Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

One Last Day of Summer

Rate this book
A roller-coaster of a ride from the No1, million copy bestseller Shari Low about love, life and how a chance meeting can change your life forever.

As a flight to St Lucia leaves the runway, four passengers meet for the first time.

After escaping her controlling husband, Bernadette Manson is taking the first extravagant holiday of her new life. But when her best friend cancels, will she be strong enough to fly solo?

Tadgh Donovan is about to jet off to his destination wedding when he sees a shocking text. Has his bride-to-be written her wedding vows… or already broken them?

Hayley Ford is the wife of a top fertility specialist yet her battle to get pregnant has almost broken her marriage. Can a trip to the sun heal their relationship or should she brace for a crash landing?

Dev Robbins is crossing oceans to track down the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Will it be a one way trip to happy ever after or a return journey to singledom?

Perfect for the fans of Jojo Moyes, Beth Moran and Debbie Howells

Audible Audio

First published July 19, 2022

3067 people are currently reading
3134 people want to read

About the author

Shari Low

67 books1,426 followers
*No1 Best Selling Author*

In January 2001, Shari Low's Low's first novel, What If? was published. Since then, Shari has published over 35 books, and sold three million copies around the globe, hitting the best seller charts in many countries including UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Australia. In 2023, she had three consecutive #1 best sellers - One Day With You, One Moment in Time and One Christmas Eve. Her first release of 2024, One Year After You, also hit the #1 spot.

In late 2020, her first novel, What If?, was updated and re-published, followed by the sequels What Now? and What Next?. All three novels became international best sellers.

Shari has also co-written three Hollywood thrillers, The Rise, The Catch and The Fall, with LA-based TV presenter and actor Ross King.

In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and thirty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with the one they said would never last. Their children have now grown and scattered across the world, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls and aeroplanes.

For all the latest news, visit her on Facebook, twitter, instagram or at www.sharilow.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
8,846 (58%)
4 stars
4,606 (30%)
3 stars
1,319 (8%)
2 stars
208 (1%)
1 star
79 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 579 reviews
Profile Image for Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while).
2,605 reviews2,463 followers
February 2, 2023
EXCERPT: Okay, so far so good. Bernadette was on the plane. It had taken off on schedule around 12.30. She was going. She was doing this. Even if the slight apprehension of it all was making her chirp like a budgie to the poor chap next to her. A handsome bloke, probably about the same age as her Nina, so around thirty. He seemed quite happy to chat back, and so did the lass to his right. The guy at the other end of the row - Tadgh, he'd said his name was - clearly wasn't interested in chatting, but, dear lord, if she was twenty years younger and forty pounds slimmer, she'd be in love with him by now. There was none of that objectifying nonsense allowed any more and quite right too. However, it was absolutely fine as long as it was just a wee nugget of amusement in her own head and never passed her lips. She'd wasted the best years of her life on a man who didn't deserve it - the least she could do now was have the occasional moment of appreciation for a drop-dead gorgeous stranger, in the same way her and Sarah had a cheer and a good old round of applause every time that big bloke, The Rock, took his shirt off in a movie. They'd been hoarse by the end of that Baywatch film.

ABOUT 'ONE LAST DAY OF SUMMER': As a flight to St Lucia leaves the runway, four passengers meet for the first time.

After escaping her controlling husband, Bernadette Manson is taking the first extravagant holiday of her new life. But when her best friend cancels, will she be strong enough to fly solo?

Tadgh Donovan is about to jet off to his destination wedding when he sees a shocking text. Has his bride-to-be written her wedding vows… or already broken them?

Hayley Ford is the wife of a top fertility specialist yet her battle to get pregnant has almost broken her marriage. Can a trip to the sun heal their relationship or should she brace for a crash landing?

Dev Robbins is crossing oceans to track down the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Will it be a one way trip to happy ever after or a return journey to singledom?

MY THOUGHTS: I just loved, loved, loved this book! Once I started reading One Last Day of Summer, I simply couldn't stop and picked it up every opportunity I got, ignoring my other reads in favour of this.

I loved the characters, all of them very real, very relatable, and very entertaining. I was emotionally invested in them right from the start.

I loved that they weren't all the same age, or from the same background.

