The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

I use to read women's fiction all the time but I got tired of reading of divorce women bemoaning their empty nest and then finding a second chance at love. After reading Joan is Okay, I was hopeful that there would be more women's fiction that wasn't a disguised romance novel. The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd seemed like what I was looking for.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

February 2022; Dreamscape Media; 9781666533798
audio (11h 53m), ebook, print; women's fiction

The story opens with Kiera at a health clinic getting further tests after she discovered an abnormality on her breast. Kiera is the mom of three, a wife, and the owner of her family's business (she took it over after her father died). The breast cancer diagnosis comes as a shock. And while it rocks her world she has a lot more problems to worry about. In some ways, her cancer may be a blessing in disguise.

We don't get to know Kiera before she finds out about cancer and I tried to extend grace to her as everyone deals with cancer differently. But there was a lot about her I didn't like. At one point she is talking about this annoying her and that annoying her and I thought you are annoying me. She complains a lot about a lot of things. Her business partner is trying to steal her business away from her, her daughter is rebelling, she has cancer. 

I actually didn't like any of the characters at the start of the story which made it difficult to get into the story. They are all pretty stereotypical in their reactions to Kiera's diagnosis. Those who hadn't had cancer were all like you poor thing or treated her as if she was contagious. Some of them couldn't even say cancer. It was like none of them could just be supportive. I've had friends with cancer and my reaction didn't match how her friends treated her. It was like only those with cancer could be sympathetic.

I did like the plot. And the audiobook is really well done. Even though the audiobook is just under 12 hours, the story went quickly. I was really pulling for Keira. Not only did I want her to survive cancer, but I was hoping for a personality change. 

There is a good message in this book. While there is a lot going wrong in Keira's life the book does have its uplifting moments. And it really isn't a sad story. It was maddening at times, but I didn't cry during the story.

If you are looking for women's fiction about a female character that feels real and is dealing with real-world problems, then this is the book to get.

Buy The Bright Side Running Club at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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