The Keeper of Lost Things: A Novel

I liked this story a lot! Interesting constant flow of past & present time, great character building with story & sub-stories. A page-turner that finds yourself also turning back-pages to re-connect your own thoughts of where this story may go & then try to tie the pieces together!

This is a rating on the physical book itself, not the material within it. This book came with some tears on the inside instead of being brand-new looking which is unacceptable. I didn’t return it because I didn’t pick the book up to read until after its allotted return date.

Lost things: people, confidence, items and even relationships and trust and hope. The possibilities are endless. And Ruth Hogan brings us the stories of Laura, Anthony, Sunshine, Eunice and Bomber, gently unearthing their own lost items, and bringing them new connections and growth through seemingly forgotten items.

Laura has lost hope in finding that connection that comes with intimacy: divorced and rather aimless, she takes a position as housekeeper and assistant to the writer Anthony Peardew. A gentle man, his own love was lost on his wedding day, and he has merely existed in his own world. Never loving again as he mourns the loss of his love and guilt over a small communion medallion he was never able to find, he’s turned that into a mission. He finds lost items everywhere, brings them home, creates little stories that may tell their tales. A nebulous hope that someday, the items can be returned to those who lost them have driven him. In this way, Laura is yet another lost item to him: one that he must help and stir to grow and trust in others, moving to find her lost place in the world. An elderly man, he left his home, Padua, to Laura when he passed, giving her the security she so craved with a task to complete to push her growth.

Laura is tasked with finding the owners of the many lost items in the home: to do so, she must venture out and interact. She had made tentative steps to friendship in Freddy, the gardener, but none of her moves have been life altering, yet. Then she meets Sunshine, a girl with Down’s Syndrome who has suffered at the hand of bullies, but still manages to see deep within people, recognizing their needs for friendship, trust, acceptance and love. Quietly the three (Laura, Freddy and Sunshine) find confidence in their new relationships, that confidence and the support giving them further impetus to continue moving forward.

Another story parallels this for a while: that of Eunice and Bomber, and their friendship and difficulties they encountered through their life, as the story rounds to fill in and connect with Laura, and the secrets Eunice had kept for far too long. Gently, everyone’s past is revealed: good, bad and even difficult (as in Portia – Bomber’s sister) in a way that allows you to understand and see just how things went wrong for them at the moment, even as they are starting to change.

Quietly absorbing, there are moments that are light and fun, others that may feel a bit too sweetly naïve, but the overall impression is everything ends as it should, finding great growth for Laura, as she finds her own new footing in a life of her choosing. With secrets long held and the fears that surround them, the missing objects once returned bring new opportunities and outlooks. There aren’t huge ups and downs in this story, being more a testament to the meaning of a returned item – whether it be tangible like a locket or intangible confidence and renewal of belief in life. A wonderful debut, layered and complex with plenty to grab attention and imagination. A certain favorite read for me, and perfect for those who like a gradually unfolding story, gently revealing in each page until the picture is complete.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I have a tendency to give objects I find a story, creating a backstory for them that is rich and full of life. Knowing that there is a whole room filled with objects for which stories were created (at least in Hogan's work) seemed logical to me, and make my heart more than happy.

And Sunshine, the next door neighbor girl? I love her. She is a young adult with Down syndrome, and reminded me quite a bit of my daughter. I do wish she had more of a life beyond the story (as all the other characters seem to have), but she I loved her. She was an integral part of the story, including the work of reuniting the items with their lost owners--this, to me, was perfect.

The Keeper of Lost Things is a character-driven novel, in that the lost things are characters -- and the characters are lost things. Each lost thing has a story which must be uncovered, during which the actual characters are telling the stories and uncovering their truths.

The story of Eunice and Bomber, who met the same day Anthony's fiancee died, is almost worth its own book. I can't really say it was parallel to Anthony and Laura's story: I would say it was more diagonal, running side by side but destined to intersect.

The story is a little too cute, a little too sweet at times, and it could have done without the touch of supernatural (which works fine, but not necessary). But honestly, I loved it. I think I needed to know that life works out sometimes, and that all the objects in the world have a story to someone out there. I needed the cute story, and the happy ending.

If you are in the mood for a fluffy, "cozy" novel, with sentimental supernatural shenanigans and little connection to reality (except for a couple of good dogs), then this book could be for you. For me, not so much. The inter-woven, multiple plot lines flip-flopping back and forth through time got tiresome; the on-again, off-again, woe-is-me "romantic" interactions were unoriginal and entirely predictable; and the over-the-top funeral for a main character toward the end was really borderline offensive in its presentation. Almost all of the characters were one-dimensional and painted with a rather broad brush.

I did like a few things, however: the short stories that Andrew penned about his found objects were clever, and actually more entertaining than the rest of the plot! And some of the plagiarized "novels" turned in by the evil sister were kind of witty, particularly the last one. I also felt (bit of a spoiler alert) the author was trying to give a sincere view of what happens when a loved one falls victim to dementia, but the resolution of one situation was abrupt and morally questionable, especially in view of the happily-ever-after feel of the rest of the story.

Overall, this book perhaps was just too ambitious in its presentation. It felt like the author had A LOT of ideas for this book and tried to blend them all into one big, happy, convoluted story, with uneven results.

The Keeper of Lost Things is like nothing that I've read in a long time. It tells the story of Anthony Peardew, who after losing the love of his life and a very special pendant that connected them both on the same day, started collecting and cataloguing everything he found lost. When he passes away, his assistant Laura is left with the huge task of returning these objects to its owners. She is not alone in this quest though, the girl from the neighboring house is eager to help, and soon the gardener takes an interest too.

The story not only focuses on Laura and her mission but we also get to know a couple of characters who are somehow linked to Anthony's story. While reading both stories, I felt a bit like a detective, gathering clues that the author left for us readers to try to figure out what was keeping Anthony and her love apart, even after both had passed but also what these other characters had to do with this fact.

During his life, Anthony also wrote short stories related to the objects he would find. Little by little we discover more and more of these stories and I have to say that they were a pleasure to read. Short but intense, with a bit of magic, each one made the object special and if Anthony Peardew was a real author, I would not doubt to get his short stories compilations.

During the whole story there was an air of magic that really got to me. I really cared for Laura and both her helpers and after finishing this book, I kind of felt happier inside, if you know what I mean. This is a very special and insightful story that will surprise you and will make you believe in the most unexpected ways. A highly recommended read from me.

