cover129542-mediumGoodreads blurb: “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 every day, 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 is the heart of the community.

The Lido is an uplifting novel about the importance of friendship, the value of community, and how ordinary people can protect the things they love.”

My Review

This was such a lovely book that I read with Tina @ Reading Between The Pages, and what a superb book to buddy read!

I loved the short chapters that carried me along with Rosemary and Kate’s stories, both so compelling that I really didn’t want to stop reading. As this was a buddy read I had to force myself to stop, rather unsuccessfully, so that Tina, being 8 hours behind me could catch up.  We had some lovely twitter chats discussing the different characters and what we thought might happen in the end.

This is a book that had so much imagery in it, from Rosemary’s memories of living in the area all her life and Kate’s present day experiences. I really felt like I was in Brixton as I was reading, I could hear the sounds, see the colours and smell the aromas. The Lido itself sounded like such a special place and I loved reading the vignettes of the employees and regulars users. Every time the author described someone swimming, floating or just dangling their feet over the edge, I felt like I wanted to join them. I also wanted to help them save this very special place from closure.

The story isn’t just about the lido though, it also tells the story of the loneliness that both Kate and Rosemary experience. Kate’s from having moved from Bristol to study and then work, and then struggling to find friends, even though she lives in a busy house share. Rosemary’s loneliness is from losing her husband, friends and familiar places over the years and how she desperately misses them.  I love the way the author has weaved this throughout the book making it quite poignant at times, but not overwhelming or depressing. It did make me want to jump inside the book to give both Rosemary and Kate a great big hug and to reassure them that they would be okay no matter what happened to The Lido.

This really is a special book and one that has become of my favourite reads this year. I definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a feel good read this summer.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for my digital copy.