Wanted to like this, but found the main character puerile and unsympathetic. The way she had of envying her friends and being bitchy about them in her POV wasn't very becoming, and it put me off any sympathy for her plight, which by the way felt drawn out and with not much happening page after page. Not the uplifting and fun/fast-paced story I was expecting, unfortunately

This was an unexpected gem that showed that bond between friends. Since she was widowed, Charley has been living a half life made worse when she is made redundant, her car needs fixing again and the back fence collapses. At a loss of what to do, she enlists the help of her friends and her mother in law Pam who are each going through their own crises. The bond between the women is one of the most endearing qualities about this book as well as the moments that both break your heart and make you smile. Loved this one.

I am a huge fan of this author and this is quite possibly my favourite book yet.

This has been the perfect read to curl up with and it has definitely made me laugh out loud numerous times.

I have been pulled into this one from the very start. This is a fun filled novel guaranteed to cheer you up on the gloomiest of days.

Four years ago the Charley’s husband died suddenly. Now on his birthday she is having the worst luck, her car breaks down, she nearly gets run down while running for the bus and she is made redundant.

Her friends see the redundancy as a chance for charley to start her life again. Then suddenly her mother in law turns up with a suitcase after walking out on her cheating husband.

Things are going to change drastically for these two women.

An uplifting story about love and life after heartbreak.

A very sweet, warm and heartwarming read! I really enjoyed this book, the characters are all so likeable - flawed and human, and I found it a really lovely read.
Charley is so gentle, shes having a really rotten time and you feel so much for her, but being surrounded by the best bunch of mates anyone could have, she starts to find the confidence to recover.
If you need a pick me up I recommend this warm cute book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for the advance copy.

A sweet story about Charley widowed at a young age having been married with the love of her life. As the story begins Charley is made redundant from her job and needs to find something else. She starts worlking in a pub, not great but certainly not her ambition in life. Charley is supported by a group of girlfriends, all different characters and supportive in their own way. Within a couple of chapters her mother-in-law moves into her flat as a lodger after she discovers that her husband has been having an affair for the last 5 years.
Charley starts to become more amenable to making a new start in her life and starts a new business (selling prosecco & related products) . Friendships have their ups and downs. I did like this book, though I felt some of the characters were portrayedwith too little depth and some problems were dealt with too naively /easily which did not always ring true. Nevertheless a feel good novel which made for enjoyable and easy reading.
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Inspirational, uplifting and life-affirming, Cass Lester’s After The One is a wonderful tale about second chances, fresh starts and life’s unexpected surprises readers are going to love.

April 16th is a day Charley dreads. It is the birthday of her beloved husband. The man of her dreams and the one she hoped to spend the rest of her life with. Unfortunately, Charley’s husband is no longer with us and his birthday is a stark reminder of all that she had lost four years ago. Charley just wants to get through the day as best she can and is counting down the seconds until dawn breaks on a brand-new day and April 16th is done and dusted for this year. Unfortunately, fate has got other plans in store for her. This year, on April 16th, Charley’s car breaks down, she is almost run over trying to catch the bus and is made redundant. Hasn’t Charley been through enough? How much more can poor Charley take?

Her friends refuse to let her wallow in self-pity. Sure, she has been made redundant, but this could be the chance she has been waiting for to start living again and to live the life she has always wanted. Since her husband’s death, Charley has been stuck in a rut and now that she is no longer shackled to her job, she can do whatever she likes and implement some much-needed change in her dull and sedate life. Charley has avoided change for the last four years, but the universe decides to shake things up a bit and force her our of her comfort zone in the form of her mother-in-law Pam who has just announced that she has walked out on her 40 year old marriage.

Charley and Pam are two women on the precipice of change. They had always believed that their lives were settled and sorted, but now that The One is no longer part of the equation, what happens next? Will they sink or swim? Will they find the courage to take a leap into the unknown? Or are there are even further surprises in store for the two of them?

After The One is a fabulous book that will strike a chord with readers everywhere. Honest, heart-warming, witty and wonderfully layered with pathos and emotion, After The One is an enjoyable tale about writing the next chapter in your story, taking chances and living life to the fullest that will make readers laugh and cry. Charley and Pam are two terrific characters I adored. Smart, intelligent and believable women, these two are so beautifully drawn they will feel like close friends by the end of the book.

A feel-good read perfect for Cathy Kelly fans, Cass Lester’s After The One is a must-read!

I was seriously getting some deja vu when I first started this one because another book started out very similar, minus the passing of the loved one. After getting over that initial double take, I was back on board with Charley’s friends and family trying to coax her back to life.

