What do you think?
Rate this book
The Best Days of Our Lives
When 35-year-old Leni McKenzie is knocked off her bike, her family’s world is turned upside down.
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 …
Meanwhile, the rest of the family seem to be falling apart. Belinda, Alice’s mum, has developed an unhealthy obsession with a clairvoyant, and Tony, her dad, is stressed about becoming a father all over again, what with three failed marriages stacking up behind him.
As for Will, the youngest McKenzie, he’s in denial, having hopped onto a plane to Thailand days after the funeral. Secretly, he’s tormented by the part he played in Leni’s death … and the thing about secrets is, they always come out eventually …
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 …
Meanwhile, the rest of the family seem to be falling apart. Belinda, Alice’s mum, has developed an unhealthy obsession with a clairvoyant, and Tony, her dad, is stressed about becoming a father all over again, what with three failed marriages stacking up behind him.
As for Will, the youngest McKenzie, he’s in denial, having hopped onto a plane to Thailand days after the funeral. Secretly, he’s tormented by the part he played in Leni’s death … and the thing about secrets is, they always come out eventually …
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 16, 2023
About the author
Lucy Diamond
65 books1,355 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
First of all, a confession. My name isn’t really Lucy Diamond at all, it’s Sue Mongredien. I’ve used a pen name because ‘Diamond’ is a lot easier to spell and pronounce than ‘Mongredien’ and also because I’ve written lots of children’s books too and wanted to keep the genres separate. (There is actually another Lucy Diamond on Amazon who writes religious children’s books. That isn’t me, though.)
I was born in 1970 and grew up in Nottingham. I read English at Leeds University then moved to London and worked for various publishers before I packed it all in to go travelling around the world for a year and a half. When I came back to the UK, I worked in publishing again, then moved to the BBC. I now live in Bath with my husband and three young children and divide my time between writing and looking after them. You can have a look at my children’s books here.
Favourite things: beaches, holidays, chocolate, wine, reading, Green Wing, bubble baths, sunshine, hearing my children laugh, babysitters
Favourite books: The Magus (John Fowles), The Edible Woman (Margaret Atwood), The Secret History (Donna Tartt), The Colour of Memory (Geoff Dyer)
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
First of all, a confession. My name isn’t really Lucy Diamond at all, it’s Sue Mongredien. I’ve used a pen name because ‘Diamond’ is a lot easier to spell and pronounce than ‘Mongredien’ and also because I’ve written lots of children’s books too and wanted to keep the genres separate. (There is actually another Lucy Diamond on Amazon who writes religious children’s books. That isn’t me, though.)
I was born in 1970 and grew up in Nottingham. I read English at Leeds University then moved to London and worked for various publishers before I packed it all in to go travelling around the world for a year and a half. When I came back to the UK, I worked in publishing again, then moved to the BBC. I now live in Bath with my husband and three young children and divide my time between writing and looking after them. You can have a look at my children’s books here.
Favourite things: beaches, holidays, chocolate, wine, reading, Green Wing, bubble baths, sunshine, hearing my children laugh, babysitters
Favourite books: The Magus (John Fowles), The Edible Woman (Margaret Atwood), The Secret History (Donna Tartt), The Colour of Memory (Geoff Dyer)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
January 7, 2023
The Best days of lives by Lucy diamond is about a McKenzie family dealing with the loss of a loved one. Leni McKenzie daughter/sister and best friend got knocked off her bike and was killed. The family was never the same again.
This is a story about sister Alice finding out about Leni’s last few weeks of her life and she discovers that Alice didn’t know everything about her sister than she thought she did. It is also about them coming to terms with Leni’s death and getting over the grief and living life to the fullest as Leni would have wanted her family to be.
Thank you, Quercus, for an ARC of Lucy Diamond’s latest offering. I look forward to the authors work and it is usually happy, heart-warming tale. I liked the premise of this story, but I found this to be slow and depressing that I struggled to connect to the characters although I finished it. 3.5 stars from me.
This is a story about sister Alice finding out about Leni’s last few weeks of her life and she discovers that Alice didn’t know everything about her sister than she thought she did. It is also about them coming to terms with Leni’s death and getting over the grief and living life to the fullest as Leni would have wanted her family to be.
Thank you, Quercus, for an ARC of Lucy Diamond’s latest offering. I look forward to the authors work and it is usually happy, heart-warming tale. I liked the premise of this story, but I found this to be slow and depressing that I struggled to connect to the characters although I finished it. 3.5 stars from me.
February 16, 2023
This was so good. The last two books that Lucy has written were very sad and just not like her usual style. This one was much better and I loved it. A really good chick-lit and I really recommend this. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
February 12, 2023
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy before publication date! 😊
I am a big fan of Lucy Diamond’s writing, and I’m yet to read a book by her that I haven’t enjoyed. This one was no exception. We are introduced to the McKenzie family on Leni’s 35th birthday. We meet her Mum Belinda, sister Alice, brother Will, and hear about her unreliable dad, Tony. Unfortunately, just a few weeks after this less than successful get together, Leni sadly dies in a tragic bike accident, and the story follows Belinda, Alice, Will and Tony as they navigate their way through their grief and their own personal feelings towards the part that they feel they played in Leni’s life and death.
This book is very character driven and we really get to know the main characters well. They are all so likeable, even Tony, who at first I was a bit unsure of. It becomes clear that all of them are fighting their own secret demons and are struggling to come to terms with Leni’s death. I think that grief is explored really well in this book, and through the different family members, we see how everyone deals with grief differently.
