I finished this wonderful book in one afternoon. Based on Josie Lloyd’s own experience with cancer the story follows Keira through everything that happens after her diagnosis. The highs & lows, the medical rabbit hole and how it not only affects her but also her family & friends. Moving, funny and hopefull. I highly recommend this one.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

One of the benefits of running is running with others who share some other commonalities besides running. It’s so important to have a group of friends who not only motivate you to complete your own goals but also that you can also motivate a friend to reach their goals.

This is a story of women coming together battling cancer and start a running group. Through running they share their journeys of navigating through their cancer treatments. The author did such a great job of portraying these women’s emotions throughout the novel.

I truly enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a story of women bonding not only through hardships but through triumphs as well.

Thank you Netgalley for extending me an ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book holy cow! The emotional start brings you in and invests you immediately. Connecting with the MC and her struggles was easy. The book got witty and heart warming as it went on and really hit the mark. I would love to hear a survivors review.

This book hit home to me because it really does take a village. A village to raise kids, to run a business, to endure cancer and treatments. As someone who has not gone through any sickness, nor a family member with a sickness, this can be a trigger. Kiera, a wife, mother of three, and business owner, gets a diagnosis that changes her life. But while going through cancer treatment, she finds her village, the Bright Side Running Club. A group of women who also have gone through what she has gone through and it gives her a reason to keep on fighting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book.

What a moving, thought-provoking and wonderful book! Kiera has just received a breast cancer diagnosis and the story follows her journey through treatments, whilst juggling family, work and friends. It made me cry and laugh and despite never having been through this myself, felt so relatable nonetheless. It gave me such an insight into what it may be like to receive a cancer diagnosis, and all the things to say (and not say!) to anyone in my life who may experience this.
This book had the potential to be doom and gloom, particularly tackling such upsetting issues, but it was heartwarming and kept me so engaged I read it in a day.
Thank you so much for this arc.

The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd made me miss running, but not enought to lace my trainers. Ain't nobody running in temperatures below 15*C!⁠
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This novel tells the story of Keira and how her life changed once she learned of her cancer diagnosis. It's a serious, heart-gripping novel, made even more emotional by the author's note at the end saying that many of the things are based on real life, her story.⁠
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However, there were a lot of characters I didn't like at all. Sometimes I didn't even like Keira, to be honest. Her running friends were the best, her family plain annoying, even towards the end. It's a nice book, it did made me empathise, but I kept giving the characters the side-eye. ⁠The side plot, that about Keira's business, gave me anxiety. Not because I was on the edge of my chair to see who was the villain (that was pretty obvious), but because Keira was so adamant to close her eyes and ignore a lot of the red flags.

It's a nice story, but pretty forgettable for me.

I had never read a book by Josie Lloyd prior to this one, but since becoming a runner earlier this year, I was really drawn in by the cover and premise. I was not disappointed! This is a lovely, heartbreaking, honest and hopeful book about women, friendship, running and dealing with cancer. It is multifaceted and complex, I so appreciated the different dynamics that our main charterers had to deal with, while also dealing with fighting breast cancer. I was so moved by the writing and storytelling. I laughed, I cried, and was so sad when it was all over. This was my first Josie Lloyd book, but it was not my last, I loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for getting to read an advanced reader copy.

Lloyd write an inspiring novel, based on her own experiences with breast cancer. I was intrigued by the story since I used to be a runner. Kiera’s world changed rapidly after her cancer diagnosis, but a group of ladies keep her sane as they all run, together, and individually, through life’s problems. Kiera faced issues with her business, family, and health. I liked the showdown scene with one of her enemies. The ending was good and positive, it’s an uplifting read.

I loved this! It’s funny, heart-breaking, inspiring, honest
When Keira is diagnosed with breast cancer she feels like her world has fallen apart. Trying to be strong for her husband and children she realises she also has to be strong for herself.
Her business partner Laura seems to be trying to shut her out and is making major decisions without her, unsettling Keira just when she least needs it.
At the hospital she meets Tamsin who runs to keep fit and to help her with the mental effects of cancer. Keira joins her and another two ladies running and together they support each other through the traumas of their treatment.
With the support of her friends and family she negotiates her treatment, other people's opinions and her own hopes and fears.
A real story of friendship, hope and courage. It also shows how cancer affects not only the patient but their family and friends as well.

4.5 stars

What an uplifting and heartwarming read!

I was initially a bit leery to read this, as I feared it could be a bit depressing, but that wasn't the case at all! This is based on the author's personal experience. Characters are realistic and relatable. Each one plays an important role in the story, and the pace is just perfect to keep readers turning the pages. The author covers a number of key themes, including breast cancer, family dynamics, career, relationships, resilience, hope, and friendship. I absolutely adored this book and look forward to reading future books from Lloyd!

