A new author for me but wow what a book. I really enjoyed this story. I felt a real connection with the main character Olivia. I liked how everything was tied up at the end with a feel good factor.

Liv Green isn't necessarily living her best life. A 42-year-old married mum of two, she dreams of bigger things than cleaning other people's homes and ends up getting the perfect opportunity when her employer, best-selling author Essie Starling, disappears and leaves Liv with a task - finish writing her last book. But to write a story that is true to Essie, Liv and the thousands of fans who have followed character Georgia Rory for 20 books, Liv must dig deeper in the the elusive author's life.

I really like the concept of this book particularly as someone who dreams of being a writer one day but often can't find the time or motivation to pick up that pen. I also really appreciated that our main character Liv in this book is in her early forties and we are following someone with 20 years of marriage behind her, plus two almost grown children. I think with some cleaning up of parts of this story and a good script, this book could be turned into a really fun movie for Netflix (I don't want to say chick flick but more of a women-focused movie, you get me?). Unfortunately that might be where my appreciation for this story stops as I just didn't find it very good.

There was something about Liv and her life that rubbed me up the wrong way from the very start and from the first chapter, something soured in me about the entire book and I just had that feeling it might not be a good one for me and I was right. Liv and her husband have such an awful dynamic between them and it just was never very nice to read or be a part of, and even with her sons I also never found much connection there at all.

The character of Essie was very over the top, and there were a lot of things in this story about how Liv and Anthony could lie about Essie for so long, plus Liv write her manuscript that felt very unbelievable for me (like surely the publishers and editors should be in the loop, no?). The excerpts from the Essie Starling books as well starring character Georgia Rory were also terrible - please tell me how that reads like best seller material.

I read another review that likened this book to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and they are dead on. From Liv somehow needing to know about all of Essie's past romances to be able to write her characters, and then a bit of a silly twist at the end this is like the Poundland version of Evelyn Hugo.

This is a book that I read, and I'm glad it's over now to be honest. I would probably just recommend people read Evelyn Hugo instead or if you're a screenwriter adapt this for a movie as it would be so good

I really enjoyed this book, something quite different but also so easy to read and relate to.
I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

I really enjoyed this book, it is it the chik lit book lovers book!

Oliva 'Liv' Green is a 40ish married mum of 2 who loves books and grew up in a book loving household with her mum after the death of her father when she was a child, Liv has always put the needs of others before hers and is now a cleaner for some really ungrateful people and the one of Livs favourite authors.

Essie asks Liv to help her on her upcoming novel but before they really get going Essie dies and in her will is a request for Liv to finish the novel.

Liv begins to complete the novel and she also begins to look at her life, she is unfulfilled as a cleaner and she loves writing but she does not have the confidence or the time, her marriage is changing as her babies are uni age and are moving out and her husbands business is under pressure.

Liv is a likable character who we begin to see bloom into the woman she wants to be, its nice to see a heroine who is a little older and has done what's best for everyone, now begin to take steps to be what she has always wanted to be.

The story was great and in places a little predictable but then has a massive shock near the end..

A really lovely story, told really well with great characters who you really root for.

#NetGalley #ThebookShare #Women #Books

This was an interesting read and something different. It's a book about writing, family life, changing responsibilities, taking a leap of faith and our heroine, Liv, challenging and pushing herself. It is also a story of friendship.

I thought I knew where this book was going, but I was wrong and there were a few twists and turns along the way.

It was thought-provoking and included some lovely writing.

This is a must read for all book lovers, it’s a book about writing books and reading books with recent authors and titles dropped into the mix, it was perfect. I raced through it as it was perfectly written and thought out.
Highly recommend and thank you for letting me read this book.

A really lovely read.

I wasn't sure how this book was going to pan out and spent half the book with my own theory which was completely wrong.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a little bit of escapism and I loved following Liv on her journey of self discovery. Not only is she only given six months to finish Essie's novel, during that time we see her face many other problems and lots of self doubt.

Liv I found was an acquired taste, but once I got to know her I was really willing her on. She has a few surprises - even to herself. Some of the time I feared that she was going to get into so much trouble that I was hesitant to read on. It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat with several strands being will she won't she storylines.

Overall a feelgood read.

You never are quite sure what you are going to get with a Phaedra Patrick novel, other than they will take you on some sort of a journey.

And with The Book Share it really is a journey of self discovery for Liv, as she attempts to keep Essie's most recent biggest secret, while also learning more about her, and also discovering various other truths about Essie's life.

Over the course of six months, we see great character development for Liv, who really comes into her own as more than just a mother and wife. She really blossoms under the challenge she is undertaking and it gave me great joy to see.

And Essie, discovering all about her life was fascinating too, as well as seeing a bit more of behind the scenes of writing a book.

It was a joy to read this, I absolutely loved every second of it, especially once it got going and the intrigue around just whether Liv would succeed or not. And it definitely had me smiling by the end.

Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Love a good book especially the housekeeping aspect and love of books was def draw for me

Liv Green loves losing herself in a good book. But her everyday reality is less romantic, cleaning houses for people who barely give her the time of day. So when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero and mega-bestselling author Essie Starling, she can't believe her luck.

