This was a book I was really looking forward to and yet by chapter three I'd had enough but I pushed on until chapter five when I had to admit to myself that I'd had enough and couldn't continue.

The book is told in the first person and from Hope Nicely's point of view. A young woman in her twenties that was born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). She was given up for adoption as a baby and brought up by Jenny Nicely.

Hope is trying to write a book and attends writing classes in an attempt to locate her birth mother.

Because of Hope's condition she is easily confused, forgetful, has learning difficulties, etc. These come across strongly in her voice and because it is written in the first person and narrated at the reader passages are often repeated or she forgets which words she wants to use and then they appear suddenly later on the page or the one after. In real life people are happy to wait for others to remember what they were saying, etc but on paper it didn't come across well.

I just couldn't make a connection to the book or Hope. I've read a few books where the book has been written in the first person and narrated by someone with autism or learning difficulties and thoroughly enjoyed them, hence why I thought I would love this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be for me and I had to DNF it.dnf7 s Anne Stokes10


Such a funny, heart-warming and thought provoking book. The characters were well drawn and what a wonderful insight into what it must be to have been born with FASD, something I knew very little about. Who could not love Hope and Jenny!
It felt totally believable and is obvious the author has first hand knowledge of the syndrome and all its complexities.
This book will stay with me for a very long time, and I definitely can’t wait to read her next book.
Just LOVED it.
4 s Sally1 review

I wish Hope Nicely and her author well, but I didn't enjoy this book. By page 60 I wanted to put it down, I was already tired of Hope and the lessons in writing that she was describing but the author was not following, in particular 'show don't tell'. Early on one of the writing class is told he needs to make his material something people want to read, something I longed was true of the novel. I d the flipping pancake epithet.

Apart from not enjoying the writing style or feeling empathy with any of the characters really, the plot didn't get going until two thirds of the way through and then everything was resolved by the end, which, in any case was too neat, and particularly galling after reading about the complicated circumstances the character found herself in.

If I hadn't been reading it with my book club I would have stopped reading it very quickly. 4 s Rachel (not currently receiving notifications) Hall1,047 85

The first-person narrator of Caroline Day’s novel is twenty-five-year-old Hope Nicely who lives with her adoptive mother, Jenny, in Harpenden and was born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD). Whilst Hope treasures Jenny and enjoys her ‘real job’ walking dogs she would also to find her birth mother and ask why she abandoned her as a baby, and if she knew that drinking during pregnancy could lead to Hope’s condition. Bullied and taken advantage of at school, Hope’s only real contacts besides Jenny are her dog walking boss, Karen, and retired former social worker, Julie. Hope is well aware of the issues that result from her condition (learning difficulties, poor memory, struggling to concentrate) and quite a lot of the time she would really rather not be the person that she is, even leading her to previously attempt suicide. Jenny is a poet and Hope makes the decision to try writing her autobiography in a bid to get the answers to the questions that she longs for. Gaining a scholarship to the evening classes of author, Marnie Shale, where Hope’s learning difficulties and uniqueness mark her out, she soon makes a big impression on the group.

The early part of the story covers the golden rules devised by Jenny that Hope follows and are aimed at keeping her out of trouble, along with seeing through Hope’s own eyes the events at her evening class. Whilst the first-person narrative gives the reader an insight into Hope’s head and thought processes, including the frustration she feels due to her jumble memory, it does mean that the prose is simplistic, frequently repetitive and can feel disjointed. As a reader unused to this I personally found it irritating and therefore difficult to engage with the storyline. I expect I would have empathised greatly if Hope’s condition and situation were narrated in anything other than the first person but as it was I found it difficult to immerse myself in her story due to the lack of depth. Whilst seeing how Hope handles certain social situations has the potential for amusement and might well endear her to many readers, little of significance happens in regard to Hope’s search for answers until well over halfway. Even with the introduction of an eclectic and well-drawn cast of secondary characters my patience wore thin and I found the book a slog to finish.

