A beautifully poignant story around grief so if that’s a trigger for you please take note. The narrator was excellent and conveyed the emotions and story in a way to keep you engaged and invested in the story.

Heartfelt and engaging. This is a recommended purchase for collections where romantic fiction is popular.

I couldn’t quite get into the narration for this one, which was a bummer because I feel like it’s the kind of story I would enjoy reading on paper!

Thanks to Net Galley I received an advanced audio copy for an honest review.
I was unaware that this was a companion novel, but it can certainly stand alone without having read the other. Greg is struggling to move on after the loss of his girlfriend who is presumed dead from a climbing accident. Mallory and Greg meet and have a shared sense of loss and their relationship is rocky and flawed but grows over time. The narration was in Greg's voice, Scottish with loads of cussing but easy enough to understand. I liked the accent, description of the locations, and the humor weaved throughout and would recommend to others.

3/5

Greg is a grieving Scotsman struggling to cope with the loss of his girlfriend (who he planned on marrying). He finds friendship in Mallory, who is also grieving from losing her fiancé suddenly. Both individuals learn to overcome their grief and find happiness in each other.

This story is narrated entirely from Greg’s perspective, which means if you are listening to the audiobook, be prepared for a Scottish accent and a lot of cussing. The Narrator did a relatively good job but there were times I did not understand because of the accent. However, I do not think this should be in any way because it makes the story more realistic.

Because of the grief that both characters feel, they occasionally act irrationally. Greg is rash to try and move on where there are bumps in their relationship and friendship. Mallory does not always listen to the whole story before making up her mind. Both are flawed characters. Although that added to the believability of the book, some moments made me very annoyed. There were times that I did not want to finish the book because of how annoyed I got. However, those moments were very rare.

This book is worth reading if you like:
- Scottish accents
- Guy falls fist
- Humor (especially from side characters)
- Grumpy sunshine
- Overcoming grief

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Greg is a recently bereaved Scottsman struggling to come to terms with the disappearance and presumed death of the love of his life from mountain climbing. Struggling to sleep at night without the help of copious amounts of alcohol , he keeps himself busy playing his guitar, working behind a bar, odd jobs and running boat trips for tourists..
Then Mallory who has recently moved into the area, walks into the bar and he instantly has a strong 'love at first sight' attraction which annoys him to the point of grumpy rudeness because he just wasn't expecting those feelings and he feels guilty for having them. Disloyal almost.
Mallory is from Yorkshire and to Greg's relief, has a boyfriend. Tragically, Mallory's boyfriend is killed in an accident on his way to their new home in Scotland.
Greg wants to make up for his rude behavior and realises he can empathise with some of what Mallory is going through.
Greg struggles to express himself and is apologetically potty mouthed. Despite his natural grumpiness and language, the two become firm friends although Greg realises he is falling in love which he struggles to come to terms with. Thankfully, he can express himself through music.
A beautiful love story from a mans perspective which I thoroughly enjoyed with the exception of the part where Mallory and Greg share a commemoration towards his dead girlfriend on the beach. A touching heartfelt moment as it should be yes but with the inclusion of letting a lantern go. I know these have often been lit in celebration or remembrance and whilst looking romantic and meaningful, are incredibly damaging to the environment. No amount of artistic license can justify using these which may in turn encourage readers into believing that they fit the occasion
Ideal book for readers of romantic fiction.
#AYearofFindingHappiness #NetGalley
With thanks to Saga Egmont Audio for this preview audio and NetGalley..

I enjoyed listening to A Year of Finding Happiness by Lisa Hobman. Told from Greg's point of view, the story sheds light on what it means to make sense of when life throws you lemons. Greg recently has been hit with tragedy and feels like there is no other way out. But his happiness radar is about to change when Mallory Westerman moves right next door.

Sparks ignite right away and both Mallory and Greg understand that they have a deep connection to one another. But will they be able to find happiness after one year?

Narrated by Greg Miller Burns ⭐⭐⭐
I didn't love this narrator. it sounded to me that he was trying to hard to be sexy with a Whispering voice which did my head in the more this book went on.

Author Lisa Hobman ⭐⭐⭐
This story took me a little bit to get into but that's due to the narrators Whispering voice. I think I would have enjoyed this more in the E-format.

However in saying all that I did like Lisa Hobman writing. This is the first time I've heard of this author so I brought the first book Starting Over At Sunset Cottage from the Kindle store.

Thank you Saga Egmont Audio for this audio. It was heartbreaking but also full of hope. I like when people get a new chance in life. It is a special thing that not everyone can get. I always says life is difficult but is also something unique we just have to love. Here it was perfectly done.

This was my first audio book and I loved it. It was really heart-warming and I was so immersed. I loved how romantic it was. Definitely recommend putting it on your list!

Greg is coasting through life once he’s told his partner, Mhairi, has gone missing during a climbing expedition. That is until Mallory moves in down the road, although she loses her fiancé the same day as he is involved in a car accident on the way to their new house. Together, they work through their grief whilst becoming friends and finding new love along the way.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It’s refreshing to read a romance from the male perspective and I love how it’s centred around grief and providing such a unique perspective to something so common that we go through and how we can feel guilty for moving on when we’ve lost someone.

