When Keira discovers her breast cancer diagnosis she does not want that to define her life. She is a wife, mother and career woman she does not want to tell her family or work about her diagnosis.

Then she discovers the cancer ladies running club she is reluctant to join However here she will meet an amazing bunch of ladies who will all help her along her journey.

This is such a beautiful novel incredibly heartwarming joyful and full of ups and downs.

This is my 1st read by this author.I loved her writing style and I loved heart heart. This book is about a woman who at the beginning of the book is given a diagnosis of breast cancer. She is happily married with children and owns a business that has been in the family..
As a breast cancer survivor, I think all aspects are covered of feelings and medical .. What really made me love the book was how it was portrayed with honesty and heart - the good and the bad. The friendship between the women who founded the Bright Side Runner's Club was powerful. While a work of fiction at the end, the author writes a bit about her personal experiences. I thought this was a nice ending.
I'd like to thank NetGalley, Alcove Press, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book which publishes on February 8, 2022.

I think the fact I have cancer myself (albiet not breast cancer, but a rare non-curable cancer) made this story all the more enjoyable for me. It had a big theme of friendship and relationships and how these are made and tested when faced with adversity. I enjoyed the characters in the Bright Side running club, and their ups and downs and how they supported each other through not just the cancer but all aspects of their lives. It was an emotional and inspirational story.

This was charming, sweet, delightful, chalk full of lessons for enjoying your health while you have it, not taking it for granted and accepting who you are, where you are, and embracing yourself and loving YOUR life.

This was just delightful - like a sugar cookie. You know you will always love that damn cookie, a staple, something that will put a smile on your face, no matter the stage of life you are in.

This was a joy to read from start to finish. It was uplifting, heartwarming and something special. Keira's character was fierce and determined, even when faced with a life changing challenge.
The subject of breast cancer was handled perfectly, showing how it can bring people together in the best ways.

One I will recommend to everyone

3.5 stars. This was a highly enjoyable book with some great characters. The main take away was definitely: Cherish your health and those around you that lift you up.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. My views are my own and not influenced by anyone. Ever.

A difficult subject, but one that was also heartwarming, and gave a feeling of hope and the human spirit.

A heartwarming and heartstring-pulling story of personal growth, strength, and the power of friendship.

The blurb for BRIGHT SIDE RUNNING CLUB was intriguing: fighting cancer thru fitness and community seemed like a prime way of discussing a tough topic like disease. Unfortunately, I really couldn't get into this book. But I think it's a reaction to reading it in first person, and because the writing and scenario felt so distinctly English, rather than American. I, a 30-something Californian man, had hoped that the universal experience of receiving a poor diagnosis would be enough to hook me, but it turns out I'm just not the audience for a first-person 50-something Englishwoman's experience with cancer and taking up jogging.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange of an honest review.

Very interesting story, worth a read.

This was such a heart-warming story that also hit very close to home for me. It is lovely to see a group of women come together and support each other. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to see women working together and advocating for themselves.

As having a breast cancer survivor and sadly someone who passed of breast cancer in my family this book was close to my heart. The uplifting and realistic experiences of the running club where amazingly written and I would recommend this book to anyone who has dealt with or known someone who has dealt with it! The whole experience shows every time that cancer can hit anyone at anytime but also shows that it is important to not give up and to stay strong throughout the process!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

A truly astonishing, affirmative & bright story! I would surely desire everyone passing through a negative period in their lives to read this novel. Though some portion of the plot appears quite filmy with negative characters & good v/s bad, the overall narrative gives a feel-good impression to the book.

I was emotional during the account as I understand how it feels when there is a cancer sufferer at home; my mom had pancreatic cancer. I couldn't help not crying whenever there occurred clinic appointments. Though it's a tale of fiction, it draws influence from the author's real-life situations & sticks to actuality as much as attainable.

Wow! There are not enough words to describe how much this book touched my heart. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a heartwarming story. Keira is diagnosed with breast cancer, and what she does with that is inspiring. She finds a group of women that she forms a deep connection with, first through running, and then so much more. She is empowered, uplifted, and courageous. She took something so difficult and turned it into a triumph for herself, family, and running club friends. This is a book I would recommend to anyone - I have already told my mother in law, an 18 year breast cancer survivor, that she needs to get her hands on a copy of this book. 5 stars is NOT enough!! Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bright and heartwarming. A must read when you need something that tugs at your emotions but also lifts you up just a bit during these weird times.
The writing made the story clip along at the perfect speed, making this a perfect read. I thought it was the perfect mix of sad and hopeful. Will purchase a hard copy to read again!

