*Things Are Looking Up* is an uplifting and feel-good novel that follows a protagonist on a journey of personal growth and rediscovery. With its blend of humor and heartfelt moments, the book offers a refreshing take on overcoming life's challenges. The characters are relatable and well-drawn, and the narrative strikes a good balance between light-heartedness and deeper themes. While the plot might tread familiar ground, the engaging writing and optimistic tone make it an enjoyable read. It’s a comforting and inspiring story perfect for those seeking a bit of positivity.

The best part of Things Are Looking Up is that there was no amnesia story line after a terrible accident. Sadly, this book moved SO slowly and I stuck with it long time, but finally just gave up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

This was a sweet story. It is a gentle tale of rediscovering your life and I really appreciated the message that Morrey is promoting and one that I think all readers can adapt to their way of living.

When Milly has a terrible accident, she is forced to re-evaluate her life. Before being hit by a bus, she is completely absorbed in her work, barely giving time to her friends and family. Stuck in a hospital bed for several weeks, Milly comes to realise that actually, beyond her work, she has very little else in life. And it is a rather sobering perception.

Although she intends to restart her life exactly where she left off before the accident, it would seem that her body (and fate) have other ideas. Not being able to go full-throttle has left her exhausted and as a free-lance writer, the money starts to dry up. Milly’s circumstances lead her to move in with her ex boyfriend, Jed, who proves to be the tonic that Milly needs.

Now, just because Milly moves in with her ex boyfriend, does not mean this is an instant revival of their relationship. Instead, Morrey explores Milly’s recovery and her gradual alteration to life around her. No longer feeling the pressure to constantly be absorbed in her mobile phone, Milly is able to properly “see” around her for the first time. It means she actually starts to dislike the person she used to be and uses this as an opportunity to reassess the direction her life was going. Work is no longer the all-consuming priority and Milly takes the time to make new friends that aren’t work-related, and also to just enjoy the simpler things in life.

This was a slow tale because the romance took a long time in coming. Whilst it was obvious how the story would conclude, the writer instead focusses on Milly’s “reset” and how she actively changes her attitudes. I enjoyed watching her character grow and I definitely thought she was more likeable compared to the Milly we meet in the first chapter. True, her simmering connection with Jed added another level to this narrative, but it wasn’t the all-consuming romance I think I was expecting.

As such, I did find the read to be a little slow in places with a lot of dialogue. I think I wanted Morrey to focus more on Jed and Milly, perhaps seeing them spend more time together that is beyond his amazing penthouse, but I believe this would have detracted attention away from Milly’s evolution. It was definitely a heart-warming story and I liked how Morrey uses Milly’s situation to try and encourage readers to step away from technology and find a more work-life balance.

Things definitely look up for Milly by the end of the story and I found the conclusion to be really satisfying. This is a great example of a bit of “feel good fiction” and I think some of the lessons that Milly learned in this novel are ones I will try and emulate myself.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this, it was such a lovely story , this reminds you to not take life for granted, the characters are so well done particularly the main character Milly. This book was so easy to love and I was addicted from the start, a fun and entertaining read

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I adored this. I cried at the bits about Hector and loved the London specific parts. Thus was so much more than I expected

Milly is on the verge of getting the job she has spent most of her working life trying to get; much to the detriment of everything else.

What she didn’t plan on, was getting hit by a bus.

When she wakes up a week later, she finds herself homeless and jobless.

Her ex also comes back into her life… her very handsome, sweet ex.

It didn’t take me long to get completely engrossed in this novel. I immediately felt immersed in the London setting and I could imagine myself walking around London with Milly.

Milly was a character I could get behind. Yes, she has flaws and there were many points where I found her frustrating, but she felt very real and like an old friend. I wanted everything to work out for her. It was lovely to see her journey as I progressed through the book as she gets to know herself again.

Jed is a perfect hero. He’s handsome, sweet, kind and likeable. Can I go stay in his apartment? Haha. I was very intrigued as to what would happen with Jed and Milly.

The supporting characters were great. We could all do with an Ava and I also loved Ravi. In another life, I’d love to run a bookshop.

