A review by emilywemily6
The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore

hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed this book! There is an emotionally diverse cast of characters in a sweet found family environment. Arthur’s banter was witty and the use of books/book quotes was really entertaining and insightful. This felt like a more lighthearted and shallower version of A Man Called Ove, but it wasn’t shallow by any means. So many moments made me laugh or smile, and it was such a joy to read. I liked having different perspectives/voices, though I wish that there was more depth of character in each of them; a lot of the character development felt rushed. The ending of the book also felt abrupt, but didn’t end on a cliffhanger that implies a future book, so it just felt a little incomplete. 
This scapegoating or APS (Adult Protective Services) bothered me too, as someone who works in the medical field. Medical providers legally cannot force a patient to stay in the hospital/receive treatment so Arthur had every right to do as he wished. In all my healthcare experience with APS, APS only gets involved when someone is abusing/neglecting a vulnerable adult. As a competent human, Arthur can decide what he wants to do even if it is harmful for his health. So that part of the storyline irked me.

While a few of these characters have suffered death of loved ones, none of them has a truly troubled life. They are ordinary people with ordinary problems and ordinary loneliness, nothing super traumatic (like drug abuse, sexual assault, murder, extreme poverty, etc.) which made them relatable and easy to read about in a lighthearted way.
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