I loved that the supporting characters (Jackie, Ray, Jacob etc) really complemented the story, and I liked that characters such as Jackie and Ray were actually nice and weren’t made out to have that evil step parent vibe!
This book was very sad as ultimately it follows a family in the months after losing a daughter/sister, but it was uplifting and inspiring too. It did have sprinkles of humour (thanks Hamish!!) throughout, and ultimately it portrayed real life for many families.
I read this book in less than 8 hours which tells you how much it captivated me. I’m not surprised at how much I loved it because I always do love Lucy Diamond’s writing. Release day for this book is this coming Thursday and I would definitely recommend it! 😊
I am a big fan of Lucy Diamond’s writing, and I’m yet to read a book by her that I haven’t enjoyed. This one was no exception. We are introduced to the McKenzie family on Leni’s 35th birthday. We meet her Mum Belinda, sister Alice, brother Will, and hear about her unreliable dad, Tony. Unfortunately, just a few weeks after this less than successful get together, Leni sadly dies in a tragic bike accident, and the story follows Belinda, Alice, Will and Tony as they navigate their way through their grief and their own personal feelings towards the part that they feel they played in Leni’s life and death.
This book is very character driven and we really get to know the main characters well. They are all so likeable, even Tony, who at first I was a bit unsure of. It becomes clear that all of them are fighting their own secret demons and are struggling to come to terms with Leni’s death. I think that grief is explored really well in this book, and through the different family members, we see how everyone deals with grief differently.
I loved that the supporting characters (Jackie, Ray, Jacob etc) really complemented the story, and I liked that characters such as Jackie and Ray were actually nice and weren’t made out to have that evil step parent vibe!
This book was very sad as ultimately it follows a family in the months after losing a daughter/sister, but it was uplifting and inspiring too. It did have sprinkles of humour (thanks Hamish!!) throughout, and ultimately it portrayed real life for many families.
I read this book in less than 8 hours which tells you how much it captivated me. I’m not surprised at how much I loved it because I always do love Lucy Diamond’s writing. Release day for this book is this coming Thursday and I would definitely recommend it! 😊
November 16, 2022
Lucy Diamond is one of my favourite authors! This book was truly a delight to read. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a weepy and will have you reaching for the tissues throughout, but it was so heart-warming that I couldn’t help but be captivated by it right from the very beginning. The story revolves around Leni, although we don’t actually get to meet Leni for long in person as shortly after the book begins, Leni is knocked off her bike and sadly dies. We do, however, get to know her really well through her sister Alice, her brother Will and her parents Belinda and Tony. Their fond recounting of stories about Leni was wonderful and following them all through their grief was so sad yet uplifting.
The book is full of likeable characters, and whilst some you may not warm to immediately, they do all redeem themselves by the end of the book. Tony, Leni’s dad, is a classic example of this, and I really admired and loved his character by the end. There are lots of different family dynamics within the book, yet the author deals with these in an uncomplicated and simple way, creating and resolving deep rooted family issues. There are also some twists and turns throughout the story, which add a little bit of intrigue into Leni’s story. This was a beautifully written book, giving an insight into the family’s grief and showing how far out the ripples of Leni’s death went. A touching read, with some light-hearted moments (I particularly liked Hamish the cat’s part in this!) and lots of family secrets which you know will be revealed by the end of the book. Wonderful! Would definitely recommend!
The book is full of likeable characters, and whilst some you may not warm to immediately, they do all redeem themselves by the end of the book. Tony, Leni’s dad, is a classic example of this, and I really admired and loved his character by the end. There are lots of different family dynamics within the book, yet the author deals with these in an uncomplicated and simple way, creating and resolving deep rooted family issues. There are also some twists and turns throughout the story, which add a little bit of intrigue into Leni’s story. This was a beautifully written book, giving an insight into the family’s grief and showing how far out the ripples of Leni’s death went. A touching read, with some light-hearted moments (I particularly liked Hamish the cat’s part in this!) and lots of family secrets which you know will be revealed by the end of the book. Wonderful! Would definitely recommend!
February 13, 2023
Books about grief seem to have their moment right now and it's ok, though I think I'd rather read about cupcakes and bookshop in Cornwall. Whatever. This one was written by Lucy Diamond, so I had to give it a go. Last few books by this author didn't gel with me so much, but "The Best Days of Our Lives" turned out to be a poignant yet funny, touching story about a family dealing with the worst - with grief.
I had a problem with Leni, though, because the picture of her, painted by the characters, was totally different to this what the author showed us in the first chapter. I didn't like her too much, to be honest. The story, on the whole, was very character driven and the author did a good job with describing them, yet I still think that Leni was really the weakest link and I'm guessing it shouldn't be like this, I was supposed to like her and because I didn't, well, the whole story was already from the beginning spoiled for me.
The different family dynamics in the book were also really well captured. The patchwork family was interesting and I enjoyed following on their journey to accepting not only the fact that one of them is dead, but accepting themselves, just like they are.
However, I had a feeling that the story, all the feelings and emotions are a bit over the top. It was a bit overdone and the characters' behaviour was too extreme, to over the top.
It is a sad story but it's also uplifting and I truly enjoyed the glimmers of hope. It will make you appreciate your beloved ones more.
