I really enjoyed this book. It's my first from this author but I definitely see myself reading more books by her. A perfect beach read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read in exchange for my honest opinion.

A sweet story albeit a slow beginning that picks up. Such a great idea as a way for Olivia to see she’s not the only one grieving and a way to meet new people. What does one do when the idea surprisingly goes viral?
It’s fun to read all the characters she meets.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication: July 21, 2023

Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a wonderful book to help me get out of my reading slump! I had just finished a few heavy books so to read this one, left me feeling lighter. This was my first book by Miller and it definitely won't be my last. The first thing I loved is that Olivia was an older MC which I think will speak to a lot of the older readers out there. I did struggle to connect with her as a reader but I think that was more of a me problem.

Miller's writing was light and I could see this becoming a favorite palette cleanser or a beach read for most!

Great read, had drama as well as loving family. Definitely a feel good kind of book
Only thing I didn't like was it just kinda ended all of a sudden.
Still good but was wanting a better ending.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

This book was a wonderful surprise. I never expected to enjoy it so much! It deals with grief and coming to terms with it, second chances, a mother/daughter relationship, and secrets.

Description:
Olivia ’s heart is breaking watching her mother Hattie withdraw after her husband’s sudden death. He was Hattie’s whole world and without him, she’s never been lonelier. Every morning, Hattie pulls a pair of tired old deckchairs from her equally tired-looking beach hut and places them looking out to sea. Seeing her mother sit next to the empty chair, Olivia comes up with a plan.

One deckchair for hire! Must bring good conversation and have own flask.

When she places the advert in the window of a local café, responses from other lonely locals looking for company start flooding in – which only makes Hattie withdraw even further. Olivia is so busy trying to bring the light back to Hattie’s life that she doesn’t notice the darkness creeping into her own. And as news of the advert spreads, Olivia realises her long-buried secret is in danger of coming to light…

Can Olivia convince Hattie to let someone fill the empty deckchair and bring a smile back to Hattie’s life? And when Olivia is confronted with the demons in her past, is this her chance to finally move on – and to re-open her heart to love…?

My Thoughts:
Olivia's idea of renting out the deck chair to try to help her mother seems like such an outside-the-box idea, that it's brilliant. Though may would have refused to do this, Hattie reluctantly agreed to go through with it. The people who rented the deck chair were fascinating. I loved their effect on Hattie. Olivia's relationship with her own daughter, Beau was another drama playing out in the book. Olivia had some growing to do and some things to learn in order to work on the relationship with her daughter.

This story kept me turning the pages. It is well plotted with enough going on to hold me interest. It also brought me to tears a couple of times. It makes you take a look at your own life.

Thanks to Bookouture through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on July 21, 2023.

Hattie and her daughter Olivia have suffered the loss of loved ones more than once and that has left them stuck in the past, preventing them from moving forward.
The book shows us how they are recovering without realizing it, with effort, with the help of family, friends and strangers with good will or who feel or at some point felt the same as them.
A pleasant book, easy to read, with friendly characters that leaves you emotionally satisfied. Undoubtedly perfect for summer reading.

You know you’ve just finished a really special book when it comes to a close and you miss the main character already. I came to this thinking it was going to be a quirky little story about a quirky little character and I was looking forward to it, I’ve never been so glad to be wrong, it’s so very much not, yet so very much more than that. Recommend the lonely hearts beach club to all! Top marks! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A year ago Hattie lost her husband Jesse when he swam out to save a struggling surfer. Since then she hasn't been able to pick herself up and just wants to be alone. Her daughter Olivia has done her best to keep her mother company and whilst keeping treasured memories of Jesse alive, feels her mother should look after herself a little more. As Hattie and Jesse's business was renting out deckchairs, Olivia placed an ad in the local beach café for someone to rent out one deckchair to talk to her mother for an hour. What transpires is a viral post and Hattie looks likely to withdraw even further. Whilst looking after her mother and daughter Beau, Olivia has been neglecting herself whilst keeping a secret she hopes will never be revealed or meet the man who was a part of it. A part of her life she would rather forget due to the trauma it caused her.

I loved this. There’s a couple of plot lines- Olivia’s back story of her daughter Beau’s father and the deckchair with her mother and the bereavement. It's cleverly thought out and well plotted with drama to keep the pages turning. I liked Olivia and having met an Oscar type character really felt for her. There are wise words amongst the pages such as “ you can't control what happens, but you can control how you react to it”- something that struck me as we can be prisoner to our own thoughts if we let them. An uplifting read of perhaps carpe diem. We have one life and seizing the day I believe is a good motto to live by. A treasure of a read and one that left me with a smile.
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