A heartwarming look into the reality that so many women face: being diagnosed with breast cancer and how to manage life from there on.

It's hard to find a bad thing to say about this, especially knowing it comes from the author's own experience. The characters were well developed, the plot was easy to keep up with, and it gives readers an insight to a life they hopefully never have to experience.

The Bright Side Running Club is based on the author's own experience with breast cancer and how running helped her get through the long months of treatment.
The story is the heartwarming tale of four women facing the same illness, who support each other through more than just their treatments. It's a story about supporting communities and human resilience. Life is better when you don't have to do it alone.

With thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for the advanced digital reviewer's copy.

Thankful, this book made me feel thankful from start. Thankful for my body, my strength, my peculiar appreciation of life, especially mine. Thankful for having what I have and what I don't have too. This book makes you realize life from the other side of the highway. It slaps you in the face hard once, twice, and many times more, with the only purpose of giving you the chance to realize how good your life is. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

What an absolutely brilliant, raw, honest, heartbreaking yet heartwarming book ❤️‍🩹 I seriously loved every single page of this moving and inspiring book 🥺

It had me giggling one moment and then sobbing the next. It was not only beautifully written and in such a way that I so deeply felt what these ladies were going through, but it was also inspired by the author Josie Lloyd’s own journey with cancer and joining a running club which made this so much more special 🤍

This is a book about breast cancer, family, juggling your career / the household, relationships, hope, resilience, positivity and the beauty of having wonderful best friends!

I honestly couldn’t recommend this book highly enough! Due to be released on 8th February 2022, it’s definitely one to add to your list for next year.

Thank you to @alcovepress and @josielloyd for gifting me this one via @netgally. It was absolutely brilliant!

“Don’t take one single day for granted”

The story was rememberable and I read the book in just a few evenings. The characters are likeable and the writing was absorbing. I would definitely read more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for sending me an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved The Bright Side Running Club. I loved the writing, the premise, the pacing, the characters… basically everything. The author’s note really tied this book together for me. Before even reading the author’s note I could tell that Lloyd had a personal tie to the main story line of Keira’s breast cancer diagnosis. This felt like a very personal story and it made it that much more moving of a reading experience to learn about Lloyd’s personal inspiration for this book. I really enjoyed how Lloyd did not gloss over any details surrounding Keira’s diagnosis, surgery or treatments.

Lloyd understood the assignment with the short chapters. This is truly something I love in a book and I personally find I’m able to stay a lot more focused and engaged with short chapters. I also loved the writing style and humour in this book. I usually enjoy multiple POVs in books but I was very content just reading from Keira’s POV which I think says a lot about the ability of Lloyd to fully bring to life the many characters in this novel.

While the main premise of this book was surrounding Keira, her diagnosis and the Bright Side Running Club… I found every other plot point in this book was intriguing. I loved reading about Keira’s dynamics with her kids and Tom. I loved the plot surrounding her business and how that played out. I also loved reading about her friendships. Sometimes when there are too many plot points going on in a book I’m not as interested but I was hooked the whole way through. I thought the flow and pacing was perfect.

I loved the various avenues Lloyd took in this book. It was emotional at times, uplifting at others, mysterious at some points and a joy to read all around. This book will have readers laughing out loud, crying and wanting to give the characters a big hug.

This is a very special book and I will most definitely be buying myself a physical copy when it’s published. I would honestly recommend this one to anyone!

This was my first book to read by this author but I hope to read more soon! The characters and the story stay with you long after you finish it. Good, fast read. Highly recommend!!

I usually enjoy reading books about friendships but I had a hard time getting into this book. Having a close family member going through the ordeal of breast cancer made it hard for me to enjoy this book. The book was well written, but just not the right book for me. Thanks to author Josie Lloyd, Alcove Press, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

I was really excited when I was approved to read this book because I thought it was going to be a really heartfelt and deep book. On one side I was right, but it also had a bizarre crime mystery that really ruined this book for me.

Let me start with the positive; I loved the main four women and the friendships that they developed with each other. They were all such good characters and just sprung to life off the page. You couldn’t help but admire the incredible strength of each of them. They developed really strong and touching relationships with one another and never let their diagnosis slow them down.

I enjoyed this book, yet appreciated it even more once I read the epilogue from the author at the end. Learning that the author created this story based on her own experience with cancer and exercising with a group of women who also shared her same diagnosis and struggle gave the book that much more heart. The characters were witty and enjoyable while also being aggravating in their own stubbornness or humility.