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The Car Share
A ninety-year-old woman with Alzheimer's and a heartbroken young man end up sharing a ride to Brussels that changes their lives forever.
When Alex pulls up to meet "Max", he expects everything but a ninety-year-old lady who has her heart set on getting to Brussels by carpool.
As for 'Max', who is actually called Maxine, she could not be more ill at ease when settling into the seat next to this young man with bloodshot eyes. God help her if he turned out to be a drug addict who hasn't slept in days!
When it becomes clear that Maxine is suffering from Alzheimer's and wants to take matters in her own hands while she still can, and that Alex battles severe depression, a wonderful friendship starts to form between the unlikely pair. Before long, their travel plans take an unexpected turn...
When Alex pulls up to meet "Max", he expects everything but a ninety-year-old lady who has her heart set on getting to Brussels by carpool.
As for 'Max', who is actually called Maxine, she could not be more ill at ease when settling into the seat next to this young man with bloodshot eyes. God help her if he turned out to be a drug addict who hasn't slept in days!
When it becomes clear that Maxine is suffering from Alzheimer's and wants to take matters in her own hands while she still can, and that Alex battles severe depression, a wonderful friendship starts to form between the unlikely pair. Before long, their travel plans take an unexpected turn...
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2017
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2,972 people want to read
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August 28, 2024
Alex, a young man battling depression, decides to take a weekend trip to Brussels. To help with the cost of gas, he puts up a notice on a car share. He meets Maxine, a 90-year old woman, who has an important appointment in Brussels. As they drive, they each share bits of their lives. Can they help each other?
This book was charming, funny, and heart-warming! It is perfect for fans of Harold and Maude! The author was brave in writing a book with such an experienced character. It served as a gentle reminder of all of the benefits that our most learned citizens can offer, the history and life lessons that they can share, not to judge a book by its cover, that we are all only as old as we feel.
This book also contains a hidden secret - there is another chapter written 5 years after the end of this book. If you want to check in with these characters, you can email the author for a copy of the secret chapter. How cool is that!
*Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
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This book was charming, funny, and heart-warming! It is perfect for fans of Harold and Maude! The author was brave in writing a book with such an experienced character. It served as a gentle reminder of all of the benefits that our most learned citizens can offer, the history and life lessons that they can share, not to judge a book by its cover, that we are all only as old as we feel.
This book also contains a hidden secret - there is another chapter written 5 years after the end of this book. If you want to check in with these characters, you can email the author for a copy of the secret chapter. How cool is that!
*Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta My Bookstore at Pango
April 12, 2021
The Car Share by Zoe Brisby
I mostly read heavy themed books so The Car Share was a wonderful change of pace for me. Ninety year old Maxine needs a ride from her retirement facility to Brussels, where she has an appointment to be euthanized. Twenty five year old depressed Alex is fleeing the humiliation of attempting to let his crush know his feelings. Both Maxine and Alex fill out their Car Share forms in such a way that neither of them are expecting the companion that they actually get.
Maxine is a hoot. She identifies as a twenty, thirty, maybe forty year old. She is a very young spirit in a mature body and she is overflowing with self confidence despite several heart aches in her life. She is one very smart woman even if she does spout malapropisms as if she invented the English language. And my favorite thing of all is that she carries a purse that has an inner capacity the size of the Grand Canyon. If she doesn't have what she needs in that purse, she has something that can pass for what she needs.
Alex's parents, still very present in his life, offer him no emotional support. They are cold, demeaning, and probably a big reason he's been an old, depressed soul for most of his life. Alex is horrified when he's been matched with Maxine as a car share partner but she is just what he needs and she knows it. She knows she can fix Alex, she knows everything will be okay, and she has me believing her. As their trip of misadventures progresses, Alex starts feeling glimmers of happiness that he can't remember feeling for a very long time.
The story is simple and silly and I smiled and laughed. I will admit I might be more like Alex than Maxine except that I covet Maxine's purse. A person will never be left in the cold if they have Maxine's purse to save the day.
Published March 25th 2021
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ARC.
I mostly read heavy themed books so The Car Share was a wonderful change of pace for me. Ninety year old Maxine needs a ride from her retirement facility to Brussels, where she has an appointment to be euthanized. Twenty five year old depressed Alex is fleeing the humiliation of attempting to let his crush know his feelings. Both Maxine and Alex fill out their Car Share forms in such a way that neither of them are expecting the companion that they actually get.
Maxine is a hoot. She identifies as a twenty, thirty, maybe forty year old. She is a very young spirit in a mature body and she is overflowing with self confidence despite several heart aches in her life. She is one very smart woman even if she does spout malapropisms as if she invented the English language. And my favorite thing of all is that she carries a purse that has an inner capacity the size of the Grand Canyon. If she doesn't have what she needs in that purse, she has something that can pass for what she needs.
Alex's parents, still very present in his life, offer him no emotional support. They are cold, demeaning, and probably a big reason he's been an old, depressed soul for most of his life. Alex is horrified when he's been matched with Maxine as a car share partner but she is just what he needs and she knows it. She knows she can fix Alex, she knows everything will be okay, and she has me believing her. As their trip of misadventures progresses, Alex starts feeling glimmers of happiness that he can't remember feeling for a very long time.
The story is simple and silly and I smiled and laughed. I will admit I might be more like Alex than Maxine except that I covet Maxine's purse. A person will never be left in the cold if they have Maxine's purse to save the day.
Published March 25th 2021
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for this ARC.
January 18, 2025
Re-read UPDATE: I rarely ever reread a book, but I couldn't pass this up when the audiobook went on sale after reading and loving the print version back in 2021. It was a 5-star favorite back then and I love it even more now! If I could give more than 5 stars for the audio I would. Helen Keeley did an AMAZING job with this and reminded me why I fell in love with feisty Maxine and mopey Alex all those years ago! If you want an absolutely unforgettable story that will repeatedly make you laugh out loud and hit you in all your feels at the end - this is your book. It may be my favorite audiobook I've ever listened to!
★★★★★ ❤️
_______________________________
Original review from 4/17/21:
Move over Fern and Wally … Eleanor and Raymond .... Weylyn and Mary … Nina and Tom. Don’t be jealous - I still love you all, but there’s a new delightful duo rocking my world:
Alex and Maxine.
Now hold on, don’t get the wrong idea. These two aren’t a couple - that would be icky: Alex is a down-in-the-dumps 25-year-old young man and Maxine is an energetic, whipsmart 90-year-old woman with the best purse of goodies ever who meet through an app called CarShare.com to rideshare on a trip to Brussels. In every way that’s important, they stole my heart and put a smile on my face as I watched them bond in friendship over their two days of adventure.
I don’t want to rehash the whole plot since SO many of us have reviewed this book, but the short story is that Alex is deeply depressed and using his trip to Brussels to heal a broken heart and Maxine is a retirement home runaway convinced she has Alzheimer’s and traveling to Brussels to end her life on her own terms. What neither of this unlikely pair expect is how quickly and deeply they’ll come to value each other, and how their newfound friendship will impact their futures.
The madcap, crazy situations and adventures these two find themselves in over two days - and they are doozies - are in turns hilariously comical and sweetly melancholy, with an equal measure of laugh-out-loud moments and moments where I felt genuine tenderness and concern for them. They’re both hurting in their own ways from past and present circumstances, but as they bicker and bond through good times and bad, I felt so invested in how things would play out for both of them. I wasn’t ready for their story to end!
Here’s the good news: There’s a bonus chapter you can email author Zoe Brisby for! I just read it and it was PERFECT. I’m not sure if that chapter will be included when the book is published, but those of you who get the ARC should definitely request it.
If you want a story that warms your heart and proves that age is just a number and family is who you choose, this is just the gem of a book you need!
★★★★★ ❤️
Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton, Hodder Paperbacks, and author Zoe Brisby for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This will be published June 3, 2021
★★★★★ ❤️
_______________________________
Original review from 4/17/21:
Move over Fern and Wally … Eleanor and Raymond .... Weylyn and Mary … Nina and Tom. Don’t be jealous - I still love you all, but there’s a new delightful duo rocking my world:
Alex and Maxine.
Now hold on, don’t get the wrong idea. These two aren’t a couple - that would be icky: Alex is a down-in-the-dumps 25-year-old young man and Maxine is an energetic, whipsmart 90-year-old woman with the best purse of goodies ever who meet through an app called CarShare.com to rideshare on a trip to Brussels. In every way that’s important, they stole my heart and put a smile on my face as I watched them bond in friendship over their two days of adventure.
I don’t want to rehash the whole plot since SO many of us have reviewed this book, but the short story is that Alex is deeply depressed and using his trip to Brussels to heal a broken heart and Maxine is a retirement home runaway convinced she has Alzheimer’s and traveling to Brussels to end her life on her own terms. What neither of this unlikely pair expect is how quickly and deeply they’ll come to value each other, and how their newfound friendship will impact their futures.
The madcap, crazy situations and adventures these two find themselves in over two days - and they are doozies - are in turns hilariously comical and sweetly melancholy, with an equal measure of laugh-out-loud moments and moments where I felt genuine tenderness and concern for them. They’re both hurting in their own ways from past and present circumstances, but as they bicker and bond through good times and bad, I felt so invested in how things would play out for both of them. I wasn’t ready for their story to end!