First, it is important to state that I read the audiobook version of The Keeper of Lost Things. Jane Collingwood had the perfect British voice, accent and demeanor as one of the narrators and the other narrator, Sandra Duncan, was also quite good. When reading an audio book, the readers or narrators or performers can make all the difference in the enjoyment of the book. So, the number one reason I found pleasure in this book was the quality of the narration. The second reason I enjoyed the book was the "charm factor". When a book, by a British author that takes place in some small English village, is charming, it seems to always exceed the charm of most other authors and locations. Maybe it's the teacups and cosies and it could be the turn of phrases and surely it's the gardens, as well as the descriptions of small things. Whatever it is, this book, and those like it, exude charm. Think Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson or The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. I enjoyed the aptly named mansion, Padua, putting me in mind of a lilac strewn Italian mansion. A side character named Sunshine was drawn beautifully as a teen-age girl with Down's Syndrome, as was the gardner turned love interest, Freddy. And, finally, I liked the notion of collecting discarded objects, meaning to return them to their original owners.

What I did not like about The Keeper of Lost Things was that the author, Ruth Hogan, decided it was not enough to tell this one story about Charles, an aging man who is the collector, the proprietor of P
adua and the mourner of his long-deceased fiancée; and Laura, his secretary-turned-housekeeper, turned new owner of Padua, who is a middle-aged woman recovering from a bad divorce. But no, Hogan tells yet another story about Eunice and Bomber. Perhaps I lost this thread because sometimes when You listen to a book, your mind drifts or perhaps this part of the book was simply less interesting and not necessary. I'm not sure, but what I know is that I seriously had no idea who Eunice and Bomber were up and until near the end when the two stories intertwined. I also could have done without the insertion of the little ghost-like story. For me it added nothing, but occasional confusion as to what was going on (and I don't mean that in a fun, phantasmagorical way).

Still, in the end, I believe my enjoyment of The Keeper of Lost Things outweighed my objections. If you want a nice reprieve from the menacing and draining events of the day, this book will provide it...and more.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan is a highly recommended debut novel that follows the lives of two British assistants and explores connections between people.

Anthony Peardew is an elderly writer and the keeper of lost things. He hired Laura, an unhappy 35-year-old divorcée, as an assistant, several years earlier and they have a compatible, understanding working relationship. Peardew lost the love of his life, Therese forty years ago, on the same day he lost a keepsake she had given him. Since that time he has been quietly collecting and cataloguing any lost things he finds, storing them in his study in Padua, the Victorian villa where he lives and works. He also writes stories about these lost items.

In 1970 Eunice finds a job as a publisher's assistant for the charming Bomber. This also marked the start of their life-long friendship. Bomber owns a small publishing house where he only publishes books that he likes, while also studiously avoiding any of the manuscripts sent to him by his sister, Portia, whose work features blatantly plagiarized plots.

When Anthony Peardew dies, he leaves his estate and Padua to Laura. He also instructs her to try and find the owners of the lost things he has so carefully collected. With help from Freddy the gardener, and Sunshine, the young woman with Down syndrome who lives across the street, Laura sets out to follow Anthony's wishes. When the ghost of Therese begins to act up, she knows that she is missing some vital clue.

With alternating chapters, the novel follows the stories of Laura and Eunice. Interspersed among the chapters are some of the short stories that Anthony wrote about the lost things he found. There are parts of this novel that are charming, delightful, and clever. And there are parts that stretch credulity and belief.

The quality of the writing in this debut novel is really quite good. It is humorous, touching, emotional, and clever. The descriptions are wonderful. The two plots/timelines are both equally interesting. The short stories written about the items are compelling and become a part of the whole story. The Keeper of Lost Things truly is a charming story, slow to start but then it quickly picks up and is an enjoyable novel, with some romance and a pleasant plot. There is a lot of tea made and consumed.

The characters are well developed, including the minor characters and the dogs. Freddie is an obvious romantic interest and Sunshine is a compatible, amicable sidekick. Portia is suitably reprehensible. The dogs are all quite brilliant characters who add a special charm to the novel. Of the two, I was actually more interested in and intrigued by Bomber and Eunice's story. I liked them both and was sad to say goodbye to them. My credulity was stretched with the ghost, Laura's romance with Freddy, and Sunshine's psychic ability.

This is an agreeable, light novel that is easy to follow and as cozy as a cup of hot tea on a winter's day. The caliber of the writing elevates it above an average rating for me, but personally I would have enjoyed more Eunice and Bomber.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from HarperCollins for TLC Book Tours

I am a collector of 'things' - old things, interesting things and yes, things I find. I always wonder about the person who owned them, lost them or discarded them. I knew I was going to love Ruth Hogan's debut novel, The Keeper of Lost Things.

Anthony Peardew also collects things - ever since the day his fiancee died and he lost the one thing that he promised her he would always cherish. His goal is the find the owners of those lost articles. But, his time is drawing near and he decides to bequeath his house and the lost things project to his assistant Laura. A parallel story with its own lost and found had me wondering if the two tales would eventually meet - and how they might tie together.

"She had been dead for forty years, but she was still his life, and her death had given him his purpose. It had made Anthony Peardew the Keeper of Lost Things."

Oh there is so much to love about this book. The characters first and foremost. They're all eclectically (and wonderfully) a little left of center. Impossible not to like and not to root for.

The premise is intriguing as I've mentioned. I loved the back stories that Hogan created for some of the lost items. Hair bobbles, an umbrella, a glove and more. Some happy, some tragic. The plots of some disastrous books written by an aspiring author had me laughing out loud.

Hogan's writing flows so well and drew me into her story immediately. She weaves a delicious, heartwarming tale of love, loss, hope, redemption, romance and humour with a helping of magical realism that absolutely delighted me. I loved it!

The Keeper of Lost Things, A Novel by Ruth Hogan. My friend picked up the book, read the first page and said "I have no idea what this is about." I started the book, fell in love, and settled in with a cup of tea. Set with one main and one subplot with criss-crossing time periods, there is frequent tea service with well-described pastries. There are also dogs, and rose petals, a fantastic garden, and a child called Sunshine who has "the gift" though society judges her Down's syndrome. A predictable romance swirls through while one unpredictable romance goes unrequited. Anthony Peardew is the Keeper of Lost Things and he sets the stage and then exits. Padua, the stately home, is the genteel setting for the
room of Lost Things and the room of tragic lost love, and kitchen with pots of tea, and the story dances with its characters in a light and sometimes predictable manner and all the bits and pieces are brought together and tied with a bow at the end. Despite some fluffiness, the setting and concept were delightful with likable characters and I did not want my visit to to end. The couple of paragraphs here and there with the stories of the Lost Things seemed fragmented, like short short stories in the middle of the book; this added to the book's quirkiness. More than the plot was the way I felt while reading and afterwards: Enchanted. You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this is a lovely cover. After reading, I stood the book on a table with some sentimental paraphernalia until it was due at the library.