It’s hard enough when change happens in your personal life, but when work also turns you for a loop, that lack of routine is enough to get anyone down. Lucky for Charley, she’s not alone...in respect to her aloneness as well as a support system. You see, her mother-in-law is experiencing her own marital changes (the cheating louse!) and is in some serious need of time to regroup. Charley’s fund dilemma provides the perfect excuse for away time as well as a chance to help her help herself to the life that she still had left to live. Between her and Charley’s circle of friends, they help shake the cobwebs off our gal, while navigating their own obstacles, and rediscover all that life and love have to offer.

I felt for Charley, I really did, because she was surely having a time of it. Change sucks at the best of times, let alone at the worst. I honestly think she was quite the trooper for how she handled all the hands invading her life, and couldn’t feel prouder for when she was able to stand up and say what she really wanted, and though it may not look like to perfect life to anyone else, it was her choice. Second to her finding her voice, but only just, was when she discovered her heart once again. That’s not to say that it wasn’t there, and still beating, but it wasn’t open to opportunities, and once the door was prized from the frame, the flood of feelings, the liberation from herself and all that held her back was immeasurable. Pam was actually an intrinsic part of that forward motion as well. Through helping her find her way, she was able to get an inside look at grief and separation from the inside out...enabling her to find her footing, as well as help this daughter of her heart.

All in all, a read with so many characters and story lines, it’s like trying to prize out the Brady Bunch siblings from each other, but the bonds they share, the tasks they undertake, and the Prosecco nights they imbibe on, create memorable moments and stories to share from the lessons they learned, and the love they helped grow. It reminds us that loss is a part of life, but it’s the not the end of it...and those that are no longer with us will always be in our hearts.

The book alternates between the everyday mundane of a long grieving process and life-changing events for main and secondary characters. It is an easy read and I enjoyed a touching story of the relationship between friends and with her mother-in-law. It might be a particularly good recommendation for those struggling to find the next step in their lives and career. The story shows the real fear, doubts and indecisiveness of starting a business, although it was very convenient that her loved ones are so so supportive - including financially!

I found myself being irritated at times by Charley's behaviour. Indecisive, and definitely a 'glass half empty' type of person. Yes, I know she'd been through a lot, but so had her mother-in-law, Pam, who seemed more resilient. I liked Pam much more than Charley. When one of Charley's friends was going through a personal drama, Charley seemed to make it about her. Her parts dragged at times. Not a bad read, but not one I'd want to read a second time. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After The One by Cass Lester is a story of grief and new beginnings. I read this book in two days as I was swept up with Charley and Pam's lives.
Charley hates April 16th. It is her husband's birthday and that reminds her of his death, she just shuts down completely on the anniversary of anything connected with him. She does have friends that are really attempting to draw her back out of her self imposed shell.
Charley is made redundant from work and this point in time seems to be the best for a fresh start for Charley, it is just getting her to actually do it. She has clung to familiarity since her husbands death. Then, one day her Mother-In-Law, Pam turns up at her front door having walked away from her 40 year marriage. So...two women, two losses all be it different types of loss, how will they get through this?
The fact that we see the two women suffering together and able to see each others suffering gives each woman chances to compare their loss. This helps them as we see them grow closer together and move on with their lifes at the same time.
A story about grief and all the stages that need to be worked through before they can move forward with purpose. As they work through the grief it is also about new beginnings and coming to terms with the death of a loved one or a relationship and realising they don't die at that time too. They still have a life to lead and a new start is ahead if they take the support from friends and family.
As I said, thought-provoking and and lovely sweet story that gives hope to anyone who have suffered loss or need a new start.
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources NetGalley, Canelo and Cass Lester for the book and my place on the tour.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me and it was a DNF. I enjoyed the characters but I just couldn't follow the story well. I wouldn't say it was anything to do with the book or writing itself, it just wasn't the right book for me.

This book is all about two women who are transitioning into a different phase of their lives. They are lost, find each other, and use each other’s behaviours as a catalyst to make that change. It’s a bit of a gloomy read in places but does affirm the importance of family and friendship.

Poor Charley. Very quickly in the story we learn that our protagonist is a young widow who is still quietly grieving for her husband. Financial woes then soon mount after her redundancy and with few interview prospects on the horizon, Charley accepts that she will need a lodger to help cover the bills. However, she didn’t have her mother-in-law in mind! Imagine that?! Living with your mother-in-law…

Pam, despite being much older, is also at a crossroads in her life after discovering her husband has been having an affair for the last five years. Pam cannot stand to be in the same room as her husband and both her and Charley decide that living together, at least for the short-term, will benefit them both.

