Bravery isn't just about life or death decisions; it's also about how to keep on living afterwards...

Thanks to @netgalley & @panmacmillan for this read.

This is the story of Joel, Kerry & Tim. 18 year-old Joel's heart stops on the eve of the millennium, Kerry saves his life & that moment changes the course of all 3 lives over the next 2 decades.

This was an emotional & heart-warming read. I loved the intricacy of the lives & how intertwined they became. Both funny & sad with a few 'there's something in my eye' moments 😭

4🌟

This book, while not without its faults, is an easy and interesting read. The writer is a good storyteller and I very much enjoyed the journey. I do believe however, that there is simply too much happening to the three main characters, too many huge decisions to make and I often found a little credible the way they turn and twist their lives around. I would recommend this book as it is a heartwarming and well told tale of love and friendship.

Kerry Smith and her best friend and next door neighbour Tim Palmer have always wanted to pursue a career as doctors and, in Kerry's case particularly, it seems as this dream is about to come true as they prepare to sit the exams that will allow them to apply for medical school. On New Year's Eve 1999 the friends are gathered at a Brighton beach to celebrate the new millennium with other classmates and friends when the school football star Joel Greenaway collapses to the ground without warning during a football kick-about. Kerry has a long-held and secret crush on Joel and had been watching him from a distance as this happened and does not hesitate to run to Joel's aid putting her First Aid skills into practice to give life-saving CPR when it is apparent that Joel has suffered a serious cardiac incident. Tim, despite having the same training, freezes at the enormity of the task and leaves Kerry to cope alone until the emergency services arrive. In the confusion and panic at their stricken classmate their classmates mistakenly credit both Kerry and Tim with attempting to save Joel's life - which is a misunderstanding that reverberates for many years to come.
We follow the 3 main characters over the next 18 years as their lives remain affected by the events from NYE 1999 and take turns that they could never have imagined.
This was a moving and wonderfully written book with realistic, and at times extremely flawed, characters who we watch make many decisions and mistakes. The author addresses many topical issues throughout such as depression, addiction, loss and redemption and the result is a simply wonderful and emotional read.
A new author for me and one that I will look out for in future! Thanks to publishers and Netgalley UK for the ARC and well-deserved 5 stars from me!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this book, but probably not what it turns out to be. The story takes us from New Years Eve 1999 through to 2018 and follows Joel, Tim and Kerry in the aftermath of the events of that night. Tim and Kerry are celebrating New Years Eve 1999, waiting for the millennium bug to hit, when Joel, an up and coming football player, collapses and dies. Kerry and Tim both want to be doctors and having been trained in first aid, rush to Joel’s aid. Tim freezes, so it is Kerry who carries out CPR on her own until the paramedics arrive. Her actions save Joel’s life and binds the three together. As time goes on, the events of that night slowly have devastating effects on all of their lives. Can they pick up the pieces and move on? A story of love, betrayal, bravery, family and loyalty. I really liked the way the author also tells the reader the basics of CPR - because, as Joel says, it’s usually friends, family or complete strangers who are there when a cardiac event happens and it’s them that keep you alive until the paramedics arrive - a skill that everyone should know as it could save a life.
This book will suck you in and stay with you long after you’ve finished it.

I really enjoyed this book, very easy to read and a lovely storyline of will they won't they get back together. Just as I thought they might something comes along to derail it again. The characters were likeable and I liked the story told from all 3 characters.I didn't want to put it down and I read it in a couple of sittings. I recommend this book.

Enjoyed this one. I felt like there was something missing though, something I needed to love it. Well thought out plot and easy to read.

A really dramatic opener with two teens swept into a life or death situation on New Years Eve which influences the rest of their lives.
The three main characters are so wonderfully written with teen angst leaching off every page in the beginning and then their slowly maturing and developing personalities shining through (except Tim- he never really shone for me!). I thought Joel's perspective was particularly interesting and made it easy to understand how people can be plunged into awful situations by virtue of a single event or decision.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an e-ARC of this book!

I have very mixed feelings about How To Save a Life. On the one hand, i found it really difficult to read because of the writing style and the POVs. On the other hand, i was intrigued enough to continue reading until the end because i needed to find out what happens to the characters. Overall, i rate this book 3 stars ⭐️

I feel like this book had so much potential to be worthy of 5 stars. While the characters and writing felt very under-developed, the story itself was actually quite promising, and some parts were even clever. Perhaps with a few rounds of editing this could easily be polished. However, i do want to note that i did read an Advanced Reader's Copy, so maybe the final book might be a bit different, I'm not sure.

