Book Review – The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan #bookreview #20booksofsummer

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lime green plastic flower-shaped hair bobbles—Found, on the playing field, Derrywood Park, 2nd September.

Bone china cup and saucer—Found, on a bench in Riveria Public Gardens, 31st October.

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing 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 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.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

My Opinion:

Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Whenever he finds a lost item, he labels it, records where it was found, and adds it to his collection. His goal is to return every lost item to its rightful owner.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Some parts I really enjoyed, while others not as much. This is a dual time period story, along with many flashback stories about the “lost things.” My favorite “lost thing” story was about the puzzle piece. Two sisters did not get along and one of the sisters decided to get a little revenge on the other sister through a puzzle piece. Imagine being a puzzle enthusiast and spending all that time working on it, only to not be able to find the very last piece! That could drive a person mad! I found it quite funny and a very clever, subtle way to get a little payback.

My favorite character was Anthony’s next door neighbor, Sunshine. She has down-syndrome and is as sweet as can be. She is incredibly loving, helpful, and very clever. She, like her name, was a ray of sunshine!

I thought the overall message of this book was actually very sweet. The reason behind why Anthony started collecting “lost things” was extremely touching!

If you enjoy a love story with a bit of mystery and a touch of the supernatural, then this is a story for you!

Book Details:

Genre: Fiction
Series: None
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: 2/21/2017
Pages: 288 (eBook)