Charley is definitely more lost than Pam and I found her indecisiveness a bit grating at times. There were moments when I thought Charley had made progress in terms of confidence and self-belief, for this then to be disproved. Arguably, her behaviour felt more petulant rather than grieving widow which, as Pam points out to Charley, she is letting define her and her actions. I wanted to see Charley on the upwards trajectory of recovery but, as Lester is demonstrating, this is never always the case and these dips are to be expected.

Charley’s circle of friends are really supportive, although there were some that I favoured over others. There was one particular character who, despite being very close to Charley, I could not stand in her attitude and treatment of her husband. This was compensated by other, more warming characters who seemed to take a bit more of backwards approach in helping Charley, rather than being judgemental and bossy.

This was a lovely read and I liked the theme of transitioning into a different phase of life. Regardless of age or experience, we all face these pivotal moments in our life and in this story, Lester is illustrating the importance of taking your time to decide which choice is the most suitable. Neither Pam nor Charley rush into any decisions, happily plodding along together in a microcosm of Charley’s flat. I liked imagining what it must be like to live with your mother-in-law and could really relate to Charley in terms of having such a supportive, loving extended family. However, there are people out there who cannot say the same!

If you are after a plodding, sweet drama then this will appeal. The novel moves to a optimistic conclusion and it ends on a satisfying note that both Charley and Pam have turned that proverbial corner in their lives. I wonder if the writer would be tempted to follow-up this novel with another story as I would be keen to see what happens next to Charley and her friends. Yet, as it stands, it finishes proving that yes, you can achieve anything your heart is set on… just be prepared to roll your sleeves up along the way.

With thanks to Canelo, NetGalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Charley’s life, after having lost her husband in an accident, has also lost this „something“. Sure, she has better days, but there are also worse days, like today for example, when her car breaks down, she nearly gets run over and is made redundant. Phew. And then her mother – in – law appears on her doorstep, just having left her husband after she’s discovered he has been cheating on her. Double phew.
But it’s also time that Charley decides what to do with her life. While all her friends see the redundancy as an opportunity to start afresh, Charley doesn’t have the courage. Will she stay in the past, grieving after Josh, or will she be brave enough to try something new?

The relationship between Charley and her mother – in – law Pam was lovely. It was true and honest and sometimes awkward, but that’s the way it is, right? Actually, now, when I think about this, I think that all kinds of relationships that the author has captured in her story, let it be friendship, marriage, mother – in – law – daughter – in – law, were much better painted and described than the characters themselves. Those bonds between the characters felt much more realistic and vivid and were brought to life, while the single characters felt flat and lifeless. I know, we are talking about grief here as well, but I can’t base the whole story on grief – it has made the tale drag, Charley seemed undecided and absolutely lost and there always comes a moment when you start to feel frustrated. Or, at least, I do.

It was a very steady read, without life – changing twists and turns. It felt slow and a bit repetitive, sometimes already monotonous and very action – reaction, when something happened it was immediately solved, without building tension. The characters were, for my liking, too much one – dimensional and I really couldn’t care what is going to happen to them. They were very steady and I missed more life in them, they felt a bit robotic and, simply, too lovely. Altogether, I have expected much more from this book – I’m not saying it was a bad one, I’m saying it was not the right read for me.

It was an easy story filled with many characters and storylines that interweave and I think the hugest message here is about bonds the characters share, about the supporting network, about being there for each other, creating new memories. It shows that it’s not easy to move on but that it’s worth to do it, even with baby steps, and that moving on doesn’t mean forgetting. There is a sense of hope in this story, that’s for sure.

After the One tells us of Charley and Pam’s stories. Charley is having the worst day, on her late husband’s birthday her car breaks down and she is made redundant. Worried about what she’s going to do now, her mother-in-law Pam turns up on her doorstep looking for a place to stay after walking out on her husband.

The story tells us of both Charley and Pam trying to navigate there new lives. Pam realises how much Charley has been struggling to move forward since her son’s death and uses the chance to try and push her forward so that she starts living again.

This book is one which is full of love, friendship and family. We are reminded throughout this book the importance of all of these, especially when we are going through a tough time.

Charley has a group of friends that play an integral part of her story, Tara, Angie and Nisha. They are all completely different characters and each bring a different element of support and role to Charley’s life. I loved all of these characters, even Tara when she was being very pushy, and found that they were all relatable. I loved each of their relationships with Charley. I also loved the relationship between Pam and Charley, although this was tested in some ways once they were living together, it remained intact, and Pam proves to be the biggest support for Charley.

