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The Best is Yet to Come
When you feel invisible, friendship can offer a ray of hope
‘Emotional and heartwarming’ Mike Gayle, Half a World Away
Sometimes it’s the things we don’t say that we need others to hear the loudest . . .
Izzy has always taken everything in her stride but motherhood is proving more difficult than she thought. She keeps telling herself it’s just a phase but the dark clouds are starting to appear.
Neighbour and widower Arthur might be in the winter of his life but he’s not ready to be packed off to a care home. He’s determined to do things his way.
When Izzy hears about Arthur’s big move, she offers to help. But Arthur isn’t telling her the whole story. It takes courage to admit you need a friend and when you feel invisible, all you need is a ray of hope. After all, what if the best is yet to come?
An emotional but ultimately feel-good novel about love and friendship for fans of Richard Roper’s Something to Live For and Lia Louis’s Dear Emmie Blue.
*****
Your favourite authors are loving The Best is Yet to Come:
‘Uplifting, warm and full of heart’ Cathy Bramley
‘I’ve never related to a character more’ The Unmumsy Mum
‘Heartwarming and full of hope’ Clare Pooley
‘Emotional and life-affirming’ Isabelle Broom
‘A gorgeous warm novel’ Paige Toon
‘Emotional and heartwarming’ Mike Gayle, Half a World Away
Sometimes it’s the things we don’t say that we need others to hear the loudest . . .
Izzy has always taken everything in her stride but motherhood is proving more difficult than she thought. She keeps telling herself it’s just a phase but the dark clouds are starting to appear.
Neighbour and widower Arthur might be in the winter of his life but he’s not ready to be packed off to a care home. He’s determined to do things his way.
When Izzy hears about Arthur’s big move, she offers to help. But Arthur isn’t telling her the whole story. It takes courage to admit you need a friend and when you feel invisible, all you need is a ray of hope. After all, what if the best is yet to come?
An emotional but ultimately feel-good novel about love and friendship for fans of Richard Roper’s Something to Live For and Lia Louis’s Dear Emmie Blue.
*****
Your favourite authors are loving The Best is Yet to Come:
‘Uplifting, warm and full of heart’ Cathy Bramley
‘I’ve never related to a character more’ The Unmumsy Mum
‘Heartwarming and full of hope’ Clare Pooley
‘Emotional and life-affirming’ Isabelle Broom
‘A gorgeous warm novel’ Paige Toon
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2021
21 people are currently reading
552 people want to read
About the author
Katy Colins
16 books112 followersKaty Colins is a bestselling author of uplifting, feel-good fiction.
The acclaimed travel blogger's experiences inspired her to pen 'The Lonely Hearts Travel Club' series and saw her labelled the 'Backpacking Bridget Jones' by the global media, when she sold all she owned, filled a backpack and booked a one-way ticket to south east Asia and never looked back.
Nowadays, Katy has swapped backpacking for writing books and trying to tame toddlers. If you want to find out more about Katy's new releases you can sign up to her newsletter at www.katycolins.com.
She loves to procrastinate on social media when she should be writing, so please do stop by and say hi! You can find her @notwedordead or @katycolins.
The acclaimed travel blogger's experiences inspired her to pen 'The Lonely Hearts Travel Club' series and saw her labelled the 'Backpacking Bridget Jones' by the global media, when she sold all she owned, filled a backpack and booked a one-way ticket to south east Asia and never looked back.
Nowadays, Katy has swapped backpacking for writing books and trying to tame toddlers. If you want to find out more about Katy's new releases you can sign up to her newsletter at www.katycolins.com.
She loves to procrastinate on social media when she should be writing, so please do stop by and say hi! You can find her @notwedordead or @katycolins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
May 19, 2021
Evie is a first-time mum, struggling with her new role, probably suffering from post-partum depression.
Her cul-de-sac neighbour, Arthur, is eighty-four and lives by himself. He's been a widower for almost two years. He's lonely and depressed.
Will their meeting and forging a relationship help?
The Best is Yet to Come was a cute novel about chance encounters and the power of kindness. Another reminder that we never know what really goes on behind closed doors and that everyone has a story.
March 22, 2021
The Best is Yet To Come is a story about unlikely friendships, and centres around new young mum Izzy and Arthur, her elderly neighbour. Two of the loveliest book characters ever. They live in the same cul-de-sac but and are only vaguely aware of each other, they don’t even know each other’s names. Arthur is an octogenarian, widower and is leading a pretty reclusive life with little or no interaction with anyone other than his nephew Jeremy. He’s a man grieving the loss of Pearl the love of his life and has little joy in his life, she was his life.
Izzy is married to Andrew and is on maternity leave. She was always considered a strong, capable, organised and in control. Fast forward a few weeks past the birth of daughter Evie and she is now feeling Invisible and utterly useless. Her gorgeous daughter is not playing ball. Izzy spends all of her time feeding or changing the permanently screaming bundle of joy. Izzy is at breaking point.
The author, Katy Colins has sensitively tackled the very real subjects of post-natal depression, loneliness, grief and loss, counter-balanced with friendship, love, laughter and new beginnings. I smiled, laughed and was chocked up on more than one occasion reading about the lives of Izzy and Arthur. The descriptions played like photographic stills in my mind, I could clearly place myself in the book with them.
As I read about Izzy’s struggles as a mum, those feelings of not quite being good enough, the feeling that everyone else is coping better than you - the abject misery of not being able to settle your child chocked me up. They are, I’m guessing imprinted into the memories of most new mums, I know they are in mine. Nobody talks, nobody shouts for help, because we don’t want to appear failures, I would have been lost without my mum, I so felt for Izzy without hers, the emotions bounced off the pages and settled in my throat, a lump that I was unable to swallow. Andrew, Izzy’s husband seems to be taking to parenthood like a duck to water - what baby? His life hadn’t appeared to change - in fact he seemed to be working even more and still managed to live his life whist Izzy could barely have time for a cup of coffee. It would be so easy to pass judgement at this point - I might have?!
I loved Arthur, what a character, I loved his grumpy, brusque manner - his rudeness and down to earth, say it like it is attitude. He was beginning to struggle to live alone, something his nephew Jeremy was aware of and kept trying to push him towards a home - I was firmly in Arthurs corner on that subject and thought Jeremy was uncaring and all about ensuring the security of his inheritance and not having to be responsible for Arthur anymore!
Izzy and Arthur meet when he delivers a parcel that had been mis-delivered to him and a connection is made. An accident occurs that see Izzy and Arthur drawn together and a tentative friendship begins, when Izzy offers to help pack up Arthurs house ahead of his move to a home. Their blossoming friendship was just beautiful to read - my heart melted as they each took strength from their time spent together. I could have spent the whole book hugging them both.
The story ebbs and flows and watching Arthur and Izzy grow in strength and character was like a warm hug wrapping itself around my heart - such an emotionally uplifting read despite, or rather because of, the hard hitting subjects at the heart of The Best Is Yet To Come. I totally loved this book and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who loves a book that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling.
Izzy is married to Andrew and is on maternity leave. She was always considered a strong, capable, organised and in control. Fast forward a few weeks past the birth of daughter Evie and she is now feeling Invisible and utterly useless. Her gorgeous daughter is not playing ball. Izzy spends all of her time feeding or changing the permanently screaming bundle of joy. Izzy is at breaking point.
The author, Katy Colins has sensitively tackled the very real subjects of post-natal depression, loneliness, grief and loss, counter-balanced with friendship, love, laughter and new beginnings. I smiled, laughed and was chocked up on more than one occasion reading about the lives of Izzy and Arthur. The descriptions played like photographic stills in my mind, I could clearly place myself in the book with them.
As I read about Izzy’s struggles as a mum, those feelings of not quite being good enough, the feeling that everyone else is coping better than you - the abject misery of not being able to settle your child chocked me up. They are, I’m guessing imprinted into the memories of most new mums, I know they are in mine. Nobody talks, nobody shouts for help, because we don’t want to appear failures, I would have been lost without my mum, I so felt for Izzy without hers, the emotions bounced off the pages and settled in my throat, a lump that I was unable to swallow. Andrew, Izzy’s husband seems to be taking to parenthood like a duck to water - what baby? His life hadn’t appeared to change - in fact he seemed to be working even more and still managed to live his life whist Izzy could barely have time for a cup of coffee. It would be so easy to pass judgement at this point - I might have?!
