This is the first book I have read by Shari Low, but it definitely won't be my last. I loved the concept of a story that takes place over the course of a day. It was helpful that the author provided a brief description of the cast of characters in the beginning. She also threw in back stories throughout the book and an epilogue to tie up the loose ends. Be prepared for an emotional story! Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy to read and review.

One day can really change your whole life. That's the moral of the book, 'One Day with You'. The books focuses on five characters: Tress and Max (who are married and expecting their first baby together), Anya and Noah (who are married, and Noah has been best friends with Max since they were children), and Nancy (who is their recently widowed neighbor. She has known Max and Noah since they were little.)

The story switches viewpoints from the main characters, and it takes you on a journey! It all takes place on one day, February 9, 2023. The sections are broken down into hours of the same day. I liked that storytelling structure. On this particular day, Tress goes into early labor, Nancy is preparing for her 50 year reunion, Anya and Max are going on a trip together, and Noah is off from his job as a doctor. The day starts out like any other, but things quickly change and it doesn't end up like anyone thought it would.

I liked how the author, Shari Low, put in a focus on Nancy and her reunion. I liked the characters of Nancy and Val and how their stories connected with each other.

The story was very sad and, in some way, also hopeful. One of the main themes is forgiveness. Sometimes, it takes time to forgive, and other times, forgiveness will never be found. This was profoundly evident in this story.

The epilogue wrapped things up nicely, and it left most of the characters in a good place.

Without giving away any spoilers, I struggled to fully relate to some of the characters. I didn't feel connected to them, and I didn't feel as emotionally connected as I thought I would be. I'm someone who cries at commercials, but this book didn't make me cry. I felt sad about some of the things that happened, but I didn't feel as much of an impact as I anticipated.

I participated in the One Day With You 24 hour readalong to celebrate the publishing of this book on January 20. Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I always look forward to reading a novel by Shari Low. I know that it will offer an absorbing read with characters about whom I will care. That is certainly the case here.

Readers follow the stories of five characters. They are Tess, who is about to go into labor, and Max; Noah, Max’s friend, and Anya; and finally Nancy, who hopes to again meet an old flame. Much happens to these characters. There are life events, secrets, lies and challenges. Readers will quickly turn the pages to find out what happens to each of them. They may be amazed to realize that so much can take place in just one day.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 20 January 2023

Boldwood Books, the publisher of this book, offered a chance to take part in 24hrs read-along of “One Day With You”. Of course, I signed up! Although, to be honest, I kind of cheated and started reading it a day before the read-along started.
This was a surprisingly great read. I was expecting it to be a good read, but it turned out top exceed all expectations. Everything in the book takes place within 24 hours. Lives are changed for good, people are changed, and nothing is what it was anymore. The book begins as a tame story of everyday life and then it turns into a wild rollercoaster of – of everything. If you love books about people, about life, about relationships in general, about human connection, about being alive, and about living, then this one is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read this book for free for an honest review. And honestly, this isn’t a go-to book for me. It was very emotional, and I didn’t like the fact of infidelity That’s not something I want to read about. I want a sweet romance, but that’s just my taste.

While reading this book I went through so many emotions but definitely a must read. I cried, cheered some of them on, was mad at the selfish acts and then so happy for the future.

Tress Walker and her husband Max was getting ready to have their baby boy come into this world. Max was heading to a conference and would be back the following day. Noah was a Dr. and his wife Anya worked with Max. Max and Noah had been best friends all throughout school and then Anya became involved with Noah. The three of them lived together until Tress came into the picture.

Then Nancy lived next door and she had been a constant in Max’s and Noah’s life forever and she had lost her husband Peter to cancer. Nancy’s best friend was Val and husband Don had Alzheimer’s and it was taking its toll on Val. Could these two find some happiness and reprieve from the struggles.

Friendship, infidelity, past loves and forgiveness brings it all together in this book. What people put other people through without thinking of the consequences is so heartbreaking! I would definitely recommend you read this book and see how strong some people come through devastating times.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and Boldwood Books for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

There isn’t a lot I can tell you about this book that’s not already written above as I absolutely don’t want to give anything away! What I will say is to make sure you have plenty of time to read when you pick the book up because you won’t want to put it down. It’s one of these books that you will want to inhale in one sitting.

As the book is set over one day, split mostly into two hour blocks, I found it to be really fast paced. In each block of time, we hear from each of the characters and I find this a really compelling way to tell the story. My favourite characters were Nancy who was so funny and had a real heart of gold and lovely caring doctor Noah.

