Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Mike Gayle - 4.5 stars rounded up!
Jess Baxter is grieving the loss of her mother, made worse by her having to sort through all her mom's belongings to get her house ready to sell. She comes across an old set of encyclopedias that were gifted to her, that changed her life and opened it to possibilities. She couldn't part with them, so brought them home to the apartment she shares with her boyfriend, Gus. Gus hates clutter and harps on her to get rid of the books. Then Luce, her best friend, tells her about a Museum of Ordinary People, full of belongings from others that they couldn't bear to part with. She visits the site, which is in the back of a warehouse owned by Alex, who wasn't even aware of this hidden treasure trove. Jess convinces Alex to let her open the museum to the public. Jess also uncovers other secrets long buried in the process.
I love Mike Gayle's books, full of heartwarming stories, people that you can relate to, and lots of emotions. I love this idea - that the things we keep are so valuable to us shouldn't be tossed with the trash. That it isn't only the rich that deserve to have their things in a museum. This book touched my heart on a personal level as well. Being older and starting to think about what will be left behind for the next generations, it's sad to know that no one wants our collections of dishes, memorabilia, even photo albums. Those things that we have held on to, moved from state to state, will probably just end up in the trash. Too bad this museum doesn't exist for all of us! Loved this book - highly recommended for a heartwarming read!
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