One Minute Later is a great story telling the tale of two strong female character’s in different time lines who are brought together to share their own personal heartaches and loves.

Vivienne Shager lives a vibrant life to the full in fast paced London but then on her 27th birthday her life is turned upside down as tragedy strikes leaving her in need of a donor heart to give her any quality of life. We learn all the emotions that this entails while discovering how this affects Vivi.

No longer able to live independently so she retreats back to the family home to her Mum and we then discover what a turbulent relationship they have. Fate however, brings love and friendship which gives her the courage to fight for her life.

Shelly’s story is so different as she lives surrounded by lots of loved family members who all seem to get on with each other while leading good lives. Shelly adores Deerwood Farm where they all live and I really got a good homely feel to this place even though I discovered the tragedy that took place here.

As the lives of Vivi and Shelley merge, secrets and lies are uncovered bringing peace and understanding to these well written characters. I particularly enjoyed reading about organ donation and thought it was well researched and written and hope this inspires people to go on the register as lives are precious with no better gift than extending a life.

My thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for the ARC digital copy

Vivi Shager is living the dream. Fabulous job, friends and lifestyle to be envied. Until ‘that minute’ when a heart attack on her 27th birthday changes her life irrevocably and that of her family and friends.
The story of Shelley and Deerwood farm is also told in a separate time frame and you do question how the two stories connect. But in Susan Lewis’s inimitable style they seamlessly join together. Strong characters, mystery, murder, suspense and intrigue. This book has it all. I’m quite a fan of Susan Lewis and my honest opinion is that this is her best book to date. Great read! Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

A brilliant read! How things can change in a heartbeat....Vivi's life does just that. A really well written read, a tale in two parts that's cleverly woven together. An emotional story about relationships and secrets, with twists and turns that I found really gripping. Loved it and fond I just couldn't put it down. First time I've read anything by Susan Lewis.....will have to read more!

When Vivienne Shager suffers a catastrophic life changing event on her birthday she realises nothing will ever be the same again. She moves back to live with her mother, knowing nothing has changed between them, and there are well kept secrets she needs to have explained to her even  as she tries to come to terms with the possibility of her own mortality.

Shelley Raynor's life at Deerwood Farm began long before Vivienne returned home but is inextricably linked to hers and gradually as the stories converge Vivi finds the courage to face her future with more confidence. She still has difficulty accepting what could happen but realises she can enjoy the new life she has had thrust upon her.

This is a family drama which drew me in instantly and I knew I wouldn't rest until I had finished it which I did in just two days. I was immediately invested in Vivienne, her family, and Shelley's. Their highs and lows were written with great feeling and understanding and, without giving anything away, the acknowledgements at the end brought everything into even sharper focus. I am so pleased I read this book; I have a feeling it will resonate with me for a long while to come.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an unbiased review and would recommend it highly to lovers of first class storytelling and fictional books which contain a serious message.

One Minute Later Susan Lewis

I had not read any books by Susan Lewis until this one, although later discovered she has written over 40 books, so had a very open mind about what to expect.
The story follows a successful woman living a high powered life in London and appearing to be having the time of her life when she is suddenly struck down by a life threatening heart condition which changes the course of her life and she is unable to look after herself so has to go back to her home town and move back in with her family. Understandably she feels very sorry for herself and this does not help the difficult relationship she has with her mother. All this changes when she meets Josh and his family.
It took quite a while to make the connection between the two stories as they were set in different time frames with different characters but I think this was quite an interesting twist in the book. The characters were all believable and well described and I really enjoyed hearing about Josh who came across as a lovely young man. There were a few twists and turns which kept me intrigued and wanting to know what was going to happen. The story has a number of sub-plots which all link together and this is well done.
The most interesting part of the story was the part about Vivi’s heart condition. Susan Lewis must have spent a long time on the research for this and Vivi’s condition and treatment were explained really well and anyone reading the book would be moved by the plight of the people needing transplants with the lack of donors available. On that level the book did a tremendous job in making readers consider their own views on this.
My only negative is I found it rather slushy in places where it almost felt like a Mills and Boon romance. The author describes many of the characters as having found their soulmates and this felt slightly unrealistic. Overall though, the book is enjoyable and easy to read. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to review this.

# One Minute later #Netgalley
Wow a really emotional account of how everything can change, one minute your living the dream, suddenly out of the blue something comes along and totally destroys everything. Putting Susan Lewis in a position she has to return back to her place of the past. Also her secrets going back over 30 years. Now she has no choice but to live and take a good hard look at herself and deal with the secrets she kept hidden for so long. A brilliant novel that although a novel things can change in a blink of a eye. Not just in a novel. A really really good read, I certainly recommend this book, as a must read

Overall, an excellent read. I enjoyed the changing narrative between Vivi and Shelley. I loved the romance between Josh and Vivi, but I can't help feeling it was too much too soon, but then, I suppose they had no time to waste. I rolled my eyes when Vivi found out she was pregnant. There were times, especially towards the end, when I felt it became over-sentimental, as though it was all about baby Jack. And I thought Gina was melodramatic. She could have told Vivi something sooner about her father, even if it wasn't the whole truth. But I was gripped throughout and the ending was realistic, albeit very sad. The information on organ donation was dealt with well. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vivi has it all - a high flying career as a lawyer, a group of like-minded friends, great flat in London and a fantastic boyfriend. Yet everything changes on a day out with the GaLs when Vivi is suddenly taken I’ll and from that moment onwards everything changes. Forced to move back home to live with the mum who has always kept secrets from her, Vivi has to try and rebuild a life while learning to live again.

