I have to say I though Hannah should have had a bit of a slap on numerous occasions by Mona – deffing out your girlfriends for a bloke is such a shortsighted thing to do – but it is incredibly well written and believable. If possible, go swimming with your book club. What was this like? Did you find it as refreshing as Rosemary does or as calming as Kate does? Why do you think being in the water helps both women? Like you, Kate is both a swimmer and journalist. Is this where the similarities end? Are there any autobiographical elements in your story?

La novela está narrada en presente y pasado de ambas, el pasado de Kate y el pasado de Rosemary lleno de recuerdos de su marido George, anécdotas encantadoras y algunas llenas de diversión. Rosemary y George prácticamente desde que se conocieron nadaban en esa piscina, pero el ayuntamiento quiere cerrar y vender el terreno para hacerlo privado, esa piscina para Rosemary está llena de su pasado junto a George. All of the customers are interesting, and the interactions between them and the staff members are written beautifully – and I absolutely LOVED that the final chapter is a year down the road and you find out what has happened / is happening to loads of them. I also love the fact it isn’t all hearts and flowers and happy endings dished out to everyone – it is real, and true, and what actually happens to people IRL. A beautiful book. Sweet and heartwarming but also wise with a strong message about the importance of community and friendship. It reminded me of a Richard Curtis film, life-affirming, romantic and impossible to resist. * Francesca Jakobi, author of Bitter * As a young child we had a tiny local outdoor pool that we went to with my school. I don’t remember much about it other than it always feeling very cold! Throughout my childhood I enjoyed splashing in pools on holiday with my family, but it’s only as an adult that I’ve become a confident swimmer and really taken to the water.Your descriptions of life in Brixton from the lido to the market stalls are incredibly vivid and written with great affection. Did you base those descriptions on time spent at there? Do you still visit Brixton? Are there any other places in London that you love? For the longest time, they had been like sisters rather than friends even though things have gone downhill in the recent past as the two girls grew apart. Will they be able to fix things or have they reached a point of no return? A lavish depiction of an unlikely friendship, a London community and life-long love, all charmingly told in rich, yet gentle prose * CATHERINE ISAAC, author of You, Me, Everything * Brimming with charm and compassion... It's tender, thoughtful and above all a feelgood celebration of community and life-changing friendship. -- Garry Bushell * DAILY EXPRESS *

Similarly, do you have an advice to aspiring swimmers? Swimming in the lido brings a sense of peace to Rosemary and Kate. What would you like to tell your readers who are reluctant to take the plunge? The story is about change and losing places that matter in people's lives so some corporation can get richer. It's hard to let go of our history. It's also about people coming together to make a difference and, most importantly, about hope. This is a book that will make you feel better after you've read. I definitely recommend it.This summer's poolside must-read... a timeless tale of friendship, love and chilly swims. It may be about freezing-cold water but it will give you a warm glow. -- Andreina Cordani * DAILY MIRROR * A beautifully written testament to unlikely friendship, the galvanising pursuit of common goals and lifelong passions which link individuals with their community * DAILY MAIL * Another major issue I have with The Lido is the fact that nothing was a surprise, nothing was “new” either in the story or the way it was told. Every change seemed to follow an old script and was telegraphed well ahead. Yes it is a nice story and there are people to feel for, but there is no edge, no true surprising detail to grab me, the reader, and make me take note. Perhaps I am asking more than this book is purporting to provide, but when I read, I want something that might surprise me, perhaps treat an old subject in a slightly new way. This book simply did not do that for me. But when a local developer attempts to buy the lido for a posh new apartment complex, Rosemary’s fond memories and sense of community are under threat. But when a local developer attempts to buy the lido and replace it with a posh new apartment complex, Rosemary’s fond memories and sense of community are under threat.

A joyous and uplifting debut - a testament to kindness and friendship * SARAH WINMAN, author of When God Was a Rabbit and Tin Man *

When Kate is first introduced to the reader, she is described as anxious, “living under a cloud. It follows her wherever she goes, and however hard she tries she can’t seem to outrun it” (2). What was your first impression of her? What do you think of the life she creates for herself in Brixton? Does she seem happy to you? Why or why not? Both Kate’s and Rosemary’s first experiences swimming were particularly memorable to them. What was yours like? Did you swim in a local lido? If so, can you tell us about it? This is how Kate first meets Rosemary, when she goes to the lido to interview her for the story, and Rosemary agrees providing Kate, who claims she can’t swim, swims in the lido. She will never understand the importance of this place unless she can see it for herself.