I loved Arthur, what a character, I loved his grumpy, brusque manner - his rudeness and down to earth, say it like it is attitude. He was beginning to struggle to live alone, something his nephew Jeremy was aware of and kept trying to push him towards a home - I was firmly in Arthurs corner on that subject and thought Jeremy was uncaring and all about ensuring the security of his inheritance and not having to be responsible for Arthur anymore!
Izzy and Arthur meet when he delivers a parcel that had been mis-delivered to him and a connection is made. An accident occurs that see Izzy and Arthur drawn together and a tentative friendship begins, when Izzy offers to help pack up Arthurs house ahead of his move to a home. Their blossoming friendship was just beautiful to read - my heart melted as they each took strength from their time spent together. I could have spent the whole book hugging them both.
The story ebbs and flows and watching Arthur and Izzy grow in strength and character was like a warm hug wrapping itself around my heart - such an emotionally uplifting read despite, or rather because of, the hard hitting subjects at the heart of The Best Is Yet To Come. I totally loved this book and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who loves a book that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling.
March 11, 2021
Actual rating 3,5*
I really enjoyed this book, it's well written nad bothe fun and very sad. Shows reality of new mothers who think every other mum around has it all figured out but her. I'm also a new-ish mum and I can totally relate. Mums are constantly bombarded with mixed messages (formula vs breastfeeding, natural birth vs csection, give your baby this, don't give your baby this, don't hover, keep an eye at all times). It's quite confusing really. And when you add all these insta-mums with their "perfect" and "glam" life with their "perfect" and "glam" babies, one can really start falling into a dark pit of despair.
I liked how the book showed how we're all don't know what we're doing and we're just figuring things out as we go.
The thing that bothered me about this book, and what prevents me from giving it 4*, is the fact that more than once it was mentioned that andrew (the father and husband) should HELP with kid and around the house.
Like, no....
If you live in the house you don't HELP around - you just do the work. If the kid is yours then you don't HELP with it - you parent.
Words have power and constantly saying that men shoud help with the kids more and help around the house more puts all the responsibility on a mother. Like it's her job to do everything and she's the one responsible for parenting and the father just swoops in on his white horse and graciously HELPS.
FFS, it's 2021 and we still have to have this conversation?
I received a copy from the Publisher in an exchange for an honest review
I really enjoyed this book, it's well written nad bothe fun and very sad. Shows reality of new mothers who think every other mum around has it all figured out but her. I'm also a new-ish mum and I can totally relate. Mums are constantly bombarded with mixed messages (formula vs breastfeeding, natural birth vs csection, give your baby this, don't give your baby this, don't hover, keep an eye at all times). It's quite confusing really. And when you add all these insta-mums with their "perfect" and "glam" life with their "perfect" and "glam" babies, one can really start falling into a dark pit of despair.
I liked how the book showed how we're all don't know what we're doing and we're just figuring things out as we go.
The thing that bothered me about this book, and what prevents me from giving it 4*, is the fact that more than once it was mentioned that andrew (the father and husband) should HELP with kid and around the house.
Like, no....
If you live in the house you don't HELP around - you just do the work. If the kid is yours then you don't HELP with it - you parent.
Words have power and constantly saying that men shoud help with the kids more and help around the house more puts all the responsibility on a mother. Like it's her job to do everything and she's the one responsible for parenting and the father just swoops in on his white horse and graciously HELPS.
FFS, it's 2021 and we still have to have this conversation?
I received a copy from the Publisher in an exchange for an honest review
June 2, 2021
Told from the dual perspectives of Izzy and Arthur, we hear the story of two individuals who are struggling. Izzy, a new mum, is struggling to come to grips with motherhood and the loss of identity that accompanies the feelings of doom she feels daily. Arthur on the other hand is struggling after the loss of his wife and is reluctant to be admitted to a care home, and instead wants to leave his married home on his terms. Their unlikely friendship and bond begins to make a difference on both of their lives.
This novel of lighthearted fun and warm friendship also tackles deeper themes of post natal depression, loneliness, suicide and grief. I really found myself warming to both Izzy and Arthur, and the tumultuous feelings and suffering they are both experiencing. The delicate topics are handled with a loving touch and approach, feeling both sensitive and compassionate without ever feeling forced or contrite. The friendship between the duo shows the power of kindness and reaching out, and how even the smallest of gestures can make the biggest difference, especially to those who we may not think are suffering. Ultimately this is a feel good novel, and I'd recommend it to fans of All The Lonely People and A Man Called Ove.
*Huge thanks to Netgalley and HQ for my copy!
This novel of lighthearted fun and warm friendship also tackles deeper themes of post natal depression, loneliness, suicide and grief. I really found myself warming to both Izzy and Arthur, and the tumultuous feelings and suffering they are both experiencing. The delicate topics are handled with a loving touch and approach, feeling both sensitive and compassionate without ever feeling forced or contrite. The friendship between the duo shows the power of kindness and reaching out, and how even the smallest of gestures can make the biggest difference, especially to those who we may not think are suffering. Ultimately this is a feel good novel, and I'd recommend it to fans of All The Lonely People and A Man Called Ove.
*Huge thanks to Netgalley and HQ for my copy!
October 16, 2025
i enjoyed this so much. such a cozy, sweet, slice of life book. and was surprised by how much i cried near the end. but yes, such a lovely read.
March 20, 2021
CONTENT WARNINGS: loneliness, suicide, death of a loved one, grief, postnatal depression, cancer.
This book was just exactly what I needed to read right now and I fell in love with it from the first page. It has the perfect balance of lighthearted fun whilst addressing topics that are both importance but sensitive that make you shed a quick tear or two.
I think I could write individual essays on how much I adored both Arthur and Izzy. Katy Colins has managed to create two extraordinary characters that developed so remarkably throughout, building such a warm and wonderful friendship.
I am sure there are so many readers who are going to relate to Izzy straight away. I am not a mother as of yet, but I can't even begin to imagine how tricky it is to navigate your way through motherhood and I really empathised with Izzy's character and her struggles and my heart went all warm and fuzzy seeing her finally realise what a wonderful mum and woman she is.
ARTHUR. Oh Arthur. What a man. He has a piece of my heart and always will do. Grief is never a process that can be navigated smoothly. It is a process that is completely unique and different for everyone who experiences it. My heart broke so many times reading his reflections on his marriage with Pearl. There is so much more I could say about the wonderful man but I don't want to give away any spoilers!!
To summarise: this felt like a warm hug in the form a book. The way Katy Colins handled the sensitive issues that are discussed was done with such empathy and sensitivity which is so important to me. The list of helplines for these issues included at the end was cherry on the cake for me and I cannot wait to dive into more of Katy's work.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, HQ and Katy Colins for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book was just exactly what I needed to read right now and I fell in love with it from the first page. It has the perfect balance of lighthearted fun whilst addressing topics that are both importance but sensitive that make you shed a quick tear or two.
I think I could write individual essays on how much I adored both Arthur and Izzy. Katy Colins has managed to create two extraordinary characters that developed so remarkably throughout, building such a warm and wonderful friendship.
I am sure there are so many readers who are going to relate to Izzy straight away. I am not a mother as of yet, but I can't even begin to imagine how tricky it is to navigate your way through motherhood and I really empathised with Izzy's character and her struggles and my heart went all warm and fuzzy seeing her finally realise what a wonderful mum and woman she is.
ARTHUR. Oh Arthur. What a man. He has a piece of my heart and always will do. Grief is never a process that can be navigated smoothly. It is a process that is completely unique and different for everyone who experiences it. My heart broke so many times reading his reflections on his marriage with Pearl. There is so much more I could say about the wonderful man but I don't want to give away any spoilers!!
To summarise: this felt like a warm hug in the form a book. The way Katy Colins handled the sensitive issues that are discussed was done with such empathy and sensitivity which is so important to me. The list of helplines for these issues included at the end was cherry on the cake for me and I cannot wait to dive into more of Katy's work.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, HQ and Katy Colins for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
March 11, 2021
Oh this book is just everything I needed right now. Katy Colins has created amazing characters in Izzy and Arthur, and I love the friendship that begins between these unlikely two. I found I could relate to Izzy quite a bit. It’s clear that she’s struggling to get to grips with motherhood and finds the every day things quite hard. And although I didn’t struggle to nowhere near to the same extent as Izzy, in the beginning I totally had those feelings of wondering if you’re doing everything right, worrying that the house wasn’t as tidy as it should be, all while keeping a little baby (and yourself) alive and well! It’s a lot! And it made me love see Izzy’s journey and realise just how good she is and to see her flourish as a mother and as herself.
