(2.5 Bumped to 3)
Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me a chance to read this book through NetGalley.

As someone who loves books like one day, the light we lost, and a thousand boy kisses, I thought I would also love this book. In truth, there were aspects of this book that I did like, but I also felt a bit underwhelmed by it all. I think I also might not have been the right age to truly appreciate a second chance romance that happens at the character's stage of life.

I think that I had a hard time, especially with the pacing. It felt like in the first couple of chapters we were introduced to the characters and their backstory, but I think I would've loved it if there was a bit more of a look into their growing up together. We were sort of expected to assume they were super close and inseparable but I feel like we didn't get enough of a look into their relationship pre-reunion. I also feel as though we didn't have time to be introduced to this story or this world, we were just sort of thrown in and it almost felt like the first couple of chapters were rushed info dumps rather than gradual reveals. Which for me felt rushed, but I think others may appreciate this pace because it sets expectations for the rest of the book.

I also think I had a hard time with the main characters. It's not that I thought Will and Fran were unlikeable- but it was just hard for me to connect with them or their relationship. I also had a hard time with Will accepting Fran and her secret but Fran not doing the same. I am also not too sure how I feel about the revelation towards the end.

I will say that the idea of the bucket list and the adventures that happened along the way were things that I enjoyed. I also think the author did a great job touching on tough topics while still being sensitive. But I will say that there are a lot of triggering topics touched on in this book that the cover doesn't really hint at (not that it has to) so I think trigger warnings might be helpful to some readers.

Overall, I think that this was a book that while it was not my cup of tea, I still could appreciate that it would be someone else's. I definitely will be trying some of the author's other work to see if I connect better to those stories.

Well, this is a difficult book to review without giving anything away. I have to say it wasn't the upbeat love story that I was expecting. Nonetheless, I found it a compelling, if rather poignant, story. Fran and Will are engaging characters you will take to your heart from when you first meet them. I liked that although the focus was mostly focussed on the present, the author also included some flashback scenes. This meant that as readers we could get to know the characters in the past, understand a bit more about what happened over the years and uncover some of the secrets both Will and Fran were keeping.

There are many situations in this book which make you wonder what you would have done in the same circumstances. Would you have reacted in the same way or made the same decisions as Fran and Will? It's impossible to know but I think the book shows that everyone deals with difficult situations in the way they think is best and that there is no point in having regrets.

Before We Grow Old is a very emotional read, one of those that you may need a box of tissues to hand as you read it. I think it might be quite difficult for anyone going through similar circumstances to read but I do think that the author dealt with the big issues in a sensitive manner. Before We Grow Old is a moving book about forgiveness, making the most of every opportunity and, most of all, about love.

While I enjoyed this book, the cover definitely is not right for this one. If you think it’s going to be a light, fluffy romance based on the cover; it is not. Definitely sadder and heavier than I was expecting, but still a good book.

Before We Grow Old is a wonderful, emotional love story, involving two people who meet up again after 25 years apart.
This story follows Fran and Will as they rekindle their friendship and uncover feelings they both still realise that they still have for each other.
I really enjoyed getting immersed in this story and although it was not quite what I was expecting, I still thoroughly enjoyed everything about it.
This book gave me all the feels and I could definitely feel what both the main characters were going through.
A perfect emotional read…..

This book, based on the blurb, seemed right up to my liking. Childhood best friends, teenage first loves, the one that got away, second chance romance them rekindling after 25 years. However, for the majority of the story, I struggled to connect with it.

I enjoyed flashbacks to the teenage Fran and Will but felt something monumental was missing in their relationship as adults. I expected that them reconciling and building trust after it was shattered in some quite heavy events in their youth would be the main plot. I was wrong. It took them one unexpected bump in cafe and dinner to get back together, so I was left confused about where this story is going as everything to reconcile them has happened.

Well, the remaining part (which was the majority) of the story felt like a lot of doing something, revealing some secrets, doing some more random stuff, revealing some more shocking secrets type of drama. While there were a lot of side characters and events, nothing really happens, except that for everyone reading this story is clear how it will end.
Unfortunately, I think I was not the right audience for this story.

The end of the book was tied up quite nicely. It was sad and made me bawl my eyes out. To conclude, for this type of story, I prefer to read non-fiction, as I feel it holds more meaning.

