Small Joys

Product Information

There’s really nothing about this book I didn’t love. The characters felt like multidimensional beings, with their own individual flaws and issues at stake, and all of them had such natural chemistry that nothing felt too forced for the sake of the plot. The friendship between Muddy and Harley felt real, despite the idea of a straight man being so unabashedly comfortable with masculinity and homosexuality could’ve came across as pure wish fulfillment. CWs: homophobia, suicidal ideation, self harm, racism, homophobic & racist violence, past sexual assault, attempted suicide How satisfying, I had thought, how reassuring, to know you could save your own life from loneliness. I found myself highlighting passage after passage, until the whole book almost seemed highlighted. It’s beautifully written, told with a brutal honesty and carefully chosen words. And while it would probably be considered a slow-paced novel, I didn’t want to set it down, desperate to know if Harley would be okay. Muddy is my favorite of all the characters. Because this individual is both kind and charming, I believe that a lot of readers will find themselves falling in love with him. He injects an incredible amount of vibrancy and coziness into the narrative. In addition to this, he ends up becoming the main character's pillar of support for all the right reasons. If you take pleasure in reading books that center on relationships and friendships that are characterized by positivity and support for one another, then you are going to take a lot of pleasure out of this one, just like I did.

NA: I think many people can relate to your experience, but how did you keep yourself focused on the vision when people around you expressed doubt? There was something really charming and uplifting about this gentle novel, despite the (at times) very heavy subject matter.An unexpected friendship saves a young man's life in this moving, utterly charming debut about chosen family, the winding road to happiness, and the grace of second chances. Listened to the audiobook as read by Paul Mendez, and found it really enjoyable. There was a little range of British accents and they were all performed really well. I adored his rendition of Muddy. He just made him sound like someone that I desperately want to be friends with: crass and sweet and loud and just wonderful. This was such a good debut, and I'd love to read more from the author. We find Harley at a particularly low point, out in the woods, alone and about to do something drastic. This is when Muddy enters his life, introduces himself as Harley’s new flat mate and begins to change his life and outlook.

Small Joys explores the complexities of human relationships, portraying them with depth and nuance. The novel centers around the friendship between Harley and Muddy, two individuals who couldn’t be more different on the surface but develop a deep bond over time. Their relationship is a powerful reminder of the importance of chosen family, the people we surround ourselves with who offer us support, love, and acceptance when we need it most. Impressive and perfect, Mensah’s debut is a novel that builds empathy for fellow humans. It reminds us that even though we may not see it, people are struggling, and one moment of kindness may be just what they need. I feel like Small Joys will stay with me a long time, and I hope this is a book that gets the attention it deserves. An unexpected friendship saves a young man’s life in this moving, utterly charming debut about chosen family, the winding road to happiness, and the grace of second chances. It was still a bit shaky because she couldn’t necessarily see the steps I was taking; all she could see was me typing away, which wasn’t entirely convincing. But when I told her that we'd sold rights to Small Joys and she was going to be able to see it in bookshops, it started making more sense to her because it felt more aligned to her idea of success. That's a bad way of putting the matter, because it flattens Muddy out. He's lovely, and his affection for Harley helps Harley open himself to friendships with Chelsea's BFF Noria and Muddy's abrasive, obnoxious, but ultimately decent best friend Finley.

Korey B’s Review:

I loved it - Small Joys is a wonderful book full of music, life and a great deal of heart. An extremely BIG joy!' Matson Taylor, bestselling author of The Miseducation of Evie Epworth Small Joys, I just know, is going to prove near impossible to review. In fact, I started this review around 3 weeks before coming to finish it. Mostly, this is because I don’t have the words to even start talking about this book. Starting in 2005, protagonist Harley has returned to rural England, where he works at a movie theater after dropping out of college. With an estranged father and a feeling of hopelessness, Harley attempts suicide but is saved by his new roommate Muddy. Despite their differences, a deep friendship develops between the two as Muddy shows Harley the joys of life. However, their friendship is complicated by their romantic entanglements with their friends Chelsea, Finlay, and Noria. As secrets and jealousy threaten their friendships, Harley falters again. Many thanks to @scribneruk @simonandschusteruk for the arc via @netgalley. Small Joys was published this month and is available on audio on @scribd. As secrets and jealousies endanger all that Harley has come to depend on, he finds himself faltering once again, even though he finally has something—and someone—to live for. Soul-stirring and witty, full of hope and peopled with characters who feel like close friends, Small Joys explores a young man’s turbulent journey toward happiness and announces the arrival of an exciting voice in fiction.