And Arthur. Oh Arthur! My heart ached for him. I wanted to go and give him a hug! I loved hearing about his marriage to Pearl. And although I hated knowing his secret, I just still loved him. If you’re a Pensioner in the Pages fan you’ll love him! I could just imagine Eileen from The Switch meeting him and that is a story I need to read!
I loved that this story had two main characters that both developed so much on themselves for the better, and that although they are complete opposites, they helped each other on that journey. I am a sucker for a dual narrative and I was not left disappointed with these two.
And Arthur. Oh Arthur! My heart ached for him. I wanted to go and give him a hug! I loved hearing about his marriage to Pearl. And although I hated knowing his secret, I just still loved him. If you’re a Pensioner in the Pages fan you’ll love him! I could just imagine Eileen from The Switch meeting him and that is a story I need to read!
I loved that this story had two main characters that both developed so much on themselves for the better, and that although they are complete opposites, they helped each other on that journey. I am a sucker for a dual narrative and I was not left disappointed with these two.
December 13, 2022
I thought this was really sweet. A friendship between a struggling new mom & an elderly neighbour. It had its joyful moments & sad moments.
March 22, 2021
This was such a lovely book. It had everything I needed. Perfect characters. Warm friendships.
New mum Izzy is finding motherhood overwhelming and not quite what social media portrays. Three hours sleep, no time for herself and a feeling of failure. While not being a mother myself I couldn't relate to being a new mum but I could easily see how it must feel for some people. I loved seeing her relationship with Arthur flourish and grow, and her journey to see how wonderful she is as both herself and a mother.
As for Arthur. Dear Arthur. I adored him. I wanted to wrap him in a blanket, bring him home and have him as my grandad. I loved hearing his stories about his late wife, Pearl but it was heartbreaking to see how lonely he was, how invisible he felt and to know his secret.
Alternating between the chapters for Izzy and Arthur and having them as our main characters was wonderful. This multi-generational novel shows just how much a person can change you, your perspective and become a huge part of your life. Seeing their respective struggles diminish and their joy in life return was so heart-warming.
A wonderful cosy read full of love, respect and big life decisions. A perfect read.
New mum Izzy is finding motherhood overwhelming and not quite what social media portrays. Three hours sleep, no time for herself and a feeling of failure. While not being a mother myself I couldn't relate to being a new mum but I could easily see how it must feel for some people. I loved seeing her relationship with Arthur flourish and grow, and her journey to see how wonderful she is as both herself and a mother.
As for Arthur. Dear Arthur. I adored him. I wanted to wrap him in a blanket, bring him home and have him as my grandad. I loved hearing his stories about his late wife, Pearl but it was heartbreaking to see how lonely he was, how invisible he felt and to know his secret.
Alternating between the chapters for Izzy and Arthur and having them as our main characters was wonderful. This multi-generational novel shows just how much a person can change you, your perspective and become a huge part of your life. Seeing their respective struggles diminish and their joy in life return was so heart-warming.
A wonderful cosy read full of love, respect and big life decisions. A perfect read.
February 22, 2022
I got back to reading cuz of this book. I absolutely loved it. I could not put it down, I read the book in 4 days which is weird for me since I haven’t finished a book in over 5 years.
I originally just picked it up from the library not knowing truly what it was about. It turned out to be an amazing story about not only friendship but also about finding joy in your life again. I feel like I read it at the perfect time, while I’m on a journey to find how to live my life with this pandemic.
It made me feel that even small changes in your life affect in your well-being so much. The small things maybe be even more important than doing something big and exciting all the time.
I could relate to the characters of the book even when their lives are completely different to mine. They were trying to adjust to their new life situations as I am too.
I highly suggest everyone who might be going through the same as I am to read it.
I originally just picked it up from the library not knowing truly what it was about. It turned out to be an amazing story about not only friendship but also about finding joy in your life again. I feel like I read it at the perfect time, while I’m on a journey to find how to live my life with this pandemic.
It made me feel that even small changes in your life affect in your well-being so much. The small things maybe be even more important than doing something big and exciting all the time.
I could relate to the characters of the book even when their lives are completely different to mine. They were trying to adjust to their new life situations as I am too.
I highly suggest everyone who might be going through the same as I am to read it.
March 18, 2021
This book was like having a big hug wrapped around you, it is a feel good story that may even have you shedding a tear or two. Izzy is finding it hard to balance motherhood and everything else after the recent arrival of her first baby, Arthur is her neighbour who is finding things a bit tough with being a widow and also he is not getting any younger. The pair bond over helping Arthur sort out his worldly possessions. Both are lonely but in different ways, can they help each other to see that they are not alone? I really loved this book, I think Izzy's character is very relatable, I loved Arthur he reminded me of my grandad, it makes me want to check on my elderly neighbours more, you just don't know who might be struggling a little bit. I love the way they help each other come out of their shells more. Such a lovely thoughtful story.
October 17, 2022
Cuuuuute!
April 12, 2021
You know when you start a book and you can just feel from the beginning that it's going to be something to pull you in and not let you put it down? That was this book, I knew I was going to love it, the question was just going to be where this journey took me.
This book follows two characters, I love. dual narrative but I love it even more when those two characters are so different from one another. I think if I had to choose I would pick Izzy's story because Izzy is so easy to relate to and so like me aside from the fact that I don't have a new baby to deal with right now. I feel like we can learn so much from her because she's just trying to keep up appearances like every other new mum, they all seem like they have it together on social media and in the bay groups and so she's doesn't feel like she can ask for help because then it would look like she's failing. I wanted so much to jump into the book and just let her go and have a nap or do some shopping for her, help her out in some way. I loved getting to know Izzy and watching her grow over the course of the book.
Then we have Arthur who is very similar to Izzy in a lot of ways in so much as he doesn't want o ask for help, he wants to do things his own way and in a way that will respect the wishes of his late wife Pearl. I love Arthur's mindset too and really wanted to also jump into the book to help him and give him someone who will listen to his and not just team roller his wishes. His story is definitely harder to relate to on some levels but also very relatable on other levels. Cross-generational stories are very much a trend right now but this one seems different from the others and I loved watching Izzy and Arthur exist alongside each other not know just how similar they were.
Don't et me wrong, this book isn't all character struggling with things in their lives, there are some funny moments and definitely some heart warming moments as well. Izzy and Andrew seem to have a sort of sitcom style of relationship where you can see Andrew doing the wrong thing thinking its the right thing and it's almost like you're waiting for the canned laughter to sound but I really enjoyed watching Andrew get to know his new wife and daughter. And then there are the neighbors in Izzy and Arthur's street, they really do provide a lot of humour that could almost be playing our in our own streets its just so very very British!
I highly recommend this novel, it really provided a whole lot of escapism. I listened to the audiobook that I requested from my library and the narrator really brought the story to life. I loved listening and I really think you will love reading this book too.
This book follows two characters, I love. dual narrative but I love it even more when those two characters are so different from one another. I think if I had to choose I would pick Izzy's story because Izzy is so easy to relate to and so like me aside from the fact that I don't have a new baby to deal with right now. I feel like we can learn so much from her because she's just trying to keep up appearances like every other new mum, they all seem like they have it together on social media and in the bay groups and so she's doesn't feel like she can ask for help because then it would look like she's failing. I wanted so much to jump into the book and just let her go and have a nap or do some shopping for her, help her out in some way. I loved getting to know Izzy and watching her grow over the course of the book.
Then we have Arthur who is very similar to Izzy in a lot of ways in so much as he doesn't want o ask for help, he wants to do things his own way and in a way that will respect the wishes of his late wife Pearl. I love Arthur's mindset too and really wanted to also jump into the book to help him and give him someone who will listen to his and not just team roller his wishes. His story is definitely harder to relate to on some levels but also very relatable on other levels. Cross-generational stories are very much a trend right now but this one seems different from the others and I loved watching Izzy and Arthur exist alongside each other not know just how similar they were.
Don't et me wrong, this book isn't all character struggling with things in their lives, there are some funny moments and definitely some heart warming moments as well. Izzy and Andrew seem to have a sort of sitcom style of relationship where you can see Andrew doing the wrong thing thinking its the right thing and it's almost like you're waiting for the canned laughter to sound but I really enjoyed watching Andrew get to know his new wife and daughter. And then there are the neighbors in Izzy and Arthur's street, they really do provide a lot of humour that could almost be playing our in our own streets its just so very very British!
I highly recommend this novel, it really provided a whole lot of escapism. I listened to the audiobook that I requested from my library and the narrator really brought the story to life. I loved listening and I really think you will love reading this book too.
