Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early review copy of this book!

So, I really wanted to love this book. I really really did. I honestly was really endeared by a main character who’s self image was really struggling in the aftermath of a horrible end to a relationship as I feel like I can relate to that on a lot of levels. The problem was, I could not get into this book and I had a lot of issues with some of the ways certain things were handled, mainly, the main characters eating disorder.

I felt that her eating disorder was talked about and brought up, but never addressed and actually felt normalized in some ways. And while I know that I don’t think this was the intent, it made me a little uncomfortable reading and I wasn’t really able to enjoy the book because of it. I also found the inner monologue / Jane Austen type voice got a little old after the first few instances and was honestly annoying after awhile.

Then, honestly I could not get into the love between the two characters. When I read romances I can get behind a lot of things if the chemistry sizzles off the page, but this was sadly not the case. The chemistry between Alice and Edward was meh, there really was no passion and it was a relationship built off one memorable encounter years ago that I honestly have to question how memorable it really was.

Overall, It took me weeks to finish this book. Weeks. I usually read books in days. It was a struggle. I wish I had more things positive to say but sadly it really was not for me.

Unfortunately this didn’t live up to the blurb. I didn’t like the 2 internal voices which kept coming out as I felt this wasn’t needed at all. I didn’t finish it but I’ve since seen that the author is rewriting some parts so I would love to try it again with the rework.

Thank you NetGalley, author Nancy Peach, and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter publishing for giving me a free arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW: Cancer, death of a loved one, detailed scenes during hospice care
4 stars
When Dr. Alice Carter catches her current partner cheating on her with a man, she finds herself jaded by romance. Edward Russell, the son of one of Tess’s patients. Tess and Eddie shared an unforgettable night five years ago, a night she never forgot. However, Eddie is very different now than he was five years ago. He is colder and harsher, and supposedly doesn’t remember their night together five years ago. Eddie hasn’t come to terms with his mother’s prognosis and is questioning Tess’s every decision. Can they have a second chance to be together?
I was drawn to the premise of the story. I love seeing characters finding their confidence in romantic relationships when all seems bleak. I found myself rooting for both Eddie and Tess from the very beginning. They both seemed lost and in need of the care the other could provide. I loved Mary, Eddie's mother. She was so down-to-earth and really seemed to be the glue that held her family together. The author did a marvelous job helping the reader an insight into the world of end of life care. This is not a subject many people like to talk about nor even think about, but I believe the author handled this topic with the grace and care that was needed. Tess' internal monologues got a little annoying at times. They seemed to take the reader out of the events taking place, which made it hard to switch back into the story after the inner voices were done speaking. The setting and writing were very realistic and held my attention until the very end. I was well pleased with the ending. Overall, this was my first book by this author and it will not be my last. I would recommend this book for those who are looking for something different in their romance!

Tess Carter is a doctor on rotation at a hospice care facility. When her new cancer patient arrives at the facility with her demanding son in tow, Tess is heartbroken to realize that he didn't even recognize her. They spent one night five years ago at the party of a mutual friend staying up all night and talking, and Tess thought they had a real connection. But the timing wasn't right as Tess was already in a relationship. They lost touch for all that time, but now Edward's back with seemingly no recollection of that night. To make it worse, he's frustrated with his mother's decision to stop treatment and taking it out on Tess. But the more he sees the dedicated and loving care she gives to his mother, he starts to trust her. Will he ever remember her and their one special night?
Another Pride and Prejudice spinoff, especially with Jane Austen playing the part of one of the voices in her head that stands up to the negative voice Tess calls the tv host. The voices got quite annoying after a while and I started to skip those parts for the story behind them. Then I started to enjoy the book a lot more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have to be honest, this wasnt the best read this year but neither was it the worst. It was right in between. It had bits we could all relate to with the inner monolgue of the main character Alice.

It does mention cancer quite heavily and I can see for some readers it may be quite upsetting as it was for me in places and I've never known anyone with cancer.

I felt all the feels and in general it was a good book

A great debut book and one that will certainly make me look for future works by the author. I laughed, I cried and then I laughed and cried some more. It was moving, funny, emotional in all the right measures and kept me wanting to read on.

The characters, places and events are described so well that I had no problem picturing them as I read, laughing at the funny parts and tearing up at the emotional ones. The characters were likeable and I feel that the book could easily have a follow up or a series of novellas following some of the others characters / a couple of years later.

When I first started reading I expected a light hearted romantic story but that wasn’t the case and was abundantly clear after just a couple of pages - the author tackles some hard hitting topics. Tess our main character has been through the mill in recent times and is insecure and full of self doubt. She is often battling with a voice inside her head who is quite unkind at times and although the other voice she hears is a voice of reason it is often (as is the case for so many) drowned out. Throw in a guy she clicked with many years ago at a party, who she remembers but he doesn’t seem too and Tess has to try to stop her personal and professional life as a doctor crossing the boundaries.