The Keeper of Lost Things is like nothing that I've read in a long time. It tells the story of Anthony Peardew, who after losing the love of his life and a very special pendant that connected them both on the same day, started collecting and cataloguing everything he found lost. When he passes away, his assistant Laura is left with the huge task of returning these objects to its owners. She is not alone in this quest though, the girl from the neighboring house is eager to help, and soon the gardener takes an interest too.

The story not only focuses on Laura and her mission but we also get to know a couple of characters who are somehow linked to Anthony's story. While reading both stories, I felt a bit like a detective, gathering clues that the author left for us readers to try to figure out what was keeping Anthony and her love apart, even after both had passed but also what these other characters had to do with this fact.

During his life, Anthony also wrote short stories related to the objects he would find. Little by little we discover more and more of these stories and I have to say that they were a pleasure to read. Short but intense, with a bit of magic, each one made the object special and if Anthony Peardew was a real author, I would not doubt to get his short stories compilations.

During the whole story there was an air of magic that really got to me. I really cared for Laura and both her helpers and after finishing this book, I kind of felt happier inside, if you know what I mean. This is a very special and insightful story that will surprise you and will make you believe in the most unexpected ways. A highly recommended read from me.

First, it is important to state that I read the audiobook version of The Keeper of Lost Things. Jane Collingwood had the perfect British voice, accent and demeanor as one of the narrators and the other narrator, Sandra Duncan, was also quite good. When reading an audio book, the readers or narrators or performers can make all the difference in the enjoyment of the book. So, the number one reason I found pleasure in this book was the quality of the narration. The second reason I enjoyed the book was the "charm factor". When a book, by a British author that takes place in some small English village, is charming, it seems to always exceed the charm of most other authors and locations. Maybe it's the teacups and cosies and it could be the turn of phrases and surely it's the gardens, as well as the descriptions of small things. Whatever it is, this book, and those like it, exude charm. Think Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson or The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. I enjoyed the aptly named mansion, Padua, putting me in mind of a lilac strewn Italian mansion. A side character named Sunshine was drawn beautifully as a teen-age girl with Down's Syndrome, as was the gardner turned love interest, Freddy. And, finally, I liked the notion of collecting discarded objects, meaning to return them to their original owners.

What I did not like about The Keeper of Lost Things was that the author, Ruth Hogan, decided it was not enough to tell this one story about Charles, an aging man who is the collector, the proprietor of P
adua and the mourner of his long-deceased fiancée; and Laura, his secretary-turned-housekeeper, turned new owner of Padua, who is a middle-aged woman recovering from a bad divorce. But no, Hogan tells yet another story about Eunice and Bomber. Perhaps I lost this thread because sometimes when You listen to a book, your mind drifts or perhaps this part of the book was simply less interesting and not necessary. I'm not sure, but what I know is that I seriously had no idea who Eunice and Bomber were up and until near the end when the two stories intertwined. I also could have done without the insertion of the little ghost-like story. For me it added nothing, but occasional confusion as to what was going on (and I don't mean that in a fun, phantasmagorical way).

Still, in the end, I believe my enjoyment of The Keeper of Lost Things outweighed my objections. If you want a nice reprieve from the menacing and draining events of the day, this book will provide it...and more.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan is a highly recommended debut novel that follows the lives of two British assistants and explores connections between people.

Anthony Peardew is an elderly writer and the keeper of lost things. He hired Laura, an unhappy 35-year-old divorcée, as an assistant, several years earlier and they have a compatible, understanding working relationship. Peardew lost the love of his life, Therese forty years ago, on the same day he lost a keepsake she had given him. Since that time he has been quietly collecting and cataloguing any lost things he finds, storing them in his study in Padua, the Victorian villa where he lives and works. He also writes stories about these lost items.

In 1970 Eunice finds a job as a publisher's assistant for the charming Bomber. This also marked the start of their life-long friendship. Bomber owns a small publishing house where he only publishes books that he likes, while also studiously avoiding any of the manuscripts sent to him by his sister, Portia, whose work features blatantly plagiarized plots.

When Anthony Peardew dies, he leaves his estate and Padua to Laura. He also instructs her to try and find the owners of the lost things he has so carefully collected. With help from Freddy the gardener, and Sunshine, the young woman with Down syndrome who lives across the street, Laura sets out to follow Anthony's wishes. When the ghost of Therese begins to act up, she knows that she is missing some vital clue.

With alternating chapters, the novel follows the stories of Laura and Eunice. Interspersed among the chapters are some of the short stories that Anthony wrote about the lost things he found. There are parts of this novel that are charming, delightful, and clever. And there are parts that stretch credulity and belief.

The quality of the writing in this debut novel is really quite good. It is humorous, touching, emotional, and clever. The descriptions are wonderful. The two plots/timelines are both equally interesting. The short stories written about the items are compelling and become a part of the whole story. The Keeper of Lost Things truly is a charming story, slow to start but then it quickly picks up and is an enjoyable novel, with some romance and a pleasant plot. There is a lot of tea made and consumed.

The characters are well developed, including the minor characters and the dogs. Freddie is an obvious romantic interest and Sunshine is a compatible, amicable sidekick. Portia is suitably reprehensible. The dogs are all quite brilliant characters who add a special charm to the novel. Of the two, I was actually more interested in and intrigued by Bomber and Eunice's story. I liked them both and was sad to say goodbye to them. My credulity was stretched with the ghost, Laura's romance with Freddy, and Sunshine's psychic ability.

This is an agreeable, light novel that is easy to follow and as cozy as a cup of hot tea on a winter's day. The caliber of the writing elevates it above an average rating for me, but personally I would have enjoyed more Eunice and Bomber.

Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of this book from HarperCollins for TLC Book Tours

I am a collector of 'things' - old things, interesting things and yes, things I find. I always wonder about the person who owned them, lost them or discarded them. I knew I was going to love Ruth Hogan's debut novel, The Keeper of Lost Things.

Anthony Peardew also collects things - ever since the day his fiancee died and he lost the one thing that he promised her he would always cherish. His goal is the find the owners of those lost articles. But, his time is drawing near and he decides to bequeath his house and the lost things project to his assistant Laura. A parallel story with its own lost and found had me wondering if the two tales would eventually meet - and how they might tie together.

"She had been dead for forty years, but she was still his life, and her death had given him his purpose. It had made Anthony Peardew the Keeper of Lost Things."

Oh there is so much to love about this book. The characters first and foremost. They're all eclectically (and wonderfully) a little left of center. Impossible not to like and not to root for.

The premise is intriguing as I've mentioned. I loved the back stories that Hogan created for some of the lost items. Hair bobbles, an umbrella, a glove and more. Some happy, some tragic. The plots of some disastrous books written by an aspiring author had me laughing out loud.

