it was a wholesome read. im not usually into books witha sickness at the center of the story but i did liked the friendship in this.

This book was AMAZING. It hit a deeper level due to it being from the authors personal experience but it made me laugh and tear up and it was a real heartwarming story. 4.5 stars!

What a book! I laughed and cried and thought about all of the women in my life who have been affected by breast cancer, and cancer in general. This book perfectly paired the seriousness of cancer with the idea that life goes on and that cancer cannot win. I truly loved this book!

Keira is at the top of her game. She is married with a loving husband, three children and owns a successful shop when she gets the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer. While waiting outside of the clinic she meets a woman about her age out for a run and even though she isn't a runner she likes Tamsin and wants to speak with her again. She agrees to meet her at the bench on Friday for a run and finds out that Tamsin is also experiencing breast cancer. Amma is also part of the group and when Keira brings along Sian the Cancer Ladies Running Club is formed.

Just having a cancer diagnosis doesn't stop the rest of life from happening. Her 15-year-old daughter is still rebellious, she begins to suspect her husband of having an affair, her shop is doing well but there are conflicts with her business partners. At times I felt so bad for her like she couldn't catch a break and why aren't people just letting her take care of herself but that's not real life. I don't know how realistic the description of her treatment was but it was certainly not sugar coated.

This could have been a tear jerker but instead it was hopeful, uplifting and optimistic with great characters and so many moments of small triumphs I couldn't help but mentally cheer the girls on.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Alcove Press for providing me a digital copy of this book.

The first book I've read by Josie Lloyd and it won't be the last. The Bright Side Running Club has you going through all the emotions while reading it. I even laughed out loud during a few parts of it. Sassiness can be found throughout the book from the main character, Keira. Great choice for book clubs.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Heart felt and very moving. Its a inspirational story based on experiences of the author. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were great and the story exc.

A beautiful, poignant look at life, loss and the bright side.

How would you deal with a cancer diagnosis? For Keara, when she receives her diagnosis she is devastated. Unsure of her self, she find friendship with a woman she meets on a bench outside the cancer centre.

I loved seeing the blossoming friendship between the ladies of the running club as the club expands and brings in new members. The supportiveness and kindness of people you have only just met, but understand all too well what you're going through. The unhelpful "help" that well meaning friends who don't understand is well portrayed.

I found the "villain" of the story predictable and the foreshadowing a little heavy handed, but do think it benefited the story overall.

Definitely have the tissues ready.

Wow this was such an important and moving book.
I loved it, even though I honestly wanted to slap Keira's kids most of the time. I guess I don't relate to teenagers as I used to.
The writing is good and I loved all the women from the Running Club.

The Bright Side Running Club is a very inspirational story that describes really well the emotional and physical difficulties a woman faces when discovering she has cancer and during treatment. Josie Lloyd writes with flair and humor about people's reactions to cancer and how the patient can put a positive edge on everything. The ongoing problems at the main character's store are just a secondary plot to the main drama. Sometimes sad, the story (which is partially real) left me with a smile on my face and with faith in the future.

What an inspirational book, especially for those who are dealing with breast cancer, or have done so in the past. The author's personal experience forms the basis of the story, and she provides lots of humor and some very relatable characters. Keira is trying to keep her life together after she is diagnosed with breast cancer, but she has to deal with trouble at home, and trouble at work. A chance meeting is the encouragement she needs to take things into her own hands and she begins running, even while she is going through the treatments. New and old friends, and family, help Keira deal with all the stress and strain of the various medical procedures and treatments.

This was such a JOY! I cannot imagine going through this ordeal and loved hearing details about her emotions and physical reactions. How this author could write with such knowledge AND sensitivity AND humor is award-worthy! Read this book if you haven't yet. I'm buying for a survivor. What a great story!

Wow, what an incredibly moving and poignant novel. This is a novel I highly suggest everyone read. The cancer ladies’ running club follows the highs and lows of Keira’s life after she is unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. She takes up running and ends up finding a new understanding of herself. I felt so many deep, intense emotions whilst reading this book. I actually ended up in tears. The strength of the characters in the book, and their connections to each other highlight the importance of friends and family after life-changing diagnoses. There were many aspects of this book that I related too, which made it all the more haunting and special. I loved the beauty in the simple acts of kindness towards strangers and loved ones. It reminded me how much one small act can change someone’s day. I learnt a lot about cancer that I didn’t know before, including the specifics involved with certain treatments. But this book doesn’t dwell on the sadness and difficulties it brings. This is a story of hope and positivity despite being in the darkest of times. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone! I am so grateful to have received a review copy of this novel. This story will live with me for the rest of my life! 4.5 stars happily rounded up.

Keira has just been diagnosed with breast cancer and it's rocking her world! How will she share this news with her family? What will she say to them? Will she be able to take the time away from work she'll need for her treatment?

This is beautiful story about friendship and positivity. Keira has a great life. She runs a business she loves, has amazing friends, and a husband and family she adores. Then she is diagnosed with breast cancer.
While coming to terms with her diagnosis and her treatment she becomes friends with an inspiring cancer patient. They soon add two more women to their friendship circle and become the Bright Side Running Club. As these women support each other through their cancer journeys the friendships strengthen. Overall this is a great story of fortitude, positivity and friendship. Keira is a remarkable character and her authenticity is great. Overall an excellent book with humour, love, and heartbreak.

When Keira first receives her breast cancer diagnosis, she never expects to end up joining a running group with three women she’s only just met. Totally blind-sided, all she can think about is how she doesn’t want to tell her family or step back from work. Nor does she want to be part of a group of fellow cancer patients. Cancer is not her club.

I have never had a book move me as much as this book. I’m still bawling my eyes out. These characters are inspiring on so many levels. There are a few I despised immensely and if I could have reached into the book would have physically removed from the story.

I cannot say enough about this moving story. This author is incredible.

This is the type of book we all need to be reading right now. Full of the importance of building community and showing kindness to those around us.

A heartwarming book that will you make you laugh, cry, and want to live. The characters are likable and I didn’t want the story to end.

This was an emotional read about the reality of living with, treating and recording from cancer. It read like a book aimed at a more mature, mayhaps even middle-aged female audience, so I wasn't the target audience. This might be a reason why it didn't resonate with me as much. I still think this is a worthwhile read and it definitely would be a book I'd recommend to women who I know who could relate more. This book is still very well written and well-paced with good character development and a satisfying resolution.

I really enjoyed this book. Between the story and the narrator, it grabbed my attention and kept it. While heartwrenching, it was fun getting to know Keira and the rest of the Bright Side Running Club. The characters are well developed and the growing relationships were fun to explore. It was even more touching that Keira’s experience going through the diagnosis of and treatment for cancer was the author’s personal journey through the process. This book provides it all … family dynamics, relationships, trust, health issues, encouragement, etc. The one negative aspect is the too frequent use of the “F” word. But the story is so moving that it helped me overlook that one issue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.