Whilst many readers have compared the topics of loneliness, acceptance and friendship that feature in the novel to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and I would concur, the prose is markedly different, as is the depth of the actual story. Whilst the novel will raise awareness of FASD and offers an insight into what the condition is to live with I feel unable to recommend due to the slow start, basic prose and the convenient coincidence ending that was rather too neat.2 s Layla Crowie517 5

This book should have come with trigger warnings - be aware of suicide/suicidal thoughts and self harm being an under current throughout this book.

Whilst I'm sure this book will find its audience, it sadly wasn't for me.

The often times repetitive internal dialogue made this a tough book to slog through. Mostly I found the book to be quite sad and disheartening. I wish that it had been a more uplifting representation of a differently abled person.

There were some lighter moments that eased the constant emotional push, I just wish there had been more. There are some wonderful characters included but again, the overall feel of the book left me feeling low.2 s Tim233 8

Wow! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book through ABOS. Lucky because it’s not normally the type of book I would typically read and it will be a long time before I forget about Hope Nicely or the fantastic story.

Hope, the main character, is a beautiful soul. The book was heartbreaking, and sad, and happy, it explored the power of friendship, love and was written uniquely through the eyes of someone with FASD. It’s probably one of my favourite books since lockdown started.a-box-of-stories favourites2 s Clelia LADINI399 5

#LAVIESELONHOPENICELY #NetGalleyFrance
4,5/5
Avant tout merci à NetGalley France et aux Editions l'Archipel, la magnifique collection Instants Suspendus, de m'avoir permis de lire ce livre.
Ma chère Hope, déjà ton nom est tout un poème, Hope comme Espérance, Nicely comme Belle: Belle Espérance, c'est vraiment ce que je te souhaite à toi et à ton magnifique livre que je viens de terminer. Même si comme tu le dis ton cerveau est un vide-greniers, même si parfois tu ne trouves pas tes mots et bien souvent en te lisant j'avais envie de te les souffler, tu as fais preuve d'un immense courage, et ce qui au départ devait être l'occasion pour toi de tourner une page, s'avère être l' immense victoire de ta vie. Du haut de tes 25 ans tu es une adulte, avec son arc en ciel qui m'a émue, qui a chamboulé mon monde et qui a bien fait de tout renverser.
Ce livre est superbe de part son histoire, l'auteure a réussi complètement à nous mettre dans la tète de Hope. Autant Hope et bavarde, autant elle a des réactions inattendues, autant le lecteur sera touché, égratigné même,
Le second travail magnifique est celui de la traductrice, elle a su faire en sorte que l'on oublie totalement que l'œuvre originelle est en Anglais. L'histoire est celle de Hope Nicely, une jeune femme abandonnée à la naissance, qui a subi l'alcoolisation de sa mère biologique pendant toute sa vie fœtale, elle a été adoptée, et elle tente de se reconstruire en décidant d'écrire son autobiographie pour retrouver sa mère biologique et lui demander pourquoi elle a bu pendant sa grossesse, pourquoi elle a lui a fait subir de tels dommages, pour ensuite l'abandonner. Les personnages sont très bien travaillés, les thèmes, celui de la différence, mais aussi la découverte du TSAF (trouble du spectre de l'alcoolisation fœtale), réel problème de société. L'écriture et le style sont frais et justes au regard des réels troubles, et l' amour, la douceur, la gentillesse et la poésie de son entourage proche est merveilleux.

#LAVIESELONHOPENICELY #NetGalleyFrance
4.5/5
First of all, thank you to NetGalley France and Editions l'Archipel, the magnificent Instants Suspendus collection, for allowing me to read this book.
My dear Hope, your name is already quite a poem, Hope Hope, Nicely Belle: Belle Espérance, that's really what I wish for you and your magnificent book that I have just finished. Even if, as you say, your brain is a garage sale, even if sometimes you can't find your words and very often while reading you I wanted to blow them to you, you have shown immense courage, and this which at first was supposed to be an opportunity for you to turn a page, turns out to be the immense victory of your life. From the height of your 25 years you are an adult, with her rainbow which moved me, which turned my world upside down and which did well to overthrow everything.
This book is superb because of its history, the author has completely succeeded in putting us in the head of Hope. As much Hope and talkative as she has unexpected reactions, the reader will be touched, even scratched,
The second magnificent work is that of the translator, she knew how to make sure that we completely forget that the original work is in English. The story is that of Hope Nicely, a young woman abandoned at birth, who suffered the alcoholization of her biological mother throughout her fetal life, she was adopted, and she tries to rebuild herself by deciding to write her autobiography to find her biological mother and ask her why she drank during her pregnancy, why she caused her to suffer such damage, and then abandon her. The characters are very well worked, the themes, that of difference, but also the discovery of FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder), a real social problem. The writing and the style are fresh and fair in relation to the real troubles, and the love, the gentleness, the kindness and the poetry of his close entourage is marvellous.2 s Georgina75 19

