Bookseller Reviews
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My favourite debut of 2020....
Let me introduce you to Missy Carmichael. You will hear about her a lot in the new year. She will be on everybody’s lips.
Missy is very much cut her own ... READ MORE
A giant hug in a book
This is definitely going to be the book everyone is talking about next year.
Missy is lonely and miserable and very much set in her ways. That’s all about... READ MORE
A joy!
I adored this book! ADORED IT! I was absolutely bereft when I turned that final page ending my journey with Missy. I love it when a book touches the very d... READ MORE
Real Heart
I know Eleanor Oliphant paved the way for books like this - idiosyncratic protagonist discovers the power of friendship - but Saving Missy has real heart. ... READ MORE
Thought provoking
I really enjoyed this, it was a heartwarming read. Missy is a really interesting character, I think I would just liked to have seen more of her dark side. ... READ MORE
You can’t help but find a friend in Missy
In this coming of age story, 80-something Missy Carmichael has lived a long life and now during her ‘personal winter’ she has plenty of time to reflect on ... READ MORE
Synopsis
'A touching, deftly written debut that celebrates
community and kindness' Sunday Times
Missy Carmichael's life has become small.
Grieving for a family she has lost or lost touch with, she's haunted by the echoes of her footsteps in her empty home; the sound of the radio in the dark; the tick-tick-tick of the watching clock.
Spiky and defensive, Missy knows that her loneliness is all her own fault. She deserves no more than this; not after what she's done. But a chance encounter in the park with two very different women opens the door to something new.
Another life beckons for Missy, if only she can be brave enough to grasp the opportunity. But seventy-nine is too late for a second chance. Isn't it?
'Bittersweet, tender, thoughtful and uplifting ... I loved it' Nina Stibbe
Publisher information
- Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9780008389727
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 227 x 159 x 36 mm
- Weight: 570g
Customer Reviews
View allHeartwarming
Missy is one of those characters with a side that makes them hard to like, she’s not an outwardly affectionate person and she lives a very small life with ... READ MORE
A heartfelt story of growing old, looking back on regrets in life, loneliness and making new friends
This is a wonderful heartfelt story of growing old, looking back on regrets in life, loneliness, making friends and growing bonds in unlikely places.
Miss... READ MORE
Enjoyable
I was sent a copy of Saving Missy by Beth Morrey to read and review by NetGalley.
I was enjoying this novel when I started reading it but then I’m afraid I... READ MORE
A Well-Rounded, Complete Tale!
I don't think you can fail to be touched by this story; it has something for everyone and is packed with, more than anything, understanding.
Missy Carmich... READ MORE
The Strength Of Friendship.
This was a pleasant and easy to read novel. Its about friendship and finding warmth and love in the strangest place. Its about the kindness of total strang... READ MORE
feel good read
What a lovely uplifting feel good read this was . The story focuses around Missy , an elderly lady who has sort of given up on life until a chance encounte... READ MORE
A Marvellous Début
I started Saving Missy with no absolutely no expectations and I am delighted to be able to report that I enjoyed it so much! Millicent (Missy) Carmichael ... READ MORE
A coming-of-old-age novel!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an advance copy of this delightful coming-of-old-age novel.
Missy Carmichael is 79 and lives alon... READ MORE
lovely read
What a lovely uplifting feel good read this was . The story focuses around Missy , an elderly lady who has sort of given up on life until a chance encounte... READ MORE
Saving Missy
'Saving Missy' is a book about belonging. Missy isolated herself for many years and she blamed herself, when she meets a special someone she can't help thi... READ MORE
Grab this one ASAP
Oh my goodness, I simply ADORED this story (insert heart eyes emoji here)
This is the story of Millicent Carmichael aka Missy.
Missy is 79 years old and ... READ MORE
A delightful heartwarming story
This is a delightful heartwarming story with well drawn characters who you really care about.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and think that this could be the tal... READ MORE
Lovely story
This was a lovely heartfelt story, with some well-drawn characters. It is interesting to have the main lead as an octogenarian although, and I’m sure it mu... READ MORE
What a beautiful heartwarming book!
Saving Missy is the story of Millicent, a 79 woman who has recently lost her partner of over 50 years. Millicent (or Missy) is thrusted in to an intense lo... READ MORE
A well-observed and poignant story.
