First of all I would like to say thank to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is again another fantastic book by Ruth Jones, she just manages to portray people and relationships in such a beautiful way. From the location to the plot all of it was perfect and did make me cry at points - mainly due to how invested you get into the characters lives.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

My first read by Ruth and I really enjoyed it.

Linda is about to retire from her job at the unclaimed heirs unit, before she does she needs to solve one last case.
She must travel to a Scottish island to track down the remaining relatives. She searches for clues and discovers things about herself along the way.

You can always count on Ruth Jones to tick all your comfort boxes.

Heartwarming
Funny
Emotional
Exciting

In her latest novel, we meet Linda, who has one last case at her job at the council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit, before she can enjoy retirement. While she knows that the case surrounding Levi’s death is going to take her to Scotland, she doesn’t realise it’s also going to change her future.

Told through the lens of Linda as she begins to unravel Levi’s life in Scotland, we also read from Levi’s perspective and uncover what led him from his home in Wales to his final years in the Isle of Storrich.

By Your Side is a beautifully told, heartfelt novel about community, connection and the secrets we keep.

This was an emotional rollercoaster!! Ruth Jones writes the most varied, characters and they feel real. Their relationships were so much fun to read and the plot was perfectly paced - fast enough that everything was moving but without rushing through. I'll be picking up more from her in the future!

Another fab novel from Ruth Jones, of Gavin and Stacey fame.

Linda is a council worker, close to retirement, whose last job is to sort out the estate of a reclusive man in a remote village in the Hebrides. It's a incredibly sad story and as she investigates further into potential heirs Linda finds out more about his background and the reasons why a previously well-liked family man had moved to the middle of nowhere.

As always Ruth's strong and humourous personality is reflected in the character of Linda. I really enjoyed this book, but tissues are needed.

Ruth Jones has a real gift for exploring the complexities of human relationships, and By Your Side is no exception. It’s a moving, quietly powerful novel that weaves together love, loss, guilt, and forgiveness in a way that feels both authentic and deeply affecting.

The story centres on Levi, in the past. and Linda, in the present. What I appreciated most was how gradually their histories unfolded. Jones never rushes the emotional beats; instead, she allows the characters room to breathe, to make mistakes, and to grow in ways that feel incredibly real.

One of the novel’s strengths is its emotional honesty. There are no easy answers or overly tidy resolutions, and yet there’s something deeply comforting about the way the story unfolds. The characters are flawed but sympathetic, and their decisions—while not always admirable—are always understandable. It’s the kind of book that makes you reflect on your own relationships and choices.

Jones’s writing style is accessible yet thoughtful, with dialogue that rings true and a keen sense of place and atmosphere. There’s also a quiet humour that runs through the book, lightening some of the heavier moments without undermining them.

By Your Side isn’t a fast-paced read, but that works in its favour. It’s a novel that rewards patience—a slow burn that ultimately delivers a deeply satisfying emotional payoff.

If you’ve read any of Ruth Jones’s previous novels you’ll recognise her signature style: relatable characters, strong dialogue, and a story that feels deeply rooted in everyday life, with all its imperfections and grace.

Incredible.
Another 5 star book from the genius that is Ruth Jones. I’d love just one percent of the talent she possesses.
This book has everything you need to keep you gripped from the first page to the last, clear your schedule as you won’t want to put it down.

Another smash hit for Jones and I could not put this down. Add in Scotland and I am going to be besotted. Leo's story was so amazing. I adored every moment.

Absolutely fantastic right from the start. Ruth Jones is a fantastic author and I loved the main character Linda. A story that has surprises and a wonderful ending

Absolutely brilliant. This was a catcher o a story from the very first beginning. Ruth Jones is becoming a fantastic novelist

I absolutely love a story that skips back and forth between the past and present day and in this gorgeous story I was obsessed with Leo’s story of his life and how he came to be a recluse living on a remote Scottish island.
I laughed, I cried and I just thoroughly enjoyed this lovely story with such vibrant characters and gripping storyline! A definite must read for Summer 2025.

