I absolutely fell head-over-heels for this gorgeous book. Elizabeth's husband, the village GP dies leaving her with huge debts. She turns to her friend Jo who suggests that her daughter might be able to lend a hand in the meantime as she's taking time out from her busy hospital job. Lucy is divorced and she and her teenage son, Niall come down to Ballycove from Dublin to check the situation out and see if they could make their home there.

Dan is having some time out from his busy life in London to try and trace someone who means the world to him. He's also planning to write his first novel. He meets Niall in unusual circumstances and becomes a father-figure and friend.

Jo and Elizabeth start taking midnight swims together and share their troubles as well as having a few laughs. When Jo breaks the news to her friends and family everyone is heartbroken and after getting over the shock of it all they plan a big fundraiser - gathering all the women together, young and old to take part in a midnight skinny dip which turns out to be a huge success.

There are some moments in the book which had me in tears, both sad and happy ones. I just loved the storylines and characters and so highly recommend it. One of my favourite reads this year.

Dip your toe in the ocean of love, kindness, friendship and new beginnings in Faith Hogan’s latest novel.

The indomitable spirit of friendship lies at the heart of this sweet and charming novel, one that is perfect for lazy days and Sundays. Disappearing into the pages of this book is like slipping into sugar coated heaven where love and friendship are greatly valued above all else and the complexities of life can pale into insignificance with a smile, a friendly word and maybe a lovely slice of cake or two! The good news is there’s not a single reference to social media in sight! I was carried along on a tide of good emotions as the author introduced me to the wonderful characters living in the sleepy backwater of Ballycove, on the west coast of Ireland. This is the kind of novel that allows you to press your reset button letting the gentle narrative lull you into a relaxed and peaceful state of being.

Meet Elizabeth O’Shea, recently bereaved wife of local GP Eric, a man whose vices in life have left her in a worrying and potentially life changing predicament. In her hour of need who should Elizabeth confide in but good friend Jo who might just have the answer needed to turn her friend’s misfortune into good fortune.

Lucy, Jo’s daughter has decided she needs a change of scenery. Working night shifts as a doctor in A&E in a Dublin hospital she sees little of her teenage son Niall who is unhappily closeted away at boarding school. Divorced from husband Jack who now lives on the opposite side of the world, this mother and son could really benefit from a fresh start and where better to take stock and reevaluate their lives than back home in Ballycove? Spending precious time with mother/grandmother Jo is long overdue especially given the fact this energetic, lively woman is not as robust as she once was.

Dan, over in London is seriously contemplating leaving behind his scriptwriting career to write his first novel and isolation is something he craves after hectic city life. Rural backwater Ballycove could prove to be the perfect author’s retreat; that he also has ties to this part of the world makes his decision to uproot his life that much easier. Is it serendipity that he arrives in Ballycove at the exact same time as Lucy and Niall and quickly becomes part of the community?

This is a gentle tale of decent folk in which the main characters are each awakening to a new dawn, preparing for their lives to take on new directions. It’s a novel about discovering the small pleasures in life, rediscovering your joie de vivre and finding a place that truly feels like home. For Jo, Elizabeth and Lucy that also includes being the only members of the midnight swimming club where together they can laugh and cry, celebrate and commiserate and simply let their cares drift away on the Atlantic waves. Jo, as the founding member invites her friend and daughter to share their troubles and their woes without passing judgment, each one of them offering plenty of love and support turning insurmountable problems into more manageable ones. That it also becomes a way of bringing this small community together in one person’s darkest hour is perhaps the most heartwarming aspect of this novel. Welcoming Dan into their exclusive little group it’s impossible to ignore the power and importance of friendship as these characters divulge their innermost dreams and fears. United in friendship, these characters are invincible; whatever life throws at them, good and bad you know they’ll face their battles side by side.

You’ll fall in love with the setting as much as you will the characters, the idyllic sounding Ballycove the ideal place for fresh starts. With its windswept beaches, breathtaking vistas, unpredictable climate and a sense of community spirit who needs prescriptions for aches and pains when you have this on your doorstep?? Faith Hogan combines the beauty of this landscape with the beauty of these friendships in a warm uplifting tale guaranteed to leave you in a happy state of mind.

