A joyous and refreshing read about the power of unlikely friendships, women’s voices, and a reminder that it’s never too late to find joy and meaning later in life.

One woman’s journey from invisibility to being seen once more, as she strives to save her beloved community allotment, perfect for fans of The Lido and Keeper of Stories.

Ignored. Overlooked. But they’re about to prove everyone wrong…

#TheInvisibleWomensClub @drhelenparis @DoubledayUK  #RandomThingsTours @annecater @RandomTTours #blogtour

Janet Pimm is used to being invisible. 70 something, with her beloved allotment for company, she simply doesn’t need anyone else.

But when the local council threaten to close the allotments, Janet will do anything she can to try to save them – even enlisting the help of her irritatingly upbeat and interfering neighbour, Bev.

As the two women set off on a journey together, Janet begins to realise that perhaps she isn’t so happy to blend into the background after all. And that maybe there’s more to Bev that she first thought. As the bulldozers roll in and they fight to save the place Janet loves most, both women find their voice again and no one can silence them now…

A story of friendship, female lives post-menopause, community spirit and the importance of connection and finding your voice.

My Review

Janet is 72 years old. She’s antisocial and keeps herself to herself. She hides from her neighbour and throws away the friendly notes that get pushed through her door. She doesn’t need a friend. Especially one who feels sorry for her because she is old. And she has her allotment, though she never feels she is part of the community. In fact she has names for them, and they are not very flattering. The Power Ballads, the Steer Manures, Felicity bloody Kendall etc. But she likes Patrice. She’s OK and respects Janet’s relationship with her plants. They are health-giving and medicinal. Not just a load of pretty petals like FbK’s with her matching floral dresses.

I’m 70. I have little in common with Janet, apart from the fact that I live in Cheltenham, the home of GCHQ, where she worked until she was pushed out. I am about to retire, because I want to. I have two volunteering roles lined up – I used to volunteer at Chedworth Roman Villa (yes it’s National Trust). I swim three times a week and do yoga. I’m never lonely – I have loads of friends. And I have a husband, two sons and four granddaughters and until recently a Jack Russell. Unlike Janet who has no-one. She’s become so used to being alone that she rejects any attempts to become anyone’s pity project.

How wrong she is. She can’t see that people find her interesting. Bev doesn’t feel sorry for her, she wants to be her friend. Even though she’s happily married to Eddie, she feels lost. She’s angry and menopausal and she wants to shout about it.

But back to the allotment. Incidentally, we are on the waiting list – it’s three years – they are still popular, even more so now when everyone wants to be green. Seaview has 120 plots and they are all lovingly tended. They even grow vegetables for the cafe in Hastings which feeds refugees.

Then one day the council turns up, putting Biohazard tape all over the place, claiming there is knotweed present and it’s a dangerous, invasive species (bit like the grey squirrel but not as cute). They plan to bulldoze the whole site, destroying everyone’s plots, but Janet isn’t having any of it. From her days at GCHQ she knows there is something fishy going on and she plans to prove it.

The Invisible Women’s Club is all about friendship, community, sisterhood, being ignored and fighting back. In the words of the song – ‘We shall not be moved...Just like a tree that’s standing by the water side…We shall not be moved‘ this is an inspiring and emotional read which left me in tears.

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

About the Author

Helen Paris worked in the performing arts for two decades, touring internationally with her London-based theatre company Curious. After several years living in San Francisco and working as a theatre professor at Stanford University, she returned to the UK to focus on writing fiction.