The Brightside Running Club was so sweet- my heart is still goo. I loved the friendships in this book beyond understanding. Women are so powerful and resilient and uplifting - which Josie Lloyd does an incredible job illuminating. I love reading about women as I see them - with their own lives and struggles completely outside of the men in their lives and this is done beautifully.

This book isn’t just about the joy of friendship or the strength of female friendships - it is an unbelievably inspiring and uplifting look at life after a cancer diagnosis. It is treated gently but beautifully and incredibly honestly.

Cannot recommend this book enough. Thank you to Netgalley and Josie Lloyd and Dreamscapes Media for allowing me this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is full of hope and heart. When Keira receives her breast cancer diagnosis, she never expects to join a running club with other women with cancer. These ladies are such an inspiration. The growth of her old relationships and her new relationships were a huge part of this story. While reading this one I was stressed, angry and upset for Keira all at different times. I wanted to hug her and defend her. I highly recommend this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Bright Side Running Club is a beautiful and easy to follow story of Keira and her battle with a new and sudden diagnosis of breast cancer. Keira finds herself supported by an amazing group of ladies where they unexpectedly form 'The Brightside Running Club'.

Not only is this story beautiful, witty and filled with humour, it is also inspiring, enlightening and heart warming as well. I was completely invested in hearing Keira's constant physical and emotional battles with her diagnosis and felt right by her side encouraging and cheering for her every step of the way. I found this book very eye opening and very informative and definitely learned a lot about the way cancer can affect an individual in so many different ways that are beyond physical.

I'm glad this book is out in the world, I feel a lot of people could definitely resonate with this story! It definitely makes you want to hug your loved ones tight!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC of The Bright Side Running Club in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a very sweet and uplifting book - especially considering it is about a group of women going through treatment for breast cancer! Keira, the mother of 3, has recently been diagnosed and is convinced by a fellow woman under treatment to meet up for a run. Keira's positivity throughout her treatment helps her handle when others treat her differently due to her diagnosis. I loved her tenacity, too.
The narrator, Danielle Cohen, was great - her British accent really brought the story to life. As did the author, Josie Lloyd. I am not a runner, but I was motivated by the running club and the other cancer survivors cheering them on. What a heartwarming read!

This book hooked me instantly - especially the audiobook with exceptional narration and though there were a few mildly frustrating moments (come on, character! this is how it is!), I ultimately really, really enjoyed this story about a mother of 3 diagnosed with breast cancer and how she journeyed through her treatment while balancing all of the other aspects of life. It is SO very British, which, as I've mentioned a time or ten, I absolutely love. I find when I'm in a phase of listening to British audiobooks I tend to adopt some of their colloquialisms and my husband looks at me like I'm crazy and isn't that a fun thing to do in 2022??

Long story short, this was worth a listen - some definite heart to the storyline and not as desperately sad as some cancer stories (not to spoil anything, but personally, I prefer to know the sadness level before starting a cancer book).

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 uplifting but sad at the same time. I had a hard time getting into it and keeping the characters straight. But once I got the hang of it I couldn’t want to find out what happened. Very predictable.

Keira is a regular wife, mom, business owner with a happy life. She is shocked by a diagnosis of breast cancer, as is her circle of family, friends, and business associates. Reeling from having cancer and the different way that people are now treating her, Keira joins a group of women who are also fighting cancer, in a running club. She makes true friends who are sharing her hopes and fears. This was a sad but ultimately uplifting book.
I listened to the audio book which was delightful.. I received this audiobook at no charge from NetGalley and the author, but all opinions are my own.

I loved the audio of this book! The storyline is strongly character driven and all of the characters are very loveable! The Bright Side Running Club begins with several ladies that are facing cancer diagnoses, treatment, and family and work difficulties. While managing them all the ladies form a running club and are there for each other through all of the difficulties and joys that cancer brings. Very heartfelt and uplifting view of sickness, healing and loss. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audio book.

I absolutely loved this book. Because I’m a runner, the title caught my attention. When I read a summary of the book, I decided I would listen to the audiobook and not expect that much from it and I ended up loving this book.

I’m not the biggest fan of chick lit. And expected this to be a typical women’s fiction novel. However, the cancer aspect really changed the entire tone of the book.

This was a story about cancer, friendship, marriage, trust, and a mystery wrapped into one.

But what really hooked me to the book was listening to Keira speak about what it’s like to be sick and how people treat you. I’m not comparing my illness to cancer at all. Because I am someone who has a chronic disease that I will have for the rest of my life and I could really relate to how people treated Kiera and how it feels to be sick, and it just really struck a chord with me.

