The book dives into hard-hitting issues and important topics, dealing with substance abuse, mental health and death. I felt connected to and engaged with the characters and what was happening in their lives - the impact one action can have on somebody years later and how they deal with this. However, the pacing seemed slower than I would have liked and some of the plot seemed unnecessary, as if it was added to reach a page count.

2.5 stars

I really wanted to love this. It has such a good premise. It's New Years Eve in 2019. Joel is playing football when he suddenly drops to the ground. Kerry and Tim are wanting to be doctors. Kerry rushes over to him and does whatever she can to save him. Tim freezes. Only when Kerry is tiring at the CPR does Tim get his act together. Joel's heart stops for eighteen minutes before they get it going again.

Those eighteen minutes will change his life forever.

We have three points of view in this story and I can't say any of them were enjoyable. So many mishaps and mistakes made by all three characters. It's a love story, too. Kerry and Tim are best friends, he has always liked her, she has always liked Joel. (They are teenagers when this story starts.) We see the ups and downs of all their relationships throughout the years. We get eighteen years worth of their stories and how this event has affected them. It was long. Way too long.

I did appreciate the CPR information and how immediate action is needed that is distributed throughout this book.

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

Such an emotional read... I am still thinking about this one! I finished it in one day because I did not want to part with the story. Heart-wrenching, well-developed, great read.

I DNFd at 18%. The writing was good but I didn’t feel like there was much plot? It was a good story, sure, but like it almost felt like I wasn’t sure why I was reading it?

Also some of it was so unrealistic. Like Kerry going from her first kiss to losing her virginity within minutes? And Joel just rolling with it knowing she’s buzzed and whatnot. It just didn’t really sit well with me to be honest.

Thank you for the opportunity to review.

Wow this book took me on so many different adventures that I was never sure how it was going to end but at the heart the romance was epic. One moment created such a dramatic shift in three different lives that complete bonded them and ripped them a part and made them into entirely new versions of themselves.

I was hands down riveted by Kerry, Joel, and Tim's stories and highly impressed with the author's ability to write them so perfectly. I don't want to give any spoilers but the evolution each character undergoes from the beginning to the end is cathartic and painful and frustrating and beautiful. Each chapter is told by one of the three main characters so we get so much insight into their own decision making process and we feel the impact of their own choices but also of the lasting effects of that first event that started everything.

Nearly twenty years after a shared traumatic experience, we follow the lives of Kerry, Tim, and Joel as they deal with the aftermath of that eventful night. There were times where I wanted to jump through the screen of my Kindle to shake some sense into each one of them. I understand how trauma can affect people and alter their rationality, so I think the author did a great job reminding us that they weren't always level-headed BECAUSE of their trauma. Still, I wish some of their decisions had gone a little differently! I was pleased with the ending. However, I loved the author's storytelling and the storyline itself, but I just had a tough time relating to the characters of this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for sharing this advanced copy with me in exchange for my honest review.

This was a sweet read about a hard subject.

I didn't love the beginning how the men all assumed a female couldn't do what they could properly. That really bothered me, but overall I really did enjoy this book and want to listen to it again on audio,

I seriously loved this book and was completely hooked and captivated. I wish it were a movie (maybe it will be someday?), because I know it is one that my daughter and I would enjoy watching together. Sadly, she is not much of a book reader these days (GASP), but she is only 12, so there is plenty of years left for to be a book lover like her mom is.

For some reason, I am gravitated towards YA novels, and feel connected to the characters more than other ages and characters from other genres. I felt the same with these characters.

I was completely hooked right from the very beginning and flew through it on only three days! It was emotional, heart-wrenching, yet beautiful.

I was impressed with the clear amount of research that was put into writing this, and when I ever read the authors note about her mom, it all clicked and made perfect sense. My heart aches for the author and what she went through. What a creative way to reach out to the world and teach everyone what to do if they are in a similar situation.

