Libby Page

‘’She folded herself into the shape of Hermione Granger or George from the Famous Five or Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey and tried to be them for a day. When she started secondary school her friends were the characters she met in the pages of her books.’’

I confess I am not a lover of the sea or the pool. Although a Cancer born in the middle of July, I’ve always been a mountain girl and swimming is just another summer activity for me. However, one of my earliest memories is show more of my dad teaching me how to swim and dive, promising me he wouldn’t let go. I’m always impressed by my mother’s transformation each time she swims. No matter her mood, swimming makes her laugh like a teenage girl. The Lido is a book that pays homage to the ties that hold a community together, a source of hope and change through companionship and understanding.

The lido in Brixton is in danger. Kate, a young reporter who feels the need to shut herself from the world, meets Rosemary, an elderly woman who is the heart and soul of the lido. Together they start a crusade against the greed and incessant urge for more concrete and a course between a newfound desire to belong.

Instead of tiring you with my blabbering, I will tell you that I adored The Lido. Yes, it can be considered ‘’light’’ but this adjective is too simplistic. This isn’t a lighthearted, joyful, naive story but an excellent novel about two women separated by age but united by the same dreams and intentions. Page writes quietly, with a fresh, contemporary view without cheapening her material, paying careful attention to the prose and the dialogue. The first chapters are excellent in drawing the attention of the reader. The descriptions of Brixton are brilliant. I could feel as if I were there, walking in the streets, looking at familiar faces.

Libby Page builds the story around the sad fact that the lido has survived war and riots but it cannot survive the signs of the times. However, there are many who refuse to give up. Page excels in giving us beautiful snippets of the swimmers’ lives that depict the vibe of the community. I loved the relationship between two sisters who support and love each other. The bonding of Kate and Rosemary free from the focus on the generation gap. There is no dysfunctional relationship in sight, a feature that has become so fashionable of late. Page also decides to include the issue of panic attacks and she writes with sensitivity and respect. The dialogue flows and the two main characters are beautifully constructed.

I cannot see who wouldn’t love this beautiful story of second chances and the fight for ideals that are being wiped away by money. If only ‘’light’’ Contemporary Literature were so poignant and respectful towards the readers. It goes without question that Libby Page is definitely a writer to watch.

‘’There are so many things that seem not to matter. We live with them and we walk past them and we think it’ll be OK or it doesn’t matter or that’s just that then. Cities change and property companies buy out communities to build more million-pound flats, and it doesn’t matter. But then one day you wake up and realise actually it does matter.’’

Many thanks to Orion and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com show less

I absolutely loved this book! I want to buy it and flag all the things. This book made me laugh out loud, it made me cry--or sob. And I just felt like there were so many mentions of things that I just related to. A super big fan of this book. And I definitely want to re-read it at some point. I feel like it's going to stay with me a while!

[contains spoilers] A lady lost her husband six months prior. And she gets a call from the local bookstore that there's a book for her there. She shows up show more and come to find out, prior to his death, her husband bought 12 books and each month for the next year, she has to go in and get the book. Through the different books, she goes on adventures, learns to do new things and starts to heal from losing him. It's such an incredible book. It also has great book references. In the end, she falls in love with the bookstore owner and she helps him save it and she decides to go freelance with her book editing. Just a very heartwarming story with lots of tears from me...but also lots of chuckles. I would love a book two of this and see what the next half of her life holds for her. Highly recommend! show less

Tilly is grieving the loss of her husband Joe when she receives a call from a bookshop called Book Lane and specifically a bookseller called Alfie. He tells her that she has a book to collect from the shop, one that was chosen by Joe before he died. In fact, there are twelve books in total, one for each month of the year. Tilly is shocked at first, but as the months go by she begins to heal and to enjoy new experiences (well, most of them anyway) as well as getting back the love of reading show more that she lost when Joe was ill.

If you’ve ever given or received a book as a gift, you’ll know that so much thought can be put into it and it can be such a personal thing. Even more so for Tilly as each one comes with a letter from Joe telling her why he chose it. The books are well-timed and along the way Tilly makes new friends who help her to deal with her loss, Alfie being chief amongst them.

Having read all of Libby Page’s other books and considering myself a fan, I knew I would enjoy This Book Made Me Think of You but I loved it even more than I expected. The storyline hit just the right note without ever becoming twee, and I found it just as joyous and uplifting as I did heartbreaking and emotional. Page tells Tilly’s story, and Alfie’s too, so beautifully and empathetically throughout.

What makes this book even more special is the bookishness of it. I loved the idea of Alfie’s bookshop and the personal touch he bestowed on every single customer. I also really liked that at the beginning of each month there is a list of reading recommendations and they’re not the usual suspects. I follow the author on social media and I recognise many of the books as ones she has read and enjoyed herself and I was particularly pleased to see so many modern books on the lists too.

This book is about grief, love and books and I found it touching and captivating. show less

The Lifeline is a follow-on novel to The Lido, Libby Page's first novel. Readers of that book will remember Kate, one of the main characters, but if you haven't read it you can still read The Lifeline as things have moved on by a few years and anything important is explained. I would just add that I highly recommend The Lido if you haven't read it yet.

In The Lifeline, the story alternates between new mother, Kate, and mental health nurse, Phoebe. Kate has moved to Somerset with her husband show more and baby daughter for a few reasons, mainly the close proximity of her family and for a more relaxed pace of life. Motherhood isn't quite turning out how she thought it would though, and as she struggles through she needs something to make her feel like her old self again. Phoebe absolutely loves her job and gives so much of herself to her patients at the expense of her own mental health. Both Kate and Phoebe end up being drawn to a local river and then into the river swimming group, and it's there that they feel able to relax and truly be themselves.

I follow Libby Page on social media and recognise a lot of her in Kate's story. I thought the way she writes about being a new parent was spot on and so much of it resonated with me. I also really loved the Somerset village life, the independent shops and cafes, and the sense of community which made for such an appealing setting. I want to be eating at the Italian deli and wandering down the riverbank to the Kingfisher Café and Book Barge. I won't be tempted into wild swimming, but despite that I could sense the calm freedom that the river offers to all the characters.

The Lifeline is a candid look at two big issues: motherhood and mental health, but it's also crammed with friendship and love. It's a joyful and uplifting novel full of heart, beautifully written with such empathy for the characters who I really loved reading about. What a lovely book! show less