My first book by this author, but definitely won't be my last! This was a lovely read. We meet Bee and she's having a terrible day! She's lost her job, her boyfriend and her home! We also meet Alex who's mum is suffering from early on-set dementia. The storyline is told from both Bee and Alex's perspectives and we get to follow their lives. Bee has never known who her father is, and when her mother refuses to tell her, Bee goes through her private diaries to find out who it might be. When she finds a name, she decides to go in search for him. Alex's mum used to be a singer in a band when she was young, and following a visit to A&E after a fall, they bump into Kevin, the ex-drummer for the band. Thinking it will help with his mum's memories, Alex persuades Kevin to help him find the other band members to reform for one final gig. Both Bee and Alex's decisions sets them on a road where their paths will eventually cross!

I really enjoyed this book! The story is told from both Bee and Alex's perspectives, swapping chapters as they go! Bee is lovely character and you can't help but feel sorry for her losing her job, boyfriend and home in one day. You also have to feel sorry for her having to go and live with her mum as her mum doesn't seem the most loving or supportive parent that she could be. Alex is also a lovely character, and you feel for him in different ways. His mum is suffering from early onset dementia and it's such a difficult time for both of them. Their storylines run alongside each other really well, and whilst you know at some point their paths will cross, they do run separately for quite a while, building up the suspense as to what will happen when it does. The other characters are all likeable, including Kevin who is the most grumpiest lawyer/drummer ever! You get to find out all their backstories though which does explain a lot as to why they are like they are. This combined with the two main stories ensures you will just keep turning those pages until you get to the end!

It's a really heart-warming read, but it does deal with some sensitive issues. These are all handled well and as it is well written you feel like you go through all their emotions with them. I did find myself wiping a couple of tears away on more than one occasion, so make sure you keep the tissues handy. There is a strong theme of family and friendships, and the author has done a great job of showing the difficulties people face when life goes wrong. She's also shown how the support and love of the people around you makes all the difference and can quite literally change lives. This book will fill your heart with love and stay with you after you've turned the last page! Would recommend.

This book was such a heartwarming read. The topics involved, including dementia and other traumas, were sensitively covered, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the characters. You couldn’t help but root for Bee and Alex, and little Mack especially. Please do give this book a read, you won’t regret it!

I am a sucker for a cute romance novel/story, and I was really hoping this would be my next favorite because I thought this book sounded cute, I just didn’t enjoy it.

I love everything about “This Thing Called Love.” The characters and the storyline filled me with joy, made me laugh and allowed me to escape to exotic locales I had only dreamed about. Our group of friends, both old and new, were surrounded by beautiful music, the magic of romance, family togetherness and the wonders of faith. Dee was at a crossroads in her life and set off to Majorca to seek out her father, praying with all of her heart that he would be happy to see her. Alex returned home to care for his mom who has early onset dementia. His days are filled with working from home and worrying about his mom, with little time for anything else. When the opportunity arose for him to also travel to Majorca, he jumped at the chance to take a little time for himself.

Back in the day, Alex’s mom was in a rock band and they had quite the following. Alex hoped that by bringing music back into her life that perhaps she would feel better about everything else that was going on. As luck would have it, they ran into Kevin, who was the drummer and Leo, who was one of the roadies. From this miraculous event came the reunion of the band, plans for a one night performance, and new beginnings for everyone. Even though I worried about Alex’s mom throughout the book, it was important to become educated about early onset dementia, and to understand that someone’s life is not over when they are diagnosed. When his mom got on stage and the lights dimmed, she sang like an angel and mesmerized the audience. Love conquered all that night and everyone’s lives were brighter because of the faith they had in each other.

Bee, quien acaba de perder su trabajo, su casa y a su novio el mismo día, decide embarcarse en un viaje a Mallorca para buscar a su padre biológico, un músico llamado Luke Friday. Mientras tanto, Alex, quien cuida de su madre con demencia, también se ve arrastrado por el destino hacia Luke, pues cree que él puede ser la clave para recuperar algunos de los recuerdos de su madre.