Hogan's writing flows so well and drew me into her story immediately. She weaves a delicious, heartwarming tale of love, loss, hope, redemption, romance and humour with a helping of magical realism that absolutely delighted me. I loved it!

4.5 Stars

”I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill I've never known, oh yeah
You smiled, you smiled oh and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven
For you are mine at last
-- At Last, Etta James, Songwriters: Harry Warren / Mack Gordon

Whimsical. delightful, charming, comic, intelligent, magical, fantastical, lacy, decorous, cultivated, sweet, courteous, cordial, romantic, mysterious, quirky, touching, sad, humorous, warm, enchanting, lovely, cozy – these are all words that have been used to describe this story, and it is all that, and perhaps more.

When I was young my parents would take us on “Sunday drives,” which frequently meant we’d end up at some previously unexplored Antique Shop in some small town that had seemingly gone undiscovered for years, if I could judge by the dust. I used to imagine stories about the previous owners (and the ones before that, and so on) of these objects that ended up in our home. Imagine these objects in their hands, their homes. How did it come to be in a shop being sold by a stranger?

Anthony Peardew has learned, through experience, the pain and heartbreak that can come through loss. An object isn’t always just itself; it can be attached to someone’s memories - of a person, an event, and a time of happiness. A time of sadness, even. When he finds items left behind, lost, he brings them home in the hopes that he may reunite them with the person who is missing them. He catalogs each item, and records the place and time he found them, hoping that someday they will return to their home. Anthony Peardew is The Keeper of Lost Things.

”HUNTLEY & PALMERS BISCUIT TIN CONTAIN-
ING CREMATION REMAINS?
Found, sixth carriage from the front, 14:42
train from London Bridge to Brighton. Deceased
unknown. God bless and rest in peace.”

Laura, a young woman who is working for this Keeper of Lost Things since the day she spotted the want ad that Anthony Peardew had placed. She was once lost, herself, but Anthony helped her to reunite with her true self, and not the one others had tried to form her to be. He knows too well the pain of losing something dear, and knows the value in having something to hold onto.

”The only promise that Therese had ever asked of him, and he had failed her. And so he had started to gather the things that other people lost. It was his only chance for atonement.”

I wanted to love this more than I loved it, but there is an essence that I really did love. Sometimes, I can read a book where the ending seems to just wander off into a future and it seems natural, right, but this fell just a little short for me.

I loved the characters in this, even the snooty Portia, and especially Sunshine, and Anthony’s story, wonderful, but heartbreaking. I loved the stories of the lost things. I loved these perfectly imperfect character’s stories.

Perhaps, when all is said and done, it is not only for the things we do well, but it is also with our imperfections for which we are loved.

Many thanks to the Public Library system, and the many Librarians that manage, organize and keep it running, for the loan of this book!

The Keeper of Lost Things, A Novel by Ruth Hogan. My friend picked up the book, read the first page and said "I have no idea what this is about." I started the book, fell in love, and settled in with a cup of tea. Set with one main and one subplot with criss-crossing time periods, there is frequent tea service with well-described pastries. There are also dogs, and rose petals, a fantastic garden, and a child called Sunshine who has "the gift" though society judges her Down's syndrome. A predictable romance swirls through while one unpredictable romance goes unrequited. Anthony Peardew is the Keeper of Lost Things and he sets the stage and then exits. Padua, the stately home, is the genteel setting for the
room of Lost Things and the room of tragic lost love, and kitchen with pots of tea, and the story dances with its characters in a light and sometimes predictable manner and all the bits and pieces are brought together and tied with a bow at the end. Despite some fluffiness, the setting and concept were delightful with likable characters and I did not want my visit to to end. The couple of paragraphs here and there with the stories of the Lost Things seemed fragmented, like short short stories in the middle of the book; this added to the book's quirkiness. More than the plot was the way I felt while reading and afterwards: Enchanted. You're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this is a lovely cover. After reading, I stood the book on a table with some sentimental paraphernalia until it was due at the library.

Successful writer, Anthony Peardew, hoarded a vast collection of lost items in his lifetime - from single tea cups, to hairclips, to the ashen remains of a person - in his beautiful Victorian Villa called Padua. His intention was to find the owners of each item, but he never did get around to it, leaving the job to his loyal housekeeper, Laura.
While Laura finds inventive ways to track down the owners of the treasured items, like designing interactive websites, she soon realises she’s not alone in the house. It becomes filled with the company of friends, the dishy gardener, a neighbour’s endearing daughter, and a mysterious presence, who hovers and shows her displeasure in order to get her way.
At times Hogan interrupts the plot with chapters explaining how an item may have become lost. I found this disconcerting, as I was unsure about whether or not these chapters formed part of Laura’s successful research in finding an owner or one of the author’s imagined scenarios.
I enjoyed Hogan’s wisdoms and often, an original and humour-filled turn of phrase. Oh, and you really need to love dogs to enjoy the book even more.
I rate it 3.5

A pleasantly tangled tale of different lives that may or may not be real, Ruth Hogan’s The Keeper of Lost Things invites readers to look through different eyes, at different lives and tragedies, and at the things we leave behind. Is a tiny ruby the reject from a broken engagement? Is the man watching movies related to the woman who dies outside a cake shop? And will the cleaning lady rise to meet the better life she deserves?

The story’s told in an enthralling blend of different times and place, viewpoints and realities, making it truly difficult to put down. It might be moderately confusing at times, but it’s a satisfying sort of confusion, begging the reader to think and rethink answers and ideas. And it all holds together beautifully, jigsaw pieces falling into place or lying honorably discarded.

The characters each have hidden depths, pleasantly and gently revealed with no artificial dives into backstory or motivation. Hidden connections are equally smooth and believable. And the whole is an absorbing story that leaves you delighted to have met these people, and maybe even a little changed, a little more open to meeting the strangers who enter our own lives.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy and now I want to buy my own to keep on my shelf!

I am not going to tell you much about this book for several reasons, the primary one being that YOU NEED THIS BOOK. Anything in detail that I say would only ruin the magic of this novel, so again trust me, you really do need this book.

There is such a sense of romanticism to this heartfelt, beautiful thoughtful and tangible novel. I also felt there was a sense of classic/old school writing here(I'm in love with it). In fact, do not start this novel unless you have time to finish it because you are going to want to read it in one sitting.

The Keeper of Lost Things made me laugh, and cry (oh geez I was at work too! LOL). The intertwining stories kept me utterly captivated and all of the characters(even the ones that are are only mentioned for a few paragraphs) are so developed that they leap off the pages(and in some cases right into your heart). I particularly got a kick out of Douglas(a pastry loving dog!)