What else can I say without giving anything else away? Not a lot. What I will say is that this a warm, charming novel that made me think about how much time I spend on electronic devices and how easy it is to miss the events of life around you. What you’re missing when you don’t pay attention.

‘Life is what happens to you whilst you’re busy making other plans.’ I know it’s a cheesy line, but that Beatles guy was onto something. This quote, in my opinion, sums up this novel perfectly.

It’s a story I hope you’ll escape into for a while. It was my introduction to Maxine’s novels and I am looking forward to seeing what she does next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review - Things Are Looking Up by Maxine Morrey

This review has been made possible thanks to @NetGalley and @BookandTonic for providing me with an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Milly has been hustling for years to get her foot in the door of journalism and it was going to be her day when she's on her way to an interview with Vogue, she gets hit by a bus. She wakes up in the hospital over a week later from a coma with severe injuries. Over the course of the book, Milly, who always has her phone attached to her, has to deal with taking things one at a time, learning to let go when you can't control what's going on and enjoy the little things again, with the help of her brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew, and conveniently attractive, well-off, perfect ex-boyfriend Jed, who just so happens to not have forgotten about her, even 4 years after their break-up. After an issue with Milly's housemates and her brother's house renovation, she temporarily moves into her ex's spare room.

I have to say, unfortunately from recent experience of being in a car accident and sustaining similar injuries to Milly, this part of the novel was unresearched and unrealistic. It seemed like the broken arm had very little impact on her life, bar one mention of getting her cast off, which is definitely not the case. There's no mention of physical therapy to get the arm back to full strength and the book focuses on the will-they-won't-they aspect of Milly and Jed's relationship, Milly's aspiring writing career, now that her work opportunities had been reduced to nothing and her taking a more active role in her niece and nephew's lives. While I enjoyed reading it, it seemed rather poorly structured, and the writing read like the dialogue or directions of a script more than a novel. In parts, the American character's dialogue switched to British turns of phrase and sounded ungenuine.

It was an enjoyable enough book, a suitable gift for that work-a-holic you're thinking of right now.

Firstly huge thanks go to Rachels Random Resources, Maxine Morrey and Boldwood Books for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely loved this! I think this has to be my all time favourite of Maxine Morrey’s books. As soon as I finished I just had to get all my thoughts down as I was buzzing with excitement.

I must say I’ve never read a book where the opening scene was the main character getting hit by a bus! So, obviously I was hooked from the get go, I really liked Milly, such a heartwarming relatable character. I think a lot of people can relate to her, life can get so busy at times and we can sometimes become selfish and involved with our own lives, forgetting what’s really important. So Milly with a 101 things on her mind and glued to her phone was never going to see that bus coming!

Thankfully Milly has a guardian angel looking down on her that day and luckily able to walk away from the accident with minimal damage however her life is left in tatters. With her family round her for support and not forgetting her ex Jed walking back into her life (I shall come to him in a moment). Milly must learn how to take a step back, slow down and listen to her body and mind.

So my new fictional boyfriend Jed… Oh my word, he is my new favourite male lead. The further I read the more I fell in love with Jed. An absolute gentlemen, hottie in a suit, down to earth billionaire with a heart of gold. Animal lover, tall, beautiful blue eyes… honestly my list is endless but I will leave you to find out what a dreamboat he is.

I really enjoyed following Milly on her search for a new her, seeing her grow and experience life without being glued to endless scrolling on her phone. I loved this book from start to finish, I feel that Milly’s story isn’t finished and I would love to see a second book.

A book to add to your tbr pile and a Jed to add to your dreams!

Things Are Looking Up is a sweet, predictable book about Milly and Jed, who used to be a couple until Milly chose her career aspirations over their relationship.

A few years later, Milly is rushing to a job interview, face down in her phone while crossing the street, and is hit by a bus. She ends up with no job and no home, able to pack all her belongings into just a few boxes, and questioning all her life goals. Suddenly, Milly finds Jed back in her life, this time, as a friend offering her shelter as she gets back on her feet. Will things turn out differently this time?

