I’m delighted to welcome you today to my stop on the blog tour for beautiful and uplifting summer read Lifesaving for Beginners by Josie Lloyd. Thank you to HQ for giving me the opportunity to read and review this lovely book.
About the book:
In life’s stormy waters, it’s your friends who keep you afloat…
Maddy Wolfe’s life has just capsized. After her twenty-year marriage suddenly implodes, she heads to Brighton to search for her estranged son, Jamie. But he’s nowhere to be found and for the first time, she’s totally alone. That is, until she meets the Salty Sea-Gals, a group of feisty sea-swimmers.
Seventy-two-year old Helga is determined not to slow down, while thirty-something Tor is still figuring out who she is. Bereaved Dominica is trying to find a reason to carry on, and busy mum Claire is learning to put herself first for a change.
As their regular cold-water plunges become a lifeline for them all, Maddy starts to realise that these brave women might just help her find both Jamie and herself. Together, will they turn the tide?
About the author:
Josie Lloyd had been writing novels for twenty years, when in 2017, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine scan. An avid reader, her first instinct was to try and find a novel about what she was going through. She wanted to read something positive, hopeful and uplifting, but she couldn’t find what she was looking for.
It was whilst she was going through treatment that she joined a group of runners, all of whom were also affected by cancer and together they entered and finished the Brighton Marathon 10K. It was amazing experience that inspired her the novel she felt she’d needed when she started her cancer journey. Published as ‘The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club’, in the UK and ‘The Brightside Running Club’ in the United States, the novel has been described as:
‘Amazing, heartbreaking, inspiring,’ Jenny Colgan.
‘A love letter to the power of friendship, honest and uplifting’ Jill Mansell
‘A searingly honest, but fiercely positive story about the importance of friendship and the power of hope told with Josie’s characteristic warmth and humour.’ Mike Gayle
‘What an engaging and life-affirming story! A page-turner, too, with such wonderful characters. I loved it!’ Rachel Hore
‘I thoroughly enjoyed this honest, no-holds-barred story. It is by turns funny, inspiring and incredibly moving.’ Kathryn Hughes
‘Brave, bold Josie Lloyd has written an incredibly important book. I was charmed by her light touch yet fearlessness in dealing with the deeply emotional subject matter. Every woman should read it.’ Veronica Henry
Thanks to the amazing cancer treatment available, Josie is restored to fine health and has become the first patron of the charity Lobular Breast Cancer UK as well as an ambassador for The Sussex Cancer Fund. She hopes to inspire women and to show that it’s possible to not just survive, but to thrive on the other side of cancer.
Mother of three teens and a beloved dog, Ziggy, Josie lives in Brighton in the UK with her husband, Emlyn Rees, with whom she sometimes co-writes. Together they have written seven internationally best-selling novels, including Come Together, which was number one for ten weeks, published in twenty-seven languages and made into a Working Title film. They’ve also written several parodies of their favourite children’s books, including ‘We’re Going On A Bar Hunt’, ‘The Very Hungover Caterpillar’ and ‘The Teenager Who Came To Tea’.
Josie also writes as Joanna Rees, as she likes writing contemporary fiction as well as big, sweeping historical dramas. Her latest ‘Stitch In Time’ trilogy is set in the 1920’s in London, Paris and New York.
When she’s not writing, Josie is a keen sea swimmer and swims all year round no matter what the weather. She also likes walking and is undertaking a challenge to climb mountains named after breasts in Scotland in May 2022.
My Review:
What a gorgeous, heartwarming and uplifting read this is! Beautifully written, Lifesaving for Beginners by Josie Lloyd is the perfect book to lose yourself in as you relax by the pool this summer.
After her twenty year marriage suddenly implodes, Maddy Wolfe heads to Brighton to search for her estranged son, Jamie. Unable to find him, she is hit by the sudden realisation that she is completely alone for the very first time. But then she meets a group of feisty sea swimmers called the Salty Sea-Gals and is shocked to discover that this group of brave women could turn out to be the lifeline she so desperately needs…
Josie Lloyd has written a beautiful and moving tale that drew me in from the very first page, with likable characters who touched my heart from the outset. Lifesaving for Beginners is very much a character driven, heartfelt story that focuses on new beginnings and how it’s never too late to reach for the stars and follow your dreams.
The perfect book to relax with this summer, I loved this lovely, uplifting story and lost myself within its pages, not wanting to put it down until the final page had been turned. Josie Lloyd’s writing is glorious as she skilfully weaves together a poignant but ultimately feel good story that brings these wonderful characters vividly to life.
A gorgeous and life affirming read that had me captivated from beginning to end, Lifesaving for Beginners is a heartwarming summer read that I would highly recommend.
Lifesaving for Beginners by Josie Lloyd is available to buy now:
Check out what these other fabulous bloggers have to say about this book:
Cal Turner Reviews 