The Memory Shop by Ella Griffin @EllaGriffin1 @orionbooks #TheMemoryShop

Will every treasured possession find its perfect home?

Nora's world has been turned upside-down. Escaping heart-break in London, she returns to her childhood home in Dublin where her grandmother's beloved house is being sold. Nora has been left with an inheritance of treasured belongings, but no home of her own in which to keep them.

Unable to bear auctioning them off, Nora resolves to stay in Dublin and open The Memory Shop, a very special business which matches each gorgeous object with a perfect new owner. It's not long before these objects begin to transform the lives of those they touch, creating new stories and new chances at happiness.

As Nora lets go of a lifetime of treasures, she unlocks tantalising clues to her grandmother's mysterious past. But can she finally let go of her own...?

The Memory Shop by Ella Griffin was published by Orion Books in paperback on 22 March 2018.

I've read and enjoyed all of Ella Griffin's previous novels and was really excited when I heard about The Memory Shop. I haven't been disappointed, it's such a warm and vibrant; filled with characters to love and exploring the intricate and delicate relationships of families and communities.

Nora has returned to her childhood home in Dublin. Her beloved grandmother has died and her home has to be emptied and sold. Nora is not relishing the job, there are so many memories, and unresolved secrets within those walls. Her trip becomes something of an escape when she makes a shocking discovery on the morning of her departure. Life for Nora really is at a crossroads, with the pain of both grief and betrayal eating away at her.

Nora's grandparents owned a house full of beautiful things. Antiques and treasures discovered whilst travelling. All of these items were used and loved, not kept 'for best' or display only. Each one has its own story, and each one sparks a memory for Nora.
Nora discovers notes, written by her Grandmother; notes that detail where the items came from. Her Grandmother had been something of an enigma when she was alive, and she and her daughter; Norah's mother, did not speak for many years.

Whilst Nora would love to keep everything, she can't. She's unsure of where she will be living, or working in the future. She doesn't have the room to store everything. The idea for 'The Memory Shop' comes to her and before long, she's spruced up the empty shop nearby and set up a beautiful pop-up shop, hoping to sell her inherited treasures.

Each chapter of The Memory Shop details one item, and one person; there's Alanna and the nine-carat yellow gold locket; Lia and the freshwater pearl earrings, and others, as well as some of Nora's own personal stories. Each story is interwoven, with characters appearing throughout the novel.

Ella Griffin has put this story together so beautifully well. Her characters are captivating and the individual story chapters are fascinating; exploring the most intimate of relationships with a warmth and feeling that really draws in the reader. The author's insight into her human characters is wonderful and she does not shy away from the more serious issues that can affect anyone, which only adds to the depth of this story.

Highly recommended from me.

Ella Griffin was born in Dublin. She was an award-winning advertising copywriter before she took the leap into fiction. She has written three novels since 2011. She writes about love and loss and loves making readers laugh and cry (sometimes on the same page.) Ella lives with her husband in County Wicklow in Ireland.

You can find Ella at www.ellagriffin.com

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Twitter: @EllaGriffin1