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On the Bright Side
'Warm and wise' Julie Cohen 'Just loved' Susan Lewis 'Sage, heartfelt and real' Beth Morrey There's always time for a second chance... At least that is what people say. But what if it's true? What if you could walk out the door and build a whole new you, a whole new life? Clare and Jack are about to find out. He's a middle-aged barrister, living life as he 'should'. She's a recently divorced dance teacher and mum to a teenage daughter. Change isn't easy for either of them. But it's not impossible. If they do something BIG, could the next half of their lives be the best half? Praise for On the Bright Side : 'Big. Beautiful. Incredible. A moving story of personal strength and learning to love yourself' Anton Du Beke 'This tender tale of love and finding your inner strength is a balm for the soul. Beautifully crafted, this book and these characters will stay with me for a long time' Claire Allan 'A hygge a story of how to love the who-you-are, not the who-you-have-been. An elegantly crafted story that we all need right now' Anstey Harris 'A compelling story' Freya North 'An elegant and engrossing read' Sheila O'Flanagan 'The book of the year for me' Anna McPartlin 'A beautifully written story of love, life and second chances' Debbie Johnson 'A book that you'll always remember where you were when you first read it and one you'll revisit many more times to come. Nell Carter will reduce you to tears and then fill your heart with joyful hope again' Claudia Carroll 'A love story with a difference, at times dark, acutely observed and beautifully told' Carmel Harrington
- GenresAudiobook
374 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 2, 2021
Jack and Clare are two complete strangers, whom life has dealt a tough hand. Jack lost the only woman he had ever loved to a tragic accident, an accident that also led to the loss of his leg - his life has never been the same since. Clare has been left battered and bruised, both mentally and physically by the hands of her ex husband, she's become a shadow of her former self. When both decide to make a change, fate just so happens to bring them together..
Oh this book! Although dealing with some emotional and difficult topics, I can guarantee you'll finish with a smile on your face, I loved it! Exploring the many different and complex forms in which love presents itself, Carter has written a story that is warm, inviting and easy to read. Her characters come across so human and by that I mean they feel genuine - with real lives, real feelings and real problems, you immediately become attached. (Ok maybe not to Tim, I didn't like him!)
It's a story, I would describe as quiet by which I mean not a lot happens, except that it does! The two main protagonists completely transform their lives, which makes the book such a heartfelt and rewarding read. I wanted to learn so much more about both Jack and Clare and would happily read a sequel! Emotional and thought provoking, it's a book I'll definitely be recommending!*
🧡💙
*ɪ'ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ɴᴏᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ʟᴏꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴍᴇꜱᴛɪᴄ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴄᴀʀᴛᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ.
Oh this book! Although dealing with some emotional and difficult topics, I can guarantee you'll finish with a smile on your face, I loved it! Exploring the many different and complex forms in which love presents itself, Carter has written a story that is warm, inviting and easy to read. Her characters come across so human and by that I mean they feel genuine - with real lives, real feelings and real problems, you immediately become attached. (Ok maybe not to Tim, I didn't like him!)
It's a story, I would describe as quiet by which I mean not a lot happens, except that it does! The two main protagonists completely transform their lives, which makes the book such a heartfelt and rewarding read. I wanted to learn so much more about both Jack and Clare and would happily read a sequel! Emotional and thought provoking, it's a book I'll definitely be recommending!*
🧡💙
*ɪ'ᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ɴᴏᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴄᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ʟᴏꜱꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏᴍᴇꜱᴛɪᴄ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴄᴇ, ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴄᴀʀᴛᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ.
August 9, 2021
Clare needs a new start in life.
Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed On the Bright Side because it is a mature exploration of relationships and the reality of approaching middle age for Clare and Jack that is so refreshing to read. Nell Carter has created a narrative about real life and its ugliness, its beauty, its challenges and, ultimately, its hope, so that On the Bright Side leaves the reader feeling as if they have been given an insight into a real world and not a fictional story. On The Bright Side is a book of true maturity that reflects society with perception and skill.
Although On the Bright Side is perfectly balanced between Clare and Jack’s stories, I found the first person aspect of Jack’s narrative so compelling because usually, in this genre, the perspective is a female one. Having Jack’s innermost thoughts alongside Clare’s story is incredibly effective and I felt I came to know him intimately. That said, I understood and empathised with Clare completely too. Frequently she frustrated me in her relationship with Tim, but only because it felt all too plausible. I found myself speaking aloud to give her advice because she felt so real, and her relationship with her mother could not have been better presented. Grace too, is an absolute triumph. Nell Carter understands teenagers completely, bringing them to life in a pitch perfect way and making Grace so authentic. On the Bright Side is filled with plausible, real, flawed characters that thrum with life and realism. I thought they were brilliant.
