Hope Street by Mike Gayle #HopeStreet @mikegayle @HodderBooks @AlainnaGeorgiou #BookReview

 

The greatest adventure is coming back home.

Lila Metcalfe is a trainee journalist in Derby and she's very used to being given the stories that no one else wants. So, when her editor tells her that the city's Cossington Park development is being held up by a solitary resident on Hope Street who is refusing to leave, she knows she is going to be the one sent to find out more. And that's how she meets Connor.

Twenty-something Connor is the sole resident of Hope Street and he is not at all what Lila is expecting. And he has a very clear reason not to move: he is waiting for his mum to come home.

The uplifting and heartfelt new novel from the author of A Song of Me and You.

Hope Street by Mike Gayle was published on 6 February 2025 by Hodder & Stoughton. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. 

So, I have just made myself feel even older than usual by looking back to find out when I first read Mike Gayle's books. It was in 1998, when he published his debut novel; My Legendary Girlfriend. Almost thirty years ago!  Where did that time disappear to?  I hope Mike and his publishers will be doing something special in a few years time to mark the 30th anniversary of his books. 

Over the years, I have really enjoyed Mike Gayle's books. I have noticed a very subtle change in his writing and his story lines. Earlier books concentrated on the often hilarious love life of the usually male lead character. I loved those books, but we grow and we age and whilst I do believe that love and romance keep the world turning, I am happy that this author has begun to address more social issues in his novels, and that the majority of his characters are not quite as young as they were! 

Connor lives on Hope Street. He's the only person left living on the street. Connor cannot leave, despite the best efforts of the council who have plans to develop the area. Three years ago, Connor's Mum went out and didn't return. Nobody has heard from her since. Connor knows that she will come home one day, so he can't leave their house. How would she know where he was?

Connor works in the DIY Depot, he's been there since he left school. Alan is his closest work friend and despite their age difference, they really do get along. Outside of work, Connor only really sees Marcus. Marcus is the son of his Mum's best friend Bev. He visits Connor every week, keeps an eye on him and makes sure he's OK

Lila is a reporter at the local newspaper. He long-term boyfriend is in London, and Lila is considering trying to get a job down there. This long distance relationship is not easy.  Lila is given Connor's story, she's to go to Hope Street and interview him about his refusal to leave.  However, when they meet, Lila is far more interested in Connor's missing mother and makes a promise to him. She's going to find his Mum. 

What follows is a beautifully written novel that I was really sad to finish. It's heart felt and poignant and touches on some really emotional and serious current issues that can affect all of us.  The powerful bureaucracy of local councils; the excessively complicated and almost inhumane way that ordinary people are dealt with is both saddening and anger inducing. 

Connor's experiences with people who want to take advantage of his vulnerabilities, and who are prepared to sacrifice him to obtain what they want are heart breaking to read at times. Connor's unwavering trust and belief in people is put to the test so much and every reader will hiss and boo at those who do him wrong. 

There's also Gayle's trademark touches of romance and true friendship within this story and it is these that I really enjoy so much. In the darkest of times, this author can make his readers feel a little hopeful. It is written from the heart and really unforgettable.  Highly recommended by me. 

MIKE GAYLE was born and raised in Birmingham. After graduating from Salford
University with a degree in Sociology, he moved to London to pursue a career in journalism and worked as a features editor and agony uncle. He has written for a variety of publications including The Sunday Times, the Guardian and Cosmopolitan.

Mike became a full-time novelist in 1997 following the publication of his Sunday Times top ten bestseller My Legendary Girlfriend, which was hailed by the Independent as 'full of belly laughs and painfully acute observations', and by The Times as 'a funny, frank account of a hopeless romantic'. Since then he has written eighteen novels, including The Man I Think I Know, selected as a World Book Night title, and Half A World Away, selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club. His books have been translated into more than thirty languages. In 2021, Mike was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Romantic Novelists' Association.

He lives in Birmingham with his wife, kids and greyhound.

You can find him online at mikegayle.co.uk and on Twitter @mikegayle.