Thank you Netgalley for gifting me this amazing book.

Synopsis
This book narrates the story of Lark Smith, who’s been transferred out of oncology because she is “too emotional”. She’ll spend some time in the ER until she can get her emotions on check. To add to her mortification, Lark gets summons by Dr. Santini (AKA Dr. Satan) who needs her to pretend to be his girlfriend to appease his elderly grandmother. Also, we have the POV of Elspeth Smith (Lark’s mother) who’s going through a rough patch in her marriage and Joy the rich but very lonely woman who is currently Lark’s landlady.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: None
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧/5


As always, Kristan’s books are an emotional ride and this one did not disappoint. This book follows the characters of the book 𝒜 𝐿𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝓎 𝒪𝒻 𝒮𝓊𝓃𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒. This was really exciting because I grew very attached to the Smith Family, specially grandpa.
Since there’s a multiple timeline, we slowly learn what happened to Lark in the past and the motivation behind her obsession with practicing oncology but also we witness her emotional and professional growth and the happy moment when she realizes that she got a second chance in the worst moment of her life.
What I like the most about Kristan’s books is that her characters are quirky and flawed, complex and emotional, they show us the worst and the lowest of life, a very real life journey. Then again, it all leads to redemption, rediscovering oneself, and finding their new purpose after adversity. This book is full of grief, loss, sadness, learning, friendship, surprises topped with the ultimate happy ending.

Narration is masterfully done by all three readers. However, XE Sands is by far the greatest performer, she has an amazing range to transmit happiness, sarcasm, sadness, all the emotions. She is the perfect addition to Kristan’s stories.

I am currently here scratching my head over the fact that this is the first time I've read Kristan Higgins! I've had her books on my TBR for quite some time, but finally decided to read Look on the Bright Side and I am so glad I did! I kept waiting for the moment I would cry because I could feel it coming, and sure enough I ended up ugly crying more than once. Amidst the sadness, there is joy as well, and I have to say Higgins writes some excellent banter! The characters (especially the women) are super relatable, and even though Joy and Ellie are much older than me, there were aspects to them that fully resonated with me. I agree with other reviewers who said this could have just been solely Lark’s story, but at the same time I also loved both Ellie and Joy’s stories. It is a fairly long book at just over 400 pages and a bit of a slow burn, but I was so thoroughly engrossed to the point that it did not even feel like it.

Susan Bennett, Christina Moore & Xe Sands were our narrators for the audiobook, with Sands as the voice of Lark. I am personally a huge fan of Sands but do have to admit her narration felt a tiny bit off for this one and I can’t figure out why. That being said, I still adored the audiobook and would fully recommend it. I don’t think Sands's narration is for everyone, but she grew on me as I listened to her more in other audiobooks and I loved her here for Lark. While Look on the Bright Side has a sad side to it that took my breath away, the moments that made me laugh were pure gold, and I was moved by everything that happened. It made the characters feel so real to me, and like I was listening to real stories, not just fictional characters. There was even some fake dating which is my favorite romance trope! However, it isn’t REALLY a romance at heart, so I would recommend it to women’s fiction lovers first.

I loved listening to Look on the Bright Side! There are three narrators who really brought the story to life.
The story had me laughing out loud and getting teary eyes too.
What a emotional ride!
The story revolves around 3 women(Lark, Ellie and Jo) and their family/love life. Each one has unique issues that will pull on your heartstrings.
I highly recommend adding this book to your tbr list.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

5 stars!

I liked the print version of the book, but I LOVE the audio! Xe Sands and the other narrators really brought this story to LIFE!

Thank you NetGalley and Recorded Books for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook!

Lark is an oncology resident in Boston who is reassigned to the ER because she gets too attached to the cancer patients...and there is a very personal reason for that. A doctor at the hospital, one who has a reputation for being cantankerous, makes an interesting proposition. He'll pay her to be his date for the summer at family gatherings in order to appease his dying grandmother, who doesn't want him to be alone.

We also meet Lark's mom Ellie, who is dealing with the ultimate betrayal in her marriage, and Lark's landlady Joy, who is searching for her purpose after a lifetime of heartbreak.

The stories of these three women are extremely moving and inspirational and I liked getting to know them. I think each of them could have had their own book. There was a lot happening here! But they each have a lot to teach readers about what it means to truly live in spite of great loss.

Trigger warnings: DV, cancer battles, and a catastrophic accident.

Lark Smith has had a rough life and has made the decision to become a dr because of it in hopes of saving others where her loved one couldn't be saved, but are her emotions too much for the job? An will Dr. Satan be able to help her?