Here’s the good news: There’s a bonus chapter you can email author Zoe Brisby for! I just read it and it was PERFECT. I’m not sure if that chapter will be included when the book is published, but those of you who get the ARC should definitely request it.
If you want a story that warms your heart and proves that age is just a number and family is who you choose, this is just the gem of a book you need!
★★★★★ ❤️
Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton, Hodder Paperbacks, and author Zoe Brisby for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This will be published June 3, 2021
August 16, 2024
"The Car Share" by Zoe Brisby is a ride of a lifetime!
A www.carshare.com ride to Brussels has never been so crazy and exciting!
Maxine, 90 years old, fresh from life in a retirement home, is expecting to be picked up by a young lady called Alex. Alex is interested in: Museums. Traveling. Literature.
She sounds dull! But she's driving and it's a ride to Brussels. So...
Alex, 25 years old, fresh from his parents' house, is expecting to pick up a man called Max. Max is interested in: Mechanics, Whisky and Tour de France.
Instead of finding 'Joe the Mechanic', Alex finds the ride of his life, Maxine!
Both have reasons for going to Brussels...
Maxine knows she has Alzheimer's, doesn't want anyone at the retirement home to know and has an appointment to be euthanized. End of life on her terms...
Alex has depression. The humiliation of an unrequited crush. He's running away! Alice from way back lives in Brussels. She might not remember or recognize him. She might be hideous. He might not even see her. Still, a reason to go. You never know, right?
Although Maxine and Alex get off to a rocky start with each expecting someone other than who they met, off they go to Brussels!
Maxine thinks she's much younger than she is. She's young in her head and in her heart. She's worried that Alex is a druggy! Or a dealer!
Alex feels much older than he is. He feels slow, heavy, broken. He thinks Maxine is off her rocker, literally!
And, then they tell each other their story and the most amazing things begin to happen...
I love watching these two very different individuals getting to know each other, become taken with each other, begin to care about each other. A few short days together in Alex's Renault bridge a gap in their ages, their thinking, their feelings!
Empathy is ever present! And, the socially relevant issues are handled with humor, honesty and (dare I say it?) love! The need to help the other person in the car is the beginning of, what I expect to be, a beautiful and a lasting friendship!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention Maxine's bag! Holy-Moly! What isn't in that bag! The bag is the third character in this story, for sure!
This super-sweet-feel-good-experience of a book gets all the stars! And, it's available now!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Zoe Brisby for an ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
A www.carshare.com ride to Brussels has never been so crazy and exciting!
Maxine, 90 years old, fresh from life in a retirement home, is expecting to be picked up by a young lady called Alex. Alex is interested in: Museums. Traveling. Literature.
She sounds dull! But she's driving and it's a ride to Brussels. So...
Alex, 25 years old, fresh from his parents' house, is expecting to pick up a man called Max. Max is interested in: Mechanics, Whisky and Tour de France.
Instead of finding 'Joe the Mechanic', Alex finds the ride of his life, Maxine!
Both have reasons for going to Brussels...
Maxine knows she has Alzheimer's, doesn't want anyone at the retirement home to know and has an appointment to be euthanized. End of life on her terms...
Alex has depression. The humiliation of an unrequited crush. He's running away! Alice from way back lives in Brussels. She might not remember or recognize him. She might be hideous. He might not even see her. Still, a reason to go. You never know, right?
Although Maxine and Alex get off to a rocky start with each expecting someone other than who they met, off they go to Brussels!
Maxine thinks she's much younger than she is. She's young in her head and in her heart. She's worried that Alex is a druggy! Or a dealer!
Alex feels much older than he is. He feels slow, heavy, broken. He thinks Maxine is off her rocker, literally!
And, then they tell each other their story and the most amazing things begin to happen...
I love watching these two very different individuals getting to know each other, become taken with each other, begin to care about each other. A few short days together in Alex's Renault bridge a gap in their ages, their thinking, their feelings!
Empathy is ever present! And, the socially relevant issues are handled with humor, honesty and (dare I say it?) love! The need to help the other person in the car is the beginning of, what I expect to be, a beautiful and a lasting friendship!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention Maxine's bag! Holy-Moly! What isn't in that bag! The bag is the third character in this story, for sure!
This super-sweet-feel-good-experience of a book gets all the stars! And, it's available now!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Zoe Brisby for an ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
May 4, 2023
This was HILARIOUS!
Maxine and her mangled witticisms had me chortling with laughter at almost every other page!
Alex was totally depressed and morose - he just wanted to escape his loveless, go-nowhere life, and Brussels was as far away as he could think of to go (among other reasons!) He's pretty much broke, so he posts an ad on a Car Share Ap, seeking a passenger to share his expenses. Little did Alex know that Fate was sending him help - in more ways than one - in the form of the redoubtable Maxine!
High-spirited Maxine has lived a full, adventure-filled life, but she is now over ninety years old and has decided to make a graceful exit from life. Maxine refuses to continue to moulder away in that terrible retirement home she is incarcerated in. She has made certain arrangements at a hospital in Brussels to end her life. She just needs transportation to get her from France to Brussels: enter Alex and his Car Share ad!
What follows is one riotous madcap adventure after the other. Maxine and Alex were such adorable "partners in crime." And I agree with another Goodreads Reviewer about that magical Mary Poppins purse!. I literally fell out of my armchair from laughing so hard during the gas station scene!
The author has promised us one final chapter - a sort of unofficial Epilogue. I will be clicking on the link in the Author's Acknowledgement as soon as I finish posting this review.
I loved this story from beginning to end. I think I now understand why some readers love serialized novels. (I have never previously been a fan!) I wanted Maxine and Alex's story to go on indefinitely. My rating: all the stars for this wonderful slapstick comedy!
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
Maxine and her mangled witticisms had me chortling with laughter at almost every other page!
Alex was totally depressed and morose - he just wanted to escape his loveless, go-nowhere life, and Brussels was as far away as he could think of to go (among other reasons!) He's pretty much broke, so he posts an ad on a Car Share Ap, seeking a passenger to share his expenses. Little did Alex know that Fate was sending him help - in more ways than one - in the form of the redoubtable Maxine!
High-spirited Maxine has lived a full, adventure-filled life, but she is now over ninety years old and has decided to make a graceful exit from life. Maxine refuses to continue to moulder away in that terrible retirement home she is incarcerated in. She has made certain arrangements at a hospital in Brussels to end her life. She just needs transportation to get her from France to Brussels: enter Alex and his Car Share ad!
What follows is one riotous madcap adventure after the other. Maxine and Alex were such adorable "partners in crime." And I agree with another Goodreads Reviewer about that magical Mary Poppins purse!. I literally fell out of my armchair from laughing so hard during the gas station scene!
The author has promised us one final chapter - a sort of unofficial Epilogue. I will be clicking on the link in the Author's Acknowledgement as soon as I finish posting this review.
I loved this story from beginning to end. I think I now understand why some readers love serialized novels. (I have never previously been a fan!) I wanted Maxine and Alex's story to go on indefinitely. My rating: all the stars for this wonderful slapstick comedy!
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
March 27, 2021
This has got to be one of the most charming books with the most charming characters I will have read this year!
Alex is a young 20-something man who is going through a deep depression. He decides to take a trip to Brussels and try to find a way towards happiness and fulfillment. He makes a profile on a Car Share website to see if anyone else is heading to Brussels. Alex will drive, and wouldn’t mind the company...or the gas money.
Maxine is a (maybe 30,40,50, 60 years old) 90-year old woman with Alzheimer’s. She is living in a retirement home that she rather despises. It feels like a prison, and that doesn’t work for this old lady who acts way younger than her wise years. She decides to go to Brussels, where it is legal to get assistance to end one’s life. She wants the final curtain to fall on her terms, and checks the Car Share website for anyone making the trip to Brussels.
And THAT is how Alex and Maxine end up on the trip of a lifetime. Despite the sad themes that weave their way throughout the plot, this book is a full dose of FUN! Alex and Maxine are opposites in every possible way, but end up bonding while getting themselves into a whole lotta trouble. One humorous shenanigan after another keeps the pace brisk as we learn more about the two characters and their backgrounds.
I had a big smile on my face the whole time I read this, and felt deeply for the Alex and Maxine. Alex is an old soul, and Maxine is way more youthful than he could ever be...but also very wise. It was such a joy to see Maxine bring Alex out of his shell, and for Alex to be a shining light in Maxine’s eyes. Their friendship was hilarious, heartfelt, and legitimate.
One funny thing that runs throughout the book is Maxine’s purse...and how much stuff she has in there. Some of the items include: wet wipes, a corkscrew, feather duster, socks, a huge medicine box, an old brick Nokia phone, an emergency car beacon light, an alarm clock, hundreds of business cards, and some other surprises I don’t want to spoil. What’s even more amusing is how many of the items come in handy on their adventure.
The Car Share is everything The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary should have and could have been. In fact, this fits perfectly in the world of O’Leary’s books when I think about charming and lovable characters who will stay with me for a long time. This was written by French writer Zoe Brisby, and translated to English with ZERO clunk! I absolute loved the brilliant writing, and will be eager for more. Balancing a wild, fun, and uplifting ride with depth has got to be difficult, but Brisby handles it with aplomb.
