I was immediately drawn to the cover of Heft its bright colours and image of two people intrigued me. I loved the setting of the New York city suburbs too. However, Liz Moore's story far exceeds the beautiful cover. The book was a page turner from start to finish and even after finishing it, the story has stuck with me. Truely one of the best novels I have read this year. Arthur and Kel's emotional journeys are both heartwarming and inspiring.

This story gave me tremendous enjoyment. The central characters, an obese middle-aged man, a young man forced to be a carer for his drunken mother, and a hispanic housemaid are all flawed but all the more human and likeable for that. In common with many novels there are two narrators. This literary device works well in this case and adds to the enjoyment of the story and the appreciation of the threads of the narrative. There is much sadness in the lives of these characters but somehow, either with the help of others or simply through personal strength and perseverance, they survive. There are no happy endings; but there are many positives. It is an optimistic, feel good in the end, novel. The story is told in an easy, readable way and very visually. I could see the characters and the events in their lives quite clearly. If you like a realistic story but don't want to just feel the doom and gloom of life when you close the last page, then you might enjoy this book.

I absolutely loved this book, which was a surprise because after reading the blurb it didn't seem like my kind of book at all! The blurb doesn't do this book justice - it is a real page-turner, thoroughly enjoyable with the two completely different characters (Arthur and Kel) linked by their relationship with Charlene. The introduction of the character Yolanda brought another dimension to the story, allowing Arthur to show a more caring side. This story has a real mix of emotions, from sadness through to hope and happiness. You can relate to the characters, their thoughts, anxieties and ambitions. However, I was a bit disappointed with the ending, I felt it ended rather abruptly and I can't wait to find out what happens next - I hope there is a second book on the way! An absolutely superb read, I can't recommend it highly enough!

I found this book very sad and identified with more than one of the so very sensitive characters. There is however a ray of hope at the end and Liz Moore writes beautifully. It was compelling: another 'unputdownable' book.

At one time Arthur Opp and Charlene Turner met for a short period of time - she a student, he a professor at a college she attended. This gives us a starting point, then their paths divide and we see the ex-academic Arthur alone, lonely, a huge man, a virtual prisoner in his house. Letters from Charlene arrive from time to time; on the other side is Kel Keller trying to fit in his new rich school, yet another player in this is Yolanda... A touching story, this could be so many of us in today's fast moving society.