A once in a lifetime special five-star read. I don’t know if it was my personal history that made this story touch me in my soul, or the fact that I am training to hopefully one day help people with my verbal nods like ‘Jack’, I only wish that my dad had called someone like Green Shoots. The whole journey that Will and Annie go through will have your heart catapulted like its on a roller coaster or dangling at the end of a lifeline as you read. They both bring so much emotion to the page, and the beautiful way they are all written warms your heart even as they touch on such difficult circumstances and story lines. This shows us grief in a raw and real manner, its not glossed over like we often see in books, it shows us the anger and pain we go through, and it shows us that we don’t ever grow out of the pain, it just becomes a part of us, that we live with every day, and each day we deal with it differently. This is the second book that I have read recently that has dealt with this subject so well, and they are both my favourite reads of the year, I love that we are normalising grief and not seeing it as something to hide any more. I have already pre ordered some copies of this one, as I know so many people will relate to it, I want to get this story into more hands, those known and unknown as that’s the feeling this one will give you, that there is hope no matter how hard you have to look. Please if you only read one story this year, make it this one, it really is that good.

This is a story that has left me with a smile on my face and a glow inside. What a beautifully written tale of Annie and Will written between two timelines. A story of connection but also of tragedy, loss and the different ways people deal with that. The characters were very real and truly likeable even in their pain. The crisis line element was also sensitively written and shines a light on the loneliness and hopelessness felt by a lot of people in our society.
One of my favourite reads this read and one I will recommend repeatedly!

@currentlyreading__
Book 96 of 2023

I will start by saying that this book is up there as one of my favourite reads of the year. Thank you to @hqstories, the author Tom Ellen and @NetGalley for the advance e-copy of ‘The Lifeline’ and I cannot speak highly enough about it.

Annie is coasting through life, living with her disinterested boyfriend Dom, trying desperately to keep her boss happy all while grieving for her dad. When her boss suggests she reaches out to the members of Indie band The Defectors to write a ‘whatever happened to…’ article, Annie remembers the last time she met lead singer Will in Paris and how their initial connection came to a very abrupt end much to her disappointment.

Will is also coasting through life, and memories of his short-lived fame haunt him. Working in an electronics shop, he’s dropped his mockney accent and spends his spare time volunteering at a crisis line. But Will is in crisis and has shelved this to take on the problems of others.

This was such a beautifully written book, moving between the past and the present day. Characters were all so well developed and I could not help but form a real attachment to them. So glad to have read this one and of course, find a new author.

‘The Lifeline’ is out on 29th February and should definitely be on your pre-order list. Without reservation this is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.

#bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #book #booknerd #bookstagrammer #kindle #instabook #reader #bookobsessed #bookstagramuk #readersofig #bookreview #tomellen #thelifeline #netgalley

The Lifeline was a brilliant read, moving and well written. I felt such a connection with the characters and their experiences that left them stuck from moving on from their respective pasts. The basis of the story around a crisis line and some of the "regulars" who call the service conveys the hidden costs of loneliness and how people slip through the cracks in society. I was expecting this to be a romance from the blurb but it's actually so much more and I thoroughly recommend reading it.

This is an incredibly special book. I loved the romantic storyline, both the whirlwind relationship between Will and Annie and the gradual drawing together of Jack and Pia, and of course the revelation of how the storylines link together. But there’s so much more to this book. The characters are well-rounded and believable and the back stories of the two leads have real depth. The minor characters are equally strong and help create a world that seems completely real.. The book is full of warmth and is an uplifting read that will stay with me for a long time. I absolutely adored it.

Oh my goodness- what a book! I’m an emotional, sobbing wreck after reading the last 1/3rd of the book when everyone’s true stories are revealed. Such intense sadness that is so real with a truly lovely ending.

The story builds beautifully, there aren’t any shocks or twists, just what feels like real life stories being told. The book resonates with what we all call “life” And what most people have experienced to some degree which is why it feels so special.

