Gwen’s life has stalled. She’s in her mid-thirties, perpetually single, her friends are busy procreating in the country and conversations with her parents seem to revolve entirely around herbaceous borders and the council’s wheelie-bin timetable. Above all she’s lonely. But then, isn’t everyone?

When Gwen’s made redundant from a job she drifted into a decade ago and never left, she realises it’s time to make a change. Over what might be the best – and most solitary – meal she’s ever eaten, Gwen vows to find something meaningful to do with her life, reconnect with her family and friends and finally book herself a dentist appointment.

#Preloved @laurenbravo @simonschusterUK #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #blogtour

Her search for meaning soon leads her to volunteer in a local charity shop where she both literally and metaphorically unloads her emotional baggage. With the help of the weird and wonderful people she meets in the shop and the donated items bursting with untold stories that pass through its doors, Gwen must finally address the events and choices that led her to this point and find a way to move forward with bravery, humanity and more regular dental care.

Brimming with life, love and the stories bound up in even the most everyday items, Preloved is a tale about friendship, loss, being true to oneself no matter the expectations – and the enduring power and joy of charity shops.

My Review

I love browsing charity shops, especially in places like Wimbledon or Oxford where the quality of the donated items is really good. I don’t dwell on the history of the items though – most are not really interesting enough – but I may do so now.

But what’s so special about Preloved is the staff. Most of the people who volunteer in our local charity shops are over 75, think Next is a designer brand, and wear polyester that looks like a hairdresser’s overall. I jest and I apologise.

In Preloved, they are all mostly younger, eccentric or just plain crazy. Maybe that’s London compared to the suburbs. I love this about the book. Connie’s story, for instance, really touched me, though I’m not going to say why. And Gwen’s mum and dad are just struggling with trying to process grief. Asha finds it hard to go to work even though she is bright and well-qualified. Nicholas is… I don’t really know what to say about him. He likes Gwen, but he’s way too young and certain things he does are not in the spirit of a charity shop shall we say. He’s a bit of a twicer.

As well as the staff and the customers, there are also the items, many of which have their own story. It reminded me a bit of The Keeper Of Lost Things. There’s a vase which is definitely not Clarice Cliff, a sunburst clock given away by mistake, a pair of white, strappy shoes that come and go, and scarves – lots of them.

But this is about Gwen. Having been made redundant from a job she hated, volunteering in the charity shop till the money runs out, her non-marriage to Ryan having ended over six years ago, she is lost. And lonely.

I absolutely adored this book. The writing, the descriptions, the little stories, the people, everything about it is wonderful. The author is so perceptive and sympathetic. The characters came alive on the page.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author

Lauren Bravo is a freelance journalist who writes about fashion, popular culture, food, travel and feminism, for publications including Grazia, Refinery29 UK, Cosmopolitan, Stylist, easyJet Traveller, Time Out, Delicious, the Telegraph and the Guardian. She is the author of two non-fiction books, What Would the Spice Girls Do? (2018) and How To Break Up With Fast Fashion (2020). Lauren lives in East London, and Preloved is her debut novel. Find out more on her website www.laurenbravo.co.uk.

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