The story may take place over just one day but what a day! There’s so much going on and so much to find out about the characters. Shari Low packs drama, danger, betrayal, laughter and most of all love into this one momentous day.

One Day With You an emotional and uplifting story of endings and unexpected new beginnings. I couldn’t put it down and raced through the pages. One Day With You is Shari Low at her best.

cw: Dementia, adultery, bereavement, trauma

As a day unfolds in a small town near Glasgow, scandals, secrets, and potential new avenues of love are revealed.

This book wrecked me. Told from four POVs over the course of a single day (Tress, Max, Nancy, and Noah), we discover the lies under the surface of two seemingly perfect marriages, the best and worst of friendships, and how new love is possible at any age. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll just say that I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster for the majority of this book, which is a testament to the writing. One minute I was crying laughing, the next I wanted to punch someone, and almost immediately after I was sobbing. I really loved Nancy and Val's friendship, and their backstories were beautifully written. They also had THE best sense of humour. I also ADORED Noah. He was such a calm, sweet, and caring man. And I think he spoke for all of us in chapter 28! I loved Tress's strength and courage. And Max? well, I cried, despite everything.
Shari Low writes about everyday people of every age with such authenticity, capturing all of their good and bad characteristics perfectly, and this was no exception. Unputdownable.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 🥰🤦🏻‍♀️😂😡😒💔😢😱🙈😯💓😢💔😂😢💔🥰

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*

(The same review has also been uploaded to Barnes and Noble, but is awaiting moderation)

I love the One day books. The last one I read was set on a plane while this one was mostly set in a hospital. Spending 24 hours with characters who can have you howling with laughter one moment and then with tears the next.

Shari has this knack of using the full emotional spectrum and the menopausal humour had me in stitches, although I won’t be trying the trick with the kitchen window as mine looks out on to the street ha ha.

Tress had my sympathy and my heart as she faces labour alone, or so I thought. However she has wonderful friends and neighbours that are willing to give up their own second chances to be by her side. Nancy may have been mistaken for a bird in her feathery yellow dress but she was more superhero in this story than even she gave herself credit for.

Loss, dementia and grief feature heavily but with a tender lightness that never once diminishes the seriousness of it, but instead shows the value of the people that care.

A book full of warmth and heart that shows how family doesn’t always have to be related.

Note: I received an ARC through Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an honest review.

Triggers: cheating, death by skin cancer, dementia, pregnancy difficulties, drunk driving death, menopause, death by car crash.

This was an entirely, depressing, complex and sadly true novel, for people who know someone or have experienced the tragedies, highs and lows in their life, as such the characters do in this novel.

I wish I could say I fell into either category, but I do not, at this time.

We have the story with several plotlines going on - each character is facing a huge decision, or major upturn within 24 hours of their day. Before that, all is going smoothly and as comfortably as life in small towns does.

It was exciting, relatable, perhaps heartwarming to read the story at first, but as time went on, I could only curse the characters, and the impending depression that I ended up dealing with, after having finished the book.

I did get the emotional aspect of the book, the realism as well, but the stupid decisions I did not, and some of the ignorance the characters held about the people they knew.

So as much as I would like to say that the addictive writing and wonderful characters, plus emotionally tinged plotlines got me - they only did for the first half. Rest of the half was spent debating whether I should hurl myself out of this room and into a cave to cry and be frustrated for forever, or throw the book into outer space.

Spoiler alert: none of this happened, but I did lose a lot of sleep, thanks to this sad heap of a novel. So much for the 2 hours and 20 mins I spent on this novel that I am never getting back.

Sigh...I expected a lot from this, but so far I only learnt that no one becomes happy except for one elderly couple in this book. That is it. And that life is only but one sad metaphor of existentialism.

That is all I got. Sigh.

Until the next read,
JB

One day that truly changes lives and keeps you turning the pages. Also, kudos to the author for hen ending. I won’t say more. But well done.

