The Time of Our Lives an emotional and hilarious story of friendship

Abby Williams — 2019

'The Time of Our Lives is a life-affirming story full of humour and warmth, centred around a friendship that is both ageless and timeless. I absolutely loved it. It has made me want to find a senior citizen BFF of my own!' Dani Atkins, bestselling author of Fractured. 'Beautifully written, The Time of Our Lives in an uplifting, feel-good read about loss and friendship and making the absolute best of an unexpected situation. Lydia and Erin are instantly relatable and I was rooting from them from beginning to end. A lovely, well-crafted story that left me smiling and wishing I could stay in Lydia and Erin's world for a little longer' Ella Harper, author of If I Fall. Two women from two very different generations are brought together through dramatic circumstances and help each other to forge new paths. Twenty-six-year-old Erin has everything she's ever wanted – a good job, a gorgeous fiancé and a best friend who's always there for her. But suddenly her life comes crashing down around her. Unable to return home to her parents, she takes a room in a house nearby and her life starts over in the most unexpected of ways... Seventy-six-year-old Lydia, who, shocked by the sudden death of her husband, is devastated to discover that he has left her in crippling debt. With no choice but to take in a lodger, Erin comes into her life. When they find a letter hidden in the attic old secrets come to light and, with Erin by her side, Lydia finds herself going on a trip of a lifetime. Perfect for fans of The Flatshare, 59 Memory Lane and If Only I Could Tell You.

Reviews

Alicia Haws@aliciareadsit

Oct 5, 2021

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 STARS This is a wonderful story about enduring friendship. A very fun summer read! I loved reading the different POV’s from Lydia and Erin—two women sharing their lives and learning from each other. While Lydia (76) is reeling from her husband’s sudden death, and finds out that he has left her in crippling debt. This leaves her wondering if she really knew her husband well at all, and no choice but to take in a boarder for some extra cash. Erin (26) has an amazing life. She has the job she wants, an amazing boyfriend, and a great best friend. That is, she does until all of that comes crashing down around her and suddenly Erin is left with nothing and nowhere to go. Desperate for somewhere to go, she rents a room from Lydia. When these two women from two very different generations are brought together by life’s messes, they form a special bond and help each other to find their way. This is a powerful story about being able to change your life around when you have hit rock bottom. The writing was done well, but I did feel that the author could have cut a lot of it out and still had a great story. That being said, it did drag a little bit for me in some parts pretty slowly. I also think the author could have come up with more creative adjectives. There were a lot of repeats (enough to notice). Overall though, this was a beautiful and touching story about taking chances. Would highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and Aria Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review and opinions.