Friday 16 August 2019

The Lido by Libby Page Book Review

It's been a long time since a book has given me as much joy as The Lido by Libby Page has. It was a book I took my time with, allowed myself to get fully lost in the story and I fell in love with each and every character, even ones I never expected to.
book held up in front of bookshelf
'Meet Rosemary, 86, and Kate, 26: dreamers, campaigners, outdoor swimmers. Rosemary has lived in Brixton all her life, but everything she knows is changing. Only the local lido, where she swims everyday, remains a constant reminder of the past and her beloved husband George. Kate has just moved and feels adrift in a city that is too big for her. She's on the bottom rung of her career as a local journalist, and is determined to make something of it. So when the lido is threatened with closure, Kate knows this story could be her chance to shine. But for Rosemary, it could be the end of everything. Together they are determined to make a stand, and to prove that the pool is more than just a place to swim - it's the heart of the community.'

My review

I think there's a lot to be said for books that you can just thoroughly enjoy over a period of time. A lot of the time I like to whizz through books as fast as I can, the faster I read it usually equates to how much I'm enjoying it, especially when it comes to thrillers. Anything with a bit of suspense and I just have to keep turning that page until I reach the conclusion. The Lido couldn't be more different though.

Ordinarily this wouldn't usually be a book I'd reach for. As I just said I love a thriller but on the other end of the scale, I'm all for a love story. This wasn't either of those, so normally it would get missed when I'm picking up a new read. I had seen some really positive reviews of The Lido though and a few trusted book bloggers said that despite this not being their usual foray either, they all absolutely loved it, so I thought why not give it a go? I really liked the sound of the story but I knew it was unlikely to be one full of tension and intrigue, just something a bit lighter than what I've been reading recently.

Within a few chapters, I could totally see why people who wouldn't usually pick this up had fallen in love with it, because I quickly had aswell. Almost straight away I emphasised completely with 26 year old Kate who has anxiety and has been feeling lost in life, just sticking to her usual routine of work and home each day and never feeling fulfilled. And I adored 86 year old Rosemary, a woman who attends her local Lido each day for a morning swim, and recalls fond memories of her husband George and their life together in Brixton. You wouldn't think these two women could strike up such a wonderful friendship but they do, and it honestly just filled me with joy as the book went on.

Kate and Rosemary come together to try and save the local Lido after plans are released to turn it from a family friendly haven to a private members gym. It's only when writing about the story that Kate realises what a special place the Lido is for so many people and it's then she starts to realise how much more there is to life than what she's been living. She herself starts visiting the Lido and that allows for her to start to overcome her anxiety, open her heart up to love and become part of this new community she never knew existed. Whether they manage to save the local Lido or not, I'll not spoil but regardless it was the most beautiful story of two very different women who because of the same dreams enrich each others lives more than they could have ever predicted.

I found myself wanting to slow down each time I read this. I just didn't want to say goodbye to the characters and it really was a book I could just take 10 minutes with, read a few chapters and feel satisfied afterwards. I truly took my time with it and allowed myself to properly have a break each day rather than feeling like it's something else I needed to speed through quickly.

The Lido is just an incredibly uplifting story that will make your heart happy. I'm sure I'll be re-reading this in the future and I can't wait to see the film one day now it's been confirmed! I think it's a story that will work so well on screen.

Has a book surprised you recently? Have you read The Lido?


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15 comments

Ellen said...

Ooh it sounds really good! I’m trying not to buy books though and read my growing TBR instead!😂

Debbie said...

Awww this sounds like an incredible story with awesome characters too

jennyinneverland said...

This sounds like an absolutely delightful read. I love stories with unexpected friendships x

Jenny
http://www.jennyinneverland.com

Sophie said...

This sounds like such a lovely read. I can see why people who wouldn't usually read it have fallen in love with it x

Sophie
www.glowsteady.co.uk

Lady Writes said...

This one sounds like a good read for the end of the summer x

Heather Nixon said...

Not my kind of read but I LOVE that cover x

Tiffany Timms said...

I need to stop buying them! I just can't help it when I see them on offer, I'm so bad with it at the moment xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Loved the characters so much!

Tiffany Timms said...

Me too, it was nice to read something that wasn't focused on romance xx

Tiffany Timms said...

I'm so glad I took a chance on it, one of my favourites of the year I think xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Definitely a good Summer read, would be a great one to take away with you xx

Tiffany Timms said...

It's such a beautiful cover isn't it?! x

Joy said...

I love the sound of this. I enjoy books with older characters.

Daisy said...

I'm going to be honest and say I don't normally know what to comment since I don't read thrillers so I'm so glad you have a romance novel! xD This sounds so cute and I love books where you don't have to think and just enjoy!

Daisy xoxo | TheDeeWhoLived

Cora - Tea Party Princess said...

I have heard of The Lido before, it's been floating around bookstagram, but this is the first review I've read - and it sounds amazing. I love it when a book is so good that you don't want it to stop.
Cora | http://www.teapartyprincess.co.uk/

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