It is definitely full on with the emotions, and potentially a bit too much. If they’re sad, they’re distraught, if they’re a bit lost then they’re mad. Everything is dialled up to such an extreme that it doesn’t always feel in keeping with the characters. However, her description of grief is perfect. I’ve experienced grief in a number of ways and it can present in the most bizarre of situations and the strangest of times, but she’s definitely hit the mark with that. She doesn’t sugar coat the grief but she is equally very sensitive about it. Everyone blamed themselves in their own way for Leni's death, even though it was no-one's fault. The only one who annoyed me was Alice, as what Leni was up to in her last days consumed her to the point of obsession and took over her whole life. Where I’m most conflicted though, is in regards to the character of Leni. 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. And part of me would like more depth to her character and more of her story, rather than the drip feeding we get. On the other hand, the main crux of the story lies on her sister, Alice, trying to uncover the last weeks of Leni’s life, and by keeping us in the dark too, it puts us on the same journey, so I can understand why it’s written like that, but it doesn’t stop me wanting more.

Leni and her sister Alice were best friends as well as siblings. But did they know each other as well as Alice thought? In the hope of coming to terms with her grief, she tries to piece together Leni’s last weeks – but her discoveries only lead to more questions. And that’s before the surprise reappearance of someone from the past. Life is certainly getting very complicated …Favourite things: beaches, holidays, chocolate, wine, reading, Green Wing, bubble baths, sunshine, hearing my children laugh, babysitters

Tender, bittersweet and funny, Lucy Diamond is brilliant about love in all its guises’ Veronica Henry A brilliantly observed slice of family life full of joy, sorrow, happiness and hope, I loved it * Alex Brown * I guarantee that anyone reading The Best Days of Our Lives will find it hugely relatable and take solace, pleasure and joy from it. Reading this one might just inspire you to try something new in your own life. Oh how I treasured this precious novel by Lucy Diamond. Sure, it's majorly weepy for the most part but also enduringly uplifting. Wayyyyy too many feels to contend with!!

The Best Days of Our Lives by Lucy Diamond a beautifully written book from start to finish but you may need some tissues handy. UK popular contemporary fiction author Lucy Diamond pens a family drama saga that fans will appreciate.

Everyone is keeping secrets and the thing about secrets is that they will all be revealed in the end. There are touches of mystery and romance woven into the story too so that it really is a mesmerising read. It keeps the reader guessing every bit as much as Alice as she tries to piece together Leni’s last few weeks. Now with her 18th, The Best Days Of Our Lives, just out, and the last of her “babies” preparing to fly the nest for university in Edinburgh, Diamond recalls those good-old-bad-old days: “I decided to give the novel a go, but there was no safety net at all. We didn’t have a lot of money. That was in 2002. I gave myself six months.” The Best Days of Our Lives is one of those books that makes you reassess how you live your own life. Deeply moving but ultimately uplifting, you won't regret reading this * Katie Fforde *Belinda is dealing with her grief in a different way and her partner Ray is extremely worried about her. Hours spent talking to Leni through a psychic hotline may be bringing Belinda comfort but deep down surely she must know that this is not real at all? She may be finding short term comfort but long-term acceptance seems very far away. As her ex-husband Tony seems to have had a revelation/wake up call when it comes to his own life situation Belinda starts to realise things from the past which she desperately wanted kept hidden could be about to break through the surface. Can a lid be kept on something she and someone else have been sitting on for years? Or will a new can of worms be opened up? The story is essentially about the grief her family feels when Leni dies following a bicycle accident. Lucy Diamond explores how guilt, despair, loneliness, isolation, anger and vulnerability reverberate through those left behind. Humour, love, excitement and joy Dystopian Fiction Books Everyone Should Read: Explore The Darker Side of Possible Worlds and Alternative Futures A bittersweet ode to the highs, the lows, and all the shades of living in between, The Best Days of Our Lives is Lucy Diamond at her absolute best. Prepare to be charmed! * Laura Jane Williams *

A compelling and beautifully written tale of love, grief and family. This book touched my heart * Sarah Morgan *You’d think that would make for a miserable or maudlin story, but not a bit of it! There’s humour, love, excitement and joy in The Best Days of Our Lives too so that, while the reader needs a tissue or two along the way, the overall sensation is of a fabulous, uplifting, and life affirming experience. she tries to put together the last few weeks of Leni's life.......Only to find secrets she did not know about her. Set over the course of one life-changing year, The Best Days of Our Lives is a warm, big-hearted and poignant story, full of hope, heartache and love. Lucy is at the top of her game with this wise and wonderful book. It's deeply moving and truly uplifting. No-one does real life better than Lucy Diamond * Veronica Henry * No one writes about family like Lucy does. This is a masterpiece in how broken people negotiate and ultimately survive the worst that life can throw at them. It's an absolutely beautiful book * Milly Johnson *