The story of your life never starts at the beginning. Don’t they teach you anything at school? So says 104-year-old Ona to the 11-year-old boy who’s been sent to help her out every Saturday morning. As he refills the bird feeders and tidies the garden shed, Ona tells him about her long life, from first love to second chances. Soon she’s confessing secrets she has kept hidden for decades. One … hidden for decades.
One Saturday, the boy doesn’t show up. Ona starts to think he’s not so special after all, but then his father arrives on her doorstep, determined to finish his son’s good deed. The boy’s mother is not so far behind. Ona is set to discover that the world can surprise us at any age, and that sometimes sharing a loss is the only way to find ourselves again.
“Readers won’t be able to resist falling for Ona … The conclusion will leave them smiling through their tears.”—Shelf Awareness
“Poignant … There is much to enjoy in this heartfelt tale of love, loss, and friendship.”—Express
“A must-read book … Whimsical and bittersweet.”—Good Housekeeping
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Worth reading for anyone!!!
Hard to put down!
This is just a nice-to-the-heart book. It has a very unique way of involving the boy in the story. You get to know the characters just as you get to know your neighbors; little by little.
Such a tender love story. Loved it!
A fast read not because of it being simplistic, but because it was so engaging. The relationship of the 11 y/o boy and 104 y/o woman was humorous, endearing, and absorbing. The threads that this relationship reached into many of the other characters in the story was tender, unpredictable, and profound
This book had a rather unusual story line and the characters were well developed.
Heartwarming
I love, love, love this book! At first the characters seem flawed, but then you read on to discover that they are all whole and perfect. My heart and my soul are full to overflowing! This one will live on in my heart for a long time…
This book kept me thinking about it for a long time. It inspired me in several ways; the most important being to remember that I’m not the only person on the planet and to show care to those around me, i.e., friends, neighbors, etc.
One of the best books I have read in a long time. This story and it’s characters leave you wanting more. I admit, I ugly cried at one point and it was due to the amazing beauty of the moment in this incredible story.
Unforgettable characters. Recommend it highly.
Beautiful story that would make excellent book club selection
It just didn’t keep my interest.
I really like this book. Almost gave it five stars. The character of Ona, the 104-year-old woman, was wonderful. And the relationships between the characters are complex and real. A great read!
Touching – excellent read
Loved this book. Very entertaining. Great story.
I loved this book from the beginning to the end. Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I cried. I wanted a happy ending but knew it wasn’t possible. LOVED THIS BOOK.
Very interesting read about an 101 year woman and how her life and her community was impacted by a teenage boy, his death and the interaction of his family with the 101 year old woman.
I really loved this book. I highly recommend it
Unique story format. Sweet but sad story. Great characters. Good writing.