The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around: The BRAND NEW hilarious and heartwarming tale about chasing your dreams for 2026

by Fiona Gibson

Pre-order the BRAND NEW hilarious, feel-good read from NUMBER ONE bestselling author Fiona Gibson 🎸 Is it ever too late for an encore? 🎸

When they were young, Josie and Shane thought both they and their band were headed for greatness.

But fast forward three decades, and Josie’s life looks more like

A dead-end job in a niche London bookshop

A boyfriend who thinks the answer to their financial problems is Josie sharing photos of her feet on OnlyFans

A grown daughter who’d rather Josie stayed out of her new family's business

Then Ravi – their band's fearless frontwoman and Josie’s oldest friend – dies, leaving one last for Josie and Shane to finish the 'tour' they abandoned all those years ago.

Which is how Josie ends up rattling up the motorway in a retired ambulance with one mattress, one map, and the man who once broke her heart.

Will this be yet another mistake for Josie? Or could it be her chance to make her life what she'd always dreamed it would be?

Praise for Fiona

'I absolutely love Fiona Gibson's funny, emotional, relatable writing.’ – JENNY COLGAN

'Hilarious, sparky and joyful, relatable and brilliant! Highly recommended, whatever the time of year.' – JUDY LEIGH

'Snowy, sparkly and satisfying. Highly recommended.' – MADDIE PLEASE

'Fun, festive and full of good cheer, Tis the damn season! should be on the top of your Christmas reading wish list.' – SARAH BENNETT

'This book isn't just for Christmas... it's the perfect escapist novel for any time of the year!' – KATE GALLEY

'A festive, funny and heartfelt story of friendship and finding your way. I loved it.' – FREYA KENNEDY

'Warm, witty and wonderfully relatable. Perfect escapism for women struggling to juggle everything, especially at Christmas!' – KATHLEEN WHYMAN

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 20, 2026

About the author

Fiona is an author and journalist who has written for many UK publications including The Observer, The Guardian, Marie Claire, Red, New Woman, Top Sante and Elle. She writes a monthly column for Sainsbury’s magazine and is a Contributing Editor at Red magazine.

Fiona lives in Scotland with her husband, their twin sons and daughter. She likes to draw, run 10k races, play her saxophone and lie in the bath with a big glass of wine, although not all at once.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to review this new title by Fiona Gibson, author of 'The Woman who got her Spark Back'.

Josie speaks for many of us more mature ladies as she bumbles along through life, dealing with family, work and menopause, without feeling seen or heard.
When she hears of the loss of an old school friend, things begin to find perspective in her life. She starts to re-evaluate her life, and discovers that she's settling, not living.
The opportunity to change all that arises, and Josie embarks on a journey that "turns her life around".

I really loved the setting of this story, the characters are fabulous and relatable, and the laughs are pure joy.
Whilst the story evokes memories of all teenager's dramas, of love, friendship, and the inevitable squabbling associated with adolescent life, it also highlights that even as adults, few of us have it all figured out.
A thoughtful, reflective and amusing story of what can happen when we take a chance and move out of our comfort zone.

[Dawn Probert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Real book of self discovery, first loves and friendships. This was a great read, perfect for a trip away. I couldn’t put it down once I had started it. Josie is a woman of a certain age with a dodgy boyfriend and a stuck up daughter and son in law. She hears from her oldest friends mum that Ravi has died and she goes back to her old home town for the wake and party. Once home she meets her first true love Shane and they are given the task of revisiting some of their past. The trip they go on is thought provoking, heart breaking, fun, gentle and beautiful all wrapped up in a not really converted ambulance camper van. It’s a great read.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around is a wonderfully uplifting story about second chances, old dreams, and the courage it takes to rewrite your life when everyone else thinks the best years are behind you. It’s warm, funny, and quietly empowering — the kind of novel that leaves you rooting for its heroine with your whole heart.

Josie is instantly relatable: stuck in a dead‑end job, tangled in a relationship that’s more draining than supportive, and trying to navigate a grown daughter who doesn’t quite want her input anymore. Her life feels small, muted, and far from the bright, loud future she once imagined with her band. And then Ravi — their fearless frontwoman and Josie’s oldest friend — dies, leaving behind one final request that changes everything.

What follows is a gorgeous, chaotic, deeply human road trip of healing and rediscovery. Watching Josie climb into a retired ambulance with one mattress, one map, and Shane — the man who once broke her heart — is both hilarious and unexpectedly moving. Their shared history hums beneath every mile, every argument, every moment of quiet understanding. The book captures beautifully how old wounds can soften, how grief can push us toward clarity, and how sometimes the life we want is still waiting for us, just a little further down the road.

The story balances humour with tenderness, nostalgia with growth, and heartbreak with hope. Josie’s journey isn’t about becoming someone new — it’s about remembering who she was before life got in the way, and choosing to step back into her own spotlight.
Warm, witty, and full of heart, The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around is a celebration of friendship, music, and the bravery it takes to give yourself an encore. A truly feel‑good read that lingers long after the final page.

