The Lonely Hearts Lido Club

Very excited to read this beautiful book! Full review to follow on blog and here. Love how each of these ppl are dealing with different heartbreaking situations, but manage to find a way to come together to fight their grief, but find happiness together instead. The writing is beautiful, the characters rich, and the storyline keeps you wanting to turn the pages long into the night. Thank you very much for the privilege. Looking forward to sharing more very soon.

Three strangers bond at the pool and form a friendship to circumvent their personal struggles. I really enjoyed this book it’s rare that you read a book about a true friendship.

This was a super cute book! It fell a little bit flat at certain points, but overall it was witty and charming and I’d highly recommend!

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club by Charlie Lyndhurst

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It’s one of those books that focuses on the characters and their individual stories. On friendships that spring up in unexpected places and amongst people from totally different walks of life.

There’s no over the top drama or crazy plot, it’s believable and real and that’s what gripped me.

A man who has lost his job and doesn’t know how to tell his husband. A beautiful young widow struggling with everyday life as she looks after two young sons. A retired lady who is finding retirement anything but pleasurable.

The three come together in a lovely friendship and it was great to see them work through their struggles.

A ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me!

Three very different people make friends at the local Lido and somehow, they help each other to move on with their lives.

Gabriella is a former model, a widow with two young boys. Since her husband Arnie's death she's been mired in grief, not helped by her in-laws who have never liked her and seem determined to take the boys away from her. The trouble is, they pay her eldest son's private school fees and have offered to do the same when her youngest starts school. Gabriella is desperate to escape the house full of memories and in desperation takes her youngest son to the local Lido.

Helen is married to a successful doctor. Happy to give up her career in fashion when she got married she has devoted her life to supporting her husband Bill and raising their son Peter. But now, Bill has allegedly retired, although he still works three days a week, and spends all his free time engrossed in his new computer. Helen thought retirement would be a time for them as a couple but Bill seems permanently irritated by her presence and refuses to consider any kind of joint activity. Helen's only solace is swimming laps at the local Lido, although she thinks visiting seven days a week could be excessive.

Ian was made redundant from his his role as a think-tank consultant and has been unable to find another job. He's too afraid that his gorgeous husband Drew will realise what a loser he's married to admit the truth so he's been leaving home in a suit and tie every day, then spending the day at the Lido.

There's something refreshing about telling your troubles to a stranger, one who tells you theirs in return, and sometimes these are the friendships that take root deep in your soul.

I really enjoyed this, the lives of three strangers bound together in sadness who help each other face the truth. move on, and become happy.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Intriguing book about the way life intersects and the people we truly connect with. Well written with layered and likable characters. So glad I found this gem. My favorite read of 2022, I am recommending to everyone I know. Thank to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was actually a funny, cute book that talks about three strangers with different life meeting together and becoming friends.

Helen is facing marriage problems with Bill. Gabriella is trying to move after her husband died and Ian has recently lost a job and is afraid to tell his husband Drew. The three strangers spend time together at the lido and eventually, the three become friends. The writing was great and although it started a little boring, I actually enjoyed reading the book. I did like the friendship between the three strangers that eventually turned into close friendship, Ian's life with Drew, Gabriella in the end meeting someone and Helen trying to repair her marriage to Bill. Overall, I thought this was a sweet book and is looking forward to read more books from this author.

Worth four stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the Hera books for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion onlt.

Another light and enjoyable summer read. 3 people, with little in common become unlikely friends. Each character was lovely with their own problems that are helped by the friendship. A great holiday read.

Three strangers meet and share their problems, a good story about néw friendships, families and love. Likeable well written characters. Sort of loses its way in parts but overall enjoyable beach read. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

Adorable story of the strangers who become friends and how their life intersects.

Perfect beach read

A real escapist summer read!

I love the lido setting and how the three main characters, all with very little in common and completely different lives and backgrounds, become friends there, bonding over their common problem of finding something useful to do with their days/hiding from their everyday lives and issues.

The characters are well written and likeable and their friendship is uplifting and heart-warming. I almost wish I was part of the Lonely Hearts Lido Club myself!

This was a great lighthearted beach read. About strangers who connect in a beautiful way. It was a great read

This was an absolutely wonderful read! It was exactly what I look for in character driven novel - people of different backgrounds thrown together in a hard time of their lives and all of them coming out the other side together, and as better people.

All three of the main characters were so incredibly different, their problems were different, and yet they fell into steadfast friendship so quickly and comfortably - it was amazing to experience genuine friendships being formed throughout this novel and it made me want to be a apart of this little group so so badly!

It was funny and really sweet, emotional at times but a great insight into the daily ups and downs of life. It was an easy read where I got incredibly invested in the lives of these 3. Perfect summer read!!!


Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for my free copy of this book in return for an honest review - all thoughts are completely my own.

It was a beautiful read about friendship and how three people can come together and support each other. Loved the writing style and I think it’s a perfect summer read.

This was a truly beautiful book to read. It was a huge reminder to never judge because you just don’t know anyone else’s story or situation. This was a wonderful story, full of emotion, hope and joy.

I found this book to be heartwarming and all 3 characters were so wonderfully written. All of their issues were so relatable making for a more enjoyable reading experience.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club by Charlie Lyndhurst

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Hera Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Three strangers all caught in the deep end… but can they help each other float through?

After tragically losing her husband and being left a single mother to two children, Gabriella has only one escape for herself – swimming at a local London lido to clear her mind.

A constant stream of both new and familiar faces visit the lido like Gabriella – but she doesn’t suspect any are suffering quite like her, until she meets Helen – who swims to escape her emotionless husband, and Ian – who feels lost in the deep end after becoming unemployed and unable to tell his husband.

My Opinion

There is something pleasant about three strangers coming together to help each other through their troubles. A fun and heart-warming novel that will play with your emotions in places. This would make for a lovely holiday read.

Rating 4/5

Gabriella is a recent widew trying to raise two young children and not faring well. She decides to talk to Helen and Ian one day at the lido. Helen is having trouble in her marriage since her husband retired, and Ian is lying to his husband about going to work every day after secretly losing his job. The three sort of band together and begin to share their problems, eventually becoming good friends and helping each other out along the way. It's a pretty standard feel-good type of book, but I enjoyed it a lot. 4 stars.

This was a great read. Lighthearted while still being real. I love the approach of the three-pronged friendship, with each character dealing with their own situations and struggles. I would recommend for anything looking for an uplifting, friend-centric book.

Gabriella, Ian and Helen all meet at the local lido, where they are going to hide from everything else happening in their lives. Can they help each other and themselves? Told from all three points of view, but easy to keep up with

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this enchanting novel. I was really invested in each characters story but I especially liked Gabriella, her story was heartbreaking. The three strangers become fast friends and I particularly liked the ending. It is a fun, heartwarming novel and I can't wait to read more from this author. Loved it! Thank you netgalley and Hera books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

My rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5/5

Three strangers all caught in the deep end… but can they help each other float through?

After tragically losing her husband and being left a single mother to two children, Gabriella has only one escape for herself – swimming at a local London lido to clear her mind.

A constant stream of both new and familiar faces visit the lido like Gabriella – but she doesn’t suspect any are suffering quite like her, until she meets Helen – who swims to escape her emotionless husband, and Ian – who feels lost in the deep end after becoming unemployed and unable to tell his husband.

Grateful for new companionship, these three strangers decide to make their friendship into something more permanent: The Lonely Hearts Lido Club.
#netgalley #thelonelyheartslidoclub

A beautiful book with a beautiful ending.

Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to read this book

Three people become friends while using a lido. Follow their story for a very good read. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

*I was given a free ebook copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review via NetGalley.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club is a feel-good summer novel about 3 strangers who meet at the local lido and help each other out with the problems they are currently going through. It is a really easy read and one that I think most people would enjoy. It has an excellent range of characters, who all go through a lot of development over the course of the novel.

I absolutely raced through this one and really enjoyed it. I would recommend it to fans of feel-good fiction and fans of Mike Gayle, Libby Page and Clare Pooley.

5 stars.

This book was an all round good time. The story was heart-warming, the characters relatable and the writing was beautiful. The sure sign of a great book is when you can’t put it down and when you do you’re constantly thinking about when you can delve back in again and this was a prime example of that. If you’re looking for an easy read that will leave you with a smile on your face then this is the book for you.

The three strangers bonded over loneliness and sadness, and joined with their mutual love for the Lido. I really enjoy reading books about lido's, they make me feel like there's such a good community. It was so nice to read a book where you can see true friendship blooming between people who might never have met in other circumstances.

After tragically losing her husband and being left a single mother to two children, Gabriella has only one escape for herself – swimming at a local London lido to clear her mind.

A constant stream of both new and familiar faces visit the lido like Gabriella – but she doesn’t suspect any are suffering quite like her, until she meets Helen – who swims to escape her emotionless husband, and Ian – who feels lost in the deep end after becoming unemployed and unable to tell his husband.

Grateful for new companionship, these three strangers decide to make their friendship into something more permanent: The Lonely Hearts Lido Club.

My cheeks hurt from smiling through this delightful book. This one kept me hooked and entertained until the last page… The characters each have these little pieces that make them such believable characters! This fabulous summer read!

Oh man, I just love books like this. The Lonely Hearts Lido Club touched my heart in the best possible way. 5/5 stars, for sure. The book came out today as well, so you should definitely run to the bookstore and buy a copy for yourself!!