Again, I know I haven't said much about this book per se, but I really think it would ruin it if I did. You will not be disappointed if you give this novel a chance. It made me nostalgic and touched me in a way that I can honestly say I don't think any other book ever has (total fan girl here). In fact I loved it so much I bought two copies to give to people I know would love it.

ARC was provided by publisher for my honest review. I was not otherwise compensated in any way.

This book intrigued me from my initial read of the synopsis. It was a little delayed in getting to me but I was excited when it finally arrived. I opened it up to read and I knew from the first paragraph that I was going to love this book.

And I did.

Now, this is the type of book that one is either going to love or going to hate. I sincerely doubt there is going to be a middle ground. For me it was a bit of magical delight with a cast of characters that I enjoyed spending my time with. None of them was entirely likable and some of them were utterly unpleasant but taken all together I didn’t want to leave them. This is what makes a book like life. People are full of contradictions and no one is completely perfect being.

Anthony Peardew is a man living rather half a life as he lost his love before they could be married. He collects lost things he finds on his daily walks about town. He keeps them in his office, well sorted and cataloged as to where and when they were found. He’s hired an assistant, Laura to help keep the house neat and do what needs doing but she is not aware of his…..collection.

Anthony leaves the house and its contents to Laura after his death with the proviso that she try and return the lost things. But Laura is, truth be told, as lost as some of the items in the study. As she works with the gardener – for whom she has feelings – and the young neighbor Sunshine who has come to be her new friend, they find a way to start returning the lost things. But all is not quiet in the house as the spirit of Anthony’s fiance needs one lost thing to be found.

This was a book full of happenstance and spirits. At the same time Anthony and Laura’s story is unfolding another tale is happening almost simultaneously. They intersect at minute points but those intersections show how intertwined we all are.

Ms. Hogan has a magical way of writing. The only complaint American readers might have would be the British references. It wasn’t problematic for me due to all of the reading that I do but someone unfamiliar with some of the words/phrases/products might find themselves at a bit of a loss. I was enchanted from the start as I noted. It’s not always a happy tale but it is certainly one to engage the emotions. So I say sit down with the lovely cup of tea and settle in for a truly enjoyable read.

I received a free copy for my honest review

The Keeper of Lost Things is refreshingly charming, honest and sweet. It's pretty different to most of the other books I've read recently. Instead of angst ridden drama or YA fantasy, Ruth Hogan's story is playful and quaint - the definition of whimsy.

As I Brit it's always fun to come across an interesting story set in England. In The Keeper of Lost Things we're treated to several stories, set in many places. Although it's far more than just two character's stories. I loved how the many plots are seamlessly worked together into one book.

I love the idea of finding long lost objects and returning them to their former owners. Anthony deals with his heartbreak by returning lost items and writing marvellous stories about them. Laura finds herself taking over Anthony's mission and creating a new life for herself in the process.

Sunshine never failed to bring a smile to my face, and I enjoyed the funnier moments with Freddy.

The supernatural, ghostly elements added even more whimsy - I kept hoping we'd discover more clues about Eunice.

"It is only in the world of objects that we have time and space and selves." - T. S. Eliot

4 Stars in my Sky!

I received a review copy

This was a fun light read; I felt it lost complexity as it went along, alas. The book starts with interesting characters, whom I anticipated getting to know at a deeper level, and was intrigued to see where the plots would lead and how they would interleave. But about halfway through, the book shifts gear, and from then on it follows the well-trodden paths of many a cute rom-com: it's a given that the two lovers-to-be will be clever, cute and charming and slowly fall for each other and doing "cute" things like throwing stuff at each other (repeatedly). The young woman with Down's syndrome and her mixed-up words is a device employed far too often (like Mr. Bean as the malapropism-prone minister in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but repeated endlessly), and the text falls back far too often on the use of the phrase "the lovely cup of tea" to ground itself. Also, the evil Portia is simply relentlessly, over-the-top terrible and rude, a Cruella de Vil with no depth to her at all; a pity, in my opinion.

That said, it was a pleasant enough interlude, and it was nice not to have graphic descriptions of sex all over the place. (I'm not a prude, but jeez, if I wanted to read a biology textbook, I'd pick one up.) I rather wish there were more of the dark nature of offed-character Anthony's stories influencing the main story, but there you go.

Forty years ago, author Anthony Peardew loses a keepsake from his fiancee, Therese, and on that very same day she dies. As a result, Anthony becomes the keeper of lost things. He picks up objects he finds, random things people leave behind, or have dropped, and writes stories about them. As he nears the end of his life, Anthony continues to catalogue the items and worries that he has not lived up to his undertaking of reuniting the items with their owners.

Laura, Anthony's assistant, is a divorced middle-aged lonely woman that unbeknownst to her is one of Anthony's lost things. He bequeaths everything to her, including the daunting task of his life's mission of reconciling the lost items to where they belong. She moves into the house and with the help of the gardener Freddy, and the neighbour's daughter Sunshine, embarks on a remarkable journey of self-discovery, new beginnings, and of completing a final request.

The characters are rich and warm and are all lost objects in one way or another. Hogan weaves them together in a wonderful tale. I absolutely adored this book and felt like I had lost a friend when it was over.

This was a very unique book. I enjoyed the plot immensely. The idea of collecting and reuniting lost things with those who lost or will cherish them is not your typical redemption story. It definitely felt like a Hallmark movie.

I liked the characters, especially sunshine. I liked the complexities of Laura’s past and Eunice’s present love lives. I was disappointed in the development of Therese. We’re given very minimal information about her and I think they could’ve explored more into her story.

I was pleased that there was no sexual content between any of the characters. There is a scene where two characters wake up in bed together, so you know what happened without being told. It was tastefully done which is rare these days.

The biggest disappointment is how quickly everything resolved. At least 96% of the book built up to this one moment that was resolved in a paragraph or two?? It just seemed wayyyyyy too simple after all of the build up. I’m still pretty frustrated about it.

Overall I enjoyed this book as a quick read. It’ll be perfect for your next beach trip or plane ride. It’s definitely an easy read. It might be okay as an intro book for your book club but I wouldn’t expect too much discussion beyond the surface. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something fast, optimistic, and slightly romantic.

Once I got into this book I couldn’t put it down! I’m usually not a fan of a split-time book, but something about this one kept me reading. There are two plots...one focused on Eunice and Bomber, the other on Laura, Sunshine, Freddy, and the late Andrew. At first you have no idea how these two storylines connect, it simply begins telling the story about a biscuit tin left on a train that is holding the ashes of someone recently passed. From there we learn about a lost icon and Andrew’s quest to find a home for the lost things he found. This book reminds me of Night Castle by Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the items left in the tower where Cassandra resides as well as the tv show Touch when one of the characters begins gathering items washing up on the beach from the Japanese earthquake & tsunami. The idea that items need to find their way back to their owners is so interesting. In addition all the characters are fully fleshed out and quirky in their individual ways. I highly recommend this book!

