Well this was fast paced and I would class it as a palette cleanser from other literary pieces. The story was OK and characters were OK but nothing spectacular so I would say I enjoyed it but it won't be to memorable.

This book was quite different to my usual choices.it had elements of a thriller but was really more of a family drama, I think. Having said that it's good to read some thing other than a thriller some times, and I did enjoy this book. I liked the way it developed, and I wasn't sure how it would pan out. I thought it was an enjoyable read.

I really like books about family dynamics, so I was especially interested in this book b/c it is about 2 identical twins. They have a close relationship, but different personalities. Eve appears to have a perfect life, with a husband who loves her, children, and a new job. Leah is single b/c her boyfriend has just broken up with her after six years.

One night a tragedy occurs and it will test the bounds of their bond forever. Each holds secrets that can destroy others. How far will a person go to be loyal to another. Is it the right thing to do? All of these issues come into play until the final outcome.

My only problem with the book is a think it needed the characters to be more developed. I wanted to know more then just surface information about them. So, this a good book worth reading, but has some flaws.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC of A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy in exchange for an honest review. This was a quick read mostly because towards the end I was skimming quite a bit. I wish there was a little more depth of characters and it was a bit less predictable, but I do always like a complex story about twins. There are so many interesting choices identical twins get to make and the story of Eve and Leah who are opposites even though they look the same is no different. Twists and turns and a good ending do bring this story together in the end.

I have decided to give this book a very low 3 stars. The story is well written but totally unbelievable. I did read all of the book and thought long and hard as to how to review it. The main storyline is just not possible. There is no way all those people would have believed the surviving twin.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

The idea of this book really intrigued me, twins with different personalities and family secrets. I just felt that the beginning of the book didn't live up to my expectations and the writing was a little pedestrian, the book was also VERY repetitive at times and I found it a bit long.

I found parts of the plot kind of unreal and you have to suspend belief. The second half of the book really dragged on to me and I was SO tempted to DNF. I think I was just the wrong reader for this one as it has many four and five star reviews...so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I really enjoyed A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy! I love her voice and will definitely be on the lookout for more of her books in the future.

This book centres on the relationship between a pair of identical twins in their early 30’s. The women are very different from one another and are at different stages in their lives: one is married with two children, the other has just broken up from a long term relationship that she had hoped would soon become an engagement. One appears to be doing very well in a high powered career in property sales and development and the other is struggling to find her path in the world of journalism and is being thwarted in her career aspirations by a boss who wants to keep her where she is.

The plot of this book is totally unlike any I have ever read and the main crux of what happens is totally wild. It is the kind of book where, as the plot unfolds, you’re reading and thinking ‘I feel like this is about to happen…but surely not’. The book had a really high level of anxiety and drama and felt very tense throughout. However, this was coupled with a background of descriptions of quite ordinary, day to day activities, which was an interesting juxtaposition. The plot was truly flabbergasting and I was amazed that the book was able to achieve a real sense of resolution by its close. The book was really easy to read, and despite being quite unrealistic in terms of plot I was really engaged. It also had some really emotional moments that felt very real.

I felt like most of the characters in the book were caricatures – the way their personalities were established felt a little bit one dimensional but also quite extreme. I also felt like the distinction between the twins was a little heavy handed. It seemed to be that one twin was kind of sexy but evil and the other was incredibly wholesome, good and kind, despite maybe doing some things during the book that were absolutely not those things. For me, the characters also seemed a little outdated in terms of their views. For example, one of the twins mentions to her friend ‘I think there is a little bit of a feminist in me’, which I found a bit jarring in 2020.

I also felt like there were some really traumatic events that occurred that seemed to be processed by the characters very easily. Overall, for me there was a lack of realism to the book. Having said that, perhaps that’s not what was intended, and people often really enjoy books that are very intense and high stakes. After all, we often read books as a kind of escapism and while you definitely wouldn’t want this book to be your life, it was very diverting to live in that world for a little while.

Loved this book, it was a rollercoaster of emotions and so well written.
It was hard not to empathise with each of the characters.

Louise Guy writes a beautiful story about two identical twin sisters struggling in their own lives. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the family from Melbourne as the sisters and two adorable little girls captured my heart until the unthinkable happened. While some may consider this a controversial read, I could not put the book down. I wanted more; for the heartbreak to end and to breathe once again after not being able to catch my breath in this fiction novel.

What I liked:
👉 Women’s Fiction
👉 full of twists and turns
👉 takes place in Melbourne, Australia
👉 vivid and real descriptions that get you emotionally involved
👉 masterfully written where the characters leap off the page
👉 both devastating and beautiful
👉 story about family and unconditional love

Eve and Leah are identical twins—but beyond that, they’re polar opposites. Struggling journalist Leah envies Eve’s seemingly perfect life—the loyal husband, the beautiful twin daughters, the stellar career—little knowing that what Eve longs for most is Leah’s independence.