Ian, Gabriella, and Helen's story tugged at my heartstrings and made me feel so MUCH STUFF, MY GOD. The book made me appreciate my own personal club of special people more than ever before- my best friends of course. Having people you can talk your heart out to - now, that's truly a blessing. And this book focused on that particular aspect with a beautifully-written story. The friendship between Ian, Gabriella, and Helen was just so, so wholesome. I loved each of the conversations they had with each other. They shared their struggles with each other and created such a loving + accepting support system amongst themselves. I love books that bring up the power of friendships. And Chalie Lyndhurst did that through his book spectacularly. The story had such a compassionate tone. (is that even a thing though?)

I honestly cannot recommend The Lonely Hearts Lido Club enough. I AM SO IN LOVE.

After losing her husband and left a single mother of two kids, Gabriella likes to escape to the local London lido to swim and clear her mind. At the lido, she meets people who suffer too, like Helen, who swims to escape her husband, and Ian, who feels lost.
This contemporary fiction contains lovely characters, a story of great friendship and moving on. It's a fun and sweet read, although heartbreaking at times, the perfect beach read.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club has won this swimmer’s heart and gold medal seal of approval!🏊🏻‍♀️🥇

I swim just about everyday, usually a mile or so, in the beautiful pool located in my historic apartment building. And while swimming is truly a wonderful form of exercise, it’s also been for me, like the characters in this lovely book, a social venue and activity, as well. I’ve met, chatted with, and made friends with so many amazing people, all while hanging out in the water. With that in mind, I was thrilled to see this book listed on NetGalley, and then have my request to read it approved! I am delighted to report that it did not disappoint! I absolutely loved reading about the swimming pool friendships: their loves, lives, and adventures, in The Lonely Hearts Lido Club.
💚𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐋𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭 (𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐝𝐨 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛, 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 🏊🏻‍♀️

A lovely novel featuring a group of interesting characters. It kept me hooked and entertained, the characters are fleshed out.
A compelling and heartwarming novel.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This book is different than what I am typically used to but I enjoyed it. I felt that it did go a bit slow at first but I did not wanna put it down by the end. It was not your typical romance book that I usually read and I really like to hearing the story progression of these three characters using each other to help with their individual problems.

A completely enchanting novel that will touch your heart and soul. The Characters of Ian, Gabriella, and Helen are so well written and their troubles are so relatable. The friendship they form is touching as they help each other in so many ways as their relationships grow and blend. I could feel each of their pain in the situations they were in and felt compassion for them.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A nice story of friendship set against the backdrop of a local lido. Lovely characters that are really well written and I loved seeing them grow throughout the book. Recommended.

The novel which follows three strangers who bond at the lido started off strong, but it’s as if someone else took over writing the book halfway through as it suddenly became a bit boring. I did however, enjoy reading the first half..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book is about 3 people who are in the midst of something that's affecting their lives and they meet at a local lido. They do not seem to have anything in common but the book tracks their developing friendship alongside their personal relationships and and events in their lives. I found it fascinating, and loved each of the characters, I didn't want the book to end.
Other reviewers have noted a lack of continuity, some with major issues and I note that some specific instances no longer appear, suggesting corrections have been made. However, there are others that require addressing (Helen is called 'Marie' and 'M', Gabriella apparently modelled in the early noughties when she would have been about 10 years old, the length of time Ian has been out of work varies, references to children are often incorrect, brunch with Lana becomes lunch) and I could detail many more. I also thought it a great pity that with all the girls' names available the author chose exactly the same 2 given to the daughters of the widower in the film 'The Holiday' - a cliche to be avoided!
That said, the essence of the book is an interesting story with lovely characters, and I enjoyed it despite the poor editing, please don't let it put you off this author's work!

If you like books about unlikely friendships, this is one you need to read. It's the story of three people who feel alone and all turn to a lido, or sort of leisure center, to cope, and as a result, find lasting friendship and healing at the swimming pool.

Gabriella is a recently widowed single mother of two young boys. Helen is stuck in a marriage in which she feels invisible and unloved and Ian has lost his job and is terrified to tell his husband because he feels he married above himself and he would be dumped as a result. Every time the three meet at the lido, new details come out about what problems each of them has and they support each other and become involved in each other's lives.

I loved this book. I think Gabriella and Helen are the two strongest characters. Ian's choice to not let his partner know what was going on nearly cost him his marriage. However, one of the funniest scenes in the book was when Ian asks Helen to come over and help him explain what's going on, and he blurts out something that he and Helen had not discussed and she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

You'll be cheering for happy endings for all these friends and the other people in their lives.

I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

The Lonely Hearts Lido Club is funny and heartwarming. The perfect easy pick me up read to lift your spirits.