I would definitely recommend this book.

A clever concept with the two voices in her head giving advice to Tess as she struggles through life.
A flawed character with so much going for her, Tess is rather frustrating at times. Her compassion for her patients though was wonderful to read about and I loved how she was able to move on from the challenges in her life and be more Jane.

Who knew I needed a romcom set in a hospice?! As it turns out this was actually really funny and thoughtful.

This is a second chance romance for two people that spend a memorable evening together years ago and find each other again in extremely stressful circumstances. Edward is wading through the emotional rollercoaster of supporting his mother who has terminal cancer and has to face the realities of that. Tess is a doctor at the hospice facility caring for Edward's mother. Understandably this is a high stress situation and so their second meeting doesn't go as smoothly as one would like. More importantly when they first reconnect Edward is in a relationship and Tess is trying to date again so that throws a wrench in everything and for most of the story. Super impressed with how the author gave so much levity to such very heavy topics!!

I was a huge fan of the pacing in this book and the great banter from our two leading characters as well as form the brilliant cast of supporting characters at the hospice and in their family and friend groups.

CW: eating disorders, parental death, cheating

I was approached to read this book by One More Chapter via NetGalley. I was sold on a "hilarious, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy", but sadly I don't feel that that's what I got.

As opposed to finding it laugh-out-loud funny, I've actually come away from it thinking it should come with some sort of trigger warning; as someone with existing mental health issues, there were parts of this book that I found uncomfortable to read. It was mentioned in the blurb that Tess was a doctor, but not that she was a hospice doctor, meaning some readers will unexpectedly find themselves dealing with some emotionally sensitive content.

The blurb also mentioned voices in Tess' head that she has to contend with - an early insight into the fact that her mental health is not where it should be. I appreciate what the author was trying to do with these voices, kind of like a devil and angel on each shoulder, but the execution of her concept fell short for me. The angel voice was saccharine, and the devil voice felt overly mean and extreme. While this is probably an accurate reflection of what goes on in someone's head when they are struggling with their mental health, it seemed out of place in a book that's been marketed as the "summer's most hilarious romcom".

On top of this, I found myself contending with an eating disorder that was unexpected given the blurb that I had read. There is nothing wrong with including something like this in any book, but it seems unfair to spring it on the unsuspecting reader without warning. To add more challenge to the situation, it was spoken about enough as part of the plot that you couldn't just skim past it, but not enough that it was ever really properly dealt with or resolved healthily. Given how sensitive a topic like this is, it felt like a side-plot that was normalised instead of tackled, ultimately leaving me with the impression that the subject had been mishandled.

In large part thanks to this, and the extremity of the TV host (devil) voice in Tess' head, I struggled to connect with Tess as a character - I found her to be annoyingly self-pitying rather than rooting for her as I should have done. Similarly, Edward came across as unnecessarily arrogant and mean, and therefore hard to like. The character I ended up liking the most was Mary, the hospice patient; she was the warm and gentle touch that the book needed more of.

In terms of the plot, it was nice enough, and the pace mostly worked. My only issue is that the beginning and end didn't appear to be completely fleshed out. At the start, I felt like I had been abruptly and jerkily dumped into the middle of Tess' life without really being able to understand her. The end seemed to resolve everything quite speedily given how detailed the middle had been.

Additionally, while it won't be an issue for anyone reading this once it's published, the formatting of the unproofed copy I received was challenging to read and served to further distract and disconnect me from the material.

Ultimately, something about this book just didn't click, and it wasn't for me.

Enemies to lovers trope is my favorite to read but this book missed the mark. Alice's inner monologue ruined the story. It was nothing but negative self-talk narrated between a talk show host and Jane Austen which really distracted and annoyed me.

The other aspect I struggled was the homophobic overtones and stereotypes - YOU CAN'T TURN A PERSON GAY because your boyfriend sought love from another man. Some of the language was off-color and didn't sit well with me.

I received a complimentary copy from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for an honest review.

👩‍⚕💕Romance complicated by inadequacy issues🏥

4.5🌟 stars
Love Life has so many layers of depth that make it a compelling read. I really fell head over heels for this touching story of romance and dealing with the decline and imminent death of a loved one. Tess, the physician female lead, has major self loathing and insecurity related to her appearance, her father's abandonment, her mother's overprotectiveness and the belief that she is unlovable: a pile of issues that she can't allow to affect her care for her terminal hospice patients. Edward, the son of one of her dying patients, is high-handed and filled with anger and regret but Tess can't seem to separate the present, entitled grouch from a brief, magical encounter with a younger Edward that he seems oblivious to but that she never forgot.

