A story of two women getting together even though they seem like a very unlikely fit. They each have something to learn from each other.
New beginnings
Friendships
Love
Loss
Family secrets
Emotional read with humorous moments thrown in to lighten the story.
All in all, a wonderful multi-generational story that will pull on your heartstrings.

This is the first book I have read by Abby Williams and it certainly won't be the last, I loved her easy and heart-warming writing which made for engaging and enjoyable. This is a beautiful and engaging story of love and life, it's has a great message of living for the day and never missing a moment. The characters are engaging and likeable and I became instantly invested in their lives, I was urging them forward wondering what was going to happen. I liked the story it's a simple one but packs a punch and it's incredible; easy to read - even for this notoriously slow read, I finished it within a few days which is pretty darn good for me. Overall a great little story full of heart.

Although I liked the message behind the story, you're never too old to try new things, your never to young to offer words of wisdom, I didn't like the book. The instant 'bestie' relationship between Lydia and Erin felt unnatural, and I thought that the writing was a flat.

A wonderful book about friendship and new beginnings. Erin and Lydia are at different points in their lives but are both going through major life changes. They help each other through their experiences which in turn helps to heal themselves and grows a beautiful friendship. Their story is full of loss, grief, loneliness, financial worries, betrayal, heartache and above all the strength to get through the challenges life is throwing at them. I enjoyed the alternating point of view narrative so that we could get to know both characters from their perspective. This book reminds us that age is just a number when it comes to friendship and that we're never too old or too young for life changing experiences. I recommend this heartwarming story. I am grateful to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very enjoyable read! I really liked both of the main characters, and they had such a great and believable relationship. The story was interesting, and I liked the way that Erin & Lydia interacted, and the impact they were able to have in one another's lives. I have seen some other reviewers say they felt the book could have been a bit shorter and still made an impact, and I would have to agree - there were a few parts that dragged a bit and got somewhat monotonous.

Ultimately, I think this one is quiet in its impact on the reader, but it was all the more enjoyable for that. Definitely would suggest if you find it in a bookshop near you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Books for the gifted book and opportunity to read and review it prior to its publication date! This in no way affected my review, all opinions are my own.

4☆ Beautifully Heart warming!


THE TIME OF OUR LIVES is a heart warming story of friendship, new beginnings and discovery.

Erin and Lydia are very different but they come together by chance and a firm bond is sealed as the two become best friends.

Lydia is dealing with the loss of her husband and finds herself struggling to make ends meet.
Erin is also down on her luck and looking to escape.
So when Lydia asks Erin to be her lodger it's a win win for them both.

Lydia is 76 and Erin 26 but they truly prove that age is just a number and your never too old or young to forge lasting friendships.

I adored Both Characters, but Lydia melted my heart.
I really appreciated the alternative chapters POV, it meant I could really get to know them both and experience their highs, lows and heartache alongside them.

I really enjoy books that feature Characters that are old and young as it's so important to remind ourselves that no matter what age we are, we all need a lil help, support, or a friend to lean on at times.
Abby really hits home with THE TIME OF OUR LIVES just how important it is! So a big thank you for this.

THE TIME OF OUR LIVES is a compelling, at times Emotional, Touching, and Heart Warming story of Second Chances, but most importantly the Power of Friendship.
It's about Loss, Grief, Lonliness, Money worries, Betrayal, Secrets, Heartache, Strength, Support, Life lessons and a Journey of Discovery, with a good dose of Humour, Emotion and the ups and downs of life.

So if you are looking for a beautifully Compelling and Poignant Read that will Touch your heart and leave you smiling then you will adore THE TIME OF OUR LIVES! 

Thank you to Aria Fiction for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Twenty six year old Erin is living her dream. Great job, great fiancé and great friends. Until one day she get the surprise of her life.