Similarly, the plot is totally realistic. These ordinary people are experiencing the kind of life events that so many experience and it is this everyday life that makes On the Bright Side so relatable and affecting. In fact, I found my own feelings echoing the emotions of the characters as I read. Even where things occur that the reader has no direct experience of, they are very likely to know someone who has, so that the story resonates deeply. It’s tricky to say too much about plot without spoiling the read for others, but the whole time I read I kept thinking how genuine the events felt. It is as if Nell Carter has distilled modern life into the pages of her story and illustrated its demands and possibilities to perfection.
Indeed, those possibilities, the impact of others on our lives and our personal growth, our capacity to feel, to be emotionally present and connected, drive the narrative. I loved the themes in On the Bright Side. Nell Carter does not shy away from difficult issues like abusive and toxic relationships, but she manages to present them in ways that leave the reader feeling uplifted and encouraged. To say it again, this book really does feel genuine and heart-felt to the extent that it was almost as if I were watching a real-life documentary rather than simply reading a story. It takes considerable skill to create such an effect in the reader.
I finished On the Bright Side feeling privileged to have read it. It was as if I’d learnt about myself and my own potential and capacity as well as that of Clare and Jack because I found the book enormously affecting. I’m left continuing to think about them and wondering what they are doing now. I miss them!
Oh, I thoroughly enjoyed On the Bright Side because it is a mature exploration of relationships and the reality of approaching middle age for Clare and Jack that is so refreshing to read. Nell Carter has created a narrative about real life and its ugliness, its beauty, its challenges and, ultimately, its hope, so that On the Bright Side leaves the reader feeling as if they have been given an insight into a real world and not a fictional story. On The Bright Side is a book of true maturity that reflects society with perception and skill.
Although On the Bright Side is perfectly balanced between Clare and Jack’s stories, I found the first person aspect of Jack’s narrative so compelling because usually, in this genre, the perspective is a female one. Having Jack’s innermost thoughts alongside Clare’s story is incredibly effective and I felt I came to know him intimately. That said, I understood and empathised with Clare completely too. Frequently she frustrated me in her relationship with Tim, but only because it felt all too plausible. I found myself speaking aloud to give her advice because she felt so real, and her relationship with her mother could not have been better presented. Grace too, is an absolute triumph. Nell Carter understands teenagers completely, bringing them to life in a pitch perfect way and making Grace so authentic. On the Bright Side is filled with plausible, real, flawed characters that thrum with life and realism. I thought they were brilliant.
Similarly, the plot is totally realistic. These ordinary people are experiencing the kind of life events that so many experience and it is this everyday life that makes On the Bright Side so relatable and affecting. In fact, I found my own feelings echoing the emotions of the characters as I read. Even where things occur that the reader has no direct experience of, they are very likely to know someone who has, so that the story resonates deeply. It’s tricky to say too much about plot without spoiling the read for others, but the whole time I read I kept thinking how genuine the events felt. It is as if Nell Carter has distilled modern life into the pages of her story and illustrated its demands and possibilities to perfection.
Indeed, those possibilities, the impact of others on our lives and our personal growth, our capacity to feel, to be emotionally present and connected, drive the narrative. I loved the themes in On the Bright Side. Nell Carter does not shy away from difficult issues like abusive and toxic relationships, but she manages to present them in ways that leave the reader feeling uplifted and encouraged. To say it again, this book really does feel genuine and heart-felt to the extent that it was almost as if I were watching a real-life documentary rather than simply reading a story. It takes considerable skill to create such an effect in the reader.
I finished On the Bright Side feeling privileged to have read it. It was as if I’d learnt about myself and my own potential and capacity as well as that of Clare and Jack because I found the book enormously affecting. I’m left continuing to think about them and wondering what they are doing now. I miss them!
August 3, 2021
There are times when you have an almost irresistible urge to start telling the full story – every wonderful twist and turn that made me cry and laugh, that plunged me into the depths and made my heart sing, that made me fall in love with its characters and entirely unable to put it down until I’d read the very last page. But the book’s description gives away very little, and I’m going to take the same approach, allowing every new reader to discover and love this story in the same way I did.
But I can talk about the book’s characters, Clare and Jack. They’re both in their forties, with lives and histories that have followed very different paths. Jack is a barrister, a little staid and enjoying stability and routine, living a comfortable but fairly self-contained life – but he’s decided the time has come to spread his wings a little, visit his family in the US, then heading for Europe and some of the sights and experiences he’s missed out on. Clare has had particularly difficult times, but the time has come for some major changes – and those changes, coupled with a decision Jack makes to give something back to help others less fortunate, brings their paths together. I’ve rarely come across two characters who won me over so quickly – the story is told from both their viewpoints, and I loved Clare’s passion and vulnerability, and Jack’s wry humour as he struggles with his own demons.