Beautifully written, One Minute Later made me shed a tear while being gripped with the mystery attached to Vivi’s natural father. A lovely book.

Susan Lewis always produces a page-turner and this is no exception. It has suspense, pathos, joy, laughter and emotion in bucketfuls. The first part of the book switches back and forth between past/present and the lives of two women. This can seem irritating at first but is for a good reason in terms of plot development. It is well-written and emotionally hard-hitting. We are made aware that life can change so quickly. I found the focus on the additional incidental character in the organ donation story a little superfluous, but otherwise found it a good read.

It took me sometime to get into this book as I found it rather too full of descriptive writing and ordinary conversation for my liking. I understand the interest in the lives of Viv and Shelley but frankly I didn't warm to them and this meant I couldn't really enjoy the book. I realise this suits some people and can see that the author has a good fan base but it's just not for me.

A simple read, sometimes beautiful and other times cuts a bit near to the bone of cliche. Enjoyable, but not something I would reread.

This is a novel about how a life can change in the blink of an eye. It is very much a story of family and relationships, told with a great deal of emotion.

Vivienne Shager has a successful career, great friends and a beautiful apartment. She seems to have it all until she suffers a heart attack on her 27th birthday. This is the account of her return to the small seaside town where she grew up and the secrets and questions she left there. Her story is told in tandem with that of her school friend, Shelley, who stayed in the town when Vivienne left.

There is a simple prose style to this book and it is very easy to get into. It comes rather close to triteness on occasions. It isn’t my favourite genre but that’s my problem, not the novel’s. I’m sure there are a lot of readers out there who will thoroughly enjoy this story.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

The first 2 thirds of this book switch between past and present, telling the stories of 2 women whose lives are about to change in the most shocking ways. This is very emotional and beautifully written.
The final third of this book is a more a crusade for organ donation, which is not a bad thing but just felt a bit over kill at times.

Very enjoyable and emotional read.

This was such a slow and turgid read, after a few pages I started skimming just to find out what happened. The style of writing was old-fashioned and emotional, using too much description and not leaving any detail to the imagination of the reader. It was over- sentimental, over-romantic, over descriptive and over long. The past and present stories took far to long to merge and the amount of detail and description of heart problems was unnecessary. This is obviously a popular author but I won't be joining the fans.

It took me a while to get into this one, but once I did I enjoyed it.
However, I prefer reads that I devour much quicker.
Still, very well written.

A very moving book which was upsetting at times and heartwarming in others the characters were very likeable and I felt I was actually there in the story as it was beautifully written and compassionate overall a very good story and would definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.
I really enjoyed reading this book; beautifully written, emotional and heart-warming, yet heart-breaking at the same time (every pun intended).
Told between two timelines almost thirty years apart Present day Vivi Shager is a 27yr-old high-flying city lawyer, travels the world and has a close circle of girlfriends sharing the same lifestyle. Meeting up for a birthday lunch, Vivi collapses.
Thirty five years ago Shelley and Jack Raynor inherit a farmhouse from Shelley's uncle in Kesterly and are determined to renovate it and make their home and living there with their children and new baby Josh,
Following hospitalisation, Vivi has to abandon her city life and move back to Kesterly to her mother, Gina.
Vivi had never known who her father was, despite questioning both her mother and grandmother, but that question was now taking on a new significance for her - before it's too late.
The story weaves through individual characters' lives and experiences across these thirty-odd years, gradually intertwining people and events, their loves and lives. Secrets now have to be explained and dealt with. This is a story of love, hope and sadness, of how the past can shape our present and affect relationships, and it is a contemporary situation faced by many today.

I have read a few of Susan Lewis and I like her. This didn't disappoint. It makes you think about how quickly life can change and not in a good way intitally. I like the dual stories about Vivienne in the present day and Shelley in the 1990's. I looked forward to seeing how these stories were linked and it was obviously somehow by the bronze statue, but I wouldn't have guessed! A true to life story and if you have never considered adding your name to the organ donor register, then read this book and you will think about it.
I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for my free copy for an open and honest review.

Wow! This book tells a tale of two characters, over two periods of time, each suffering their own problems and heartbreak. Cleverly written and fast paced it quickly dragged me in and I found myself stealing moments to read 'just a few more pages' whenever I could, to discover just how these characters were connected and where the story would end up! I experienced such a range of emotions whilst reading this fantastic book, and also shed a few tears and I look forward to reading more of Susan Lewis work! I would like to add It has also opened my eyes to the importance of organ donation due to the real life influences and research that has gone into this novel! 5/5

This wasn’t for me, I’m afraid. It reminded me of the types of books my mother’s book club read avidly about forty years ago, strongly recommended by Woman’s Own, full of cloying romance and random tragedy.
I couldn’t get on board with the dual narrative here; it took so long to make the connection between the time-settings.
I don’t think it was badly written; it just wasn’t the kind of book I enjoy and I wouldn’t have finished it were it not for a sense of obligation because I had agreed to review it. Two stars because if it was truly dreadful I couldn’t have finished it.