Seventy six year old Lydia is still reeling over the unexpected loss of her husband. Not to mention the fact that he has left her in unexpected debt. The only answer is for Lydia to take on a lodger. Enter Erin, and here starts a most surprising friendship.

Much more than a story about friendship between women from different generations. It’s is indeed a love story about the power of female friendship and about how age shouldn’t define us.

I loved every minute of this book. And really didn’t want to stop reading about them.

Every once in awhile you find a new author that you love. This has to be one of the better reads of my summer. 26 year old Erin and 76 year old Lydia become best friends through a very strange set of circumstances. Lydia takes in Erin as a boarder after her husband dies. Erin just found her fiance in bed with her best friend. The story seems to be so real, it could take place in any neighborhood and you might know someone that reminds you of either Lydia or Erin. Each of the women thinks she is helping the other and then realize they are on the receiving end of love and support. Deals with Alzheimer's and infidelity beautifully. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. Two women brought together. They seem an unlikely fit - but it works. I enjoyed the back stories to both of the main characters - slightly sad and both affected deeply by their partners partner's actions. The relationship between the two of them shouldn't work but they find a common ground and both help each other out. A treat of a read.

The Time of Our Lives by Abby Williams is a terrific book that I enjoyed very much. I love the emotions and feelings that come through, but also made me laugh at times. Erin is twenty-six-years-old, who had it made, until she didn't, and lost everything she though was important. Lydia is seventy-six-years-old who has recently lost her husband. Friendship forms when Lydia takes in Erin as a lodger. I will be reading more books by this author. I highly recommend this book.

I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.

Oh my, I loved Erin and Lydia’s story. I loved the unlikelihood of these completely different yet very similar women becoming friends.

I liked Erin. I felt for her, and I really wanted her to find happiness after everything. I loved that we got to see her journey from the lowest she could be, right through to the highest. I loved her easy going attitude, and her insecurities felt real, and her friendships with Lydia, Phil and Rachel. Her chemistry with each character is instant, and you really feel their connections. I loved her ending, it was just perfect.

Lydia is such a star in this book. From her lowest, she goes even lower just to rise above it all and put her past in the past for definite. I loved that she seems to go from this frail elderly lady in cardigans to this edgy grandma in a leather jacket. We learn about her first love Jack, her relationship with Harry, and how she deals with some deep secrets. I really liked the mystery element of where Jack was, and I wish we had more on that. Her ending was an exceptionally happy one when it could have been the complete opposite.

I really liked the writing style of this book, and the alternating chapters between Erin and Lydia made it even more amazing. I liked that we got their thoughts on the same matters. I loved that we had elements of mystery, absolute devastating moments, touching moments, and moments of pure joy.

I really enjoyed this book. Chemistry between characters, the layout of the story, and the characters really made this book an absolute delight to read. I stormed through it and I really didn’t want to leave Erin and Lydia behind..

Erin and Lydia are two women in very different places in life. Erin just discovered her fiancee has been cheating on her with her best friend. He was also her boss, so now she's unemployed, single, and alone in the world at 27. Lydia is mourning the loss of her husband of almost 50 years, and she's just discovered that he mismanaged their business affairs so she's kind of in a financial pickle. She has been dependent on a man almost her entire life and now wants to start making her own decisions. So Lydia decides to put up an ad for a roommate, and Erin answers. Despite the fact that they seem to have very little in common on the surface, they hit it off immediately. They work together to get Lydia's finances in order and Erin's life back on track. As they help each other work through various setbacks, including illness, grief, betrayal, and family estrangement, each woman examines who they were and asks whether they have the courage to be who they truly are?

This is a sweet tale of friendship crossing generations. Erin helps Lydia dip her toe into social media and iPhone usage, and Lydia's wisdom and insistence on telling it like it is helps Erin process being stabbed in the back by those closest to her. Their relationship is adorable, but it seems to develop almost overnight which was a little hard to believe. The writing was very repetitive ("roared with laughter" was over-used to the point that I wanted to start keeping track) and....plain. It's not that it was boring. The plot moved along and some dramatic things happened and problems were solved. This is going to sound rude, but I feel like this was written by an older author for an older audience. I know nothing at all about Abby Williams, so maybe I'm way off base. But I found the whole thing a little too simple and without any real depth to it. It was cute but entirely forgettable.

**Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.**

With characters that you quickly fall in love with, friendships that become strong and grow throughout the book and a book that celebrates life, family and love, how could I not have absolutely loved it. The Time Of Our Lives follows two main protagonists, the first is an elder woman in her late seventies and the second is a younger woman in her late twenties. They’re thrown together almost by chance but they end up helping each other in ways they both needed but didn’t realise.
This story was full of passion and love and I just adored every single minute I was inside of it. I really enjoyed witnessing how Erin grew stronger throughout the book and how Lydia started to learn more about herself and her life as the story continued. I instantly fell for these characters and got very emotional invested in their lives. I loved how it all ended and came together and it was definitely worth it just for that.

All in all, this is a heart moving, joyous book of self-discovery, friendship, love and family. It is a book that looks both at the past and the future and how it can all change our lives and how we live them. It looks at how sometimes, the right people walk into our lives at just the right time. It is a heart-warming story that I really loved reading and would absolutely recommend to others who want a book that is full of hope – especially after the characters deal with some horrific blows.

I read the synopsis for 'The Time Of Our Lives' and it certainly sounded like the sort of read, I needed at this precise moment in time. A fun, emotional, hilarious tale involving two strong women. Oh boy this book was all of the aforementioned and then some. I absolutely loved 'The Time Of Our Lives' but more about that in a bit.
I couldn't help but take to both Erin and Lydia from the first moment I met them. Initially, it doesn't seem as though they have much in common. Erin is in her twenties and Lydia is in her seventies so from totally different generations. However, both ladies have had their worlds turned upside down and the rug pulled out from under their feet and they both need to rebuild their lives. Erin was engaged to her boss, she shared a flat with him and she was busy planning their wedding. Her husband-to-be lets her down in the worst way possible which isn't helped by Erin walking in to find him at it in their bed with her best friend. It was at this point that I wanted to jump inside the pages of the book and chase after her now ex-fiancé, whilst holding a pair of blunt and rusty scissors in my hands, so I could chop off certain parts of his anatomy and I wanted to slap the best friend silly with a wet flip flop. I know I get far too involved in books I have enjoyed. Lydia is also let down but her let down is caused by her husband, who has plundered their savings, left her with nothing apart from a few debts and she is left wondering what on earth she is going to do. Lydia advertises for a lodger and Erin fits the bill. I was so pleased that both ladies had each other to help them to rebuild their lives and their self esteem which has taken a knock. Both ladies are sassy, determined, stubborn, fun loving, practical, lovely, compassionate and sensitive. The ladies get on really well together and I was keeping everything crossed that somewhere along the way they would both find the happiness that they deserved and that they might get their happy ever after ending. Does that happen? Well you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves as I am not going to tell you.
As soon as I began to read this book, I knew that I would enjoy reading it and that reading it would become seriously addictive. I was right on both counts. I picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters but I was still there over half a dozen chapters later. I had taken to the characters, the storylines and I loved the author's writing style so much that I just couldn't put the book down. I binge read the book over the course of a day, which is pretty good going for me. I am usually easily distracted but not in this case because I was able to focus only on the book and to shut out all other distractions. In fact, the world could have ended outside and I wouldn't have noticed because I was concentrating so much on the book.
'The Time Of Our Lives' is superbly written but then I wouldn't expect anything else from the hugely talented Abby Williams (aka Fiona Ford, who has written several bestselling books). Abby/ Fiona has a writing style that is easy to take to and easy to get along with. She draws you into the story from the first page, she grabs your attention and she keeps your attention all the way through the book. This might sound silly but to me this book didn't read like a book, instead it felt I was reading a transcript of a chat between friends. I found that I became far too involved in this book from wanting to jump inside the pages of the book to give Lydia and Erin a hug, to wanting to chase the loverat boyfriend down the street, whilst I brandished a pair of rusty and blunt scissors. I know this is a work of fiction but if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one, I tend to 'live' the story as if it were real. My only complaint about the book was that it had to end. I was enjoying the story, the characters and the author's writing style so much that I just wanted the book to continue on and on.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Time Of Our Lives' and I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to other readers. This book had a bit of everything- there was drama, humour and romance within the book's pages. This book made me well up at certain points and five minutes later I would be chuckling away to myself at something I had read. I can't wait to read more from Abby Williams/ Fiona Ford. Here's hoping that we don't have too long to wait. 'The Time Of Our Lives' has to be one of my favourite books of the year and Abby Williams/ Fiona Ford is one of my favourite authors. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Oh, I do love a story with an older protagonist in, especially one which celebrates the latter years. This book shows how, no matter what your age, life is there to be lived to the fullest.
The novel's main themes are forgiveness, letting go, and moving on, plus a rather hefty dose of love and friendship through the generations.
Truly heartwarming.

