Book Review: The Golden Oldies’ Book Club by Judy Leigh

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

As the story begins, we meet seventy-two-year-old Jeannie Sharrock. A lifelong resident of Combe Pomeroy, she runs her family’s orchard and cider business. Divorced from her philandering husband years ago, who has since relocated to Spain, she now lives with her ninety-five-year-old mother Violet, and her teenage grandchildren who stay with her while finishing up with school after their father, Jeannie’s son moved to Spain with his wife. Jeannie has a lot on her plate and does feel overwhelmed but tries to shoulder all her responsibilities with a smile on her face. She enjoys meeting up with her book club at the local library, hosted by Ruth, the librarian and retired university admissions officer who moved to Combe Pomeroy eight years ago. Ruth is lonely and yearns for new experiences, Verity is experiencing trouble in her marriage to Mark, Danielle is dealing with the breakdown of her marriage after her husband’s infidelity and Aurora still nurses a broken heart from decades ago. When a discussion on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" leads to a short trip to France, the ladies of the group find some respite from their own troubles affording them time to ponder over their current lives and gain perspective on what they want for themselves in the future. Once back, each of them tackles their problems with a renewed zest, making changes with support from one another. We follow Ruth, Aurora, Verity, Danielle and Jeannie through several ups and downs, misunderstandings and celebrations, making up for missed opportunities and finding new ones, proving that you’re never too old to make new friends, find love or go on an adventure!

The Golden Oldies’ Book Club by Judy Leigh is a heartwarming novel about love and friendship, community and companionship, and of course how the love for books and reading can bring people together. I loved the flow of the narrative, the small-town setting and the cast of interesting characters. Violet is an endearing character whose love for telling jokes (some of those puns were hilarious ) results in some amusing exchanges with her daughter and her great-grandchildren. I also enjoyed the literary discussions among the members of the reading group and the heated exchanges between the misogynistic male participant and the female readers made for some interesting moments. Overall The Golden Oldies’ Book Club by Judy Leigh is a lovely heartwarming story that left me with a smile on my face. Perfect for those wanting a light feel-good read!

Many thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the eARC of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due to be released on December 6, 2022.