I really enjoyed both main characters, especially Jed, who is just an all-around great guy. I enjoyed the descriptions of Jed's home, his personality, his grin, and his generosity. Jed's New Orleans drawl and love for his Mama melted my heart.

There is a point in the middle of the book where things get a bit repetitive: Milly insisting she was too absorbed in her work before the bus accident, and wondering why Jed would be so kind to her now. But you know what knocks any plot out of a loop? A dog! Sure enough, a sweet dog is introduced midway through this book, and he propels the story out of the lull and gets the story moving again.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What would you do if given a second chance at changing your life choices currently? Milly was hit by a bus and things start exploding in more ways than one! Her life is suddenly clearer or is it? The man she cut out of her life Jed walks back into her life and she is not sure what to do with these emotions.
The author does amazing things with the characters and I love how she has made it so realistic that it could actually be anyone in our current society today.

I definitely would recommend this book.

I received a free advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

Maxine Morrey’s books never fail to brighten up my day and she is back with a brilliant new novel full of fun, heart and laughter: Things Are Looking Up.

Milly’s dreams are finally going to come true. In an hour’s time, she will have an interview with Vogue magazine and all that she had hoped and dreamt of will finally come to fruition. Milly cannot wait to take the fashion world by storm, but in life you just never know what’s round the corner – especially if you are too engrossed in your mobile phone to notice a fast-approaching bus coming your way! Everything she has always wanted and worked so hard for has just been snatched from her grasp by this accident. Milly thinks that life as she knows is is over for good, but when her gorgeous ex Jed walks back into her life, could she finally find some light at the end of the long dark tunnel she now finds herself trapped in?

Milly has spent all her life on a treadmill, always working hard and always striving for the next big thing. Milly has always been highly motivated and has always thrived on keeping busy and on achieving her next goal. But now that she finally has time to take stock of her life, she needs to figure out what she is going to be doing next. What is she going to do? Is she going to get back down to business? Or will she take time to smell the roses and figure out that happiness can be within her reach – but only if she knows where to look…

Sweet, sassy and sparkling, Maxine Morrey’s Things Are Looking Up is a wonderful tale I couldn’t help but fall in love with. As always with a Maxine Morrey book, you simply cannot just read one chapter of one of her novels and I found myself galloping through this witty page-turner and devouring it in one sitting.

A heart-warming tale about second chances, life’s unexpected twists and turns and taking a chance on your own happiness, Maxine Morrey has penned another winner with Things Are Looking Up.

Thank you to Rachel at Random Resources Tours for my invitation to the tour and to Boldwood Books for my e copy of the book via Net Galley in return for a fair and honest review.

Milly is going for a job with Vogue that she has wanted forever and nothing is going to stop her except maybe a bus ! She wakes up in hospital surrounded by her family who have been worried sick and it comes to light that her accident happened whilst she looking at her phone is not a surprise to anyone. Milly was a workaholic and was desperate to prove herself and she never gave herself a break. This meant even breaking up with Jed her handsome and successful boyfriend so when he arrives at hospital she finds out some home truths about herself and her life before the accident.

They all tell her she needs to rest after such severe injuries but will she listen ?

I galloped through this book, I really liked the characters. I really felt for Milly who really has tried her hardest to be the successful woman she wants to be and through an accident this all changes. Unfortunately her clients are not as loyal and she faces an uncertain future. Until Jed comes along again will she let him help her or will she carry on as she was ? She is fiercely proud and independent and Jed knows it.

Another great and uplifting read from this author which again made me smile and I loved the trips to Ravi’s bookshop! It’s a great tale about looking at life in a different way and making the most of it’s opportunities.

4.5 stars ****.5

Fast paced, cute and poignant. Not much romance but a lot of self discovery and nice bit characters. It’s good to see a character grow as much as Milly did. It reminds us that we can grow too. Just have to tend the soil and such.

This is a delightful second chance romance and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!