I really enjoyed this book. Like I say I loved the characters and what each of them bought to the book. But I also found the story uplifting, Charley being able to go on this journey and start moving her life forward, to start living her life after such heartbreak was at times emotional but also heartwarming.

This is the first of Cass Lester’s books that I have read but I look forward to discovering more.

After the One is a heartfelt story of moving on after you lose someone you thought you would be with forever. Although I have read multiple novels with the same concept of life after losing the one you love, I do not get tired of reading them as, just like real grief, no two stories are the same. It is a very moving story featuring dealing with grief, divorce, careers, general happiness in your life, and, of course, the power of friendship. I am new to reading the works of Cass Lester, but this novel has me very intrigued to read more!

Our story picks up four years after Charley lost her husband, Josh. She is still grieving over his sudden passing and she does not know how to move on. She and Josh were just starting their lives together as Josh was only 32 when he passed away. She goes to work every day at a realty company doing admin work and is made redundant when the company is taken over by another. She now is left with a home and herself to support with no idea what she actually wants to do with her life and career. Although not everyone can directly relate to the loss of a spouse, her uncertainty for her future is very relatable as there are millions of people that find themselves in a similar situation every day.

Charley is a complicated character as I found myself wavering on how much I liked her. She was very well-written, but I just found myself becoming very frustrated with her for almost the entire novel. For me, I would love to know more about her before she met Josh as there are some personality traits that I had difficulty understanding if they were a character change due to her life changes or if they were just her from the start. For most of the novel, Charley either would be completely clueless or she would want to quit because something would be too difficult. She is extremely fortunate that she has incredible friends surrounding her as she was able to have a fantastic support system and also a sounding board when she was trying to figure out the next steps in her life.

She is in need of funds and decides to get a lodger. Luckily, her mother-in-law, Pam, shows up on her doorstep and is in need of a room. Pam’s husband of forty years has been having an affair and Pam has left him to go live with Charley while she finds out what she wants to do next. I admired that Pam and Charley remained close after Josh’s death and it is interesting how they each dealt with their own grief. Pam was a character that I greatly enjoyed as she was logical in her thought processes, but also managed to factor in the emotional sides. The book changes POV between Charley and Pam while also occasionally switching to some of Charley’s friends. I loved the duel perspective of Charley and Pam as they are each going through their own life changes, but I had a like-dislike relationship with the other friends. I loved seeing their own lives as they are very interesting characters, but it sometimes threw off the rhythm of the story.

Tara, Angie, and Nisha (Charley’s friends) were a delight and could easily have their own novels dedicated to them. Tara is very opinionated and likes to dole out advice, especially to Charley, which can be a lot if it is directed at you. I have a lot of friends that are similar to Tara and I love that, just like the character, they may be overbearing sometimes, but it all comes from a place of love. Angie is an art designer that is now a stay-at-home mother and it was very interesting to read about her struggle some days where she wonders what life would be like if she went to work. She loves her life at home, but there are days where it is overwhelming, which is a very relatable trait, especially to many stay-at-home parents. Nisha is a fairly career driven woman dealing with her own divorce after her husband went with another woman and is now contesting the divorce settlement.

Charley’s character progression was well-written and enjoyable. She is nervous about stepping out of the comfort zone of a career she’s had for years and is unsure about pursuing her new dream of opening a Prosecco Themed Shop. Luckily, her friends and Pam are there every step of the way. There are many events that occur with this portion of the storyline that I could not relate to as I could not understand how Charley gets from Point Z without going through A through Y and it somehow works out. It is not impossible, but just seemed very improbable. It is written well though to showcase friendship and the strong bond that people not related by blood can share. Charley’s back and forth about her wanting to move forward, but also wanting to hang on to the memories of the past was both heart-warming and heart-breaking. The entire story captivated my attention and I ended up reading it in a single sitting. I became invested in all of the characters and wanting to see how each of their lives would turn out once I reached the final page. This novel was, overall, a great read, and I would recommend it to others.

**I give a special thank you to Rachel @rararesources for the opportunity to participate via Netgalley with this excellent novel from the publisher, Canelo, and the author, Cass Lester. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Such an emotional and beautiful story. The story follows Charley as she struggles to get her life back on track after the death of her husband. Just about hanging on to some sort of normality, this is rocked when Charley is made redundant from her job. Whilst all her friends see this as the perfect opportunity to make some big changes and move on in her life, Charley doesn’t feel the same. That is, until her mother-in-law Pam, turns up on her doorstep one evening. Pam declares she has walked out on her 40-year marriage and needs somewhere to stay.