A lo largo de la novela, Bee y Alex se embarcan en una aventura que no solo les lleva a descubrir más sobre sus propios pasados, sino también a encontrar nuevas conexiones, sanar viejas heridas y, de manera inesperada, experimentar el amor. Lo más conmovedor de este libro es cómo muestra que, aunque la vida nos ponga a prueba con situaciones difíciles, siempre hay espacio para la esperanza, la amistad y el amor.


Cuando leí la sinopsis, imaginé que la historia seguiría un camino predecible, pero me llevé una grata sorpresa cuando paso lo inesperado. Más que un romance, que existe en diversas formas a lo largo del libro, el verdadero enfoque de la novela es el viaje hacia el autodescubrimiento, la búsqueda de una familia y la amistad.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bea worked in an arboretum, something she loved until she lost her job and her boyfriend on the same day. Then her flatmate wants her out in order to move her boyfriend in. She moves into her mothers but knows this is only temporary as Mother isn't something that has been done. She at long last finds out the name of her father and decides to go in search of him.

Alex looks after his mother who is sadly suffering with dementia. One day he takes a break and bumps into a lovely looking woman, spilling her coffee in the process. She doesn't want to stop, however she isn't someone he can forget easily. His mother is getting worse and he thinks maybe the man she played music with may be the key to getting his mother her memories back.

A book of hope and more. We all go through changes one way or another, sometimes of the toughest type and this shows that taking that small step can make things so, so different if we try. Its drama, its friendships and a little romance all rolled in together. A wonderful read I most thoroughly enjoyed.

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This Thing Called Love- Debbie Howells
Just finished this over the weekend and what an absolutely beautiful book. It gave me allll the fuzzies.
This is a story about so many things. It's about surrendering to and trusting the power of the universe. It's about loss and the impact it has on different people. It's about family and the complexities of those relationships. It's about finding your tribe. It's about love.

Bee, quite suddenly, finds herself dumped, unemployed and homeless. Needless to say she feels like the universe is against her and is struggling to figure out her place in the world. Upon discovering the name of her birth father, she takes off to Majorca in search of him but the universe has some very interesting plans for her indeed.
Alex finds himself living with his mother after her diagnosis of early onset Dementia. Coming home one day to discover she has had a fall sets in motion a chain of events neither of them could have imagined.

This is a wonderful book that I could not get enough of. It was heartwarming and hopeful and uplifting. Exactly what I needed this weekend. I love the multiple narrator style novel. All the characters in the book are so well developed and you fall in love with all of them. It's an emotive read and one I just couldn't put down. As always, very grateful to @netgalley for this wonderful ARC and to @theboldbookclub @boldwoodeverafter for approving me 🙏
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A truly heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting story about family, friendship, love and serendipity.
To say I wanted more would be an understatement. This was a delicious page turner right from the start. Everytime I had to put it down, it was all I could think about. I did end up finishing way past my bedtime, just so I would be able to sleep.

A heart-warming story, implausible and predictable at times but nevertheless very pleasant to read. Great set of characters that it’s impossible not to love. A compelling read that kept me glued to the page and one I will definitely recommend.
With many thank to Boldwood, NetGalley and the author for an early copy.

Some stories don’t just unfold—they pull you in completely. This was one of them. I sat down on a Sunday afternoon, thinking I’d read a few chapters, and before I knew it, I had finished the entire book.

Debbie Howells captured something truly powerful here. Dementia isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a storm that arrives suddenly, turning a mother’s life—and her child’s—inside out. When it’s still in its early stages, there’s a cruel awareness to it, a heartbreaking push-and-pull between remembering and forgetting. And just when you think that’s enough to deal with, life throws another curveball—finding out there’s a father you never knew, living in Mallorca. Do you stay and hold onto the past, or do you leap into the unknown?

This book is about loss, but it’s also about discovery. About music, memories, and the unexpected turns that shape who we become. It’s raw, it’s real, and it lingers long after the last page.