Our Best Attention has been fortunate in receiving positive reviews on Amazon and Goodreads which is very reassuring. However, many readers don’t actually get round to writing formal reviews. Its hard to know why this might be.  Some of them might feel intimidated and aren’t confident enough to put their views in print, others may not be very computer savvy and are unsure how to go about this. However, it has been gratifying to receive a number of emails and letters from people who have enjoyed the book. Here is a selection of their comments. Some brought a tear to my eye! Here’s a selection:

“I absolutely love your book!  Almost finished and, yes, I recognized X right away! You have captured the essence, atmosphere and intricacies of the department store we knew perfectly! I adore your prose, your descriptive words are just that…..I can “see” who I am reading about, the place I am reading about, hear the person speaking. Well done you! In to second print already,  wow!”

“I have read the book and broke my own rule of only reading a chapter at bedtime. I struggled to put it down. In many ways I feel that this book is similar to some of Maeve Binchy books. The chapters introduce a new character that I hope will be re introduced in later books as with Maeve’s characters. I especially loved the visit to the footwear department!!! That could have been me as a youngster. Keep writing – I await the swift publication of the next book.”

“I really enjoyed the book. It had great characters in it and you felt as if you really knew them well. I loved the style, with the common thread running throughout it. I guess because I know X, I know how well you described it. My Nana worked there as a young girl as a model, in the days when ladies did not try on their own clothes, the ‘Third Miss Patterson’ would have loved that! Think she was my favourite character, although I loved Martin too and think that I can easily identify with his critical eye for others clothes”

“I love the book when I heard it had no violence and sex I thought this is not for me but it has transported me back to when I first came to Scotland. I would catch the bus from Currie and visit all those wonderful department stores. I had a friend who worked in one of them and her stories are all there. She died several years ago but your book makes me feel as if I am having a conversation with her. Thank you”

Of course not everyone enjoyed the book. The rather sour comments from a student reviewer were found to be incomprehensible by people who had read the book. Phew!!