This book was a lovely uplifting story about Hope, an adopted girl with learning difficulties and Hope's search for her birth mother. The subject of foetal alcohol syndrome I think is handled well and is only something that I became fully aware of and the lasting life long damage it can cause fairly recently. Hope is a wonderful character and the struggles that these children and adults face is highlighted in her plight.
It was a very heartening story and a definite feel good book.2 s Caroline Kerdouci603 31

Hope Nicely lives with her adoptive mother Jenny Nicely at 23a Station Close Harpenden and her uniqueness leaps out at you from the first moment she introduces herself. Newly enrolled at a writing class led by Marnie Shale,Hope is someone keen to write her own memoir, in a bid to understand why her birth mother abandoned her as a baby. Hope who has a ‘real job’ walking dogs but has limited interaction of the human kind (apart from mum Jenny) is affected by foetal alcohol syndrome which contributes to her very special way of inhabiting this world. She desperately tries to live by the golden rules Jenny has instilled in her but it’s a constant daily battle and one that worsens when her mum falls ill and is rushed to hospital. Hope Nicely’s Lessons For Life is one young woman’s story of coping with dramatic upheaval in an ordinarily regimented life whilst offering her opportunities for new found friendships and the realisation that she is brilliant just the way she is. Hope Nicely is a character to treasure in a storyline overflowing with positivity. This novel is funny, tragic and utterly awesome and I hope (pun intended!) you’ll love it as much as I did.

Parts of this storyline are set within the confines of the classroom as Hope and her fellow students learn valuable lessons in how to write, whatever their chosen genre,scenes which described from Hope’s perspective are hilarious. It’s through this group of individuals Hope meets some wonderful people destined to accept her regardless of her differences, providing love and support through a stressful and traumatic period. Plus it’s an element of the storyline that may prove to be way more enlightening for Hope than she could ever expect. The charming Danny Flynn is the first person to come to Hope’s rescue, inviting her into his family home and it’s here with his mum Bridget and brother Connor that life really opens up for Hope.

Her uniqueness makes this young woman perfect in my eyes; she’s a dream character and an absolute darling. She may be small in stature with a jumble sale forever going on in her head but with her flitty memory, her special way of interpreting conversations and understanding of words in general Hope is an irrepressible character. She’s the kind of person to bring out your motherly instincts; I just wanted to wrap her up in cotton wool and protect her from the all the horribleness of her current situation, and all the uncertainty that accompanies her until Jenny Nicely could hopefully resume her caring role,right as rain. Hope is the best thing that ever happened to Jenny Nicely (as Hope frequently reminds you) and it took no effort on my behalf to regard Hope in the same way her mum does; as an extraordinary drop of light.

The reader is given every opportunity to laugh out loud at Hope’s grasp of social situations and the ways in which she tries to moderate her behaviour, often with limited success and laugh out loud I did!! Written almost as if Hope is struggling to pause for breath, words pouring forth a stream of consciousness, gloriously muddled, the author is celebrating Hope’s differences and inviting the reader to see the real person behind the shouting and screaming, the counting and sitting on hands which are just some of Hope’s strategies for coping with her jumbled brain. Aside from the overwhelmingly comic tone the author has adopted I couldn’t help thinking along more serious lines that life for people Hope and their carers must be completely exhausting as well as rewarding and challenging. Although Hope is mostly frightened by her sudden change in circumstances I found her so inspiring.