Some trigger warnings I did not see coming: terminal illness/cancer, unexpected pregnancy/abort/adoption.

Thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

When Fran and Will run into each other in a coffee shop after a gap of twenty-five years is it coincidence, fate or something else? Finding themselves both single again, albeit each now with parental responsibilities, they quickly resume their relationship, their attraction to each other being as intense as it was all those years ago.

However, a revelation from Will causes Fran to reappraise her relationship with him and results in them embarking on a quest, along with Fran’s son, Kieran, to make the most of every day because, after all, you never know if it might be your last.

The story is told from Fran’s point of view meaning that the reader gets to witness her ever-changing emotions: doubt, guilt, resentment, frustration and an abiding sense of injustice. Not all of these may seem warranted. For instance, her initial response to Will’s revelation is one of anger when you might have expected, or hoped, her to feel sympathy – especially since Fran has a big secret of her own that she’s concealed for twenty-five years (the nature of which readers may well guess).

I found myself with immense sympathy for Will. Not only is he attempting to put things right with Fran but he is facing a personal challenge with fortitude and dignity. His tender relationship with his daughter, Elodie, was heart-warming and I also liked the bond he formed with Fran’s son, Kieran. Will’s world is rocked when Fran finally reveals the secrets she has concealed for so long but, despite everything he’s going through, he shows a capacity for forgiveness I found astonishing.

There are joyful moments in the book – one of my favourites involving Krispy Kreme doughnuts – but there is immense sadness as well. Before We Grow Old is something of an emotional rollercoaster that will have you laughing one moment and tearful the next. As the author demonstrates, life is a journey in which you never know what’s around the next corner. Carpe diem, as they say.

Before We Grow Old
by: Clare Swatman
Boldwood Books

Before We Grow Old is a heart-wrenching, emotional story that speaks of second chances at love. Main characters Fran and Will were first connected in childhood. Swatman writes beautifully as she shares their story. Readers will experience sadness, poignancy and hope as they read, along with many other feelings.

Thank you to Boldwood Books for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my review.
 #BeforeWeGrowOld #NetGalley

Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.

This is the first Clare Swatman book that I have read and I was very impressed. Telling a lovely story of Fran and Will and how they rekindled their romance in later life after Will suddenly disappeared. Secrets from both characters are unveiled before it is too late.

A beautiful emotional read that I devoured in one sitting. This is the first book by this author that I've read but definitely won't be the last. I was expecting something lighter when I read the blurb about a second chance of love for Will and Fran who meet again many years after they broke up, but it is so much more than that. For fear of spoilers I don't want to say too much about the story other than this is one to read if you like romance stories that have depth, intelligence and real characters in them.

Before We Grow Old is an inspiring story of two people who find each other twenty five years later and realize that they still feel the same way about each other that they did growing up. Fran and Will were very close from the age of seven, first as friends which then grew into something more. When Will went away leaving just a letter behind, Fran was distraught and in a situation that she never expected to be in. Will on the other hand was dealing with the loss of his mother and a grieving father.

The story follows the two of them as they discover their friendship and love twenty five years later. There is a lot that was left unsaid, secrets that were hidden and feelings to rediscover and understand. This is indeed a story of second chances, learning to forgive, understanding a person's decision and moving on in ways that make everyone all the more happier. This is also a story of seizing the moment, learning to live life to the fullest and dealing with loss.


I truly enjoyed reading about Fran and Will, their families, and friends. The story is beautifully written and fun in places where everyone comes together to try and complete a bucket list that Fran and Will prepared when they were seventeen. The author handles the concept of death rather delicately and I quite liked the way she handled the whole plot. Though sad in the end, there is something so fulfilling and positive in the way Will handles life and Fran steps up to deal with everything. In the end, the bonds of family tie everyone together and we can each learn something from this story.

I truly enjoyed reading this book and I laughed and cried along with the characters. This is definitely worth reading and I definitely recommend this book to all!

I read this book pretty quickly. It is a nice gentle read that highlights how a love lost many years before can, sometimes never be over.. Some couples are just meant to be. A well written book with believable characters, with love at its heart.
If you enjoy a nice cosy read that just sort of flows over you then definitely give this book a go.