One last thing: It would be very advantageous of you to read the author’s note at the end. You’re welcome in advance. 😊
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Alex is a young 20-something man who is going through a deep depression. He decides to take a trip to Brussels and try to find a way towards happiness and fulfillment. He makes a profile on a Car Share website to see if anyone else is heading to Brussels. Alex will drive, and wouldn’t mind the company...or the gas money.
Maxine is a (maybe 30,40,50, 60 years old) 90-year old woman with Alzheimer’s. She is living in a retirement home that she rather despises. It feels like a prison, and that doesn’t work for this old lady who acts way younger than her wise years. She decides to go to Brussels, where it is legal to get assistance to end one’s life. She wants the final curtain to fall on her terms, and checks the Car Share website for anyone making the trip to Brussels.
And THAT is how Alex and Maxine end up on the trip of a lifetime. Despite the sad themes that weave their way throughout the plot, this book is a full dose of FUN! Alex and Maxine are opposites in every possible way, but end up bonding while getting themselves into a whole lotta trouble. One humorous shenanigan after another keeps the pace brisk as we learn more about the two characters and their backgrounds.
I had a big smile on my face the whole time I read this, and felt deeply for the Alex and Maxine. Alex is an old soul, and Maxine is way more youthful than he could ever be...but also very wise. It was such a joy to see Maxine bring Alex out of his shell, and for Alex to be a shining light in Maxine’s eyes. Their friendship was hilarious, heartfelt, and legitimate.
One funny thing that runs throughout the book is Maxine’s purse...and how much stuff she has in there. Some of the items include: wet wipes, a corkscrew, feather duster, socks, a huge medicine box, an old brick Nokia phone, an emergency car beacon light, an alarm clock, hundreds of business cards, and some other surprises I don’t want to spoil. What’s even more amusing is how many of the items come in handy on their adventure.
The Car Share is everything The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary should have and could have been. In fact, this fits perfectly in the world of O’Leary’s books when I think about charming and lovable characters who will stay with me for a long time. This was written by French writer Zoe Brisby, and translated to English with ZERO clunk! I absolute loved the brilliant writing, and will be eager for more. Balancing a wild, fun, and uplifting ride with depth has got to be difficult, but Brisby handles it with aplomb.
One last thing: It would be very advantageous of you to read the author’s note at the end. You’re welcome in advance. 😊
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
March 25, 2021
Zoe Brisby's laugh a minute novel deserves to be a rip-roaring success, the perfect antidote to the misery of our pandemic times. Although it took me a while to immerse myself in this zany comic caper, after that I was all in, as the outrageously unforgettable purple haired 90 year old, Max (Maxine) and the depressed and lonely 25 year old, Alex, embark on a gloriously vivid technicolor car share, a mad cap road trip to Brussels. Alex is fleeing an unrequited love affair that has laid him low and parents that are unsupportive and indifferent, a young man with an old person's heart. Max is escaping a controlling retirement home that treats its resident as if they are children, she has more life force in her little finger than Alex, bursting with a young person's vibrancy and heart, certain she has Alzheimer's and wanting to end things before it destroys who she is.
When they first meet, neither finds the other what they expected, with Max mistaking Alex for a druggie due to his unhealthy appearance. Despite being opposites, they start to let the other into their inner spaces, confessing and unburdening more of who they are and their lives than they ever had to another person. Max takes Alex to her heart, wanting to impart the wisdom she has picked up, relating her action packed adventurous years, her first love, Leonard, who she had lost in the war, and her joyful marriage to her late husband, Charles, a well known psychiatrist. Alex begins to respond to the juggernaut that is Max, finding himself beginning to smile and see his life through a different lens, perhaps life is worth living after all, all culminating in him singing to Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive on the car radio. Enduring a makeover which has him wearing a Prada suit, Alex and Max come across a service station robbery, stay in a yurt, attend a funfair, have a psychic reading and are rescued by the incredible contents of Max's bag of magic and so much more.
Brisby demonstrates her sure comic touches and wit in this lighthearted and breezy novel that captivates, the highlight of which is a pensioner, Max, who can dance and sing, whilst swinging her hips like a rock star to stunned audiences, with her scream of an alter ego character in Rebecca, and her endearing malapropisms. Despite her charismatic and extrovert nature, there is an inner vulnerability, and fear and here, Alex comes into his own, able to be there for Max when she most needs him, even if she didn't know it. The two protagonists are inspired creations, each locking onto the other, finding a surprise friendship and love, on a hilarious road trip. I cannot see many readers being able to resist either Max or Alex! Highly recommended. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.
When they first meet, neither finds the other what they expected, with Max mistaking Alex for a druggie due to his unhealthy appearance. Despite being opposites, they start to let the other into their inner spaces, confessing and unburdening more of who they are and their lives than they ever had to another person. Max takes Alex to her heart, wanting to impart the wisdom she has picked up, relating her action packed adventurous years, her first love, Leonard, who she had lost in the war, and her joyful marriage to her late husband, Charles, a well known psychiatrist. Alex begins to respond to the juggernaut that is Max, finding himself beginning to smile and see his life through a different lens, perhaps life is worth living after all, all culminating in him singing to Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive on the car radio. Enduring a makeover which has him wearing a Prada suit, Alex and Max come across a service station robbery, stay in a yurt, attend a funfair, have a psychic reading and are rescued by the incredible contents of Max's bag of magic and so much more.
Brisby demonstrates her sure comic touches and wit in this lighthearted and breezy novel that captivates, the highlight of which is a pensioner, Max, who can dance and sing, whilst swinging her hips like a rock star to stunned audiences, with her scream of an alter ego character in Rebecca, and her endearing malapropisms. Despite her charismatic and extrovert nature, there is an inner vulnerability, and fear and here, Alex comes into his own, able to be there for Max when she most needs him, even if she didn't know it. The two protagonists are inspired creations, each locking onto the other, finding a surprise friendship and love, on a hilarious road trip. I cannot see many readers being able to resist either Max or Alex! Highly recommended. Many thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC.
April 8, 2021
Everyone knows the old saying - life is a journey, not a destination. That’s certainly true in Zoe Brisby’s uplifting novel, The Car Share.
Doesn’t the setup sound like the book would be bit of a downer? A 20-something man with depression (Alex) and a 90-something woman with early signs of dementia (Maxine) sign up via an online car-sharing service to travel together from France to Belgium. Well, it’s not a downer at all. In fact, the word that continually sprang to mind while I was reading it was “romp.” Romp (noun): a high-spirited, carefree, and boisterous play.
Other apt descriptors would be madcap, zany, and over-the-top. The Car Share may actually be one of the least subtle stories I’ve read in awhile. As the characters make their way through France, their various stops include a Pretty Woman-esque shopping trip, a holdup, and a trust fall exercise gone awry.
The novel is translated from French, which made Maxine’s frequent malapropisms interesting. It took me a few chapters to realize that the numerous misused words were Maxine’s errors and not the translators.
The end of the book includes Maxine and Alex’s Playlist, and the songs really help convey the overall vibe: Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman,” and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” are just a few. There’s also an Author’s Note with a little Easter egg for those who wish to find it.
My thanks go to Zoe Brisby and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a gifted copy to review via NetGalley. The Car Share is now available.
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
Doesn’t the setup sound like the book would be bit of a downer? A 20-something man with depression (Alex) and a 90-something woman with early signs of dementia (Maxine) sign up via an online car-sharing service to travel together from France to Belgium. Well, it’s not a downer at all. In fact, the word that continually sprang to mind while I was reading it was “romp.” Romp (noun): a high-spirited, carefree, and boisterous play.
Other apt descriptors would be madcap, zany, and over-the-top. The Car Share may actually be one of the least subtle stories I’ve read in awhile. As the characters make their way through France, their various stops include a Pretty Woman-esque shopping trip, a holdup, and a trust fall exercise gone awry.
The novel is translated from French, which made Maxine’s frequent malapropisms interesting. It took me a few chapters to realize that the numerous misused words were Maxine’s errors and not the translators.
The end of the book includes Maxine and Alex’s Playlist, and the songs really help convey the overall vibe: Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman,” and Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” are just a few. There’s also an Author’s Note with a little Easter egg for those who wish to find it.
My thanks go to Zoe Brisby and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a gifted copy to review via NetGalley. The Car Share is now available.
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
April 23, 2021
A road trip that delivers all the feels.
Alex is a twenty-five-year-old man, heartbroken and depressed, he is on his way to Brussels looking to heal his heart.
He fills out a car share form just looking for someone to share the journey with that won’t annoy or worse, end up killing him.
Max is in her nineties. She is feisty (that’s probably how she has made it this long). She feels her time is limited as she knows she has Alzheimer’s and wants to leave this world on her own terms. She has an appointment at a clinic in Brussels. Max fills out her application for a car share too.
As you guessed Max and Alex are paired up for the journey of their lives!
Both are shocked when they finally meet.
Max thinks that Alex is into drugs but maybe she can still help him straighten up before they reach Brussels.
And Alex was expecting a man, not a little old lady running away from life.
Together their journey begins….
And I felt privileged to be along for the ride.
I instantly fell in love with both of these characters. Each displayed their own quirky personalities. The way they played off each other was priceless. Both wanting to save the other before they reach their destination.
Maxine truly stole the show. I loved how she mixed up popular expressions without realizing it (my mom used to do the same thing💝).
And her bag that carried everything but the kitchen sink. Who knows…maybe if she dug a bit deeper she would have found that too!😂
This book touched my heart. I was laughing…I was crying… sometimes both at once!