I had a problem with Leni, though, because the picture of her, painted by the characters, was totally different to this what the author showed us in the first chapter. I didn't like her too much, to be honest. The story, on the whole, was very character driven and the author did a good job with describing them, yet I still think that Leni was really the weakest link and I'm guessing it shouldn't be like this, I was supposed to like her and because I didn't, well, the whole story was already from the beginning spoiled for me.
The different family dynamics in the book were also really well captured. The patchwork family was interesting and I enjoyed following on their journey to accepting not only the fact that one of them is dead, but accepting themselves, just like they are.
However, I had a feeling that the story, all the feelings and emotions are a bit over the top. It was a bit overdone and the characters' behaviour was too extreme, to over the top.
It is a sad story but it's also uplifting and I truly enjoyed the glimmers of hope. It will make you appreciate your beloved ones more.
July 19, 2023
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
UK popular contemporary fiction author Lucy Diamond pens a family drama saga that fans will appreciate.
Opening the story we find out that loveable family member Leni McKenzie is knocked off her bike and passes away.
Now all of them are falling apart.
Her sister Alice, finds that she didn’t know her sibling as well as she thought.
Will, their younger brother, has run away overseas to deal with his guilt.
Belinda, their mother is obsessed with her clairvoyant friend, wanting answers from the other side.
Tony, their dad, who is divorced and remarried, is dealing with the feelings of becoming a father again.
But behind all the loss, grieving and heartaches, all their secrets are about to come out.
A Lucy read is usually very entertaining and feel good fiction.
But I found this one to be just ok, I didn’t love it and I didn’t dislike it so I guess I’m somewhere in between.
Providing readers with a glimpse into the world of bereavement, close family relationships and the impact when life deals this card.
Full of heartbreak, love, sorrow and joy while also being heartwarming, honest and caring.
An average tale that I found a little crowded at times.
UK popular contemporary fiction author Lucy Diamond pens a family drama saga that fans will appreciate.
Opening the story we find out that loveable family member Leni McKenzie is knocked off her bike and passes away.
Now all of them are falling apart.
Her sister Alice, finds that she didn’t know her sibling as well as she thought.
Will, their younger brother, has run away overseas to deal with his guilt.
Belinda, their mother is obsessed with her clairvoyant friend, wanting answers from the other side.
Tony, their dad, who is divorced and remarried, is dealing with the feelings of becoming a father again.
But behind all the loss, grieving and heartaches, all their secrets are about to come out.
A Lucy read is usually very entertaining and feel good fiction.
But I found this one to be just ok, I didn’t love it and I didn’t dislike it so I guess I’m somewhere in between.
Providing readers with a glimpse into the world of bereavement, close family relationships and the impact when life deals this card.
Full of heartbreak, love, sorrow and joy while also being heartwarming, honest and caring.
An average tale that I found a little crowded at times.
February 7, 2023
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!!
Lina McKenzie was the life of the party and also the glue that held her somewhat dysfunctional family together. Shortly after her 35th birthday, Lina is out riding at night when she's knocked off her bike and instantly killed by a passing car.
As you can imagine, the tragedy rocks Lina's surviving family. In the following year, we follow the McKenzies as they turn to different ways of coping (or not coping in this case). Oh gosh. The way Lucy has written this period is realistically raw and I couldn't help my heart going out to everyone. Especially Lina's dad, Tony. Evolving from distant and uninvolved to becoming Father of the Year over the course of a book is an impressive feat.
Through memories and stories, we get to know Lina well. In another universe, she would've been such an amazing and positive soul to have in your life. The McKenzies were so lucky to call her a daughter and sister.
Well done Lucy for one magnificent experience I'll never forget.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
Lina McKenzie was the life of the party and also the glue that held her somewhat dysfunctional family together. Shortly after her 35th birthday, Lina is out riding at night when she's knocked off her bike and instantly killed by a passing car.
As you can imagine, the tragedy rocks Lina's surviving family. In the following year, we follow the McKenzies as they turn to different ways of coping (or not coping in this case). Oh gosh. The way Lucy has written this period is realistically raw and I couldn't help my heart going out to everyone. Especially Lina's dad, Tony. Evolving from distant and uninvolved to becoming Father of the Year over the course of a book is an impressive feat.
Through memories and stories, we get to know Lina well. In another universe, she would've been such an amazing and positive soul to have in your life. The McKenzies were so lucky to call her a daughter and sister.
Well done Lucy for one magnificent experience I'll never forget.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
November 5, 2022
Lucy Diamond's books are always a great read in the family-drama type genre, and this was no exception.
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. Generally, the latter.
The story follows all four family members as they deal with the absence of Leni, a powerful personality. The story is punctuated with various people's reminiscences of her from a tribute page set up by her sister, and these were fun to read.
A really enjoyable and ultimately uplifting story.
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. Generally, the latter.
The story follows all four family members as they deal with the absence of Leni, a powerful personality. The story is punctuated with various people's reminiscences of her from a tribute page set up by her sister, and these were fun to read.
A really enjoyable and ultimately uplifting story.
February 22, 2023
Grab your napkins and brace yourself for a very emotional, heartbreaking, bumpy road ahead! 'The best day of our lives' is a beautiful story about love (in so many ways), grief, strength and overcoming your pain to build something amazing out of it...
I absolutely loved the author's writing - her words are fluid and poetic, which makes the story engaging and deeply passionate. As for character depth and development, hands down to Lucy Diamond! She's just great.
How can you not love Alice, Will, Belinda, Tony throughout this journey?
