Allie and Bea: A Novel

I've loved every book from this author I've read so far. Her writing captures the trials people face so beautifully and I always find myself fully immersed in the plot and rooting for the characters. This book is no different and it charmed me from the start. After the passing of her husband, Bea has lived alone, struggling to make ends meet. When she falls victim to a scammer and is left penniless, she has no choice but to leave her home and live in her van. Taking only her cat, favourite chair and a few necessities, she sets off on the road, unsure how she will survive each day. Then she meets Allie, a young girl who through no fault of her own has also found herself homeless. As they embark on a journey in the van, they begin to form a friendship that sees both of them change their outlook on life. Thoughtful and truly heartwarming, I loved this uplifting story about hope, kindness and friendship.

Allie and Bea is an entertaining story presented in a way that provides unchallenging enjoyment to the reader. There are moments of seriousness, reflecting some of the more negative aspects of modern society and others of hilarity in how the characters get themselves out of difficult situations. There is also some heart-warming descriptions of where there remains a great deal of human kindness in an otherwise hardened world. This is an easy, mostly gentle, read. The story and the relationships feel, sometimes, a little superficial but for a bit of escapism it is ideal.

Enjoyed the book.

I absolutely loved this book! The gentle story of two very unlikely fellow travellers had me hooked the whole way through. Although it was mostly a sweet and gentle story there were harrowing moments along the way especially when Allie was at the home. I won't spoil it by saying what they were but it kept the pages turning and I fell in love with both characters and loved seeing how their shared experience changed them and it posed the question of how any of us would behave faced with the circumstances they found themselves in. This was a beautiful and refreshing change from so many books with explicit sex and bad language. The author proves that you don't need this to spin a fabulous story. Well done Catherine.

To my surprise I really enjoyed this book. There were serious events written about but it was light hearted too. Showed the difference between the poor & well off in the US & the lives they lived. A satisfying ending too.

I had this on audio, although it failed after a while. The narration was good. The story kept my attention throughout. Both Bea and Allie were very well drawn and credible. Their developing relationship was fun, realistic, sparky and rather joyful. I couldn't help feeling concerned for the cat but she was having a good time with almost constant company. In that small van though, the odours.....!! Some touching interludes with brief encounters. Equally, some scary and brutal moments. The theme of mixing generations isn't new but is dependant on the authors approach and ability to create a credible and convincing relationship. This relationship more than ticked those criteria.

This book was bought as a gift. Book was enjoyable but was very disappointed with the delivery of it as it came a full week after promised date.

Great insight into character and change.. In its own way a beautiful story but with such a strong message underneath. In fact a highly moral tale with a happy ending.

I was drawn to ALLIE AND BEA by its lovely cover and Catherine Ryan Hyde, a favorite writer. This is the story of an unlikely relationship that develops between an elderly woman and a teenager - two unforgettable characters, both of whom I grew to love. Bea, a widow in her seventies, lives with her cat in a trailer park near Palm Springs. She is paying bills and feeling relief that she has $427 left in her checking account. Then comes the phone call that changes her life. The caller, claiming to be an IRS agent, announces that Bea is in arrears for $300. Bea's reaction is sheer panic, and she quickly finds herself penniless. After realizing what has happened, Bea makes the unorthodox decision to use her old van as a camper and hit the road with her cat. She outfits the van as best she can with curtains, a cooler, and her recliner. Heading up the coast of California, Bea becomes a scammer to survive. She becomes fixated with smartphones as she watches people paying more attention to little screens than to their babies. A woman who has never committed a crime in her life, Bea comes up with a clever scheme, netting herself some cash. Allie, a 15-year-old, witnesses her parents being handcuffed and taken from their expensive home. Before she knows what is happening, she's in the system. Terrified of going to juvie, she is relieved to be placed in a group home. Her relief is short lived by her terrifying roommate, so she escapes with another resident. From the frying pan to the fire, she now is controlled by a sex trafficker who is driving her to San Francisco. She escapes, finds Bea and a relationship is born. Neither knows quite what to make of the other, but they share a goal. Up the coast they go, often spending the nights in parking lots. Because they are destitute, they return to Allie's house to retrieve items that can be sold. They are now on a mission to drive to the northernmost part of Washington. Always fearful of being caught, they are reluctant to socialize, but to their surprise, they continually meet kind strangers. Gradually this unlikely twosome takes on the characteristics of a loving grandmother and granddaughter on a vacation, and nobody thinks to question them. Parts of the journey are hilarious. I could picture Bea, somewhat panicky, trying to maneuver the sharp turns on the cliffs at Big Sur in her van, as cars piled up behind her. Allie is so afraid that the Highway Patrol will stop them for blocking traffic that she orders Bea to turn down a private drive. Who knew that they would find themselves in a sculpture garden with the sculptor himself? As they near their destination, they begin to wonder, as did I, what comes next. I was not disappointed! Catherine Ryan Hyde is an expert in character development. Allie and Bea are authentic, with all the facets of a teenager and an older woman. Their interactions are genuine, as is their growing love for each other. In lesser hands, this story could have been cloyingly overdone. Instead, I went on the adventure of a lifetime with two unforgettable women. I highly recommend ALLIE AND BEA to everyone who appreciates a story that constantly made me happy.

A well written book about how a teenager and an old woman's paths cross and how they get along. I would recommend this book to everyone.

The protagonists in this novel are at opposite ends of the age spectrum, and neither at an age usually associated with the Coming of Age, but that's where they're at in this book.. This is a delightful story about two incongruous personalities on an equally incongruous life journey. The whole book only covers a short period of time, but because of the 'adventures' these two have, it seems much longer. The dialogue is fast-paced and witty, matching the characters perfectly. The characters themselves are very convincing and well crafted. It would be sad to suppose that the events portrayed in this book actually happen regularly in real life. I am sure they do, and we are all the better for being reminded of how good our lives are.

I really enjoyed reading Allie and Bea, as it is a story of two characters, who could not be any more different, coincidently run into each other and set out on a journey together that is pretty much doomed right from the start. But as they travel together they start to learn from one another. They begin to see the world from the eyes of their companion, and it makes them both so much richer. There is a lot of heart ache to feel with the two protagonists, but there is also so much hope. A must-read!

I loved this book. I loved getting to know each character and how their relationship developed. It was a quick and enjoyable read. I was disappointed when I was done!!