I loved each of their backstories and found myself holding my breath as the plane landed and . . .

Believe me, there are twists and turns in this book that I never expected, and it all gets unbearably tense at several points!

This is not my normal genre, but I ran the full spectrum of my emotions reading One Last Day of Summer and immediately want to rush out to find everything else this author has written and binge read the lot.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#OneLastDayofSummer #NetGalley

I: @sharilowbooks @bookandtonic

T: @sharilow @BoldwoodBooks

#contemporaryfiction #romance

THE AUTHOR: In real life, once upon a time she met a guy, got engaged after a week, and twenty-something years later she lives near Glasgow with her husband and a labradoodle. Her two teenagers have now left home, so she spends an inordinate amount of time on video calls checking if they're eating well and keeping up to date with their laundry.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of One Last Day of Summer by Shari Low for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Profile Image for CarolG.
913 reviews517 followers
August 6, 2022
This is exactly what I needed after a couple of heart-rending books. The book tells the story of four people - Bernadette, Hayley, Tadgh (I think pronounced Tie-g) and Dev - unknown to each other until they end up sitting together on a plane from London's Gatwick airport to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia.

The book is well written and the characters are likeable. They're all different ages and backgrounds and I enjoyed how close they became in such a short time. This book is classed as Romance but it isn't really mushy or in-your-face and I think I'd prefer to class it as Contemporary Fiction. There are many serious topics touched on and I was left feeling like everyone should have a Bernadette in their life. An engaging read that I don't hesitate to recommend.

My thanks to my GR friend Sandy whose review encouraged me to add this book and to Kindle Unlimited for the opportunity to read it.
Profile Image for Brenda.
5,039 reviews2,995 followers
April 16, 2024
3.5s

Four strangers boarded the flight for St Lucia but when they landed nine hours later, they were best of friends. Bernadette, in her fifties and finally divorced from her controlling, abusive husband; Hayley, a young wife desperate to become pregnant, on a holiday to mend an almost broken marriage; Dev, a young man who'd had a one night fling with a woman he was chasing to St Lucia; and Tadgh, member of an Irish band with his brother and best friend, heading to his wedding in St Lucia.

The four talked and discussed, sharing parts of their lives that they'd not shared with even their closest family or friends. Bernadette and Hayley found a quiet spot where truths were bared while Dev started the book he'd wanted to write. When Hayley persuaded Tadgh to tell her what was wrong, she did her best to help. What would happen when the plane landed and their lives came off hold once again? There was trouble ahead, but could there be happiness as well?

One Last Day of Summer is my first by Shari Low and it was light hearted and enjoyable. The four main characters played their parts well and I felt equal parts frustrated with them and their situations, and supported them in what they were going through. Bernadette was my favourite character :) Recommended.
Profile Image for theliterateleprechaun .
2,391 reviews225 followers
June 25, 2022
This book was EXACTLY what I needed today!

For strangers, Tadgh (think TIE-g, Gaelic for Timothy), Hayley, Dev and Bernadette, sitting four abreast on a 9-hour flight to St. Lucia, it’ll be a trip they’ll never forget. Over the course of the flight they discover that they are more alike than they are different and end up baring their souls to each other. For the reader, their challenges are relatable and the connections are instantaneous. I felt like I was sitting in the row behind them on the flight, privy to all the heartwarming and heartbreaking revelations. I cheered for them, cried with them and couldn’t wait to see what transpired when they arrived at their destination.

Sorry this is a vague review, but it’s best if you go in blind!

I’m not ready to say goodbye to any of these characters, so I hope there’s a sequel in the works.

I was gifted this advance copy by Shari Low, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Profile Image for Cam (Lana Belova).
172 reviews44 followers
September 28, 2024

The Pitons, St. Lucia's twin towering peaks

It was filled with unforgettable moments, beautiful and touching ones. Watching the sunset from the St. Lucia terrace on that one last day of summer was as luscious an experience visualizing itself in my mind in sumptuous colours as to watching new friendships to forge themselves, the love to bloom amidst the turmoil and finding the right answers to seemingly unresolved questions.