Thank you to the author, publishers and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review

This book doesn’t pull its punches. The past is beautifully woven together with the current day, and on top of that there is the narrative from Will and from Annie to layer in. The tale slowly exposes the hard pasts that both Annie and Will have experienced. They are both still suffering loss and compromising their daily life to try and compensate. The romance bubbles just under the surface with the strength that comes from good friends carrying the book to the end. The epilogue is a goodie too!

One of my favourite books of 2020 was the authors last book All About Us so I was excited to read this latest one.

Will once the charismatic singer in an up and coming band, now remains anonymous volunteering for a charity crisis phone line.

Annie once a journalist with dreams of becoming a proper author, now finds herself crafting quizzes and light hearted pieces for a Buzzfeed-esque website.

The narrative weaves between present day events, their meeting in Paris five years ago and subsequent life-altering moments. Can a chance phone call redefine their paths once again?

While delving into profound themes of grief, depression, and loss, the book remains a heart warming romantic journey. Will and Annie are exquisitely crafted characters who you can't help but empathize with.

Without a doubt, this is a must-add to your reading list!

This was never the type of book which I would usually pick up however, when needing a break from the crime/thriller/psychological novels that make up the majority of my reading pile, I now like to pick up something like this which gives me a break from, well, murder.

I really adored this book and the two main characters in particular. Will volunteers at Green Shoots, a helpline charity for those suffering depression, loneliness. We know there is a reason why he volunteers which is teased out through his backstory.

Annie is meandering through life. She is in a job that she tolerates and lives with her partner who she, well, tolerates but is still suffering from the loss of her dad a year earlier. When an inadvertent phonecall is made to Green Shoots, she connects with Will.....

Like I say, I really enjoyed this one. Whilst it is a nice romantic story, it also touches upon really powerful issues such as suicide, depression, grief, loss, guilt and redemption. The two main characters are incredibly well-developed and a few of the supporting characters also add some really good weight to the story. Whilst the ending may be somewhat inevitable, this isn't a book you read for a killer twist.

If you fancy a nice romantic novel which also touches on some difficult topics then I would highly recommend this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I read this cause I really liked Tom Ellen's previous book and this was good too! I'm very picky about commercial fiction but he's definitely a good one: good story, fine writing, literally no complaints. Would recommend if you're in the mood for something immersive (but also the story centres around a crisis helpline so it's definitely not the lightest of reads!)

This isn't my preferred genre but I'd read and loved another of the author's books and loved it. The lifeline goes between present day and one day in the past, A day when Annie met Will an up and coming pop star. They have a great day together but then, nothing. Why? In the present day, Annie is in a dead-end job, she's grieving for her father and her relationship with her live-in boyfriend could be better. Will is not a pop star but works in a computer repair shop and is almost reclusive . How they resolve their problems is a lovely heart-warming story.

Tom Ellen has the knack of creating likeable but complex characters. This is not just a rom-com but deals with topics like grief, depression and loneliness with great sensitivity, Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this book so much!
The scene is set five years ago with a young journalist and the lead singer of an up-and-coming band meeting at an interview and hitting it off in multiple ways.
Fast forward to the present.
Annie is stuck in a mediocre job for an online website, writing content that is nothing groundbreaking. Then her boss throws her a lifeline, but it means interviewing someone she really doesn't want to.
Will is in a dead-end job, barely existing, and he spends his spare time helping out on an anonymous crisis line. This wasn't the life he dreamed of.
Through twists of fate, Annie and Will end up on the phone, unidentified, and they develop a strong bond despite not knowing anything about one another.
But fate has other ideas...
I was gripped through the whole story and whizzed through it in a day. As a reader, you know what you want to happen, but you have to see the grizzly bits through first until fate finally delivers!
Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.

Very excited for the Lifeline! Will be sharing a full review and thoughts soon! I love the idea of two people connecting in such an usual way and this novel feels very hopeful and quite special!