And there’s another character I entirely took to my heart – Grace, Clare’s fifteen-year-old daughter. She’s a wonderful character – a very real teen, but sometimes with a wisdom about her that’s considerably greater than that possessed by the adults around her. And there are, of course, a number of other characters equally well-drawn – the book has a strong focus both on friendship (in Jack’s case, his long-time friend Olly, always ready to offer advice Jack doesn’t want to hear – while Clare is making new and supportive alliances) and the many facets of family.
As Jack and Clare make decisions about their future lives, there are scenes and moments in this book that made me engage with their lives to an extraordinary degree – I loved them both, ached for them when things went wrong, laughed with them through their moments of joy and lightness. Emotionally, the author’s touch is simply perfect – and the book is full of tentative steps forward and several steps backwards that entirely immerse you in their lives and the choices they make. There’s plenty of perfectly judged humour – the whole book has an immense warmth that radiates from its pages – but other times when you find yourself welling up at a perfectly crafted emotional moment.
Both Jack and Clare need to learn to leave their pasts behind, to find their inner strength, and to open themselves to the possibility of happiness in their futures – and it’s a journey where I was with them for every difficult step along the way, willing them on. Beautifully crafted, warm and wise, this was a book that will stay with me for a very long time – and I hardly need to say that it will be one of my books of the year.
But I can talk about the book’s characters, Clare and Jack. They’re both in their forties, with lives and histories that have followed very different paths. Jack is a barrister, a little staid and enjoying stability and routine, living a comfortable but fairly self-contained life – but he’s decided the time has come to spread his wings a little, visit his family in the US, then heading for Europe and some of the sights and experiences he’s missed out on. Clare has had particularly difficult times, but the time has come for some major changes – and those changes, coupled with a decision Jack makes to give something back to help others less fortunate, brings their paths together. I’ve rarely come across two characters who won me over so quickly – the story is told from both their viewpoints, and I loved Clare’s passion and vulnerability, and Jack’s wry humour as he struggles with his own demons.
And there’s another character I entirely took to my heart – Grace, Clare’s fifteen-year-old daughter. She’s a wonderful character – a very real teen, but sometimes with a wisdom about her that’s considerably greater than that possessed by the adults around her. And there are, of course, a number of other characters equally well-drawn – the book has a strong focus both on friendship (in Jack’s case, his long-time friend Olly, always ready to offer advice Jack doesn’t want to hear – while Clare is making new and supportive alliances) and the many facets of family.
As Jack and Clare make decisions about their future lives, there are scenes and moments in this book that made me engage with their lives to an extraordinary degree – I loved them both, ached for them when things went wrong, laughed with them through their moments of joy and lightness. Emotionally, the author’s touch is simply perfect – and the book is full of tentative steps forward and several steps backwards that entirely immerse you in their lives and the choices they make. There’s plenty of perfectly judged humour – the whole book has an immense warmth that radiates from its pages – but other times when you find yourself welling up at a perfectly crafted emotional moment.
Both Jack and Clare need to learn to leave their pasts behind, to find their inner strength, and to open themselves to the possibility of happiness in their futures – and it’s a journey where I was with them for every difficult step along the way, willing them on. Beautifully crafted, warm and wise, this was a book that will stay with me for a very long time – and I hardly need to say that it will be one of my books of the year.
July 31, 2021
https://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/book-...
Some people have a major trauma in their life that keeps them stuck in a protective rut where they’re afraid to take on challenges and have to arrange every little detail, blocking out opportunities of feeling the highs and lows of life. This is Jack Tate.
Then there are others who experience trauma on a day-to-day basis and don’t know how to change the patterns. Until one day they do. This is Clare Bryanson.
And sometimes there are young people whose life experiences and responsibilities give them strategies and skills that make them older than their actual years. This is Grace, Clare’s daughter.
They are fated to whirl into each other’s lives.
Each have a narrative. Jack in 1st person, Clare in 3rd. I loved how we got to know what was happening with Grace through social media, WhatsApp and email.
All three are vulnerable and although dependent on each other for some things, are independent and on their own paths of discovery.
I found it so easy to identify with them and become emotionally involved but my favourite is Clare. I was rooting for her through her battles and challenges. I really wanted her to win through! Pattern changing is really hard and I had a great deal of admiration for her. It’s so easy to slip back but with the support of the community around her, there’s a world of difference between Croydon Clare and Wiltshire Clare.
They’re not the only characters we see trying to turn things around either.
Lots of favourite scenes for me in this story but one that stays in my mind is Clare teaching Simon to dance. Subtly, it reflects not just how far Simon had come but Clare’s belief and trust in herself too.
