Look on The Bright Side by Kristan Higgins – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Bookbub

Description:
Lark Smith has always had a plan for her life: find a fantastic guy, create a marriage as blissful as her parents’, pop out a couple of kids and build a rewarding career as an oncologist.

Things aren’t going so well.

For one, the guy didn’t work out. Theoretically, she’d love to find someone else, but it hasn’t happened. Two, she’s just been transferred out of oncology for being too emotional. (Is it her fault she’s a weeper?) Three, her parents just split up.

Deviating from the plan was…well, not in the plan. A potential solution comes from the foul-tempered and renowned surgeon Lorenzo Santini (aka Dr. Satan). He needs a date this summer for his sister’s wedding. His ancient Noni wants to see him settled. In exchange, he could make a few introductions and maybe get Lark back into the field of her choice.

As a sucker for old people and fake relationships, Lark agrees. Teeny problem—she instantly falls for his big, warm family. Especially his estranged brother.

Meanwhile, Lark’s mom has moved in with Lark’s flamboyant landlady, Joy, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. The three women have a long summer and a big beautiful house on the ocean to figure out what’s next…and quite possibly learn that the best things in life aren’t planned at all.

Review:

Look on the Bright Side by Kristan Higgins is a sweet family oriented standalone novel. The story revolves around three women POV’s, but Lark Smith (our heroine) takes the lead; with Ellie, her mother and Joy, a wealthy friend sharing some of the stories. We meet Lark, who is a doctor resident in Oncology, but since she gets too emotional with her patients, she is sent to work in ER (emergency room). Lark is very intelligent, and her coworkers in the emergency room, respect her knowledge, and she builds a friendship with them; even though she wants to return to oncology. To her surprise, Dr. Santini (who is known as Dr. Satan), offers her a deal, paying her money, to help Lark attend his families upcoming events, including his sister’s wedding; as she would be his fake girlfriend.   He also promises her that he can get her contacts to return to oncology when it’s over.

Dr. Satan (Lorenzo) has a terrible reputation at the hospital, as he is rude, obnoxious, arrogant, with no one liking him. Lark is strong and always answers back at Lorenzo’s nasty comments. But when she meets his family, and is shocked how likeable they all are; in a short time. she fits in with them, having a great relationship with them all (except Lorenzo).  Lark quickly finds herself being attracted to Dante, Lorenzo’s younger brother, who is sweet and caring. Can she continue to keep her fake dating secret?

The other two storylines revolve around Ellie and Joy. Ellie, discovers her husband might be cheating on her, and decides to move out and ends up staying with Joy, as Lark is also staying at Joy’s huge house, by the beach.  Ellie and Joy develop a wonderful friendship, with each helping each other. Ellie has to deal with her husband and learn more about what she thought was betrayal. Flamboyant Joy, became wealthy due to ex-husbands, is also obsessed with plastic surgery over the years, making herself look pretty.  She is thrilled to have both Ellie and Lark staying at her place, especially since she was lonely after her brother’s death. Joy will find herself a wonderful job at a memory care place livening up the patients, and is thrilled to throw parties for both Ellie/Lark’s family and the Santini family. The three women have a wonderful summer together in helping each of them discover what is next.

There are emotional flashbacks with Lark and her deceased love from years before.  She loved Justin since they were 13 years old, and when he had leukemia, she was also there for him, and in time he was able to recover. Years later, when they were planning their wedding, the leukemia returned, but again he was able to recover; with something else effecting his body, and he died.  Lark has never gotten over Justin’ death, and when a memory flashes, she discovers that Dante was the fireman who helped her get to the hospital, to see Justin before he died. The back story revolving around Justin and Lark was very sad and emotional.

What follows is a heartwarming story of love, friendship, sadness, tragedy and life changing issues.  Lark was an amazing and passionate heroine, whom I loved throughout the story.  I was happy that she would find love in the sweet epilogue. Look on the Bright Side was a fantastic story, that was emotional, captivating, trauma, and romantic.  Look on the Bright Side was so very well written by Kristan Higgins.  You need to be reading this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher