I’m so excited to be kicking off the blog tour for another one of Linda MacDonald’s fantastic books!
Meeting Lydia is available in ebook and paperback now, the ebook is only £2.99 at the moment. You can buy a copy of both here.
Book Description:
“A must-read for anyone interested in psychology and relationships” – Norma Patrick
Marianne comes home from work one day to find her husband talking to a glamorous woman in their kitchen. Old childhood insecurities resurface, stemming from a time back at school when she was bullied. Jealousy rears its head and her happy marriage begins to crumble. Desperate for a solution – and introduced by her daughter to social networking – she tries to track down her first schoolgirl crush, the enigmatic Edward Harvey. But Marianne is unprepared for the power of email relationships …
Meeting Lydia explores the very relevant topics of childhood bullying, midlife crises, the pros and cons of internet relationships, and how the psychological effects of these affect the main character and those around her. Readers will be gripped by the turbulent life of Marianne who navigates the onset of menopause, an empty nest, a suspected errant husband and a demanding new obsession that pulls her in deeper as the story unfolds. Those interested in the psychology of relationships will enjoy this novel, as well as those who delight in an enthralling story with relatable characters and the powerful question of what happens when the past catches up with the present. This second edition has reworked the early chapters of the first edition, making for a pacy and shorter version more in line with the audiobook.
My Review:
I’m such a fan of Linda’s books so I was very excited to be invited onto the blog tour for the paperback release of Meeting Lydia.
This was another fascinating book from Linda, examining the psychology of relationships and how our past can continue to affect us. Bullying is a very emotional subject and one that, unfortunately, everyone experiences at some point in their lives. As someone who was bullied at school, this was subject I knew a little about and it was heartbreaking to see how much it still affect Marianne’s life. The bullying scenes were quite uncomfortable to read about as they seemed very real, the author doesn’t sugar coat the situation so the reader is exposed to all the hurt and confusion that Marianne feels.
I loved Marianne! She was one of those characters that you can really get behind as she is so relatable. I wanted her to have the happy ending she deserved, though sometimes felt like shaking her as she made some interesting decisions. The reader gets to know Marianne on a personal level which made me a lot more affected by what happens.
The author adopts a intimate, fly in the wall style of writing that makes the reader feel like they are standing next to the characters watching everything unfold. This made me feel more involved in the story and I felt I cared more about what happens as if it would affect my life too. The chapters alternate between the present day and Marianne’s time at school which helps give the reader a more holistic view of her life and greater understanding of what happened.
The drama/ tension in the book is created by normal, everyday things that helps make the book very original and incredibly gripping. This could actually happen, to you or someone you know which makes it even more thrilling as you wonder what you would have done.
Linda is the author of four books and this is the second book I have read by her. I really look forward to reading more from this talented author.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the tour and to Linda MacDonald for sending me a copy if her book.
About The Author:
Over The Rainbow Blog 
thanks for your continued Blog Tour support JO x
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