I love this stories. They give hope. Courage. A difficult subject. But has a good writing. A detail of what people go through. And besides running with friends makes you happy!

An inspirational story of dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. This book gives an honest and sometimes non too pretty picture of the effect this has on one's life, work and relationships. You are taken on a journey of change and shown that some people will avoid you, share their experiences of cancer (good and bad) and have misguided ideas of support.
The book is written from Keira's point of view, she is running a business, which adds extra problems as well as being the mother of three (including two teenagers) . The running club is made up of women who have also had a similar diagnosis.
At times the information is very graphic so this book will not be for you if you get queasy about medical stuff, but it also offers hope that such a diagnosis is not necessarily the end of the road and a feeling of optimism.

thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an astonishingly beautiful story.
I expected this book to be deep, and potentially hard to read, given the main character has just been diagnosed with cancer. I was wrong. It's a page turner with so much heart and hope. It will make you laugh and make you cry. I could not put it down!

There is so much that is relatable in this book, and I highly recommend it. One of my favourites this year.

#TheBrightSideRunningClub #NetGalley

By Josie Lloyd

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.

And yet it's running - hot, sweaty, lycra-clad running in the company of brilliant, funny women all going through treatment - that unexpectedly gives Keira the hope she so urgently needs. Because Keira will not be defined by the C-word. And now, with the Cancer Ladies' Running Club cheering her on, she is going to reclaim everything: her family, her identity, and her life.

One step at a time.

Moving, uplifting and full of hope, this is a beautifully crafted novel about love, family and the power of finding your tribe.

Note - Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trying to be strong in the face of a cancer diagnosis - could I do it? This is the question I asked myself over and over as I read this book. This story is heartwarming, maddening, thrilling, thought-provoking and resolute in its endeavor to describe the journey one woman goes on after she is diagnosed with breast cancer. This is a powerful story centering on the strength of women without overflowing with feminist themes, which I was concerned about when I first started to read.

Although not written as an autobiography, the author infuses her own cancer journey into Keira’s story, giving the reader an inside view into what happens when she was catapulted into Cancer World. For me, this was a highly emotional journey even though I’ve never lost anyone to cancer. All five stages of grief are skillfully woven throughout the story as Keira navigates this diagnosis. We see the effect not only on her and her mental state but also on those around her. We see her break and fall, fail and flail and get back up using the support and love of those around her. She even leans on those who use her illness to try to destroy her.

While Lloyd keeps our attention and focus on Keira, she also gives us a glimpse into what’s going on in the lives of those around her. Her husband, Tom, is maddening at times and seems unsupportive yet cannot overcome the deep, intense love he has for his wife. Her children, Tilly, Jacob and Bea each define their new roles within their home unit with all the difficulty and rebellion and fierce love for their mum appropriate to their ages. We see how the members of the Bright Side Running Club all cope with cancer in their way - choosing or not choosing to talk with those closest to them about their illness. And finally, we see her business partner attempt to use the opportunity for their own selfish gain - which is frustrating in the very least but it lends to Keira’s mental and emotional state as she sees how cancer changes her.

The end is a bittersweet triumph of sacrifice, love and tenacity as these women are determined to overcome. I absolutely cried, laughed and cheered. I adjusted myself in my seat as the final showdown came between Keira and Lorna and Pierre. I rejoiced with these women and wished them well as I closed the book, having finished it one box of tissues later.

One does not need to be intimately acquainted with cancer in order to get something out of this story. The emotional attachment will be instant and immediate. I highly recommend this book and now am off to see what other books of Josie Lloyd’s I can find.

The Bright Side Running Club is the story of Keira, who receives a breast cancer diagnosis that turns her world upside down. Keira is a wife, mother, and dutiful employee who does not want to let the disease define her and looks for an outlet in an unexpected place for her: a women's running club. Her fellow runners quickly become a source of hope, encouragement, and understanding that Keira so desperately needs.

I loved the concept of The Bright Side Running Club and found Keira's to be one that could easily have been a work of nonfiction. The way that the author wrote this book, it felt very real and honest. Keira is a great main character who continuously struggled with the battle of not wanting breast cancer to affect any part of her life. Her running club partners were all a strong source of support and kept giving Keira the extra boost of support when she needed it the most. I hope that readers in similar circumstances find Keira's story to be helpful in their journeys as well. Women's fiction readers should check out The Bright Side Running Club when it is published.

Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.