July 20, 2022
This book was super good. I admit it was a little difficult to get into, but once I did I enjoyed it so much. A found the characters were so well written, and the whole plot of it was very heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Overall I found this book was a great heartwarming tear-jerker and was a very enjoyable read.
December 12, 2025
So, I’ll start with the characters because I really loved the characters. The main ones anyway. I thought they were really well-fleshed out and the difference in POV felt very strong, like there was a real distinct voice there and I felt it hopping back and forth between the two main characters and that was great. The only character who I was iffy on in terms of the writing was Jeremy, who felt a little inconsistent to me at times and not fully realized, though he was still one of my favorites despite that. The dynamics and relationships in this story really made it for me, and Pearl, I adored the way Pearl, despite dying before the story’s events and never actually seeing her, she had such a strong presence to her anyway and she felt fully realized and I loved her. I fully understood why everyone else loved her so much too.
Also, Andrew. I don’t have a lot to say about Andrew, but I’m happy to see where he ultimately ended up in his development because he annoyed the hell out of me throughout the whole thing, but that’s not a diss on the book or the writing or anything, that is just me reacting to him as a person within the story.
The main conflicts of this story were set up well and I liked the way it was tackled, but there were two things that stood out to me, one of which I had a direct issue with and the other of which I was just sort of confused about. So, the confusion one was the fact that it was mentioned earlier on the possibility that Izzy might be suffering from postpartum depression and it seemed like it was going to be a much bigger thing that she’d be tackling in this book, but that seemed to just disappear entirely after the second mention and was never brought up again. Not to confirm or disprove it. It was just dropped. But the other bigger thing I took issue with was the way Izzy talked/thought about Arthur’s ultimate plans. But that’s a spoiler, so I’ll leave it for the end.
And speaking of the end, I sort of liked the conclusion, but I can’t tell if I was just really good at piecing together everything as I went along or if this book was just predictable. In the middle of the book, a bunch of mysteries start popping up and admittedly it was fun to try to put them together, but a couple of them dragged too long, I felt, and were only mysteries for the sake of having more mysteries, which I felt was ultimately unneeded, but the main mysteries surrounding Pearl and the long-lost brother I thought were great. The ending of this book itself I’m lukewarm on, though. It just didn’t fully hit for me the way I wanted it to and the first half of the book definitely felt a lot stronger in its writing than the second half did, so that’s why I was a little disappointed.
One of the things I loved about the book that I want to point out is the wider neighborhood. It was a very lively neighborhood with a lot of different people and I thought it brought a lot of life to the story, having this neighborhood backdrop and having everyone play important roles in Arthur’s life, roles that are built up over the course of the story. Also, we learned a lot about Pearl through the neighborhood, which I also thought made it extra engaging. So yeah, I had a pretty good time with this book.
There’s one more thing I have to mention, though, before I get into spoilers and that’s the “white is the default” vibe that was just very much in this book, which I guess I’m not surprised by, but me not being surprised made it worse. I first noticed that the Jamaican woman, who was Arthur’s nurse at the start, felt like she was written in a bit of stereotypical way, but I didn’t sit on that too long because I didn’t know what other characters would end up being part of this story, so I waited, but she’s really the only person that I remember taking note of that was presumably non-white. There were actually a couple other nurses who, judging by name, were presumably non-white, and then the only explicitly non-white person was the Black man who was described as a “Black man,” and I don’t actually recall skin color being used as a descriptor at all in this story until that moment and that man got no other descriptions other than that. Also, there was a comment somewhere closer to the start of the book about taking a trip to a foreign country and talk of the baby possibly getting ill, and the line is basically, “You don’t want to risk her getting poorly in some Third World country," and then the response, “I think you mean developing nation…” And yeah, didn’t love that, so I just needed to bring that up because all of this definitely stood out to me. Which is a shame because I really did love most of this book, especially the first half of it.
And okay, now that brings me to the spoilers and my final thing I have to say about this book.
SPOILERS
So, after Izzy finds out that Arthur’s plan is to take his own life, there’s this recurring thing of her just repeatedly referring to that possibility of him actually doing it as “doing something stupid.” She’s always hoping he “hasn’t done something stupid” or she’s worrying about him “doing something stupid,” and there’s zero pushback against the idea it’s a stupid decision, and I guess I just hate the framing of that. I know that’s such a common thing that people say when referencing suicide, but I just hate it so much. And towards the end, Arthur says himself that what he tried to do was stupid, though not in those words. He calls himself a “foolish old man,” something like that, and the conclusion is that both he and Izzy have both been foolish in their actions, as if their actions or possible actions in this book are comparable. They are not, in my opinion, and yeah that bothered the hell out of me and it was repeated so much. It was one of the major things that dragged the second half of the book down, unfortunately. But there you have it.
Also, Andrew. I don’t have a lot to say about Andrew, but I’m happy to see where he ultimately ended up in his development because he annoyed the hell out of me throughout the whole thing, but that’s not a diss on the book or the writing or anything, that is just me reacting to him as a person within the story.
The main conflicts of this story were set up well and I liked the way it was tackled, but there were two things that stood out to me, one of which I had a direct issue with and the other of which I was just sort of confused about. So, the confusion one was the fact that it was mentioned earlier on the possibility that Izzy might be suffering from postpartum depression and it seemed like it was going to be a much bigger thing that she’d be tackling in this book, but that seemed to just disappear entirely after the second mention and was never brought up again. Not to confirm or disprove it. It was just dropped. But the other bigger thing I took issue with was the way Izzy talked/thought about Arthur’s ultimate plans. But that’s a spoiler, so I’ll leave it for the end.
And speaking of the end, I sort of liked the conclusion, but I can’t tell if I was just really good at piecing together everything as I went along or if this book was just predictable. In the middle of the book, a bunch of mysteries start popping up and admittedly it was fun to try to put them together, but a couple of them dragged too long, I felt, and were only mysteries for the sake of having more mysteries, which I felt was ultimately unneeded, but the main mysteries surrounding Pearl and the long-lost brother I thought were great. The ending of this book itself I’m lukewarm on, though. It just didn’t fully hit for me the way I wanted it to and the first half of the book definitely felt a lot stronger in its writing than the second half did, so that’s why I was a little disappointed.
One of the things I loved about the book that I want to point out is the wider neighborhood. It was a very lively neighborhood with a lot of different people and I thought it brought a lot of life to the story, having this neighborhood backdrop and having everyone play important roles in Arthur’s life, roles that are built up over the course of the story. Also, we learned a lot about Pearl through the neighborhood, which I also thought made it extra engaging. So yeah, I had a pretty good time with this book.
There’s one more thing I have to mention, though, before I get into spoilers and that’s the “white is the default” vibe that was just very much in this book, which I guess I’m not surprised by, but me not being surprised made it worse. I first noticed that the Jamaican woman, who was Arthur’s nurse at the start, felt like she was written in a bit of stereotypical way, but I didn’t sit on that too long because I didn’t know what other characters would end up being part of this story, so I waited, but she’s really the only person that I remember taking note of that was presumably non-white. There were actually a couple other nurses who, judging by name, were presumably non-white, and then the only explicitly non-white person was the Black man who was described as a “Black man,” and I don’t actually recall skin color being used as a descriptor at all in this story until that moment and that man got no other descriptions other than that. Also, there was a comment somewhere closer to the start of the book about taking a trip to a foreign country and talk of the baby possibly getting ill, and the line is basically, “You don’t want to risk her getting poorly in some Third World country," and then the response, “I think you mean developing nation…” And yeah, didn’t love that, so I just needed to bring that up because all of this definitely stood out to me. Which is a shame because I really did love most of this book, especially the first half of it.
And okay, now that brings me to the spoilers and my final thing I have to say about this book.
SPOILERS
So, after Izzy finds out that Arthur’s plan is to take his own life, there’s this recurring thing of her just repeatedly referring to that possibility of him actually doing it as “doing something stupid.” She’s always hoping he “hasn’t done something stupid” or she’s worrying about him “doing something stupid,” and there’s zero pushback against the idea it’s a stupid decision, and I guess I just hate the framing of that. I know that’s such a common thing that people say when referencing suicide, but I just hate it so much. And towards the end, Arthur says himself that what he tried to do was stupid, though not in those words. He calls himself a “foolish old man,” something like that, and the conclusion is that both he and Izzy have both been foolish in their actions, as if their actions or possible actions in this book are comparable. They are not, in my opinion, and yeah that bothered the hell out of me and it was repeated so much. It was one of the major things that dragged the second half of the book down, unfortunately. But there you have it.