Missy is the narrator of this memorable debut novel and, as the story gradually unfolds, her reflections on past events in her life offer us insights into ... READ MORE
A heartwarming story
I really enjoyed this simple but heartwarming story or Missy, a lonely, elderly lady who lives in London.
Throughout the story, there is a series of insi... READ MORE
Moving but refreshingly unsentimental story of a prickly pensioner.
The protagonist of Beth Morrey’s unexpectedly heart-warming debut is seventy-nine-year-old Millicent (Missy) Carmichael. Aloof, stubborn and always lookin... READ MORE
A really lovely story
I loved this book, Missy comes so far throughout the course of the story, it's hard to believe it's the same character by the end, and I mean that in a goo... READ MORE
This is a gorgeous book about loneliness and unlikely friendships and being kind
Ah dear Missy, she really made me sad at the beginning of this book, her son lives in Australia with her Grandson and she really misses them. Her beloved h... READ MORE
Great read
From the First impression it was definitely a book that sounded as if it was right up my street. Even though it has taken me FAR TOO LONG to read it. (I de... READ MORE
Profoundly moving
I found this book profoundly moving. It is so sensitively written about being lonely but how a community can come together and change that.
Lovely book
Missy Carmichael’s life has become small.
Grieving for a family she has lost or lost touch with, she’s haunted by the echoes of her footsteps in her empty... READ MORE
A heart warming read
This was such a heart warming book. I really enjoyed reading about Missy and how she changed throughout the book, as she made new friends.
All of the cha... READ MORE
adored
beautiful.. bewitching.. heartbreaking.. alluring.. engaging.. wonderful.. charming.. divine.. enticing.. superb.. excellent.. radiant.. stunning.. stagger... READ MORE
Glorious
Saving Missy is a bi-story narrative. We join a young Missy, a woman of her time. Gloriously bright and sparky, she gets swallowed behind closed doors as a... READ MORE
Great storyline
I really enjoyed this book so much so that I would happily read it again as I think on a second read you could enjoy even more aspects of it. Usually you l... READ MORE
Warm and wonderful
Millicent ‘Missy’ Carmichael is a lonely 79 year old. Her beloved son has settled in Australia with his wife and son and she is currently estranged from he... READ MORE
Onwards and Upwards!
Saving Missy is a big-hearted story about friendship, moving on, and rediscovering your true self.
Missy Carmichael is trying to get a new life together, ... READ MORE
Enjoyable
I have been wanting to read this book since it first came out, it’s been very much talked about. The cover and the concept were both appealing to me. The b... READ MORE
Very Interesting Story
I have just had the fantastic opportunity to read this book. I really enjoyed having an insight on Missy's life. The book is cleverly written in parts goin... READ MORE
Heartwarming
This book was such a lovely read, and written very well. Saving Missy is about a 79 year old woman, who is portrayed as a lovable character from the offset... READ MORE
A poignant story about love!
Wow, I was absolutely not expecting to go on the rollercoaster of emotions that this novel sent me on.
Saving Missy follows Missy Carmichael, after the lo... READ MORE
Fascinating main character
This book really drew me in, and by the end I was in tears!.
The title character Missy is a 79 year old, living alone, who feels lonely and cut off from ot... READ MORE
I loved it
I loved this story and thought it was wonderful from start to finish. Beautifully written, I couldn't put it down. The story follows Missy who is 79 years ... READ MORE
Secon Chance
At the moment we all need what I like to class as "A Covid Chuckle". you can do this by sending a funny happening to your friends or an easy way is to sha... READ MORE
Heartwarming Debut
Beth Morrey’s tender debut, Saving Missy, is the ideal read for these uncertain times, reflecting as it does, the loneliness felt by many people, and how a... READ MORE
An unexpected gem
Every now and then a book will take me by surprise. This book was one. It was totally not what I expected and swept me up and pulled me in. I was instantly... READ MORE
One of my favourite books
Thank you to HarperCollins and Beth Morrey for a paperback copy, my thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift.