Anthony keeps every lost thing he finds, no matter how small. The things he's looking after mean something to someone. He knows he doesn't have much time left and when he dies he leaves his assistant Laura his house with all the lost items. He wants her to take care of them and he hopes she'll be able to find the owners of the treasures he's lovingly kept for them. Will she be able to fulfill his last wish?

Laura needs a second chance. After a bad marriage she's ready for happiness in her life. It's something she's almost forgotten about and Anthony's legacy brings her exactly what she'd been missing for a very long time. The company of Freddy, the gardener, and Sunshine, a girl from the neighborhood, is doing her good. Will Laura be able, with some help from her wonderful new friends, to return Anthony's lost things to their owners?

The Keeper of Lost Things is a beautiful story. Ruth Hogan describes Laura's new task and the changes she's going through in a great vivid way. She also tells the possible stories behind the things Anthony has collected over the years. There are several items and histories that are somehow connected and their main purpose becomes clear at the ending of the book, which is something I absolutely loved. Ruth Hogan combines gorgeous words with cherished memories. I especially loved that she shows her readers that something that might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things can mean the world to someone.

Ruth Hogan has written a fantastic creative novel. I was impressed from the first sentence and liked every chapter. Some stories made me smile and others made me tear up. Every single one of them is valuable and precious. The Keeper of Lost Things is a special story. It's original, compelling and entertaining. It made me curious and it sparked my imagination. I really enjoyed reading this amazing book.

As a member of a book club, I'm sometimes thrilled and other times dismayed by the choices of my group. This is definitely the former. What a charming, whimsical, fun read! The characters are real, well rounded and (mostly) delightful. Even the few "villains" have their moments and with respect to Portia, probably the least likable of the bunch, she quite redeems herself at the end. There is no point in reiterating the plot as has been done in many previous reviews, suffice to say that this novel has it all, good plot, outstanding wordsmithing, a few quirks and twists, absolutely sympathetic and lovable characters. The weaving in of Sunshine, the young woman with Down Syndrome brings an element of appreciation for those whose gifts and graces are not apparent from the surface. Highly recommended!

So I am a reader of mostly Science Fiction, Horror, and other fiction with lots of people being killed, disappearing, have bad things happen to them, etc. I mention this because every now and then I need a book that clears away the residue my usual reading list leaves behind. For me, The Keeper of Lost Things was like a detox for the literary part of my brain. At first I did not think this book was going to keep my attention but it did not take long before I was hooked. Oh and I don't know about you but I cried, and cried, and cried some more reading this one. It was all worth the ride and I will forever think fondly of lost things. Once you have read the book I believe you will understand my headline. Also, and not a spoiler, you may come to love the barer of the lovely cup of tea. Keep the tissue box handy and enjoy.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. When he finds something on his walk - a button, a glove, an earring - he takes it home to his study and writes a note on where he found the item in hopes that he can somehow, someday connect the item with its owner. He is also a famous author who has written stories based on the items that he's found. He is getting old and feeble and decides to turn his house and his quest for the owners of lost things to Laura when he dies. Laura, Sunshine (the girl across the street who has down's syndrome) and Freddy, the gardener, work together to give the lost things back to their owner and to lay the ghost in the house to rest.

The novel tells two main stories - that of Anthony, Laura, Sunshine and Freddy and an earlier story about Bomber and Eunice. The reader gets clues along the way but doesn't know if the two groups of people are connected and how they are connected.

This is an interesting debut novel by an author that I expect to see great books from in the future.

THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS is a delightful story with even more delightful characters. There are actually two stories being told, side by side, that come together in the end in a way that will leave you shaking your head and grinning from ear to ear. Each character that Ruth Hogan has created is so well developed that they come alive in your mind as you read... or in my case, listen. Yes, I listened to the audio version of this book and I must say that it was extremely well done. One of the better audiobooks I've listened to in a long time.

The blurb about the book pretty much tells you what the book is about, so I won't repeat that here. I'll just give my opinion. And that opinion is a good one. It had everything. And it made me smile.

What a lovely book. There are two storylines --one in the past, one in the present. The title, "Keeper of Lost Things," comes from a central character, a man who lost a memento given to him by his fiancé. She was killed soon afterward. For many years, he collects "lost things," --all types of items--labels them and stores them at his house. He is The Keeper of Lost Things.
It's a wonderful story that includes many types of loving relationships and a fascinating cast of characters. I listened to the audio, but got a print copy so I can re-read the beautiful writing. There are wonderful small phrases in dialogue, physical description, and emotional reactions that I want to remember because they are so charming and true. There is a bit of psychic intuition and a tad of magical coincidence that I enjoyed very much. It was exactly the right amount.
There is also clever, whimsical humor, and sad scenes that make your heart ache--all from an author who has perfect pitch for showing emotions.
The only bad thing about this book is that's over.
If I were going to compare it to anything else, it would be to one of my favorite books and authors, Garden Spells, by Sarah Addison Allen.

The first 40% of this book is truly lovely. Beautifully-written prose, well-drawn characters, and a charming story. But then...I have no idea what happened, but it just got maudlin and a bit sappy. It initially had just the faintest whiff of magical realism, but then it turned into a half-hearted ghost/love story. It’s almost like there were two different authors at work.

I simply could not finish this book. First, it was incredibly boring and dull with characters who seemed oblivious to the real world.

Second, and perhaps more subtle but egregious nonetheless, was the author’s dislike of fat people. Every “villain” portrayed in the short stories were fat. It is a subtlety like that which reflects the true belief and nature of the author by using thinness as a marker of moral superiority. As an author, one must have an empathetic touch, not let bigotry infiltrate the words. If you must imagine every single “bad” character in your novel as fat, then that tells me more about who Ruth Hogan is as a person than anything else. Shameful. Address your bias. You’re contributing to a harmful narrative that thinness is good, superior, better and fatness is evil, slovenly, disgusting. Ugh.

Glad I gave myself permission to abandon this book.

This was such a charming and yet poignant story.

Anthony is a collector of lost things. He very carefully labels everything he finds, in the hope of one day returning the item to the person who lost it. Laura is his housekeeper, herself a lost soul in many ways. Their friendship is very special and she finds solace in the old-fashioned pace of life in Anthony's house.

Then things change and change is difficult for Laura. However, she finds that when she allows things to change, good things come her way as well.

Hard to classify, this book. It is a real thinker of a story, in many ways. I really enjoyed it.

What a wonderful book! I found it charming and touching, became caught up in the mystery, and enjoyed meeting the quirky characters. I absolutely loved the mini stories and the two storylines that converged. I was surprised to learn that this is the author’s first novel. If you’ve ever lost anything dear to you and searched without finding it, this book will appeal to you. The theme goes beyond belongings to the loved ones we all “lose” eventually.