I absolutely loved everything about this book and never wanted it to end. I highly recommend!
A buddy read with Susanne
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC to read and review.
Alex is a twenty-five-year-old man, heartbroken and depressed, he is on his way to Brussels looking to heal his heart.
He fills out a car share form just looking for someone to share the journey with that won’t annoy or worse, end up killing him.
Max is in her nineties. She is feisty (that’s probably how she has made it this long). She feels her time is limited as she knows she has Alzheimer’s and wants to leave this world on her own terms. She has an appointment at a clinic in Brussels. Max fills out her application for a car share too.
As you guessed Max and Alex are paired up for the journey of their lives!
Both are shocked when they finally meet.
Max thinks that Alex is into drugs but maybe she can still help him straighten up before they reach Brussels.
And Alex was expecting a man, not a little old lady running away from life.
Together their journey begins….
And I felt privileged to be along for the ride.
I instantly fell in love with both of these characters. Each displayed their own quirky personalities. The way they played off each other was priceless. Both wanting to save the other before they reach their destination.
Maxine truly stole the show. I loved how she mixed up popular expressions without realizing it (my mom used to do the same thing💝).
And her bag that carried everything but the kitchen sink. Who knows…maybe if she dug a bit deeper she would have found that too!😂
This book touched my heart. I was laughing…I was crying… sometimes both at once!
I absolutely loved everything about this book and never wanted it to end. I highly recommend!
A buddy read with Susanne
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC to read and review.
March 25, 2021
Fanciful and Farcical....in all the best ways!!
Alex is an “old soul” trapped in the body of a depressed 25 year old.
When asked for three interests on the carshare.com website, he thinks of Herbal tea, camels and American soul music. But, he can’t say that! So, he goes with Museums, traveling and literature-hoping to attract a young lady to accompany him on his trek to Brussels.
Max is age “none of your business” and enjoys mechanics, whisky and the Tour de France.
In reality, Maxine is a spry nonagenarian, who claps like a little girl when she gets excited, and who loves to make an entrance! She thinks that she has Alzheimer’s and needs to get to Brussels. Alex sounds dull, but since SHE seems to be the only one offering a Carshare to Brussels, Max accepts the offer and pays the fee.
She soon realizes that Alex isn’t a young lady, nor the “drug addict” she feared he might be, when she buckled into her seatbelt, but rather a shy lad lacking in confidence who needed to be coaxed out of his bell. (Or is it, out of his shell?) Maxine is always getting the words in common phrases confused!
You never know what might come out of her mouth, or her enormous handbag!
If you enjoyed last year’s “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman, about a bank robbery gone wrong, you will definitely want to hitch a ride on this road trip, gone awry!!
It is just as humorous and uplifting! 🎈
Also, if you read the AUTHOR’s NOTE, at the end of the book-you will discover one more surprise!
This book was translated from the French by Kelly Ramke Lardin and will be available on March 25, 2021! And, whoever created that colorful, charming book cover-kudos to you, too! 🚗
Thank You to Hodder and Stoughton, for my gifted copy, provided through NetGalley!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
AVAILABLE NOW!!
Alex is an “old soul” trapped in the body of a depressed 25 year old.
When asked for three interests on the carshare.com website, he thinks of Herbal tea, camels and American soul music. But, he can’t say that! So, he goes with Museums, traveling and literature-hoping to attract a young lady to accompany him on his trek to Brussels.
Max is age “none of your business” and enjoys mechanics, whisky and the Tour de France.
In reality, Maxine is a spry nonagenarian, who claps like a little girl when she gets excited, and who loves to make an entrance! She thinks that she has Alzheimer’s and needs to get to Brussels. Alex sounds dull, but since SHE seems to be the only one offering a Carshare to Brussels, Max accepts the offer and pays the fee.
She soon realizes that Alex isn’t a young lady, nor the “drug addict” she feared he might be, when she buckled into her seatbelt, but rather a shy lad lacking in confidence who needed to be coaxed out of his bell. (Or is it, out of his shell?) Maxine is always getting the words in common phrases confused!
You never know what might come out of her mouth, or her enormous handbag!
If you enjoyed last year’s “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman, about a bank robbery gone wrong, you will definitely want to hitch a ride on this road trip, gone awry!!
It is just as humorous and uplifting! 🎈
Also, if you read the AUTHOR’s NOTE, at the end of the book-you will discover one more surprise!
This book was translated from the French by Kelly Ramke Lardin and will be available on March 25, 2021! And, whoever created that colorful, charming book cover-kudos to you, too! 🚗
Thank You to Hodder and Stoughton, for my gifted copy, provided through NetGalley!
It was my pleasure to provide a candid review!
AVAILABLE NOW!!
March 25, 2021
Alex advertises for a car share from Paris to Brussels and Maxine is to be his companion. He’s young, very depressed, she’s 90 something but young in her head. He’s going to Brussels to find a friend from a while ago and she’s going to end things before Alzheimer’s renders all lost. So fasten your seatbelts folks as this is like no other journey, possibly ever!
I absolutely love this book - what a mad caper as the pair cause utter mayhem which leads to a huge amount of laughter. I don’t think I have ever laughed as much during the course of a book as I have with this one, it’s joyful genius. The intrepid pair are polar opposites. Maxine is adorable, she’s incredibly creative, her wit is razor sharp and she sure thinks very calmly on her feet. She’s like no other 90, 80, 70, 60 year old .... whatever age she feels in her head, I mean she knows who David Guetta is!!!! Alex starts out so depressed, he looks shocking, in fact Maxine thinks he looks like a ‘druggie’. Their dialogue is witty, clever, and hilarious. Alex feels old in Paris whereas Maxine feels young, he sees the world in black and white while she sees it in Ultra HD despite the sadness and tragedy in her life. She’s wise and knowledgeable although she could be making stuff up, it’s entirely possible!! I love her malapropisms and somehow her expressions fit better such as Fascist- Sisters (Fashionistas. See? Way better). The car becomes a kind of confessional for both of them as she brings him back to life and he learns joy and zest for life through their mad escapades. How big is Maxine’s handbag? It must be humongous with all the amazing objects she produces for it. Especially useful is the rotating beacon which they put to excellent use in a traffic jam.
Overall, just read it! It’s fantastic and life affirming, it’s funny, a little bit sad and emotional in places but some tears are happy tears especially at the end. Maxine is a gift not just to Alex but also to us though he gives her the greatest gift of all. I love it - can you tell??!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
I absolutely love this book - what a mad caper as the pair cause utter mayhem which leads to a huge amount of laughter. I don’t think I have ever laughed as much during the course of a book as I have with this one, it’s joyful genius. The intrepid pair are polar opposites. Maxine is adorable, she’s incredibly creative, her wit is razor sharp and she sure thinks very calmly on her feet. She’s like no other 90, 80, 70, 60 year old .... whatever age she feels in her head, I mean she knows who David Guetta is!!!! Alex starts out so depressed, he looks shocking, in fact Maxine thinks he looks like a ‘druggie’. Their dialogue is witty, clever, and hilarious. Alex feels old in Paris whereas Maxine feels young, he sees the world in black and white while she sees it in Ultra HD despite the sadness and tragedy in her life. She’s wise and knowledgeable although she could be making stuff up, it’s entirely possible!! I love her malapropisms and somehow her expressions fit better such as Fascist- Sisters (Fashionistas. See? Way better). The car becomes a kind of confessional for both of them as she brings him back to life and he learns joy and zest for life through their mad escapades. How big is Maxine’s handbag? It must be humongous with all the amazing objects she produces for it. Especially useful is the rotating beacon which they put to excellent use in a traffic jam.
Overall, just read it! It’s fantastic and life affirming, it’s funny, a little bit sad and emotional in places but some tears are happy tears especially at the end. Maxine is a gift not just to Alex but also to us though he gives her the greatest gift of all. I love it - can you tell??!!
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
March 25, 2021
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in a bit of a book slump. I had just finished reading a very depressing book and needed a lift. My good friend Jayme thought this would be just the cure, IT WAS. I haven’t laughed this hard in a while and it felt good.
Alex is a young man who has always been shy, a bit of an odd guy who never quite fit in at school. He’s an only child, his parents never even went to the few activities that he was involved in. He’s a law student but doesn’t really know what he wants to do with his life. Recently his doctor diagnosed him with depression and told him to take some time off and try to enjoy life. He decides to go to Brussels because he knows that is where a woman he once loved lives.
Here’s where the story takes off. Alex posts a notice on a car share board looking for someone to share his ride to Brussels, to help pay for gas, etc. He gets a notice from someone named Max and arranges to pick this person up on his way out of town.
Max aka Maxine is a 90 some year old woman who has decided to go to Brussels to end her life. She is tired of the stagnant life in the retirement home after having led a wonderful life. She also thinks she has Alzheimer’s even though she hasn’t seen a doctor.
What follows is a car ride, well a car escapade, that will have you laughing out loud, because Maxine is not a typical 90 year old, in her mind and heart she is young. Along the way they manage to stop a robbery in a petrol station, actually Maxine foiled the robbery. They are being pursued by the police because they think that Maxine was kidnapped and the nursing home has exaggerated the situation. Of course social media is all over this making matters crazy and over the top!!