April 9, 2021
The Best Is Yet To Come is a hauntingly beautiful novel that will stay with me for a very long time. Katy Colins has written a beautiful, empathetic and thought provoking read that will have you full of such love for those who mean the most to you. This book made me think fondly and wistfully of my grandparents.
I wholeheartedly believe if my Nan had passed before my Grandad he would have been very similar to the thought process of Arthur and I guess that added to the emotion I felt in reading this.
Izzy and Arthur strike up an unlikely friendship and ultimately they give each other a boost and a sense of rhyme and reason. Both of them are feeling lost in different ways, I wholeheartedly loved their journey even though there were a number of times my heart was well and truly in my mouth.
The Best Is Yet To Come is split into chapters of Izzy and Arthur. When we first meet Izzy I wasn’t sure what was wrong – as a new mum she is going through all the motions. Her husband’s routines are pretty much the same and she’s exhausted and in need of a hot cuppa tea rather than the lukewarm ones that end up all around her house. In seeing her colleague in a supermarket car park she spirals with a number of fears going through her mind. This is a turning point of sorts for Izzy.
When she first meets Arthur she’s quite simply a mess, but any new mum goes through the same situations. I loved being on this journey with Izzy I’m not a mum myself but have nieces and nephews so I understand how tired mums can be. I also really liked the unexpected friendship of Arthur and Izzy who live in the same Cul De Sac but no nothing of the other.
In getting together the change in them both is heartwarming. Arthur gives Izzy a purpose and also makes her realise that she needs to cut herself some slack as she’s embraced motherhood a lot better than she expected. Her life is different and that’s ok, but Arthur makes her realise her blessings rather than what she thought she had lost. Izzy loves her daughter Evie but she spends a lot of those early stages feeling like she’s not good enough. There are some moments that shouldn’t be amusing that are but it all adds to the story. I loved the various scenarios that she undertook but I especially enjoyed seeing the change in Izzy especially with the baby groups and how her mindset changed, and she also made more friends along the way.
Arthur has been going through the motions for the past two years following losing his dear wife Pearl. Izzy helped him realise there were a lot of lose ends he needed to clear up. The scenes of the pair of them going through Arthurs belongings was heartwarming and at times heartbreaking. I really loved seeing Arthur come to the realisation that he had a lot to live for, with unexpected elements along the way, within the family and within the neighbourhood. The aspect of appearances can be deceiving made me smile and also made me feel sad. We never know what’s going on behind closed doors.
However, she didn’t know the full extent of his plan. This aspect of the story made me feel saddened even though I could understand in some ways. I liked seeing the changes in Arthur. I have to mention the charity shop, I worked for a charity shop for three years and I found this aspect real to life.
Katy Colins has written a truly gorgeous story full of love, loneliness, grief, loss, friendship, there are a number of care warnings in this novel but they are dealt with, with grace and understanding.
I cried and smiled in equal measures whilst reading this novel and I have instantly downloaded How To Say Goodbye by Katy. I’m most definitely a fan and this book will more than likely make my books of the year. I will definitely be thinking of this story for a long time to come.
I wholeheartedly believe if my Nan had passed before my Grandad he would have been very similar to the thought process of Arthur and I guess that added to the emotion I felt in reading this.
Izzy and Arthur strike up an unlikely friendship and ultimately they give each other a boost and a sense of rhyme and reason. Both of them are feeling lost in different ways, I wholeheartedly loved their journey even though there were a number of times my heart was well and truly in my mouth.
The Best Is Yet To Come is split into chapters of Izzy and Arthur. When we first meet Izzy I wasn’t sure what was wrong – as a new mum she is going through all the motions. Her husband’s routines are pretty much the same and she’s exhausted and in need of a hot cuppa tea rather than the lukewarm ones that end up all around her house. In seeing her colleague in a supermarket car park she spirals with a number of fears going through her mind. This is a turning point of sorts for Izzy.
When she first meets Arthur she’s quite simply a mess, but any new mum goes through the same situations. I loved being on this journey with Izzy I’m not a mum myself but have nieces and nephews so I understand how tired mums can be. I also really liked the unexpected friendship of Arthur and Izzy who live in the same Cul De Sac but no nothing of the other.
In getting together the change in them both is heartwarming. Arthur gives Izzy a purpose and also makes her realise that she needs to cut herself some slack as she’s embraced motherhood a lot better than she expected. Her life is different and that’s ok, but Arthur makes her realise her blessings rather than what she thought she had lost. Izzy loves her daughter Evie but she spends a lot of those early stages feeling like she’s not good enough. There are some moments that shouldn’t be amusing that are but it all adds to the story. I loved the various scenarios that she undertook but I especially enjoyed seeing the change in Izzy especially with the baby groups and how her mindset changed, and she also made more friends along the way.
Arthur has been going through the motions for the past two years following losing his dear wife Pearl. Izzy helped him realise there were a lot of lose ends he needed to clear up. The scenes of the pair of them going through Arthurs belongings was heartwarming and at times heartbreaking. I really loved seeing Arthur come to the realisation that he had a lot to live for, with unexpected elements along the way, within the family and within the neighbourhood. The aspect of appearances can be deceiving made me smile and also made me feel sad. We never know what’s going on behind closed doors.
However, she didn’t know the full extent of his plan. This aspect of the story made me feel saddened even though I could understand in some ways. I liked seeing the changes in Arthur. I have to mention the charity shop, I worked for a charity shop for three years and I found this aspect real to life.
Katy Colins has written a truly gorgeous story full of love, loneliness, grief, loss, friendship, there are a number of care warnings in this novel but they are dealt with, with grace and understanding.
I cried and smiled in equal measures whilst reading this novel and I have instantly downloaded How To Say Goodbye by Katy. I’m most definitely a fan and this book will more than likely make my books of the year. I will definitely be thinking of this story for a long time to come.
February 10, 2021
This is a lovely, heartwarming story but also very sad in places. Never more so than right now with all our social distancing and isolating has the circumstances we find ourselves in highlighted how easy it is for people to find themselves out on a limb. Feeling cut off from everyone else with no one to talk to and feeling very much alone.
Izzy is a new mum. Her husband works long hours, leaving Izzy feeling very much alone looking after her newborn baby daughter. It’s hard being a new mum, no sleep, a baby that seems always to be crying, never knowing if she’s ‘doing it right’ and struggling to ever get out of the front door to go anywhere (who knew a new baby could need so many things just for a trip out to the shops). It’s even harder when you have no immediate family living nearby to help out and Izzy misses having her own mum to give her tips and some friendly encouragement.
85 year old Arthur lives alone. He lost his wife Pearl a couple of years ago and life just hasn’t been the same for him since. As well as feeling terribly alone and missing his wife, age seems to be catching up with Arthur too. His only family is his nephew who pops by from time to time to check up on Arthur. But after one fall too many, his nephew worries that Arthur shouldn’t be living alone, rattling around in his house. Perhaps he would be better off in residential accommodation where he would have 24 hour help on hand should he need it.
Arthur and Izzy are neighbours and live in the same street. Events lead them to get together and become friends. Izzy is helping Arthur to do some decluttering in readiness for his move once he’s sold his house. It helps both of them and they enjoy the company of each other. But as the blurb for the books says, Arthur hasn’t told Izzy the whole story which as the book moves on leads to some very poignant moments.
I really enjoyed this story. There are many lighter moments to keep things from getting too sad. The parts where Izzy was helping Arthur to get on top of all his belongings and sort through them almost inspired me to make a start on mine – almost, until I put the book down 😉
I love these intergenerational books with both generations having something to offer the other. Told with warmth and kindness it was a real feel good read.
Izzy is a new mum. Her husband works long hours, leaving Izzy feeling very much alone looking after her newborn baby daughter. It’s hard being a new mum, no sleep, a baby that seems always to be crying, never knowing if she’s ‘doing it right’ and struggling to ever get out of the front door to go anywhere (who knew a new baby could need so many things just for a trip out to the shops). It’s even harder when you have no immediate family living nearby to help out and Izzy misses having her own mum to give her tips and some friendly encouragement.
85 year old Arthur lives alone. He lost his wife Pearl a couple of years ago and life just hasn’t been the same for him since. As well as feeling terribly alone and missing his wife, age seems to be catching up with Arthur too. His only family is his nephew who pops by from time to time to check up on Arthur. But after one fall too many, his nephew worries that Arthur shouldn’t be living alone, rattling around in his house. Perhaps he would be better off in residential accommodation where he would have 24 hour help on hand should he need it.
