By My Side by Wendy Lou Jones

Betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend, Lena is left empty; trapped under a weight of guilt and loneliness. Then, at her lowest point and when she needs it most, a mysterious stranger comes into her life with a tale of friendship, family, and finding love in the most unexpected of places… Katy Heath is definitely not thinking of love when she comes across consultant, Adam Elliot, berating some poor patient on the ward one day. In fact it is Dr Peter Florin who quickly has everyone’s hearts aflutter with his easy smiles and practised charm. Yet Katy comes to realise that there’s more to Adam than his determination to push everyone away and it’s not long before she finds herself longing to reach out to touch the man within, healing the pain of his past. As Lena is drawn into Katy’s story, she begins to learn – just as Katy does- that the course of true love never did run smooth.

By My Side is the first book I have read by Wendy Lou Jones, I was looking online for a new book and the cover of this one drew me in.

The story begins with Lena who has reached a point in life where she doesn’t want to carry on. After her partner and her bestfriend make her world around her fall apart leaving her feeling so low and alone she tries to take her own life but luckily she fails.

She then meets a stranger at a funeral who begins to tell her a story about a girl named Kate  who works in A&E and when at work one day she has a run in with a doctor because of his attitude to a patient. Dr Elliott is clearly down about something that is making him push everyone away and Kate doesn’t seem to know if she wants to stay away from his brusque attitude after the way he spoke to her or if she wants to comfort him.

What a beautiful storyline this was. This is the first time I have read a book about a story within a story and at first I wasn’t sure if it was going to work but I soon became wrapped up in the story of Kate and Adam. It is full of emotion and romance and is very delicately written it was a very moving read. A lot of the story took place in the hospital which was a new setting for me and it held my interest the whole way through.

There is a twist in the book that I didn’t see coming at all and I love it when that happens, a book that manages to pull the wool over my eyes is always a winner for me! I have to admit to having a lump in my throat whilst reading this book it is a very emotional book and I won’t forget the ending of this book in a hurry.

This book was both heartbreaking and at the same time an uplifting read it really is a thought provoking book. Pop this one on your TBR lists but have a box of Kleenex at the ready.

Kindle