On The Bright Side explores connections with others no matter what the relationship is; friend, mother, daughter, sibling, lover, husband, employer, teacher. The highs and lows – and life in all its shades of grey.
It’s about making sacrifices for something that could be greater and taking a chance that it will be. And giving space for fate to step in to create magic. No matter how old you are.
A beautifully uplifting story full of hope and possibilities.
Some people have a major trauma in their life that keeps them stuck in a protective rut where they’re afraid to take on challenges and have to arrange every little detail, blocking out opportunities of feeling the highs and lows of life. This is Jack Tate.
Then there are others who experience trauma on a day-to-day basis and don’t know how to change the patterns. Until one day they do. This is Clare Bryanson.
And sometimes there are young people whose life experiences and responsibilities give them strategies and skills that make them older than their actual years. This is Grace, Clare’s daughter.
They are fated to whirl into each other’s lives.
Each have a narrative. Jack in 1st person, Clare in 3rd. I loved how we got to know what was happening with Grace through social media, WhatsApp and email.
All three are vulnerable and although dependent on each other for some things, are independent and on their own paths of discovery.
I found it so easy to identify with them and become emotionally involved but my favourite is Clare. I was rooting for her through her battles and challenges. I really wanted her to win through! Pattern changing is really hard and I had a great deal of admiration for her. It’s so easy to slip back but with the support of the community around her, there’s a world of difference between Croydon Clare and Wiltshire Clare.
They’re not the only characters we see trying to turn things around either.
Lots of favourite scenes for me in this story but one that stays in my mind is Clare teaching Simon to dance. Subtly, it reflects not just how far Simon had come but Clare’s belief and trust in herself too.
On The Bright Side explores connections with others no matter what the relationship is; friend, mother, daughter, sibling, lover, husband, employer, teacher. The highs and lows – and life in all its shades of grey.
It’s about making sacrifices for something that could be greater and taking a chance that it will be. And giving space for fate to step in to create magic. No matter how old you are.
A beautifully uplifting story full of hope and possibilities.
August 8, 2021
On the Bright Side is a book I have been looking forward to reading for a long time. It should have been released much earlier this year and had a different title too but finally it’s here and what an emotional and engaging story it is.
The story is told in alternating chapters mainly from the points of view of Clare and Jack. Clare has recently come out of a very troubled marriage and just when things are looking rather desperate for her and her daughter Grace, some very unexpected help comes along thanks to Jack. Jack is a barrister, approaching his fifties with some very traumatic history behind him. When a friend suggests he should think about making some big changes in his life to help him move forward, he thinks this may finally be the time.
There is also input to the story from Grace, usually in the from of Instagram chats or texts or emails. Sometimes she’s a a typical angsty and infuriating teenager but often she shows wisdom beyond her years.
What I enjoyed so much in this book was the author’s exploration of love in all its many wonderful and complicated and sometimes messy variations. Through various relationships we read about how first love can have a lasting effect as can the memory of a love that has faded. The relationship between Grace and her mum and dad showed just how complicated a relationship can be after a marriage break up. Love makes people sometimes do silly things and Clare certainly did some foolish things in the course of the book. The loss of potential love as experienced by Jack was so poignant to read about as he processed not just a love that was lost but a love that could have been.
I feel I’m not really explaining my thoughts on this book very well. It’s beautifully written and very compelling. There were so many twists and turns to the plot and I didn’t always think that the characters made the right decisions but that’s so often the way in life isn’t it? There’s a really warm feel to this book, the way it makes you take the characters to your heart and so want them to put their pasts behind them and move on. What does happen is something of course which I leave you to find out but it may not be exactly what you expect. However, I thought it was a very true-to-life and plausible ending – not all completely tidied up neatly but again, that’s often the way with life isn’t it?
On The Bright Side is an engaging story about taking chances and looking towards the future with hope. It has of course a focus on love but as I said, that’s not always romantic love. Family and friendships are strong themes too. I was happy to leave the characters of this book behind, not knowing quite how life was going to turn out for them, but knowing that they were now in a position to move forward.
The story is told in alternating chapters mainly from the points of view of Clare and Jack. Clare has recently come out of a very troubled marriage and just when things are looking rather desperate for her and her daughter Grace, some very unexpected help comes along thanks to Jack. Jack is a barrister, approaching his fifties with some very traumatic history behind him. When a friend suggests he should think about making some big changes in his life to help him move forward, he thinks this may finally be the time.
There is also input to the story from Grace, usually in the from of Instagram chats or texts or emails. Sometimes she’s a a typical angsty and infuriating teenager but often she shows wisdom beyond her years.
What I enjoyed so much in this book was the author’s exploration of love in all its many wonderful and complicated and sometimes messy variations. Through various relationships we read about how first love can have a lasting effect as can the memory of a love that has faded. The relationship between Grace and her mum and dad showed just how complicated a relationship can be after a marriage break up. Love makes people sometimes do silly things and Clare certainly did some foolish things in the course of the book. The loss of potential love as experienced by Jack was so poignant to read about as he processed not just a love that was lost but a love that could have been.
I feel I’m not really explaining my thoughts on this book very well. It’s beautifully written and very compelling. There were so many twists and turns to the plot and I didn’t always think that the characters made the right decisions but that’s so often the way in life isn’t it? There’s a really warm feel to this book, the way it makes you take the characters to your heart and so want them to put their pasts behind them and move on. What does happen is something of course which I leave you to find out but it may not be exactly what you expect. However, I thought it was a very true-to-life and plausible ending – not all completely tidied up neatly but again, that’s often the way with life isn’t it?
On The Bright Side is an engaging story about taking chances and looking towards the future with hope. It has of course a focus on love but as I said, that’s not always romantic love. Family and friendships are strong themes too. I was happy to leave the characters of this book behind, not knowing quite how life was going to turn out for them, but knowing that they were now in a position to move forward.
August 5, 2021
This book has been a long time coming! With a title change and publication date being moved, it felt as though I'd never get my chance to shout about it. At last, it's here, available to buy now and it's a story that I highly recommend.
As I've aged myself, I am keen to embrace novels with characters who have lived, who have baggage and who life has tested and at times, treated unfairly. In On The Bright Side, Nell Carter has created two such characters. in Clare and Jack. Both in their forties and both having had lives that have flung tragedy and pain at them. There comes a time though, when most of us say enough. When we know that it's time to make a drastic change, and this is the story of Clare and Jack's change.
It's beautifully written, the characters are vibrant and I invested so much into them. Whilst they've never met before, their decisions to make changes in their lives throw them together in a really unexpected way.
Jack has decided to travel, he's almost fifty and has finally listened to his best made Ollie. He's also decided to put something back into the community, and his generous offer enables Clare and teenage daughter Grace to make their own changes. Clare and Grace have experienced pain at the hands of their own family members and Clare can take no more.
Jack and Clare are hesitant and hold so much back when they first meet, but it is Jack's generosity and ability to allow Clare to gradually realise her own worth that makes their relationship flourish.
Nell Carter deals with some deeply emotive topics within this story, there's a feeling of sadness and loss that runs throughout, yet there's also a great deal of hope and it's young Grace that creates most of that. Whilst only fifteen-years-old, she's experienced enough and has a sense of maturity that teaches her mother, and Jack so much.
A novel about letting go, and facing up to the past, and also about being brave enough to embrace the future. About taking chances and allow others to help you. This is a warm, heartfelt and wise story with characters the reader will grow to love. Highly recommended.
As I've aged myself, I am keen to embrace novels with characters who have lived, who have baggage and who life has tested and at times, treated unfairly. In On The Bright Side, Nell Carter has created two such characters. in Clare and Jack. Both in their forties and both having had lives that have flung tragedy and pain at them. There comes a time though, when most of us say enough. When we know that it's time to make a drastic change, and this is the story of Clare and Jack's change.
It's beautifully written, the characters are vibrant and I invested so much into them. Whilst they've never met before, their decisions to make changes in their lives throw them together in a really unexpected way.
Jack has decided to travel, he's almost fifty and has finally listened to his best made Ollie. He's also decided to put something back into the community, and his generous offer enables Clare and teenage daughter Grace to make their own changes. Clare and Grace have experienced pain at the hands of their own family members and Clare can take no more.
Jack and Clare are hesitant and hold so much back when they first meet, but it is Jack's generosity and ability to allow Clare to gradually realise her own worth that makes their relationship flourish.
Nell Carter deals with some deeply emotive topics within this story, there's a feeling of sadness and loss that runs throughout, yet there's also a great deal of hope and it's young Grace that creates most of that. Whilst only fifteen-years-old, she's experienced enough and has a sense of maturity that teaches her mother, and Jack so much.
A novel about letting go, and facing up to the past, and also about being brave enough to embrace the future. About taking chances and allow others to help you. This is a warm, heartfelt and wise story with characters the reader will grow to love. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2022
This heart-warming book follows Clare and Jack as they both decide they need a fresh start.
Clare is a mother of a teenage daughter and has recently divorced, she wants to find her independence after many years of being controlled. Suddenly she is given an amazing chance to build a new life for her and her daughter.
Jack is a barrister, who after losing the love of his life at a young age is stuck in the past. After an unexpected email he decides he needs to do something BIG in his life and maybe even open his heart for love.
With two people and their pasts, finding themselves is not going to be easy.
Can they help each other? Will they both learn to love again?
This book is both heart-warming and inspiring. I loved the main characters and some of the friends they have encouraging them to move on. I just wanted to give Clare and Jack a cuddle at times.