I really wasn't a fan of the writing style. It didn't flow that smoothly and the author's choices of words and sentences were often quite awkward. I noticed this especially in dialogues, where sometimes the characters say things too formally, hence sounding awkward and unrealistic, which disrupts the narrative for me. Furthermore, although there were 3 main POV; Kerry, Tim and Joel's, sometimes Kerry and Tim's narrative sounded too similar that I often got confused about whose POV i was reading and had to go back to the chapter heading just to check. Apart from this, I think the author could have done a better job at developing these three characters throughout the book. I feel like i only got to know about them through what they did (or their actions), rather than through their thoughts and feelings to further understand their motives and thought process.

As for the plot, overall it was quite messy and also underdeveloped, but it did get much better towards the end. I suppose, whether intentionally or not, this kind of represents the maturity of the three characters throughout the book. As they grew older, they started to make better decisions and they're more sure about themselves. In particular, i really enjoyed seeing Joel's character improving, especially after Leo comes into the picture. I also appreciated seeing Kerry's struggle with depression and her perseverance in achieving her career dreams.

Overall, i did enjoy some parts of How To Save a Life, but it could really be improved to be a more polished novel.

I really enjoyed this book. ‘How To Save A Life’ follows the story of three main characters, Tim, Kerry & Joel. On New Years Eve Joel suffers from cardiac arrest and the actions of Tim & Kerry cement a bond between the group for years to come.

The story follows the three characters from 1999-2018 and each chapter gives us a different point of view which allows us to see the development of the characters. Throughout the book key issues such as depression, anxiety and other health issues are brought to the forefront. It is a story of love, grief and friendship.

I felt that it took a little while to get into the book. There is a lot that doesn't happen for the first part of the book and I don't feel very much adds to the character development. However, this begins to change and as the characters get older, the dialogue becomes much more mature and meaningful.

Overall, a really good book and one I would recommend

I found this a difficult read. I wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen but at the same time I nearly gave up on it on several occasions.

At the beginning I thought this was a book aimed at young adults but as the story progressed the style changed, I'm not sure if this was deliberate or not.

Kerry, one of the main characters infuriated me continually, I felt that she was just using her husband Tim and wouldn't leave him until something better came along. I willed her to get a backbone and do what was right for her, but that didn't happen. Joel was the character I could sympathise with the most and found the most interesting to read about.

Overall, this isn't a book I would recommend to my friends.

Dude, this book was painful. And a mission. And a lot. I need to hibernate to recover.

The school heartthrob, Joel, suddenly drops down dead on New Years Eve while playing football. Kerry performs CPR to keep him alive for a whole 20 minutes before the ambulance arrives. In the last 5 minutes her best friend Tim finally takes over to help and somehow ends up taking all of the credit.

This event, including the life-saving misunderstanding, changes all 3 of their future careers, and the overall paths their lives take from there.

I’m not sure if it was a personal misunderstanding after reading the blurb (and previous reviews) but it was not “an easy read” or “a light hearted read” and I didn’t “blast through it in one day”, and the only romances that happen are the most unhealthy and frustrating kind. I’m not sure what those other people are reading!

The characters are all terrible, terrible people. And the topics are incredibly heavy. There’s serious medical malpractice, drug addiction, homelessness, unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, forced rehabilitation, slow deaths from pancreatic cancer, endless, endless lies, miscommunication and selfishness from all people involved. You have to follow 18 years worth of this living nightmare.

The writing felt awkward in places too. At one point a 17 year old boy is supposed to describe his own football goals as ‘my most dazzling practice goals’. And the characters go through a lot of major personality transformations.

I spread this book out so as not to depress myself too often. The positive reviews were the only reason I pushed through, but I don’t recommend unless you want to feel depressed and frustrated.

How to Save a Life will be published on the 27th May 2021 if you want to read it for yourself.

Kerry is in love with the star of the school football team, Joel. Her best friend Tim really likes her, although Kerry doesn't feel the same. Both Tim and Kerry dream of becoming doctors and have undergone First Aid training outside of school. Joel has a cardiac emergency and Kerry rushes to him to start CPR. Tim freezes in panic and then joins a few seconds later to assist. The events of that day impact the three of them throughout their lives.