When Essie dies unexpectedly, Liv is left with a life-changing last wish: to complete Essie’s final novel. To do so, change-averse Liv will have to step away from the fictitious worlds in her head, and into Essie’s shoes. As she begins to write, she uncovers a surprising connection between the two women – and a secret that will change Liv’s life forever…

I got lost in this book. Reading it in one setting. I just couldn't put it down.
I wanted answers to questions I had. I wasn't disappointed.
I was intrigued to learn about what happened in Essie's past. Who her true love was. I felt I knew but wanted confirmation.
But also interested to see Liv story. Her struggles in her marriage and how she handles having to write for Essie.
I will say Liv spending money like it was nothing while being mad at her husband for what he did. She started to change at the first sign of a luxury life.

‘’The Book Share’ is one of the sweetest stories that I have read in a long time. The main character Liv, works for her all-time favorite author Essie Starling. Essie is somewhat of a recluse and although Liv has a working relationship with her it is not until Essie’s sudden death that she realizes their bond was far stronger. The trust that Essie places in Liv is huge as she asks her to finish her last novel on her behalf.
I loved the feel-good and fuzzy feeling that this story left me with but there are so many little nods to eccentric writers and the characters are so well written and tangible, it makes for an unstoppable comfort read.
I really enjoyed the way that Liv grew throughout this book and how the relationships around her changed after she was given her opportunity from Essie. Patrick’s writing style is so observant for constructing multi-layered characters and believable family dynamics, which made this story so beautifully warm and gave a wonderful backdrop as Liv unravels the real mysteries of Essie Starling. Definitely an original and loveable story I enjoyed beginning to end.

The Book Share by Phaedra Patrick

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and HQ and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Liv Green loves losing herself in a good book. Her everyday reality is less romantic, cleaning houses for people who barely give her the time of day. But when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero and mega-bestselling author Essie Starling, she can't believe her luck.

When Essie dies unexpectedly, Liv is left with an astonishing last wish: to complete Essie’s last ever novel. To do so, change-averse Liv will have to step away from the fictitious worlds in her head, and into Essie’s shoes. As she begins to write, she uncovers a surprising connection between the two women – and a secret that will change Liv’s life forever…

This was an uplifting read. I went into this with high expectations and whilst it was enjoyable it did fall slightly short of the mark. Liv is an avid reader - she can easily get lost in a book but can she write a novel? If you are looking for a light-hearted, feel-good read then you will not go far wrong with this.

Rating 3/5

The Book Share by Phaedra Patrick is an entertaining and interesting story about a woman, who has always worked as a cleaner but who always secretly wanted to write. One of her clients asks her to work full time for her and help her finish off her 20th novel. Then she sadly dies and Olivia (Liv) has the Herculean task of trying to finish the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Highly recommended

Liv Green can lose herself in a book. She can become engrossed in her characters and can be taken to a fictional world that feels like reality. She’s always dreamed of writing a book of her own but life gets in the way and she never feels worthy enough.
Liv is a cleaner and one of her clients is bestselling author Essie Starling. Essie is a recluse but has fans worldwide. Liv adores her books and sees herself in the main character. Essie passes away and leaves a strange request for Liv which is to finish her last book in her bestselling series. Is all it seems? Is there more to relationship than employer and employee.
This was a lovely read. I could completely relate to Liv in her dreams of being an aspiring writer and also a busy mother. She is a very likeable character. The characters in the book are all well written. I enjoyed the story but I felt it didn’t really get going until the latter part.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my digital arc.

A nice fluffy book to enjoy this spring in the sunshine, I look forward to reading more books from this author in the near future.

Such a great read - it was heartbreaking in places but ultimately so warm and uplifting, I loved it. I really enjoyed the characters complexities and their relationships -- I rooted for Liv all the way through and though there were twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, the ending was ultimately the right one!

Not for me unfortunately. I struggled to get into it or connect with the characters so never finished it as a result.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and HQ for approving me for an ARC of this book.

There’s nothing I love more than books about books. Be it places where you would find books, like a library, or about writers putting pen to paper I always enjoy a read that features something book related.

This story was an absolute delight to listen to and I thoroughly enjoyed Liz’s journey into the author world. Can you imagine your favourite author asking you to not only finish your current work but to do it in secret? I had to admire Liz and her ability to keep things under control, even if she did doubt herself from time to time.

What was even more surprising about this story was the mystery surrounding why Essie had chosen Liz. From the beginning I knew there had to me more to the story than she simply thought the cleaner could do it. Unravelling this mystery gave the story another edge and the final twist in the tale was brilliantly executed.

This story highlights how people in lesser paid jobs are often frowned upon or treated badly when in fact it is these people who help keep our world turning. There is no such thing as a menial job and regardless of someone’s position they still deserve respect.

This built up to be an emotional story and I will admit that I shed a tear of two at the letters stage. Liz as a character transforms and really finds her feet. She’s a character that is highly likeable and you can’t help but want to succeed. Even the infamous Essie Starling seems to have a heart and isn’t quite as cold a she first appears.

Loveable, charming and fun! This is the perfect cosy read for any bookworm

What a wonderful read! I was completely engrossed in the story from the very beginning. Very well written and extremely enjoyable. I look forward to more from this author. Thank you!

Not for me. I liked the premise but I didn’t like any of the characters and that made it tough to root for anyone. My first of this author’s books, so maybe it’s a style thing - just didn’t do what I was hoping for. Never mind.