Loved this story and certainly would love if there would be a sequel. Thank you, theliterateleprechaun, so much for bringing this book to my attention last summer! 🩷

Profile Image for Dale Harcombe.
Author 14 books421 followers
August 25, 2025
Four and a half stars
Life often changes in ways we never imagined, as this group of travellers find out.
Bernadette had suffered years of abuse from her controlling husband. Now she is taking an expenses paid holiday despite the fact that at the last minute her best friend was unable to go with her because of her daughter’s accident. It is a big step for Bernadette to go alone. But she doesn’t stay alone long. On the plane she meets up with Hayley, a younger woman. Bernadette recognises that Hayley is the wife also of a controlling abusive husband. Her husband is a top fertility specialist.but the sad irony is they have been struggling for years to fall pregnant. And it is apparently Hayley’s fault. The holiday is meant to help them relax and conceive.. But things do not work according to plan
Also on the plane is Tadgh who is on his way to his wedding with Cheryl, wh he has loved for years. But then he finds a text on his brother’s phone that sets up all sorts of questions and doubts.
Dev is chasing after a woman he met and with whom he spent one night. He is convinced she is the love of his life and sets off to Ireland to find her again. Her name is Cheryl. So, lots of things going on in this book and questions raised.
I loved the interaction between the four main characters and the way their stories unfolded as the novel progressed. Each of the characters stole a little of my heart. Very much rom com material particularly towards the end, though it deals with some heavy topics like abuse in a sensitive manner along the way.
I could have done without the repeated use of the f word and blasphemy. But I realise this is something that I have an issue with while it may not worry other people. A recommended read.
This is the first book I have read by this author, I am keen to read more now.
Profile Image for Shereadbookblog.
962 reviews
July 10, 2022
Romance/rom com novels are not usually my genre of choice, but the description of this one appealed. Or maybe it was the thought of a trip to St. Lucia!

Four strangers meet on a nine hour flight from London to St. Lucia. All have their own romantic quandaries. In those nine hours, they become fast friends, sharing their innermost thoughts, embarrassments, and hopes. The chapters alternate in perspective among the four characters.

This was an engaging, pleasant read. A feel good story, it is perfect for the beach, a rainy day, or a Sunday afternoon relaxation read. I’m glad I mixed it up a bit and read this!

Thanks to #netgalley and #boldwoodbooks for the DRC





Follow me on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shereadbook...
Profile Image for Eva Rose.
27 reviews239 followers
December 24, 2024
Jaaa dit boek was zo leuk!! Wilde even feel-good boek dat makkelijk wegleest en heb hier echt van genoten! Het boek gaat over 4 personen die willekeurig naast elkaar zitten in het vliegtuig. Ze raken met elkaar aan de praat in een 8 uur durende vlucht en er ontstaan diepe gesprekken over het leven en nieuwe connecties. Wil niet teveel spoilen maar heb ervan genoten, precies waar ik zin in had op dit moment 🏝️🍋‍🟩🍍🌊✨Kende het boek en de schrijfster niet, heb het gelezen op aanraden van m’n zusje en was een goede keuze!


(Heb dit boek in t Nederlands gelezen trouwens:)
Profile Image for DJ Sakata.
3,289 reviews1,775 followers
July 22, 2022
Favorite Quotes:

‘Darling, remember, I talked about this. We recommend staying away from alcohol when you’re trying to get pregnant.’ She wanted to point out that in the annals of history, there were probably billions of women around the world who had only got pregnant because of alcohol.

It wasn’t a friendly greeting. Or a warm one. If it was a perfume, it would be full-bodied disapproval with top notes of irritation and ire.

...so I am absolutely slumming it in a five-star resort. This heartbreak stuff is hard work.

My Review:

I am unabashedly enamored with Shari Low’s delightful storytelling and her latest offering is no exception as I stepped right into the pages and became one of the passengers. One Last Day of Summer weaves a well-nuanced tale that intermingled the lives of four strangers on a plane that had no idea they had so much in common. The engaging storylines were fresh, authentic, and rife with poignant feels, clever humor, and evocative observations and insights. The cast of characters was varied yet so well fleshed out and knowable that I would recognize them on the street at first glance. I admire her bewitching word craft as I easily tumble into her tales and while I’m often reluctant to crawl back out, I have found each one to be immensely satisfying to read.
Profile Image for Monica Hills.
1,319 reviews62 followers
July 3, 2025
I loved this rom-com novel. It was the perfect escape and takes place basically in one day. It follows the lives of four people who each have their own story about a significant other. They are seat mates on the plane and through the course of their flight we learn all about their back stories.

