It’s a surprising second act for two women who decide to rewrite their lives in this enriching novel of friendship and starting over from the bestselling author of Only One Life.After thirty years, college friends Lena Browder and Olivia Westcoat have met again by chance at an unexpected crossroads: an airport lounge in Atlanta. Lena is running away from home and her demanding family. Olivia is … family. Olivia is trying to find her way after a painful divorce. With their old selves in the rearview, they toast to a new beginning—and it starts with a spontaneous dare.
Agreeing to trade houses for a month of rediscovery, Lena will stay in Olivia’s Charleston condo. Olivia’s retreat? Lena’s isolated river cottage in the Northern Neck of Virginia. Two perfect getaways. Thirty-four days to reset.
With fresh new perspectives and the renewal of a heartening friendship, Lena and Olivia find their passions, reinvent themselves, and reclaim what they’ve lost. When unexpected romance blooms and careers take new detours, it’s also a time for courage and risk. Now they’ll have to make hard choices to follow through on their promise for a second chance and finally have the lives they dream of.
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I loved this story and the characters! It takes courage to step outside your comfort zone and make changes when life throws you curve balls. I really admired these two women for all the struggles they had faced and the desire to run away from a ton of stress, take a big breath, and figure out how to make it all better. Almost like a grown up fairy tale for me. I could even relate to the 90 year old lady in the book! Beautiful settings in Charleston and the Northern Neck of Virginia and characters that will stick with you long after you finish the bok. Thanks to Netgalley and the author/publisher for the ARC
So inspirational!!! A perfect story to kick you into gear!
I enjoyed the way the women’s lives were portrayed, their struggles with their partners, their children, and their friends. Lena has decided to get away from her life for awhile. She runs into an old college friend at the airport. They come up with a plan where Lena will stay in Olivia’s Charleston home and Olivia will stay in Lena’s cottage in Virginia. They decide to do this for one month. Lena desperately wants to make changes in her life and Olivia wants to go in a different direction in her life as well. Both women struggle with what’s happened in their marriages and their relationships with their daughters. For the next few weeks, Lena and Olivia forge new relationships and find new interests.
A wonderful story telling how two woman changed their lives. Two college friends, after a chance meeting , decide to switch homes. They both needed to figure out which way to take their lives. There are so many woman and men also who need to reinvent themselves and hopefully will find a way. Reading this book can help you find a way to find yourself in this world!
Ashley Farley has become one of my favorite authors! She writes about women’s issues in books that keep a reader interested throughout her books. Life On Loan is a book that has a woman wondering what would happen if they changed places with someone else for a few months. Both women have issues with their lives that make them want to run away from their own life. What happens after the exchange of homes has me intrigued from the start to the finish of Life On Loan, well worth reading!
Olivia and Lena met by chance in an airport lounge. The old college buddies reflected on their lives and decided to swap houses for a month. Both women began reflecting on their lives and making small changes. Lena took up writing a romance novel and Olivia took up photograph. Both made changes that made their lives happier.
This is the first book I have read by Ashley Farley. I could relate to Oliva and Lena. As being an empty nester you look at your life and ask yourself if this is were you want to be at this time. Olivia and Lena were not happy and did something about it. Though the change was difficult at first, they began reinventing themselves and finding happiness. We all know you have to love yourself before you can love anyone else. Thank you to Ashley Farley and NetGalley for a copy of this book and this is my honest review.
I loved this book, actually I think I have loved everything this author has written. It is about women, not always young ones, that have struggles they must work through and overcome to become better versions of themselves.
How lucky was Lena and Olivia to run into each other at the airport? Very lucky that’s for sure! That chance reconnection kicked off swapping homes and finding out who they are and who they want to become in this life.
When the first book opens on Lena and her life, I have to admit that I did not like her husband or her daughter’s attitudes towards her. But on the flip side, Lena allowed them to treat her that way. The same could be said for Olivia and the two Kates that seemed to control her life and what she reported on her blog. Sure she might have done it in the beginning to boost her blog following, but at some point, she sold out and then realized she didn’t like who she had become.
Communication is always the key and various circumstances throughout the book teach Lena and Olivia to share their thoughts and feelings and not be run over by other people. There are some precarious situations that could have ended badly had it not been for their friends and family.
Definitely a book worth reading!
Lena Browder and Olivia Westcoat have a chance encounter after thirty years in an airport lounge in Atlanta while both are trying to run away from their frustrating lives. Lena from her loveless marriage and demanding family, while Olivia from demanding clients that are taking over her life in the wrong direction while also dealing with a very painful divorce. They trade houses for a month. Lena will stay in Olivia’s Charleston condo, and Olivia’s in Lena’s river cottage in the Northern Neck of Virginia. During this time, they not only rediscover themselves, but also discover that they can make room for love in their lives.
