Book Review: The Lifeline by Libby Page @LibbyPageWrites @orionbooks @eturns_112 #TheLifeline #LibbyPage #Uplit #BookReview

Book Synopsis:

Everybody needs saving sometimes…

For Kate, having a newborn baby means she is almost never alone. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t lonely. The move from London to Somerset with her husband Jay was supposed be the start of an exciting new chapter. But sometimes she can’t help but wonder if she turned the pages too soon . . .

Phoebe needs help. As a mental health nurse serving her community, the wellbeing of her patients has always come before her own. Yet there’s only so long she can pour from an empty cup.

Looking for a lifeline, Kate and Phoebe find a sense of community – and each other – through their local river swimming group. But when things get tough, they realise that good friends can both raise us up and stop us sinking.

For fans of THE LIDO, THE LIFELINE is the big-hearted and life-affirming follow-up novel by Sunday Times bestselling author Libby Page.

My Review:

The Lifeline is an absorbing, heart warming read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The story is told from the point of view of two characters, Kate a new mother who’s struggling with early motherhood and Phoebe a mental health nurse who’s struggling to find that illusive work home balance. I really liked both character’s and enjoyed following them throughout the book. Kate’s journey in particular really resonated with me as I remember the emotions of life with a baby very well. I liked that Libby was brave enough to describe the reality of early motherhood rather than the sugar coated version we are normally presented with. I also really liked Phoebe and found it very interesting to learn more about community health nursing which seemed very stressful at times. I admired Phoebe’s drive and how much she obviously cared for her patients but found myself wishing she would give herself a break sometimes as I think she was often very hard on herself.

I loved the wonderfully vivid descriptions of wild swimming that almost made me want to try it. I’ve always been a little afraid of finding out what lurks beneath the water so I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to actually try it. The authors descriptions however made me smile as I read and I loved the peace it seemed to give the characters. The friendship group that develops between the swimming party members was lovely to read about, especially how much they support each other.

Overall, as you can probably tell, I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to everyone. I thought the book had a great pace to it and it made me feel all cosy with its wonderfully heartwarming vibes. The author tackles some quite serious topics in this book like mental health and post natal depression but does it in a way that helps the reader understand the issue more. As a mum of there I loved the way this book normalised the struggles of mother hood and the importance of self care for everyone. This book is a follow on from The Lido as it features Kate again but it can easily be read as a standalone. I’m hoping there may be another book featuring Kate and the wonderful swimming ladies again soon as I’d love to spend more time with them.

Huge thanks to Ellen Turner from Orion for sending me a bookseller proof of this book.

About The Author:

Libby Page graduated from The London College of Fashion with a BA in fashion journalism before going on to work as a journalist at The Guardian. After writing, her second passion is outdoor swimming. Libby lives in London, where she enjoys finding new swimming spots and pockets of community within the city. The Lido is her first novel. Follow her on Twitter @LibbyPageWrites and Instagram @TheSwimmingSisters.