My thanks to Fiona Gibson, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Kelly Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around by Fiona Gibson is a warmly humorous romp through the English countryside that illustrates that making silly mistakes through lack of communication is not just the purview of the young.
I enjoyed the older main characters, Josie and Shane, who were torn apart through their own actions when they were young, and are brought together decades later through the passing of a dear friend with whom they'd both lost touch. Ravi has left a request for her former band mates - retrace the steps of their first and last tour as a band. Thus is the former couple thrown together, and the journey they take through the north is both physical and emotional.
Told from the point of view of both characters, the story sees the pair struggling with the past and their current situations as they get to know each other. It is heartwarming and heartbreaking in parts, and the characters are realistic and relatable. The book is superbly written, with humour and fun tempering the lesson of the need to communicate honestly with those you care about.
Thank you for the ARC of #TheWomanWhoTurnedHerLifeAround to #BoldwoodBooks and #NetGalley.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of ‘The Woman Who Turned Her Life Around’ by Fiona Gibson, due to be published on 20 February 2026 by Boldwood Books.

Josie & Shane find themselves flung back together after over 30 years of not speaking to each other, sent on a quest by their friend and former bandmate Ravi following her death, to revisit the venues of their one and only tour.

Each chapter is told from either Josie or Shane’s point of view as they both deal with their unexpected adventure together at a time when they are both at a crossroads in their lives, with each seemingly unable to tell the other that they really want to.  

This was a light hearted read, amusing and heartfelt - both Josie and Shane were likeable, even though you want to bang their heads together! The same cannot be said for all the supporting characters, with a couple of really unpleasant people in their lives. A good, quick and uplifting read. 

[Sally Tyrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Another great read from one of my all time favourite authors! I love Fiona’s writing style so totally relatable, frank , funny and entertaining!
This book really resonated with me as being a similar age to Josie the main character and going away in a camper van!
Josie and Shane old friends from many years ago are thrown together by Ravi a mutual friend who has sadly passed away but leaves a challenge for them to complete!
Josie and Shane have to complete the challenge as frugally as possible hence the camper van but in doing so being placed into such close proximity they discover lots about each other and themselves as they go on this journey of past memories and self discovery together.
A great read full of reality humour and second chances would highly recommend
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

[Keely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Fiona Gibson for letting me read and review this book before its publication date.

I've read several of Fiona Gibson's books before and have really enjoyed them, so I was pleased to have this opportunity to read her latest book.

As usual I loved it, being a bit older now (early 40's) I find it often relate to at least one of the main characters (being a parent of teenagers for example or the dreaded menopause!)

This story was a bit different to previous books, flicking back in time to tell us about the characters history then back to the present. It wasn't confusing though.

It was a lovely read, it made me a bit teary at times and laugh at the funny moments too. I do love a happy ending-and this didn't disappoint!

Thank you again!

[Georgina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book, very much enjoyed reading it
Josie and Shane have been given a challenge - to finish their tour that they cut short all those years ago.
It'll be an adventure, a borrowed camper, close proximity, what could go wrong?
But the camper turns out to be a retro-fitted ambulance, with very little fitting done, mattress on the floor and not much else, the vision of a camping holiday is far from ideal
The only gripe I have with this book is there is an unfinished story in there (no spoiler, but possibly for another book with the same cast?)

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attending the memorial party for friend and bandmate Ravi , Josie and Shane are reunited for the first time in years.
A misunderstanding at their final gig as teen-agers means embarrassment and anger means they both blame eachother.
Life hasn't gone to plan for either of them but Ravi has a plan.
Leaving a letter with her parents for Josie and Shane to complete the tour they abandoned years ago.
Travelling together makes for fun and understanding but can they move forward together?
A book that will make you smile

[Kim Melbourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolute cracker from Fiona. .her books never disappoint. A really warm, easy read with plenty of humour as middle aged Josie and Shane are thrown together to complete a challenge set for them from a mutual friend who has passed away.
Relatable, likeable characters that were easy to like and highlighted some challenges of life as we get to our 50s and begin to question our values and needs.
Brilliant read, highly recommend.

[Sans Washington]

Yea! Relateable, older characters! The chapters of Gibson's humorous new book bounce back and forth between former band members and lovers Josie and Shane. As the story opens, neither of our main characters is satisfied with the trajectory of their lives. However, with the beyond-the-grave guidance of another member of their former group, Josie and Shane explore their past, looking at it with fresh eyes. This is a funny, warm-hearted read that can't help but make you feel more optimistic.

[Sara Oxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun five-star read. Shane and Josie will keep you on your toes, the journey they face is a tough one, losing someone you were so close with and then sadly drifted away from, is such a tumultuous time to face. You get pulled into the journey and their back and forth, and with Josie having such strange situationship with her other half, that will have you wanting to make her know what she is truly worth. This is a great story and one that will make you smile so many times.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie and Shane were childhood friends but haven’t seen one another for decades after an argument tore them apart. They come together over the death of another friend and maybe it’s time to build some bridges. This book has some serious moments as both Josie and Shane have had their share of life’s challenges, but the humour throughout keeps it light and makes this an enjoyable read.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie and Shane are thrust back in to each other's lives when their former friend and band mate passes away. Recently deceased Ravi leaves the pair a poignant parting gift.

[Madae · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartwarming and hilarious story that follows Josie and Shane as they reconnect while fulfilling a late friend's last request.

[Ducket Draws · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a nice casual read about a roadtrip between old friends. If you would like a nice, chill book to read I would reccommend this.

Thank you netgalley and Boldwood books for this arc.