I loved how everything came together and the four of them were great characters. This was a thoroughly enjoyable novel and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a sweet rom-com style book!
Profile Image for Melanie’s reads.
859 reviews83 followers
July 26, 2022
Who would have thought that a row of seats on a plane would be such a brilliant setting. I was expecting St Lucia but instead I found myself sandwiched in premium economy between a grumpy rock star, a sports journalist who wants to write romcoms, a young woman whose husband has deserted her for first class and a nurse who has lost her confidence.

Plus there was the steward Stefan, every flight needs one of him. He brought humour along with the Prosecco and Pringles. Talking of humour this book has it in bucket and spades and I will never be able to hear the Macarena again without thinking of Dev.

This isn’t all fun and laughter though and these characters haven’t had it easy. Controlling marriages, gaslighting, cheating, loss and struggles with infertility they could all really use a friend or three.

By the end of the flight you will have smiled, laughed, silently fumed and maybe even raged a little. Or like me wondered if there was anyone on the plane that Cheryl hadn’t slept with!

I loved getting to know them all and by the end of the flight I had my hopes for what would happen, so I was nicely surprised when the author pulled a trick out of her sleeve like some cunning magician.

A perfect summer read, this was a wonderful blend of romance, friendships and “Friends” references. All the plane was missing was the left phalange!
Profile Image for Emily Christopher.
797 reviews45 followers
July 5, 2022
One Last Day of Summer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 7/19/22
Author: Shari Low
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Pages: 297
Goodreads Rating: 4.73

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: After escaping her controlling husband, Bernadette Manson is taking the first extravagant holiday of her new life. But when her best friend cancels, will she be strong enough to fly solo? Tadgh Donovan is about to jet off to his destination wedding when he sees a shocking text. Has his bride-to-be written her wedding vows… or already broken them? Hayley Ford is the wife of a top fertility specialist yet her battle to get pregnant has almost broken her marriage. Can a trip to the sun heal their relationship or should she brace for a crash landing? Dev Robbins is crossing oceans to track down the woman he fell in love with at first sight. Will it be a one way trip to happy ever after or a return journey to singledom?

My Thoughts: I do not want to reveal too much as it is better to go in blind to this book. The story is narrated by the four passengers, through their backstories, in their perspectives. Even though some of the stories may seem out there, Low has a way of writing to come off believable. The characters are well developed, charismatic, relatable, and intriguing. The author’s writing style has complexity, builds the plot on a consistent basis, character building, and keeps you engaged throughout the story. This would be perfect for a light beach read. It just had reflection, hope, and love. This was a really cute read.
3,701 reviews42 followers
July 10, 2022
✈💺💺💺💺What a great story!🤗

I can't write enough good thoughts about my takeaway from this heartwarming story of a nine-hour flight to the Caribbean. Four strangers with adjacent seats on the plane pour out secrets to each other and form bonds with lasting consequences. It's a story that flows so well the pages fly by. I was just sorry the adventure had to end. As the story switches between each of the four's perspective, I got to love each of them.

This was the first novel I've read by Shari Low but I think I've found the perfect author to follow. Great characters, life decisions to ponder, uplifting end and sweet romance welling up just when it's needed. An excellent read anywhere, including a relaxing summer vacation.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Profile Image for Karen.
79 reviews25 followers
February 14, 2023
This is the first book I've read by Shari Low, but it won't be the last.
The story had me hooked from the very first page!
Four strangers, unlucky or unhappy in love, find themselves unexpectedly sitting all together in a row on a nine-hour flight to St Lucia. Over the course of one day they share their lives, their hopes, and their fears, and by the end of the day, everything has changed.
Profile Image for Patty.
911 reviews18 followers
July 4, 2022
A very rare 5 star review from me!

I loved this book so much! I didn’t want the plane trip to end, but also couldn’t wait to see what happened after they landed. This group of 4 completely different people from different backgrounds all randomly ended up sharing a row on a 9 hour plane trip, but shared so much more than seating.