Anthony Peardew, an author who lost his fiancée tragically, leaves his home and a collection of “found” items to Laura, a young woman with her own sad past. The only proviso to her inheritance is to locate the owners of the missed items and reunite them including Anthony’s own special treasure that started him keeping lost things.

Title: The Keeper of Lost Things
Author: Ruth Hogan
Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance
Rating: Five Stars!

Okay, so normally I write a pretty involved synopsis for every book I review, but the description on the book jacket for this particular book was so well done that I didn’t think there was much to add — there are a few word and phrase changes sprinkled throughout though, and my opinion is featured in the last paragraph, which I hope you enjoy!

So without farther ado, here’s the slightly tweaked synopsis . . .

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. It isn’t a title he had intentionally picked, but forty years ago, he had carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. Sadly, on the very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects — the things others had dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind — and then he wrote stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Along the way, the reader also gets to know Eunice, a woman who finds a trinket on the London pavement and for some reason feels compelled to keep it. The tiny object often resurfaces in her life during special moments, and when she loses something immensely precious, she often takes solace knowing that, at the very least, she’s found something for someone else.

Meanwhile, as Laura begins to understand the weight of her newfound responsibility as the Keeper of Lost Objects, she also begins to realize that she holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will finally provide the comfort they seek?

The short, spoiler-alert answer to that is yes, and boy is it worth the read! The Keeper of Lost Things is a superbly written tale about two couples, both facing their own trials and tribulation, and who at first seem entirely unrelated. Yet as their stories unfold, a certain sense of foreshadowing hangs in the air, giving the impression that at any moment the two stories will intersect. They don’t — or at least not for a very long time anyway, which amps up the suspense in a very pleasant way, because the book, while tackling some serious and often grim issues related to grief and loss, also has a light, playful air about it. So shoo, quit reading my blog and go make yourself “the lovely cup of tea.” Trust me; it’ll go very well with such a cozy, romantic read!

...audio narration--yes, I listened to the audio book.

This book had a little bit of everything: literary fiction with an interesting storyline and structure with themes of life-long friendship, loss, grief, love/romance, a bit of a ghost story with interesting characters (including dogs!)--with a bit of diversity if not in race then in other ways (don't want to spoil anything).

It took me a few chapters to figure out what was going on due to the structure, but I enjoyed those seemingly unrelated short chapters when I understood what the author was doing.

There were parts that were quite funny--helped along by the audio narrator--though it was a serious book. The author's light touch and the humor made it a delight rather than a depressing read.

The Keeper of Lost Things rivals some of the best from Rosamund Pilcher and Maeve Binchy, a story of loss and hope and love about characters you wish everything for in the end--even the ones who died before the story started.

The depth of the characters is what makes this book sing, but the story drives the page turning, with so many threads of wondering what happens next to everyone you've grown to love, and how Laura will solve the mysteries of the lost things that Anthony left behind, and find herself in the searching. It's been a long time since a story had me weeping through the final pages.

I'm sorry for the troubles you've had Ruth, but not at all for what came out of them. This is magnificent.

This is a charming and cheerful book - just right for a rainy day (or any other for that matter.) There's a touch of magical realism here but this never comes twee. Hogan has skillfully woven the back stories of the found objects and their owners with those of Anthony, Laura, and Eunice. It's not often that I really like all the people in a novel but I did here. Although it's not long, Hogan has made each person you'll meet feel like someone you'd like to know more about. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. I'd really like to read more from Hogan, who seems to genuinely like her story and her characters.

This is such a lovely heartwarming novel, it's a hug in a book! Laura - in many ways lost herself- inherits the role of 'Keeper of lost things' and must try and reunite these things with their owners.
Along the way we hear her story and two others in more detail as well as hearing smaller stories along the way. You may think that this would make the book disjointed but it doesn't, it gives the story more purpose and it is just lovely! This novel has romance and mystery but is also humorous; it is gentle but undeniably charming and I know it is a book I will happily return to.

An absolutely charming read! The author has a true gift for creating a story with multiple layers and then weaving them all together to form a beautiful tapestry of images. Delightful characters that are relatable and understandable. I really enjoyed this book and will seek out others by this author. If you are looking for a really good read that will keep you entertained, enthralled and intrigued from the first page to the last then look no further than this book.

This is nothing short of a sweet and magical little gem of a book. The characters are delightful. My favorite is named Sunshine. She has Downs Syndrome but declares to everyone that she is a "Dancing Drone". Everyone in this book has something lost and found and Anthony, the "keeper of lost things" helps them all and they in turn, end up helping reunite Anthony with his beloved Therese. This is a fun, light, and uplifting book!

This book is a treasure! The Keeper of Lost Things was lyrical and had wonderful characters and story line. A small part dealing with a ghost. Beautiful garden. And the idea of someone keeping a sort of museum of found items. So unique! I look forward to reading Ruth's second novel.

The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that I do not like the idea of someone taking those lost items. What if the owner of the item returns to the spot looking for his lost thing? I often leave things in a taxi or other public transport and would hope to recover them from some connected office --not to have ti dragged off by a person.

I have seldom read a better book. It's a first book, and the author scored a home run with this one. Being American, I sometimes have difficulty getting into British writing, but this time, I couldn't put Keeper of Lost Things down. The plot is unique and intriguing, the writing superb, the characters well-drawn, and the weaving of the seemingly unrelated story lines is so skillful that you won't mind that you see it coming before the end. I didn't want it to end.

The Keeper of Lost Things is an interesting story about returning lost items to their owners and the stories behind the items. The novel contains short stories about the owners, who are loosely connected. The main characters are an author, a publisher, and their administrative assistants who publish the stories and fall in love. At times this book was a bit confusing. I wish I had kept better track of names from the short stories.

Although the characters were a bit what you'd expect in a quaint story such as this - a divorced women who has given up on her dreams, a widower who mourns his lady love for 40 years, a sweet neighbor girl with 'dancing drome' who has a connection to the metaphysical plane and manages to know more than all the adults, paralyzed dogs in carts, a too handsome gardener and an over-the-top villainous sister - I thoroughly enjoyed its sweetness.

Very strong 4.5 rating.
Pure pleasure, delightful, charming, magical, whimsical... how many other sweet but not saccharine phrases can I find? This book put a smile on my face and a song in my heart... well actually, there's a song stuck in my head now.
I'm trying to figure out a way to work the phrase "shall I make the lovely tea?" into conversations with my granddaughters - it evokes an atmosphere that deserves to live on.
Thank you, Ruth Hogan. Please write more.

