The Light a Candle Society

'LIFE-AFFIRMING AND FULL OF LOVE' CELIA ANDERSON

'WARM, COMPASSIONATE, WITTY' MIKE GAYLE

'HEARTWARMING' Woman's Own





Every flame tells a story...





George McGlory has been struggling since the death of his beloved wife, Audrey. But when he witnesses a public health funeral - with no flowers and no mourners - he is inspired to create The Light a Candle Society.





As George and his friends join together to celebrate forgotten lives, their care, compassion, humour and friendship become gifts not only to the people they are remembering, but to each other.





And the kindness of strangers gives them strength to confront the secrets of their own histories, forging joyful and unexpected new connections...





Praise for Ruth Hogan:



'Magical ... uplifting ' ANTON DU BEKE



'Told with wit and heart' BETH MORREY



'Every page is a joy' PIP WILLIAMS

'Delightfully uplifting' WOMAN'S OWN

'Full of hope' PRIMA



Readers LOVE The Light a Candle Society



'Wow ... this book is so emotional, uplifting and powerful' *****



'The story just grips you. Read it.' *****



'Such a powerful read. It will stay with me forever' *****



'A poignant, heartwarming story' *****



Ruth Hogan studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths College and went on to work in local government. A car accident and a subsequent run-in with cancer convinced her finally to get her act together and pursue her dream of becoming a writer. The result was her debut novel - The Keeper of Lost Things, which went on to become a global bestseller. She is now living the dream (and occasional nightmare) as a full-time author, along with her husband and rescue dogs in a rambling Victorian house stuffed with treasure that inspires her novels.



Insta: @ruthmariehoganauthor



I LOVED the latest novel from Ruth Hogan. It's bursting with her signature warmth and heart but this time tackles taboos and issues that aren't spoken about with compassion and hope. Nobody does it quite like Ruth Hogan. If you're looking to be uplifted and to feel better about the world, this is the book for you!



Warm, compassionate, witty and thought provoking, The Light a Candle Society is Ruth Hogan at her very best.



Moving, uplifting and thought-provoking in equal parts. George is determined that nobody should leave this life without a fitting celebration. As he builds his team with this end in mind, lives are changed, bonds are forged and something joyful emerges from the sadness. Life-affirming and full of love, this book is one to treasure. I adored it!



Heartwarming



A lovely, lovely novel, full of humanity, humour and kindness. I loved it!



I relished every word of this beautiful, poignant, uplifting story. Ruth Hogan's characters are easy to love and so I took George and his 'Light A Candle Society' friends to my heart immediately. It's not easy to tackle themes of death, grief and loneliness but Ruth does it effortlessly, with warmth, wit and tenderness. This is exactly the book we need right now and for me, Ruth Hogan's best novel yet.



Written with Ruth Hogan's trademark humour and generosity of spirit, The Light a Candle Society shines warm with life. An uplifting celebration of the joy of small things, and the big - kindness, community and love.



This book is an absolute treasure trove of light, love, grief, hope, all that makes us human. With all the touchstones we carry that make up a life, it's almost unbearably poignant, helpful and enlightening all at once. And reminds us that our humanity is the ultimate thing we share and none of us is ever really alone.



Ruth Hogan ensnares the heart with The Light a Candle Society. This story is beautifully told and it presents an affirmation of the goodness of human nature ... skillfully weaves together humour, sadness, and the harsher realities of life and death ... must-read fiction.



The ballroom is a magical place, and Ruth Hogan's love and warmth for all the things within it shine brightly in the pages of this wonderful story. She has created such an uplifting world, and the Phoenix Ballroom feels like an old friend of mine



A rich and joyful story told with wit and heart. And the most glamorously-named protagonist ever. Look out for this sweeping waltz of a novel.



Full of hope