This book is an easy read with enjoyable characters, the story is relatable and well written.
I like that we get right into the story and the big news that change Kim’s life, but I felt it moved a bit slowly in the middle. The pace picked up later and the ending was satisfactory, although it took Kim a bit too long (to my taste) to realise the best path for her, despite everyone’s support.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A most enjoyable read. Very easy to get into, likeable characters and a story with good pace, which keeps your interest and the pages turning.

Several topics are covered, including life from a student's point of view, change of circumstances, friendship, relationship breakdowns and finding yourself.

I really enjoyed this book and its satisfying ending.

This book was fantastic!

Classic Tracy Bloom - packed full of laughs and a completely realistic portrayal of this messy thing called life.

Such a great cast of characters, I would be hard pushed to pick a favourite as they all brought something special to the story. I couldn't wait for Kim to realise her worth the whole way through and when she finally did it was all the more wonderful for the wait.

Whilst this is quite a comical tale, there is real power in the telling of Kim's story that I think a lot of women can relate to. Ladies - no matter whether you are a housewife, a mum, a hairdresser, work in a chippy or are even a professor. You are not "just" anything.

We are everything!

On the night of her husband's surprise 50th birthday party, and the night before her son leaves for University, Kim hears some heartbreaking, devastating, life changing news...out of options, Kim has no choice but to go and Chase rainbows...Read it!

Kim never thought that her perfect life would take a turn for the worse after her husband’s 50th birthday party that led to her sharing a house with 3 male college students in which one of them is her own son. But that’s exactly what happened with her life.

That was funny, heartwarming, and empowering. Each page is a surprise because I literally had no idea where the story is going and I loved every bit of it from the beginning to the end. I love the character dynamics between mother and son, best friends, house mates, employer and employee, everything.

Only one thing that nagged my mind was the character’s names. It’s so… commonly used that I almost have the face for each of the characters from famous persons and together they made a quite messy combination in my mind lmao. For instance, Kim. A famous Kim? Kim Kardashian. Also I recently binge watched Gilmore Girls and every time Kim’s husband mentioned (Richard) the person that came to my mind was Richard Gilmore. A jarring visual🥲

But at the end, I still so very dearly love the story so the names didn’t really matter🫶🏼

Book Review 📚
The Time of Her Life by Tracy Bloom - 4.5/5 ⭐

Firstly, let me just say how much I love the "real-life" theme to this book. I zoned out and dived in and yet there were so many times where I thought it was real life, without it being real life?! Yes that makes no sense but that's exactly how the book made me feel!

This is a first time read for me, I have never read something even a tiny bit similar. So I adore the individuality of it. It's definitely one of a kind, and in such a good way. It was so good, I could easily have read another 2-3 books about it! Loved it.

Note to self - I will be hunting down previous books from Bloom to read because her writing style engaged me from start to finish!

Characters - FANTASTIC. Development - BRILLIANT. Description - PHENOMENAL. Can you tell I really enjoyed it?! Honestly, don't wait. Just go and read it. You wont regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

I just wish there were more pages, I could have happily kept on reading this, but I appear to have reached the end. In fact I half wonder if there is the potential for a sequel.

I loved this book so much, it is classic Tracy Bloom, full of real normal sounding people, going through situations that are easy to relate to.

Although that being said not sure how many mums would end up living in their sons student share house, during the first semester of uni, having just found out her husband has been cheating on her with the next door neighbour.

But that is exactly the situation Kim finds herself in, and she is suddenly living with 3 barely adult boys, who are starting on their next phase of life, including her son Harry who is barely speaking to her.

And while Kim is retreating from the life she has known, she gets a job in a chippy to pay rent, and meets some truly lovely people.

My favourite character was Sonny, he just has a way a about him and he really grew over the course of the book. When we meet him he is a coddled mothers boy who has now idea about just about anything, and has a tendency to over explain things in a really endearing manner and he just develops so well in his first term at uni.

The other person in the flat share is Angus, who comes across initially as a jack the lad, but soon Kim gets to see another side to him.

And Kim it's like a coming of age story for her too, and it was so lovely to get to know her and as the story progresses sand she stops having a meltdown about the destruction of her marriage and starts to come into her own, it is really heartwarming.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading every page of this which I read incredibly quickly. I was so absorbed in the story that I was lucky not to miss my stop on the tube, and when I did look up was surprised that I had no recollection of stopping many times before that point, I was that interested in what I was reading.

Just fabulous and I do hope there might be a sequel, I feel like there could be more to come from these characters.

Thanks to Harper Collins and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Afterher husband’s surprise 50th birthday party he announces their marriage is over. Devastated Kim sets off to take her son Harry to university and so starts a very new and very different style of life for her as she ends up sharing life in a student house. A different approach by this author.

Tracy Bloom is back with her new release, and she's always a treat. I absolutely enjoyed this lovely and original story - finally something new, completely, not something that I had a feeling I've read more than thousands time. The plot was like a breath of fresh air, really. It's a rather slow burner, but there are a lot of things happening, so no low moments. There are some really cringy moments that will make you smile or nod in agreement and I think this is Tracy Bloom's power, to write about normal things, normal life in such an entertaining way, often giving you a different view of things, making you stop for a moment and think things over. And she does it with humour.

The characters were great, escpecially those from Nottingham, although the main characters will quickly grow on you.

It's about finding yourself and second chances. You'll have to wait for Kim's great awakening, as it takes her almost the whole book to realise what she's worth, but it is brilliant and entertaining, so you'll enjoy the waiting, trust me. And perhaps you'll chase a rainbow or two.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I must admit that I had a really enjoyable time reading the story. I loved the characters and everything they were dealing with was so relatable and really made for everyone involved, Highly recommend.