There’s laughter, heartbreak, personal awakening and secrets revealed. Turbulence in the skies and on the ground. But so, so good.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Alison.
3,676 reviews145 followers
July 19, 2022
Four people are on their way to St Lucia, sharing the premium-economy cabin.

Tadgh Donovan is with his brother and bandmate en-route to his destination wedding to his high-school sweetheart. However, a text on his brother's phone could derail the wedding.

Hayley Ford and her husband, a top fertility specialist, are destined for a two-week holiday, hoping to get pregnant before yet another gruelling round of IVF.

Bernadette Manson is an A&E nurse, forced to travel solo after her best friend had to look after her daughter who had been injured abroad.

Finally, Dev Robbins has fallen hard for the girl he spent one night with after meeting in a nightclub. He's determined to follow her to St Lucia where she is attending a destination wedding.

These four strangers discover that they have more in common than they might have originally thought when they boarded the plane - but will their journeys be all they hoped?

This is just the sort of thing you want to read on the plane, full of hopes that you could make new friends on a seven hour flight, change your life, and get some free advice.

It might have been predictable, but it was fun and a good read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.
Profile Image for Neils Barringer.
968 reviews71 followers
July 30, 2022
Four people board a plane for a tropical get away, each has packed a lot of "baggage" (Oh yes I just went there!), each with a different motive, each unknown to one another. However fate sits them beside each other, and as you cam imagine they begin talking to one another and it seems like their paths were meant to cross.

I won't go into a whole lot, because this is a very character driven book, like literally (I have no idea if I used that word correctly, and frankly I don't care English Majors-hehe) 90% of the book is the 4 characters inner thoughts and conversations that take place on the plane from Ireland to the Island.

By the end of the book I felt like I was Teague, Bernadette, Hayley and Dev's best friend. There was definatly a hefty dose of cheese and eye roll moments, but it worked! I was cheering for each of these characters the whole trip!
This book will make you smile and make you really care about what happens to the four.
So why not 5 stars?

-There was some Irish language that was annoying (fek, da, mam)
-Way to many pop cultural references
-One to many slices of cheese

But I read this super quick, I smiled the whole way through!

I would like to thank Netgally and Boldwood Books for this advanced readers copy. I was not paid for this honest review.
Profile Image for Sally Cowling.
227 reviews9 followers
July 2, 2022
This is such a feel-good Summer read! Even if you are not jetting off somewhere hot this year (and instead curled up on the sofa while it tips down) it will make you smile :)

The story centres around four passengers on a flight on Saunt Lucia who strike up a friendship on the plane. Each of the characters has  issues of their own and over the journey they help each other by talking about their problems!

Irish rock star Tadgh is on his way to his wedding, but he has seen a text message on his brother's phone which suggests he is having an affair with his fiancee Cheryl. Hayley is off on a  relaxing holiday with her husband try for a baby, after several failed ivf attempts. However her controlling hubby has decided to fly separately from her, in business class, to concentrate  on his work calls. Dev is flying halfway across the world to find the love of his life after a one night stand.... also called Cheryl. Lastly, middle-aged Bernadette is on holiday alone, after her best friend had to stay  home for a family emergency.

The story is a little bit cheesy, but heartwarming! An enjoyable, light read.
Profile Image for Bookworman.
1,068 reviews132 followers
January 17, 2023
First of all, many thanks to Obsidian for making me aware of this author with her review of "What If?". Secondly, I'm very grateful to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending me this ARC to review in exchange for my honest review.

What an enjoyable read! I actually stayed up way too late reading this story last night as I couldn't wait to find out what happens.

It's an interesting plot. Basically, it's about 5 strangers sitting next to each other on a flight from London to St. Lucia. It's their backstory and what happens to them on the flight as they get to know each other. Surprisingly, this quirky plot works really well!

I loved the main characters, the snarky dialogue, the love stories, the obnoxious baddies, and the fairytale HEA.

I'm looking forward to reading more stories by this author.
Profile Image for Sarah.
1,594 reviews176 followers
July 28, 2025
Such a fantastic book from Lowe and another brilliant “One Day” read. Engrossed from the beginning, Lowe had me hooked as I fell in love with the characters on their way to St Lucia.