I highly recommend it - I'm sure it'll touch everyone (especially those who may have struggled or may have been struggling with grief)
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley and I'm very thankful for having had the opportunity to read such a great book.
I absolutely loved the author's writing - her words are fluid and poetic, which makes the story engaging and deeply passionate. As for character depth and development, hands down to Lucy Diamond! She's just great.
How can you not love Alice, Will, Belinda, Tony throughout this journey?
I highly recommend it - I'm sure it'll touch everyone (especially those who may have struggled or may have been struggling with grief)
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley and I'm very thankful for having had the opportunity to read such a great book.
February 18, 2023
Given the subject matter of The Best Days of Our Lives, the new book by Lucy Diamond, you’d be forgiven for thinking this story would be all doom and gloom and extremely difficult to read. Especially as we all know dealing with the aftermath of losing a loved one can be a challenge and have such a long and devastating impact. But thankfully this story wasn’t all misery, anguish and sadness as it could have easily descended into this vein. 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. I appreciated the honesty throughout and although the characters are each fractured and torn apart by their loss they have to learn to come to terms with the fate that has befallen them. Through many experiences and an extensive journey they learn lots about themselves and several secrets are also revealed too.
I’ll be entirely honest and say I found this book too long and it could have done with less chapters in order to condense the story a bit more. I struggled to get through the first half or so but found once I reached perhaps around the 55% mark I finally started to really engage with each individual character. 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. Connections were being made and hearts were being opened and everyone was learning to be real and honest otherwise what was the point. Yes, the first half for me dragged but as the family stumbled towards acceptance and in doing so grew and matured and at the same time I felt there was a turning point and the my earlier misgivings began to disappear.
A brief introduction has the reader meeting Leni as she is about to celebrate her 35th birthday with her family. She has constant reminders of what she had but once lost as she sees her family members doing well in life or she thinks. Leni is no longer with her husband and her long held hopes of becoming a mother are just a pipe dream. Fast forward five and a half months later and Leni’s family are deep in the grieving process although they are trying to hide their true feelings from each other particularly her brother Will. This leads to all sorts of complications as the months progress the family become ever more fractured. But this fracturing needs to occur in order for them to try and begin the acceptance process and find their way back to each other again. This is extremely difficult as Leni was taken from them so prematurely when she had an accident whilst on her bike.
What follows are chapters from each family’s members viewpoint, her sister Alice, her brother Will, her mother Belinda and her father Tony. As there were so many characters to get to know I thought things might become quite confusing but it was easy to follow each of their individual storylines and I enjoyed seeing how at some point they were bound to come together. The absence of Leni is felt keenly by her family and by the reader too. You are desperate to get to know her and to read things from her perspective but you know this can’t occur but the further the story develops you do get a sense of who she was and how integral she was to the family and how loved she was.
Since Leni’s death, Alice has fallen apart and it comes to a climax when she quits her job rather than deal with her anger issues as tentatively suggested by her boss. 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. As Alice says ’The world spun off it’s axis and everything went dark’ and this how every family member feels. I could see instantly that Alice was filled with both rage and regret at what had happened and also guilt the reason for which becomes apparent fairly early on. She feels she didn’t know Leni in her last few weeks of life and so when she finds her diary with some unusual entries she sets about learning more. This was the catalyst for Alice starting some self-healing but really can we ever truly reach that end point in relation to this especially when all we want is that person back in our lives? Leni’s death forces Alice to rebuild things in her own life and I loved the metaphor of the butterfly showing her struggle and the symbolism of the peacock feathers throughout the book. It worked really well and didn’t seem out of the ordinary or over the top.’Sometimes the act of getting through a trauma can give you strength you didn’t have before-strength to fly’.
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?
As for Will, when Leni died he fled. He can’t deal with the emotions her loss has stirred up and instead he spends his days selling knock off gear on the beaches of Thailand. Initially, I got the sense the other family members were willing to leave him off to his own devices as they were too caught up in their own misery and grief. Of course, you can understand this but I felt Will was crying out for help. That the show of doing well in Thailand and enjoying the good life was just that of bravado. Will, needs a little bit of love in his life and to crack open his false exterior and reveal what is truly haunting him. Only then will he begin to travel on the road to acceptance and full family reunification.
I never thought I would be saying this but Tony was my favourite character throughout the entire story. Normally, I don’t overly connect with male characters but there was just something about him that made me very fond of him. Tony is starting a new chapter in his life. Becoming a Dad for the fourth time with his new partner Jackie. He can’t believe this is happening and is not overly keen to get involved with preparations thinking everything will be just as it was when his older kids were born. Tony is sweet and a bit gormless and slowly bit by bit as he starts to wake up and understand that he needs to change he comes to a realisation that the family that he left behind when his marriage broke down, that maybe it’s not too late to make amends with them. He establishes a family WhatsApp group in order to get everyone talking and despite his best intentions it seems that no one is that overly keen to engage with him. But I admired him for his persistence and the fact he admitted to himself that things needed to change and with a new arrival due he wasn’t going to make the same mistakes as he had done with his older children. He is devastated by the loss of Leni but without this occurring I don’t think he would have undergone the transformative journey which I enjoyed following. He tries so hard to repair family bridges and I found myself rooting for him all the way.
