The Imperfect Art of Caring

· HarperCollins UK
5.0
1 review
Ebook
384
Pages
Eligible
Ratings and reviews aren’t verified  Learn More

About this ebook

One small act can make a big difference

Violet Strong is strong by name but not by nature, or so she thinks. She listens but never talks about herself. She’s friendly but doesn’t have many real friends. She’s become good at keeping people at a distance ever since she left home at eighteen and never looked back.

But when Violet is forced to return home to care for her estranged mother, Glenys, she quickly finds out that life as a carer isn’t easy. Feeling overwhelmed, she’s forced to turn to the other local carers, including childhood friend, Adam, for help.

Although returning home still feels like a mistake, maybe it will help Violet right some wrongs. After all, she can’t keep running from her past forever, and in learning to look after others, perhaps Violet can start to finally love herself...

Your favourite authors LOVE Jessica Ryn’s heartwarming novels:

‘Well-written and entertaining’ Katie Fforde, A Springtime Affair

‘Full of hope, love and kindness’ Kirsty Capes, Careless

‘Warm-hearted, moving and funny’ Frances Quinn, The Smallest Man

‘Had my heart from the first page’ Stephanie Butland, Lost For Words

‘Made me laugh and ugly-cry in the best possible way’ Freya Sampson, The Last Library

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Readers love Jessica Ryn’s heartwarming and uplifting books:

‘Perfect escapism’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘The characters are so believable’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I was hooked from the first page’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Uplifting and joyous’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This is a hug in book form that will give you all the feels’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This story will melt your heart’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A story of warmth, kindness and forgiveness’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A truly heartwarming read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ratings and reviews

5.0
1 review
Samantha Markham
January 6, 2022
I loved this so much, I just couldn’t stop listening! Violet Strong is bad news, a bad person with no friends, no career, and a mother who hates her. Or has she got all that wrong.....? What jumped out most to me about this book is how adept and compassionate Jessica Ryn is at describing many people with many caring needs. From adults with learning disabilities to elderly folk with Parkinsons, or a seemingly normal person on the outside who is suffering from mental torment within. Each character has their own unique personality and Ryn writes delicately about each one and their carers and how they deal with everyday life. I loved that Violet has her own blog, where she puts her book reviews, and I identified a lot with this, as I’m sure many people reading this review will do. What better place is there than loads of reviews, all in one place, from people who like the same sort of things you do! Violet discovers her true self towards the end of the book and realises that perhaps she isn’t bad news after all and maybe there is hope for the future. I’d highly recommend this book as something to warm the cockles of your heart when you need something happy to dip into. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review an ARC of The Imperfect Art of Caring by Jessica Ryn.
Did you find this helpful?

About the author

Jessica Ryn is a former midwife and homeless resettlement worker. She has recently completed her MA in Creative Writing at CCCU, and her stories have been shortlisted for the Kimberly Chambers’ Kickstarter Award, Wordsmag and the Val Wood Prize for Creative Writing. When she’s not scribbling away, Jessica can be found meandering through the woods, reading stories that pull on the feel-strings and eating yoghurt-covered skittles. Jessica lives in Dover with her husband, two children and their high-spirited springer spaniel. The Extraordinary Hope of Dawn Brightside was her debut novel.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.