Clare pooley gives such fun characters and I love her found family! The characters were both old and young, as well as a shared dog!

This was such a fun, lighthearted book about a rambunctious group of 70-year-olds who all joined a social club at their local community center.

Throughout the novel we follow the group of Senior Citizens throughout their lives for a couple of weeks, as they take on the task of trying to stop their community center from being torn down. They pair up with a teen dad who’s a patron of the daycare and their club organizer, a middle-aged woman.

This book was lighthearted, but was exciting to see unfold. There were several plot twists that I didn’t see coming, and the diverse cast of characters was so fun to follow. By the end of the book, I felt personally invested in all of their stories.

Another heartwarming read from Clare Pooley. The charming story of seniors living their best lives juxtaposed creatively with a teenaged single father makes for a pageturning novel that will appeal to fans of Elizabeth Berg, Julia Stuart and Helen Simonson. Could not put down this well-written novel.

I adored this book so much. It was clever, satisfying, twisty, unexpected, and just a joy. The perfect travel read as well. I'll read anything Clare Pooley writes!

US pub date: 6/11/24
Genre: contemporary fiction
Quick summary: Lydia thinks running a senior citizens' club will be easy - but you don't get to be a senior without developing some secrets and bad habits, all of which will come to light as the group tries to save their building.

After not loving THE AUTHENTICITY PROJECT, IONA IVERSON'S RULES FOR COMMUTING was a surprise favorite of mine last year! HOW TO AGE DISGRACEFULLY keeps up the winning streak for Pooley. This book is over the top with a lot of big personalities, and it just made me smile and laugh. The unlikely friendships, especially between teen dad Ziggy and unorthodox babysitter Daphne, were fun to follow. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll wish you could join the senior center - this is a great read for summer!

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
This book starts off a bit slow, with some fairly unlikable characters. We have a doormat of a middle aged door mat of a house wife setting up a new senior citizen club in the community rec center, and a cadre of crotchety sr citizens, and a teen boy who became a father too young, but is trying desperately to be a good dad. When it is announced that the Community recreation Center is going to be closed and sold to real-estate developers, each characters story begins to emerge. It takes until the 40% mark for me to be vested in the outcome of the story, and the pace picks up a bit as friendships are formed and the individual characters shine though. I love the messages in this book- that just because someone is old doesn’t mean that they are used up and mentally incapable. In this story they are the heros.
Enjoyed- recommend

4.5 stars!

I loved Iona Iverson so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Pooley’s newest and it did not disappoint! How to Age Disgracefully was such a sweet, wholesome read about community and found family.

I loved each charming, vibrant, quirky character—flaws and all. A perfect blend of heart and humor that Pooley does so well.

I immediately want to buy this book for my grandma the minute it comes out for its message. Though this will be well loved by readers of all ages.

I can count on any of Clare Pooley’s books to be both humorous and perfectly capture the beauty of strangers forming a community. They’re just so perfectly heartwarming and this is no exception. It’s a fantastic book club book in my opinion, and one you can read and then pass along to your mom, grandmother, etc. and I think everyone would find enjoyment.

This book is an absolute gem that sparkles with charm and wit from start to finish. Pooley created a whimsical voyage through the complexities and joys of growing older with a rebellious spirit. With her signature charm and wit, Pooley crafts a narrative that captivates from the first page to the last.

What truly sets Pooley's work apart is her ability to breathe life into her characters, making them feel like old friends/enemies from the very start. The characters leap off the page with their quirks, flaws, and endearing qualities. The way they intertwine and interact is a testament to Pooley's skill as a storyteller.

What a joyous celebration of life, love, and the beauty of growing older with grace, humor, and a healthy dose of rebellion. Clare Pooley will be a forever auto read for me!

A fun romp! If you like the Thursday Murder Club series, this one has some similarities, but less mystery and more individual stories woven together, IMO.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

4 stars for Lydia, Daphne, and the entire Mandel(a) Community Center crew!

This is my second Clare Pooley read and I simply adore the way she makes found family such a prominent part of her stories. Chaos and laughter abound when a middle-aged woman and the group of septuagenarians from her newly created seniors club cross paths with a teenage father and his eight-month-old daughter.

Alongside all the book's humor and wit, Pooley's characters are battling a range of true to life problems - loneliness, loss, and gang culture to name a few - and have flaws that make them feel real. At it's core, this story is a reminder that growing old doesn't have to mean slowing down, and community is an important part of life, no matter your age.

“How to Age Disgracefully” by Clare Pooley was such a fun read! I made the big mistake of reading it on the train while commuting to work, and I’m sure I startled a few passengers with my out-loud laughs. A group of senior citizens—ranging from a chronic shoplifter, a woman whose five husbands came to mysterious deaths, a former mobster moll, a former paparazzi photographer-- start meeting at the local community center for the newly launched senior club to make friends. Lydia, the 54-year-old community center worker, had lots of plans in store for them—jigsaw puzzles, macrame, etc. But these seniors had other ideas!

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for brightening up my day with such a heartwarming story. Looking forward to more work by Clare Pooley. Strong five stars!

