A lovely, equally heartwarming and heartbreaking, story about love and loss. Beautifully written with very realistic characters. From Lydia to Elle to Jonah etc., every character is far from perfect, which makes them all the more special.

Though the book starts off quite slow, it picks up about 1/3 of the way through & from there on out, it’s quite hard to put down. And the ending is perfect!

Thank you to Random House-Ballantine & NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was about losing romantic love but then gaining life back with the person during sleep. The book explores all kinds of love that people feel from romantic to friendship to familial. Throughout most of the novel, Lydia is in grief struggling to reclaim her life. She is unsure of what her future might hold fo her now. She doesn't want to be coddled, but she isn't herself. In Lydia's alternate life with her fiance, she gets to experience her wedding, honeymoon, etc. She is just treading water and burning the candle at both ends. When Lydia is finally ready for a change she makes choices that lead to contentment for her as well as the reader. Josie Silver didn't create a heart-racing page-turner, but sometimes this is a more realistic outcome for most.

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a beautiful story of love, grief and relationships. I was transported by an emotional rollercoaster through dreams, Paris, New York, Croatia and the stars.
Lydia Bird lost her fiancé on her birthday. As she’s struggling with her loss, she finds a way to still be with her husband in her dreams. However, life is still moving forward in the real world.
I loved the multiple story plots and how everything is brought together in a feel good ending.
Josie Silver has a way with describing her stories with such conviction. I loved being on the journey with Lydia as she learned to navigate her new life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy.

What an extraordinary book. I couldn't put it down.

While it has a bit of a "Sliding Doors" thing going on, there's a twist, which I appreciate so that it isn't like all the other dual lives books that are out there these days. And, to be honest, the twist gave me a lot of anxiety. It made me sad, it made me melancholy. It made me think too much for the things that are going on in the world right now. I want escapism in my books these days.

I am so glad that I read this. I'm surprised I gave it five stars, but when I finished, and added it to Goodreads, it was my only thought. Definitely a five star read.

The characters are lovely, flawed in just the right ways, but genuine, and I prefer that in my books.

Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Well, this was just was I needed this week!
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Stayed up and finished The Two Lives of Lydia Bird last night and it did not disappoint 💓
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Josie Silver's writing is beautiful and just like One Dat in December, I fell in love with her characters. Don't get me wrong, there are very sad elements to this novel- Lydia's fiancė is tragically killed in a car accident at the start if this book.
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I really enjoyed Lydia's journey into becoming her own person. She travels like she's never done before and finds strength within herself- beautiful!

At the start of this book, Lydia's fiancee Freddie unexpectedly dies in an accident. Her doctor prescribes her sleeping pills, and she discovers that every time she takes one, in her sleep she wakes up in another world where Freddie is still alive and their life is proceeding normally. At first this seems great, but eventually unexpected developments occur in both her awake and asleep lives that change her. This is a somewhat sad book for a chick lit kind of book, but ultimately hopeful as well, and a sweet read with interesting characters.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the advanced copy!

I feel like I just lived through the grieving process. I cried. I yelled. I laughed. And I cried some more.
I absolutely loved Lydias character!
There were times in this book that I just wanted to shake her though. But it’s all part of the journey.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the typical contemporary reads.

I’m off to chop off all of my hair.

3.5 Stars
After reading and loving One Day in December, I had really high hopes for this book. Unfortunately, it just didn't hit me with the same force as ODID and I'm left feeling a little...unsatisfied?

I really think that the author did a fantastic job of dealing with grief and loss in a creative and unique way and my heart hurt for Lydia and everything she was going through but overall I just didn't feel connected to the story in the way that I'd hoped.

The pacing of the story felt very dragging to me. I didn't find that I was in a hurry to speed through chapters to see what would happen next, I was sort of reading to complete the book.

I like reading a good women's fiction now and again but I do need a level of romance to keep me interested. While there was a romance (of sorts) it was clear that nothing would come of this so I think that I wouldn't let myself fall in love with that particular love story. I had my suspicions of the direction the book would take, which wouldn't have been a problem if it had really taken it there. This is where I was left feeling unsatisfied. I just didn't buy into it. This was more a book about Lydia's journey as a person that it was about any of her relationships, romantic/familial or social.

It's really hard to write this review because I think that Josie Silver is an amazing writer and I really do think the concept of the book was solid but I just wanted...more.

Lydia has known Freddie since they were 14. They have been together since then, and now, more than a decade later they are engaged and planning their wedding. On the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner, Freddie and his best friend, Jonah, are in a car accident where Freddie does not survive. Lydia retreats into herself and wallows in self pity. She no longer speaks to Jonah who was her friend first and tries to push away her mother and sister, Elle.

Her mother finally talks Lydia into getting a prescription from a therapist to help deal with her grief. When she finally decides to take one of these pink pills, a strange thing happens. She’s transported to a different life, one where Freddie is still alive and their life together is progressing. Stuck between her real life and this alternate reality will Lydia ever find peace and the strength to move on without Freddie?

This book was quite an emotional roller coaster. I can’t imagine losing the love of my life the way Lydia did. I lost my father a few years ago and know how hard that has been for my mother. To lose your soulmate at any age is unfair and obviously hard to cope with. If there was a pill that could really bring you back to a life with that person would it be worth it though? Lydia learns throughout the book that things that happen in one world affect what happens in the other and not always in a good way.