Arthur and Izzy are neighbours and live in the same street. Events lead them to get together and become friends. Izzy is helping Arthur to do some decluttering in readiness for his move once he’s sold his house. It helps both of them and they enjoy the company of each other. But as the blurb for the books says, Arthur hasn’t told Izzy the whole story which as the book moves on leads to some very poignant moments.
I really enjoyed this story. There are many lighter moments to keep things from getting too sad. The parts where Izzy was helping Arthur to get on top of all his belongings and sort through them almost inspired me to make a start on mine – almost, until I put the book down 😉
I love these intergenerational books with both generations having something to offer the other. Told with warmth and kindness it was a real feel good read.
May 10, 2021
Izzy is a new mother who feels lost and alone. Arthur is an 85-year-old man who is alone after losing his wife. These two characters shape The Best is Yet to Come in a heartwarming, light-hearted and emotional novel. This book includes many serious topics such as suicide, postpartum depression, grief and loss.
My Review:
Katy Collins writes a heartwarming, emotional story that holds the reader close from the first chapter. Izzy’s experience of becoming a new mom resonates with many. I know I experienced some similar emotions. However, unlike Izzy, I was fortunate to have a large supportive family and network of friends, so I can only imagine how much harder it would be for someone like Izzy to go through it alone.
I really liked Izzy’s character, but I think there were too many pieces to her story. She had lost her mother when she was young; her father was not present in her life and seemingly didn’t care for his granddaughter all that much. She was close with her grandparents, but they have also passed, and she didn’t have any friends besides one work colleague. I found this to be a bit much. I’m sure some women could have similar stories, but I would like to think that most new moms have at least one family or friend in their life outside of their partner.
Arthur was an incredibly lovable character. Despite his grumpiness, you felt his love and warmth in each chapter you read. He loved his wife so deeply that he truly struggled to think of life without her, preventing himself from having any happiness in his life. His constant confusion with technology was amusing, and it instantly made me think of my grandparent’s bewildered faces anytime someone describes any piece of technology to them. His reluctance to ask for any help, to admit in any way that he was getting older and needed support, was endearing. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to grow old and not be able to do the things you have been doing all your life.
It was great following the journey of Izzy and Arthurs friendship. Reading how Arthur’s fondness and love towards Evie grew into a grandparent-like relationship was precious. I loved how much Izzy and Arthur filled each other’s voids; it was heartwarming and emotional. I can only hope that any seniors feeling this type of loneliness can come across their Izzy and find a new thirst for life.
For more reviews: www.turningpageswithtrish.com
My Review:
Katy Collins writes a heartwarming, emotional story that holds the reader close from the first chapter. Izzy’s experience of becoming a new mom resonates with many. I know I experienced some similar emotions. However, unlike Izzy, I was fortunate to have a large supportive family and network of friends, so I can only imagine how much harder it would be for someone like Izzy to go through it alone.
I really liked Izzy’s character, but I think there were too many pieces to her story. She had lost her mother when she was young; her father was not present in her life and seemingly didn’t care for his granddaughter all that much. She was close with her grandparents, but they have also passed, and she didn’t have any friends besides one work colleague. I found this to be a bit much. I’m sure some women could have similar stories, but I would like to think that most new moms have at least one family or friend in their life outside of their partner.
Arthur was an incredibly lovable character. Despite his grumpiness, you felt his love and warmth in each chapter you read. He loved his wife so deeply that he truly struggled to think of life without her, preventing himself from having any happiness in his life. His constant confusion with technology was amusing, and it instantly made me think of my grandparent’s bewildered faces anytime someone describes any piece of technology to them. His reluctance to ask for any help, to admit in any way that he was getting older and needed support, was endearing. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to grow old and not be able to do the things you have been doing all your life.
It was great following the journey of Izzy and Arthurs friendship. Reading how Arthur’s fondness and love towards Evie grew into a grandparent-like relationship was precious. I loved how much Izzy and Arthur filled each other’s voids; it was heartwarming and emotional. I can only hope that any seniors feeling this type of loneliness can come across their Izzy and find a new thirst for life.
For more reviews: www.turningpageswithtrish.com
February 22, 2021
The Best Is Yet To Come by Katy Colins is a wonderful, heartfelt contemporary novel that will swell your heart and leave you smiling.
The novel is set in a small cul-de-sac. There are people around but two of the residents feel invisible.
New mum, Izzy, is finding motherhood tough. “She wanted to scream she was drowning.” Every other new mum seems to be perfect with perfect babies who sleep at night. At a time when she should be happiest, Izzy feels on the edge and unable to share her feelings. Katy Colins has perfectly and sensitively captured postnatal depression. It was easy to empathise with Izzy.
Octogenarian Arthur was the quiet half of the marriage. He misses his wife who died two years previously. “There were some people you never stopped loving and missing.” He, too feels, invisible and is easy to empathise with.
The story is told in alternating chapters from these two points of view. We get to know the characters intimately. We know what they are thinking, what they are not saying and where they see the future heading.
A chance meeting by Arthur and Izzy throws them together and the reader witnesses the birth of a beautiful friendship. Each brings out the best in the other. As they begin to blossom so the cul-de-sac also comes to life.
The characters have been wonderfully created by Katy Colins. The reader is enchanted by their dialogue as the love and care radiate outwards.
This was a beautiful book about friendship and expanding worlds. I absolutely loved it.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
The novel is set in a small cul-de-sac. There are people around but two of the residents feel invisible.
New mum, Izzy, is finding motherhood tough. “She wanted to scream she was drowning.” Every other new mum seems to be perfect with perfect babies who sleep at night. At a time when she should be happiest, Izzy feels on the edge and unable to share her feelings. Katy Colins has perfectly and sensitively captured postnatal depression. It was easy to empathise with Izzy.
Octogenarian Arthur was the quiet half of the marriage. He misses his wife who died two years previously. “There were some people you never stopped loving and missing.” He, too feels, invisible and is easy to empathise with.
The story is told in alternating chapters from these two points of view. We get to know the characters intimately. We know what they are thinking, what they are not saying and where they see the future heading.
A chance meeting by Arthur and Izzy throws them together and the reader witnesses the birth of a beautiful friendship. Each brings out the best in the other. As they begin to blossom so the cul-de-sac also comes to life.
The characters have been wonderfully created by Katy Colins. The reader is enchanted by their dialogue as the love and care radiate outwards.
This was a beautiful book about friendship and expanding worlds. I absolutely loved it.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
March 23, 2021
What an utterly gorgeous tale this was.
Arthur (an OAP I guess you'd say) and Izzy (a young first-time mum), form an unlikely friendship in this story of discovery.
I was left smiling from ear to ear by the time I'd finished this novel.
Arthur is feeling like he's nearing the end of his life, having been without his wife Pearl for a couple of years, this is a man, who senses that he's lived all the days he needed to in the house that he's called home for so many years and he has now set out Operation Pearl in preparation for moving into a retirement home arranged by his nephew Jeremy.
Izzy, who having just given birth, is quite frankly struggling. Lack of sleep, a crying baby and no one to talk to, she feels like she's quite simply drowning in it all.
Who knew, that a case of a parcel being dropped at the wrong address could be the answer to both Arthur and Izzy's prayers.
What happens after this fateful day is honestly wonderfully touching.
Heartwarmingly hopeful, The Best is Yet to Come is a novel that is both humorous and humbling, a pure delight for the mind.
The characters felt real, their emotions sincere. I couldn't help but feel as though I wanted to be friends with both of them - as well as give them both a giant hug.
Each turn of the page provided me with what I'd describe as 'all the feels', palpable, what is observed in this story is so much more than a growing friendship, there is an intimacy and depth to all of it.
If you are in need of a mood lift (positive vibes only), then this is the novel you NEED to read.
Arthur (an OAP I guess you'd say) and Izzy (a young first-time mum), form an unlikely friendship in this story of discovery.
I was left smiling from ear to ear by the time I'd finished this novel.
Arthur is feeling like he's nearing the end of his life, having been without his wife Pearl for a couple of years, this is a man, who senses that he's lived all the days he needed to in the house that he's called home for so many years and he has now set out Operation Pearl in preparation for moving into a retirement home arranged by his nephew Jeremy.
Izzy, who having just given birth, is quite frankly struggling. Lack of sleep, a crying baby and no one to talk to, she feels like she's quite simply drowning in it all.
Who knew, that a case of a parcel being dropped at the wrong address could be the answer to both Arthur and Izzy's prayers.
What happens after this fateful day is honestly wonderfully touching.
Heartwarmingly hopeful, The Best is Yet to Come is a novel that is both humorous and humbling, a pure delight for the mind.