They run out of petrol while being pursued by the police, spend a night in an authentic Mongolian “yurt”, eating some Mongolian food and dressing in some pretty amazing costumes. Alex finds that he hasn’t slept this well in months. Maxine is amazing at bolstering Alex’s view of himself and Alex has grown so fond of her that he is determined to stop her “plan” in Brussels.
As they are getting closer to Brussels Maxine spots a Fun Fair. Of course they have to stop and Maxine encourages Alex to try all sorts of food and relax and enjoy the ferris wheel. The last ride at the Fun Fair are the bumper cars which Alex is terrified of, Maxine of course wins him over.
I will leave you with some of her words of wisdom “Bumper cars are like life. To keep moving, you have to dodge the other cars. You can choose to play it safe and stay at the edge, but that’s terribly boring! To have fun, to live, you have to take risks. You have to get in the thick of it and be ready to take a blow or give one when necessary. Plus, life and bumper cars are both rides that don’t last long, so you have to enjoy them while you can.”
The ending is satisfying and I can’t wait to see what this author will come up with next. If you are tired of the pandemic, the weather or just day to day life, pick up this book and you will feel a whole lot better!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
Alex is a young man who has always been shy, a bit of an odd guy who never quite fit in at school. He’s an only child, his parents never even went to the few activities that he was involved in. He’s a law student but doesn’t really know what he wants to do with his life. Recently his doctor diagnosed him with depression and told him to take some time off and try to enjoy life. He decides to go to Brussels because he knows that is where a woman he once loved lives.
Here’s where the story takes off. Alex posts a notice on a car share board looking for someone to share his ride to Brussels, to help pay for gas, etc. He gets a notice from someone named Max and arranges to pick this person up on his way out of town.
Max aka Maxine is a 90 some year old woman who has decided to go to Brussels to end her life. She is tired of the stagnant life in the retirement home after having led a wonderful life. She also thinks she has Alzheimer’s even though she hasn’t seen a doctor.
What follows is a car ride, well a car escapade, that will have you laughing out loud, because Maxine is not a typical 90 year old, in her mind and heart she is young. Along the way they manage to stop a robbery in a petrol station, actually Maxine foiled the robbery. They are being pursued by the police because they think that Maxine was kidnapped and the nursing home has exaggerated the situation. Of course social media is all over this making matters crazy and over the top!!
They run out of petrol while being pursued by the police, spend a night in an authentic Mongolian “yurt”, eating some Mongolian food and dressing in some pretty amazing costumes. Alex finds that he hasn’t slept this well in months. Maxine is amazing at bolstering Alex’s view of himself and Alex has grown so fond of her that he is determined to stop her “plan” in Brussels.
As they are getting closer to Brussels Maxine spots a Fun Fair. Of course they have to stop and Maxine encourages Alex to try all sorts of food and relax and enjoy the ferris wheel. The last ride at the Fun Fair are the bumper cars which Alex is terrified of, Maxine of course wins him over.
I will leave you with some of her words of wisdom “Bumper cars are like life. To keep moving, you have to dodge the other cars. You can choose to play it safe and stay at the edge, but that’s terribly boring! To have fun, to live, you have to take risks. You have to get in the thick of it and be ready to take a blow or give one when necessary. Plus, life and bumper cars are both rides that don’t last long, so you have to enjoy them while you can.”
The ending is satisfying and I can’t wait to see what this author will come up with next. If you are tired of the pandemic, the weather or just day to day life, pick up this book and you will feel a whole lot better!!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 6, 2021
What happens when a ninety year old (just barely, more like 50 if you ask her) with Alzheimer's and a 26 year old young man battling depression get together for a car share to Brussels?
An unforgettable madcap adventure with characters you grow to love.
I swear my heart swelled up while reading this. Maxine, you are everything I want to be in life. Oh, how I laughed. I giggled every time she pulled an item from her seemingly endless handbag. Alarm clock, shoe horn, taser - you name it and she's got it.
I adored watching her relationship with Alex evolve and grow. I enjoyed watching Maxine transform this young man from near debilitating anxiety to learning how to let loose a little.
We are only on this earth for a short time so stop regretting the past and worrying over the future. Both are out of our control. It's time to live fully in the present. I really love the message Brisby was sending us readers. If you are looking for something to warm your heart and tickle your funny bone then look no further as this is the book for you! Highly recommend. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy!
After reading all the wonderful reviews for this book I decided to request it this morning and.....ARC approved!!! Yay! 😍💃
An unforgettable madcap adventure with characters you grow to love.
I swear my heart swelled up while reading this. Maxine, you are everything I want to be in life. Oh, how I laughed. I giggled every time she pulled an item from her seemingly endless handbag. Alarm clock, shoe horn, taser - you name it and she's got it.
I adored watching her relationship with Alex evolve and grow. I enjoyed watching Maxine transform this young man from near debilitating anxiety to learning how to let loose a little.
We are only on this earth for a short time so stop regretting the past and worrying over the future. Both are out of our control. It's time to live fully in the present. I really love the message Brisby was sending us readers. If you are looking for something to warm your heart and tickle your funny bone then look no further as this is the book for you! Highly recommend. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy!
After reading all the wonderful reviews for this book I decided to request it this morning and.....ARC approved!!! Yay! 😍💃
June 17, 2021
Two very different individuals are on their way to Brussels by car. They have been badly mismatched by the car-sharing agency due to their vagueness in filling out their questionnaires and their non-specific gender names.
Alex is a gloomy, friendless man in his 20s. He is in the depths of depression. Max is a 90-year-old lady from a nursing home. She is feisty, spunky, and opinionated. Her destination provides legal euthanasia and her goal is to end her life before her Alzheimers disease renders her incompetent to make the decision, and she has already been accepted. Alex’s sullen, morose attitude makes her dread that she is sharing the drive with a drug addict.
This makes it seem to be a bleak and dismal read. Not at all! Their interactions on the road and their adventures are hilarious and heart-warming. Books described as humourous usually have little appeal for me as I rarely find them amusing. While reading Car Share, I frequently found myself laughing out loud, neglecting my dinner cooking on the stove which burned up.
This unexpectedly funny book has much to say about enjoying every day to its fullest, putting aside regrets and disappointments, building self-confidence, overcoming fear of life and death, forgiveness, and the importance of friendship.
When you reach the end of this heartfelt journey and the conclusion of the book there is a pleasant surprise. The author, Zoe Brisby, has an additional chapter that takes place 5 years after the car share. This can be downloaded from her site and is not to be missed!!
Alex is a gloomy, friendless man in his 20s. He is in the depths of depression. Max is a 90-year-old lady from a nursing home. She is feisty, spunky, and opinionated. Her destination provides legal euthanasia and her goal is to end her life before her Alzheimers disease renders her incompetent to make the decision, and she has already been accepted. Alex’s sullen, morose attitude makes her dread that she is sharing the drive with a drug addict.
This makes it seem to be a bleak and dismal read. Not at all! Their interactions on the road and their adventures are hilarious and heart-warming. Books described as humourous usually have little appeal for me as I rarely find them amusing. While reading Car Share, I frequently found myself laughing out loud, neglecting my dinner cooking on the stove which burned up.
This unexpectedly funny book has much to say about enjoying every day to its fullest, putting aside regrets and disappointments, building self-confidence, overcoming fear of life and death, forgiveness, and the importance of friendship.
When you reach the end of this heartfelt journey and the conclusion of the book there is a pleasant surprise. The author, Zoe Brisby, has an additional chapter that takes place 5 years after the car share. This can be downloaded from her site and is not to be missed!!
March 31, 2021
This humorous, heartfelt book was just what I needed as a light refreshing story.
It also took me back to my favorite movie when I was younger - Harold and Maude. Here again, we have an unlikely duo of a very old woman, looking to end her life and a young man, suffering from depression. She takes him on as her project. “Sometimes fate was a funny thing: putting someone in your path who needed saving while you yourself were doomed.”
The characters are enjoyable. I even had a real fondness for Marty, who spells out emojis rather than using them. And Max is a piece of work, with her interesting use of language.
The plot is fairly predictable, the only mystery being whether Max will go through with her plan. Having said that, I enjoyed this book and appreciated the sweet messages imparted.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hodden & Stoughton for an advance copy of this book.
It also took me back to my favorite movie when I was younger - Harold and Maude. Here again, we have an unlikely duo of a very old woman, looking to end her life and a young man, suffering from depression. She takes him on as her project. “Sometimes fate was a funny thing: putting someone in your path who needed saving while you yourself were doomed.”
The characters are enjoyable. I even had a real fondness for Marty, who spells out emojis rather than using them. And Max is a piece of work, with her interesting use of language.
The plot is fairly predictable, the only mystery being whether Max will go through with her plan. Having said that, I enjoyed this book and appreciated the sweet messages imparted.
My thanks to NetGalley and Hodden & Stoughton for an advance copy of this book.
April 2, 2021
I just had to read this quirky novel after seeing great reviews from some of my GR friends about how much fun it is. And they weren't wrong. It's a delightful, laugh-filled read about two seemingly mismatched people on a road trip.
