Cover Image: Life on Loan

Life on Loan

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Member Reviews

A lovely story about the taking charge of one's own life. Both Lena and Olivia are at a place in their life where they feel the need to escape. When these two old college friends meet in an airport lounge they agree to swap residences for a month. Each woman take the time needed to become reacquainted with herself and at the end of the month their lives are not the same. A sweet story!

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First off I want to thank @katerockbooktours and @ashleyhfarley for my copy of the book for the tour.

This book has all the feels, it made me feel sad, happy, angry, and when a book does that you know the author has succeeded with her writing style. The issues portrayed throughout the book are easily relatable by anyone who's had hardships in their life. The surroundings truly came to life as I was reading.

From page to page you discover the characters and grow fonder of them. There is massive growth achieved by the main characters. I loved how the portrait of relationships was tested, showing that not one is perfect and that sometimes you need to remove yourself and find yourself in order to be in a happy one.

This is a powerful story about rediscovering yourself by letting go. Making you think about your own happiness and being taken for granted sometimes. The importance of following your dreams in order to rediscover yourself and what truly makes you happy.

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If your favoured reading material is a novel with a good sprinkling of self-discovery, identity, sisterhood, romance, rekindling old friendship and second chances, then feel free to read this great, new book by Ashley Farley - Life on Loan.

Lena Browder and Olivia Westcoat met thirty years ago when were College students. They bump into each other at an airport lounge in Atlanta. Lena is running away from home and her demanding family and Olivia is trying to move on after a painful divorce. As they toast to new beginnings, the two women agree to house swap for a month of rediscovery. Lena will stay in Olivia’s Charleston condo whilst Olivia will reside in Lena’s isolated river cottage in the Northern Neck of Virginia. Two perfect getaways with thirty-four days to re-evaluate themselves and their lives.

This was a wonderful read for me and I have had Ashley Farley on my radar for several months now with a couple of books waiting patiently on my kindle. Her writing style is absolutely unique and I found myself enjoying the story immensely, loving the colourful metaphors and figures of speech.

The story was about finding out who you really are and who, or what you want to be. The characters felt so deeply and were certainly both funny and terribly engaging. They were well-portrayed and the pacing of the book was spot on. The story really stirred my soul and as the story unfolded, the more intrigued I became. Life on Loan was well-worth the time invested and as the wonderful tale concluded, I found myself wishing great things for the futures of the women.

Overall, this was a fascinating story with no disappointments and some really amusing highs.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

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Have you ever felt like running away and just starting fresh? That’s exactly what the two women in 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐧 do. Lena and Olivia are fed up with where their life is and desperate for change. Reaching a breaking point, they trade houses for a month to reset. ⁣

I really enjoyed this novel of second chances! Following the women and their journey was inspiring and refreshing. The setting details were extraordinary and added an extra layer to the story. The story is character driven and completely relatable. Following these ladies as they step out of their comfort zones, rebuild their confidence, and go after the life they want was incredibly inspiring. No matter where you are in life, there is always room for change and growth! I loved this heartwarming book!⁣

Thank you to the publisher, Ashley Farley, and Kate Rocks Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this lovely book!

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If given the opportunity, how would you rewrite your second chance on life?
That’s the underlying theme of this most enjoyable read, Life on Loan, by Ashley Farley.

Lena Browder and Olivia Westcoat are both in the mist of a life altering path, but aren’t really sure where they are going. Yet. Olivia is recovering from a painful, and embarrassing divorce, and Lena is literally running away from her over-demanding family.

These former college friends, now middle aged, are reunited by chance at the Atlanta airport and after briefly confiding in one another the need to start over- they decide to house swap. Olivia sets off to Lena’s river cottage in Virginia while Lena will stay in Olivia’s condo in Charleston. The women agree to trade places for one month to reset their minds and rediscover who they truly are.

What comes next is a trail of adventure, new career opportunities, romance and inner strength they both thought they had lost.

This is my first Ashley Farley book (where has she been all my reading life?!?) and will not be my last. Her characters were beautifully brought to life and their struggles were heart tugging and relatable. The way Farley writes about the two women makes you completely absorbed in their plight and you silently cheer for them throughout.