Like so many of her novels, this books follows several characters over a single day. Each has a different story to tell and I was fascinated by the path they had trodden and what was next in their journey. One is heading to his destination wedding; one is finding his love at first sight; another is on a make or break holiday; and the fourth is holidaying solo. However, this book is not about the destination (although I was drooling at the possibility of reading a book set in such an exotic location), but rather the flight there.

At first I thought this would make the book feel stagnant, claustrophobic – trapped on airplane seats with a limited number of characters. Yet, Lowe fluidly moves between past and present as the holiday makers get to know each other and I loved how varied their stories are.

As the flight progresses, I became even more immersed in the developing drama. I did start to predict how some of the novel would develop but it certainly didn’t lessen my enjoyment of it, in fact making me love it even more. Chock full of the “feel good factor”, these characters are far from perfect and the flight symbolises a chance for a new beginning- with new friends as well. When they eventually reach their destination, I was as nervous as the characters, desperate to see how events would unfold now their feet are on solid ground.

A fantastic read, this is definitely one of my top books of 2025 (so far!). Lowe has excelled herself again with a story of love, loss and hope. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Agatha Noronha.
31 reviews1 follower
June 30, 2022
“I honestly think sometimes, people are just put in the right place at the right time and there’s no way to explain it”.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fasten your seatbelts because what a great (plane) ride this book is! I’m always a fan of stories that happen in a single day, and this one comes with a group of lovely characters with backgrounds that keep you rooting for every single one of them since their first appearance.

This was my first Shari Low novel - but definitely won’t be my last. The author’s writing is an event by itself. Every chapter follows the highs and lows (or the turbulences, someone could say) in the life of the 4 main characters and Low’s way of capturing their feelings, hopes and fears is one of the things that make this such a touching novel. Even when it comes to darker themes, like domestic violence and abusive relations, there’s still hope, respect and compassion for victims in every single word.

Each of the characters have a construction that makes them believable even at their most improbable moments (like getting on an overseas flight to find a girl you only met once) and the funny thing is that the story itself and its characters know how unlikely things like this are outside fiction, so it’s easier to go with the flow and enjoy the jokes about the hopeful improbability of living a real life rom-com. The plot develops at a steady pace and brings the reader into the center of an entertaining but awkward situation that connects two of the main characters without their knowledge. I’ve read it all in a single day because it was impossible to put it down.