Larkby is determined to become an oncologist. While in training she struggles with letting her emotions get in the way, not hard to believe given her past... So while she is sent to work in the ER, she is approached by a surgeon known as "Dr. Satan" who asks her to "pretend" to be with him for the summer, in an attempt to let his grandmother die happy. Of course she accepts... what could go wrong...?

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It is somewhat a stereotypical romance novel, and has some of the expected plot lines. However, there is some variation that I did not expect. Honestly, this was a great summer read, and I would recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable light romance fiction for the summer.

That being said I listened to the audiobook, and found the narration for Larkby to be difficult to listen and decipher. The speech was too soft/muddled.

This was my first audiobook by Kristan Higgins and I absolutely loved it. I laughed and cried with the characters. Her characters are written with an authenticity that makes you truly invest in the story. Lark the main character could be your neighbor or your best friend, her kindness and love of her family is shown in Kristan’s writing. I loved the multiple story lines of Joy and Larks mom as well. It was so wonderful to listen to this audiobook the narration was excellent. I highly recommend this audiobook it made this novel so much more enjoyable and I felt the narrators portrayed these characters and their stories perfectly. I can’t wait to read or listen to another of Kristan Higgins books

Lark is a medical resident in Oncology who is unceremoniously dumped to the ER because she's too emotional. Spoiler for those who don't work in healthcare - that's not how it works. Moving on. Next, Dr. Satan offers her the opportunity to introduce her to his contacts in exchange for serving as his fake girlfriend for two months.

I assumed this was a Rom-Com version of Grey's Anatomy and thought Lark's whimpering was going to annoy me for 400+ pages, but I was wrong. Kristan Higgins has an incredible ability to portray characters in all their annoying flaws and has me rooting for them halfway through.

I totally adore Kristan Higgins. I'm pretty fond of her books, too! I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Susan Bennett, Christina Moore, and Xe Sands. I'm not sure which narrator did the voice of Lark, but is sounded to me like Ms. Higgins was reading it herself (I've heard her read parts of her books several different times).

This is a fiction or women's fiction novel with a romantic side. Lark is a medical student wanting to be an oncologist because of something that happened in her past. The only problem is that her emotions keep getting in her way, and she ends up weeping. That is really sort of frowned on, and it ends up in a department transfer.

In the midst of the upheaval, she is approached by a very unlikeable doctor and asked to act as his girlfriend for his sister's wedding events. His "offer" is more than she can turn down, and she discovers that his family is quite lovely for the most part...especially his brother, who would give Adonis a run for his money.

I loved the dialogue between Lark and Dr. Satan. Lark was pretty sarcastic and put him in his place time after time. Her delivery was very drawn out and deliberate.

I loved this audiobook! Kristan Higgins never disappoints!

Thanks to RB Media and NetGalley for the audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

This charming romance captured my attention right in the beginning and never let go. Lark and Ellie's stories are interwoven and the result is a well-rounded view of the story as the details gradually come to light. There were laugh out loud moments, a few tears shed, and all the best feels by the end of this book. Dante is just the best of the best and I couldn't help but fall in love with him. Another fantastic novel by Kristan Higgins and the audiobook was a fantastic way to enjoy every minute.

Kristin always comes through with a tear jerker. Her characters are always so realistic and relatable. I loved the multiple storylines. This was for sure a comfort read/listen.

I thought I was going to love this book about 3 women in Cape Cod who are all at different places in their lives but are always there to support each other. Lark an oncology resident who has been moved to the ER because she's too emotional. Joy who lives in a huge house alone and lost her brother. Lastly Ellie, Lark's mother who is having issues with her husband and contemplating divorce.
Lark ends up fake dating a surgeon because he doesn't want his dying grandmother to die thinking he's alone. Due to this she ends up meeting his family members and spending time with them which she enjoys. This time ends up triggering things from her past and an unexpected but great surprise is unveiled.
I did not like the way the surgeon treated her both at work and when she was doing this favor for him. He's the worst person in the whole book and his parts weren't enjoyable for me to read. I did like the surprises and how it ended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I wasn't sure what to expect but a really sweet (semi spicy) love story wasn't on the top of my list. Another great summer read!

A Look on the bright side takes you on a reading adventure of friendship, family and mild romance. Lark even when sad always finds the good in the situation even after a giant life altering event. She also realizes that you can’t always live in the past.

Kristin Higgins’ latest novel Look on the Bright Side follows three women whose lives each take an unexpected yet rewarding detour. This moving story explores the unexpected good things that can happen when your life doesn’t go exactly as planned.