After what Clare has been through, I’m glad she manages to push through and find out how strong she is and realise that she has raised an amazing daughter.
There is still plenty of drama throughout with life throwing obstacles in their path as it does. I love the theme of second chances and fate bringing people together, it is everything I always hope from my own life.
Overall, a heart-warming romance which shows second chances and fate can show up at the most unexpected times.
Clare is a mother of a teenage daughter and has recently divorced, she wants to find her independence after many years of being controlled. Suddenly she is given an amazing chance to build a new life for her and her daughter.
Jack is a barrister, who after losing the love of his life at a young age is stuck in the past. After an unexpected email he decides he needs to do something BIG in his life and maybe even open his heart for love.
With two people and their pasts, finding themselves is not going to be easy.
Can they help each other? Will they both learn to love again?
This book is both heart-warming and inspiring. I loved the main characters and some of the friends they have encouraging them to move on. I just wanted to give Clare and Jack a cuddle at times.
After what Clare has been through, I’m glad she manages to push through and find out how strong she is and realise that she has raised an amazing daughter.
There is still plenty of drama throughout with life throwing obstacles in their path as it does. I love the theme of second chances and fate bringing people together, it is everything I always hope from my own life.
Overall, a heart-warming romance which shows second chances and fate can show up at the most unexpected times.
May 8, 2023
On the bright side doesn't end as I thought/wanted it to but the way this book was written makes up for that disappointment. The characters were relatable and likeable (a few not so much, but every story needs a bad guy). Overall a nice feel good read.
July 2, 2022
This book started out so well, then it changed. No morals or integrity in any of the characters.
August 19, 2022
Just lovely! A welcome change to my usual crime genre which I’m trying to get past. All tied up with a blue ribbon, just what the doctor ordered
October 1, 2022
Cute heart warming story
March 18, 2023
An easy read. Quite enjoyed the different characters.
I would have loved the ex husband to go to jail rather than die, and was disappointed with ther parentage of the baby, but otherwise a satisfying end.
I would have loved the ex husband to go to jail rather than die, and was disappointed with ther parentage of the baby, but otherwise a satisfying end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2022
Very boring
October 15, 2022
Loved it!
February 12, 2023
I enjoyed this story. The characters were well written. I did find some of the language unnecessary and not sounding like their type of words sometimes. But generally I enjoyed this book.
February 19, 2023
A great read. Light and enjoyable. If only all domestic violence cases were addressed with a new home and a lovely neighbour.
September 7, 2023
This was a real chick lit and a lovely story. An easy read that did make me laugh out loud in places.
October 12, 2023
I hate romance novels but I loved this book
September 15, 2024
3.75⭐... Disappointing ending but otherwise enjoyed it
April 15, 2026
Good book for middle age readers deals with some life stage situations
Well developed characters people you get to like, warts and all
Underlying romance and some wisdom
Well developed characters people you get to like, warts and all
Underlying romance and some wisdom
May 7, 2026
This story was sad and difficult at time but I enjoyed it. A story of the fight to get 'better' or to be able to 'save' yourself.
Highly recommend. However be aware of triggers
Highly recommend. However be aware of triggers
June 26, 2024
This was such an engaging and interesting story. Absolutely loved it
August 17, 2021
‘Please do whatever you can do to live this next half of your life’ I mean LIVE from this moment on – as if life for you begins in the middle’
On the Bright Side by Nell Carter was published August 5th with Welbeck Fiction and is described as ‘a warm and moving exploration of love in all its different and complicated forms, with themes of romance, loss, troubling relationships and unlikely friendships’.
Jack and Clare are both worn out from life. Jack is a very successful barrister but, while his career is booming, his personal life is stagnant. Jack experienced a catastrophic and life-changing event that left a huge mark on him, both physically and emotionally. Over the years he has buried himself in work but has refused to let love into his heart. He has had a few relationships but he falters at the final step and moves away from any permanent commitment. On receiving an email, something shifts inside Jack and he decides that now, perhaps, is the time to re-access how he spends his life and consider a few changes. How big these changes will be is very much up to Jack. Can he let go? Can he have a more fulfilling life or in Jack’s mind, does he deserve another chance?
Clare has suffered huge emotional turmoil. With her marriage on the rocks, she makes the brave decision to move away from home with her teenage daughter, Grace. After years in an abusive relationship, Clare needs to step forward and reclaim her life but she can’t do it alone. With assistance she gets new accommodation and, with determination, she looks for work. Clare wants, and needs, a new life for herself and for Grace. Grace has witnessed her parents fractured marriage and seen more than any child should ever have to experience. Clare calls time on this toxic relationship and, with one step forward, she takes a path that will have many obstacles but could provide her with the much-needed peace that she dreams of. Clare has a lot of baggage hanging over from her younger years and now with fresh eyes she makes decisions that will change their lives forever.
