Finders Keepers by Sabine Durrant – Blog Tour Review.

About The Book

Ailsa Tilson moves with her husband and children to Trinity Fields in search of the new. 
New project – a house to renovate. New people – no links to the past. New friends – especially her next-door neighbour, the lonely Verity, who needs her help. 

Verity has lived in Trinity Fields all her life. She’s always resisted change. Her home and belongings are a shield, a defence to keep the outside world at bay. But something about the Tilsons piques her interest.

Just as her ivy creeps through the shared garden fence, so Verity will work her way into the Tilson family. 

And once they realise how formidable she can be, it might well be too late.

My Review

With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. Finders Keepers is the first book I have read by Sabine Durrant and on the strength of it I will be definitely reading more. It is one of those novels where the readers assumes that they know what is going to happen only to be mistaken.

When a family moves next door to Verity she is eager to make friends although a little apprehensive. But when she develops a rapport with the son Max, who she helps with his schoolwork she gets closer to Alisa his mother. His father, Tom, though is a little less friendly. He isn’t very happy with the state of Verity’s garden, and even less happy when he discovers that she is a hoarder. I admit, I’d be the same, the description of her house made my toes curl.

I have to say that Verity is a little strange. I suspect that many have a neighbour like her. Little social skills, brittle and causing concern with hoarding. I did misunderstand a lot about her though, especially with what made her so protective of her sister’s bedroom and their disagreement.

Alisa wasn’t a character I warmed to, There were times I suspected that her life wasn’t quite like she said it was. And she wasn’t really a good friend to Verity. But there were aspects of her I admired, especially as the novel progressed. I did like Max though, very much. He was probably my favourite character in the whole book. Warm, hurting and desperate for a friend.

A great introduction to a new author for me.