This was one of my favourite books... READ MORE
Lovely
I loved the cover of this book and couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed as this book is just a lovely read. The story is about a year in the li... READ MORE
Beautifully Written
So much was hidden in this story, yet revealed in the most brilliant way. I had an inkling that Leo may have still been alive, however throughout the book,... READ MORE
Beautiful
Beth Morrey's debut book Saving Missy is beautifully written and really makes you fall in love with Missy, the 79 year old protagonist. I can't believe tha... READ MORE
Beautiful writing
The writing in this book was absolutely fabulous, however I did find that it took me a little while to get into it, as it was a slow start. This is a nice ... READ MORE
so good
A pretty slow start but beautifully written story. I was recommended my one of m friends. This novel is very peaceful, I laughed and almost cried through o... READ MORE
It’s funny , magical, sad, nostalgic and uplifting.
Ah dear Missy, she really made me sad at the beginning of this book, her son lives in Australia with her Grandson and she really misses them. Her beloved h... READ MORE
Beautiful story
This book is definitely one of the best I have read this year.
Missy is lonely and is struggling with loss in her life at the age of 79. A chance meeting w... READ MORE
Loved every word of this debut! Just wonderful!
If you're looking for one of the most uplifting, warming, joyous reads of 2020 - this is it. Missy Carmichael is the central character and her story, life ... READ MORE
Multi generational, friendship, poignant
beautiful and poignant book. Told from two different periods in Missy life. It highlights how lonely and isolated the older generation can easily become. H... READ MORE
Moving but refreshingly unsentimental story of a lonely and prickly pensioner.
The protagonist of Beth Morrey’s unexpectedly heart-warming debut is seventy-nine-year-old Millicent (Missy) Carmichael. Aloof, stubborn and always lookin... READ MORE
I’ve made a friend in Missy!
Oh how I loved Missy! Beth Morrey’s debut novel “Saving Missy”, is a wonderfully heart-warming tale of overcoming loneliness, forming friendships and accep... READ MORE
A charming, thought-provoking and uplifting debut.
"So the day ended as miserably as it began. But I still felt it somewhere — that spark. The beginning of something. Or the end. Who knows?"
Saving Missy ... READ MORE
Relatable
I started by judging a book by it's cover. I thought this is not going to be for me. It looks too tame.
How wrong can a person be!
This book doesn't shy ... READ MORE
Emotional rollercoaster
At first I wasn't a fan of Missy with her judgements and her closed off approach to life but as the book went on I became absorbed in her world and her jou... READ MORE
Totally enjoyable!
From the turn of the very first page through to the final sentence I thoroughly enjoyed joining Missy, watching her grow, and being part of her world. It w... READ MORE
It's never too late
Saving Missy is a beautifully touching tale of love, loss and loneliness. It centres around Missy Carmichael, a seventy-nine year old lady living a solitar... READ MORE
Amazing!
The book cover is absolutely beautiful and has an eye catching view to it I honestly loved reading a part of the book it was so interesting about the 2 ve... READ MORE
Poignant, love and friendship
This for me is the book of 2021. It is so well written with the readers emotions going on a rollercoaster journey. It was so poignant. I had tears and laug... READ MORE
Love Lives Here
Saving Missy by Beth Morrey is a simply beautiful contemporary novel about love and friendship. It made me smile and it made me cry.
The leading lady is se... READ MORE
A wistful and uplifting debut
"So the day ended as miserably as it began. But I still felt it somewhere — that spark. The beginning of something. Or the end. Who knows?"
Saving Missy ... READ MORE
Loved It
This books was wonderful. A heart warming and uplifting book. I really liked the characters and what they brought to the story and felt it was very well wr... READ MORE
Charming and quirky tale
This is the story of Missy Carmichael, a very lonely yet to the world anti social character.
Though rather reserved Missy finds herself accosted by two ver... READ MORE
Just Wonderful!
I enjoyed this more than any other book I have read in the last year. Missy is a wonderful character, written with such perception and colour. It is so r... READ MORE
Lovely debut novel
I absolutely loved this book and didn't want it to end. It evoked so many emotions throughout the course of the story and the characters felt so real.
Can'... READ MORE
A truly emotional read!
An inspiring journey from start to finish. I felt for the ageing Missy every step of the way but at times felt my frustration building at wanting her to j... READ MORE
Fabulous book!
I really enjoyed this book. Initially, you think it will just focus on how sad and lonely Missy is in her old age. However, it is so much more than that a... READ MORE
Best Debut I’ve read
Great read and i didn’t want it to end. Missy is like a slightly older Catherine Oliphant. You just want to give her a cuddle
Great
I saw many reviews for this book before reading it and I was very intrigued to see what it was like.