Full of laughs, tears and reflections about what we choose to do with our lives, One Last Day of Summer is everything you expect from a summer read: a fun, light and hopeful book that keeps you glued to the pages/screen from the very beginning.
Profile Image for Helen Leecy.
1,080 reviews24 followers
June 30, 2022
Oh, I do love these books that are set over a period of 24 hours with four characters getting air time for 2-hour segments at a time.
Once again, the characters Shari Low created are unique and amazing. They have the most wonderful personalities; all four just gelled with one another once colliding on the flight.
We have Bernadette, who is trying to find herself once again after escaping a mentally abusive relationship. She just wants a quiet life, but when this holiday lands in her lap, she struggles with whether she should grab life by the doodahs and hold on for dear life or just curl up with a book and let it pass her by.
Tadgh is an interesting character. On the exterior, he is all rock God but a softie at heart. He’s trundling through the air to get to his wife-to-be. However, he receives some unsettling news before departure that could blow his life apart.
Hayley’s personality has been eroded away by her husband’s desire to have a baby. She has lost who she really is, and when she meets these crazy characters on this 9-hour flight, she starts to come alive again and rediscover what it is SHE wants.
Finally, we have Dev, the hopeless romantic. He’s bet all his money on this flight to find a one-night-stand that changed his life. But is he heading for yet more disappointment, and should he have seen what was already under his nose back home?
What makes these books so perfect is how all of the lives start to integrate and harmonise with one another. The characters in this book meet sooner than they have in the other of these books. However, that worked so well as when one chapter ended for one character, it seamlessly carried on from another’s perspective. It was very fluid and worked so well.
A thoroughly uplifting story of four strangers and, without a doubt, a five-star read.
Profile Image for Sarah.
198 reviews15 followers
June 26, 2022
This is my first read by this author but it's the first of many!
The characters: Bernadette, Tadgh, Nicola, Dev and Hayley, all meet on an aeroplane as they set off for St. Lucia and I believe in fate but were these characters of different ages and backgrounds meant to meet?!
The story for the most part was spent on an aeroplane and I thought how can it progress and hold my attention but I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute and didn't want to stop reading until I'd finished it!
All of the characters are likeable, I really took to Bernadette and Dev who had me chuckling away, yet there was a boyishness about him, he was mature yet full of fun despite being a bit lost. Bernadette was the rock of the group and I want her as a friend, she listened, was fun and was like a safety net, a solid, loyal friend.
Each character had current or past issues and they were all there for each other - I just loved seeing how they interacted as they went on their journey.
A few scenes I found a bit close to home and hoped that good would come through in the end for them.
Everything worked in the plotting of the story, from the characters down to fitting the pieces into the time their journey took and I won't hesitate to recommend this heartwarming read.
Thank you.
Profile Image for Kim.
1,701 reviews149 followers
June 21, 2022
Loved this. At first I thought having the book written from so many different perspectives would be confusing, but it wasn’t. All of the main characters were so lovely. It was a joy to read. Definitely lifted my spirits and made me feel good inside.
Profile Image for Anna.
94 reviews2 followers
Read
April 19, 2024
book club! this was nice, I liked the messages and the feel-good characters. a cute, easy read.
Profile Image for Zara Harper.
696 reviews3 followers
July 20, 2022
OMG what a flight! This book was just perfect! I loved the multiple pov’s and the journey itself. I actually fell in love with all 4 main characters, they developed beautifully and naturally and were all so different and interesting. This made me angry, giggle, gasp, fist bump the air and cry and ‘feel all the feels’ and I just loved it. There were so many little surprises throughout it kept me hooked and needing to find out what happened next. What a wonderful bunch of strangers!
Profile Image for Rachel.
886 reviews78 followers
June 17, 2022
If I ever actually read on the beach or poolside this would be a great choice. A contemporary romcom mainly set on a plane trip to tropical Saint Lucia in which four strangers get to know each other. Bernadette is a 54 year old divorcée, reclaiming her life after a long marriage to a controlling, emotionally abusive man. Tadgh (pronounced Tige) is an Irish rockstar headed to St Lucia to marry his childhood sweetheart. Just before boarding he finds a text message which has him second-guessing his whole life. Is Cheryl having an affair with his brother and fellow band member? Dev is a sports writer who wants to write a romance and is dashing off to St Lucia to provide himself some material. He is going to find a woman he recently met in a bar and slept with, who just may be the love of his life, meanwhile messaging long-term best friend Lizzie of his progress. Hayley Ford is a drama and dance teacher married to an eminent fertility specialist who used to be the love of her life but seems to be morphing into a controlling narcissist.

This is a feel good found-family story with the four of them becoming involved in each other’s stories. I would love to hear an audiobook version with all the accents, and someone should definitely make this into a movie. A happy humorous book, that all ends neatly (possibly slightly overly so). The adorable Bernadette was my favourite. A warm, fuzzy 4.5 stars for me.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for C.
719 reviews16 followers
July 8, 2022
Blog: https://clife.blog/2022/07/08/book-re...

Thank you very much to the publishers for sending me this in exchange for my honest review.
The plot basically lists what it is about so there isn’t much point explaining it. 4 strangers get randomly seated together. First one is Tadgh (a part of a band, graphics designer), Bernadette (50’s and newly widowed) she was supposed to go on this trip with her friend but then couldn’t. Hayley (Husband is a doctor, a controlling ass who wouldn’t sit next to her on the plane), and Dev who is a hopeless romantic chasing after a one night stand (yet he lives with his girl-next-door best friend, you can tell where that is going). They are all on a long flight to St. Lucia and it was enjoyable as every character was light hearted. And learned life lessons during this magical flight.

Overall, this novel had a great plot. Although a lot of it was quite repetitive and dragging as you had to basically wait a few chapters to get to the main person your interested in hearing about. But each person kept repeating their thoughts throughout which was a disappointment. I get the whole vibes of holidays and everything but it was still dragged out for a novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 579 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.