I was so excited to read this book, but I felt as if the entire plot was all exposition. I thought this would be a quick read since I can normally read a 500-600 page book in about four days, but it took me over 2 weeks to finish this book that has less than 300 pages. Nothing ever really happens... Not to mention that you can see exactly where the storyline is going because of how Hogan formats her novel. I liked some of the characters (they could have been developed more throughout the story), but Laura is boring. I understand having an unlikable protagonist (Fredrik Backman's A Man Called Ove is a good example of this being executed correctly), but there should have been supporting characters who are interesting in order to keep the reader reading. If you're looking for a fluff book, this is a great choice; but if you're wanting more than fluff, I'd suggest finding a different book.

I thought about quitting it halfway through as I felt like I still didn’t know or understand the main characters well and I had more questions than answers. Then when it all ties together I just didn’t care.

This is definitely a read for those who like Sarah Addison Allen and a little magical realism. I'm not sure why but I found it a little hard to get into at first. Once I did though, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed this delightful book. Even if you aren't a huge magical realism fan and you've simply picked up a found item and wondered who it belonged to and where it came from, this book could be for you.

I really enjoyed The Keeper of Lost Things. It's very well written -- a love story, mysteries, paranormal, historical -- there are so many different genres wrapped up in this book -- death and romance and unrequited love and spousal abuse plus ghosts and history. It's really a terrific read and I highly recommend curling up with this book and "a lovely cup of tea". You won't be sorry!

This book was an easy ready once I was able to keep the characters sorted. All in all, I say it was pretty meh... am ok book. I probably wouldn't read it again if given the choice, but I might. No offense meant to the author. The creativity of the short stories within the main story was clever and well done.

Two main stories and many small stores woven together of the lost and found, both of items and of people. Quirky characters keep this read interesting. I was a bit confused while reading of how the two main stories connected, I knew they did, but just didn’t make the connection. It all makes sense by the end and made the story quite charming.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan is a novel revolving around loss and heartbreak, yet it is filled to the brim with love and hope, with a nice splash of the paranormal.

I was drawn right into this story immediately and had so much fun reading it. I'm very thankful that this was the book pick for May with my book club!

One of the characters has a slight intellectual delay, and her insight, intuition, perseverance , and compassion drive the plot in a remarkable way. Totally awesome to have this perspective in a novel.

It reads as if the editor quit (probably fell asleep) while on this project; the eBook was very poorly edited.

I made it though half the book. There’s no substance, no character or plot development. The characters, regardless of gender, became an amalgamated mess.

The older I get the less I am committed to completing books I am not enjoying.

This is one of the most charming books I have read in a long time. I'm usually reading murder mysteries and the like, so this book was simply a breath of fresh air. You have your main story, but in the meantime there is another story within taking place between two people over a long period of time, and in the end they intertwine. Very imaginative on the author's part. This book, for me, will be a keeper.

3.5 stars. Rounded up. Such a charming little story with the perfect amount of witty, whimsical, and mysticism. It wasn’t deep or life changing in any way but it was sweet and fun and I really enjoyed it.

As for content, there was a little innuendo and some language.

I truly thought this book would be much better than it was based on the reviews. It was very predictable and simplistic. I guess one could call it a beach read, not very thought provoking or challenging. I'd rather read something better than this on the beach. I recently read Little Fires Everywhere and enjoyed it MUCH more. I read a library copy, so at least I'm not annoyed that I wasted money. Wasting my reading time is bad enough.

OMG - how I LOVED this book! Full of delightful and quirky characters, great British humor, and a unique story told in the past and present. I would like to have a lovely cup of tea with each of the characters! This book just warmed my heart, and I am so sad that it is over. We need more from Ruth Hogan!!

I'm honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. So much of it was wrapped in confusion as the plot and relational connections are slowly revealed by the author, but it was so well done and do well written - the reader doesn't have time to get frustrated. Bravo. So good.

A very cozy story where many cups of "beautiful tea" are consumed. I found the story interesting because I collect old stuff and live in a 128 year-old house. I often wonder "who lived here?", or "who owned this 1947 Lionel train?". At 75, I'm "old stuff" myself.

If you loved The Curious Charm of Arthur Pepper, if you believe in fate and synchronicity, if you need a great read about the good that exists in the world and the possibility of hope, then you must read The Keeper of Lost Things. It is a feel good story with a lot to say if you listen carefully. I loved it.

This is one of the books that could be made into a movie. I loved all the stories about each of the lost items found and how came to be lost. Also I loved the love story within a love story the many layers to this book. Again a page turner could not put the book down. With all the movies coming out now this book would make a wonderful movie!

A very poignant story with characters that are real and relatable. The book was brilliantly written and I couldn’t help feeling happy yet sad at realizing how many stories we pass along on the street. Never knowing the back story of it and how much it meant to someone. Love love love this book.

This was a perfectly nice story. a friend of mine raved about it and told me it was exceptional so I couldn't wait to read it. Unfortunately, I did not think it was exceptional but it was a perfectly nice book. Perhaps I would have liked it more if I hadn't had my hopes so high.

This story is so wonderful, following Laura, Freddy, Sunshine, Bomber & Eunice. Ruth does a superb job building the characters and story line to the perfect ending. This is one worth reading again!!

This book is beautifully written and wonderfully entwined. Stories withing stories, second chances (and third and fourth), and a perfectly flawed cast of characters made this an absolute joy to read.

This book was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. I am definitely going to keep an eye on Ruth Hogan.

Well written book. I thought about half way thru it switched to not being “as good”. I always wonder when this happens if someone else actually writes the ending. The first half was markedly better than the second half.

An airport purchase, I hoped for some quality diversion on a long flight. I got that and more. I find it hard to get time to read much, but squeezed in minutes for this delightful thought provoking book.

If you are completely and utterly obsessed with dogs, and need about 25 cups of tea per day, plus have a very low tolerance for excitement and intrigue, this is the book for you. It just fell flat in every possible way, and I had to force myself to finish it after skipping many pages, for I spent money on it. Pity, it could have been a good story if the writer only focused on using her imagination instead of focusing on dogs and tea. It was so much about dogs, that the one good deed the book's closest thing to a villain did was in support of dogs. I regret buying this book.

THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGS is a delightful story with even more delightful characters. There are actually two stories being told, side by side, that come together in the end in a way that will leave you shaking your head and grinning from ear to ear. Each character that Ruth Hogan has created is so well developed that they come alive in your mind as you read... or in my case, listen. Yes, I listened to the audio version of this book and I must say that it was extremely well done. One of the better audiobooks I've listened to in a long time.

The blurb about the book pretty much tells you what the book is about, so I won't repeat that here. I'll just give my opinion. And that opinion is a good one. It had everything. And it made me smile.