This book is set in the UK and one of the things I love most about it is it kept all the English language. Some books set in the UK try to ‘Americanize’ the language but this book stayed true. I loved it! I also fell in love with the story. It is a sad book but also shows you to make the most of what you have. It is a fairly quick read. I would definitely read more by this author.

I was expecting a second chance romcom, but got this bittersweet lovestory. Very moving and a good reminder not to dwell on the negative but enjoy all the good times.

Wow!! What an absolute tear jerker this was. I did not anticipate being sucked into Fran and Wills world quite so fully.
I loved the writing style being from Frans perspective, I enjoyed the jumping between timelines and I adored the characters in the story.
Fran and Will lost chances in life but showed just how important it is to make the most of the time you have and use the life you have to get as much done as possible.
I loved the bucket list, I have a few of those things on mine! It certainly Inspired me to live life as much as possible and be present with your loved ones as much as possible. We only have one life and we should make the most of it!
Thanks to you Clare for bringing such a gorgeous story to my life.
My full review will be on my blog soon as part of a blog tour, thankyou to Clare, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for allowing me a copy of this ARC.

This was such a sweet book to read, so romantic and I really enjoyed it. It made me feel warm and cozy inside even though I had tears in my eyes whilst reading this book. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I love a second chance romance story and this is a good one.

Some people are just made for each other…When seven-year-old Fran first met Will they knew instantly that they were made for each other. For eleven years they were inseparable, but then, at the age of eighteen, Will just upped and disappeared.

Twenty-five years later Will is back.
Is fate trying to give them a second chance?

Still nursing the heartbreak from all those years ago, Fran is reluctant to give Will the time of day. The price Will must pay is to tell the truth – the truth about why he left, the truth about why he’s back…

And Fran has her own secrets to hide. The time has come to decide what Fran and Will really want from life – before it’s too late.

Clare has crafted wonderful characters with a lot of depth. Both Fran and Will are wonderfully written. Readers really get to know each character, their backstories and what makes them tick. We also get great secondary characters in Fran’s son Kieran, her good friend Mags and Will’s daughter Elodie (so adorable!).

It’s hard to talk too much about this book without giving anything important away. There are so many twists and turns in Fran and Will’s adventure and a lot of secrets are revealed along the way. Suffice it to say it is definitely an emotionally charged journey, probably more so than the book description prepared me for.

I liked how the book flipped from the present to the past when they were together the first time. It really helped fill in the backstory. Clare does a great job of building the reader’s suspense as you don’t get the whole story all at once. Clare really metres it out over the course of the book. A couple of parts did drag a bit, (I would have enjoyed it more if the pacing was picked up a bit in some areas), but overall I would say it keeps the reader intrigued.

One of my favourite parts of the book is that Fran and Will find a list they made as teenagers called “25 Things To Do Before We’re Old” and decide to try checking off some they haven’t yet done. The list is made up of a wide variety of tasks from going on a hot air balloon ride to eating 12 doughnuts to going skinny-dipping. Reading about them tackling these tasks is a lot of fun and brings the book some much needed levity.

One word of caution, depending on your perspective, it could be said this book doesn’t have an HEA, or at least, not a typical one. I can’t say more without revealing important plot points but consider yourself warned!

Grab the tissue box and dig into this heartfelt story, great for readers looking for a good, cathartic cry.

Thank you, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful story, very sad in places but wonderful in others. Life can give you second chances so take them along with whatever happens. I ended up crying but it was well worth it. I will carry this story in my mind for a long time to come. Well worth 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

Rating: 3.5

Before We Grow Old is a heartbreaking book about second chances and life choices. The story is melancholic and every chapter will remind you that something sad is going to happen. I liked how every chapter holds a revelation about the characters’ past—I think this is what made me read the book quite fast, I needed answers!

I enjoyed reading this book, however, I kind of hoped for a deeper build-up between the characters especially during their reunion. I have to admit as well that the characters’ secrets were a little too much for my liking, in the end it felt like those were there just for drama. Personally, I think this book is suitable for mature readers, those who are in their mid-30s may relate to the characters more.

Overall, I still enjoyed the book and it actually made me tear up.

I can't say I liked or disliked this book, but the cover really gave off the wrong impression, it looked like a bright and breezy romance, which it wasn't, I didn't relate to the characters and felt that somethings I wanted to know was brushed over.