The international bestselling debut about friendship and love–featuring the life-changing relationship between an anxious young reporter and an eighty-six-year-old lifelong swimmer that “follows in the footsteps of the enormously popular A Man Called Ove…charming and heartwarming” (Kirkus Reviews). We’re never too old to make new friends–or make a difference. Rosemary Peterson has lived in … difference.
Rosemary Peterson has lived in Brixton, London, all her life, but everything is changing.
The library where she used to work has closed. The family grocery store has become a trendy bar. And now the lido, an outdoor pool where she’s swum daily since its opening, is threatened with closure by a local housing developer. It was at the lido that Rosemary escaped the devastation of World War II; here she fell in love with her husband, George; here she found community during her marriage and since George’s death.
Twentysomething Kate Matthews has moved to Brixton and feels desperately alone. A once-promising writer, she now covers forgettable stories for her local paper. That is, until she’s assigned to write about the lido’s closing. Soon Kate’s portrait of the pool focuses on a singular woman: Rosemary. And as Rosemary slowly opens up to Kate, both women are nourished and transformed in ways they never thought possible.
“Charming [and] an unusually poignant tale of married love” (The Washington Post), Mornings with Rosemary is a feel-good novel that captures the heart and spirit of a community across generations–an irresistible tale of love, loss, aging, and friendship.
*Originally published as The Lido
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A delightful escape peopled with characters I loved—an old woman fighting for a place that is much more than a depository of her memories, a young woman lost and lonely in the city, and the lido itself, an oasis and gathering spot. I wish I could go swim with all of them in those cold blue waters in a park in London!
This a beautifully, assured debut novel which has characters that are easy to identify with. A touching, heart-warming and ultimately feel-good story set in contemporary London.
Fix yourself a pot of tea and find a comfortable chair with a cosey blanket nearby (you might need it when you read about the cold water) and enter the wonderful world of The Lido, in Brixton, London.
If you have friends of different ages and especially appreciate the older, wiser section of our society, you will thoroughly enjoy this story.
The Lido contains a Love Story for the ages. A couple first found each other early in their lives and their love story continues for many years. Rosemary, 86 is still very much in love with George, although he has passed away 2 year prior to this story (this is not a spoiler).
The story is also about a lonely young women, Kate, who lives with so much fear, yet she fights it to try to have the life she can envision. Her path crosses with Rosemary at a time when Kate’s spirits are very low. They develop a friendship that both benefit greatly from. (An aside here: Rosemary reminded me so much of an older friend I had that is now deceased. It was so heartwarming for me to re-visit our friendship along with reading Kate and Rosemary’s friendship take root and grow.)
The Lido also has a current-time love story forming in the book. I will not write about it, and let you enjoy it first hand.
The Brixton neighborhood, the Lido and it’s inhabitants are also strong characters throughout the book. The writing of Libby Page is wonderful and you feel a part of the community and are welcomed with opened arms. I especially enjoyed the view of the area, several times, through the eyes of a fox roaming around, him also a part of the Brixton community.
I recommend The Lido highly and hope you enjoy the visit to Brixton as much as I did. I want to thank NetGalley.com and Simon & Schuster for the advanced reader’s copy of this book and introducing me to Libby Page’s work. I will definitely follow her and look forward to her future work. This book is set to be released on July 10, 2018.
*Source: HooplaAudio
**This title is also known as The Lido
I adore stories featuring intergenerational friendships and The Lido seemed promising on that front. Basically if you want a warm fuzzy story and a good cry, look no further.
Though decades apart, Rosemary and Kate are two people looking for purpose in life. Rosemary has been a widow for a few years and finds purpose in keeping to her routine which includes swimming at the lido daily. It’s where she has weathered many storms and also created beautiful memories. Rosemary reflects on her life in Brixton through the years, reminiscing on all the changes and friendships during all that time. She has seen and knows all the things, small and big, that make up the tapestry of her diverse community. Kate’s been assigned to write about the potential closing of the beloved lido to the public. It’s the first news story of substance she’s gotten her hands on since moving to Brixton and working for the local paper. She’s not ready for the likes of Rosemary when first meets her. Up until this point, she’s led a rather solitary existence. Rosemary issues her a challenge at their first meeting and Kate, for some surprising reason, is up for it. For the first time since moving to Brixton, Kate begins to see the vibrancy of the area the way Rosemary sees it. Witnessing how the lido has always been a significant part of its community’s history and the personal lives of its patrons has also been good for Kate’s mental well-being. After she moved here she started to experience some anxiety and panic attacks, something she’s never discussed with anyone. In Rosemary’s company, she finds her worldview along with her social circle broadening. She’s also getting braver, going from the mousy, quiet person to someone who’s slowly finding her own voice.
I am an absolute sucker for the cuddly warm grandmotherly types. I didn’t have that so Rosemary’s friendliness and nurturing side was everything to me. I couldn’t get enough of her and Kate’s friendship that began as an interview and turned in to community action. The personal impact from that friendship was also touching. The more I listened to the story the more it reminded me of one of my other all-time favorites, A Man Called Ove.
If you’re the type who believes that certain people come in to your life when they’re meant to then you will love everything about the The Lido that’s told with such sincerity. Rosemary and Kate’s friendship, and the way the community comes together … it all just squeezed my heart. Seriously, this book was the hug I needed. The ending, though bittersweet, was a lovely reminder that each person has a story and each person matters.
~ Bel
Feel like I know the two main characters. Interesting study of life of an old woman and the young woman who learned to live life the fullest after getting to know Rosemary.
This book was completely charming, full of endearing characters and a great Summer read!
I had recently recently read Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Bunche and liked learning more about English children being sent away from a London during the war as well as coming of age of tw young women. Though the characters and plot were quite different, the same era initially caught my interest.
This novel is mostly about the growing friendship and respect between generations and lifestyles as well as the value of community and continuity.
An uplifting read – loved the community setting.
I am very stingy with my five star ratings but I loved this book. I have friends who swim and I recommended it to them but I don’t think you need to be a swimmer to enjoy it.
Loved this book.. Its a must read
This book was as warm as a heated pool! The story of a neighborhood swimming pool under threat of closure,it’s so much more. It’s about community, what memories are built on, finding strength in yourself when all looks lost, And, yes, it’s about how freeing swimming can be (as a water aerobics instructor for years, I can relate!) If you liked A Man Called Ove or Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you’ll love this one!!
This was a simply amazing debut novel from this author. There’s a friendship between a young woman and an older woman (both a bit lonely) and a love of swimming and a fight to save the local swimming pool from being closed. The characters felt as real as if they were standing here next to me and the author was able to draw the tension out chapter after chapter in a wonderful way. This is a don’t-miss novel for sure.
The first quarter was a slow start, but the lovely writing and engaging characters won me over. While fairly predictable, the unusual friendship that develops between a young female journalist and an 87 yo widow as they fight to stop the closure of their local lido is sweet and fresh. And this story speaks to how local landmarks help unify a community and often become a home and refuge.
Thanks to #NetGalley & #SimonandSchuster for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.