Some of this book was a struggle for me. I really wanted Lydia to find happiness in her real life and for her to be able to move on, but not having lost someone like this I can’t 100 percent relate. Jonah was my favorite character, and I loved his friendship with Lydia, especially from when they were kids. I wanted them to rely more on each other while dealing with their shared grief. It was frustrating how they kept pushing each other away, but understandable as well.

I loved the way the author was able to bring it all together although I didn’t love how Freddie was portrayed towards the end. It seemed like it was an easy way to help tie things up. I couldn’t have been happier though with the ending. Overall this was a great story, and I haven’t read something like it before.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Lydia Bird is celebrating her birthday and she has it all- she's engaged, she's working with the community center, she's on top of it all when it all comes crashing down and there's a car accident, leaving the constant BF Jonah Jones (Best name!) as a sole survivor.

Lydia's life is turned upside down, luckily her mom brings her some pink pills to help her sleep at night. Except not only do they help her sleep, they transport her to another world where the accident didn't happen. The book alternates between her awake and asleep narratives. I really loved Silver's first book, and I really liked this one. The writing felt a little rushed at times, but it was lighthearted given the heavy topic.

I REALLY struggled with one part that was incredibly unbelievable <spoiler> she delivers her niece with her bare hands oh and within one paragraph, COME ON </spoiler> that I still cannot get over. For the most part, I thoroughly took this one for what it was and enjoyed every second, including that predictable yet absolutely lovely ending. This is something I really needed given this environment today. Looking forward to reading what Silver writes next.

I loved this story. I felt the love she had for her lost fiancée. It was perfectly written. The slow build to the end is exactly how this wonderful book should have ended. Everything about the flow of this book is perfect. Thank you for the opportunity to read this beautiful love story.

Loved her last book and loved this more. Very well written and sucks you right in! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

It's always a bit nerve-wracking reading a second book by an author after you 3-starred her first book. Thankfully I had absolutely no need to worry. The Two Lives of Lydia Bird is a thoughtful, heartfelt journey through grief and second chances.

When Lydia's fiancee dies in a car crash, she's left reeling. He was her whole life and future, but now everything she looked forward to has been ripped away. After she discovers her sleeping pills bring her into a world where Freddie is still alive, she turns to them for relief.

It's bliss getting a second chance to live with Freddie and plan their wedding. But it's taking a toll in her real life. As bigger differences present themselves, she must choose which life to make real.

I was not prepared for the emotional investment I put into this story! I ended up reading it at work and was blinking back tears, trying not to cry more than once. Besides the obvious nature of grief, there is also motherhood and family relationships that hit me hard. These topics are handled beautifully and realistically and I loved every second.

Despite this topics, it was still an easy read that I flew through in less than a week. I highly recommend it, even if you weren't the biggest fan of One Day in December. Readers of all types will connect with this story!

Wonderful! Josie Sliver is most definitely an author who knows how to write books that make you sigh and smile, an always great combination.

I wanted to keep this review short and sweet because I didn't want to give away any of this amazing book. This was one I couldn't put down (it's soooo much better than her last book).

What I loved:

1. Lydia's transformation is inspiring and her character is one I immediately liked. My heart broke for her as I read along.

2. This was such a profound love story that was definitely an emotional read. I went through more tissues than I care to admit while reading.

3. I enjoyed the magical element of this story and how it effected Lydia enough to help her cope with her monumental grief.

This is an emotional rollercoaster you'll want to ride. The dual perspective is unique and extremely relatable to anyone who has suffered a loss. I loved everything about this beautiful book, especially the ending. I highly recommend this one!

This title really delves into the reality of grief and unimaginable loss. When her fiance is killed in a car accident, Lydia finds it impossible to move on until the doctor gives her an experimental drug to help her sleep. With sleep comes an alternative reality, one where the accident never happened. This is a moving story that will touch many hearts.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

My review can be found here: https://aubreysangle8.home.blog/2020/03/18/review-the-two-lives-of-lydia-bird-by-josie-silver/

I loved Silver’s earlier book, “One Day in December” so I was excited to get my hands on this book. Unfortunately, it didn’t impress me as much as its predecessor. While I appreciate the detail with which Silver writes about grief, I often found myself bored and just trying to power through. It was just a bit unremarkable. Additionally, I was just not a fan of the ending. I’d definitely try another book by her based upon my love of her first one. This one is 3/5 stars ⭐️ for me.

Wow. What a profoundly beautiful book. Much like her debut novel, Josie Silver’s latest will take you on a ride of grief, self-acceptance, romance and so much more.

Lydia Bird, a new widow, aims to navigate her life after her fiancé passes. Then, she realizes she can visit him in another version of her life in her sleep. Lydia must eventually recognize the consequences as such, and learn how to heal, forgive and move on.

Silver’s character and story development will simply envelop you. Her writing is quite unlike any other — so original, genuine and heart-warming, even surrounding sad topics. Can’t wait to read her next novel!

Oh my gosh, I read this book at just the right time in my life. Is it melancholy? Yes. Kind of. Is it uplifting? 100 percent. This is such a good book about what happens to the people who have to go on with their lives. And it's written in such a way that I just loved it. I fell in love with the characters.. with Lydia and Elle, with Jonah, with Freddie. And the setting is perfect. Anyway, this is the second book I've read by Ms. Silver and I think it's safe to say that I would read anything she publishes. 5 stars.