The Best Days of Our Lives has a sad and difficult event that forms the core of the book from which all the other events and situations involving the characters evolve from. Despite this, it is an uplifting read and there are many important life lessons to be learnt from it. Overall, I did enjoy the story and found it to be inspiring and helpful. We are provided with a satisfactory ending with many explanations given and loose ends tied up which I was glad we weren’t provided with an ambiguous ending. I would recommend this book as it was enjoyable whilst reading but as for being one of the more memorable books I have read recently perhaps maybe not but I appreciate what I took from it at the time.
I’ll be entirely honest and say I found this book too long and it could have done with less chapters in order to condense the story a bit more. I struggled to get through the first half or so but found once I reached perhaps around the 55% mark I finally started to really engage with each individual character. 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. Connections were being made and hearts were being opened and everyone was learning to be real and honest otherwise what was the point. Yes, the first half for me dragged but as the family stumbled towards acceptance and in doing so grew and matured and at the same time I felt there was a turning point and the my earlier misgivings began to disappear.
A brief introduction has the reader meeting Leni as she is about to celebrate her 35th birthday with her family. She has constant reminders of what she had but once lost as she sees her family members doing well in life or she thinks. Leni is no longer with her husband and her long held hopes of becoming a mother are just a pipe dream. Fast forward five and a half months later and Leni’s family are deep in the grieving process although they are trying to hide their true feelings from each other particularly her brother Will. This leads to all sorts of complications as the months progress the family become ever more fractured. But this fracturing needs to occur in order for them to try and begin the acceptance process and find their way back to each other again. This is extremely difficult as Leni was taken from them so prematurely when she had an accident whilst on her bike.
What follows are chapters from each family’s members viewpoint, her sister Alice, her brother Will, her mother Belinda and her father Tony. As there were so many characters to get to know I thought things might become quite confusing but it was easy to follow each of their individual storylines and I enjoyed seeing how at some point they were bound to come together. The absence of Leni is felt keenly by her family and by the reader too. You are desperate to get to know her and to read things from her perspective but you know this can’t occur but the further the story develops you do get a sense of who she was and how integral she was to the family and how loved she was.
Since Leni’s death, Alice has fallen apart and it comes to a climax when she quits her job rather than deal with her anger issues as tentatively suggested by her boss. 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. As Alice says ’The world spun off it’s axis and everything went dark’ and this how every family member feels. I could see instantly that Alice was filled with both rage and regret at what had happened and also guilt the reason for which becomes apparent fairly early on. She feels she didn’t know Leni in her last few weeks of life and so when she finds her diary with some unusual entries she sets about learning more. This was the catalyst for Alice starting some self-healing but really can we ever truly reach that end point in relation to this especially when all we want is that person back in our lives? Leni’s death forces Alice to rebuild things in her own life and I loved the metaphor of the butterfly showing her struggle and the symbolism of the peacock feathers throughout the book. It worked really well and didn’t seem out of the ordinary or over the top.’Sometimes the act of getting through a trauma can give you strength you didn’t have before-strength to fly’.
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?
As for Will, when Leni died he fled. He can’t deal with the emotions her loss has stirred up and instead he spends his days selling knock off gear on the beaches of Thailand. Initially, I got the sense the other family members were willing to leave him off to his own devices as they were too caught up in their own misery and grief. Of course, you can understand this but I felt Will was crying out for help. That the show of doing well in Thailand and enjoying the good life was just that of bravado. Will, needs a little bit of love in his life and to crack open his false exterior and reveal what is truly haunting him. Only then will he begin to travel on the road to acceptance and full family reunification.
I never thought I would be saying this but Tony was my favourite character throughout the entire story. Normally, I don’t overly connect with male characters but there was just something about him that made me very fond of him. Tony is starting a new chapter in his life. Becoming a Dad for the fourth time with his new partner Jackie. He can’t believe this is happening and is not overly keen to get involved with preparations thinking everything will be just as it was when his older kids were born. Tony is sweet and a bit gormless and slowly bit by bit as he starts to wake up and understand that he needs to change he comes to a realisation that the family that he left behind when his marriage broke down, that maybe it’s not too late to make amends with them. He establishes a family WhatsApp group in order to get everyone talking and despite his best intentions it seems that no one is that overly keen to engage with him. But I admired him for his persistence and the fact he admitted to himself that things needed to change and with a new arrival due he wasn’t going to make the same mistakes as he had done with his older children. He is devastated by the loss of Leni but without this occurring I don’t think he would have undergone the transformative journey which I enjoyed following. He tries so hard to repair family bridges and I found myself rooting for him all the way.
The Best Days of Our Lives has a sad and difficult event that forms the core of the book from which all the other events and situations involving the characters evolve from. Despite this, it is an uplifting read and there are many important life lessons to be learnt from it. Overall, I did enjoy the story and found it to be inspiring and helpful. We are provided with a satisfactory ending with many explanations given and loose ends tied up which I was glad we weren’t provided with an ambiguous ending. I would recommend this book as it was enjoyable whilst reading but as for being one of the more memorable books I have read recently perhaps maybe not but I appreciate what I took from it at the time.
January 27, 2023
I love Lucy Diamond books and this one did not disappoint. The characters were so well written, with each persons individual journey and development always leaving me wanting more. Some characters are loveable from the start, some grow on you as you go through the story, and absolutely nobody is perfect. The different family dynamics in the book are truly relatable and I was left rooting for them all to resolve their issues together.
An uplifting and hopeful story that I will definitely recommend to others.
An uplifting and hopeful story that I will definitely recommend to others.