It follows the story of Missy who we discover is very... READ MORE
Glimpse of friendship
The opening pages introduce you to the loneliness and isolation that often comes with old age. The strong sense of anxiety cloaks the reader and brings sym... READ MORE
A gripping read
I settled down with the book for the evening and after a couple of chapters, I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop reading until I was done. I had a few... READ MORE
Finding friendship in a London community
I do like books about older lone women, although it’s a shame we always have to be so odd… Still, I suppose there would be no story arc if the woman was we... READ MORE
A lovely story of redemption and reaffirmation of human kindness
A chance encounter and keeling over in a park that leads to many unexpected relationships and encounters. A lovely heart warming story about Missy who thou... READ MORE
Missy's Story
Millicent (or Missy) as she is known, is all alone and desperately lonely. During her daily walk to the park she has a "turn" and faints, after being resc... READ MORE
Light hearted and touching!
This book is a light hearted topic with endearing and emotional touching characters. The premise of the book is quite unique to have an older female charac... READ MORE
Beautiful story
This was such a lovely story. Missy is a very lonely elderly lady. Her husband is gone, her son and grandson live abroad and don't visit often, and she has... READ MORE
A lovely book about life.
Saving Missy isn't of a genre I would usually find myself reading but I don't regret sitting down to read it in one afternoon.
This book is such an story... READ MORE
Endearing
This is an endearing book. Missy is bumbling through old age, trying to survive her new lonely existence.
However her life is turned around when she meets... READ MORE
I’ve made a friend in Missy!
Oh how I loved Missy! Beth Morrey’s debut novel “Saving Missy”, is a wonderfully heart-warming tale of overcoming loneliness, forming friendships and accep... READ MORE
Absolutely wonderful
Oh Missy how I have fallen in love with you. I'm going to miss you as much as I miss Miss Oliphant.
This is Beth Morrey's debut novel and it is so bea... READ MORE
Just wow!
Wow, I don’t even know what I can say about this book.
I began the book by not particularly liking the main character – Millicent or Missy for short. But t... READ MORE
Onwards and upwards
Millicent Carmichael (Missy) is an older lady in her late 70's who lives on her own as her husband Leo has passed away, her son Alistair and grandson Arthu... READ MORE
Hope flows from every page
"Saving Missy" by Beth Morrey is not just a novel; it's a profound journey into the depths of loneliness, redemption, and the transformative power of human... READ MORE
A Heart Warming Tale.
Missy Carmichael is 78 and lives alone in the house she used to share with her husband, Leo and their children. Her son, Alistair and her grandson live in ... READ MORE
It’s never too late to change
Missy a lonely, old lady with a bad temper is beginning to regret the things she has said and done. She has driven everyone away. A door opens with an oppo... READ MORE
Saving Missy - a charming read
This book makes for a charming read - there are some sad undertones to the story but there always seems to be a glimmer of joy not far away. A great book ... READ MORE
Heartwarming story of friendship, family, forgiveness and the value of the love of a dog!
I listened to the audio version of this book, and absolutely loved it. A story of an elderly, lonely woman, who finds new friends, interests and value in h... READ MORE
Lovely book!
The story is set at the time of the Brexit referendum, as well as following Missy from her youth. Seventy nine year old Missy Carmichael lives alone rattli... READ MORE
3 Stars
Saving Missy is a moving tale of love, loss and loneliness. We follow our main character Missy through various periods of her life, with each segment of he... READ MORE
Beautiful
will stay with you for a long time to come, this is one of those books. Beautifully written it follows the story of Missy a 79 year old woman who is on her... READ MORE
So heartwarming!
Wow, I don’t even know what I can say about this book.
I began the book by not particularly liking the main character – Millicent or Missy for short. But t... READ MORE
An absolutely wonderful debut!
Plot: This Seventy-nine is too late for a second chance isn't it?
Missy Carmichael is prickly, stubborn - & terribly lonely. Until a chance encounter in ... READ MORE
Lovely story
Saving Missy tells the story of an elderly woman who feels lonely and only gets out of the house so that she can have something to tell her son Alistair ab... READ MORE
Loved this book
Ok, so, originally I found it quite hard to adjust and get into this book. I found it hard to sympathize with the main character but... As the book went on... READ MORE
Loved it!
Absolutely brilliant book, didn't want it to end.