An inspiring and uplifting novel from the bestselling author of The Secrets of Happiness and The House of New Beginnings.

It’s a beautiful day in Manchester and four friends are meeting for a birthday lunch. But then they witness a shocking accident just metres away which acts as a catalyst for each of them.

For Laura, it’s a wake-up call to heed the ticking of her biological clock. Sensible Jo finds herself throwing caution to the wind in a new relationship. Eve, who has been trying to ignore the worrying lump in her breast, feels helpless and out of control. And happy-go-lucky India is drawn to one of the victims of the accident, causing long-buried secrets to rise to the surface.

This is a novel about the startling and unexpected turns life can take. It’s about luck—good and bad—and about finding bravery and resilience when your world is in turmoil. Above all, On a Beautiful Day is about friendship, togetherness and hope.

MY THOUGHTS:

I was sent this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book would make a great summer read for those days when the sun is warm, and you’re feeling lazy.

It’s about friendship and celebrating each moment of life while you can.  It will tug at your emotional heart-strings and cause you to pause often for reflection.  The different scenarios depicted in Diamond’s book are realistic and explored to an emotional depth that will truly leave you thinking about your own life. In the end, you will perceive an overall message that may or may not hit close to home.

The story is driven by an incident witnessed by a group of friends where a vehicle drives into a crowd of people killing many.  This affects each friend differently and in a unique fashion related to their own personal struggles. Diamond handles how each reacts realistically and deeply.  I love that the age demographics isn’t about twenty year olds, but that of older women.

The major focus of this book is about the friendship these women have for each other.  Prepare to cry, sob and pretty much fall apart at times.  Although this book is filled with sadness, it does end on a positive note, leaving you feeling uplifted and satisfied.

The writing is strong and well-written.  Diamond has a very distinct voice in this book.  She doesn’t pull any punches and writes with an emotional poignancy important to moving the pace along steadily and without jarring.  POV is clearly depicted and plot elements unfold easily transitioning from one to the next without issue.

Character ARC development is complete and fleshed out to leave fully rounded individuals that many will relate to.  They each are complete with warts and all, very real, and conflicted, driven by their own backstory and emotional state.

The beginning may challenge your interest, but stick with it.  You’ll find yourself deeply immersed in the lives of these four women.

Overall, I gave this book: