This is a really great book. I was a bit worried about any novel written in the ‘covid era’ as it’s not a time in my life that brings much happiness. I should not have been concerned as this book is a life affirming read about a group of women and their indomitable spirit.
They all have interesting back stories, and similar to many of us with marriage breakdowns, family upsets and lost lives and loves.
The one thing they have in common is the desire to swim in the sea. Through ice, wind and blazing sunshine, they bond and grow together.
There is plenty of drama as the story develops and you want them to overcome their issues and be happy.
I really enjoyed this book. I had read some of her earlier books, written with her husband which I remembered being really entertaining. I would highly recommend this as a good summer read, engaging and full of hope.

Lifesaving for beginners by Josie LLoyd is an easy to read summer book, which has that feel good factor.
Recommended

I loved reading about the Sea Gals, a group of women who have life’s usual problems and ups and downs but take any opportunity to swim in the sea, in all conditions! In forming such a group, they are able to support each other through their difficulties and life problems. It makes you wish you were part of the group too.
A book about friendships and why they matter and how they can be formed - very enjoyable.

I absolutely love swimming in the Sea and I wish that I lived nearer so that I could go more often. In the meantime I can escape by reading about swimming instead.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is set during Lockdown and I have found myself shunning books set during this time. This was well written though and I found that the time period didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.
There was a varied range of characters in this book which was good. I liked all of the main characters. This is a heartwarming read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I really took my time over it. It is basically about a group of women who all have things, good and bad, going on in their lives. They end up as a group called “Sea Gals” who take any opportunity they can to dip into the sea, regardless of the season for the weather. They all help each other through illness, broken marriages, estrangements, unhappiness when they can and become the group who always have each other’s back and always encourage each other when that little bit of fear and self doubt creeps into their lives. Definitely a book worth reading which champions the friendships that can grow from nothing to being one of the most important things in your life.

Another very good novel from Josie. It definitely uplifted me. Brave ladies get together to swim in the sea in all seasons, whilst supporting each other with their various situations in life. It highlights an important and positive outcome of Covid restrictions and all the implications it made on everyone- the support provided by friends, family and community is vital to us all.

I loved this book. It's one I will definitely re-read at some point. Although it featured lockdown, it wasn't downbeat. I loved all the female characters. There were some great lines, which gave me food for thought. I love it when a book does that. The book is very well-written. It covers a lot of issues, and I loved the inclusion of the sea. It was almost a character in itself. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Set in Brighton, this is a heartwarming tale about five women who bond whilst swimming in the sea. The diverse characters add to the story's charm, and each woman's story is interesting. I like the coastal setting and the believably flawed characters. It is a motivational story, perfect escapist reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

A disparate group of females who gather to swim in the sea. All reeling from the effects of lockdown. Relationships difficulties and breakdown. Outward appearances are not the truth or even a glimmer of it. They band together and support each other through difficult times.
You will relate to a number of the characters as people in your life. Enjoy I did

After reading the brilliant Cancer Ladies’ Running Club, I knew I had to read this book. Here, we meet the Sea Gals, a mixed group of ladies who go swimming in the sea at Brighton come rain or snow. With two new women joining the group, we learn about their lives and worries as well as see their friendships grow. The first half of this book is spent establishing the different characters and finding out about their backgrounds. I much preferred the second half where their lives became more entwined and the new friendships became stronger. An enjoyable read.

Wow. Just wow. You can't not feel emotion when reading this book. Featuring the main character Maddy and whole host of women from different backgrounds who bond over a love of sea swimming, you'll get drawn into their world and feel all the better for it. Even if you have no intention of even dipping a toe into the sea, the shared experiences of the lovely ladies will inspire and give you that warm feeling inside that we all need,

Lifesaving for Beginners is a different type of novel to Josie Lloyd's romantic ones of old, but it still contains the engaging writing style that we all know and love. It's written from the heart and that comes through the book in bucketfuls of love.

The Sea-gals a cold water swimming group that live in Brighton. Helga, Maddy, Claire, Dominica and Tor. All have different problems in life. This is an uplifting story of how a shared passion brings people together and gives them the ability to work through issues.

There was nothing I didn’t love about this book. How often do you read that in a review, but it isn’t a phrase I use often and I really mean it.

The stories of the five women who meet on Brighton beach to swim during the pandemic are wound seamlessly together to make a cohesive whole. Maddy, whose marriage and Instagram-perfect lifestyle have fallen apart; Helga the elder stateswoman who refuses to accept the limitations of her advancing years; Claire, the wife and mother who feels she has become invisible; Dominica struggling with grief; and Tor who is afraid to tell her family about the woman she loves.

This is a book about the power of friendship and the ability to move on. There is no one central shared ‘quest’ and really no central character. Their stories blend and twist together in such a powerful way I found it impossible to put down.

This is primarily a book about friendships, but each character has her own story and I loved the way they all were interwoven.
One way or another Helga, Dominica, Claire, Tor and Maddy found their way to the Sea-Gals, a small group of women that swim in the sea at Brighton, all year around.
Helga, the oldest of the group lives on her own and fills her time with nature and art. She keeps her past close to her chest., and doesn't talk about regrets she holds from her past.
Dominica lost her beloved husband to Covid at the height of the pandemic and is getting used to being on her own.
Tor lives with her girlfriend Lotte and loves the sea. She finds it a tonic for her arthritis, She wishes it would give her courage to tell her family that she is gay and loves Lotte.
Claire found the group after finding out that her neighbour isn't as nice as she thought she was and Maddy fled to Brighton after finding a phone message from her estranged son that originated in Brighton on the same day as she found out her husband was having an affair.
As the book progresses the reader sees each character develop and you just want everything to work out for them. Another gem!

I loved The Cancer Ladies Running Club, so I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to read Lifesaving for Beginners. I found this to be a really easy, heart warming read. A reminder that your life exists outside of social media and, spending too much time on posting the right image, means you end up missing out on the important stuff right in front of you. We are always being reinforced with the idea that you meet your best friends at school/University, but Josie demonstrates that you can make good friends at any stage of your life and, that it's normal to out grow your friends as well. What I take away from Lifesaving for Beginners is the importance to challenge yourself, don't be afraid to try something new or to leave a job you don't like. You'll regret it more if you don't take the risk.

Thanks to @netgalley for arc of this fabulous novel
It’s a must read for all women of any age but certainly those of us of a certain age going through the menopause as I have been, as in this book it’s openly talked about and all the ramifications of it which is so wonderful and actually so enlightening as not many books talk about it in the way this book does
It’s a novel based on a group of women who all find joy in swimming in the sea and all support each other through their private troubles even though it take’s awhile for them to open up to each other, once they do it becomes quickly apparent that they will soon be best friends and have each other’s backs
Mandy is an insta Queen with her perfect life and home, Claire is married with two boys but going through horrendous menopausal symptoms her husband is always on computer with boys and she just cooks, cleans, and tidy the house. Then there’s Tor who’s been at home during lockdown and doesn’t want to go back to the office she loves being with Lotte who is her flatmate but also more importantly her girlfriend and Tor hasn’t told them yet. Dominica is still grieving for her husband and then there’s Helga who rounds them all up like a seagull would keeping them safe from harm. But is she fit enough to do that ?

Lifesaving For Beginners by Josie Lloyd is a marvellous contemporary novel that enchanted me from the start.
The novel is about female friendship as a group of women bond over open water swimming in the sea at Brighton. They are various ages with differing life experiences. As they meet over swimming, they soon become a support network, championing each other and offering love and friendship.
Life impacts us all differently but we all need female friendship to offer advice – ladies who have more experience of travelling down the road of life. The ladies range from mid thirties to seventies and have a wealth of experience – from a lost love to a widow to a mother of two.
We see how women’s roles have changed over the years and how it is important to share how we are feeling with those around us. Our sons need educating in women’s life cycles so they can sympathise with what we go through.
As family relationships have broken down, we witness the desperate love of a mother searching for her son.
Life is not what we see on social media. Real life happens after the perfect picture has been posted.
The novel highlights those who are unseen by many – the plight of the homeless and the tireless work of the Samaritan volunteers who really do save lives. Sometimes CPR is needed and sometimes we just need someone to listen.
Lifesaving For Beginners was a powerful novel that I just could not put down. I ‘lived’ the action and applauded the ladies for their love and friendship.
I received a free copy from Harper Collins via Net Galley. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

'Lifesaving for Beginners' is a feel good story about female friendship. The main characters are drawn from different age groups and circumstances and come together through their love of wild swimming. I enjoyed the journey with them and would recommend this well researched, well written novel to any fans of up to date fiction. I might even try sea swimming too!
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
#Sea-Gals

This book is so uplifting and real at the same time! Even though I don't like reading about the pandemoc (we have enough living through it) I enjoyed reading about how these characters got along and changed as time went. All ao different but so relatable at the same time. There are a few triggers so do your research before reading!

The only downside of this book for me, as with many books, is that it seems there has to be love interests at some point of the story when someone is single or newly single (it was quite predictable). Other than that, it was a great read!

Josie has a unique manner with words and I am glad I found her writing with her previous book, which I loved! Not going into the cold see anytime soon, though.

I absolutely loved this wonderful tale of friendship found in the cold sea!
Each character has a great backstory, teased out through the interactions of the swimming group and their friendship blossoms in a very natural way throughout the book.
Based mainly around Maddy and her search for her son the other women all bring something to the group of their own that needs a huddle of wise souls to resolve.
I was so inspired by the expounded wonders of sea swimming I even looked to see if there is a group that meet near my upcoming summer seaside holiday!