Charley and Pam have both experienced loss and heartache. Both women are having to make changes to their lives, through no fault of their own. Charley has lost the love of her life, and no matter what, she can’t move on with her life without Josh. Pam has not only lost her son but has also lost her 40-year marriage to her husband, whom she believed she would be with forever. Seeing the dynamics and relationship between the two of them change and grow throughout the story is just so heartwarming.

After The One is a beautifully written and heartwarming story about love, loss and finding the courage to start again. The writing is so witty and yet packed full of emotion throughout. I totally loved every second of this story – it really is a must-read!

After The One is an incredibly moving story that I found impossible to part with.

Charley has a good life, happily married with a job she loves – that is until her life takes a drastic turn for the worst and she becomes widowed far too early on in her life. This turns her whole world upside down, and she eventually ends up losing her job as she struggles to move on with her life.

Following the loss of her job, Charley then faces the threat of losing the flat that she shared with her husband, a place that holds so many memories for her. She soon comes to realise that the only option she has if she wishes to remain in her home is tot take in a lodger, and with little options left to explore, Charley ends up accepting her mother-in-law Pam’s offer to move in with her.

Pam has a lot of wisdom to share with Charley throughout their time living together, and she plays a big role in Charley beginning to take the tentative steps towards moving forward with her life. Charley has had an idea brewing inside of her head, but isn’t sure whether it is feasible. Following some much needed encouragement from her friends she embarks on opening a Prosecco Themed Shop.

Upon the opening of her shop, Charley soon meets Ricky – a neighbouring shop owner. As she gets to know him better as they begin working alongside one another, we are left with the question – will Charley allow herself to move on and open up to the possibility of being happy once again.

I fell in love with the story from the start. Charley is such a likeable character, and you find yourself connected to her from the start. Following her difficult story is incredibly moving and thought provoking, and it is so wonderful following her progression as the story moves forward.

One of the strong themes that runs throughout this book is the strength that can be pulled from friendship. Charley certainly channels a lot of her courage from the friends and they play a pivotal role in showing her that she still has a lot to live for.

The relationship between Pam and Charley is delightful. Pam has many pearls of wisdom that she shares with Charley throughout this book, and they also allow her to move forward once again. I loved the fact that Pam wasn’t portrayed in the way mother-in-laws often are, instead the author shows Pam as a strong, supportive role in Charley’s life which I adored.

The entire story is so wonderfully written you find yourself well and truly invested in the characters and their happiness as the story advances. The fact that the story was told from both Charley and Pam’s perspectives added new layers to the story, and allowed us to see the ways in which these women were in fact guiding one another through an unimaginably hard time.

I adored everything about this book, and will certainly be sharing my love for this story with everyone!.

I really enjoyed this book, it's one that tugs on your heart in many directions and I felt so attached to it that I read it in a couple of sittings. Charley is such a lovely character and losing a partner at such a young age must be something that is so hard to come to terms with, if you ever can! Her resilience wavered many times throughout the book but if anything I felt that this made it feel more real. The emotions and changes of mind that she experienced when met with the big idea were something that we can all relate to and just jumping in there isn't always the best way to go about things!

When Charley gets made redundant from her job you just think 'oh no, not another one', in the current situation I think this is something that many of us can relate to. I myself got made redundant last year so can only sympathise with Charley and know firsthand the stress that is finding a new job under time pressure (unfortunately without the redundancy pay as well).

The courage she shows throughout the book alongside her absolutely amazing friends is something to look up to and I was urging something to happen with the Bike Guy as soon as we met him, you know when you can just sense that spark between characters!

There's something about strong character bonds that I really like in a book and this had them by the bucketful. Not only do you get the beautiful and raw relationship between Charley and Pam, still supporting each other through the grieving process, but you also see all of the individual and group friendships that she has. Tara is a character that is so full of life it was sometimes overbearing and you are just like 'shut up and let Charley think for herself' but you know it's said out of the kindness of her heart.

Angie is probably one of my favourite understated characters and I feel like she could quite easily have a book written about her *hint hint* the boys had me chuckling a few times!

This is my first Cass Lester book but I'm hoping it won't be my last! This book is full of emotion and truthfulness so you may need a few tissues to hand if you tend to get a bit blubbery but I just absolutely loved it!

What a beautiful story. So emotional to follow Charley on her journey of trying to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. This is definitely a story about the power of friendship, and I loved how Charley’s friends were such a tower of strength to her whilst in turn she was able to be there for them too in their hour of need. I loved the relationship she’d maintained with Pam, her mother-in-law, they were really great together and Pam was able to add those little pearls of wisdom that we all need from time to time. .