Monday, June 1, 2020

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

Title: The Two Lives of Lydia Bird
Author: Josie Silver
Published: March 3rd 2020 by Ballantine Books
Format: eBook, 369 pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Growing up, it has always been Lydia, Freddie, and Jonah. Since Jonah was in the car with Freddie on the night of the accident, and only received a few stitches, Lydia can’t help but blame him. The best friend, the third wheel, the person that always came along with Freddie. There was no one else to blame but him.

Lydia Byrd is suffering since the death of her fiancé Freddie. Encouraged to seek professional help, Lydia is prescribed sleeping pills, unbeknownst to anyone, this little pill allows her to enter a parallel dreamworld where she meets up with Freddie and can see what could have been.

Living two lives is taking its toll and in a spur of the moment chooses to drop everything and head to the airport. With few options, Croatia it is. Once there, I won’t say that she finds herself, but she does come to terms with the pain of losing her first love, the future without him, and through nightly phone calls to Jonah, she begins to heal and to forgive.

Not usually a fan of the romance genre, I was heartened when it did not bog down into the usual gushing and swooning. You can feel Lydia’s love, and her pain, and her forgiveness, without the usual eye-rolling and wanting to heave the book across the room. By the end, which is suitable for a Hallmark movie, I loved the characters. Josie Silver builds each with just the right amount of attention, without pushing the boundaries, and though the reader can see something coming, and hopes for what is best, the ending is still a giant exhale and smile.

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