Milly’s family have always teased that she’d need surgery to remove her mobile from her, never dreaming that her being hit by a bus (because she was looking at her mobile) would make that a reality for her. She’s been so goal orientated, determined to fulfil all the steps on her five and ten year plans, that she’s let friends, family and life take much lower than second place to work. Being hit by a bus really is a wake up to life call for her as she is forced to take time out to recover from her injuries and that recovery involves her staying in the penthouse home of her ex, Jed.

This may make it sound like a soul searching story but it is also one skilfully written and packed with humour, one to bring a smile to your face and leave you feeling happier. Milly learns to look around her, leave her mobile switched off and spend time talking to people rather than being glued to a screen, but it is a slow process as her brush with death makes her realise how important family, friends and relationships are. It is a story filled with great characters, most of whom are lovely, and includes a lovely dog, too. This is a heartwarming romance, a great read that is hopefully inspirational, too – I hope reading it will encourage others to put their mobiles away for a while and actually look and connect with the people in your life as well as to work to live, never live to work!

Thank you to Boldwood and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

It is not often that a person can say they got hit by a bus, but Milly can. She is face first in her phone confirming she can arrive early for a major interview she scored when she steps out on a busy London intersection without looking. The next thing she realizes that it is one week later and an interview she didn’t “show up” for.

She is desperate to reach out to reschedule, but as far as Vogue is concerned she didn’t show. Milly is crushed, in more ways than one. Turns out she still had her ex, Jed as a contact in her purse. Jed, who is now a billionaire and friends with Molly’s brother!

This was a cute rom-com and a nice lazy day read. I’m looking forward to other books by the author!

The Blurb :
Milly has been waiting for this moment forever and finally it’s just an hour away – an interview with Vogue magazine and the opportunity to get her Louboutin-clad foot in the door. There’s just one problem – totally engrossed in her mobile phone, Milly doesn’t see the bus that is fast approaching – until it’s too late…
When Milly next opens her eyes, the consequences of her accident become clear. Everything she has worked for and dreamed of suddenly feels out of reach. But there is one bright spot on her horizon – the reappearance of her ex Jed, in all of his six-foot-four, broad-shouldered glory, with the most piercing ice blue eyes Milly ever saw.
Once used to working in a whirlwind, Milly now has the chance to reconsider how to live. Will she rush back to the treadmill, get her head down and back to business, or is there a whole other life waiting for her, if she’ll just look up to see it?

My Thoughts :
I absolutely loved the Blurb of this story, havent we all been there by looking at our phones too much and aswell as being one of my Favourite Authors, Maxine Morrey, I knew I had to read this story as soon as possible.
Here we meet Milly Finch, a fashion Journalist and a workaholic. Milly has worked so hard to get up the ladder in her career. And as she is just about to apply for a position at Vogue magazine, bang all her drams are brought to a hault when Milly is so engrossed in being on her phone one morning, she literally doesnt see the bus coming and the next thing she remembers is waking up in hospital.
After being in a Coma for a week, Milly now has to reassess her life and has the chance to start again.
With the support of her family and ex boyfriend Jed back on the scene, can Milly learn to slow down a little and put others first and not her career or will she prefer to live her life full steam ahead just as before the accident!?.
A great story once again from Maxine Morrey, Maxine transports us to the heart of the story and pulls at the heart strings, showing us that life can give us second chances. A heartwarming story full of fun, friendships and loveable characters.
Cant wait for more from this Author.

This is a hugely enjoyable read from Maxine Morrey. She has created some characters you actually care about, none more so than Milly. Because of a catastrophic accident, she is compelled to take a fresh look at the choices she has made and the life she has been living. She seems vulnerable and increasingly aware of the changes she has to make. You can absolutely visualise her family and the people she meets once she has started tp look around her rather than burying herself in her work. This is a message which chimes well after all these months on lockdown, as well as living in a world in which social media creates a fake picture of what is important.

Second chances, friendship, family and a sense of belonging all are threads which run through the storyline. Milly's brother and his family have never given up on her and their sibling relationship is warm and familiar. Of course Jed coming back in her life is a massive shift for Milly. Whether they can come to terms with their rift however, remains to be seen.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book.

