it was uplifting to see how the community came together to try to rescue this local small business. This was a feel-good story about creating the life you want, and that it's never to late to find some joy and purpose in life.

I rated The Unretirement by Penny Mirren 4/5 stars and recommend to anyone looking for a light-hearted read, with a little clean romance, and a group of characters I wish I could hang out with in real life.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penny Mirren, and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. I was not required to leave a review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Maggie decides that after her husband passes away that she is going to find her passion while in retirement. She ends up working at a restaurant and finds her passion. She helps some people out while they encourage her to pursue her love and she expands what she loves to do. It was nice to read a book that was about a more experienced group of people and them working hard to achieve new dreams.

Be sure you continue past the Authors note where you can find recipes for some of the dishes that were made.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc..

Great comfort read. Maggie has retired and loves spending time with her husband on new adventures. Then her husband suddenly dies and she’s thrown into a deep dark place.
The highlight of her life is minding her granddaughter while her newly divorced daughter struggles with life as a solicitor. Maggie discovers one night her favourite restaurant is in trouble and makes it her mission to save it from closure. With help from new friends she sets out to save the local Indian restaurant from the fate of an overbearing celebrity chef.
Funny and very poignant in places loved sharing Maggie’s journey.
Brilliantly written and looking forward to more from this author.

Great story, lovely and relatable characters. A great book to read on holiday by the beach/ pool or like me on a 4 hour plane journey!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The bright, cheery cover grabbed me, the enjoyable story made me keep reading, and finish it in a day.

This is a heart-warming book about Maggie who loses her husband shortly after their retirement and decides to get back to what she loves best - cooking. No restaurant in town wants to hire her but then she realises that the Indian restaurant of a close friend is struggling and decides to help, while at the same time helping out her daughter Hannah with childcare.

This book is choc full of lovable characters and shows that young and old can work together for a common goal. It's a feel-good story about family and community that gives you "the warm and fuzzies". It is funny and has a glorious baddie.

I personally don't like Indian food so the recipes at the end were wasted on me but it's good to know the fusion dishes from the story actually exist.

"The passion with which she’d immersed herself in cooking and in the plight of The Golden Crocus was how her mum had always approached life generally: with gusto and guts."

4.5 stars

The Unretirement is a delightful and heart warming tale that celebrates the joy of pursuing dreams, no matter your age. With its charming characters, engaging plot, and feel-good message, this book is sure to leave readers smiling. Perfect for anyone in need of a lift-me-up, The Unretirement is a testament to the fact that it's never too late to start anew.

Although life hasn't worked out exactly as she planned, Maggie isn't ready for retirement just yet. When an opportunity to help some old friends practically lands in her lap, she sets about using her skills to get their restaurant up and running again even though her daughter might not approve initially she realises this is exactly what her mother needed to regain her spark.

An uplifting novel of loss, disillusionment and getting your groove back.

Just lovely! What a fabulous, feel good, heart warming read! I loved Maggie and the movement through loss into finding life. All of the characters were relatable - I particularly liked the two young people (so often get a bad press!) who were brilliantly written. A must read for me and one I'll be recommending.

Penny Mirren tells the heartwarming tale of a retired woman who rediscovers herself.
Following the death of her husband, Maggie realises that retirement isn’t quite the same without him. Having studied cookery at college in her youth, she looks for a job in a local kitchen. Scorned for her age she feels a little hopeless, that is until she and her daughter go out for dinner at the Golden Crocus and she discovers old age isn’t a barrier.
This is a story about love, friendship, community and family. It is a beautiful tale and you find yourself really connecting with the characters and how they’ve all become stuck in a rut. Mirren helps draw the characters out of their shell and realise what life is truly about.

This is a fabulous book. The characters come alive on the page, and make you want to cheer them on through their challenges.

Maggie is a retired widow who is looking for ways to fill her life. Hannah is a single mom trying to manage a career while staying connected with her daughter and her mom, Maggie, who returns to her childhood home of Saffron Walden. The Golden Crocus restaurant is the catalyst for change for both of them, and for the friends, new and old, that join them on their journey.

I would love to see more stories featuring Maggie, Hannah and Saffron Walden.

What a fantastic book. Finding new purpose, friends and career.
The death of her husband leaves Maggie devastated and only looking after her granddaughter is keeping her going through the grief.
Moving back to her hometown as a single parent Hannah is trying to juggle everything.
A rare night out for a meal as mum and daughter is the unexpected catalyst for change.
Enjoy I did

This was a fun, heartfelt story that read like a sweet Hallmark movie. The cast of characters is relatable and lovable. I wish Maggie was my granny! Thank you to NetGalley!

Lovely gentle story about community, family and generations coming together in a common aim to save the local Indian restaurant. The kind of book to curl up with a nice drink and read in one go. Thanks to the author, NetGalley and publishers for the ARC.

The Unretirement is an uplifting story about the joy of pursuing dreams at any age, full of warmth, heart and community spirit.The ending was AMAZING I cannot wait to read more from this writer, definitely a book I will revisit many times and get a paper copy

A cute little read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It only took me a few hours.
Maggie is quite the character. She gumption, spirit, charismatic all rolled into one.
There were places that I laughed, cried, and rooted for her all the way through.

Thanks NetGalley for the unretirement. I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Love the characters - especially Maggie - and found the read a delight. Highly recommend it

Be kind and pay it forward.

This story isn't exactly about what to do with oneself after retiring, but more about finding what makes you smile. Admittedly, I was feeling unsure about both Maggie and Hannah who repeatedly were being judgmental and making unkind remarks about eating vegan or organic, or the neighbor wearing Lycra.

However, it is a delight to read books with female main characters like Maggie being one mean mother-cooker! The Unretirement is a book that deserves to be on my for-a-rainy-day shelf on Goodreads as it made me laugh with all the colorful characters being a part of a newly found group of friends, regardless of age, backgrounds, difficulties in life and such. Next time all we need is a chronic or a disabled person added tot the mix :)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

I loved this book. Bit sad in parts. You never know how kind people are behind close doors. Los of yummy cooking descriptions .It is a story of Maggie who is nearly retired and how she finds a new lease of life cooking in an Indian restaurant . That is a very simple description of the books.There are lots of twists, a lovely grandchild , the horrors of commuting and as a single mum getting the work life balance and failing in love again. Love it . My review does not do it justice .

Honestly, I grabbed this complimentary ARC from Netgalley for the cover, which is soo dangerous, right?
You shouldn't judge a book by it's cover! (But it looked so fun!)
I've definitely been burned before when I've done that, but not this time - this was a delightful read.

I am always up for a "second chance at life" read.
Maggie's retirement life was firmly set in her mind, until life threw her the cruelest of curve balls.
But as we all know, when one door closes, another will open.
I happily followed her rediscovery of a past passion for cooking, and the way she went after her goals.
The cast of characters helping her breathe new life into a struggling restaurant was heartwarming.
It was easy to connect with Maggie, her daughter Hannah, and her daughter Alice, and see them work together to find their happiness.

I recommend this read, and voluntarily leave my review. This is sweet, heartwarming, and an enjoyable read.