One Moment, One Morning: A Novel

I first glimpsed this book on a shelf in WH Smiths and it's cover tantalised me and then subsequently so did it's cover blurb. It is the first Sarah Rayner novel I'd heard of and I immediately wanted to read it.

This book took me a while to get through which is not a reflection upon it at all more the fact that I decided to catalogue my ebook collection at the same time and like a woman demented I didn't want to stop. Instead I kept flitting in an out of this book, a chapter here and here.

This is the story of a man called Simon who on the 7.44 train from Brighton to London suffers a fatal heart attack. It is his wife's story, that of his wife's best friend and also of Lou, the woman who witnesses events that fateful morning.

Simon's death has a profound effect on them all and on their lives. It isn't though a depressing story. Instead I found it full of hope and love and stories of friendship at difficult times. Simon's death is not the central story merely the setting around which the real story is told.

I liked this book a great deal and would say that it left me feeling full of awareness that we all need to be aware that life is fleeting and we need to live in the moment and I would recommend this book. It is a lovely novel which is easy to read and has some truly lovely characters at it's core.

I unknowingly read the sequel to this book prior. They both stand on their own well enough, and it does not matter in which order they are read. 

I enjoyed reading all of the characters' backstories and how they all ended up being such close friends. There is nothing like a crisis to bring people together and to help people sort out what really matters in life. Simon's passing provides his wife with the gift of knowing that she is stronger than she thinks and that it's ok to seek help and comfort from others. Anna realizes that she is worthy of the kind of love Karen and Simon shared and takes a bold step in redefining what she wants and what she needs. Lou realizes she has a lot to offer and does not need to hide who she is – she is defined by so much more than her sexual preference. A great read on how tragedy can transform you for the better.