Things are looking up is an emotional but uplifting story and is a delightfully perfect read. I adored it and recommended it whole heartedly.
Milly is a career driven woman. I adored her and completely felt her frustration. Sometimes I was a little frustrated at the people surrounding her. Although they meant well, they weren’t always fully supportive and unfortunately some jobs require that amount of commitment. I do think this attitude reflects a lot of what we see in real life – made me wonder if they would react the same if she was a doctor etc. or a man. This is not a criticism of the novel – just an observation of how this is likely to be a good reflection of real life. This aside, it was heart-warming to see how much love the people close to her had towards her after her accident.
There are two main plots to this story, in my opinion. One is the journey Milly embarks on the re-evaluate and rebuild her life in a different way and the other is the second chances love story. I was captivated by both and they balanced each other out well to create a very rounded story. As Milly’s true character begins to shine through, she is so relatable and loveable. Jed is super perfect although does have a little drama to contend with. He’s very kind, reasonable and successful – the perfect book boyfriend.
This is a moving story based in real life and I had so much fun reading it. Highly recommended.

Ever felt like you’ve been hit by a bus? In this fun, life-affirming read by Maxine Morrey we meet Milly who does get hit by a London bus and lives to tell the tale. This story is how she takes stock of her priorities, realises what she has been missing and learns to see the beauty around her instead of striving for some out of reach, and quite frankly superficial, position.
Milly, a workaholic, has spent years with her head in her phone, scrolling through the latest fashion and society news. In a rush and not focusing on the goings on around here, her life changes in the blink of an eye.
Coming round in hospital, she is greeted by loved ones, her brother, and his family. Devastated she has caused so much pain, she vows to make changes. She is beside herself when she spots a familiar face by her side, and not one she welcomes – her ex, Jed. Hot, rich and wanting to help, Milly needs to get over herself and let him be a shoulder for her to lean on during her recovery.
Things are looking up gives a gorgeous tale of second chances. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. It is full of interesting little moments that will take you by surprise, and the addition of Hector is a massive turning point.
Gently paced, I don’t feel anything is rushed nor strung out too long. I liked all of the characters (bar the one’s we are meant to dislike of course!) and Jed, well, he sounds far too good to be true but we can all dream can’t we!
I would love to see a return to Milly and Jed’s story, I feel like there could be more to explore. A highly enjoyable, fun read that’s perfect for summer.

I have been a fan of Maxine’s work for a little while now. I love the way in which she creates loveable characters and writes heart warming stories. I read the synopsis for ‘Things Are Looking Up’ and it certainly sounded like a fun read. I couldn’t wait to start reading and so I jumped straight in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Things Are Looking Up’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the character of Milly and I warmed to her from the start. In fact I felt like she had become a friend of mine. Milly is basically a workaholic, who focused on work to get her over her heartbreak after her relationship broke up. She works freelance so she knows that if she wants to earn pennies, she needs a constant social media presence. She becomes almost welded to her phone which puts her life in danger. During her enforced recovery, Milly reassesses just what and who is important to her. I kept everything crossed that things would work out for her in the end and that she would get the ‘Happy Ever After’ ending that she so deserved. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and so much more then you are just going to have to read the book to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘Things Are Looking Up’. In fact by the time I got to the bottom of the first page, I knew that I was in for a treat. To say that reading ‘Things Are Looking Up’ became addictive seems a huge understatement. I picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to fill in the odd half hour but I became so wrapped up in the story that I was still sat there reading over two hours later. I loved the character of Milly and I liked the sound of Jed so I had to keep reading to see if they got together or not. This book made me chuckle on several occasions. I found ‘Things Are Looking Up’ to be a charming and fun read.
‘Things Are Looking Up’ is well written. The author certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and draw you into this compelling story. I love the vivid and realistic way in which Maxine describes her characters. She makes them sound so realistic that they seem just as real as you and I. For me, ‘Things Are Looking Up’ is perfectly paced. The story starts with a bang (quite literally) and then maintains a gentle pace throughout. I felt as though I was part of the story myself and that’s thanks to Maxine’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Things Are Looking Up’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I look forward to reading more of Maxine’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.