The Two Lives of Lydia Bird: A gorgeously romantic love story for anyone who has ever thought ‘What If?’

New author for me. I enjoyed the story line - similar to Sliding Doors film with Gwenyth Paltrow, but wished the main character, Lydia would get a move along towards the end. For this I have given then book 4 stars instead of 5. Handled the concept of grief and loss of a partner well I thought.

wow this book had me hooked from the first page, no messing about, straight into the lives of the main characters! my eyes were filled with tears and a constant lump stuck in my throat. she relays the characters' emotion so well that you experience the pain with them and have to work through it too. it really was fantastic!

I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable read and although it was sad in parts you kept hoping that a certain two characters would get together in the end, even if it took time, which was totally understandable. Lydia and Freddie had been together forever, along with Jonah, who was Lydia's best friend until Freddie came along, then they were a trio as they got older, with Jonah being best friends with Freddie more. Then the awful accident happens and Freddie dies, and all their lives are thrown into chaos. But Lydia is given tablets to help her sleep by a doctor, but when she takes them they send her into a different reality where Freddie is alive and their lives are still on track. At first these help, but what life does Lydia really want, as different events happen in each 'life'. Even though Lydia initally is in two different universes when she is awake or sleeping, the story flows easily and whilst there is obviously a slightly magical air to the story it doesn't take over the whole book and it just works really well, making you want to read just one more page to find out what happens in the end. I really liked the way all the characters kept trying to help Lydia move through her grief yet continued living their own lives, and the way the story developed over time was just perfect, nothing rushed, everything took time, yet still reached a perfect ending. This is the second Josie Silver book I've read and both have been 5 star reads for me, so I'm really looking forward to her next book now. Really enjoyable read, with a HEA, highly recommended.