I loved this book so much! It touched a lot of issues, and Farley tells an incredibly heartwarming story that is not quite so far fetched about a realistic encounter with these two women. I cannot tell you the times I felt stuck, trapped, or in a rut kinda feeling. This story resonated with me and where I am in my life, as I look forward to new opportunities. Often we are faced with decisions that could have been made in the past, but lacked the courage and self-confidence at that time.
This is a story for all of us no matter where we are in our lives. It is about courage and being brave to follow our gut feelings, and to never look back or have regrets on decisions we make everyday. It is about friendships, both old and new, and learning to love ourselves first in order to be able to love others.
I loved Farley’s incredible story telling, and understanding of the human psyche, relationships and love.
I really enjoyed reading this book about two women who went to the same college many years ago. Both, Olivia and Lena are now going through major life changes and decide to get away on their own. They decide to swap summer homes for a month. I know people who have done this and I really related to this book. I would love to read another ebook or listen to an audiobook written by this author.
Ashley Farley does a wonderful job of pulling readers into the lives of Lena and Olivia, old schoolmates who randomly meet at a crossroads in each of their lives. The author creates realistic and relatable situations and characters that are down-to-earth and lovable. The story moves quickly with a few twists and turns that I did not see coming and is permeated with love, drama, and emotional tension as these two long-ago friends make their way through strained relationships and difficult circumstances. Life on Loan is a story that reminds readers that even though the past is definitely part of our being, it does not have to dominate our future. Second chances often do come along, we just have to be brave enough to step out and take hold of them. Readers who love contemporary romance and second chance stories will not want to miss this one. I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved this book! Ashley Farley has a way of capturing your heart and transporting you into the pages. There are three main characters, Lena, Olivia and Alistair, along with several secondary characters. This book alternates chapters between the three main characters. This is a book about finding your way to happiness in your fifties. It is about love, friendship and family. The characters are meticulously crafted and I quite simply loved them all. This book drew me in from the very beginning and kept my interest throughout. It showed me that it’s never too late to start over. It filled me with joy and I had a smile on my face when I finished. Ashley Farley is an amazing storyteller and I have loved all her books. She will keep you turning the pages every time. I highly recommend this book. Don’t miss out! ##katerockbooktours
Thank you Kate Rock Book Tours and NetGalley for an advanced copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Life on Loan
By: Ashley Farley
*REVIEW* .5
As a forty something woman with kids and a husband, I have thought more than once about going away to anywhere but here. Life on Loan resonated with me. It also reminded me of a movie I love, The Holiday. Lena and Olivia need a break, so they take one. A thirty day house swap for a time out sounds awesome. During this time, each woman experiences highs and lows, as expected, because the journey is an emotional one. Reevaluating your life and past decisions and future direction is a very difficult task. Who are you right now, not who were you ten years ago because you change so much over time. And, what would you like to do now? Lena and Olivia each take a hard look at life and learn important truths about themselves. The story is so well written and relevant. Women are so taken for granted. For example, every day for me depends on how the day goes for everyone else. It’s never about anything I want. I have no choices and, I’m trapped. Would I trade houses for thirty days? What do you think? I am already on a plane and gone! Lena and Olivia are my heroes for taking back who they are and what they want.
This was a refreshing read! Two women that are taking control of their lives. One after living under her husband and daughters critical eye. The other after following around two rich kids in their twenties. Documenting their social lives on her blog.
I normally have a favorite character, but in this book I liked both Lena and Olivia.
Lena is the people pleaser and all around good girl. Like any stay at home mom, she is tired. Her daughter expects her to do everything for her, and her husband is critical of her every move. So when Lena decides to get away, you kind of cheer for her. She’s taking life into her own hands which you’ll learn later from her best friend that it’s about time she does.
I had to laugh when her husband criticized her for being a stay at home mom and sitting around all day eating ice cream and reading trashy novels. I’m a stay at home mom, and once all the cleaning and other household duties are done, I’m sitting around reading. Not trashy novels though.
Olivia is fresh from a divorce that has left her mind reeling. Working on her blog, she is employed by two Kate’s that are competing on who can throw the most lavish parties. To me I would drop kick the Kates to the curb much sooner than she had.
When Lena and Olivia trade places, it’s like a breath of fresh air for both of them. Time to clear their minds. I enjoyed reading their adventures of new discovery of a new surrounding and themselves. The author even throws a little romance in.