This book is for any woman who has just felt the need to run away and get a break from reality. So basically, every woman on earth! As women, we can easily forget who we are at the core and the importance of meeting our own needs and fighting for our own dreams. Farley’s book was a great reminder of the power of taking care of ourselves, the strength of a genuine friendship and that it’s never too late to start over- no matter your age, no matter your circumstances…second chances do exist when you take control of your destiny.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, Ashely Farely and Kate Rocks Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The storyline of this book felt a little bit tired to me - a bit been there done that - like I had read it before, or perhaps watched it before when I saw the movie The Holiday.

That being said, I did enjoy the author's use of the two character perspective to tell the story and I liked Olivia as a character. Lena bothered me a bit as I tend to gravitate towards stronger females.

Farley's writing was interesting and well thought, and I'd certainly try another of her novels - this was my first!

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This book was so warm and sweet, it charmed me completely. You can't beat a book that does that!

Have you ever thought of running away from home? (As an adult, I mean.) Was there ever a time when you thought, if only I could leave all of this behind and just take off for someplace else and start over? Sure, it may have seemed impossible to fathom given everything that would need to be done before you could actually run away, but did the thought make you feel better, even for a split second?

When Lena and Olivia meet in an Atlanta airport lounge, both are on the verge of running away from their current lives. Lena has had it with her abusive husband and selfish daughter, and needs to find her own way after having to do everything for everyone else with little appreciation. Olivia has been living in the aftermath of a painful divorce, and the successful blog she has created has put her in an untenable position with two wannabe socialites, so she needs to escape.

The two women knew each other casually in college, but even though they haven't seen each other in years, they each sense a kindred spirit in the other, a soul desperately in need of rescue. When their initial escape plans are foiled by weather, they hatch a plan together.

"For the next thirty days, the month of October, you'll stay in my cottage in the Northern Neck and I'll stay in your waterfront condo in Charleston. We'll indulge ourselves—eat whatever we want, sleep late, and leave our beds unmade if so desired. We'll follow our hearts to wherever they may lead us."

And that's exactly what they do. Their getaways take different paths. Lena is determined to regain confidence in her photography skills and wants to become more dedicated to diet and exercise. When she meets another photographer willing to take her under her wing, she jumps at the chance—although she doesn't know the positive and negative things which will come of such an arrangement. But she falls head over heels in love with Charleston and the possibilities of a life there.

Olivia needs to find the confidence to write again, as she knows there's a novel deep inside her, but she just has to coax it to the surface. Nervous about her financial situation and still reeling from the end of her marriage, time in the sedate Northern Neck of Virginia is exactly what she needs, especially when she meets Alistair, Lena's childhood best friend who lives in the cottage next door. Alistair awakens feelings Olivia hasn't had in so long, but he has issues of his own to deal with. And is a fling what she needs?

Ashley Farley's Life on Loan is tremendously enjoyable, a bit melodramatic, and utterly compelling. I really liked these characters despite their foibles, and couldn't get enough of them. It's always great to root for characters and care about what happens to them, and if nothing in the plot seemed overly surprising, it didn't matter one bit. This was a quick, fun read that would be perfect for the beach, a plane ride, or just relaxing in your favorite spot.

I am fortunate to be part of the blog tour for Life on Loan. My thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for providing me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. I really enjoyed it!

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Feeling overwhelmed? Need an escape? If so, Life on Loan by Ashley Farley is the perfect book for you. Life has taken an unexpected turn for two college friends, Lena and Olivia. They both need a life reset, so off to the airport they go! The women accidentally run into each other in an airline lounge, share stories and agree to swap houses for a month. The new beginning starts here. This novel really warmed my heart. Both women are a tad older than me and in different phases of life, but Farley made it very easy to identify with each of them. I fully understood their reasoning to run away from it all, wanting to find yourself again after raising a family and always putting the needs of others first. The little adventures that Lena and Olivia experience on this journey of rediscovery are extremely entertaining and exciting. I highly recommend this inspiring story.

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This book was released in October and if you’re looking for a book about taking chances look no further!!

Have you ever felt like running away?! Lena and Olivia were stuck in a rut and the only escape was running away from it all! In Life on Loan we follow two former classmates whose lives intersect at the most perfect time.

