But I Smile Anyway…

I am thrilled to be a part of a special social blast for a new release, today. Esme King’s Reasons To Go Outside.

I read this beautiful book as an arc, not long ago, and the beautiful story truly touched me!

Pearl Winter hasn’t been outside in 43 years.
Since she arrived in Dartmoor as a teenager, her isolated cottage has been her whole world. A
place of safety. But now Pearl is utterly alone – except for the postman, the local crows, and her
memories of the summer when her life turned upside down.
Connor Matthews feels like a stranger in his own home.
Since his mother’s death, he’s been adrift from his remaining family and the life that’s always
been mapped out for him.
But when Connor takes a summer job as Pearl’s gardener, their unexpected friendship opens the
door to a fresh start for them both. If they can just take the first step…

Reasons To Go Outside by Esme King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Where do I start? What a beautiful book!
Three main characters and a story that spans over 40 years.
Pearl is a woman in her late 50s, gripped by the hands of aggressive agoraphobia, with not a soul to reach out to or the ability to help herself.
Connor is an 18-year-old with a big life change ahead of him. Something he is not entirely sure he should be doing. and his own dreams which are being squashed to fulfil those of another.
Nate is a 60 something man with not much but memories to keep him going after being made redundant.
All three have a story that ties them together.
It is a story that has its roots in an awful tragedy, but as it grows, and with love and nurture, it bears the fruit of love, friendship, and reconciliation.
I truly loved all three of these characters, and I feel they will stay with me for a long while. And the cast who support them is equally memorable. There is a lot of goodness in this book, which I think the world needs right now.
A story filled with loss, hope, determination and, above all, friendship in the most unlikely of places.

About the Author

Esme King is a former news journalist and a multi award-winning short film writer and director. She was
inspired to write Reasons To Go Outside after interviewing a woman with agoraphobia. Esme lives in Devon with her husband, two children, and rescue dogs Monty and Milo.