You can apply every cliche under the sun to this author’s writing but that isn’t a criticism! Sentimental, cheesy and predictable this novel may be but it’s also a refreshing distraction from reality, almost as invigorating (I imagine!) as a dip in the Atlantic and one that I’d be happy to recommend. Not sure if it would convince me to take a midnight swim anytime soon! I think I prefer to imagine that the Ladies’ Midnight swimming club have enough new recruits to accompany these characters in their nocturnal activity for years to come. Now when I’m in need of a pick me up I’ll do well to remember this author’s name. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

It’s midnight in the Irish town of Ballycove and if you head to the beach you will hear the sounds of Jo, Elizabeth and Lucy having a bracing swim in the sea. Listen closely and you will hear laughter and revelations - one has their life upturned, one is burnt out and one has a secret. Everything is about to change for these women as they swim under the stars.

I really enjoyed this story of female solidarity and friendship. The author paints the picture of Ballycove so well that I felt I was walking along the beach and swimming beside the characters as we learn about their lives.

The women in the book have the most well rounded and developed characters whereas Niall and Dan felt a bit 2D and superficial, as did the conclusion to Dan’s part of the story.

All in all, it’s a cozy but emotional read. I raged at the damage caused to the characters by the ineptitude an old unfulfilled and bitter man. There’s a full range of emotions invoked by the plot. There’s also scope for another book with the characters. I’d recommend it as a great beach read or for a rainy weekend by the fire.

Thanks to Netgalley, Faith Hogan and Aria publishing for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Three wonderful women come together in this book. Lucy after a divorce decided she needed a break from her job as a doctor in a hospital in Dublin. She and her son, Niall, went to visit her Mom in her rural seaside hometown. Her Mom, Jo, is a well-loved community member who gives much to those around her, but she has a secret issue she's not talking about. Elizabeth, the local doctor's wife, has recently become a widow and has found that her husband died leaving her with crippling debt, their large house and his practice. The women, become close friends, and find freedom and relief from their cares and worries when they, led by Jo, go swimming in the cold Atlantic waters at midnight. They form a close bond and provide courage and support for each other.

This book left me feeling upbeat. I loved the closeness of the women and their strength and courage as they faced the ups and downs in their individual lives. This is a story of love, grief, community, and friendship, and it is warm and heartfelt.

Thanks to Aria and Aries through Netgalley for an advance copy.

This is a heartwarming read that draws you into the lives of all the characters. You can guess what is going to unfold, but it is still an enjoyable read. The author's use of language paints vivid pictures.

The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan is about three women who go swimming together in the freezing Irish sea as a way of releasing stress. We have Elizabeth, recently widowed and discovering secrets her husband, Eric, left behind. Amongst these are a huge amount of debts and a struggling GP practice. Jo, Elizabeth's long-term friend with her own health challenges, suggesting that her (Jo's) daughter, Lucy, can help with the GP practice for the time being. Lucy, a doctor in a busy A&E city hospital looking for a change after her divorce. These three women form a triple-plaited cord. Faith Hogan's profile states that "she writes grown-up women's fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel good and inspiring". She has done it again. This book deals with friendship, love, loss, life-changing decision making, and family in a relatable manner. If you are looking for your next reading group pick, this novel will provide many hours of discussion. Well written, engaging and highly recommended.

The Ladies’ Midnight Swimming Club is a heartwarming tale of multi generational friendships and love.
Elizabeth’s husband has recently died, leaving her with crippling debts after a loveless marriage. Jo’s is suffering from ill health but battles on while supporting her recently divorced daughter Lucy. Dan has arrived in this quite corner of Ireland in search of peace to write a novel, and to find his mother who gave him up for adoption.
The relationships between all the characters is beautifully played out, and even if the storyline is predictable, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the novel.

Absolutely loved this. Great characters and the descriptions of Ireland were just beautiful. I got really engrossed with the story and loved the ending. Highly recommended.

I loved, loved, loved this story! Warm, engaging and an all round feel good read. The characters were wonderful and I really cared about them all. I laughed and cried. The plot was perhaps a little predictable but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all. Beautifully and sensitively written, I have already recommended it and will look for more by this author.

This is such a beautifully written book. It's really centred round Elizabeth, who suddenly widowed, finds that her disagreeable Dr husband left a mountain of gambling debts. However, this never seems to be the central point of the story, as so much emotion is expressed in other areas. The midnignt swimming begins with her friend Jo and takes on a life of its own.
Descriptions of the water, the swimming, the joy of freedom , are so well written. Sadness later in the story is turned into something surprisingly positive. The final swim is very emotional and again, beautifully described.
Thank you for the chance to read and review this book.

I really liked the premise of this book and was in the mood for a feel good novel. Although it was perhaps a little slower than I'd have liked for the first 50%, the last 50% did make up for it in terms of pace and plot. I felt like the characters were really likeable and the plot believable and despite having underlying difficult topics, it was generally a pretty uplifting book.