The way people treat Keira and reacted to her, especially once they knew she was sick, is something that really happens when you have a disease or chronic illness. People are uncomfortable with illness.

And the whole subplot with the coworkers just lit a fire under me. I can’t say more without giving away spoilers.

Aside from the fact this book is about a woman having cancer and making friends with people have cancer, it is truly a tale of empowerment. Of a woman reclaiming her life and becoming a better version of herself.

If you’re a runner and you’re looking for a book that has a subplot about running, this one is a good choice. If you’re looking for fiction, that’s about friendship, love, and personal growth. This is a good choice as well.

I think that’s a point that many people also missed about this book. It’s not just about cancer it’s about Keira. When you have an illness, you get lost in it. It becomes a huge part of your identity and a lot of times that’s the only thing people see about you. And if you could read this book and understand the message that the illness does matter, but taking care of the person themselves and not just the illness matters, you’ll learn a lot.

I loved the Bright Side Running Club! Josie Lloyd did an excellent job tackling a difficult subject manner. This book was honest, real, and at times heartbreaking, although Keira’s positive attitude kept things from getting too dark.

I loved the characters and the plot. My husband listened along with me and asked if this was going to be made into a series— I hope so, because I’m not ready to say goodbye to the characters. I listened on audio and the narrator did a fantastic job.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

After Keira receives a diagnosis of breast cancer, she ends up in a running group with three other women she has just met, dealing with their own breast cancer diagnoses. While her family, friends, and coworkers treat her differently because of her diagnosis, Keira finds the normalcy she craves with these other women. With their help, she will make it through her cancer treatments and get her life back on track.

Danielle Cohen did a lovely job narrating this women’s fiction audiobook. I loved the friendship among Keira, Amma, Tamsin, and Sian. Despite breast cancer being such a heavy topic, this is a very uplifting book. The author herself was diagnosed with breast cancer at 47 and found support in a running club, so the details surrounding these mirror real life, though this is a work of fiction. I am in awe that there are real women out there running as they go through cancer treatments! I thought the work story with Lorna and Pierre was a bit obvious and cookie cutter, but I really enjoyed the rest of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

Inspiring! This one had me cheering the ladies on their run and booing the rest of them who were standing in their way of surviving what it takes to get on with their lives. After finding out she has cancer, Kiera is devastated. Her work has been struggling already and now this, what is she to do. Then she meets a woman who invites her to come run with her. This starts her journey. You don't have to have a diagnosis of cancer to need to read this one. Just READ IT. It is inspiring and will help you move out of your seat and put one foot in front of the other with a smile. Did I tell you anything about this book? Nope, I didn't intend to, I want you to read it. It is not all about her cancer diagnosis but about the strength she finds to go from day to day and the others with her.

This was a tough subject to talk about but I feel like the Author gave a good description of what a person going through Cancer might feel like this.

I loved this book because I could totally relate to it! I had lobular breast cancer ten years ago, and I went through a mastectomy, chemo, and radiation treatment. I also have three kids, so there were a lot of times I found myself nodding as I listened to this book! I laughed, I teared up, and I remembered how my family and friends supported me through that time. ❤️

Thank you, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the Advance Listening Copy!

4.5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so absolutely brilliant. Josie doesn't shy away from showing all the ugly pieces of aging and being sick, and especially of trying to overcome cancer. Cancer treatment is no joke and a lot of times, stories try to gloss over the ugly bits to show a victorious survivor or a tragic victim. Keira was neither. Keira was such a strong character while also being wonderfully flawed. She discovers she has breast cancer and immediately starts trying to figure out how to cope, keep her marriage strong, not freak out her children, keep her beloved business a success, and deal with the feelings/opinions/grief of her friends, coworkers, and family. It's a lot to deal with!!

Keira unintentionally befriends another woman who has breast cancer and goes jogging to try to keep fit. Keira decides to join one day, and thus the bright side running club is born. It's a small group of women who currently have or have overcome breast cancer. They encourage one another, show up on treatment days with flowers, and help give advice. It's the sweetest example of building community and truly being there for one another.

I enjoyed the subplot with Keira's work and her manager who is slowly overstepping her bounds and trying to push Keira out of her own business. Something shady is definitely going on, but Keira is struggling to figure out if she's just being sensitive, if she has chemo brain, or if there really is something sinister. This subplot was probably my favorite part of the book.

All of our main characters were well-written and distinctive. I could easily tell apart the women in the running club and I found Keira, her husband, her kids, and the running club to all be incredibly believable. They had reactions that made sense and their motivations were within character. This is such a tricky line to walk with so many main characters, and especially when dealing with a heavy topic like this.

The audio was delightful to listen to-- the narrator has a lovely British accent, which I always find enjoyable in an audio title.