You’ll enjoy this light, fast paced read.
Grab your copy today!
Thank you Ashley Farley and Kate Rock Book Tours for allowing me to be on this tour!
Life on Loan, the newest Ashley Farley book, follows the story of two college friends who meet by chance at the airport. Through their conversation, each woman discovers that the other is also facing a life crisis of sorts. They decide to switch lives, so to speak, by swapping houses for a month. Lena goes to Charlotte while Olivia goes to Northern Neck. Each woman is now in an atmosphere totally unlike what she left behind. Through a series of events, each one discovers a hidden self and untapped inner strength. I did feel that the ending wrapped things up rather quickly, though. A lot can happen in four weeks and this book shows how the women’s lives evolve and change during that time. The author introduces and handles some issues with delicacy, including elder abuse, mother-daughter relationships, and dealing with the death of a spouse.
Life on Loan by Ashley Farley is a fascinating story of what happens when two old college classmates meet in an airport as each is going through a crisis. Olivia writes a blog called “Living High in the Low Country.” A spinoff of that is the “Katescapades,” about two very competitive women named Kate. The characters are driving Olivia crazy and she needs to escape to decide what’s next. Lena can no longer deal with the constant criticism and treatment from her husband and daughter, a recent college graduate. She needs to escape to take stock of her life. These are the reasona that lead the women are in the airport.
During their conversation, the women decide to swap homes, Olivia has a condo in Charleston that she purchased after her divorce. Lena has a cottage, that she inherited in North Neck, Virginia. The women decide to make the swap for one month to give them time to find themselves. The women are excited at the prospect. They take a before selfie to document the start of their adventure.
The premise of the story drew me in. It intrigued me. Following the two women was thought-provoking. Watching the courage of the women to take steps to reclaim their lives was inspiring. All the characters are well-developed. You can identify their personalities and distinctive qualities, good or bad.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you #Netgalley and #LakeUnionPublishing for approving my request for an ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are soley my own.
Who hasn’t wanted to run away from life at one point? I know I have. Life on Loan is the story of two old college friends. A chance meeting at an airport as both women are at a crossroads in their lives changes them forever. Ashley Farley has a way of writing characters that feel like old friends. Loved Life on Loan!
Life on Loan by Ashley Farley is a beautifully written story about friendship, family and finding yourself when life throws you for a loop. Thirty years after they were friends in college, Lena and Olivia meet each other by chance at an airport as they are both on their way to take some time to reflect on their lives. After opening up to each other, they decide to exchange homes for a month in the hope that this time will guide them in the right direction.
Lena meets Jade and her mother Phyllis when she first gets to Charleston. These two women will take Lena on a very unexpected journey! And Olivia meets Alistair who inspires and supports her as she starts down a path that she’s excited to take! Please join Lena and Olivia as they chart their new courses and show us that taking chances might be scary and there might be bumps along the way but in the end, it’s worth it.
Thank you Ashley Farley and NetGalley for this copy of Life On Loan in exchange for my honest review. I loved it!
I’ve loved books by Ashley Farley since I first discovered the Sweeney Sisters books a couple of years ago. I love how Farley has characters that are in my age range and Life on Loan really touches on how tough it is in this period of life. She writes realistic views of how hard it is to find yourself as well as time for yourself with so much going on. I love the idea in this book of trading lives for a bit to get away and find a new way to cope with life. Lena and Olivia are wonderful characters on this journey and this may just be Farley’s best yet!!! I’m grateful to Ashley Farley, Lake Union and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
A chance meeting in an airport changes the life of two old friends. After they decide to escape from their current lives and inhabit the world of the other for a short time, both women learn so much about themselves and what they need to do to make their lives more meaningful.
Once again, Ashley has written a beautiful story with wonderful, real, and likable characters whose lives are filled with reflection, growth, determination, humor, love, and acceptance. I enjoyed witnessing Lena’s and Olivia’s transformation into their new normal.
I have loved all of Ashley’s stories and each one becomes my new favorite. Life on Loan is one you don’t want to miss!
WALLOW. That is exactly what I wanted to do…wallow in this yummy book. It has such pretty settings, nice characters and the excitement of unlimited choices in life.
Life on Loan by Ashley Farley is a wonderful story about two women who experience midlife changing events and are forced to start over and reinvent themselves. The journey is exciting and challenging making you happy you have come along for the ride.
These two women are so likeable you feel happy, sad, heartbroken and frustrated with them. You want to be their friend and wish you could pick up the phone and say “What are you thinking?”. These are characters you will remember for a long while. This novel is definitely worth your time!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.