Lark’s dream is to be an oncologist, but she gets too emotional around her patients & gets transferred to work in the ER. Dr. Santani (or Dr. Satan as he is known) is the ER attending doc and he knows Lark wants to get back to oncology as soon as possible. He makes a deal with her - if she will pretend to be his girlfriend for the summer to make his dying grandmother think he has someone special in his life, he will help her get back to oncology. Lark unexpectedly ends up falling for Dr. Satan’s sexy firefighter brother. How does one keep up a fake dating ruse when you’re attracted to the wrong guy?

Lark isn’t the only member of her family going through it though. Her mom Ellie has recently separated from Ellie’s dad, and she moves in with Lark’s landlord, Joy. Ellie and Joy are both going through some things and end up forming the most unlikely of friendships. I loved following their POVs and seeing their friendship blossom, while also getting the story from Lark’s perspective as she navigates her way through both a fake relationship and the possibilities of a real one.

Higgins’ writing is top notch as always, and her characters are just so beautifully developed and easy to relate to. As I mentioned earlier, Look on the Bright Side is also a moving read. It made me laugh at times, but it also had me shedding a few tears along the way.

I alternated between the ebook and the audio and was especially impressed with the narration of Susan Bennett, Xe Sands, & Christina Moore. It was so easy to distinguish between the different voices and they did a wonderful job bringing Higgins’ characters to life.

I recommend this book if you enjoy women’s fic, found families, & female friendships.

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did! I listened to the audiobook, and the narrators were excellent. It’s my first book to read by Kristan Higgins, but it definitely won’t be my last. I have multiple books of hers marked “to read” on Goodreads.

Lark, the main character, has some grief work to do in this book, specifically around the death of her fiancee 7 years earlier. She starts out as a resident in oncology, but she’s crying at the bedsides of her patients when we meet her. Dr Lorenzo Santini, an outstanding surgeon who has an ice-cold personality, asks her to help him out as his “plus one” at family functions for the summer, since his sister is getting married. He’s much too lofty (in his own opinion) to actually date. The ensuing activities, including all the goings-on of Lark’s family (and there are many, especially with her parents) unwind throughout the book.

What a story! I loved every single bit of it. I look forward to my next read from this author.

This story is about 3 women. Lark, who wants to work in oncology but is sent to work in the ER. Ellie is Lark's mother who is going to what might appear to be a midlife crisis. And then there is Joy who is Lark’s landlady.
This book is about self-discovery, loss, and healing.
Dr. Santini (Dr. Satan) made me shake my head. He meant well.
And Dante, well, we needed more of him!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Three women, three watershed moments for each of them.

Our main protagonist, Lark Smith lost her fiancé seven years ago to an aggressive form a leukemia and is now doing her medical residency in Oncology, a field she felt she was destined to do. But was she? Because of her tendency to become emotional overwhelmed with patients she has be forced into the ER. When Dr. Santini, a renowned surgeon approachs Lark with an opportunity to regain her position in Oncology she jumps at the chance. What will this cost her? Well, Dr. Lorenzo Santini needs her to be his “fake” girlfriend for the next two months. What could possibly go wrong? Will there be sparks? Not with a nickname like Dr. Satan. What Lark is not expecting is that the Santini’s are a wonderful family and that brother of his is pretty hot yet there’s something familiar about Dante.

Lark’s mother and famous artist in Wellfleet is having her moment as well. She has discovered that what she thought was a perfect marriage is not, she has discovered her marriage is not quite what she thought it was. 67-year-old Joy, Lark’s landlady has been coping with the death of her brother so with open arms she welcomes Ellie into her home to stay as long as she needs while she sorts things out.

Look on the Bright Side is a story filled with dealing with loss, grief, learning to take second chances, family love and support. There are amusing and laugh out loud moments, great banter and well developed characters–all of which Higgins does well.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but it weighted down with emotional moments that leaves the reader heavy hearted. My biggest issue with the book were the back stories, especially Lark’s, while needed they went on too long and too often.

This audiobook was narrated by three different women. Susan Bennett and Christina Moore narration was enjoyable. While in the past I have loved Xe Sands narration, I found hers to be muffled and low octave.

Thank you, Kristan Higgins, Recorded Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ok, so this story was definitely a predictable rom com, but man did I like it! Doctor Satan is very unlikable, but he has an awesome family! Even though he is unlikable, he does have some redeeming qualities, that you find out throughout the book. I like that he wasn’t just a flat character, and the author explained why he was the way he was. It took him from unlikeable to likable.

The main character was adorable, and a little naive at times. Overall though, I knew who she was going to fall in love with, and I was so happy when it happened! The book was a little long at times, but overall, I really enjoyed it!