These lines in the Author’s Note really spoke to me:

“You, too, could save a life and you never know when you might need to know how. There’s no time to waste.”

“A person’s chance of recovery depends on what happens next—starting with you.”

This was an incredibly moving novel and I loved it!

I believe you're either going to love or hate this book. I was 100% in the "love" camp. I absolutely adored it. For me, it was much more than a romance. How to Save a Life was a novel that follows the lives of three individuals who are forever changed by the events of one fateful night. This story shows how one choice can impact more than just one person's life, how important friendships are and how love can be both painful and enduring.

There are times throughout this novel that I both loved and hated each character. They all have endearing qualities. At the same time, their human sides show up when they make mistakes or succumb to their insecurities. There are moments of pure joy in this book and times of intense heartbreak. It is a story of life which is all encompassing....it is equal parts beauty and ugliness. This is a story of Kerry, Tim and Joel and how their lives were interconnected throughout their lives.

Needless to say, I found this book to be something quite special. I know not every reader will feel this way. But, it spoke to my heart and for that I'm grateful.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

On the eve of the millennium, two best friends, both dreaming of become doctors, will face the ultimate test when a fellow schoolmate, Joel, collapses. While Kerry jumps into action and starts CPR, Tim freezes. When he finally takes action, he is recognized as the hero when the ambulance arrives. They both decide to keep the secret in other not to disappoint Tim's sick mother. The actions of those 18 minutes would change their lives forever.
I like how the story jumps between the three main characters, giving their own unique perspective of events. Kerry seemed like such a pushover at the start of the story, letting everyone overlook her and brush her aside. But she became a strong character that I really liked by the end. I didn't like Tim and struggled with Kerry holding onto their relationship for so long. I really felt for Joel throughout his recovery, giving up the sport he loved and the resulting depression and addictions. He was my favorite character by the end of the book for all that he overcame.
I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Kerry Smith, Tim Palmer, and Joel Greenaway are classmates and in their final year of school. Kerry and Tim have been working toward medical school their whole lives. But on the eve of the millennium Joel collapses on the field as they wait for the new year. He has gone into cardiac arrest and Kerry begins CPR, but Tim is unable to move. When the ambulance arrives, they take over the CPR and congratulate Tim on doing a fine job, and he takes the credit.
Joel survives, and he has always believed he would be a soccer star and had already known where he was going after graduation. Kerry and Joel fell in love and when he discovers he can no longer play, his life spirals out of control. Kerry is there for him, and he deliberately hurts her, and she fails her doctor's exam. When I started reading the book I thought it was going to be just Joel's life that was saved but as I read the book, there were many lives saved.
I always thought saving a life was a wonderful thing and never thought about what happened afterward. This book was an eye-opener. It also brought out the best of me and the worst of me because sometimes I was so furious at Tim and Joel. There were times I just cried because the reality of having a second chance at life isn't always appreciated and sometimes can be so destructive. Then the realization this could be anyone and I don't think a lot of people think of this side of what can happen. I am thankful that Eva Carter wrote this story because it was an eye-opener, and it had the ups and downs, the failures and disappointments, and how each one dealt with them.
I received an ARC from Random House Publishing Books- Ballantine Books through NetGalley.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the early read of How To Save A Life by Eva Carter. At the turn of the century, people worry about Y2K (remember that?) as they welcome in the New Year. A group of teenagers are gathering on the beach, not worrying about anything except drinking, setting off fireworks and playing football (soccer to us). Amongst them are three kids whose destinies are about to be closely entwined – glamorous footballer Joel, smart Kerry, and her best friend Tim. Joel suffers a massive heart attack. Kerry and Tim, who both want to be doctors, have trained in CPR. Kerry rushes to Joel’s aid and Tim freezes. Fortunately, Joel survives and this pivotal event will shape the next eighteen years of their lives. The book follows all three, as they move forward, with each other and without each other. As they hit rock bottom or follow their dreams. The book is told from all three perspectives, almost like in vignettes as we “check in” with them at different points. It allows for an easy read – the characters are likable and you root for them to succeed. It does not allow for much depth and you may find yourself wanting to know more about certain time periods or events. For example, a divorce takes place off the page, in the in-between places. Interestingly, this book was inspired by an actual event in the author’s life – where she had to give CPR to her partner while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. If you like books that are light, sometimes funny and sometimes sad, with heart and that have an ultimately happy ending after a twisty journey, then you will like How to Save a Life by Eva Carter.