I feel like the last 30% of the book really made it for me and actually had me in tears which is something that very rarely happens. Hogan is a lovely storyteller and I did finish this with a general feeling of positivity and enjoyment even if I did guess a couple of the plot twists. I would say 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

What a wonderful book I couldn't put it down.
Faith Hogan's wording resonated with my heart and the storyline hit me in the feels.

Elizabeth's husband died leaving huge debts putting to risk her future. Fortunately her friend Jo is there to comfort and to help her. Lucy, Jo's daughter, and her son take some time away from the city to go to Ballycove for a little holiday but destiny has other plans for them. They begin the Midnight Swimming Club to stay together at the end of the day but soon enough it becomes a freeing experience to savour and to enjoy.

Jo, Elizabeth and Lucy have different ages and different living experiences but now that they are together in the same place they have the chance to understand and to help each other.
I loved these women, they are lovely, funny, inspiring and brave. At the end I wanted to sign up for their club and to hug them.

I love the sea and I had to read a story with a title like this. Here the sea is seen as a place where you can just be you, living in the moment, the salty water washes away your thoughts, your troubles and recharges you.

This is definitely a story I recommend.

The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club by Faith Hogan

Jo lives in a cottage overlooking the sea in Ballycove, a village in the west of Ireland, and loves her midnight swims in the bitterly cold but invigorating Atlantic ocean. Elizabeth her lifelong friend joins Jo in her midnight swims after her husband Eric, the village doctor, dies and she discovers he has huge gambling debts which could bankrupt her. Lucy, Jo's daughter, recently divorced, takes a break from her job as an A&E doctor in a Dublin hospital and returns home with her teenage son Niall. She soon joins Jo and Elizabeth in their midnight swims and the three women laugh together and support each other as they face new life-changing challenges.

I have loved everything Faith Hogan has written and this is no exception - brilliant! I loved the characters, the setting, and especially the story of the women supporting each other. Friendship rocks! I also enjoyed Dan's story and Niall finding new friends in Ballycove too. So much to enjoy in this book. A fabulous 5 star read that I finished in a day - very highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

A beautiful emotional story. When Elizabeth is widowed the house and doctors surgery where she lived are too much for her to manage and she has to try and get someone to run things for her until she can sort things out,.Her best friend Jo asks her daughter Lucy take over for a while so she leaves her job in London and goes to Ireland back to her childhood home. with her son ..It is a lovely warmhearted read and it has wonderful characters who you can connect with, and the community spirit shines through making this book a fabulous read. I really loved it and hope there will be a follow up novel

A very poignant book for me especially as a close relative has cancer. However the story is delightful but highly emotional. I enjoyed reading it and can equate with the feelings except the end which I have yet to come

The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club was a nice easy read with really likeable characters. It is one of those stories that had everything nicely tied up at the end.

If you are looking for a beachy summer read without too much concentration needed then this book will fit the mould. Even though there is some sadness in this story it doesn't feel as sad as it should and doesn't detract from the happy ever after ending either.

I loved this book. Sad in parts. I won't spoil it but I worked out early on who the mother would be. I loved the swims at midnight. Gosh you felt for Elizabeth dealing with all her husbans secret's but she got her well deserved happy ending. The fund raiser they did for J0 I would loved to have joined in. There were lots of characters to follow . A jolly good read set in a beautiful place. The changes Lucy and Elizabeth did to the surgery was great. There is a lot to this book.

An emotional story of three women of different ages and stages of their lives.
Their midnight swims are a place to share their fears, secrets and dreams.
The author has written a book that has humor, sadness and though their lives are quite different, the time spent on their midnight swim leads to a binding friendship and a chance to start over.
Thank you Netgalley and Aria and Aries for an early copy of this book. The comments and review are my honest opinion.

Three women. Three lives.
Elizabeth has lost her husband. He wasn't the respected Doctor that everyone thought he was and he has left Elizabeth with major debts.
Jo, is her best friend, her confidante and Lucy is her daughter, a Doctor in Dublin, a single mother.
Jo and Elizabeth find midnight sea swimming helps them cope with all their problems and soon Lucy joins them, but another is listening in.

