The Girl on the 88 Bus

I read this in one sitting I couldnt put it down. It was well written with a really appealing and engaging storyline and well developed characters that I really liked and took to my heart. There were so many descriptions in this book that made things pop off of the page for me. I really enjoyed it.

Oh my this is just so so beautiful. I enjoyed the author's debut but this is also now being added to the firm favourites list. I always a chance encounter and how Frank and Libby's relationship blossoms is just adorable. Both have their own demon's but find comfort in each other's company.
Wonderfully told, but I was wanting to race to the end to see how it all unfolded.
Vivid characters and sensitive subjects spoken so gently about.
I need to hop on the 88 bus immediately!

This is a charming novel about the search for a red-headed girl who met a boy named Frank on a number 88 London bus over sixty years ago. Sadly the boy lost the girls phone number so they never met for a second time. The search for Frank’s girl was taken up by two strangers and so the story unfolds. It is beautifully written, with most endearing characters, each becoming immersed into their quest. The story also displays a good understanding of the earlier onset of dementia and it’s crippling effect on suffers. Once started, it’s difficult to stop reading as you’ll find yourself wanting to know how the story ends, which in itself holds a few surprises.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Bonnier Books for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyable read with characters that you can relate to and root for, it’s also a bus route that I know well and one worth checking out if you are in London with lots of landmarks on route

What a great story. I use to commute on the 88 bus.. A story of parents expecting, missed dreams and helping people. Gosh how people judged Dylan. I loved Frank . As grown ups we do want to protect our parents. A must read. I loved it

OMG I absolutely adored this gorgeous book! I read it in one sitting as I was entranced by Frank, Dylan and Libby’s story, desperate to know how the story ends and whether they find the girl on the 88 bus all these years later. This book took me through a rollercoaster of emotions, it’s funny, poignant, sad and beautifully written. The characters are so real, they jump off the page and despite recovering from covid, I had to stay awake until I’d finished the book. Absolutely beautiful and Freya Sampson is now right up there on my list of favourite authors. Highly recommended.

What a gorgeous read, filled with love, humour and sadness too - a real life-affirming story about how chance encounters and kindness of strangers can change lives. The characters that Freya has created are realistic and you can really relate to them! I adored Frank and his story about the red-headed girl on the 88 bus. I thought the description of his dementia was handled sensitively and with realism. Dylan is a character that demonstrates that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover and I loved how Libby grew throughout the book - there were lots of moments when I cheered the characters and many times when I shed a tear. So I would definitely recommend and will be sourcing Freya Sampson's debut to read also!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

Thanks to Bonnier Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

This book was a complete joy and I loved the stories of Frank, Libby and Dylan in their search for the girl on the 88 bus. The characters in the book were engaging and I found myself entranced in every page.

This was a book I wanted to finish but at the same time I didn't want it to finish and now I feel quite bereft at the thought of not being in the bus with them all!

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This was a short but thoroughly enjoyable read. I was invested in the characters and enjoyed the relationships between Linby, Frank, and Dylan. Sampson created vivid imagery, and the story was paced well.

My first five star review this year. What a read. I'll be suffering with a book hangover for a while after finishing this. This story was so beautiful, so wonderful and so heartbreaking. I loved it. I just fell in love with Libby, Dylan and Frank. What amazing characters. If you're looking for a love story with many layers and with a difference, do not let this little gem of a book pass you by. Freya Sampson has herself a new fan.

The Girl on the 88 Bus by Freya Sampson is adorable, crammed full of heart-warming moments.

In April 1962 Frank meets the love of his life on a London bus. They make plans for a date at The National Art Gallery but Frank loses the ticket with her number on it. Ever since then he has travelled on the 88 bus in search of the red-headed stranger.

Libby has moved to London after a relationship break up and meets Frank whislt travelling to her sister's house. When Libby hears of Frank's plight she is touched and wants to help, but with Frank's advancing dementia will she be able to help him before it is too late?

"She was standing at the bus stop, wearing a pair of wide-legged trousers, what loooked like a man's tweed jacket and a black beret, sat on a sideways angle to reveal a shock of red hair underneath. The whole ensemble was unlike anything he'd ever seen a girl wear before, both boyish and feminine at the same time. From his seat at the front of the top deck, Frank caught a flash of green eyes under the beret and felt his heart quicken."

I loved The Girl on the 88 Bus so much! Frank was an adorable character and felt very real. I loved the way he and Libby interacted throughout the book. Libby's own family is toxic, her mother is overbearing and her sister is extremely unlikeable. Libby finds her own family through her search on Frank's behalf.

There are parts of the book that are almost unbearably sad but I am going to be recommending it to every one I know.

"Old people might seem boring, but that's because you're not listening to them properly."

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an arc of 'The Girl on the 88 Bus'.
What a lovely book! It's a book that I didn't want to end. It's well written with such realistic and endearing characters. Frank, Libby and Dylan's stories will make you laugh and cry - and everything else in between. Highly recommend this beautiful book.

I absolutely loved this book. The story was original, fast paced and engaging and the characters of Libby, Frank and Dylan were so well crafted. The ending is not too predictable and whilst it is sad in parts, leaves you with a warm feeling.