On the Bright Side is a book that focuses on love in all its forms. A powerful emotion, it can impact us all in many ways providing a much needed boost, a wonderful friendship, a glowing comfort but also it can bring fear, grief, anger. It can be passionate and it can be poisonous. All these varied types of love are incorporated into On the Bright Side as Jack and Clare struggle to deal with the multiple challenges presented. They live quite complicated lives and any decisions they make have a ripple effect on others so they tread carefully. What I found of particular interest is the age profile of Jack and Clare, both in their forties. They are being presented with an opportunity to recalibrate, to reinvest in themselves and start over as if their lives begin in the middle. Isn’t that such a positive outlook to embrace? We are never too old to start over, to fulfil a long-held dream, an ambition pushed to one side.
On the Bright Side is a charming and astute exploration of love filled with absorbing and, at times, frustrating individuals who make choices that you might not always agree with, but who ultimately add a very authentic edge to the tale. Nell Carter brings her characters very much to life, bringing both heart and soul to her words. A delightful, emotional and extremely sincere novel, On the Bright Side is a joy to read from start to finish.
'This is not a love story. It’s a story about a thing called love…'
On the Bright Side by Nell Carter was published August 5th with Welbeck Fiction and is described as ‘a warm and moving exploration of love in all its different and complicated forms, with themes of romance, loss, troubling relationships and unlikely friendships’.
Jack and Clare are both worn out from life. Jack is a very successful barrister but, while his career is booming, his personal life is stagnant. Jack experienced a catastrophic and life-changing event that left a huge mark on him, both physically and emotionally. Over the years he has buried himself in work but has refused to let love into his heart. He has had a few relationships but he falters at the final step and moves away from any permanent commitment. On receiving an email, something shifts inside Jack and he decides that now, perhaps, is the time to re-access how he spends his life and consider a few changes. How big these changes will be is very much up to Jack. Can he let go? Can he have a more fulfilling life or in Jack’s mind, does he deserve another chance?
Clare has suffered huge emotional turmoil. With her marriage on the rocks, she makes the brave decision to move away from home with her teenage daughter, Grace. After years in an abusive relationship, Clare needs to step forward and reclaim her life but she can’t do it alone. With assistance she gets new accommodation and, with determination, she looks for work. Clare wants, and needs, a new life for herself and for Grace. Grace has witnessed her parents fractured marriage and seen more than any child should ever have to experience. Clare calls time on this toxic relationship and, with one step forward, she takes a path that will have many obstacles but could provide her with the much-needed peace that she dreams of. Clare has a lot of baggage hanging over from her younger years and now with fresh eyes she makes decisions that will change their lives forever.
On the Bright Side is a book that focuses on love in all its forms. A powerful emotion, it can impact us all in many ways providing a much needed boost, a wonderful friendship, a glowing comfort but also it can bring fear, grief, anger. It can be passionate and it can be poisonous. All these varied types of love are incorporated into On the Bright Side as Jack and Clare struggle to deal with the multiple challenges presented. They live quite complicated lives and any decisions they make have a ripple effect on others so they tread carefully. What I found of particular interest is the age profile of Jack and Clare, both in their forties. They are being presented with an opportunity to recalibrate, to reinvest in themselves and start over as if their lives begin in the middle. Isn’t that such a positive outlook to embrace? We are never too old to start over, to fulfil a long-held dream, an ambition pushed to one side.
On the Bright Side is a charming and astute exploration of love filled with absorbing and, at times, frustrating individuals who make choices that you might not always agree with, but who ultimately add a very authentic edge to the tale. Nell Carter brings her characters very much to life, bringing both heart and soul to her words. A delightful, emotional and extremely sincere novel, On the Bright Side is a joy to read from start to finish.
'This is not a love story. It’s a story about a thing called love…'
August 13, 2021
I'm a great believer that stories find readers at just the right time and although On the Bright Side has been on my book radar for several months when I settled down to read it over the last few days, I knew, by the end of the first chapter that this was the story which would lift me of my reading doldrums.
Jack and Clare both have their reasons for being reticent when it comes to finding love but, as Jack discovers, you have to let go of painful memories, or in Claire's case escape a difficult marriage before you can start to inch slowly forward, and by opening their hearts to new experiences, both of these lovely characters allow a glimmer of hope to enter back into their lives, however, the journey isn't going to be an easy one for either of them.