I was really touched by all of the roiling emotion author Nancy Peach has incorporated into their story. It came off as real, gritty, heartbreaking but inspiring too.

My one issue with the book is the technique Peach employs to reveal Tess's internal debate about her worthiness and the appropriateness of her actions. Tess is constantly hearing a really harsh, mean-spirited television host the likes found on confrontational talk shows that reveal cheaters, and the embodiment of a wise Jane Austen arguing and giving her conflicting advice. I found the cruel comments from the television host putting down her appearance, ridiculing her and egging her on to bulimic behavior the hardest to bear. This technique made the story slow-going until I just started skipping over the internal rants. Tess's fragile self-esteem is key to the story but the put-downs and heckling were intense and not for the faint-hearted.

Thanks to Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

So, what happens when you are a woman living the aftermath of a broken relationship, where you found your then partner, in bed, with another man? Coupled with doing your residency in a hospital, training to be a doctor? Alongside generally feeling like absolute rubbish, because, well, you are. Anyway, that's how life has made you come to view yourself?
This kinda sums up our heroine, Tess.
Oh, but I forgot, she has these two voices in her head, or rather like the devil and angel one might have on your shoulders, she has the chat show host, akin to Jerry Springer, rubbing her face in all the downs she encounters, with the lovely Jane Austen on her other side, cheering her along, with her ladylike grace.
While on her training stint in the hospice of the local hospital, she encounters a patient with who she develops a strong bond. What she wasn't counting on, was the son of said patient, who brings back certain memories... yet, he doesn't appear to remember her, at all.
It took me a short while to really get into the swing of the book, but once I was there, I was THERE, if you know what I mean!
Honestly, there were times I wanted to punch the Chat Show Host in the face - What an obnoxious man! But the light-hearted banter that spilt from the mouths of the two voices, along with the story, as it unfolds, had me wanting to read more!
Many thanks to Netgalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fairly intense romantic book set against the complex, unpredictable and emotional background of an hospice. Despite the background, there is a lot of light entertainment in this book making it an easy read with a warmhearted feel beneath the grittiness of real life. There are a lot of hidden issues dealt with in a strong literary style but sensitive which will make the reader think about the topics raised on several different levels. I understand that this is a debut novel and I, for one, shall be looking out for more work from this author.

This book is one that is not meant for the lighthearted reader. It touches a lot of different topics such as mental health, death, cancer, and eating disorders. If you are unable to handle topics such as these, I would not recommend this book for you.

From the beginning, the voices in Tess' head were loud and degrading which made the whole book overwhelming. It was difficult to read and made for a confusing read. The cover and the synopsis of this book portray a really different novel than what you actually get in the story. While there is romance, there is also quite a few hard to swallow topics and I am not a fan of the way that they were handled in the book.

I liked this story. It was truly inspirational. The characters were also fun to read about. The tension was fun to read about.

Absolutely loved this book. Unique setting and Tess and Edward meeting up again. Confusion, family, illness and emotional issues all combined to make a wonderful story.
It addresses a lot of taboos in a very sensitive way.

Tess is a woman who has lost her confidence after a bad breakup. Edward is the one who got away all those years ago. This is a beautiful and heartbreaking story that deals with insecurity and all the stages of grief. But through it all, hope, trust, and romance emerge. With A smarmy TV talk show host and none other than Miss Jane Austen herself serving as the ongoing commentary inside Tess's head, this story remained charming and full of heart while dealing with life's ultimate unifyer, death. I adored the story and the flawed characters. But most of all, I adored how well Nancy Peach managed to weave together all the parts. It's one of my favorite reads in a long time. I liked it so much, I immediately began reading it again. TW: This book contains a struggle with an eating disorder.

The book is described as "An uplifting and feel-good romance perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane and Beth O’Leary!" I however do not feel that this is an accurate description. The book covers subjects including terminal illness and eating disorders and so for a lot of people these subjects could be triggers/upsetting, however there is no reference or warning in any of the blurb for someone considering reading the book.

I understand what the author was trying to do with the two voices in the main characters head however for me if was no executed as well as it could have been and at time did get almost boring.

I also do not consider the subject of eating disorders was dealt with that well. For the majority of people it is not simply something that they can "stop" doing. Should the character have been followed for further years this would have been likely to have resurfaced due to not having sought any help during the book.

I did like the character of Mary.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 3.5⭐️

A hospice is an unusual setting for a feel good romance but that’s where we find the heroine of the tale, Dr Tess Carter, when she comes face to face with Edward Russell, a blast from her past. His mother Mary becomes one of Tess’s patients and inevitably Edward and Tess spend more time in each other’s company during his lengthy visits to the hospice. Although Tess recognises Edward immediately, it would seem he has no recollection of their long ago meeting but despite their differences in background and how best to deal with Mary’s prognosis they manage to forge a friendship of sorts. Romance definitely isn’t on the cards or is it?