Although Hope manages to outshine all the other characters in this novel the author has excelled in surrounding her with equally delightful, funny, kind and welcoming individuals with Connor Flynn a worthy contender against Hope in the race for your affection. They (mostly) all compliment her personality, embrace her uniqueness and add to the specialness of the storyline whilst allowing Hope’s voice to be heard loud and clear. These characters simply allow her to be her own unique self. Marnie Shale herself, the majority of the writing class students, particularly Veronica Ptitsky, the Flynn family including Barry, Hope’s newest loyal doggy friend and Julie, her social worker all restore your faith in human nature and the calming effects of a canine friend.

This novel, unbelievably a debut given how superbly written it is,is a triumph and I can only extend my heartfelt thanks to the author for bringing Hope into existence because I loved every single minute that I spent in her company. I also applaud the author for educating me about a condition that I have never given much thought to, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. I just cannot imagine how the author will follow up this first novel but I’m expecting the future to look very bright as she builds upon what surely will become one of 2021 runaway successes. Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life is a glittery gem of a novel that you MUST read. As Hope would say it’s fan-tanty - tastic so these 5 stars don’t do the author’s writing justice! My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.1 Rachel Bridgeman1,104 27

I am so excited to be able to shout so loudly about this incredible novel. It is one of those rare, and very lucky, occurrences where the right book falls in your lap at the moment that you need it most.

It would be so easy to say it is heartbreaking, heartwarming, and leaves you with a tangible improvement on your outlook on life, but Hope Nicely is so much more than that. From her very name she exudes a positivity, in spite of being made to feel unwelcome her entire life (from baby abandonment to bullying, she has been forever made to be an outsider) and instead, centers her relationships around dogs and her adoptive mother, Jenny.

Who could blame her for preferring the company of canines to people when they behave so despicably, let you down without explanation, and are constantly fickle?

Hope does not define herself by the things that she is not, she looks at the things that she is, and how she communicates to the rest of the world.Her need to seek out her birth mother is not to serve a sense of vengeance, she just wants, as most of us do, to understand. Why did she feel the need to abandon her? And as Hope has Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, she wants to know why, in the face of mass public campaigns and diagnostic testing, her mother carried on drinking. It is not known what exact amount causes this to take place, however, it is irreversible so the best evidence advises women not to drink at all.

However, the value of a life is not dependant on the sympathy of others for things outside of your control, and Hope seems to have her life nailed. She has a philosophy which many of us could do worse than take a leaf from, and when events in her life look they will be leaving her dependant on her will to keep going, she and Jenny need to establish some rules for Hope. And this includes the ability to let other people into her life, as there are people out there worthy of her time and effort.

This book not only gives us hope, it gives us Hope, a truly unforgettable, one of a kind person who challenges the worth which people place on a neurodivergent life. She is a beacon of light, with a hilarious turn of phrase and personality which leaps off the page, her voice is so authentic and entirely her own from page one.I defy any reader not to fall in love with Hope and to champion her on her voyage of discovery!july-211 Jenny Cooper595 4

Hope Nicely is 25 and lives with her mother, Jenny, who adopted Hope after she was left in a cardboard box on the church steps when she was a baby. Hope was born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). She has had a very happy life with Jenny who has made her feel very special and helped her to navigate her way through the difficulties that life presents to someone who views the world in a different way from most people. However, Hope is desperate to find out more about the circumstances surrounding her birth mother. Encouraged by Jenny, she decides to write her life history to help her explore these issues and she enrols on an evening course to develop her writing skills. When Jenny falls ill, Hope’s life becomes even more challenging.

Whilst I was aware that FASD existed, I couldn’t have put a name to it) and knew absolutely nothing about it. I now know quite a lot. In many ways it seems to present in a similar way to somebody on the autistic spectrum and both seem to share some of the same difficulties in perceiving and understanding the world around them. The book successfully conveys to the reader what it is to live with FASD, both as the person who has the condition (Hope in this instance) and from the point of view of carers, friends and family. There were amusing interludes as Hope tries to understand the world she lives in but, at times, gets it all terribly wrong. These are handled sensitively and sympathetically and are very entertaining but not at all offensive. In essence this is a feelgood book with a big heart.

