The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

The story of a solitary green notebook that brings together six strangers and leads to unexpected friendship, and even love

Julian Jessop, an eccentric, lonely artist and septuagenarian believes that most people aren't really honest with each other. But what if they were? And so he writes – in a plain, green journal – the truth about his own life and leaves it in his local café. It's run by the incredibly tidy and efficient Monica, who furtively adds her own entry and leaves the book in the wine bar across the street. Before long, the others who find the green notebook add the truths about their own deepest selves – and soon find each other in real life at Monica's café.

Brilliant, brilliant read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading! The characters were so likeable and relatable to. The writer made you wish you were actually friends with the characters involved. Added to that was the sense of humour which made it an excellent read. The other thing that made it so likeable was the whole feeling of community spirit (I love when that kind of thing is involved in a story)!

I read it on The Pigeonhole, where they release a stave (a few chapters per day) and that meant that after I'd read a day's chapters, I couldn't wait for the next days to be released!

I would definitely recommend this book to others!

This delightful, charming, and uplifting story about a group of individuals learning how to be their true selves is a real gem. Julian Jessop, a lonely, elderly artist, writes in a notebook, “Everyone lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth instead?” He then leaves this notebook in a cafe, where it begins its journey through the lives of four people who all struggle to find balance between their public selves and their authentic selves.

The characters are what make this book stand out. They are complex and believable. The reader can see a bit of themselves in them. Monica's insecurities and Alice's struggles with parenthood are similar to what many women battle. Both women try so hard to appear to be in control and have it all sorted out, but the reader can appreciate the reality of their imperfections. One of my favorite lines from the book, “It took a lot of planning and hard work for Monica to be this relaxed,” rings so true to me. Pooley seems to “get it.” The male characters are just as flawed and intriguing. Hazard's struggle with addiction is portrayed as ongoing, not something that is easily fixed. It isn't sugar-coated.

The plot has just enough bumps and turns to keep the reader interested. Just when you think you have a character figured out, something surprises you. The end is mostly satisfying. I would change a couple things in the romance aspects of the book, but overall, I think the book finished as it should.

In the end, I finished this book with a smile on my face. I would definitely recommend it to any reader that enjoys a character-driven book in which people deal with real life struggles and learn to be their best selves.

Julian Jessop writes down the truth of his life in a simple green journal and leaves it for others to find in a cafe. Monica finds the journal and is inspired to write down the truth of her life and leaves the journal for someone else to find in a wine bar nearby. And on it goes, each person who finds the book, reading the stories of others and influencing the lives of others and writing down the truths of one's own life.

I liked all these characters and I loved how they became friends and formed a community together in a way that benefited everyone.

5 stars!
I can't believe this book is at an overall 3.95 rating. It was so amazing! Is the wrong age group reading this book?

Pros:
- 6 POVs, all very different, all very interesting to read.
- This is adult fiction, as in the characters age between 26 - 85 years. The youngest is 26 but everyone else is above 30. Considering how much YA I read, this was amazing and complex and beautifully written