The Handover-David M Barnett

Book: The Handover
Author: David M Barnett
Publisher: Trapeze Books

Do you think you would meet your soulmate at work?

The Handover by David M Barnett is the story of Nate and Daisy who work at a Manchester Museum of Social History as security guards. Nate works days, while Daisy covers the nights. The only interaction they have is when they handover their shifts, a five-minute window. He passes the torch over to her - like a baton - always with a smirk on his face, and she asks him for a full report of the day, which he gives reluctantly. It’s the only interaction they have... until strange things begin to happen at the museum. Daisy notices priceless objects are going missing but then reappearing, with no explanation (and nothing showing on the CCTV, which is why she doesn’t trust technology). No one believes her except Nate, and he agrees to help her solve the mystery. They soon discover they have a lot more in common than they realized, and their investigations uncover more than just the truth. Could they have feelings for one another?

The book is a light hearted romance that explores the value of our past and the impact of our relationships on our future. I loved the storytelling and the manner in which David slowly unravels what he has planned for Nate and Daisy. The slow and steady storytelling keeps the reader wanting for more, the story is that addictive. Setting the plot in a museum and linking it to the climax makes it one of the best storylines I have come across and the subtlety that flows throughout David’s writing is something that I would commend. Another aspect that makes the story stand apart is the concept of being interconnected and while I would not like to dish out spoilers, this is an aspect of the story that is something worthy of mentioning. The language is simple and easy to understand. The climax is mushy and romantic and heart wrenching.

Coming to the characters, David created a pair of characters that define the idea of romantic partners, with a part that is opposite and a part that is perfectly in sync when we see Daisy and Nate. I loved how he keeps these shades alternating and how it comes together in the end. The postcard was a nice touch. Each of the supporting characters, be it Rosie or Daisy’s mother or Ben or Lucia, each of them have a purpose and I loved how each of them gets to play their part in the big picture as it unfolds.

Overall, a book I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves to read a good and easygoing romance with a dash of destiny. The book scores a 4.81/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book here.