This novel was quite surprising and took a very different turn that I expected. Faith is engaged to the very rich Perry, but she is a woman with a very different background to her fiancée. She works as a waitress and is constantly running from what she left behind as well as trying to look after her mentally ill brother who struggles with addiction. She finds solace and friendship with the members of the local choir and the local pastor,
An interesting and surprising novel. Thanks to Boldwood books and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

Gosh this was a book and half.. So many secrets . Faith had such a tough life . She was one amazing character . I loved the choir that helped ladies. Her poor brother what a life he lived. Faith works so hard and her new mother in law to be is so terrible and Perry her fiancé is rich but will it bring happiness. So hard to review with out giving things away. Very sad in parts but well worth reading and a sad happy ending.

I have read quite a few of Beth Moran's books and I loved them. There was always an importatnt topic in the core and the writing style was really enjoyable, often with a lot of humour.
That's why I requested this novel to read.
However, this book is so dark, depressing and frightening at places, quite like a psychothriller when talking about the heroine's past, that I simply could not read it on. I had to give it up to protect my own mental health.
I really hope this is a one-off and not a total change of genre for the author. Hopefully she will return to her former style and topics.
I must say Beth Moran is not the first author among my former favourites who did this, that after writing excellent, high quality "chick lit" they start to write psychological thrillers. As if they thought they would be taken seriously only with this new genre.
I am sorry to have given up on this book, but I'm sure there are a lot of other readers who will like it and give an excellent feedback on it.
(IMPORTANT NOTE: I only put the stars because I could not send my feedback otherwise. Not having finished the book I cannot give it a star rating)

Found this book a struggle to get into but I stuck with it and really enjoyed it. It was an easy read and I did shed a few tears over it.

I found this book a huge struggle to finish. The way it was written made it extremely difficult to follow- might be for others but it isn’t for me.

This did not match Beth Morgan’s usual style. It was still delightful and well written. I had one big issue with the story. I struggled with the main character. I did not like her. She made me anxious. I understood why she was doing what she was doing but it caused me anxiety.

In Lean on Me we meet Faith, a temping waitress who has had a horrific childhood and is desperately trying to make ends meet, as well as support her brother, Sam, who is an addict with severe mental heslth problems.

Through her job at an exclusive country club Faith met the wealthy and handsome Perry, who has fallen for her and asked her to marry him.

She loves Perry but is unsure whether she is in love with him yet. However the lifestyle and stability he offers is very attractive and could be what she and Sam need.

Perry is lovely and generous but his wider family is very prestigious and controlling, particularly his mother Larissa, who obviously disapprovess of Faith. Her priorities revolve around the family reputation and how they come across in the photos of the  a county magazine.

Feeling a bit excluded wedding plans Faith starts to look at "her" dream venues with friend Marilyn. She falls in  love with a tiny chapel that her late  Mum used to visit in happier times.  They also, inadavertently, gatecrash the local choir practice and end up being coaxed into the session and make some new friends!

This is a lovely heart-warming story exploring family, love, friendship and grief. There are also some hard-hitting issues, including violence and addiction. As always Beth Moran's characters are relatable andd likeable... I almost fancy vicar Dylan a little bit! I hope we find out what happens next for Faith!

I have loved many other books by this author ‎ Because You Loved Me and Let It Snow immediately come to mind. But Lean on Me didn’t have the same magic as Beth Moran’s other books. Maybe my expectations were too high?

I think the biggest problem I had was the main character, Faith. I didn’t like her at all. She was using Perry for his money and even though she was doing it for her brother and not herself I just couldn’t stand her for that reason. Faith didn’t tell Perry her secret but she told a near stranger, Dylan, almost right away. I think she liked to use her brother, Sam as an excuse for not getting her shit together and there is proof of that with the way she treated April. She was also pretty weak for someone who lived through what she did, she didn’t stand up for herself to her future mother-in-law, Larissa, I would have told her what’s what. I also didn’t buy into the whole let’s wait until marriage spiel she gave Perry. It’s not like she’s some holy virgin that’s all pure and innocent so I can’t imagine a guy in his 30s waiting like that, marriage of convenience or not. I also didn’t like Faith and the minister flirting while she is engaged to someone else and he’s the one who will be performing the wedding ceremony.

So let’s get to the good parts. I loved all the diverse side characters from the choir. The sense of women coming together and making each other stronger and having more self-esteem really resonated with me. I loved the feeling of community the women had. Heaster is a force to be reckoned with and she stole my heart with her take-charge attitude and making these women love themselves and each other. Marilyn is the type of friend every woman wishes and deserves to have.

This story was equal parts sad and heartwarming and filled with hope but Lean on Me failed to deliver a likable main character and I almost DNF it. I was not invested in Faith and I did not care what happened to her, Perry deserved much better.

I love Beth Moran's writing and her way of creating kind, loving characters. Lean on Me is a wonderful story about how important community, friendship, and found family is. Watching Faith's character growth as she learned to trust her friends and love herself was just a heartwarming, life affirming book.

I’ve read quite a few of Beth’s books and have enjoyed every one of them. But I have to say that this one blew me away.

