The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

 "Everyone lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth instead?  ...maybe telling that story would change your life, or the life of someone you've not yet met."

                           -Julian Jessop, from The Authenticity Project

This novel was highly recommended by a friend and I found it quite delightful. It is cleverly written, a unique format with a story told by several interesting characters in short chapters, making for a real page-turner. There is much humor and a few twists and turns, adding to the entertainment value. 

Julian Jessop, an elderly gentleman, begins writing about his feelings of loneliness and invisibility in a composition book he entitles The Authenticity Project (see quote). He intentionally leaves the book in Monica's Café. Monica finds and reads Julian's story, decides to befriend him and eventually shares her own truths in The Authenticity Project book. As one might predict, the notebook gets passed along until 6 strangers have been connected by it, forming unexpected friendships, even romances along the way, and seemingly improving everyone's lives. Some characters are quirky and all have various real-world problems made easier by revealing the TRUTH. 

In her Acknowledgments, the author admits that this book is very personal for her and stems from her blog-turned-book, The Sober Diaries. She says, "What I discovered is that telling the truth about your life really can work magic and change the lives of many other people for the better." Herein, lies the theme of this novel.

I enjoyed the references to sites in London with which I was familiar: Chelsea and Sloane Square. It's interesting to come across British expressions like sweet shop, car bonnet, mobile phone, pushchair, portaloo and others. Bailey's Irish Cream, mentioned often, is a favorite drink of mine. Also it was quite a coincidence that I read How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny recently and she quoted Leonard Cohen's "Anthem" as Hazard does late in this novel:

"Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in."

Did I mention I REALLY liked this novel? My rating is a 5.