Lena is in an unfulfilling marriage feeling under appreciated and not loved. Olivia is divorced and stuck writing a blog she could care less about it. They drop it all and switch it up and truly it was everything.

Throw in some new friendships, unexpected romance (hello neighbor), and larger than life career moves and you have this sweet story. This book is about seizing the moment when you get the chance without hesitation! I loved watching Lena and Olivia flourish! I didn’t know I needed this book until I finished it because I think we all find ourselves feeling a little lost sometimes! Thank you to the author for writing a great story about finding yourself!

Thank you to @katerockbooktours, @ashleyhfarley, and @lakeunionauthors for the review copy and for having me take part in this tour!

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I saw a post that said I followed my heart and it took me to the airport! That is exactly why Life on Loan is perfect for me! It is about two women that decide they need to ‘run away from life’ and they head to airport to pick a place and disappear for a few days.

After thirty years, college friends Lena and Olivia run in to each other by chance at an airport lounge in Atlanta. Lena is running away from home and her demanding family. Olivia is trying to find her way after a painful divorce and job she hates. They decide to trade homes for just over a month. .

Lena will stay in Olivia’s Charleston condo. Olivia will stay in Lena’s isolated river cottage in the Northern Neck of Virginia. Two perfect getaways. Thirty-four days to reset. With fresh new perspectives and the renewal of a heartening friendship, Lena and Olivia find their passions, reinvent themselves, and reclaim what they’ve lost. A time for courage and risk. .

Amazing right! It makes me want to drive to the airport and just see what flights are leaving right now! This one is out now! Happy reading friends!!

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This book is incredible. There are a few parts that make me wonder if the author is drawing from some kind of personal experience bc the words are so relatable like they were taken straight from my thoughts. I can't wait to read more from this author!

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Thanks so much to the author, Kate Rock Book Tours, NetGalley, and Lake Union Publishing for the complimentary advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts, and participation in this blog tour. { partner }
All of my full reviews and blog tours are located on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog (blog tour live on 11/3) and on Instagram @Tackling_TBR.

I think at some point in their lives everyone has wanted to run away from their every day realities. Whether you're a kid wanting to go away to Neverland, or an adult wanting to run and hide from the stresses of every day life and work. I know that I have. If my fiancé and I could run away from life for a couple of weeks and do nothing but read and write in a secluded cabin on a mountain and ignore the rest of the world? We would. In a heartbeat. Like, our bags are probably already packed for it. So I was already on the side of our two leads in this book, before I even started reading it.

On that note, I loved the characters that this story centered around.

Story time - I knew the general plot of this book when I started reading it, but I hadn't read the full description, so I didn't know any of the character names or specifics going in. And the very first chapter starts with Lena having issues with her daughter, Kayla, and my automatic assumption was that Kayla was going to be one of the two friends running away from responsibilities. So when I kept reading and it was actually Lena who took off and had a self-discovery adventure, I fell even more in love with her character and with the book. After that she automatically became a favorite character for me, without even thinking about it.

I loved Olivia as well, but I didn't have the same automatic attraction to her character that I had for Lena. You sympathize with her from the beginning of her story, but in a way it took me a little bit longer to really fall into her part of the story, which then became some of my favorite parts later in the book. Where Lena is leaving behind the responsibilities of her home life, and a family taking her for granted, Olivia is a hip and fashionable blogger living what might seem like the perfect life in a gorgeous city, and she is running from the stresses of that life and those expectations that are being placed on her. Which, again, is incredibly relatable for people in all stages of life.

I tend to pay more attention to the characters in a novel than other aspects, sometimes even over some of the smaller details in the story itself, because the characters are what will make or break the book for me. Hands down. And I really enjoyed the story of this book - anyone who enjoyed the movie The Holiday would enjoy this, since it is the same type of story, but in the next stage of life, which made it really interesting and different from a lot of the other books that I read frequently. And since I loved the characters so much, I was able to fully dive head first into the story and enjoy that to it's fullest as well.