Such an engrossing read with the seemingly straightforward fairy tale love that Faith has for her fiancé Perry but as you read more, you find out just what Faith has survived in her past. Her story moved me and shocked me whilst taking me on Faith’s latest journey with her as she negotiates the different aspects of her life - friendships, wedding plans, her brother Sam and new beginnings.

Faith’s story made me smile, gasp out loud and cry. Beth has written a wonderful story that goes much deeper than I expected originally. Definitely my favourite book of Beth’s - so far!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

One of my books of the year, a truly stunning read. Faith has a past, one she has to keep close for her and her brother's safety. Faith isn't even her real name. Now she has a wonderful partner in Perry who is more than happy to help her however there are still some things he doesn't know. He wants a big wedding, or rather his family insist on a big wedding and that Faith wears his mothers hideous wedding dress, known as the ghost web by her and her friend Marilyn. Faith and Marilyn inadvertently join a choir when looking at a wedding venue and find inspiration amongst the members and how the choir is led- something that comes across brilliantly. Can Faith’s life stay on track and even more so her brother who is really struggling with his mental health?

This is one of those reads where there is real inspiration between and on the pages. I say between as it made me think of my own life and reflect on things. There is plenty of humour to balance things and an undertone of Faith’s insecurity. I liked Faith and Marilyn and the things they got up to. The t- shirt and mirror chapter is something perhaps many people should read and think about, it stopped me in my tracks in a very good way. A positive word can go a long way to someone who doesn't see themselves as perhaps others do. A feel good read with that something different.

For more reviews please follow me on Twitter or Threads @nickisbookblog
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Lean on Me was a wonderful read. Wonderful characters, uplifting and at times, heartbreaking. Faith has had a really tough life so far, dealing with various situations since chilhood and looking after her brother, Sam. She comes across a church choir completely by chance and gets dragged into joining them. Hester, the choir mistress, is a force of nature, working hard to get the ladies to believe in themselves, to stand up for themselves and to live their best lives. The choir becomes a family of sisters who support each other through life's trials. Faith gains strength and resilience from this wonderful group of women, as well as the minister of the church who becomes a good friend. A story of overcoming the odds with the support and love of those around you.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found myself a bit torn as to what rating I would give this read. In the end I rounded up to 4 but really this is a 3.5 star review. The reason being is Moran fills in a lot of backstory by using flashbacks, there is nothing wrong with this, but it was not clear when we were entering a flashback period and I found myself getting really confused as to where we were in the timeline and sadly this did hamper my overall enjoyment.
This aside, I found "Lean On Me" to be an emotional and yet uplifting story. This is full of desperation and sadness but there is also a lot of love and most importantly, hope. Moran's characters are truly fabulous and I loved getting to know them, their story and seeing how they change as the progresses.
There are so many positives to this read, i just wish the time jumps were clearer.
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy.

Well I’m rather tired this morning as I have been awake almost all night reading this amazing, literally unputdownable book!!!!!! I only planned to read a chapter before bed however, I became so invested in the characters that I couldn’t put it down!! I would love to find a congregation, choir and pastor such as the ones in Grace Chapel! I haven’t been to church in many years, and I don’t think I can sing but I loved the bond they had and it made me feel a bit lonely when I finished the book, I felt like I had suddenly made a whole new group of friends and then lost them.

Hester was a real force of nature and Marilyn was the best friend any woman could wish for. My heart broke for Faith and her brother Sam dealing with the physical and mental scars left from their childhood. The future in-laws - the Upperton’s were just awful, especially Larissa.
I know that were only a few days into January, but this has to be my best read so far this year and it’ll take a lot to top this one.
I only discovered this author late last year and this is the third book of hers I have read; the rest are on their way to my TBR list this morning.
A five star recommendation is not enough - you have to read this book 📚

This talented author has written a page turner. Realistic characters keep the novel moving quickly. Love and romance, along with family dynamics, add to the story. A wedding dress…a future mother in law…marriage pending…friends…a recipe for happiness or doom…do not try to discern the ending too soon…secrets and red herrings prevent that…another love…curl up in front of a cozy fireplace…get comfy in a favorite chair…grab a cup of steaming herbal tea…be transported to the land of Beth Moran…she gets better with each book. Thanks Netgalley.

This was such a moving but uplifting read with a fantastic main character in Faith who had a horrendous childhood leaving her with only her beloved but troubled brother Sam for support. The effects of their past have left Sam with mental health difficulties and addictions and, desperate to secure support for Sam, Faith agreed to marry millionaire Perry to get him to cover the cost of residential support. It’s easy to see why Faith and Perry are together despite their differences however I loved how, beyond helping Sam, Faith had little interest in Perry’s money and her independence was essential to her. I loved her best friend Marilyn and how she encouraged Faith to stand up for herself not to mention the choir they joined with a gorgeous mix of women and Hester the leader who is determined to make each woman love herself. This does cover some serious issues including abuse and addiction and I think it covers them well but keeping it well balanced with the uplifting moments, of which there are many too. I’ve read several of Beth Moran’s books but for me this was heads and shoulders above them, I was so invested in the characters and their emotions and relationships, it’s a wonderful read.