The only reason I didn't give this a full 5 stars is because I felt it was a little bit repetitive. I think we could have cut about 30-45 minutes of the audiobook and still had the same impact.

🔊Song Pairing: The Climb - the goddess that is Miley Cyrus (okay cheesy song but this book deserved a little cheesy)

💭What I thought would happen:

@sharp said it could possibly be her favourite book of 2022…in January. I figured there was running but I had to read it ASAP

📖What actually happens:

Keira is going through her life as a successful business owner, mother and wife until a major roadblock aka breast cancer halts Keira in her tracks. While she tries to continue to live her life like nothings changed…it’s just not possible.

No one understands what Keira is going through and she is starting to feel isolated with her cancer until she meets a group of women who are all battling cancer, they start a running club and form an unbreakable bond. Breaking the gloom the Big C cast on them and instead choose love, laughter and sweat.

🗯Thoughts:

I LOOOOVED this book. It could quite possibly be in my top 10 of 2022. I loved that while it’s about cancer, it’s more so about women empowering other women, making friendships as adults (never easy) and opening oneself up for new experiences.

I was laughing, I was crying (in the office on my lunch break🤦🏼‍♀️) and I was gobbling up the work and family drama Keira was battling which seemed to be giving her more grief than her cancer.

I loved the perspective on having cancer, how people react when finding out and how Keira was able to determine who truly loved her and who were just surface level “friends”.

This book is both silly at times and heartbreaking in others. Such a talent to write all the emotions. All the stars!

I included one of my marathon medals in this post, there was a time in my life (5 years) where running was the most important thing to me. I have so many personal, funny and humiliating running stories but not enough space. I was bitten by a goose, had a meltdown at the finish line and had the worst case of bad timing colon catastrophe that I wouldn’t wish on my enemies.

I have never had a book move me as much as this book. I’m still bawling my eyes out. These characters are inspiring on so many levels. There are a few I despised immensely and if I could have reached into the book would have physically removed from the story.

I cannot say enough about this moving story. This author is incredible. And this narrator was just perfection.

This is a fun, funny, uplifting book about breast cancer, female friendships, and family, one I would recommend to anyone who is or loves a woman. I found out after I read it that the author has survived breast cancer, which must be one of the reasons the read feels so heartwarming and authentic.

The novel opens with a scene of pure happiness as the protagonist, Keira, is with friends and family ringing in the new year and recognizing that her life is utterly perfect and she never wants it to change. Naturally, she immediately gets the grim diagnosis.

I am not a runner, but I appreciated the spirit of the running club of breast cancer battlers and survivors that forms and carries all the women through. I loved the husband and the teens and their kindness (and occasional believable brattiness) in response to the wife/mom's cancer. I especially loved that the woman owned her own business and felt she was being pushed out of her own shop because she was sick; all readers will relate to her feeling hopeless and overpowered -- and will then cheer her on as she becomes empowered enough to stand up to her partner.

There is much to love about this book,; I listened to it as an audiobook, which made it even more delightful. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The Bright Side Running Club is an emotional read that had me crying, sobbing, chuckling, and reflecting on my own life. Trigger warning: this book’s protagonist is going through cancer treatment. Cancer has directly affected my family, so this was a very hard book to read for me, especially in the beginning. However, the writing is beautiful and the characters are beyond memorable. The story felt authentic and it was a meaningful, not just entertaining, read for me.

Keira is a small business owner, wife and mother to her teenage kids when she is hit with a breast cancer diagnosis. Immediately, treatment begins and Keira barely has time to process this news. When she meets another woman in cancer treatment who runs to help her manage the stress, emotions and challenges that come with fighting cancer, Keira decides to join. A small group of ladies, who dub themselves the Bright Side Running Club, soon inspire a town with their fight, positivity, and compassion for each other.

This story will stay with me for a long time.

Based on the author’s own experience following a breast cancer diagnosis, The Bright Side Running Club is an inspirational, uplifting story that is definitely worth the read/listen.

I loved the ladies of the running club and how Keira was able to connect with them in a way that no one else in her life could provide. This story is perfect for any fans of found family.

As heartwarming as this book was, it was incredibly frustrating at times to hear how people dismissed Keira because of her illness. I wanted to punch so many of the characters Keira encountered! I also didn’t understand why she didn’t just text, call, or email Moira to check in, especially if they were as close as they were made out to be. I feel like that whole plot point could have been cleared up with a simple message, even if Moira was on vacation.

Audiobook review: The audiobook is narrated by Danielle Cohen. While I am not familiar with her work, I thought she was the perfect fit for Keira. I enjoyed this production and would certainly listen to more by her!