Michelle Blanchard Ardillo

I’m glad I persevered with this book. When I was at 27%, I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish it. But, I hate leaving books unfinished out of respect for the author and the hard work involved in bringing a book project to fruition.

The beginning of the book focuses a lot on Amy’s hidden life behind the firmly closed door of her home. Once someone who collected pretty things, she has slipped past that into collecting everything. She can’t let go of anything because she can’t grab onto the one thing she sorely wants and needs to move on in her life: closure.

The writing in this book is fine, but I felt the exposition dragged on a bit for my liking. It seemed to take forever for us to find out about her backstory and why she is so damaged. Once that story starts unfolding, my interest in this book really took off, especially as her relationship with her new neighbors develops.

I requested this book because of the description: “For fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Evvie Drake Starts Over comes a funny and tender debut about a reclusive artist whose collection has gotten out of control—but whose unexpected friendship with a pair of new neighbors might be just what she needs to start over.” Since I loved both of those books, I was hoping to feel the same way about this one. In the end, I loved this book. I think there is a bit of Amy in most of us, and letting go is a difficult thing to do, whether it is a material item or a loved one. The lesson to be learned in The Missing Treasures of Amy Ashton is that in letting go, we make room for something new and wonderful to enter our lives.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an early e-book edition of this book.

February 26, 2021