A WASHINGTON POST “FEEL-GOOD BOOK guaranteed to lift your spirits”
“A warm, charming tale about the rewards of revealing oneself, warts and all.” —People
The story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to unexpected friendship, and even love
Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely artist and septuagenarian believes that most people aren't really honest with each other. But what if they were? And so he writes—in a plain, green journal—the truth about his own life and leaves it in his local café. It's run by the incredibly tidy and efficient Monica, who furtively adds her own entry and leaves the book in the wine bar across the street. Before long, the others who find the green notebook add the truths about their own deepest selves—and soon find each other In Real Life at Monica's Café.
The Authenticity Project's cast of characters—including Hazard, the charming addict who makes a vow to get sober; Alice, the fabulous mommy Instagrammer whose real life is a lot less perfect than it looks online; and their other new friends—is by turns quirky and funny, heartbreakingly sad and painfully true-to-life. It's a story about being brave and putting your real self forward—and finding out that it's not as scary as it seems. In fact, it looks a lot like happiness.
The Authenticity Project is just the tonic for our times that readers are clamoring for—and one they will take to their hearts and read with unabashed pleasure.
First off, I admire the originality of the concept for The Authenticity Project. The idea provokes the reader to think about how they might deal with similar situations to the characters, pausing to consider if they would do things differently. All the while wondering what they would write if they were to pick up the pale-green notebook?
Actions have consequences and in this case, a helping hand doesn't necessarily mean it's the right thing to do. Yet, The Authenticity Project is a feel-good novel. It's a fascinating blend of characters; people who you wouldn't necessarily associate together. The simple green exercise book provokes each new owner to write the truth about their lives; warts and all. It's a way of offloading the burden and the reality in their life. More importantly, it triggers a need to find and help the previous mystery writers whilst hoping they are doing them a favour. What could possibly go wrong?
I've always enjoyed reading about flawed characters and this novel's packed with them. The outside world may think these six people are leading exemplary lives, however, the reality of how they project themselves to the outside world is a sham. Not surprisingly, as the layers of deceit are revealed the outcomes offer relief and new perspectives.
The ending is poignant but looking at the bigger picture, those who picked up and contributed to The Authenticity Project find the closure they need to continue their lives and more importantly to use their new-found courage to be better people than before.
Overall, if you're looking for something "just a little bit different", you won't go far wrong with this gem of a book.
***arc generously received courtesy of the publisher Transworld via NetGalley***