After marking her husband's 50th birthday with a surprise party, Kim's world takes an unexpected turn when he reveals an affair with their neighbor. Facing upheaval, Kim and her son Harry navigate the challenges, finding themselves in a student flat with two other teens.

Amidst the changes, Kim and Harry forge a new family, embracing second chances, friendships, and fresh beginnings. The novel, with its feel-good vibe, weaves in additional characters, with Sonny standing out as a personal favorite.

Thank NetGalley for the download

This was a feel good easy read, a bit of a change from my usual murder/police procedural genre.
There wasn’t anything wonderfully different or unpredictable about it and in the beginning when Kim decides to stay in the student accommodation her son has just moved into at the start of his University degree, I did have a moment of disbelief, having had two boys go through University, there’s not a hope in hell I would ever have even considered moving in with them!! Kim, around whom the story is written, was extremely likeable, normal and relatable and I found myself wanting to know what choices she would ultimately make. Similarly the boys she was sharing the house with were all lovely likeable characters that you just felt invested in.
Perfect bed time reading for me!
My thanks go to the author, the publishers and NetGalley for an advanced e.copy of this book.

I love a book that gets straight to it within the first chapter & that is what The Time of Her Life does.

After finding out her husband has been having an affair Kim unexpectantly ends up living in a student house with 3 lads, definitely not where she ‘belongs’ and she starts a journey of self discovery and we are there with her!

I think what this book made me realise is that things really do happen for a reason, ‘do what you’ve always done and get what you’ve always got’ this life event really did send Kim on a different path than she expected.

I laughed a lot, my favourite character has to be Sonny, he needs his own sequel!!

I highly recommend this book!!

This was quite a slow moving story for the majority of the book. Kim finds out her husband has cheated with their next door neighbour and is leaving her. Kim responds by locking him out of the house and then she takes her son to his uni digs and moves into a spare room there. End of story for quite some . While she becomes a friend and advisor to the other fresher students in the house. The last few chapters perked up and when her husband comes crawling back and she realises she doesn't need him anymore and there are new options in her life. Quite a nice, satisfactory ending

The Time of Her Life has well drawn, relateable and, unusually for most books these days, mostly likeable characters in situations that fall just reliably short of farfetched. An easy and most enjoyable read. My thanks to Netgalley for my early copy, I had not come across Tracy Bloom before but I will now be looking out for her other works.

"The Time of Her Life" by Tracy Bloom is a heart-warming and humorous tale of starting anew and finding unexpected joy in life's unexpected twists. Kim Jacobs, confronted with the sudden news of her husband leaving and her son heading to university, is forced to reassess her life. The narrative takes an unexpected turn as Kim ends up sharing a flat with a group of young men, a situation far from what she had envisioned for herself.

Bloom's writing skilfully blends humour and genuine emotion, creating a story that resonates with readers. Kim's journey of rediscovery and self-reflection is relatable, and the challenges she faces provide both moments of laughter and moments of heartfelt connection. The author navigates the complexities of starting over with sensitivity and a touch of light-heartedness.

The novel's strength lies in its well-drawn characters and the unlikely bond that forms among Kim and her younger housemates. The interactions between the generations add depth to the narrative, exploring themes of friendship, personal growth, and the resilience of the human spirit. The camaraderie that develops within the unlikely household is heartening and adds a layer of optimism to the story.

Tracy Bloom's storytelling is engaging, with a narrative that unfolds at a comfortable pace. The exploration of Kim's new life, filled with man-babies, pizza boxes, and unexpected connections, keeps the reader invested in the journey. The author's ability to balance humour and heartfelt moments creates a well-rounded reading experience.

"The Time of Her Life" is a feel-good novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the potential for positive change, even in the face of unexpected challenges. Tracy Bloom's charming storytelling and relatable characters make this book an enjoyable read for those seeking a mix of humour, heart, and a fresh start in life.

Very twee, its all been done so many times before. Very predictable.********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The Time of Her Life by Tracy Bloom

Kim throws a surprise 50th Birthday party for her husband of 20 years and whilst clearing up afterwards he tells her he's leaving as he's been having an affair with the next door neighbour. Kim's son Harry is going to university the next day and she takes him to Nottingham and doesn't leave, unable to face her old life. As Kim tries to come to terms with what has happened she makes a new life for herself in Nottingham.

I absolutely loved this book - read it in one day as I couldn't put it down! It's so funny but also wise and poignant... the total package. I fell in love with all the characters and was really rooting for Kim - fab ending! Tracy Bloom is a genius - very VERY highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

This is my second book by Tracy Bloom and it did not disappoint it was excellent.
The story is based on Kim whose husband Richard is having an affair with her friend and next door neighbour shattering her life into pieces. What follows is a brilliant story of friendship, moving on, second chances and taking new paths.
The story is heartbreaking in places but also hilarious and heartwarming, in some parts. The characters were excellent, I felt like I knew them all and was part of the household. Sonny was my absolute favourite and I hope there is a sequel to find out what happens to everyone in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Tracy Bloom for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I wasn't very convinced by the first few chapters of The Time of her Life by Tracy Bloom but I actually thoroughly enjoyed it. In a confused set of circumstances, Kim ends up staying in her son's new student flat after discovering her husband's affair. The other flatmates are both very different from but gradually the dynamic starts to work and Kim realises that you are never too old to try something new.