_{Feature photo above by Fernando Hernandez on Unsplash}

City Girl Reads #5 – The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Multiple Narrators
Year: 2020

Are you the type of reader who reads one book at a time, finishing one before moving on to the next? I used to be, when I was younger. These days, I’m usually always in the middle of two books (sometimes three), one fiction and one non-fiction. Reading fiction is great for many reasons, but an important one these days is that I think it’s a great way to take a break. I enjoy taking a bit of time to slow down and enter another world and story for a bit. :)

I recently finished The Authencity Project, which I kept eyeing on the shelves of bookstores whenever I popped by, liking the premise of the story and the good reviews I was seeing online. Set in a neighbourhood in London and largely centred around a cafe in the neighbourhood (I love this detail!), the story revolves around a group of 6 strangers who all end up sharing their secrets in the same notebook – thoughts and reflections that most of us don’t usually share with others easily, if at all. Along the way, friendships and romantic relationships form, secrets unravel and through the multiple characters, the reader gets to explore the idea of what being authentic even means. 

I think the story and the characters Clare Pooley created to explore the idea of authenticity is very relatable in a world of Instagram and social media. It’s actually a positive light-hearted story centred around unlikely friendships and romance between a cast of likeable characters! The premise isn’t exactly the most realistic, but it works just fine for me, because sometimes I don’t need my fiction books to be realistic! ;)

Everyone lies about their lives. What would happen if you shared the truth instead? The one thing that defines you, that makes everything else  about you fall into place? Not on the internet, but with those real people around you.

Perhaps nothing. Or maybe telling that story would change your life, or the life of someone you’ve not yet met. That’s what I want to find out.

The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

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