Kelly’s brilliant introduction and explanations of each choice make this an indispensable companion.

Sweet and soulful

Healing words for quiet evenings

This beautiful book aims to bring poetry into your everyday life.

A lovely collection of inspirational poetry, designed to help you through every occasion, on good days and bad… insightful.

A lovely book and a perfect companion for the dark days of winter.

Gentle, nurturing and thought-provoking.

Uplifting poetry. A perfect present for Christmas.

Divided into four seasons and emotions, Kelly sidesteps any predictably mellow fruitfulness and picks a writer’s lesser-known work. There are some classics but plenty of the contemporary and translated works will be new to many. Each entry is accompanied by a pithy analysis and there’s a useful biography of each poet at the back.

In seeking solace and support, poetry is a wonderful balm, as words unlock our feelings.

Offers companionship during our darker, but also our happy times, on the emotional rollercoaster that is life. She points out that we find comfort in the knowledge that we are not alone with our feelings, and poetry can give us a strong sense of our common humanity. She also points out that neurological research shows that poetry speaks to a part of our brains that is more primitive, maybe because poetry has a long oral tradition, therefore eliciting a more visceral reaction, which tends to be more healing to traumatic emotions.

One of the 2022 books of the year

Poetry can be like a salve to the soul if you find just the right one to read in the right set of circumstances. This inspirational and soothing collection, organised according to the season, not only provides great comfort but acts as a friend, too, when there are times to celebrate. As the title suggests, you’ll never walk alone when you have this trusty companion by your bedside.

A poetry book can be a gift of healing, and Rachel Kelly’s anthology You’ll Never Walk Alone: Poems For Life’s Ups And Downs is the perfect present. A true evangelist for poetry as an aid to wellbeing, the mental health campaigner begins, ‘Words can be a way to make sense of our feelings’, and divides her choices into the four seasons, representing moods of sadness, hope, joy and reflection. The range is engaging, offering old favourites such as Keats and Derek Walcott as well as songs and new writers. Kelly follows each poem with a beautifully concise explanation which will be welcomed by anyone unaccustomed to reading poetry – and bring fresh delight to those who encounter familiar poems anew. The whole book is an essential companion.

We’ve loved dipping in and out of You’ll Never Walk Alone: A poem book for all life’s ups and downs by bestselling author, Rachel Kelly. Really inspiring – it’s like a hug in book form. If you’re looking for thoughtful mother’s day gifts, you won’t get much better than this.

The fifth book of poetry by writer and mental health advocate Rachel Kelly, You’ll Never Walk Alone is a beautiful, collection of poetry, covering a range of styles and topics. Bringing together poems for each moment of life, including the experience of motherhood, this collection is a beautiful addition to any bookshelf.