Originally published: 6 January 2022

Author: Lucy Diamond

Published by: Quercus Books

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Length: 384 pages

Reading dates: 27-30 December 2021

For Lara and her daughter Eliza, it has always been just the two of them. But when Eliza turns eighteen and wants to connect with her father, Lara is forced to admit a secret that she has been keeping from her daughter her whole life.

Eliza needs answers – and so does Lara. Their journey to the truth will take them on a road trip across England and eventually to New York, where it all began. Dreams might have been broken and opportunities missed, but there are still surprises in store…

Anything Could Happen is a warm, wise, funny and uplifting novel about love, second chances and the unexpected and extraordinary paths life can take us down.

The book begins with Lara, living in her 20s in New York City and on a night out meets Ben – they both know they have a special connection and agree to meet again at a restaurant in Grand Central Station but Ben doesn’t show. When Lara’s daughter Eliza decides to track down her long lost father, she is in for a few surprises – the man who she thought was her dad isn’t and it turns out her real dad doesn’t know of her existence.

Ben is now married and lives in Cambridge with his wife Kirsten. He is understandably very shocked to discover Eliza and very cross with Lara for not telling him about her. Lara makes it clear she did try and let him know but is also cross with him for standing her up in New York.

I thoroughly enjoyed Anything Could Happen and read it quickly. I immediately liked all the characters – Eliza for her spirit and determination and Ben for immediately accepting Eliza and embracing his new role as a father. Lara did a fantastic job as a mum to Eliza – giving up her dreams of being a fashion journalist and settling for the life of a single mum and driving instructor in Scarborough. What I loved about Lara was how she blossomed as the book progressed – she rediscovers her love of fashion and takes up sea swimming, making new friends along the way

Spanning the UK from Cambridge to Scarborough and with the bustling New York featured heavily, Anything Could Happen was a cosy, warm read about family and second chances which can’t fail to leave you feeling happy!

Many thanks to Abbi at Quercus Books for sending me a proof copy.

About the author:

Lucy Diamond grew up in Nottingham and went to university in Leeds where she studied English Literature. After graduating, she lived in Oxford, London and Brighton, working in publishing and at the BBC. She now lives in beautiful Bath where she writes full-time.

As a Sunday Times bestselling author with sixteen novels, two digital novellas and a Quick Read under her belt, Lucy writes with warmth and honesty about the joy and surprises, as well as the complications, that love, family and friendships can bring. Her seventeenth novel, Anything Could Happen, is out as an ebook this December and published in hardback January 2022.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LDiamondAuthor
Website: www.lucydiamond.co.uk