About the book…
Jamie Matson had once enjoyed a wonderful life working alongside her best friend, organising adventures for single-parent families, and her son Bo’s artistic flair a source of pride rather than concern.
She hadn’t been prepared to lose her business, her home and her friend. Not all in one dreadful year.
Jamie certainly hadn’t expected to find such hope and camaraderie in the queue at her local food bank. Thrown together with an unlikely and colourful group of people, their friendships flourish and, finding it easier to be objective about each other than about themselves, they decide that – when you’re all out of options – it’s okay to bend the rules a little and create your own.
What a difference a year could make . . .
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My thoughts…
Maybe Tomorrow is Penny Parkes newest novel, a story focused on human nature, what can happen when the chips are down. The power of friendship, trust and an open mind.
The story is centred around Jamie Mateson, her son Bo and their struggles to survive in a different world post pandemic. Pre pandemic, Jamie had opened her own travel business, ‘The Big Trip’ which faltered and failed when travel was no longer a possibility. When we first meet Jamie she is bogged down in the relentless cycle of trying to rob Peter to pay Paul, working stacking shelves in an independent food store for a tyrant of a boss with zero empathy. Bo her son, suffers badly from asthma, exasperated by the damp flat they live in, which means missed or late shifts as she spends more and more time in the out patients of the local hospital, something that eventually culminates in her being sacked - forcing her to rely more and more on the local food bank.
Jamie once a highly capable, qualified woman is a shadow of her former self, weighed down with worries. Finding work that allows her to care for Bo was impossible, she doesn’t have the time or headspace to thing of anything other than safeguarding Bo. Just about when they reach rock bottom, given notice on their flat, that quite frankly should be condemned as a health hazard, she’s offered an opportunity that changes both of their lives forever - a chance meeting in the supermarket, and some unexpected friendships and kindness sees cracks appear in the carapace she’d built around herself allowing chinks of her old strength of character through.
This was such a beautiful, heartfelt book, which highlights no matter what, if you are able to give and receive friendship and kindness it can lighten your heart and allow you some clarity of mind - gradually enough to give you strength to make small changes that eventually can become big changes. Watching Jamie, and in particular Bo grow and blossom was beautiful. Bo saw things differently to his peers and expressed himself through his art which spoke louder than words, he was an insightful young man that was misunderstood by many, something which broke my heart as I read this book. As he grew, Jamie was able to have a clearer mind to make decisions and changes to move their lives on - something which was only possible with the support of her newly acquired friends, a group of ladies that met in the queue at the local food bank, each different and in normal circumstances their paths would have been unlikely to cross.
This was another book where Penny Parkes demonstrates that it isn’t always blood and nature that makes a home but nurture, love and gentle kindness. People who love you for you, not because they’re family and should. Penny Parkes has woven a magical tale laced with honesty, openness, resilience, love and friendship. An uplifting, mentally descriptive read - the words painting vivid pictures that were at times both painful and beautiful.
This is a book I'll be shouting about for a long time to come - it is humbling, breathe takingly beautiful. Thank you SJ & Books and the City for introducing me to another amazing Penny Parkes novel.
The story is centred around Jamie Mateson, her son Bo and their struggles to survive in a different world post pandemic. Pre pandemic, Jamie had opened her own travel business, ‘The Big Trip’ which faltered and failed when travel was no longer a possibility. When we first meet Jamie she is bogged down in the relentless cycle of trying to rob Peter to pay Paul, working stacking shelves in an independent food store for a tyrant of a boss with zero empathy. Bo her son, suffers badly from asthma, exasperated by the damp flat they live in, which means missed or late shifts as she spends more and more time in the out patients of the local hospital, something that eventually culminates in her being sacked - forcing her to rely more and more on the local food bank.
Jamie once a highly capable, qualified woman is a shadow of her former self, weighed down with worries. Finding work that allows her to care for Bo was impossible, she doesn’t have the time or headspace to thing of anything other than safeguarding Bo. Just about when they reach rock bottom, given notice on their flat, that quite frankly should be condemned as a health hazard, she’s offered an opportunity that changes both of their lives forever - a chance meeting in the supermarket, and some unexpected friendships and kindness sees cracks appear in the carapace she’d built around herself allowing chinks of her old strength of character through.
This was such a beautiful, heartfelt book, which highlights no matter what, if you are able to give and receive friendship and kindness it can lighten your heart and allow you some clarity of mind - gradually enough to give you strength to make small changes that eventually can become big changes. Watching Jamie, and in particular Bo grow and blossom was beautiful. Bo saw things differently to his peers and expressed himself through his art which spoke louder than words, he was an insightful young man that was misunderstood by many, something which broke my heart as I read this book. As he grew, Jamie was able to have a clearer mind to make decisions and changes to move their lives on - something which was only possible with the support of her newly acquired friends, a group of ladies that met in the queue at the local food bank, each different and in normal circumstances their paths would have been unlikely to cross.
This was another book where Penny Parkes demonstrates that it isn’t always blood and nature that makes a home but nurture, love and gentle kindness. People who love you for you, not because they’re family and should. Penny Parkes has woven a magical tale laced with honesty, openness, resilience, love and friendship. An uplifting, mentally descriptive read - the words painting vivid pictures that were at times both painful and beautiful.
This is a book I'll be shouting about for a long time to come - it is humbling, breathe takingly beautiful. Thank you SJ & Books and the City for introducing me to another amazing Penny Parkes novel.
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