A delightful read, great characterisation, well written and engaging.
Sometimes you just need a book to loose yourself in and one that doesn't tax your brain cells and this fits the bill perfectly.
This is a touching and beautiful tale of a friendship that crosses the generations. I can't praise The Time of Our Lives enough.

Perfect chick lit! I loved the premise and the characters were well developed! I recommend this for anyone looking for a light and fun read!

A wonderful read about friendship crossing the generations, that family aren’t always blood. Heartbreaking at times, but uplifting with the wonderful bond that develops between these two women, well written and engaging, my first book by Abby but I will be seeking out future work now.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

What a delightful novel! A rich, thoughtful read from an obviously talented author - and one which, I think, will appeal to all ages.

Erin is a young woman whose life has come together beautifully; with a great job and a handsome fiance, what could possible go wrong? Without warning, she finds herself without either a home or a job. At the other end of the scale is Lydia who has lost her husband of many years after a wonderful lifetime together and is shocked to discover that, far from leaving her in a comfortable financial position, she is facing a future with crashing debt looming over her. So, with Lydia needing a lodger, Erin needing somewhere to stay - and a mutual friend to bring them together - so begins a tentative relationship.

This is a perfect scenario for lots to happen with both of these wonderful characters, together and separately - and it does. Beautifully written in a smooth, flowing style I found myself immersed in the world of Erin and Lydia very quickly and this novel resonated with my soul. I loved everything about it, and will definitely be looking out for more from this author. Warm and full of empathy, it's both heartwarming and entertaining and I absolutely recommend it to all lovers of women's fiction with a touch of romance. It left me with a feeling of total satisfaction at a book well read, and I'm delighted to give it a full five stars.

My thanks to publisher Aria for my copy via NetGalley, and in particular to Vicky Joss for including me in this Blog Tour. All opinions are both honest and entirely my own, as always.

A delightful multi-generational story of love, loss, friendship and new beginnings.

Erin’s life implodes, when she is betrayed by those she loves, she needs to escape, to rebuild her life. Lydia still in shock from her sudden bereavement, finds that loss isn’t the only emotion she has to contend with. Her financial security is compromised, and taking in lodger seems the only way to make ends meet. The unlikely pair, find that material security isn’t the only benefit of living together, and they forge a friendship that opens up a new lease of life for both.

A chance discovery, reveals more family secrets, and a chance to experience something special for both women.

This is a story full of emotion and poignancy, but there are plenty of humorous moments too. Lydia is a witty woman, and Erin soon realises that age is no barrier to a true friend.

A lighthearted, emotional read, with characters who you can empathise and a heartwarming ethos.

I received a copy of this book from Aria in return for an honest review.