A lovely feel good read, very uplifting which in these hard times was a pleasure to read. Highly recommended

An absolutely enchanting story of isolation and friendship. Izzy is a new mum and finding it all a real struggle...no mum of her own to support her, a busy husband, in law's who have all the answers and baby groups full of yummy mummies with perfect babies!! One day amongst all her stress she finds Arthur her elderly neighbour, a widower has fallen and from there a wonderful friendship blossoms.....
Arthur has plans and unwittingly Izzy begins to help bring those plans nearer..... until with some sleuthing, questions are answered and relationships strengthen.
I was really surprised by how many important issues this novel deals with..it really resonated with me and points out just how much the young and elderly have to offer each other. A really heartwarming story which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommend

Meet Izzy a first time mum who up until motherhood has been able to handle everything that life has thrown at her – however bringing up a newborn baby is proving more difficult than she thought and she is struggling with the routine and the loneliness.

Living across the road from Izzy in their cul-du-sac, is neighbour and widower Arthur who lost his wife Pearl two years ago and is struggling with the similar feelings of despair that Izzy is feeling. After a fall, his nephew Jeremy is keen to move him into a care home, but Arthur is determined to do things his way.

An unusual friendship between Izzy and Arthur blossoms when she offers to help him pack up his belongings but in fact, they both end up helping each other.

This is a heart-warming story of two people from different generations, who live in close proximity to each other developing a friendship which rescues both of them from the blanket of loneliness. All of the characters in this book are lovely, from Joan to Jeremy although initially I didn’t think I was going to like him, but he only has his Uncle’s best interests at heart. I think everyone who reads this book will want Arthur as their grandad!

If you liked Eudora Honeysett Is Quite Well Thank You, you will love this story of cross generational friendship.

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.

"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 book is the heart-warming story of Izzy and Arthur who save each other. Izzy is a new mother struggling to cope with a daughter who seems to be demanding all her attention. Arthur is a widower who, nearly 2 years on, is still missing his late wife. When Arthur has a fall his nephew Jeremy suggests that he needs to move in to sheltered housing or a care home. Arthur cannot bear this idea. Across the road Izzy is unable to keep up with the housework as well as take care of baby Evie, especially as husband Andrew seems to spend very long hours at work and is not supporting her. This is a story of friendship and support across generations.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

This book could not have come at a more poignant time with the crisis in the world that is going on. The author describes feelings of loneliness and interprets them so well, the book is absolutely heartwarming and I could not put it down. This is a book I would discuss at book club and recommend others to read. It is a touching storyline and enjoyable. Overall, 3.5 stars. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of her work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

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 and most worthy of five stars I thought.

*review will post to my blog on 22 March for the HQ Blog tour*

Woah this book is emotional. I adored the story, it made me sob (more than once) and I’m still thinking about it a week after I finished reading it.

I enjoy books about the generation gap and unlikely friendships and neighbours Izzy and Arthur make for two lovely characters in this warm hearted story. Izzy is struggling to adjust to life as a new mum and with her husband working long hours she feels quite isolated, Arthur isn’t quite managing since he lost his beloved wife Pearl but he hates his well meaning Nephews suggestion that her move into a residential home. Izzy is well written and very relatable character however it was Arthur I really took to heart as you could feel his distress at losing his independence and having little control on the matter. Although the story was simple it was worked very well as it was driven by the characters and it flowed very well.

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?

Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in return for an honest review of the book. I have read many books over this festive period but I think this one was my favourite...so much so I dreamt I lived in Izzy's street the night after I finished the book!

As a first time Mum Izzy is struggling and scared to tell anyone of the way she is feeling. It's only by chance she speaks to her neighbour Arthur and an unlikely friendship develops.

This book focuses on difficult issues such as loneliness, be it in early motherhood or having been widowed and forgiveness.

I'm not ashamed to admit this book made me cry in places . It is perfect who needs to be reminded of the goodness in this world, It could easily be made into a film, I can't emphasise how well written I found this book to be, it's realism and good-naturedness is something we could all do with more of these days.

This was a lovely heartwarming read.
Izzy is a new mum, who struggles with motherhood. Like all mums (even ones that won't admit it), motherhood sometimes pushes us to our limits - especially newborn mums - sleep deprivation, not knowing where our place in the world is and the impact of growing a baby to our body.

Arthur, a widower struggles with his place in the world too.
Their paths cross one day as Arthur delivers a parcel to Izzy and this is where their tale unfolds.
There were times where the story was unfolding that I had to put the book down, it was so powerful and the ending - well have tissues handy!

This book isn’t what I expected but was exactly what I needed. Really enjoyed it. Great escapism. And a lovely way to spend an evening.

I requested this book on a bit of a whim as I needed some light reading- I didn't expect to be quite so gripped! Izzy is a new mother who is really struggling and doesn't find other mothers having the same problems. Her husband works long hours and as much as she loves her baby, she's lonely. Arthur is a widow who lives in the same street as Izzy and after she finds him having had a fall and calls an ambulance, the two strike up a friendship. There has been a bit of a trend for books like this lately, and they can be hit or miss but this is a definite winner. I read it in a day and just couldn't put it down, I found the characters so endearing and charming and the story was just wonderful. Can't recommend highly enough!

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.

The story of Izzy, a new mum who is finding motherhood not as she expected and Arthur, her elderly neighbour who is struggling after the loss of his wife. Brought together by accident, they form an unlikely friendship which helps them both overcome the challenges that they face.

A lovely heartwarming story with great characters which was an entertaining read.

A lovely story depicting the obstacles we may face in every day life, such as motherhood and retirement, and the effect those can have on the human spirit. A great book!

I received an advance copy of, The Best is Yet to Come, by Katy Colins. I really liked this book, a first time mother Izzy, and her elderly neighbor Arthur, become unlikely friends and allies. Very cute story, and the characters are great.

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!