Then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Probably-a-Psychopath-New-Malden steps up to help and saves his life, and this one event sparks a chain reaction. Take Piers, for instance, a hedge fund trader who initially comes across as a man in full control of his bombastically expressed and rather overblown life as a hardcore, take-no-prisoners denizen of London’s financial district but who, over the course of The People on Platform 5 is revealed as someone struggling with a slew of issues that do not match the impressions others have of him. It is an easy read feel good book with a well drawn cast of fantastic characters who become unlikely friends on their daily commute.

woke", στο βαθμό που ένας ενήλικας της γενιάς των '70 αντιλαμβάνεται και αναπαράγει τις έννοιες. Αλλά δεν με ενόχλησε τίποτα κατά την ανάγνωση. Και πιθανόν η απουσία τους να ήταν πιο ηχηρή από την ολίγον τι αναμασημένη παρουσία τους.Working for a woman's magazine, Iona grew popular over the years due to advice given to those struggling with life. In her 50s, she'd lived with her long time partner, Bea, who began to suffer with early Alzheimer symptoms and was eventually placed in a home. Her editor decides the magazine needs to attract a younger demographic and soon she's put on notice. Right now I’m gravitating towards stories that just make my heart happy. Stories that bring me joy and make me feel content, safe, and optimistic. I loved The Authenticity Project and couldn't wait to get my hands on this latest book from Clare Pooley, and what an absolute treat it is!

Clare's dark but hilarious memoir, The Sober Diaries, has helped thousands of people around the world to quit drinking. The answer, of course, with the unconditional friendship of the newly connected commuter group who find in each other a chance to face up to some very real challenges, the kind that are always easier to handle when you have others standing in the corner with you. Number 5 was my favorite, the magic bag lady. How much stuff can one woman stuff into a bag? Iona is prepared for it all.

Pooley delivers not only acerbic, enchanting Iona but a compelling, tangled cast of quirky, complicated characters so engaging, it's enough to make you miss crowded commuter trains * Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author *

Clare’s debut novel The Authenticity Project is inspired by her decision to expose the rather grubby truth about her seemingly perfect life in her memoir. courtesy IMDB (c) Warner Bros. Family Entertainment) Halloween would not be Halloween without Scooby-Doo! somewhere in the hauntingly spooky and hilariously freaky mix and, of course, solving a great mystery which in the case of 1999’s Scooby-Doo! and the Witch’s Ghost is literally bewitching one quaint New England town. The Continue Reading Filled with delightful characters... this heart-warming book explores relationships and the dilemmas of everyday life * Candis * Another totally original, thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying book from Clare Pooley. Full of original characters and wisdom, I absolutely loved it Katie FfordeThe People on Platform 5 is nothing short of sheer and utter delight. It presents the best of humanity - the sweet and bashful kindness and generosity that lives in all of us. I can't think of a more joyful book! * Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A For Aunties * If you are an inveterate reader, the odds are good, better than good actually, that fellow readers or close friends (sometimes, happily, they are both) that at some point they will recommend a book to you. A book, they will assure you with a mix of solemnity and enthusiasm, is Continue Reading

The People on Platform 5 is Clare's second novel, inspired by her fascination with inventing stories about her fellow passengers on her commute to work. The audiobook narrator, Clare Corbett, does a fabulous job delivering the one-liner comments creatively written by the author. With ageism, bullying, anxiety, dementia, and sensitive relationship issues to cover it's easier to digest these hard topics when served with a happy dose of humor on the side. What I enjoyed about the story is that author Pooley shows how people aren’t what they appear to be. The friendships formed are charming and adorable. It’s incredibly easy to read, it’s feel good, it’s warm, it’s certainly one to bump up your TBR list.But there is a way, and The People on Platform 5 shines a heartening light on it, reassuring us that no matter how trenchant a problem might be or how far off a solution might be, that it is there somewhere and we can often find it and live it out if we only have the love and support of people around us. With nothing in common but their commute, an eclectic group of people learn that their assumptions about each other don't match reality. But when Iona's life begins to fall apart, will her new friends be there when she needs them most? A feel good read, with great characters to care about, it takes current issues seriously but adds plenty of humour * Choice *