compelling

loved the twists and turns in the plot line and get a sense that the writer genuinely understood the feelings of all involved surrounding adoption.

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Really enjoyable read

I liked the story, the characters and very much the performance. Even scenes that probably would strike me as over the top would I read them came across as believable and character quirks with this performance.

The story has many subtitles as life usually has (adoption, racism, bullying, sexuality, euthanism) which it covers on the example of the protagonist's experience without ever claiming to have evaluated it all, but never appearing rushed or superficial- so this book makes one think and halt or replay.

Overall I much enjoyed it and recommend it fully.

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Different but not for me!

this was an interesting one for me, I actually started this book quite a while ago but I couldn't get into it so I downloaded the audio book and started it again. I'm glad I stuck with it because the issues that this books deals with are nothing like I have faced in my own life and are so wide-ranging and vast that I feel I learnt things from this novel. It was quite tough-going at points but I am glad that I stuck with it! This books covers the topics of divorce, infidelity, assisted suicide, adoption, racism, sexism and also what to do when you've found the perfect coffee shop but can't go there anymore-that last one I could empathise with!

The manin character of this novel was adopted as a baby and knows nothing of her birth mother. A chance encounter changes that for her and we get to see how it all unravels. I really struggled to relate to Clemency and so I found her very hard to like or bond with. I think this did affect my enjoyment of the books, but the book is so much more than just a bout her.the others characters in the novel we're similarly dispositioned and so I didn't develop an affinity with any of them in particular. The owner of the aforementioned coffee shop was the person I liked the most and I struggled to get along with the others to be honest.

As I said though this book is about so much more than them. I found it really interesting to hear how Clem was affected by her adoption and by everything else that followed. Her relationship with her mother and her birth mother are really interesting and as that unravelled, that was the real story for me. She is also a small business owner and so the struggles with that and also with living and setting up in a new city were much easier for me to get along with. I thought that Dorothy Koomson dealt with these issues incredibly well and I would be really interested in reading more books by this author in the future!

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She did it again

Well written as always, I enjoyed every bit of the story. Looking forward to the next one.

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Very Enjoyable

Loved it really good story with lots of twists and turns..Have read four of her books now and each one is a real page Turner.

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Great story

I am now a confirmed fan of Dorothy Koomson's books. This is my second Dorothy Koomson audible book and it was as compelling a listen as my first, "The Woman He Loved Before". Thiis particular book, "The Girl From Nowhere" is a story about a black woman adopted as a toddler by a white family meeting her biological family as an adult. I found the story illuminating as it explores the reunion from the perspectives of the adopted daughter and members of the adoptive and biological families. I am able to immerse myself in Miss Koomson's worlds thanks to the brilliant narration and characterisations of Miss Adjoa Andoh. What I particularly enjoy about this author's books are the believable characters and unanticipated plot twists. I am in the process of selecting my next book by this author and I'm confident that I won't be disappointed.

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2 people found this helpful

An enjoyable read, especially for Dorothy Koomson fans

A good read that unpicks the lives of some well drawn characters with complicated pasts. It deals with the topic of adoption and the impact on all sides when a confused young woman accidentally discovers her birth family.

Dorothy Koomson is a real expert at bringing to life many of the personal traumas we undergo as we grow up; try to figure out who we are; as we fall in and out of love; make decisions that come back to haunt us later on. Through her characters she reflects the similarities between people of apparently different backgrounds to reveal the things that not only makes us unique, but those that makes us just humans beings, after all.

I must confess one of the biggest attractions of a new Dorothy Koomson's novel is listening to the beautifully lyrical voice of the narrator, the well established actor Adjoa Andoh. I can't even read one of the earlier books, not available on audio, without hearing Andoh's meticulous tones in my head.

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loved it, a complete story

I enjoyed the complete circle the characters took and the thrill of finding out more about each character and the story was great

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Difficult subject to listen to but worth it

I found this book on the heartache caused by adoption quite harrowing at times. It’s a long read. I nearly gave up but I’m glad I didn’t.

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Koomson doesn't disappoint

Loved this book. This is the first audio book I've had and I was unsure if it was my thing but was struggling to find time to read the things I wanted.
This book really is great. I'm always apprehensive reading a new book by an author I really like as I worry that it won't be as good as the previous ones. Having read My Best Friends Girl (My favourite book) and Goodnight Beautiful I had this fear but Koomson catches your interest immediately.
This is definitely being added to my list of favourite books.

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4 people found this helpful