Whilst I am hesitant to criticise a book which has been written with such love and care I am afraid that, in my opinion, it was not without its problems. We are inside Hope’s head for the whole of the book, and it is a very long time to spend with anybody in such an intimate environment. With Hope in particular I found it both frustrating and annoying partly because we are very different people with little in common and I am ashamed to say that had we become acquainted in real life I would probably not have been as understanding as most of the people that she met in the book. The second reason I struggled with this prolonged intimacy was because of the stream of consciousness writing style which the author has chosen to adopt. It involves long, rambling sentences as the author tries to replicate the somewhat chaotic way in which our minds actually work. In Hope’s case, this is more chaotic than most because the world is a bit of a mystery to her, not helped by the fact that she thinks and speaks in an almost child- and simplistic fashion so there is no real depth to the narrative. Unfortunately I found this irritating rather than endearing and I had to force myself to actually finish the book.
Also, the whole book is a little “sickly sweet” and twee, even down to the name of the main character.
Yes, as I neared the end there were moments where I almost felt that this was a feelgood book with a big heart, but the irritation factor was so strong that I couldn’t quite do it and was very relieved to have finished it.

And so to the difficult question of whether I would recommend this book. I am going to have to say that I would not but thankfully we are all different and you may love Hope and her story. Whilst this book was not my cup of tea, I have read quite a few online and it seems to polarise readers. It’s a Marmite book. Just because I didn’t enjoy it doesn’t mean that you won’t.book-club1 Emma Crowley924 157

Hope Nicely is writing a book that is going to change her life. She is writing her autobiography in the hopes that it will help her find her birth mother and explain why she was given away at only a few hours old. Many years ago Hope was adopted by Jenny Nicely having been left in a cardboard box by her birth mother. She has so many unanswered questions running through her jumbled brain. She describes her brain as being in a bit of a muddle due to Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Her birth mother drank too much resulting in the damage to her brain.

The story is told entirely in the first person narrative and it takes a lot of time to get used to this. I could see why the story was written in this way as you have constant access to Hope’s way of thinking and you see how she functions and interacts with all aspects of society on a daily basis. But it became too much for me and just too intense at times. I would have loved to have heard from the point of view of other characters featured in the story and to be given an insight as to how they view Hope and how they wish to help her.

Hope faces many challenges in her life but she has always had Jenny Nicely there by her side, fighting her corner and providing her with the rules of life in order for her to get by. Literally everything needs to be explained and outlined to her so Hope can interact in the usual way that society dictates. That’s not to say the personality of Hope can not shine through. Of course it can but a lot of these rules are for Hope’s own safety. She learns how to converse with people and to cope with things that trigger her but she is dependent on others in so many ways as she takes things at face value and interprets what is being said very literally. Hope is not good at remembering things, she gets easily distracted and confused. She often talks too much and has to try to remember to let other people speak no matter how much she wishes to say what is on the tip of her tongue. She needs to keep things back for fear of upsetting others. She has her golden rules notebook which is her guide to doing the right thing in social situations and these rules do help her navigate the world she finds herself in. But at the same time the personality of Hope with all its quirks is allowed to shine through from the pages of this book.

I found this to be a very intense read as all the time Hope is constantly on edge and her rush of thoughts, feelings and opinions are constantly pouring forth onto the page. It was an endless chatter without a pause for breath never allowing the reader to sit back for a moment and absorb what they had read. I understand this was the way Hope was and couldn’t help it and yes it gave such an excellent insight into how someone with FASD lived their life. But it became too much for me at times and especially the endless repetition of names, rules and events. I know it was all to add to the story and to give the reader an even deeper appreciation of Hope and the incredible person she was but truthfully it was just too much for me. I found it made the story drag somewhat as so much was said over and over and you are wishing for the plot to move along a bit which it finally does towards the last quarter of the book. She describes her disorder as being on a rainbow spectrum and I loved this analogy and it worked well with how Connor Flynn describes himself as he himself had Aspergers.