This is a fantastic read, which kept me engaged and rooting for all of the characters until the final page. I really enjoyed it and would definitely read another book by this author.

The book starts with a cardiac arrest on the night of the millennium and then follows the fallout over the next 18 years. It wasn't quite what I expected, it was much more realistic and well thought out. It was also darker and more complex than I was expecting.
I loved the fact it spanned such a long period as it meant that the characters were so much deeper. They changed over time and none of them had it easy so it was interesting to see how they coped.
I also liked the way their lives wound in and out of each others.

Very much like ‘One Day’, ‘How to Save a Life’ is the story of three friends, how they’re all linked after a tragic incident and where they get to after 18 years.

A gripping, easy read from the perspective of all three, it was very enjoyable (but could have done with more diverse characters).

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

An amazing opening that had me hooked from the start. The book then tells the story of the three main characters over a 20 year period. The characters are all believable and grow as the book progresses. I guess their stories do touch more often than you might expect in the real world but the story is very readable maybe because of that. Plus I had to keep reading just to see how things turned out for everyone.

Loved the storyline and the life lessons. Full of drama without feeling too false. Very likeable and well thought out characters. Captivating read, struggled to put it down. Very educational. Loved it. Beautiful symmetry in beginning and end. Gorgeous love story. Flawless.

Hmm. I've wavered over my rating on this book because it is very, very readable. And by that I mean that although it's a pretty long book, the pages just seem to slip by, and you want to know what's going to happen next...and then next...and then more again.

BUT (and it's a bit but) I had a *lot* of issues with the characters. Mainly, Tim is an asshat. I mean, I actually hated him! I didn't buy that he and Kerry were best friends because what the hell kind of best friend acts in that way. And so, because I was hating Tim so much, I was basically screaming at Kerry to get the hell out of there. There's a lot of bad blood between all three main characters - Kerry, Tim and Joel - and although you sense from the get go that this book is a 'which boy will Kerry choose' story, I was secretly hoping for most of it that she would meet someone entirely new and get the hell out of that town!

In the end, it was Joel I warmed to most of all. His journey became the most honest, and mostly I think I wanted him to get a happy ending. So whilst I couldn't quite edge it to a 4 star I absolutely would read this author again.

I loved how throughout the book there were instructions on how to save a life. Not only do you get to read a great story, you also learn something important that might one day make a huge difference to someone’s life (although, I’d still suggest doing the actual first aid course, if you can!).

I found the characters to be quite annoying far too often and yet... In real life, people aren’t perfect; they mess up and hopefully, get a chance to make up for it. So yes, annoying, but absolutely relatable.

I think from the very beginning it was quite obvious how the story is going to end, but that doesn’t make this book any less interesting; the writing is beautiful, chapters are short & the pace is just right.

Absolutely stunning book about love, friendship, loss and second chances.

Wow what an emotional rollercoaster How to save a life takes you on, from start to finish I was so deeply invested that I couldn't put it down.

How to save a life shows you how one moment in time can change everything and change your future in an instant even though you may not yet realise it.

When Joel collapses and his heart stops beating Kerry steps in to restart it, she has been waiting for this moment her whole life. Kerry and her best friend Tim have lived and breathed all things medical since being kids now this is their moment to put everything they have learned into practice but when it comes down to it, Tim freezes and Kerry is left to save Joel's life on her own. The impact and implications of their actions will live with them forever and change all their lives.

I really loved this book and 5 stars is just not enough!!

It's New Year's Eve 1999. Kerry and her best friend Tim are watching a football match. Tim is thinking about Kerry but Kerry has eyes only for Joel, the Dolphins star player. So when he drops down 'dead' with a cardiac arrest she notices immediately and runs to help. For nearly twenty minutes she battles to save him with CPR and she succeeds. Tim on the other hand has frozen and is unable to help. The three are from then on locked in a triangle which eventually resolves itself eighteen years later.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It reminded me of David Nicholls' writing. The three main characters are very well drawn and develop well throughout. The issues they face are those of many people: break ups, divorce. unexpected pregnancy, abortion, drug misuse, addiction and depression so don't expect a light-hearted chicklit read. I cared for the characters and wanted everything to work out for them. The only thing I didn't like was the very end which was a little too neat for my liking but otherwise an easy read which tackles difficult issues. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.