When Alex, a depressed young man, shunned by the girl he's secretly obsessed with, decides to drive across France to Brussels, he advertises for someone to share the cost of the trip on a ride share site. When he arrives to collect Max, his passenger for the trip he doesn't expect to see Maxine, a woman in her 90s with early symptoms of Alzheimers. However, as Maxine will tell him she's really much younger than that, a young person locked in an old person's body. She has her own reasons for going to Brussels and is excited to have escaped from the prison like retirement village she lives in. After she decides he is not the drug addled man he appears to be, Maxine is determined to shake Alex out of his depression and make him see the possibilities life has to offer. And what fun they have on the trip! They fit more unusual experiences into their time together than Alex has experienced in his whole life so far, and he in turn is able to help Maxine find what she most yearns for
Zoe Brisby has written a delightful and humorous road trip. Maxine has a handbag that is the size of the Tardis inside and is able to produce pretty much any item needed at any time. She also has a collection of slightly incorrect idioms which are hilarious. But it's Maxine's wild and free spirit that steals the show and reassures us we are never too old to look for new experiences and take all that life has to offer.
With many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for a copy to read
When Alex, a depressed young man, shunned by the girl he's secretly obsessed with, decides to drive across France to Brussels, he advertises for someone to share the cost of the trip on a ride share site. When he arrives to collect Max, his passenger for the trip he doesn't expect to see Maxine, a woman in her 90s with early symptoms of Alzheimers. However, as Maxine will tell him she's really much younger than that, a young person locked in an old person's body. She has her own reasons for going to Brussels and is excited to have escaped from the prison like retirement village she lives in. After she decides he is not the drug addled man he appears to be, Maxine is determined to shake Alex out of his depression and make him see the possibilities life has to offer. And what fun they have on the trip! They fit more unusual experiences into their time together than Alex has experienced in his whole life so far, and he in turn is able to help Maxine find what she most yearns for
Zoe Brisby has written a delightful and humorous road trip. Maxine has a handbag that is the size of the Tardis inside and is able to produce pretty much any item needed at any time. She also has a collection of slightly incorrect idioms which are hilarious. But it's Maxine's wild and free spirit that steals the show and reassures us we are never too old to look for new experiences and take all that life has to offer.
With many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for a copy to read
June 14, 2021
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
What an absolute joy of a book! I came into it with no expectations at all and found a really uplifting story with one of the best couple of characters I’ve read in a long time.
In the same vein as Ove, Eudora Honeysett or Eleanor Oliphant, Maxine has gone straight into my podium of unforgettable characters.
Alex is 25, depressed and heartbroken. Maxine is 90 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. When they share a road trip to Brussels, 48 hours will be enough to change their lives while having the trip of their lifetimes.
This was my second book this year involving a road trip and it was everything I wished the other one was and sadly wasn’t. You just gotta fall in love with Alex and Maxine. Although some of the issues the story deals with are quite sad and serious, they’re done in a very beautiful and charming way. There were also some hilarious moments. Maxine’s bag of tricks was a wonder and all her turns of phrase made so much sense! Her body might be 90 but her soul definitely isn’t! I just loved her take on life.
Even though this was translated from French it did not feel stilted at any moment as it’s sometimes the case with translations. I hope some more books by this author are translated into English soon or I’ll have to start refreshing my French.
The author’s note had a really nice surprise that I would definitely love to read.
If you’re in the mood to get on the road with a couple of memorable characters to live fun, absurd and heartwarming situations, The car share should be at the top of your TBR.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
What an absolute joy of a book! I came into it with no expectations at all and found a really uplifting story with one of the best couple of characters I’ve read in a long time.
In the same vein as Ove, Eudora Honeysett or Eleanor Oliphant, Maxine has gone straight into my podium of unforgettable characters.
Alex is 25, depressed and heartbroken. Maxine is 90 and in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. When they share a road trip to Brussels, 48 hours will be enough to change their lives while having the trip of their lifetimes.
This was my second book this year involving a road trip and it was everything I wished the other one was and sadly wasn’t. You just gotta fall in love with Alex and Maxine. Although some of the issues the story deals with are quite sad and serious, they’re done in a very beautiful and charming way. There were also some hilarious moments. Maxine’s bag of tricks was a wonder and all her turns of phrase made so much sense! Her body might be 90 but her soul definitely isn’t! I just loved her take on life.
Even though this was translated from French it did not feel stilted at any moment as it’s sometimes the case with translations. I hope some more books by this author are translated into English soon or I’ll have to start refreshing my French.
The author’s note had a really nice surprise that I would definitely love to read.
If you’re in the mood to get on the road with a couple of memorable characters to live fun, absurd and heartwarming situations, The car share should be at the top of your TBR.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2021
Review posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Super-Cute, though a Bit Over the Top.
Two unlikely individuals sign up for a car share and the rest is history!
Max (Maxine) is 90 going on 50 and Alex is a twenty-something with an old soul. Though it doesn’t seem like these two would have anything in common, truth be told, these two are a lot more alike than you’d think. Max is fun, hip, witty, and hilarious and helps bring Alex out of his shell, while Alex is there for Max when most people have deserted her.
It's love pure and simple, in a non-traditional, sweet, charming, and delightful way.
I’ll admit to feeling a whole lot of agita and angst at some of the antics these two got up to, which took a bit away from my enjoyment, though all in all, I really liked this and loved both Alex and Max.
A gem of a book that is exactly what this world needs right now!
This was a buddy read with Ms. Kaceey.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.
Super-Cute, though a Bit Over the Top.
Two unlikely individuals sign up for a car share and the rest is history!
Max (Maxine) is 90 going on 50 and Alex is a twenty-something with an old soul. Though it doesn’t seem like these two would have anything in common, truth be told, these two are a lot more alike than you’d think. Max is fun, hip, witty, and hilarious and helps bring Alex out of his shell, while Alex is there for Max when most people have deserted her.
It's love pure and simple, in a non-traditional, sweet, charming, and delightful way.
I’ll admit to feeling a whole lot of agita and angst at some of the antics these two got up to, which took a bit away from my enjoyment, though all in all, I really liked this and loved both Alex and Max.
A gem of a book that is exactly what this world needs right now!
This was a buddy read with Ms. Kaceey.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the arc.
Published on Goodreads, Twitter, and Instagram.
June 28, 2022
Maxine and Alex were quite a pair. Not in the way you are thinking. She is a ninety-year-old lady and he is only twenty-five. Yet, their friendship works.
Max(ine) lives in a retirement community and using the app car share, she pays Alex for a trip to Brussels. Maxine is going there to end her life. She believes she has Alzheimer's and she doesn't want to live that way. So she has an appointment she can't miss.
Alex is a depressed young man who is going to Brussels after having his heart broken. He needs a vacation but needs help with gas so he puts an announcement in the app. At first, he is not sure about Maxine. She seems to be crazy but soon he realizes she is just that way. A spirited and funny lady who he starts caring for.
Between Maxine and the neurotic Alex, the trip is quite memorable. In a way, both helped each other open up about their current situation and realized that life is not so bad after all if you have someone who cares about you.
I love Maxine, she was full of life and her purse was the bomb. Alex was a little harder to like at the beginning but this mismatched pair worked in the end.
3/5 Fangs
Cliffhanger: No
A complimentary copy was provided by Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Max(ine) lives in a retirement community and using the app car share, she pays Alex for a trip to Brussels. Maxine is going there to end her life. She believes she has Alzheimer's and she doesn't want to live that way. So she has an appointment she can't miss.
Alex is a depressed young man who is going to Brussels after having his heart broken. He needs a vacation but needs help with gas so he puts an announcement in the app. At first, he is not sure about Maxine. She seems to be crazy but soon he realizes she is just that way. A spirited and funny lady who he starts caring for.
Between Maxine and the neurotic Alex, the trip is quite memorable. In a way, both helped each other open up about their current situation and realized that life is not so bad after all if you have someone who cares about you.
I love Maxine, she was full of life and her purse was the bomb. Alex was a little harder to like at the beginning but this mismatched pair worked in the end.
3/5 Fangs
Cliffhanger: No
A complimentary copy was provided by Hodder & Stoughton via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
March 30, 2021
I never read books like this. Ever! Cute is not in my lexicon. BUT my friends all loved this so much that, in my continuing quest for “something different” and suffering a severe case of FOMO, I thought “why not?” What harm could it do? And to my amazement and delight I really loved this story. Not just because it was heartwarming, which alone is not enough for me. But because it was seriously funny, I mean laugh out loud funny. My husband was giving me strange looks as I chuckled and chortled my way through the book. It may well be the funniest thing I’ve ever read!
There not much you need to know about the plot. Alex is 25, seriously depressed and is going to Brussels to, well, he’s not totally sure but his former high school crush lives there. Maxine is “none of your business” but let’s say in her nineties and she is going to Brussels to get euthanised before she succumbs to Alzheimer’s. They both decide to do the trip as a car share although Alex is a little nonplussed when he pulls up at the address given and finds it is a retirement home. Maxine has absconded without telling anyone. What follows is priceless! These two needed to meet and through the two day journey they learn a lot about each other but more importantly, about themselves.
Along the way they have a series of madcap adventures which are just hilarious. Maxine may be on her way to die but she intends to enjoy the trip as much as possible and also lift Alex out of his melancholy. Poor Alex is dragged from one adventure to the next, scared of his own shadow, while the indomitable Maxine brazens her way through every obstacle. The scene is the Prada store alone was priceless. But Alex also comes to care for Maxine too and is not comfortable with the idea of dropping her off at the clinic in Brussels to be euthanised.