I loved the humour throughout, it was beautifully done and the narrator was really good, I could listen to his voice all day.

If you want a heartwarming romance that takes you through the rollercoaster ride of dealing with loss - this is what you need to read next.

Greg is still nursing his heart after the death of Mary, his girlfriend. Mallory just came to live in the little town in Scotland seaside with her fiancé when he died in a tragic accident. Can they find happiness and love again through their grieving and their pain? A beautiful love story and a great audiobook, The narrator makes an excellent job with all the emotions riding high in the story

The first part of the book was really slow and I was not a fan of the narrator. I felt like it took too long to get into the actually main focus of the story with too much build up.

I liked how the two characters came together over a common trauma. It was sweet seeing how they understood each other and created a bond over something so sad. I also loved the Scottish narrator of this book. He did a great job telling the story and I also just love his accent.

This book had a sweet ending and had some interesting parts to it, but unfortunately, I wasn't a fan. I found it unrealistic that both characters would be willing to move on so soon after the death of both of their lovers. I thought that the main guy had too many female love interests and the story just didn't keep my attention. The plot kind of felt all over the place without and lacking a strong central storyline.

Overall, I give this book a 2.5-star rating because it was not captivating but also not horrible. If you like traumatic love stories, you might enjoy this book but all the side plots were just too distracting for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Greg is struggling to come to terms with the death of his girlfriend 5 months previously. When Mallory moves to the small Scottish village Greg is immediately attracted to her but accepts he's not ready for a new relationship. Tragically Mallory's fiance is killed in a road accident and Greg decides that he can offer support since he is well aware of the emotions she must be feeling.

I much prefer male-centric romance novels, added to which we have the gorgeous Scottish lilt of Greg Miller Burns narrating the story. You are immediately gripped by events and feel very sympathetic towards Greg. His struggle with grief comes across very clearly, particularly as he's generally a loner and doesn't appreciate support. Being set in a small community there's nowhere for Greg to hide and those around him keep an unobtrusive eye on him.

Having lost his girlfriend 5 months earlier in a climbing accident Greg immediately feels sympathy towards attractive newcomer Mallory. Unfortunately all he manages to do in his initial interactions with her is come across as grumpy and rude. Obviously this is a romantic trope but it works well in this situation since both characters are struggling to come to terms with their grief.

Eventually Greg and Mallory form an uneasy friendship. Greg is determined to support Mallory in any way he can. Greg is constantly consumed by guilt that he finds Mallory attractive and regularly withdraws from her as a form of punishing himself. The guilt he feels results from a lack of closure since his girlfriends body was never found.

Time works wonders (hence the title of the book) and with patience and support, along with a couple of hazards along the way, the couple eventually find happiness.

Music plays a huge part in this story. Greg struggles to say what he means and puts his foot in it more often than not. By using music he's able to convey exactly what he wants to say. The choice of music referenced throughout the story is fantastic.

I did feel the story dragged a little bit. At more than one point Greg and Mallory almost give in to each other but fate throws a spanner in the works. I'm not sure so many interventions from fate were really needed to make this an enjoyable story, especially when we all know exactly how it's going to end.

This is such a beautiful story and I absolutely loved it! The narrator has a gorgeous accent and I could listen to it all day long.
It's a love story about love and loss and mistakes and all of the messiness of life.
But it's a great story of when we meet our soulmate and the struggles that we all go through. I thought the book was well written and I would definitely purchase it and look for another one from the author again.

I wasn't sure about this story when I first started listening as it was beautifully written, but so sad. However, I'm so glad I persevered as I really got into the story and Greg's journey out of grief and it was totally worth it. Also the narrator was an excellent choice for Greg's story and gave a brilliant performance. I hadn't realised this was a companion to a previous book from Mallory's perspective so I will definitely be looking out for that one too.

Grief is such an individual experience. There is no set way to handle grief or loss, but this book handled that subject in a raw and unapologetic way. I could understand and appreciate the author's deep thoughts and the frustrations the characters experienced. The grace the characters give each other is beautifully hard. An amazing way to maybe see what grief could be like for someone in your life, or even maybe a way to navigate your own.

Some things are only easily understood in reverse. And this story has a great ending to such a hard time in life. And it's truly not far off from what I have personally experienced.

The expression of happiness amongst the sadness. The worry and shame that are sometimes associated with cohesive happiness and sadness, can be very consuming. I was very appreciative of Greg's insight and thought process on this.

I LOVED all the music throughout the story. It was homey and warm.

It's not a warm fuzzy listen/read, but a very real experience.

The audiobook is (chef's kiss)!!!!! The narrator was so engaging and DID NOT feel like he was reading a book. I felt like we were sitting across from each other at a table just talking about life, and it was very filled with emotion, rawness, and love. It has been the best audiobook experience I have had in a long time! LOVED IT!!!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Saga Egmont for the advanced listening copy. It was amazing!