August 10, 2024
What a "Diamond" (sorry not sorry) of a book. I read it over the course of a couple evenings - such a wonderful story to disappear into.
October 17, 2022
Another absolutely gorgeous book by the best selling author Lucy Diamond. Oh how I loved this precious book.
Leni is the life and soul of the party, she is also nursing a broken marriage, trying to navigate her family drama and dynamics, nursing a broken heart after multiple heartwrenching ivf treatments not working and mummy to fur baby cat Hamish. As we start the book we get a brief introduction into Leni. Before finding out that she has sadly passed away due to a bike accident. We start learning more and more about Leni from the memorial page her sister Alice set up and hearing all her stories put a big smile on my face. She sounding like such a character.
Alice is Lenis sister and one of her best friends. Alice is trying to navigate the world without her sister in it. She is also finding out lots more about her sister things she kept hidden from people and what happened to her in the last week of her life. Alice is also trying to find her own path in life now that her sister has died and is trying to find out the things that she wants out of life for herself.
Belinda Lenis mum is having a hard time dealing with the death of her daughter. She is in touch with a clairvoyant who she believes she is convening with Leni through. She is also thinking of selling the family home and setting up a b&b with her new boyfriend.
Will Lenis brother is really struggling to come to terms with everything and has fled the country. Alother this doesn't go quite as to plan as he hopes.
And Tony Lenis dad is trying to make amends for leaving the family and being a rubbish dad. While awaiting a new baby himself with his new girlfriend.
Everyone is keeping secrets and the thing about secrets is that they will all be revealed in the end.
This is such a wonderful heartwarming and uplifting book and I utterly adored it.
Leni is the life and soul of the party, she is also nursing a broken marriage, trying to navigate her family drama and dynamics, nursing a broken heart after multiple heartwrenching ivf treatments not working and mummy to fur baby cat Hamish. As we start the book we get a brief introduction into Leni. Before finding out that she has sadly passed away due to a bike accident. We start learning more and more about Leni from the memorial page her sister Alice set up and hearing all her stories put a big smile on my face. She sounding like such a character.
Alice is Lenis sister and one of her best friends. Alice is trying to navigate the world without her sister in it. She is also finding out lots more about her sister things she kept hidden from people and what happened to her in the last week of her life. Alice is also trying to find her own path in life now that her sister has died and is trying to find out the things that she wants out of life for herself.
Belinda Lenis mum is having a hard time dealing with the death of her daughter. She is in touch with a clairvoyant who she believes she is convening with Leni through. She is also thinking of selling the family home and setting up a b&b with her new boyfriend.
Will Lenis brother is really struggling to come to terms with everything and has fled the country. Alother this doesn't go quite as to plan as he hopes.
And Tony Lenis dad is trying to make amends for leaving the family and being a rubbish dad. While awaiting a new baby himself with his new girlfriend.
Everyone is keeping secrets and the thing about secrets is that they will all be revealed in the end.
This is such a wonderful heartwarming and uplifting book and I utterly adored it.
January 10, 2023
A truly heartfelt novel that will have you reaching for your tissues many times throughout.
The premise of the story is captivating and remains that way until the very end. We are introduced to many different characters who, despite mistakes they may have made, I grew to love by the end. The family dynamic between the characters has the potential to be complicated, but the author completely pulls it off. It's this that many readers will relate to as there are so many families that are different from the 'Norm'.
There are a few little mysteries along the way which do add to the story - Leni's story particularly, but I feel its these mysteries that help give closure to a devastating tragedy.
Overall, a very tear jerking read with some happiness added in for good measure. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to review this book.
The premise of the story is captivating and remains that way until the very end. We are introduced to many different characters who, despite mistakes they may have made, I grew to love by the end. The family dynamic between the characters has the potential to be complicated, but the author completely pulls it off. It's this that many readers will relate to as there are so many families that are different from the 'Norm'.
There are a few little mysteries along the way which do add to the story - Leni's story particularly, but I feel its these mysteries that help give closure to a devastating tragedy.
Overall, a very tear jerking read with some happiness added in for good measure. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to review this book.
November 8, 2022
’ve just finished this emotional book. The story centres on the difficult subject of grief one which resounds personally for me at the moment,
Lenis sudden tragic death has shook her whole family. Her sister Alice, mum Belinda, dad Tony and younger brother Will all experience their loss differently and they also deal with it in their own individual way.
Although the novel has moments of sadness it also encompasses hope and the importance of having a strong support network.
The characters in the book were beautifully written, I loved getting to know their stories and how they all pulled together was heart warming.
This book will stay with me for a long time ,(so much so I won’t start reading another book for a while ) it touched my heart and made me realise that everyone has their own experiences and moving on is entirely individual.
This is a book which makes you think about the most important things in life. I highly recommend this emotional but comforting book.
Lenis sudden tragic death has shook her whole family. Her sister Alice, mum Belinda, dad Tony and younger brother Will all experience their loss differently and they also deal with it in their own individual way.
Although the novel has moments of sadness it also encompasses hope and the importance of having a strong support network.
The characters in the book were beautifully written, I loved getting to know their stories and how they all pulled together was heart warming.
This book will stay with me for a long time ,(so much so I won’t start reading another book for a while ) it touched my heart and made me realise that everyone has their own experiences and moving on is entirely individual.
This is a book which makes you think about the most important things in life. I highly recommend this emotional but comforting book.