Being with Jack and Claire was like being in the company of special friends, they are just so wonderfully described that you can't help but be a little bit in love with both of them and whenever Claire's teenage daughter, Grace, appeared on the page she just made me smile, she's wise beyond her tender years and filled with such good sense that's she's a delight to get to know. There's no awkwardness between the characters, well, there is one that made my blood boil but I'll let you discover him for yourself. All this comes from a talented writer who knows, instinctively, what readers want in a story and with her fine eye for detail and her wonderful way of bringing her characters to life in an utterly believable way, is what makes the whole of the story such a joy to read.
On the Bright Side is a beautiful, warmhearted story about the complexities of a mature relationship which, invariably, comes with emotional baggage on both sides, but which goes on to show that whilst life is often complicated, and messy, in the end what matters is that you quite simply give love a chance.
Jack and Clare both have their reasons for being reticent when it comes to finding love but, as Jack discovers, you have to let go of painful memories, or in Claire's case escape a difficult marriage before you can start to inch slowly forward, and by opening their hearts to new experiences, both of these lovely characters allow a glimmer of hope to enter back into their lives, however, the journey isn't going to be an easy one for either of them.
Being with Jack and Claire was like being in the company of special friends, they are just so wonderfully described that you can't help but be a little bit in love with both of them and whenever Claire's teenage daughter, Grace, appeared on the page she just made me smile, she's wise beyond her tender years and filled with such good sense that's she's a delight to get to know. There's no awkwardness between the characters, well, there is one that made my blood boil but I'll let you discover him for yourself. All this comes from a talented writer who knows, instinctively, what readers want in a story and with her fine eye for detail and her wonderful way of bringing her characters to life in an utterly believable way, is what makes the whole of the story such a joy to read.
On the Bright Side is a beautiful, warmhearted story about the complexities of a mature relationship which, invariably, comes with emotional baggage on both sides, but which goes on to show that whilst life is often complicated, and messy, in the end what matters is that you quite simply give love a chance.
January 24, 2021
As the back of this book proclaims: love comes in many forms. A Thing Called Love is not a conventional love story. It shows us that there is more than one way to show love and that some of those ways are not as nice as others.
This is the story of Jack and Clare. Both have had more than their fair share of bad luck, both have suffered in love, and both now need to make fresh starts in their 40s. The synopsis doesn't give much away so I won't either but let's just say that each may just turn out to be the other's saviour. The storyline is original and different and is woven together so well by the author. I found it to be intuitive, thoughtful and emotive.
I had a real soft spot for Jack. He's a lovely character who shows outer strength and inner vulnerability. Clare is probably the other way around. Both grow so much throughout the story. I also particularly liked Grace, Clare's teenage daughter, who probably has more wisdom in her little finger than most adults.
I thought A Thing Called Love was a lovely read. It's a story of long-lasting love, intense love, friendship, and motherly love in all its forms. It highlights the dangers of love whilst showing that the right kind can be all you ever hoped for. More than anything, it shows that it can find you at any time and it's never too late to start again. It's an easy read but is still full of depth. I really enjoyed it.
This is the story of Jack and Clare. Both have had more than their fair share of bad luck, both have suffered in love, and both now need to make fresh starts in their 40s. The synopsis doesn't give much away so I won't either but let's just say that each may just turn out to be the other's saviour. The storyline is original and different and is woven together so well by the author. I found it to be intuitive, thoughtful and emotive.
I had a real soft spot for Jack. He's a lovely character who shows outer strength and inner vulnerability. Clare is probably the other way around. Both grow so much throughout the story. I also particularly liked Grace, Clare's teenage daughter, who probably has more wisdom in her little finger than most adults.
I thought A Thing Called Love was a lovely read. It's a story of long-lasting love, intense love, friendship, and motherly love in all its forms. It highlights the dangers of love whilst showing that the right kind can be all you ever hoped for. More than anything, it shows that it can find you at any time and it's never too late to start again. It's an easy read but is still full of depth. I really enjoyed it.
August 8, 2024
When I need something light and airy I think of books like this... only it wasn't that light in places!
You just know everything will end up okay in the end, you wish that it could be that simple in real life, but you also know that it's not going to be like that apart from in fiction. The characters were lovely (well apart from one or two), there was family dynamics, drama, domestic violence and understanding friends... oh and a few "Grown up" time moments too.
100% recommend it, but just make sure that you're not going to be triggered!!!
You just know everything will end up okay in the end, you wish that it could be that simple in real life, but you also know that it's not going to be like that apart from in fiction. The characters were lovely (well apart from one or two), there was family dynamics, drama, domestic violence and understanding friends... oh and a few "Grown up" time moments too.
100% recommend it, but just make sure that you're not going to be triggered!!!
January 11, 2022
Second chances don’t come along often but when they do it’s worth grabbing them and holding on tight, which is what Clare does. Jack and Clare’s story touched me and kept me reading till the end. A believable, beautiful book.
Read
January 26, 2021Beautiful, utterly beautiful
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