Hope works as a dog walker and dogs are her only friends that is until she is awarded a scholarship to attend the writing classes run by author Marnie Shale. Here Hope meets a diverse cast of characters which I really would have loved to have gotten to know better. Yes, we get to read of Hope’s interpretation of them but I would have much preferred to these characters have their own moment to share part of their stories and their specific reasons for being at the class. One person in particular Danny Flynn will become Hope’s knight in shining armour when Jenny Nicely has a heart attack at home and Hope becomes paralysed with fear. Only for Danny arriving at the house and performing CPR and getting an ambulance Jenny could have been in very dire straits. That’s not to say she wasn’t, she is placed in an induced coma and Hope is left without her anchor. She literally doesn’t know how she will function without that person who is her mother and the one who has given her all these rules for life. The innocence of Hope and her lack of being able to function properly without Jenny be her side highlights how dependent she is on others. That no matter what tools she is given to be as independent as possible there are always things there in her mind which prevent from safely and comfortably striking out in life.

Danny and his family take in Hope as Jenny remains in hospital. Will Jenny ever wake and return to Hope? Bridget is Danny’s mother and Connor is Danny’s brother. They were two great characters. Bridget, a no nonsense mother but someone who was always there to offer comfort and support. As for Connor, he was perhaps the best written character and dare I say it even more so than Hope. He was so blunt in his observations and saw things either in black or white. He was much more calm and considered as opposite to Hope who I felt was just always so much on edge with her mind constantly running and racing never taking a breather. Which led to a feeling of exhaustion coming across to the reader in turn making you tired from what you had been reading. Connor said things they were but he did have his own fears and foibles so in that sense Hope and himself gelled well together.

Hope ventures to a very dark place and I did think a warning before reading this book would have been welcome as things are described in some detail and it could perhaps trigger a certain type of reader. To be honest Hope Nicely’s Lessons for Life was not the kind of read I was expecting. Yes, the cover was whimsical and colourful and the dog does tie in well with one of Hope’s passions in life. But there are a lot of deep themes being explored here. Loneliness, acceptance and friendship I would say are the more lighter end of the themes despite these being very serious in their own right. I felt the ending was tied up too quickly and conveniently given the very long lead up to it and I wished for more exploration. I really appreciate what the author set out to do with this book and Hope Nicely is a stand out character but it was bit of a mixed bag for me. Without doubt this story will raise awareness of FASD and if you books about self discovery than this is the one for you.1 Lisa Bentley1,339 21

Hope Nicely’s story is powerful. That is the first thing I need to say. It isn’t powerful in that whole knock you over with drama kind of way. It is subtle and quiet but it has the lasting kind of power. Hope Nicely has a medical condition. She has FASD (Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), for those who don’t know a lot about this – I myself am someone who doesn’t know enough – this means that she has a developmental disorder which makes every day life a little bit harder for her. She sets out with a mission to write her autobiography with the belief that her birth mum will find it, read it and explain why she abandoned her.

The book follows a certain period of her life that challenges her in ways that people with developmental issues would find distressing but we watch how she Hope Nicely deals with these challenges. It is a wonderful coming of age story and gives the reader an insight into the world of someone with this condition. I have worked with students with this disorder and I feel having read this book I now feel I have a more lived in experience of what they may be going through or how they see the world. I feel that I have gained a lot more empathy for having read this story and for that I thank Caroline Day for writing it.1 Hannah Symonds1,635 26

I loved this book so much and wanted to jump into the book and give Hope a great big hug. The way this book is written is you are in Hope's head and she really has been through the mill, it was such an eye opening experience one that I won't be forgetting in a while. I found I really loved Hope and I laughed with her and I did shed a few tears just because of everything she has been through in her life. We find what it is really living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, now I had heard of this but didn't know much about it. From reading this book I feel I have a clear understanding how it affects a person. The story was written well and I was sad when I had turned the last page. It is a story that I won't forget in a hurry and a story I would read over and over again.1 thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books)2,644 110

such a beautifully written book , I loved this so much. Hope Nicely’s Lessons For Life is a delightful read that I am so glad I got to read, this will stay with me for so long. It’s so hope filled and left me feeling the same, just beautiful

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion1 Nicky Mcpherson21

I wasn’t sure about this book for quite a few chapters but it’s worth persevering ! 1 A Librarians Daughter29 18

I couldn’t get past the first chapter of this. I don’t give up easily on books but just the way it was written was really starting to annoy me.
Autor del comentario:
=================================