March 1, 2023
The Best Days of Our Lives by Lucy Diamond a beautifully written book from start to finish but you may need some tissues handy.
Leni McKenzie is 35 years old....... She was a daughter, a sister and a best friend. However, her family will never the same again as their world was turned up side down!!! when Leni was knocked off her bike and was killed.
Leni and her sister Alice were best friends as well as siblings.Alice always thought they were close and she knew everything about Leni
But, as the days went by and Alice was coming to terms with her grief
she tries to put together the last few weeks of Leni's life.......Only to find secrets she did not know about her.
The whole family is falling apart. Belinda, Alice’s mum, has developed an unhealthy obsession with a clairvoyant, and Tony, her dad, is stressed about becoming a father all over again, what with three failed marriages stacking up behind him.
Will, the youngest McKenzie, he’s in denial, having hopped onto a plane to Thailand days after the funeral. Secretly, he’s tormented by the part he played in Leni’s death … and the thing about secrets is, they always come out eventually..........
WoW this book is so good and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. I loved it I highly recommend The Best days of our Lives.
Leni McKenzie is 35 years old....... She was a daughter, a sister and a best friend. However, her family will never the same again as their world was turned up side down!!! when Leni was knocked off her bike and was killed.
Leni and her sister Alice were best friends as well as siblings.Alice always thought they were close and she knew everything about Leni
But, as the days went by and Alice was coming to terms with her grief
she tries to put together the last few weeks of Leni's life.......Only to find secrets she did not know about her.
The whole family is falling apart. Belinda, Alice’s mum, has developed an unhealthy obsession with a clairvoyant, and Tony, her dad, is stressed about becoming a father all over again, what with three failed marriages stacking up behind him.
Will, the youngest McKenzie, he’s in denial, having hopped onto a plane to Thailand days after the funeral. Secretly, he’s tormented by the part he played in Leni’s death … and the thing about secrets is, they always come out eventually..........
WoW this book is so good and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. I loved it I highly recommend The Best days of our Lives.
June 9, 2024
Emotional, heartfelt story.
This very emotional book had me in tears often, but ultimately it left me with a feeling of contentment. I was surprised by the tragic loss and there were a few chapters in the middle of the book that focused on Alice’s actions that I found somewhat disturbing. Despite this one concern, I thought that the author did a great job of dealing with the different stages of grief and each individual’s different reactions to loss. I appreciated that the story covered a whole year of time and that, ultimately, love was the answer to loss and to life and that a family can encompass more than just the traditional family unit.
This very emotional book had me in tears often, but ultimately it left me with a feeling of contentment. I was surprised by the tragic loss and there were a few chapters in the middle of the book that focused on Alice’s actions that I found somewhat disturbing. Despite this one concern, I thought that the author did a great job of dealing with the different stages of grief and each individual’s different reactions to loss. I appreciated that the story covered a whole year of time and that, ultimately, love was the answer to loss and to life and that a family can encompass more than just the traditional family unit.
February 4, 2023
This book was a beautiful slow build. I really liked the flashbacks to Leno on the memorial page, the stories showed how Leni touched so many lives, selflessly at times. Watching all her family come to terms with the loss was heart breaking at times. Each dealt with the loss in a different way, but it was nice to see them leaning in each other and coming together, achieving something that Leni would have loved to have happened.
It was a wonderful story of loss and growth and it was lovely to read.
It was a wonderful story of loss and growth and it was lovely to read.
May 19, 2024
I’ve not read a Lucy Diamond book for ages now. I really wasn’t expecting this book to be so sad. After reading other books by this author, I was expecting a much more lighthearted read.
It follows the McKenzie family after the loss of their daughter/sister Leni, which was completely unexpected. Their grief was palpable.
The characters were all dealing with their grief in very different ways. The story switched between each family member, which I enjoyed as you get to find out more about them that way. A fitting ending too.
It follows the McKenzie family after the loss of their daughter/sister Leni, which was completely unexpected. Their grief was palpable.
The characters were all dealing with their grief in very different ways. The story switched between each family member, which I enjoyed as you get to find out more about them that way. A fitting ending too.
February 14, 2023
A great book by Lucy Diamond. When Leni is tragically killed from being knocked off her bike it turns her families life’s upside down. This book is a tale about glueing the pieces back together. I expected a sad story but instead Diamond wrote a story which was honest, witty (I particularly enjoyed the stories from a Leni growing up). The book is sensitive to how each person deals with grief.
Another brilliant book by Lucy Diamond. I look forward to the next book.
Another brilliant book by Lucy Diamond. I look forward to the next book.
February 16, 2023
The Best Days of Our Lives is a beautiful and emotional read. It reminds us to make the most of every second and spend time with our loved ones even doing the most mundane things.
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.
Lucy Diamond writes with such warmth and her compassionate characters really shine in this story - Gen was a particular favourite of mine.
Human flaws and the burden of grief are not hidden away, as we see the impact of Leni passing on her siblings and parents - with every emotion shared.
This is a sensitive and heartbreaking story with a lot of hope.
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.
Lucy Diamond writes with such warmth and her compassionate characters really shine in this story - Gen was a particular favourite of mine.
Human flaws and the burden of grief are not hidden away, as we see the impact of Leni passing on her siblings and parents - with every emotion shared.
This is a sensitive and heartbreaking story with a lot of hope.
January 25, 2023
I love Lucy Diamond’s novels! Though this one is a bit different.
The standard theme of romance however it is in different ways this time.