A light hearted read about a man who moves to a village on an island off the Scottish mainland. He doesn't engage with the locals, only having a drink once a year, on an anniversary? He dies, so say without any relatives and a government employee, on The Unclaimed Heirs Unit is dispatched to sort out the estate. Linda, a divorced, single, large/overweight lady who travels to the island with an undertaker with the intent of bringing back the body and sorting out the estate. She and the undertaker, Fergus Murray, have a mutual dislike of each other to the banter between them is amusing!
The other part of this story is about Linda's relationship with her son, Struan and his son Zander, who are living with her as the son is separated from his wife, Lauren, her choice. Linda is about to take early retirement when this last case comes up on the Isle of Storrich.
Fergus and Linda end up staying longer than intended due to weather ferry delays. A flirtation occurs between the owner of the pub/b&b where Linda is staying, which reignites some forgotten feeling in Linda and she thoroughly enjoys this little romance, but knows that it's just a holiday romance.
The story progresses with Linda finding the estranged "daughter" of Levi Norman and a life of hidden truths emerge about Levi who took it upon himself to protect Diana from her husband Jack who abused and cheated on her. He also took on the role of father to Rachel.
It's a fun read, with humour and sadness, of family misunderstandings through not being totally honest about the whole situation.

I was sent a copy of By Your Side by Ruth Jones to read and review by NetGalley. I have read two other books by this author, neither of which I was totally enamoured with – so I didn’t even bother with her last novel. This story though piqued my interest and on the whole it was really enjoyable and definitely my favourite of hers so far. The book is, it has to be said, very romantic in more ways than one. You could even say idyllic – despite the fact that death is one of the main aspects of the novel. I liked the characters and at odd times I was made to laugh out loud. I thought that things lost their way a little towards the end of the story, perhaps with too much explanation sort of stuffed in at the end. Despite this I think the book warrants a 4 rather than a 3.5 rating for me as I did enjoy it overall.

I loved the TV series Gavin and Stacey which Ruth Jones co-wrote with James Corden and I loved By Your Side too. It’s the first one of her books that I’ve read but I’ll definitely look out for more to read. It’s an emotionally charged book as Linda Standish takes on her last case for the Council’s Unclaimed Heirs Unit, tracking down Levi Norman’s next of kin.

The story is told mainly from two perspectives, those of Linda and Levi. It’s told with gentle humour and laced with sadness as the details of both Levi’s and Linda’s lives are revealed. I really liked Linda, such a kind, compassionate character, who hides her vulnerability behind a confident exterior. She was looking forward to retirement and had made plans, most of which involved her four-year-old grandson, Zander, who lives with her and his father Struan. So she is devastated when she learns they will be moving to live near his ex-wife and her parents. All this just before Christmas and Linda has to travel to Storrich, the island where Levi died.

All she knows is that for the last five years seventy-five year old Levi had lived alone in Storrich, twenty miles off the mainland of Scotland. He had kept himself to himself and none of the local people knew anything about him. The story moves between their lives as Linda gradually discovers more about Levi, a Welshman, and the circumstances of his life and death.

It’s a well paced story, with wonderful characters, all well defined and believable. As I read it I could so easily hear Ruth Jones’ Welsh accent in Levi’s words. It’s a heartbreaking and poignant story, and at the same time an uplifting story, beautifully written bringing it all to life. It was a joy to read.

Many thanks to the publishers for a review copy via NetGalley.

What an absolutely incredible read. Ruth Jones has such a gift for bringing characters to life, I truly felt like I knew them. I especially grew to love Linda & Levi’s characters and by the final pages, I found myself completely loving everyone mentioned.
The book is an emotional rollercoaster, taking you on a journey through joy, laughter, pain & heartbreak. You feel like you’re right there with the characters, experiencing every moment.
I really didn’t want it to end. I could’ve happily read another 500 pages.

An easy five stars 🌟

Absolutely gorgeous! A beautiful beautiful book. I devoured it. The characters are so well written, I love the double barrell in joke name calling between Linda & Fergus. What I also adored was how it relishes that live and lust are every bit as important for 50 somethings with curves. A triumph. I adored this book! And as for the shenanigans with the misplaced urn....brilliant! Levi 'Boyo' Norman and Linda Standish are characters that will stay with me for a long time. Fabulous!

I throughly enjoyed this and feel that Ruth has such a gift for captivating her readers. The story is split into multiple points of view and different time lines. It is the type of story where you go on a journey with the characters and become very attached to them. A story about regular people that keeps you wanting more.

First off my rating is in no way based on the quality of the writing, but purely on my personal enjoyment of the book.

And in this case i could take it or leave it. I enjoyed the story, it had all the right ingredients for a heart warming tale, it made me laugh and cry but when i put the book down, i could go days without picking it back up - which is not my usual reading style.

What a fantastic read. Ruth Jones never fails to engage me with her stories and characters.

The protagonist was so relatable and I could see me as being her friend. The story was interesting and heartwarming. I loved it!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

My first Ruth Jones novel and I will be looking out for more.
Set in 2 locations in Scotland, one more remote than the other.
Some lovely quite unexpected characters, and an interesting story line.
Mainly set in the present day but with some interesting interludes in the characters past.