The characters felt real, their emotions sincere. I couldn't help but feel as though I wanted to be friends with both of them - as well as give them both a giant hug.
Each turn of the page provided me with what I'd describe as 'all the feels', palpable, what is observed in this story is so much more than a growing friendship, there is an intimacy and depth to all of it.
If you are in need of a mood lift (positive vibes only), then this is the novel you NEED to read.
September 21, 2021
TW: grief, loneliness, postnatal depression and suicidal thoughts
"Clearly asking for help didn't come natural to Arthur but then again, as Izzy only knew too well, sometimes it's the things we don't say that we need others to hear the loudest."
New mum Izzy is struggling. Refusing to acknowledge she is suffering with postnatal depression, she finds life with newborn Evie so hard. It's not what she expected, her husband Andrew doesn't pull his weight, her mum died when she was young and the other new mums she meets seem to have it together.
Elderly widower Arthur is still grieving the loss of beloved wife Pearl, two years ago. Living alone on the same cul-de-sac as Izzy, his quiet, purposeless life takes a turn when he has a fall. When Izzy discovers him and gets help they slowly start to become friends. But it's the forthcoming move to a care home that frightens him most and almost makes him feel life is not worth living.
The chapters alternate between Izzy and Arthur so we learn about them, their first impressions of one another and see their friendship develop. There are some great supporting characters too, neighbours and family. Whilst this is primarily and uplifting read, it doesn't shy away from tackling grief, loneliness, postnatal depression and suicidal thoughts, with care. This is a heartwarming tale of two people at a low ebb who find true friendship when they need it most.
"Clearly asking for help didn't come natural to Arthur but then again, as Izzy only knew too well, sometimes it's the things we don't say that we need others to hear the loudest."
New mum Izzy is struggling. Refusing to acknowledge she is suffering with postnatal depression, she finds life with newborn Evie so hard. It's not what she expected, her husband Andrew doesn't pull his weight, her mum died when she was young and the other new mums she meets seem to have it together.
Elderly widower Arthur is still grieving the loss of beloved wife Pearl, two years ago. Living alone on the same cul-de-sac as Izzy, his quiet, purposeless life takes a turn when he has a fall. When Izzy discovers him and gets help they slowly start to become friends. But it's the forthcoming move to a care home that frightens him most and almost makes him feel life is not worth living.
The chapters alternate between Izzy and Arthur so we learn about them, their first impressions of one another and see their friendship develop. There are some great supporting characters too, neighbours and family. Whilst this is primarily and uplifting read, it doesn't shy away from tackling grief, loneliness, postnatal depression and suicidal thoughts, with care. This is a heartwarming tale of two people at a low ebb who find true friendship when they need it most.
April 1, 2021
The Best Is Yet To Come by @notwedordead ☔
We've all been there in life, when things get on top of us. And we feel our world's closing in. We feel there's nobody we can turn to.
This is what's happening to Izzy and Arthur. I could relate well to Izzy. She's a new mother and she feels overwhelmed about motherhood. I was transported back to when I first had Haf, the whole emotions and feelings that Izzy felt hit home.
I love an intergenerational storyline. It's great to see the characters bounce off each other and learn new things from the other. Arthur and Izzy found each other at just the right time and it's such a heart warming tale.
I flew through this story, it's told in alternative chapters from Izzy and Arthur. It's so easy to fall into their lives and feel connected to them. Katy Collins has written a narrative that flows so well. I couldn't get enough.
What The Best Is Yet To Come highlights is the importance of opening up 😊 talk to those close to you. Talk to anyone really. Don't let those feelings fester inside you. Who knows you may find yourself your own Izzy or Arthur 💗
🌟 Many thanks to @hqstories for my #gifted copy.
#TheBestIsYetToCome #upliftingreads #easyreads #hqstories #katycollins #intergenerationalreads #mentalhealth #talktosomeone #positive #positivity #wednesdaywisdom
We've all been there in life, when things get on top of us. And we feel our world's closing in. We feel there's nobody we can turn to.
This is what's happening to Izzy and Arthur. I could relate well to Izzy. She's a new mother and she feels overwhelmed about motherhood. I was transported back to when I first had Haf, the whole emotions and feelings that Izzy felt hit home.
I love an intergenerational storyline. It's great to see the characters bounce off each other and learn new things from the other. Arthur and Izzy found each other at just the right time and it's such a heart warming tale.
I flew through this story, it's told in alternative chapters from Izzy and Arthur. It's so easy to fall into their lives and feel connected to them. Katy Collins has written a narrative that flows so well. I couldn't get enough.
What The Best Is Yet To Come highlights is the importance of opening up 😊 talk to those close to you. Talk to anyone really. Don't let those feelings fester inside you. Who knows you may find yourself your own Izzy or Arthur 💗
🌟 Many thanks to @hqstories for my #gifted copy.
#TheBestIsYetToCome #upliftingreads #easyreads #hqstories #katycollins #intergenerationalreads #mentalhealth #talktosomeone #positive #positivity #wednesdaywisdom
February 24, 2021
"He’d heard people say that life is like a good book. Even though you know that at some point the story is going to end, you keep turning the pages wanting to see how it all works out."
Izzy has always taken everything in her stride but being a mother to five-week-old Evie is proving more difficult than she thought. She keeps telling herself it’s just a phase but dark clouds are starting to appear.
Izzy's octogenarian neighbour and widower, Arthur, might be in the winter of his life but he’s not ready to be packed off to a care home. He’s determined to do things his way, on his own timeline.
When Izzy hears about Arthur’s big move, she offers to help. But Arthur isn’t telling her the whole story. It takes courage to admit you need a friend and when you feel invisible, all you need is a ray of hope.
What hooked me to Izzy and Arthur's story was the overwhelming loneliness and sheer desperation they experience. Izzy and Arthur need a purpose and when Izzy turns up at Arthur's doorstep to help him pack up his home of sixty-two years, it gives them both a way out.
The author expertly captures the differences in her character's struggles in terms of age and issues. The narrative highlights how mental health affects loneliness and depression. It also reflects on how forgiveness can help one break free from the burdensome shackles of regret.
A life-affirming story of cross generational friendship found at the unlikeliest of times, this reinforces the belief that there is always something to look forward to and that no matter what, you will live and love again.
This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and HQ Stories.
For complete review, visit https://aquamarineflavours.wordpress.com
Find me on other platforms through here: https://linktr.ee/AshieJayn
Izzy has always taken everything in her stride but being a mother to five-week-old Evie is proving more difficult than she thought. She keeps telling herself it’s just a phase but dark clouds are starting to appear.
Izzy's octogenarian neighbour and widower, Arthur, might be in the winter of his life but he’s not ready to be packed off to a care home. He’s determined to do things his way, on his own timeline.
When Izzy hears about Arthur’s big move, she offers to help. But Arthur isn’t telling her the whole story. It takes courage to admit you need a friend and when you feel invisible, all you need is a ray of hope.
What hooked me to Izzy and Arthur's story was the overwhelming loneliness and sheer desperation they experience. Izzy and Arthur need a purpose and when Izzy turns up at Arthur's doorstep to help him pack up his home of sixty-two years, it gives them both a way out.
The author expertly captures the differences in her character's struggles in terms of age and issues. The narrative highlights how mental health affects loneliness and depression. It also reflects on how forgiveness can help one break free from the burdensome shackles of regret.
A life-affirming story of cross generational friendship found at the unlikeliest of times, this reinforces the belief that there is always something to look forward to and that no matter what, you will live and love again.
This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and HQ Stories.
For complete review, visit https://aquamarineflavours.wordpress.com
Find me on other platforms through here: https://linktr.ee/AshieJayn
March 18, 2021
Izzy, a new mum, is struggling. All the other mums seem to have their shit together but Izzy doesn’t. And no one seems to be seeing this.
Arthur, an elderly widowed gentleman, sees her. He sees that she needs help but he has his own struggles. While he sees Izzy’s, can she see his?
As Izzy and Arthur’s lives interweave, we are given a story of struggle and hope, love and loss, feeling invisible and finding friendship in the most unlikely places.
✨ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨✨
Katy Collins has written a beautiful story that will tug at your heart strings. She has created characters who are loveable and real, they could quite literally be your neighbours! Did Arthur steal my heart three minutes into reading the first chapter? Yes, yes he did. Did the plot line explore important topics in an authentic and delicate way? Yes, yes it did. What Katy did, in a subtle and thoughtful way, was teach us not to make assumptions and judgements about people. There was some sort of revelation for every single character that encourages us to assume the best of people and not the worst.