It might be a surprise to her many fans, but I’ve never read a Faith Hogan novel before. I can’t think why, because I absolutely loved this literary mix of the deeply emotional, yet uplifting and funny book set in a small seaside village in Ireland. It focuses on a lifelong friendship between two older women - Jo and Elizabeth. Jo lives in a small cottage overlooking the bay and has one daughter, Lucy. Lucy is a doctor whose having a long break over the summer from working long hours in a busy hospital. She’s still struggling with the aftermath of a divorce and a husband who has a new wife and relocated to the much sunnier and glamorous sounding Australia. Elizabeth is still grieving her husband, the village GP, but is still keeping his secrets. All three women meet in the bay at midnight for a dip in the freezing cold Atlantic. Finally, there’s Dan, a young writer taking a break from script-writing and hoping inspiration hits in the quaint Irish village of Ballycove.

This book hinges on the strength of its characters and I was destined to love Elizabeth. Up until now she seemed to hold herself apart from the village, apart from the abiding friendship she shares with Jo, who knew her before she became the doctor’s wife. Remote from other villagers in her large house with adjoining doctor’s surgery she is in the strange position of knowing some of the most personal aspects of her neighbour’s lives, yet not a single one knows her story. Many might have thought she was destined for the big house and the status it brings, but nothing could be further from the truth. Elizabeth finds her house cold and never truly feels at home there, preferring instead the cosiness of Jo’s small cottage. As the novel progresses she creates a corner for herself with the comfiest chair and the evidence of her hobbies laying round about her. It’s the most comfortable she’s ever been in her beautiful house, that’s never really been a home. She has just lost her husband and is going through all the upheaval that brings, but there were secrets about her marriage that nobody knows. The young doctor’s proposal for Elizabeth’s hand had conditions attached, more than she could ever have realised at the time. It was the only way out of a terrible situation she found herself in - pregnant and afraid she made the bargain, then paid a terrible price for the rest of her life. What we experience with her is an awakening and so many new experiences start to open up, signified powerfully by the midnight skinny dipping she’s enticed into by her friend Jo. She emerges ready to take on the problems she finds herself in, not least the gambling debts racked up by her late husband and the ailing practice he left behind. Firstly hiring Jo’s daughter Lucy as an interim GP for the summer, making plans to sell the house and helping visiting author Dan in his quest to find out more about the local home for unwed mothers. There is more heartache to come, but will Elizabeth have the strength to face it?

Lucy is another character dealing with the aftermath of huge life changes, after the collapse of her marriage. She’s taking a break from work and hoping to reconnect with her son Niall. He finds it hard to accept the quieter pace of life in Ballcraig and hates that he’s left friends behind. He has a heartbreaking conversation with his mum where he discloses that he’d rather go live with his Dad in Australia. He’s imagining his father’s cool apartment overlooking the Sydney harbour and the excitement that living back in a city might bring. Lucy knows her ex- husband will say yes, not because he has a burning need to spend time with his son, but because it will score points. It takes a strong woman to put aside her misgivings and make that phone call, but she does. However, as Niall forms a relationship with Dan after visiting his cottage out on the cliff, then meets the piano seller’s daughter will the magic of this little village rub off on him? Lucy also starts to find friendship, firstly with Elizabeth and also with her mother who encourages her to join the midnight swimming club. She also starts to confide in Dan who is a great listener, but since both of them are only visiting the coast, is this a friendship that can flourish.

Lastly Jo, who is one of those characters who seem to sustain everyone else. She’s the friend with the cosy home that people want to visit, the starter of social gatherings, and the great listener with a cup of tea never far away. As always with good listeners and people used to caring for others, she isn’t always good at sharing her own worries and problems. She’s fiercely loyal to her friends, the evening long ago, where she started an altercation with Elizabeth’s husband over how he was treating her friend is long remembered and talked about. Without seeming to do much she is the lynchpin of this group and is thought well of by her fellow villagers. When it’s clear she does need help, the support comes from all around her. I really enjoyed her acceptance of life with all its heartbreak and absurdities, as well as the way she values her female friends.

These characters are so well drawn I feel that they might exist somewhere. The setting is beautifully romantic, even if the sea is absolutely freezing! Dan’s quest is well handled too, with an honesty about the awful cruelty that did happen within mother and baby homes in Ireland, the true extent of which still hits the headlines today. The author uses her older characters to describe what it is like when a country is so ruled by any religion, and how in small villages the word of the parish priest or Mother Superior was law. I enjoyed the humour though too, often just in the way the characters talk to each other but also in little ‘in-jokes’ with the reader such as Dan imagining the swimming club as one of those films like Calendar Girls. I can imagine this as a film, but until then I have quite a back catalogue to dive into. Thanks to this novel, Faith Hogan has a new fan.

This review will be appearing on the blog tour.