Reasons to go Outside by Esme King

 

Today I am joining the book tour for Reasons To Go Outside which is the debut by Esme King and is out today!

Pearl Winter hasn't been outside in forty-three years.

Since she arrived on Dartmoor as a girl, an isolated family cottage has been her whole world. A place of safety. But now fifty-nine-year-old Pearl is utterly alone - except for the postman, the local crows, and memories of the summer of 1976.

Teenager Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home.

Since his mother's death he's been adrift from his remaining family, troubled by the reality of moving on, and unable to see a future ahead. But when Connor begins a summer job as Pearl's gardener, an unexpected friendship opens the door to a fresh start for them both. If only Pearl and Connor can take the first steps . . .

I came across Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King quite by chance on an Instagram story and the cover and title caught my attention, then after reading the synopsis on Amazon I knew I had to read this one.

Esme King has such a beautiful descriptive writing style that pulls you in from the first chapter and as she gradually brings her characters to life you soon start to feel the pull on the heartstrings as you feel a bond building as we learn about both Pearl and Connor’s pasts and their present struggles and worries.

The novel does explore delicate themes including agoraphobia and grief but Esme weaves each topic so carefully into the storyline and it brings a tender heart-warming feel the storyline. I love how the author has taken two characters from different eras and shown that age is truly only a number as they form an unlikely bond as a result of both of their loneliness and I found it was so uplifting to read. Loneliness is something that is not talked about enough and yet effects so many so it brings great awareness and it really moved me to see their friendship, trust and support for each other grow along with the storyline.

The authors writing style flowed so smoothly and felt effortless and I couldn’t put the book down, I was intrigued to find out what it was that caused Pearls agoraphobia but at the same time she was such a sweetheart I couldn’t bare to hear of anything bad happening to her.

Reasons To Go Outside is an outstanding debut and I am excited to see what this author creates next because after reading this books I have extremely high hopes, Esme King is certainly an author who I will be keeping on my radar.

Kindle           Hardback