This novel goes through how the family deals with Leni’s passing. This is not a sad story though so do not be put off by it.
It really goes into detail of everyone’s point of view. And how they eventually grew closer.
Major character development in each of them.
I know Tony the father is to be seen as the bad guy but he really isn’t. He has improved the most throughout.
Thanks to the publishers for sending this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Review: https://clife.blog/2023/01/31/book-re...
The standard theme of romance however it is in different ways this time.
This novel goes through how the family deals with Leni’s passing. This is not a sad story though so do not be put off by it.
It really goes into detail of everyone’s point of view. And how they eventually grew closer.
Major character development in each of them.
I know Tony the father is to be seen as the bad guy but he really isn’t. He has improved the most throughout.
Thanks to the publishers for sending this in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Review: https://clife.blog/2023/01/31/book-re...
September 14, 2023
Bit slow to begin with but enjoyed it.
August 31, 2024
A good poignant read . The letters to Leni worked so well , it was emotional & added so much to the story .
Read
March 25, 2024Home sick with a flu, on this day which, a year ago had my ex husband suffer a massive heart attack which he ultimately died from neigh on three weeks later… this was the perfect book to pick up.
Tears and giggles, with that bittersweet mix of unbound grief for losing him, and enormous gratitude for having known and loved him, just like in the book.
Tears and giggles, with that bittersweet mix of unbound grief for losing him, and enormous gratitude for having known and loved him, just like in the book.
November 6, 2022
Lucy Diamond is one of favourite authors. Her books are easy to read and great to snuggle down to, on a cold autumn night.
The book centres around how each family member copes with grief after loosing Leni to a tragic accident.
The characters were relatable and events portrayed with so much character and depth; it gave me a sense that Lucy was writing from her own personal experiences, as to write so beautifully is hard without personally experiencing these emotions.
The book centres around how each family member copes with grief after loosing Leni to a tragic accident.
The characters were relatable and events portrayed with so much character and depth; it gave me a sense that Lucy was writing from her own personal experiences, as to write so beautifully is hard without personally experiencing these emotions.
August 20, 2024
Flying Beauties forever 💌
January 3, 2023
A really heartfelt book about the way people deal with grief. Quite enlightening. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy
January 12, 2023
Spectacular. That’s what The Best Days of Our Lives was. Wow.
After Leni McKenzie died in an accident, we follow the McKenzies navigating through life in which their beloved sister and daughter no longer exists. Alice tries to piece together her sister’s last weeks, while Will, the youngest sibling, hops on a plane right after the funeral, not ready to deal with their loss. 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.
What we see are human beings going through messy, conflicting, and complex emotions due to losing someone they loved so dearly. It’s grieving to the fullest, following all stages from denial to coming to terms to their new reality. It’s messy, it’s hard to read - but somehow Lucy Diamond made it oh so beautiful. There was so much love for Leni, so many warm memories, and the family dynamics felt raw and real. Seeing the McKenzies finding their way in this new reality, experiencing happiness again and creating ways to honor the Leni they loved and miss so much in their lives - I think I’m going to water my eyes all over again for each and every one of them. 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. The last couple of chapters could each be THE happy ending, yet Lucy Diamond granted us one after another chapter just to make sure every member of the McKenzie clan was truly, genuinely okay - missing their sister and daughter every moment in their lives, but full of hope for their future, because they were privileged to had Leni in their lives.
I’ve never read anything from Lucy Diamond before, but I’m definitely going to dive into her previous work. If they’re half as good as The Best Days of Our Lives, I’m going to read a Collection of Greatness.
Five full stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Quercus Books for sharing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
After Leni McKenzie died in an accident, we follow the McKenzies navigating through life in which their beloved sister and daughter no longer exists. Alice tries to piece together her sister’s last weeks, while Will, the youngest sibling, hops on a plane right after the funeral, not ready to deal with their loss. 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.
What we see are human beings going through messy, conflicting, and complex emotions due to losing someone they loved so dearly. It’s grieving to the fullest, following all stages from denial to coming to terms to their new reality. It’s messy, it’s hard to read - but somehow Lucy Diamond made it oh so beautiful. There was so much love for Leni, so many warm memories, and the family dynamics felt raw and real. Seeing the McKenzies finding their way in this new reality, experiencing happiness again and creating ways to honor the Leni they loved and miss so much in their lives - I think I’m going to water my eyes all over again for each and every one of them. 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. The last couple of chapters could each be THE happy ending, yet Lucy Diamond granted us one after another chapter just to make sure every member of the McKenzie clan was truly, genuinely okay - missing their sister and daughter every moment in their lives, but full of hope for their future, because they were privileged to had Leni in their lives.
I’ve never read anything from Lucy Diamond before, but I’m definitely going to dive into her previous work. If they’re half as good as The Best Days of Our Lives, I’m going to read a Collection of Greatness.
Five full stars.
Thank you Netgalley and Quercus Books for sharing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2023
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Leni’s family tries to piece together her last weeks following Leni being knocked off her bike. Alice her sister discovers things that lead to more questions to be answered and life starts to get complicated.
The other members of the family seem to be falling apart. Can the family start to overcome the secrets they uncover and move forward?
Leni’s family tries to piece together her last weeks following Leni being knocked off her bike. Alice her sister discovers things that lead to more questions to be answered and life starts to get complicated.
The other members of the family seem to be falling apart. Can the family start to overcome the secrets they uncover and move forward?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews