I challenge anyone to read this book and not fall in love with Penelope Pie. This is a character that you are instantly invested in and stays with you after you finish the story. The writing is exquisite and the story flows along so nicely that you never want it to end. Setting this story against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic allowed me to revisit this unprecedented time and be reminded of the impact on daily life. I was totally unprepared for the ending and really had not even considered the possibility of how these characters might be connected. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and appreciate the ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Wow! First book I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last. What a beautiful story with incredibly well written characters. Love it!

This is a heartwarming story with lots of unexpected turns and past secrets. I always like reading about senior characters like Theo Gruene in this novel and it was really interesting to see his character development as the story unfolds. I loved the other characters, too. Penelope Pie is an exceptional child although she can be a handful, and Ivy and Nita are both really loveable.
I was happy to see how they find a future together.

When Penelope appears on Theo Gruene's doorstep one morning, he has no idea how much his life is going to change, or how fast it's going to happen. Theo has experienced far more than his fair share of loss throughout his 70 years and is now quietly accepting of his pretty solitary lifestyle: going on long hikes, preserving and cataloguing plant specimens for the university and meeting his friend, Winn, for lunch on a Friday.

When Penelope turns up, Theo becomes - unwillingly at first - an important part of her life and the lives of others around them. Penelope has a way of drawing people in and making Theo confront thoughts and feelings that he has been all too content to ignore for many years.

I absolutely loved this book. Yes, it's all a bit convenient and neatly tied up at the end but it's so refreshing to read a book full of nice people, just doing their best and being kind. It isn't sickly sweet though, there are upsetting parts, particularly for anyone directly affected by loss during the COVID 19 pandemic, but it is so gently, kindly written that it doesn't feel as difficult to read as it probably could.

Throughout the book, there are references to real things and I thought this was done really effectively. Penelope talks about To Kill a Mockingbird and "Boo Radley Holes" feature heavily. With the book being set during such a significant and unusual time, I also think it would have been strange to not include certain events, such as the death of George Floyd and subsequent protests. The way that the characters react to this tells us so much about them, in a way that wouldn't work so well with a fictional event.

All in all, this is a great book and one that I couldn't put down at times. Theo and his newfound community are brilliantly written characters and a joy to spend time with.

Great for fans of Frank and Red by Matt Coyne, Swimming for Beginners by Nicola Gill and Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian.

A perk on NetGalley is a Read Now feature where you can get a book before its published without requesting it. I am so happy I grabbed this one -- I am still thinking about the characters since reading it! Its sweet, funny and endearing with a few plot twists that kept me enthralled.

I really loved this book. A senior man lives his quiet and orderly life, until a young, precocious neighbor girl shows up, showing him that sometimes shaking up your life is the very thing you need.
Covid happens, and all of their lives are changed.

I loved the characters...all so different, all well done.

Thank you to Mississippi Press, LLC and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #TheThirdActOfTheoGroene #MississippiPressLLC #TalyaTateBoerner

I did not like this book. It was not a good book. The characters did not resonate with me. I would read another book by this author.

This talented author has written a page turner. I could not out this book down. An elderly man…a sweet neighbor girl with her mother…a hopeful romantic…the recipe for a cannot put down story. Secrets…red herrings…guessing…realistic characters keep this story moving quickly. This book is unique…there are many avenues to explore….i would give this book plus five. I can’t wait for more from this author. Thanks Netgalley