When a shocking event upends their world, one woman seizes a split-second chance to change everything and follow her sister down a different life path. It’s a spontaneous choice, but there’s no going back. How will she deal with the fallout when covering up one untruth means lying to everyone—about everything?

Its an intriguing premise but I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief that one twin could act in an a completely out of character way. I also found Eve very difficult to warm to as she just seemed to be very selfish, so I found it hard to care about what happened to her.

This book was super good. It was super original and I flew through it. It didn't feel like anything I've read in the past. Can't wait to read more from the author!!

This was a good beach read. There were some unrealistic twists and turns for sure! But that''s ok, the writing was good and the plot moved along nicely.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. There were issues with pace, slow to start, then rushed at the end. I didn't agree with the protagonist's decision (I think it caused more pain ultimately), and I think some of her justifications weren't believable. The way her grief was portrayed wasn't realistic either. She was the "nice" twin to put it bluntly, but her behaviour after the accident was calculating. SPOILER ALERT! I think it was a bit off for the suggestion of a new relationship so soon after the death of Sean's wife. Sean's wife was painted too black a character. It was almost as though she got in the way 15 years ago, so it justified what happened after her death. I loved the two young girls and Lewis the cat. This story didn't grip me. I think there could have been more twists. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the book but I wouldn’t say I was a massive fan. It certainly had potential and the concept is interesting. I felt like the twins could have been developed more and the story never really met its potential

I don't know what it says about me that I always pick books about twins and about walking away from your life! I guess it is foreign to me so it's appealing. In this book we have both twins and a possible escape from lives they had found less than satisfying. There is a horrible incident and a decision has to be made. How will it change their lives? Who knows! The book was a satisfying exploration into what if one twin simply steps into the place of another.

A LIFE WORTH LIVING by Louise Guy is about a pair of identical twins, living two entirely different lives. Eve is glamorous, married to a gorgeous man and has identical twin daughters herself. Leah is kinder, but hasn’t been as lucky. She’s just been dumped by her boyfriend of six years, lives alone with her cat, Lewis (who is definitely the highlight of the book) and while she excels at her job, she no longer has the chance to grow. She envies Eve her life - especially since she met Eve’s husband Sean, first.

When a tragic accident occurs, one twin’s life is forfeit. The other decides to step in her shoes, and slip on her life, relationships, and career, justifying to herself that it’s the right thing to do. Intriguing right?

But you’re never convinced. The characters rung hollow, and their emotional reactions never feel authentic. Guy’s depiction of grief, especially, and the ability for one character in particular to act in such a calculating way when her life has been turned upside down, didn’t feel right to me. It also massively slowed down towards the middle and felt very predictable.

That said, it does have some excellent Goodreads reviews, so clearly others really liked this one! It was just a big miss for me.

ONE STAR / DNF

While the book had a lot of potential it left me wanting more. I wasn’t a huge fan of the way the plot developed and had a lot of questions I felt were left unanswered. The characters were well written but I didn’t always understand their decisions.

This is a tricky one to review. I really wanted to love it, and the idea at the heart of the book was certainly unique and interesting enough to capture my attention initially. Unfortunately, the pacing of the book faltered as it entered its second half, to the point where I struggled to finish it.

It's a real shame, as initially I was really enjoying this book - I was intrigued by the main characters and what happened after the accident (hard to say more without spoilers!) and I always enjoy books about twins, so initially I was a bit fan. It's also more of a family drama than a thriller, which is something I appreciated as I felt it was far better suited to this genre.

However, as I said my interest waned towards the second half of the book, and I think there just wasn't enough happening plot wise to justify the rather long book length. I think my main issue is that there was so much potential and room for the author to further develop the plot further, but instead the focus was very narrow, which combined with a slow pace limited my ability to really enjoy and engage with the book.

All in all, not really my cup of tea. However, the writing the decent enough that I would try the author again in the future.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to receive an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in conjunction with NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

'A Life Worth Living' is my first read by Louise Guy and I certainly enjoyed it enough that it won't be my last. The story is about identical twins Leah and Eve who, despite looking the same and being the best of friends, couldn't be more different. Both are experiencing dissatisfaction with their lives, Leah due to her boyfriend of six years abruptly breaking up with her and Eve struggling to fulfil the role of wife and mother due to having no maternal feelings towards her children. The beginning of the novel builds up the reader's picture of these two lives before a horrific incident which shakes the twins and their family to the core. A decision is made (which I don't want to spoil) which changes everything and the reader is left wondering whether the truth will be revealed.

Guy has carefully plotted an intriguing story here. Don't expect a psychological thriller or anything twisty. It is pure family drama and Guy layers up the raw emotion as lives are altered and morals challenged. I particularly enjoyed the developing family dynamics with Eve's twin daughters and their childish excitement about the world, continually demonstrating their capacity to cope with grief and disruption. All in all, this was an emotional yet ultimately uplifting read. 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.