The Best Days of Our Lives: the big-hearted and uplifting new novel from the bestselling author of Anything Could Happen

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While I did cry my eyes out reading this story, I would definitely describe The Best Days of Our Lives as a fun and happy book. Meanwhile their dad Tony who has become somewhat alienated from his children since his divorce from their mum Belinda has a new baby on the way, and at his age, well, he wonders if he can start all over again.

A novel that is typical of it's Author but with perhaps a slightly slower paced feeling than previously.Leni McKenzie's family - her divorced parents Belinda and Tony, both with new partners, her sister Alice and brother Will - are still reeling from her unexpected death, all turning to different ways of coping - or not coping.

I think because at this point things started to happen and the secrets and issues that each person had been hiding started to come to the fore.

Belinda, Leni’s mum, develops an unhealthy, yet comforting relationship with a clairvoyant, while Tony, Leni’s dad, is getting ready to become a father for the fourth time all over again after three failed marriages. Everyone is keeping se Instead, the author provides the reader with a snapshot into the year of a family following the loss of their sister Leni and in doing so provides moments of hope and courage to all who read the book.

We know that she dies early doors (no spoiler - it’s right there in the synopsis), but there’s not real transformation from her being there to not. Her marriage is over as her husband can’t cope with what she has turned into and all the solid structures once in place in her life are gone. And when a long-buried family secret surfaces, her faith in those she loves most is shaken to the core.

Three lives collide in this gripping story about friendship, motherhood and marriage and the façade of perfection people present to the world. We do, however, get to know her really well through her sister Alice, her brother Will and her parents Belinda and Tony. What we see are human beings going through messy, conflicting, and complex emotions due to losing someone they loved so dearly. Belinda and Tony had split up many years ago and had different partners, Tony having had more than one significant other over the years, but now currently settled with a younger partner who is pregnant, so he's about to become a dad again. I loved the idea of sharing memories with Leni’s friends and family - and although raw at the beginning they became a real source of comfort.