Have enjoyed previous books by Shari Low, so was pleased to be able to review this one. For me, it is another brilliant book, again all set on one day, it was good to catch up with old and also new characters in this story

Max & Tress. Noah & Anya. Two couples who begin the day not realizing what lies ahead of them. Their lives are about to get hit by a tsunami of change. As a reader I almost felt like I was a victim of whiplash. Shari Low takes a 24- hour period for this couple and lays bare a secret. Meanwhile Tress is in labor with her first baby. Sixty-something neighbors Nancy and Val help her get to the hospital. Their story lines are endearing and relatable. Really enjoyed the contrast of the hospital with the events going on for the older generation around town. At the center of this story is the heartbreaking consequences of infidelity. A cautionary tale if ever there was one.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

What a mixture of sweetness and utter sadness this book brings.
I knew what was going to be a very powerful reveal fairly early, but I was uncertain how the fates would play out.
I had a heart of stone toward two of the characters and thought they were both low.
The true heroes of the book were Val, Nancy and Noah. Noah was the epitome of decorum and composure even while his entire life was shattered in just mere hours.
So many lessons in this story.

This book conjured up every available emotion in quick succession.
Nancy and Val made me laugh so many times with their earthy humour and great friendship.
Friendship love and betrayal are at the heart of this book as Noah and Max, Don and Val and Nancy and Pete all have strong friendships from their school days and spend a lifetime together.
I loved the characters and willed them towards a happy ending. It was also good to reunite with some characters although it was not necessary to read Shari’s previous books to enjoy this one.8

One day. 24 hours. Two couples wake up happy and in love. By the end of the day, all four lives are drastically changed.

Max and Tress Walker are expecting their first baby any day now. While Max has to go on a weekend work trip, Tress is left in the care of their loving and spunky neighbor Nancy. Not long after Max leaves however, the first pangs of labor start. And Tress isn't able to get in touch with Max.

Noah and Anya Clark have been happily married and in love since college. After over a decade of marriage, they had agreed to finally have a baby. Or so Noah thought. Anya is becoming distant and Noah isn't sure what is going on. When Anya also leaves on a work trip that weekend, Noah is faced with shocking revelations about the love of his life.

This book is Shari Lows' best work yet! If you're a routine reader of her work, you know its hard for her to write better stories than the exquisite ones she's already published to date. But somehow she does. With a knack for getting to the heart of human emotions and making even the most flawed characters three dimensional and human, this one sits with you long after you're done. Just make sure to have the tissues handy!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Shari Low, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

One Day With You by Shari Low is a beautiful, heartbreaking contemporary read that will tug at your heartstrings.
My emotions were all over the place as I read. It is a book that celebrates friendship, family and new life whilst mourning endings with regrets for what might have been.
Life is fragile. We get one go at it. One reckless mistake can destroy lives. Our choices need to be made well. We do not live our lives in isolation, our choices affect others for good or bad. We must let go of guilt and regret as they will destroy us from the inside out.
Family is so much more than blood relations. In the story, family are those who come to our aid in our darkest moments and also our happiest moments.
All the characters were realistic, likable and well-drawn. There are some huge, beautiful hearts. I love the neighbours in their sixties. Their banter is hilarious. Their kind hearts are vast and their capacity to love is huge.
We are never too old to have a new beginning as a school reunion shows – but it also throws up some surprising results too.
The action is set over just twenty four hours and from alternating points of view. It was extremely well thought out and executed. I was totally gripped by it all. I read with in trepidation at times. My heart swelled with joy and my eyes welled with tears.
This was my first book by Shari Low. I am now a huge fan of hers and I want to devour all that she has written.
One Day With You is simply breathtakingly beautiful.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

One Day With You is the story of how five peoples lives were changed forever in the span of one single day. Tress says goodbye to her husband Max in the morning, not knowing that she would go into labour only a few hours after he left for a work trip. Their neighbour Nancy, with friend Val, eventually takes Tress to the hospital where they keep trying to reach Max. Meanwhile Max's best friend Noah is trying to get hold of his wife Anya, who's not where she is supposed to be.

The story is predictable. The chapters alternate between the POV of the different characters. What kept me turning the pages was trying to find out how each of the characters deals with the events that are unfolding withing those 24 hours.

It's a sad, yet somehow uplifting story.

I loved the way the story was told over one day. It added a need to keep on reading just to se what would transpire in the next two hour slot. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy any of the comedy in the story which I thought would have been fine without Nancy and pals. Didn’t add anything for me and the olde characters were too stereotypical. This brought my scores down as I ended up skimming through their sections.

Set during one day I just loved this book. Its very much about the characters and getting to know them and the chain of events that occur within them. Its a mixed bag of emotions with some funny moments. I seriously had to pause reading to conjour up, in my minds eye, the feather dress! To some sad moments. With the message at the end is that you don't have to be blood related to be family