I loved the premise of this novel. The author’s approach to writing romantic fiction initially feels fresh, original and a little bit quirky due to the two inner voices who jostle for space within Tess’s head, commentating on her actions, strengths and weaknesses in their own unique style, presiding as judge and jury. TV show host, channelling visions of Jerry Springer/Jeremy Kyle is the voice of doom, a voice full of invective, justifying and confirming every bad thought Tess has about herself. In contrast the voice of reason, the one believing in Tess as a decent, caring young woman worthy of love belongs to Jane Austen and the two constantly compete for Tess’s attention, each one trying to drown out the other. I loved both these voices, one quite amusing despite the rude, derogatory, vile comments, the other calm, dignified, very proper, ladylike and quaint. All I could hear was the dulcet tones of Vanessa Redgrave in my ear each time Jane Austen decided to pipe up! But who should Tess listen to? The devil or the angel?

I have very mixed feelings about this novel. Some aspects are good. The voices of Tess’s two alter egos are an inspired way in which to convey her inner turmoil. In addition the author observes a family in the midst of watching a loved one’s life ebb away, coming to terms with their impending loss and grief in a sensitive manner. Edward, as far as romantic heroes go is middle of the road but not one to necessarily make the reader swoon! On the other hand Nancy Peach may alienate some readers with her less than modern and cliched response to Tess’s discovery that her boyfriend has been cheating on her, a situation that kickstarts Tess’s downward spiral into self loathing. Should it really matter whether it’s a man or a woman?? Surely cheating is cheating? Any behaviour that undermines your self worth, albeit temporarily is the cue for much introspection and self flagellation but maybe not to the extent Tess experiences. I wanted to yell at her “GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK!!” Letting this episode define her life going forward coupled with the insecurities her mother has saddled her with regarding men in general makes her a rather bitter and self pitying character and unfortunately it wears thin! Also the chip she carries on her shoulder in relation to her upbringing as opposed to Edward’s renders her spiky,angular and sharp; her edges need smoothing! In my opinion this is a shame as there’s plenty to like about the woman; her love for animals for starters and her bedside manner towards patients in her care which is genuinely warm and caring is another but Tess’s low opinion of herself overshadows all her lovely qualities and it becomes harder not to lose patience with her. But are her internal battles representative of the struggles many women face? If the answer is yes then at least on some levels you will be able to relate to Tess. On the whole the author has portrayed a flawed individual, capable of making mistakes both personally and professionally and one who is controlled by her more negative thoughts well. However I can’t help despairing of the fact that Tess’s happiness hinges solely on finding the love of a good man. Then I have to remind myself this is romantic fiction after all, even if at times attitudes towards love and romance appear outdated.

Large sections of the storyline are heavy going with issues of bulimia, low self esteem and confidence weighing and dragging this character and the mood down. In places I found it gloomy, depressing and far too angst ridden. You just wish Tess would lighten up a bit and not take life so seriously and for this reason the novel isn’t anywhere near as uplifting or feel good as I’d have liked although the author rectifies this the closer you move towards the ending. Thankfully she introduces a more positive,hopeful vibe even if I felt a couple of elements in the storyline are glossed over too easily. I liked that the final word is given to Jane Austen, prompting a wry smile to form upon my lips. Whilst there’s definitely room for improvement Nancy Peach’s debut shows promise and I’d be interested and happy to read more from her in the future. For me this novel almost hit 4⭐️ but it needed to be more lighthearted to reach that spot.

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Love Life by Nancy Peach
Netgalley and Harper Collins

Love Life follows the story of Tess, a doctor working in a hospice, who doesn't really believe in love anymore since finding her boyfriend in bed with another man, add that to the voices in her head saying she isn't good enough plus an underlying eating disorder and you actually have a bit of a troubled character. Enter Edward, the son of a hospice patient who Tess had a very brief encounter with in the past but he doesn't seem to remember her, or does he?

I thought this was going to be a light hearted romance but what you get is a bit more than that. There is some light hearted moments, mainly in the form of Tess's roommate Kath and the TV show host who is one of Tess's voices in her head (the other being Jane Austen) and there is definitely romance but you also get family secrets, poignant conversations about death and a sub plot of bulimia to take you on a whole range of emotions from smiles and laughter to outright tears.

I actually really loved it. Tess's voices in her head did annoy me to start with but then I got used to the narrative and they grew on me throughout. I loved Tess's character and from the start I was willing good things to happen to her. Edward annoyed me a lot to start with but as he showed his true emotions and character I loved seeing how their friendship and relationship developed in a very up and down sort of way!

The author handles the complex themes so well and it never feels like one is outdoing another. They all tie into the story brilliantly.

I would definitely recommend this book.
🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.