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A love story about things... Gwen's life has stalled. She's in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council's wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she's lonely. But then, isn't everyone? When Gwen's made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it's time to make a change. Over what might be the best - and most solitary - meal she's ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends - and finally book herself a dentist appointment. Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care. Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations - and the enduring power and joy of charity shops. Praise for Preloved 'A heartwarming tale of friendship, loss and being true to yourself, regardless of expectations.' Red magazine 'I think I've been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole reading life. This is a luscious, shimmering book of depth and delicacy. It's sad, hilarious, sad, tender, brutal, brilliantly observed - there is a sense of magic on every page.' Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable 'Preloved is full of sharp observations on life, loss, regret and self-preservation... spilling over with wit and hope. Cleverly interwoven with stories of the myriad reasons items find their way into charity shops, the joy, friendship and ultimate enlightenment Gwen discovers offers a quirky and poignant reminder that one person's trash is always somebody else's treasure.' Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman 'Just like that once-in-a-lifetime charity shop find, Preloved is a gleaming prize to be treasured. Lauren Bravo is witty and thoughtful in her exploration of our relationship with objects and trends, believing that - just as a pair of shoes can have many, many lives - so can the people that wear them.' Caroline O'Donohue, author of Promising Young Woman 'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender, Preloved is an absorbingly special debut novel. I devoured in equal measure the delicious descriptions of food and the moving vignettes of preloved treasures peppered throughout the book, while the nineties and noughties nostalgia had me gasping with pleasure.' Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female 'Full of relatable anecdotes, lively, funny and modern, Preloved is a moving tale of emancipation and friendship. I loved it!' Margaux Vialleron, author of The Yellow Kitchen… (más)
Preloved is all about Gwen. In her late-thirties, she's just been made redundant and realises that she's feeling a bit redundant in her life generally. She makes a list and at the top of it is 'Find something to do". Taking that on board she volunteers at her local charity shop, working alongside some real characters and it's where Gwen finds out what she wants from her life and starts to forge a new future for herself.
This book is everything I want my books to be. It's incredibly funny and I guffawed out loud so many times, but behind the veil of humour there are serious and touching day to day issues such as changing friendships, dealing with loss, a lack of love life, parental problems, career woes and more. I found it incredibly relatable - somehow Lauren Bravo managed to hone in on things that seemed so personally relevant to me and I suspect other readers will find the same but with different subjects. Because of this I savoured every word. It's the kind of book where I want to take my time to read every bit and take it in. It completely hit the spot with me and is observed perfectly.
I so enjoyed the detail of the shop, the stock, the customers, the volunteers. When I was at school I did two stints volunteering in a charity shop. It's a long time ago now but I loved it and this book reminded me of why. Not just the glow that comes of doing something for others, but the joy of going through the donations and finding treasures. Intertwined with Gwen's story we are treated to some gloriously circular vignettes about certain donations and how they found their way into the shop.
Preloved is beautiful inside and out. The characters are everything and they're brilliantly drawn. All of human life passes through the door of the charity shop which is a character in its own right. My copy will be staying with me but if you ever see one in a charity shop then I urge you to pick it up and give it a home. You won't be disappointed. Bravo, Ms Bravo! ( )
A love story about things... Gwen's life has stalled. She's in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council's wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she's lonely. But then, isn't everyone? When Gwen's made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it's time to make a change. Over what might be the best - and most solitary - meal she's ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends - and finally book herself a dentist appointment. Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care. Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations - and the enduring power and joy of charity shops. Praise for Preloved 'A heartwarming tale of friendship, loss and being true to yourself, regardless of expectations.' Red magazine 'I think I've been waiting for a novel like Preloved for my whole reading life. This is a luscious, shimmering book of depth and delicacy. It's sad, hilarious, sad, tender, brutal, brilliantly observed - there is a sense of magic on every page.' Daisy Buchanan, author of Insatiable 'Preloved is full of sharp observations on life, loss, regret and self-preservation... spilling over with wit and hope. Cleverly interwoven with stories of the myriad reasons items find their way into charity shops, the joy, friendship and ultimate enlightenment Gwen discovers offers a quirky and poignant reminder that one person's trash is always somebody else's treasure.' Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman 'Just like that once-in-a-lifetime charity shop find, Preloved is a gleaming prize to be treasured. Lauren Bravo is witty and thoughtful in her exploration of our relationship with objects and trends, believing that - just as a pair of shoes can have many, many lives - so can the people that wear them.' Caroline O'Donohue, author of Promising Young Woman 'Laugh-out-loud funny but also poignant and tender, Preloved is an absorbingly special debut novel. I devoured in equal measure the delicious descriptions of food and the moving vignettes of preloved treasures peppered throughout the book, while the nineties and noughties nostalgia had me gasping with pleasure.' Laura Price, author of Single Bald Female 'Full of relatable anecdotes, lively, funny and modern, Preloved is a moving tale of emancipation and friendship. I loved it!' Margaux Vialleron, author of The Yellow Kitchen
This book is everything I want my books to be. It's incredibly funny and I guffawed out loud so many times, but behind the veil of humour there are serious and touching day to day issues such as changing friendships, dealing with loss, a lack of love life, parental problems, career woes and more. I found it incredibly relatable - somehow Lauren Bravo managed to hone in on things that seemed so personally relevant to me and I suspect other readers will find the same but with different subjects. Because of this I savoured every word. It's the kind of book where I want to take my time to read every bit and take it in. It completely hit the spot with me and is observed perfectly.
I so enjoyed the detail of the shop, the stock, the customers, the volunteers. When I was at school I did two stints volunteering in a charity shop. It's a long time ago now but I loved it and this book reminded me of why. Not just the glow that comes of doing something for others, but the joy of going through the donations and finding treasures. Intertwined with Gwen's story we are treated to some gloriously circular vignettes about certain donations and how they found their way into the shop.
Preloved is beautiful inside and out. The characters are everything and they're brilliantly drawn. All of human life passes through the door of the charity shop which is a character in its own right. My copy will be staying with me but if you ever see one in a charity shop then I urge you to pick it up and give it a home. You won't be disappointed. Bravo, Ms Bravo! ( )