If you’re looking for a contemporary fiction novel that will provide you with a bit of release from whatever’s going on in your life, pick this one up. Just be ready for the emotional investment you’re naturally going to end up pouring into it.
Arthur, an elderly widowed gentleman, sees her. He sees that she needs help but he has his own struggles. While he sees Izzy’s, can she see his?
As Izzy and Arthur’s lives interweave, we are given a story of struggle and hope, love and loss, feeling invisible and finding friendship in the most unlikely places.
✨ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨✨
Katy Collins has written a beautiful story that will tug at your heart strings. She has created characters who are loveable and real, they could quite literally be your neighbours! Did Arthur steal my heart three minutes into reading the first chapter? Yes, yes he did. Did the plot line explore important topics in an authentic and delicate way? Yes, yes it did. What Katy did, in a subtle and thoughtful way, was teach us not to make assumptions and judgements about people. There was some sort of revelation for every single character that encourages us to assume the best of people and not the worst.
If you’re looking for a contemporary fiction novel that will provide you with a bit of release from whatever’s going on in your life, pick this one up. Just be ready for the emotional investment you’re naturally going to end up pouring into it.
March 18, 2021
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦..?
Oh gosh! This book was such a wonderfully uplifting yet emotional read with two leading characters you can't help but fall in love with. Both are at very different stages in their lives, facing big changes and struggling but by chance they are brought together.
Their friendship blossoms as they pack up Arthur's home, sharing many heartfelt moments and getting to know each other better. Just when they each needed a friend, they find help and support in the unlikeliest circumstances and bring out the best in one another - it's so charming to witness. But the story also deals with some serious issues, the biggest being the heartbreaking secret Arthur is harbouring..💔 I think many readers will relate to Izzy and completely fall for Arthur - you'll be rooting for them both. I'm so glad they got a happy ending!
Written with such warmth and care, bringing a tear to your eye but a smile to your face, Colins novel highlights the power friendship can have even in the darkest of times and the strength that it can give you. It's a story that'll leave you wanting to hug your nearest and dearest, I adored it!
💙☔
Oh gosh! This book was such a wonderfully uplifting yet emotional read with two leading characters you can't help but fall in love with. Both are at very different stages in their lives, facing big changes and struggling but by chance they are brought together.
Their friendship blossoms as they pack up Arthur's home, sharing many heartfelt moments and getting to know each other better. Just when they each needed a friend, they find help and support in the unlikeliest circumstances and bring out the best in one another - it's so charming to witness. But the story also deals with some serious issues, the biggest being the heartbreaking secret Arthur is harbouring..💔 I think many readers will relate to Izzy and completely fall for Arthur - you'll be rooting for them both. I'm so glad they got a happy ending!
Written with such warmth and care, bringing a tear to your eye but a smile to your face, Colins novel highlights the power friendship can have even in the darkest of times and the strength that it can give you. It's a story that'll leave you wanting to hug your nearest and dearest, I adored it!
💙☔
April 14, 2021
firstly i must say how much i love the cover of this book: it’s not only graphically pretty, but also full of symbolism. i thought i like it enough before actually reading this book, but after doing that it appeals to me even more.
im a huge fan of books about friendships. i believe friendships are the most important relationships in our lives and i was very excited to see how izzy&arthur’s relationship is going to develop, according to the fact that they were (at least seemingly) very different people.
this story deals with a lot of important topics and i really liked the way the author portrayed them. they were something i’m not entirely familiar with, since ive never been pregnant or lost the life partner, so i was very interested to know the insight of the people who had experienced those things.
it’s not only the story about friendship, but also loneliness, postnatal depression (that is definitely not talked about enough) and grief. because of that, it is really worth familiarising with.
3.5 stars.
- arc provided by HQ via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
im a huge fan of books about friendships. i believe friendships are the most important relationships in our lives and i was very excited to see how izzy&arthur’s relationship is going to develop, according to the fact that they were (at least seemingly) very different people.
this story deals with a lot of important topics and i really liked the way the author portrayed them. they were something i’m not entirely familiar with, since ive never been pregnant or lost the life partner, so i was very interested to know the insight of the people who had experienced those things.
it’s not only the story about friendship, but also loneliness, postnatal depression (that is definitely not talked about enough) and grief. because of that, it is really worth familiarising with.
3.5 stars.
- arc provided by HQ via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2021
This book is quite literally, a warm hug. I was actually a little bereft when there was a whole day and night that I had no time to read this book in! The characters are so well written that it feels like reading about your friends, family, neighbours or even yourself.
Katy tackles some difficult topics in a very sensitive way and basically just writes life how it is. With the subject matter covered you would expect this book to be a hard read but somehow, it's not. In fact, it's heart-warming and uplifting.
The characters are at very different stages in their lives but the underlying emotions running through their stories are similar. The contrast between new Mum Izzy and OAP Arthur's lives and the unlikely friendship that builds up between the two is just so heart-warming.
Beautiful. And the best part? Katy has five other books published that I haven't read - love it when that happens!
Katy tackles some difficult topics in a very sensitive way and basically just writes life how it is. With the subject matter covered you would expect this book to be a hard read but somehow, it's not. In fact, it's heart-warming and uplifting.
The characters are at very different stages in their lives but the underlying emotions running through their stories are similar. The contrast between new Mum Izzy and OAP Arthur's lives and the unlikely friendship that builds up between the two is just so heart-warming.
Beautiful. And the best part? Katy has five other books published that I haven't read - love it when that happens!
July 9, 2025
I did enjoy this book. It is quite large but I found it quite an easy read.
The book reminded me quite a lot of A Man Called Ove. The storyline is very similar - an old man has lost his life partner and decides there's nothing left to live for and then a neighbour becomes involved in his life and a friendship is made. I would note that a man called Ove was written in 2012 and Collin's book is 2021 I believe.
Because of the strong similarities I did find it hard not to compare. I think Ove was a much more established character than Arthur - he had more depth about him. The same goes for Izzy compared to the young mother in A Man Called Ove. I think I would say that this book is a light hearted modern women's fiction, but A Man Called Ove is almost more of a literary read.
My suggestion - if you liked this book you should read A Man Called Ove! Nothing wrong with The Best is Yet to Come - it's just already been written and - in my opinion - to a better standard.
The book reminded me quite a lot of A Man Called Ove. The storyline is very similar - an old man has lost his life partner and decides there's nothing left to live for and then a neighbour becomes involved in his life and a friendship is made. I would note that a man called Ove was written in 2012 and Collin's book is 2021 I believe.
Because of the strong similarities I did find it hard not to compare. I think Ove was a much more established character than Arthur - he had more depth about him. The same goes for Izzy compared to the young mother in A Man Called Ove. I think I would say that this book is a light hearted modern women's fiction, but A Man Called Ove is almost more of a literary read.
My suggestion - if you liked this book you should read A Man Called Ove! Nothing wrong with The Best is Yet to Come - it's just already been written and - in my opinion - to a better standard.
October 29, 2020
The best is yet to come is a beautiful read that depicts how loneliness in the elderly and being overwhelmed as a new mother is rife in our society,particularly relevant during these difficult times of Covid 19.
Arthur a lonely widower is tired of his empty life since his wife Pearl died a couple of years ago, Izzy is a new mother who is overwhelmed with parenting her newborn daughter. Together this unlikely pair form a friendship that mutually benefits them both in so many ways, it’s so heartwarming to see the emerging relationship between the two of them and the help and support that they both gain from each other despite the massive age gap! Loneliness, new motherhood and inter generational relationships are key to this read delivering a feel good, heartwarming read that will resonate with many!
Thank you netgalley for this early read!
Arthur a lonely widower is tired of his empty life since his wife Pearl died a couple of years ago, Izzy is a new mother who is overwhelmed with parenting her newborn daughter. Together this unlikely pair form a friendship that mutually benefits them both in so many ways, it’s so heartwarming to see the emerging relationship between the two of them and the help and support that they both gain from each other despite the massive age gap! Loneliness, new motherhood and inter generational relationships are key to this read delivering a feel good, heartwarming read that will resonate with many!
Thank you netgalley for this early read!
December 30, 2022
From the first few chapters you could easily mistake this for a rather depressing book - we have Izzy who is struggling being a new mum, and Arthur who is ready to check out of his own life.
But as these two neighbour's orbits interlink, there os change and hope in the air, as they both without realising are helping each other massively.
It's a lovely and heartwarming story, that uplifts you, and its a book that will get you thinking.
Beautifully written, this is a story that will stay with you long after you finish it.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
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