I could talk about Maxine’s handbag which contained everything one could possible need except the kitchen...well, who knows, she may even have had a kitchen sink in there. And her malapropisms alone were worth reading the book for. So - contrary to my usual reading preferences I absolutely loved this funny, heartwarming and generally uplifting book. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy! Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Zoe Brisby for providing a review copy. My opinions are my own.
There not much you need to know about the plot. Alex is 25, seriously depressed and is going to Brussels to, well, he’s not totally sure but his former high school crush lives there. Maxine is “none of your business” but let’s say in her nineties and she is going to Brussels to get euthanised before she succumbs to Alzheimer’s. They both decide to do the trip as a car share although Alex is a little nonplussed when he pulls up at the address given and finds it is a retirement home. Maxine has absconded without telling anyone. What follows is priceless! These two needed to meet and through the two day journey they learn a lot about each other but more importantly, about themselves.
Along the way they have a series of madcap adventures which are just hilarious. Maxine may be on her way to die but she intends to enjoy the trip as much as possible and also lift Alex out of his melancholy. Poor Alex is dragged from one adventure to the next, scared of his own shadow, while the indomitable Maxine brazens her way through every obstacle. The scene is the Prada store alone was priceless. But Alex also comes to care for Maxine too and is not comfortable with the idea of dropping her off at the clinic in Brussels to be euthanised.
I could talk about Maxine’s handbag which contained everything one could possible need except the kitchen...well, who knows, she may even have had a kitchen sink in there. And her malapropisms alone were worth reading the book for. So - contrary to my usual reading preferences I absolutely loved this funny, heartwarming and generally uplifting book. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy! Thanks to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Zoe Brisby for providing a review copy. My opinions are my own.
April 13, 2021
This is a cleverly written story that had me hooked from the beginning. The story is told from the POV of Alex (25-yr old suffering from depression) and Maxine (90-yr old experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's). They'd never met until they agreed to share a ride to Brussels (each going for a different purpose). This ride-share turned into a two-day adventure that changed their lives forever.
This book has everything I like in a story:
🔅Humor
🔅Sarcasm
🔅Quirky characters
🔅Heartwarming message
🔅Thought-provoking plot
Reading about Alex and Maxine's journey and adventures was so much fun! I enjoyed Alex's sarcasm and Maxine's wisdom. Their stories were both heartbreaking and uplifting. Overall, this is a memorable story and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.
This book has everything I like in a story:
🔅Humor
🔅Sarcasm
🔅Quirky characters
🔅Heartwarming message
🔅Thought-provoking plot
Reading about Alex and Maxine's journey and adventures was so much fun! I enjoyed Alex's sarcasm and Maxine's wisdom. Their stories were both heartbreaking and uplifting. Overall, this is a memorable story and I'm glad I got a chance to read it.
January 6, 2022
4.25 super cute stars
This book has some fun characters (and a beautiful cover!) that will be sure to bring some sunshine to your life. You never quite know how things will go when you share a car for a road trip with a stranger. In this case, Alex is headed to Brussels and wants to save a bit on the expense, so he agrees to bring Max(ine) along for the ride, picking her up outside her retirement home.
You need to know that Alex is a young man struggling with depression, anxiety, and heartbreak and Max is a 90-year-old woman suffering from Alzheimer’s. Together they are quite the pair! They get into a load of trouble along the way, and I loved how Max seemed to have an amazing collection of things they would need in her handbag! This one made me laugh with how ridiculous a few situations turned out.
The two develop an offbeat friendship and turn out to be really good for each other. Max has some trouble with expressions, she says “it’s running like dock work” for example and takes pains to explain to Alex that this is so much more correct than “running like clockwork” as dockworkers need to work as a team. The two have a great banter throughout the book.
This one was a quick enjoyable read that left me uplifted at the end! A perfect buddy read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-copy of this gem.
This book has some fun characters (and a beautiful cover!) that will be sure to bring some sunshine to your life. You never quite know how things will go when you share a car for a road trip with a stranger. In this case, Alex is headed to Brussels and wants to save a bit on the expense, so he agrees to bring Max(ine) along for the ride, picking her up outside her retirement home.
You need to know that Alex is a young man struggling with depression, anxiety, and heartbreak and Max is a 90-year-old woman suffering from Alzheimer’s. Together they are quite the pair! They get into a load of trouble along the way, and I loved how Max seemed to have an amazing collection of things they would need in her handbag! This one made me laugh with how ridiculous a few situations turned out.
The two develop an offbeat friendship and turn out to be really good for each other. Max has some trouble with expressions, she says “it’s running like dock work” for example and takes pains to explain to Alex that this is so much more correct than “running like clockwork” as dockworkers need to work as a team. The two have a great banter throughout the book.
This one was a quick enjoyable read that left me uplifted at the end! A perfect buddy read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the e-copy of this gem.
November 17, 2021
I can't remember the last time I laughed so much while reading a book. Ninety year old Maxine (Max) may have Alzheimer’s, but she sure hasn’t lost her sense of humor and Alex, who was about to pick Maxine up to take her to Brussels was soon going to find this out.
Alex is twenty six years old and he is depressed and heartbroken, but could this all change when he picks up Maxine through a car share app. At first Alex thinks he has the wrong pick up point as the address ends up leading him to a retirement home and it says he is to pick up Max whom he presumed was a male, but it turns out to be ninety year old Maxine. Maxine needs to get to Brussels, but as soon as she sets her eyes on Alex she wonders if he is capable of making the trip. At first, Max and Alex seemed to have nothing in common, but while driving together, they discover they have more in common than they thought.
The Car Share by Zoe Brisby was such a joy to read and I didn’t want it to end. I loved this book and found it an absolute pleasure to read. With fun loving characters and a well written storyline, which I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who is looking for their next book to read.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.
Alex is twenty six years old and he is depressed and heartbroken, but could this all change when he picks up Maxine through a car share app. At first Alex thinks he has the wrong pick up point as the address ends up leading him to a retirement home and it says he is to pick up Max whom he presumed was a male, but it turns out to be ninety year old Maxine. Maxine needs to get to Brussels, but as soon as she sets her eyes on Alex she wonders if he is capable of making the trip. At first, Max and Alex seemed to have nothing in common, but while driving together, they discover they have more in common than they thought.
The Car Share by Zoe Brisby was such a joy to read and I didn’t want it to end. I loved this book and found it an absolute pleasure to read. With fun loving characters and a well written storyline, which I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who is looking for their next book to read.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my digital copy to read and review.
April 5, 2021
A wonderfully uplifting, charming, and heartfelt story
Alex, a twenty five year old male, is slowly filling out an online form looking for someone to car share a ride to Brussels as this story begins, his hesitation at each question shows his insecurities and indecisiveness, especially as he is recently diagnosed with depression. The doctor had told him he needed to ’see a therapist, take long walks,’prescribing him antidepressants. He decides to go to Brussels, hoping to find a girl he’d known in Year Five.
Max, Maxine, a ninety year old woman living in a Alzheimer’s care facility replies to Alex’s car share ad, thinking that Alex is short for Alexandra. When Alex arrives Max is standing near where he pulls up, but it takes a while before they realize that they are waiting for each other. What Alex isn’t aware of is why Max wants to go to Brussels, she has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life slowly slipping away. She’s made an appointment to make sure that she doesn’t spend her last good days that way.
’At a certain age, we live more with memories than with the living; friendly shadows inviting us to join them.’
As the drive proceeds, Max’s departure from her care facility eventually comes to the attention of the faculty. Alex is unaware that Max left without ‘permission.’ When someone who had seen her get in his car describes him in an extremely unflattering light, news of her disappearance makes the news, and their innocent drive soon becomes an adventure neither was expecting. Max is quite the character, and I loved the yin and yang of this relationship as their time together brings Alex a bit out of his shell, as Max pushes him to figure out what he really wants for his life. They eventually find their drive fraught with both tension and a growing admiration and love. Maxine also comes a little bit out of her shell, sharing her story more fully as the story progresses.
I doubt I am alone in wanting a brief moment of something lighter, something that offered a brief respite after more this year plus that I’m sure we can agree has been difficult, at best. This was what I was looking for, and more. I hope this is made into a film starring Betty White as Max, something we can see in an actual movie theatre when this is all over.
Published: 25 Mar 2021
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Hodder and Stoughton
#TheCarShare #NetGalley
August 24, 2021
I love to love books that I read, and I love to write reviews about books that I loved to read. So, if I’m mucking around about writing a review, it is usually because I did not love the book. The Car Share is a cute book. I’d like to be more enthusiastic, but I’ve been mucking around with this book for over two months. The premise is cute, as are the characters, so this book is going to appeal to many readers. I might even enjoy watching the movie. But (could you feel that coming?), cute just isn’t enough for me. I’m at 70% and it will probably take me another few months to finish (I’ve read at least five or more books since starting The Car Share). This is not DNF material. For me it was a road trip to nowhere. I know I will come back to this review in a few months, when I’ve finally finished the book and perhaps shed a tear or two at the end.
Alex is driving to Belgium and advertises for a car share to defray costs. He is a severely depressed young man of 25, with little self-esteem - and to top that off, he is mourning having been dumped by his girlfriend (Was she ever really his girlfriend? This part seems a bit amorphous.). Max is a feisty 90-year-old woman who needs a ride on her escape route to Belgium where she has scheduled her euthanization. She oozes the self-confidence of a woman who has lived a full and happy life, with memories of a marriage to a loving and beloved husband, but is derisive at having been reduced to the indignities of an old-age retirement home and now finds herself spiraling down the rabbit hole of Alzheimer.
