Book Review - Is That You, Beth Cherry? by Lucy Dillon

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Title: Is That You, Beth Cherry?

Author: Lucy Dillon

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 9th July 2026

Rating: 4 Stars

Beth's life, like the unfinished screenplay on her laptop, is stuck between chapters.

Since her breakup with Fraser - which was not part of the script - she's retreated into a lonely WFH world of sweatpants, disordered hours and comfort eating. The one luminous constant in her life is her love for her rescue dog, Tomsk, and his for her.

When Beth's house share falls apart, she is thrown a lifeline by the least likely person: Fraser's mother Martine, who offers Beth and Tomsk a temporary space above her garage in which to start over. Returning to Longhampton, scene of her happiest memories with Fraser and his family, feels like a second chance: might this be a sign that she and Fraser are meant to be?

But when Beth is recruited as a writer for a project called The Story of Your Life, she starts to gain more perspective on her own life. Run by the local retirement community, some of the stories she hears are heartwarming, some are heartbreaking. All of them, Beth notes, reveal a little more than the teller realises. And when she is sent an anonymous story of first love that threatens to destroy more than one family's identity, Beth has to decide: is it sometimes better to keep a secret than reveal the truth?

It took me a while to properly get into the story of this book, possibly my fault for not double checking the blurb before hand,  so took me a while to work out exactly why Beth Cherry seemed unhappy and disconnected from a fuller life. 

Once I was invested in the story though I loved it, and I thoroughly enjoyed Lewis and Rosemount Care Home.  He is one of life's best people, and is attempting to turn around a care home in disarray, and is a many that really does care about his resident's happiness.  He is also rather naive with regards to his heart, and seeing how his fledgling friendship with Beth develops is rather sweet. 

Especially since Beth is completely oblivious, and seems to be spending her time wishing she was still with Fraser, who she split with years before, but is suddenly back involved in his family's life at any rate. 

It was though the storylines involving Rosemount and its residents that stole my heart.  There is a life story project being set up and Beth is volunteered to help out with it and some of the stories are just so mesmerising. 

I also enjoyed getting to know Martine, Fraser's mum who offers Beth a much needed lifeline, and I loved learning about her life too. 

This is a story of rediscovery for Beth, as she finally starts to come back to life properly.  I loved her feisty side and the book had a wonderful conclusion. 

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.