I am a Clare Pooley super fan and was so thrilled to receive this early copy of her new book. I adore Clare’s writing style. Clare excels at creating a wide, eccentric, endearing, and all immensely lovable cast. I hope she continues to stay in this alley. Her books are heartwarming, make me laugh and smile so much, and I have major character attachment to so many in her book. The characters in this book are all a bit chaotic but together, they shine. Daphne is a real treat and made me laugh so much - easily one of my favorite characters of the year! Clare’s writing is just so charming and there is such great human connection and found family here.

Recommend if you enjoy:
▫️Short chapters
▫️Multiple POVs
▫️Senior citizen characters
▫️And senior dogs!
▫️Found family
▫️Cast of wildly eccentric characters - all quite endearing

Clare Pooley always strikes the perfect balance of heartwarming humor, interesting challenges, and found family and how to age disgracefully is no exception. I so enjoyed spending this novel with these characters and their antics and I didn’t want it to end. A perfect comfort novel once again!

How to Age Disgracefully is Clare Pooley’s latest book but the first of hers I’ve read. It was a fun, lighthearted romp, but with some serious, heartfelt moments mixed in. I recommend it for when you need some laugh out loud moments and a big smile plastered on your face.
The story follows four characters, all involved in a community center. Daphne has just turned seventy and decided she needs to get out and meet people again. She’s obviously had a very colorful past, which gets revealed slowly. Art is an older actor, who’s no longer getting parts and is a little short of money. Lydia is the woman tasked with running the senior meetings, trying desperately to find confidence. And Ziggy is a young single father whose baby daughter attends the daycare in the building. They all bond together when the council threatens to close the building. Oh, and there’s also an older dog of indeterminate breeding who binds them. The chapters alternate between these four. I adored Daphne. She’s a grammar nerd with a unique command of the English language. She tends to say what I think. Her comment about men who send dick pics is priceless.
The book tackles the invisibility that comes with age, which while annoying, also has some positive aspects.
Warning - do not attempt to finish this book one hour before a Zoom meeting. Tears. Big tears. Red eyes.
I recommend this for fans of The Thursday Murder Club.
My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group/Viking for an advance copy of this book.
How to Age Disgracefully is Clare Pooley’s latest book but the first of hers I’ve read. It was a fun, lighthearted romp, but with some serious, heartfelt moments mixed in. I recommend it for when you need some laugh out loud moments and a big smile plastered on your face.
The story follows four characters, all involved in a community center. Daphne has just turned seventy and decided she needs to get out and meet people again. She’s obviously had a very colorful past, which gets revealed slowly. Art is an older actor, who’s no longer getting parts and is a little short of money. Lydia is the woman tasked with running the senior meetings, trying desperately to find confidence. And Ziggy is a young single father whose baby daughter attends the daycare in the building. They all bond together when the council threatens to close the building. Oh, and there’s also an older dog of indeterminate breeding who binds them. The chapters alternate between these four. I adored Daphne. She’s a grammar nerd with a unique command of the English language. She tends to say what I think. Her comment about men who send dick pics is priceless.
The book tackles the invisibility that comes with age, which while annoying, also has some positive aspects.
Warning - do not attempt to finish this book one hour before a Zoom meeting. Tears. Big tears. Red eyes.
I recommend this for fans of The Thursday Murder Club.
My thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group/Viking for an advance copy of this book.

5.0/5.0 ⭐

Clare Pooley's 'How to Age Disgracefully' is an absolute gem that shines among the silver-haired protagonists who are having a moment in literature. It's a delightful, feel-good, and inspiring read with outstanding, witty writing and vibrant characters.

When the community rec center, home to both a daycare and a senior citizens group, faces closure, they unite to save it and solve each other's problems. The story unfolds through alternating perspectives of the seniors, the group coordinator, and a teenage dad. It begins when they are all traveling on a bus stopped by a police officer. As they each begin to reveal their reasons for fearing they are who the police officer is out for, the narrative backtracks through recent events, painting whimsical portraits of their lives.

It's perfect—chef's kiss!

If you enjoyed Netflix's 'Grace and Frankie' or Jesse Sutanto's 'Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers', mark your calendar for this June release.

Kindle Version | ARC

Thank you to Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Pamela Dorman Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I have enjoyed the authors other books and enjoyed this sweet read as well. Such a cute book about community coming together. All the characters had fun, interesting backgrounds. A great quick read.


Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinion is my one.

Clare Pooley is consistently a delight and this doesn't deviate. A recommended purchase for collections where her previous titles and WF is popular.

This book is another home run by Clare Pooley. It has the perfect balance of humor and grittiness. The characters are relatable, flawed and lovable. You can't help but cheer for this unlikely cast of characters as they deal with family, aging, loss and friendships.

Over the past few years, I have found myself drawn to vivacious, troublesome elderly main characters. Perhaps it’s because people are generally cast aside (as protagonists or otherwise) past a certain age and are all typically put in the same unassuming, harmless mold of old age.

Enter Daphne and the gang of the senior social club at the Mandel Community Center. They show that their age is but a number, and the different personalities of the group — along with those of Lydia, the unassuming leader, and Ziggy, the hapless teenage dad — make this book a really fun read! The antics and shenanigans are silly but engaging and I kept wanting to read on to find how Daphne would tackle each problem in her own unique way. Her mysterious backstory also provided continued fodder to keep reading.

I have previously enjoyed Clare Pooley’s work and this book is no exception!! Knocked off one star only for the really awful formatting on the Kindle ARC but it doesn’t take away from the story and the book as a whole. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.