The couple have some hilarious experiences on their trip, and, if not for the disparity in ages, this could have been the ultimate meet cute. I can predict the tears of joy or despair, waiting for me at the end of their journey – but I haven’t the patience to wait any longer….
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and I believe this book will have great appeal to a wide range of audiences.
Alex is driving to Belgium and advertises for a car share to defray costs. He is a severely depressed young man of 25, with little self-esteem - and to top that off, he is mourning having been dumped by his girlfriend (Was she ever really his girlfriend? This part seems a bit amorphous.). Max is a feisty 90-year-old woman who needs a ride on her escape route to Belgium where she has scheduled her euthanization. She oozes the self-confidence of a woman who has lived a full and happy life, with memories of a marriage to a loving and beloved husband, but is derisive at having been reduced to the indignities of an old-age retirement home and now finds herself spiraling down the rabbit hole of Alzheimer.
The couple have some hilarious experiences on their trip, and, if not for the disparity in ages, this could have been the ultimate meet cute. I can predict the tears of joy or despair, waiting for me at the end of their journey – but I haven’t the patience to wait any longer….
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and I believe this book will have great appeal to a wide range of audiences.
May 6, 2021
“We’re not criminals. Juvenile delinquents, at most.” “That’s reassuring.”
How I feel giving a sort of lackluster review for this one . . . .
The story here is about an elderly woman and a young man who wind up in a carshare situation to save the cost of traveling to Brussels. She suffers from Alzheimer’s. He suffers from depression. She’s hoping to end her life once they reach their destination. He’s putting a last ditch effort in to the hopes of beginning his. It’s super cute and feel good and I am basically this . . . . .
My apologies for my meh reaction. I am a wrongreader. (Although perhaps some of the blame can be shouldered by a “lost in translation” situation? I noticed the original was in French.)
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
How I feel giving a sort of lackluster review for this one . . . .
The story here is about an elderly woman and a young man who wind up in a carshare situation to save the cost of traveling to Brussels. She suffers from Alzheimer’s. He suffers from depression. She’s hoping to end her life once they reach their destination. He’s putting a last ditch effort in to the hopes of beginning his. It’s super cute and feel good and I am basically this . . . . .
My apologies for my meh reaction. I am a wrongreader. (Although perhaps some of the blame can be shouldered by a “lost in translation” situation? I noticed the original was in French.)
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!
May 30, 2021
Alex & Max are on a road trip to Brussels. They are going to be your favorite odd couple when you read their story. There may be seven decades in between them in age, but they are connected in spirit. I loved the immediate bond that developed between them and the fierce protectiveness they showed for each other. 48 hours in a Renault Twingo works wonders for both of them and there are a ton of surprises along the way. Perhaps both of them have more treasures to discover in life than they realized. Includes a their road trip play list and an offer for one last chapter. Yes, please.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2021
4 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
A joyous, uplifting and humorous read about an unlikely pair who learn that it was fated that they should meet. It is crazy to think a book can be about depression, loneliness and heartbreak and still be a fun and heartwarming read – but that is exactly what this book is.
Ninety year, old honest to a fault, Maxine, (I pictured the indomitable Betty White throughout the book) and Alex, a young man with major self-confidence issues, meet to share a car ride to Brussels. The book follows the outrageous escapades these two fall into in as they run from the police and toward a friendship built on respect and encouragement.
The friendship is unexpected, and comes at the perfect time for each of them. Alex is fleeing from an embarrassing heartbreak, while Maxine is dealing with loneliness as her life in the retirement home is depressing and her loves and most of her friends are now deceased. She has a heartbreaking line in the book that I loved, “She had opened the floodgates of her memories and didn’t know if she could close them up again. They were like precious treasures that you were afraid to take out of the cabinet for fear of breaking them.” To temper the sadness, the author does a great job at injecting humor at just the right places.
Maxine constantly mixes up common phrases and it was fun to catch them all. She is such a quirky, smart and sassy character. Her years of experience and heartbreak of her own make her the perfect person to help Alex out of his fog. I felt sad for the relationships in Alex’s life as it seemed that no one, not even his parents, ever quite believed in him until Maxine. Luckily, by the end of the book, I saw Alex with faith, knowing he would be able to lift himself up and become all that he was meant to be.
“There will always be one crisis after another, and if you don’t take the time to stop and do what really matters, life will pass you by. Maxine’s late husband, Charles, from The Car Share.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for the ARC copy of this book.
I recommend this book as a light, uplifting and very enjoyable read!
A joyous, uplifting and humorous read about an unlikely pair who learn that it was fated that they should meet. It is crazy to think a book can be about depression, loneliness and heartbreak and still be a fun and heartwarming read – but that is exactly what this book is.
Ninety year, old honest to a fault, Maxine, (I pictured the indomitable Betty White throughout the book) and Alex, a young man with major self-confidence issues, meet to share a car ride to Brussels. The book follows the outrageous escapades these two fall into in as they run from the police and toward a friendship built on respect and encouragement.
The friendship is unexpected, and comes at the perfect time for each of them. Alex is fleeing from an embarrassing heartbreak, while Maxine is dealing with loneliness as her life in the retirement home is depressing and her loves and most of her friends are now deceased. She has a heartbreaking line in the book that I loved, “She had opened the floodgates of her memories and didn’t know if she could close them up again. They were like precious treasures that you were afraid to take out of the cabinet for fear of breaking them.” To temper the sadness, the author does a great job at injecting humor at just the right places.
Maxine constantly mixes up common phrases and it was fun to catch them all. She is such a quirky, smart and sassy character. Her years of experience and heartbreak of her own make her the perfect person to help Alex out of his fog. I felt sad for the relationships in Alex’s life as it seemed that no one, not even his parents, ever quite believed in him until Maxine. Luckily, by the end of the book, I saw Alex with faith, knowing he would be able to lift himself up and become all that he was meant to be.
“There will always be one crisis after another, and if you don’t take the time to stop and do what really matters, life will pass you by. Maxine’s late husband, Charles, from The Car Share.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for the ARC copy of this book.
I recommend this book as a light, uplifting and very enjoyable read!
April 21, 2021
If you need an escape from your everyday life and worries, please join Alex and Maxine on their road trip. You will definitely have many laughs and also shed a few tears.
Alex needs to get away, so he decides to drive to Brussels. He advertises for a companion to share the cost. He has just been diagnosed with depression. He asks the doctor: "Is it serious?" and the doctor says," Everyone is depressed these days." Ain't that the truth.
Max (Maxine) replies to Alex's ad. She lives in a retirement home and has her own reasons for wanting to go to Brussels.
Both are surprised at who their companion will be during this trip. The bond that develops between the two of them is priceless. Definitely a book that had me smiling frequently.
This is a life affirming book. Maxine, whose zest for living is abundant, is trying to make Alex see that a person has to make the most of each and every day. Life is a gift that can't be taken for granted.
This is a quick, light read that will inspire you to look on the bright side and just live the best life you can.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and the author for an e copy to read and review.
Alex needs to get away, so he decides to drive to Brussels. He advertises for a companion to share the cost. He has just been diagnosed with depression. He asks the doctor: "Is it serious?" and the doctor says," Everyone is depressed these days." Ain't that the truth.
Max (Maxine) replies to Alex's ad. She lives in a retirement home and has her own reasons for wanting to go to Brussels.
Both are surprised at who their companion will be during this trip. The bond that develops between the two of them is priceless. Definitely a book that had me smiling frequently.
This is a life affirming book. Maxine, whose zest for living is abundant, is trying to make Alex see that a person has to make the most of each and every day. Life is a gift that can't be taken for granted.
This is a quick, light read that will inspire you to look on the bright side and just live the best life you can.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Hodder & Stoughton and the author for an e copy to read and review.
March 22, 2021
When Alex pulls up to meet ''Max,'' h expects everything but a ninety year old lady who has her heart set on getting to Brussels by carpool. Max (Maxine) could not be more ill at ease when settling into the seat next to the young man with bloodshot eyes. God help her if he turns out to be a drug addict. Max is suffering from Alzheimers and wants to take matters into her own hands while she still can. Alws battles severe depression. A wonderful friendship starts to form between the unlikely pair.
Alex and Maxine are sharing a car ride from France to Brussels. He is twenty five and she's ninety. You'd think they wouldn't get on, but it soon becomes apparent that they actually have a lot in common. We join them on their humorous journey. Max always manages to get her quotes mixed up. This is one of those books that make you feel good even though it deals with health issues. Alex and Max are great characters. Loved this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HodderStoughton and the author #ZoeBrisby for my ARC of #TheCarShare in exchange for an honest review.
Alex and Maxine are sharing a car ride from France to Brussels. He is twenty five and she's ninety. You'd think they wouldn't get on, but it soon becomes apparent that they actually have a lot in common. We join them on their humorous journey. Max always manages to get her quotes mixed up. This is one of those books that make you feel good even though it deals with health issues. Alex and Max are great characters. Loved this book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HodderStoughton and the author #ZoeBrisby for my ARC of #TheCarShare in exchange for an honest review.
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