Overall, I really did love this book. It wasn't one that I absolutely couldn't put down, and finished in a day because it consumed me heart and soul. But it was so much fun and enjoyable, and I loved getting to read about women on self discovery journeys that you don't necessarily see in that light all of the time (most of those types of stories, in my experience, tend to center around characters in their early twenties or even early thirties). I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends and family, and anyone looking for a classic type of story with a fun twist in a truly character-driven novel.

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What a delightful story about empowerment! I loved seeing Olivia gain her confidence and Lena grow as a person - I really really hope this becomes a series!

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Excellent story. Read and find out what happens when the characters make the decision to change their path in life. Would you be brave enough to take a chance and make different choices? This story touches the heart with emotions that people can relate to and understand. Each one of us has opportunity to start over if we need to do so. The bravery and dedication to family and friends in this story is inspiring.

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My first book by this author and I am now a fan! The story of Olivia and Lena, old college friends who meet up 30 years later and trade places. Olivia lives in a condo in Charleston and Lena in a cottage on a river. Amazing opportunity for adventure and much self reflection. Loved the characters and the premise. Thanks to net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

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I couldn't help but love the premise of Life On Loan. The idea of trading places for an entire month sounds pretty tempting to me. A complete change of everything. Where do I sign up? I for one would be all over a country setting, give me those secluded spaces, the nature ...

Now most of you know I am definitely NOT a fan of romance. I tend to avoid storylines that give me a toothache. This one worked for me though, it was fresh and fun. I really liked Olivia & Lena and enjoyed their alternating storylines. I found them to be well developed characters as well as women I could picture myself being friends with. Great descriptions, engaging characters and an ending that was very satisfying. If you enjoy romance this one's for you.

Huge thank you to Kate Rock Book Tours, Ashley Farley & Netgalley for my review copy.

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I loved this book idea. I'm pretty sure everyone has felt like just running away and trying something new. I loved the bravery of these women to just go out on a whim and switch homes and locations. They both grew and were able to come to terms with what they needed in life.

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“Life on Loan” by Ashley Farley

Ever want to run away from your current life and try something new? Start over? Figure out what your dreams are and make them happen?

Both Lena and Olivia have left their current homes and have decided to take time away and reassess their lives. As they happen to meet in the airport in Atlanta, Lena and Olivia rekindle their friendship from college, find they are in the same boat in terms of their goals and desires and agree to swap houses for a month. Lena will be living in Olivia’s condo in Charleston and Olivia will be staying at Lena’s cottage house on the river in Northern Neck Virginia.

As these two women set out on their individual journeys, they begin to assess what went wrong in the lives that lead them to where they are and what they want to achieve during their time away. They both learn a lot about themselves, relearn how strong they are as individuals, and seek out the changes they desire most in their lives. At the end of the month, they both want more time in their respective cities and agree to continue their exchange through the end of the year.

Many changes have been made, many new life opportunities are opening up for both women and they are finding that there is a wonderful second half to their lives they are both looking forward to.

Ashley Farley brings the reader into the novel from the beginning and the reader immediately relates to each character and begins to understand them and see a part of themselves in them. The reader has no problem putting themselves in each characters shoes, cheering them on when they need it and celebrating with them when it is called for.

The author has picked a wonderful and very poignant topic for her storyline. She writes with a fresh and clear eye as to the many messages she imparts to the reader via each character and situation they encounter. She brings the two cities alive and the reader is there along with each character.

This is a novel that once started, putting down is truly difficult. The reader is continually growing and changing with the characters and is waiting for the next piece of their journey to take place and to be brought along for the ride. It is refreshing, honest, heartwarming, and wonderfully enthralling. Here is to living the life every one deserves...and seeks to find.

Rating: 4.8
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts, opinions and the written review are my own.

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This was an enjoyable “feel good” book. Who hasn’t wanted to run away from their life at one time or another? The characters were realistic and I loved their stories.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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This is heartwarming compassionate story that touched my heart. .All of us have considered escaping our lives and here is the story of two college friends meeting up after 30 years that decide to do just that. One going through a divorce, one wanting to escape her family and friends and everyday dull life. So they decide to switch houses and for both of them, adventure and self reflection begin.

I loved this book of women friends, starting over and reflection on life choices. It is a wonderful read.
Thank you for the ARC. My review opinion is my own and posted across platforms.

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