This is the story of Kerry, Tim and Joel. It follows their lives from New Year’s Eve 1999 when a tragedy links them together forever . The story follows them from their teenage years through adulthood and all of the different issues and choices they each face due to that night in 1999. I enjoyed this story, the characters were well written and the story moved smoothly. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a story. This book follows three people - Kerry, Tim & Joel - as their lives intersect over the course of 18 years. Kerry and Tim always plan to be doctors. And Joel is working to be a pro soccer player. When Joel experienced a cardiac event Kerry jumps in while Tim freezes. The event changes everything.

I enjoyed this story and seeing how these characters lives intertwined over the years. I was rooting for Kerry most of the time and wanted her to get her happy ending after helping everyone else.

There were times that the characters frustrated me but chalk that up to them being teenagers and figuring their lives out.

This book hits on a lot of topics, but at the core it’s about living your life fully and not wasting second chances.

{CW - cardiac arrest; drug use; overdoses; cancer; death; depression}

There isn't a doubt in my mind that How to Save a Life is going to be an incredibly well loved novel in 2021. It has all the necessary elements...interesting characters, an engaging plot, and a beautifully done love story. This book touched me in so many ways, it made me laugh, cry, swoon and cringe. I love it when a book can make me feel so many different emotions. Told through three different points of view, it was a pleasure to get into the minds of these special characters, the good, the bad and the ugly. And even though these three aren't the finest mankind has to offer I was still rooting for them all, it takes a special and talented author to be able to do that.

It surprised me how serious the book became, even though the plot suggested something else entirely, a romantic coming of age story about two people who want to become doctors, but this book was so much more. The brilliant writing, inspiring plot and characters that will stick with you long after the last page make this a winner of a book and a must read. This book is heartfelt, moving, and tragic. I am always looking for something different to read and this book met all my needs in that regard. I could not put this one down and I highly recommend it. All the stars.

This felt VERY British to me - the pacing felt much slower and the book much longer than I was anticipating. Overall, I liked it, but it took me a solid half of the book to really settle into the story and the characters.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this arc copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I wished I could relate with the characters she created so reading it wouldn’t be such a chore for me to read, but Eva Carter is a really good writer!
From 46 members it was apparently five stars.
And well... I was astounded. this book, in my opinion wasn't very good.. I’ve never taken such a visceral dislike to a fictional character before but the character of Tim.... HATED him. So much that it felt painful reading the chapters from his point of view...

I think I'm in the minority but I'm just not enjoying this book. The beginning with the near-death experience was riveting, I thought it would surprise me. But then it jumps ahead in time where things are much more predictable, and much less interesting. I don't particularly like the characters but I don't necessarily dislike them either. I just don't really care about them much at all, which makes the angsty love triangle particularly annoying. I'm 1/3 of the way through and having to force myself to read it. Unfortunately, that means it is time to DNF.

Thank you NetGalley, author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet story about saving a life and then finding the life that you were meant to live.

This book is reminiscent of “Normal People” and at first I wasn’t sure if I’d keep reading but then I came to care about Kerry and Joel (and Tim to a lesser degree) and I was curious what twists and turns their lives would take. Nuance is something that is important to me in stories and characters and these characters had that nuance with each being flawed, good, and uniquely human. I would have enjoyed seeing them move into the next phases of their lives so definitely worth reading. I received an advance copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.