Published By: HQ
Pages: 400
Released On: 04/06/2026
Leonie and Nora couldn’t be less alike.
Leonie is brave and bold. She left the Isle of Pitte behind in search of adventure and swore she’d never return. Nora prefers the cosy embrace of home. And besides, one of them has to take some responsibility.
When her reckless lifestyle catches up with her, Leonie returns home to Pitte to recover in the comforting, cloying care of her younger sister. Instead, she’s surprised to find reliable, steadfast Nora is just as lost as she is.
Leonie and Nora have spent their lives certain they’ve nothing in common, but it seems they each have exactly what the other needs. And there’s no one who can heal you – or hurt you – quite like a sister.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I have two of Laura’s books already – I Love You, I Love You, I Love You, and What Have I Done – but this is the first I’ve read.
I’d read a few thrillers before this so I was after something a bit more light-hearted – but this wasn’t actually all that light-hearted. It’s not quite as severe as the thrillers but it does touch upon some quite difficult topics
Leo and Nora are such opposites, and yet at times, very similar. They are sisters and they fight and snap and you want to knock their heads together. Leo was harder to like initially, for reasons I won’t spoil. It took a while, she had to work hard, but she did win me round by the end. Whereas Nora I loved almost immediately. I could see myself her in Nora a lot, but not in Leo. But as it went on, I realised I was a bit of both.
There’s not a whole lot of plot. But that’s not a negative in my view. I prefer characters over plot any day of the week. There is a plot of course, and it’s enjoyable, but for me this was all about Leo and Nora and their relationships over the years, and whilst they weren’t always likeable, they were very interesting to read about.
One thing I will point out – and this is less about the book itself but something I’ve noticed about a few books. When a book is billed as “laugh out loud hilarious” and I don’t get it. Now, I don’t mind not finding a book funny. I wasn’t necessarily expecting this book to be funny and I don’t think it was particularly funny, but that’s not a bad thing. If the humour hadn’t been mentioned, I wouldn’t think I was missing out on something and so wouldn’t have ever considered it. Humour is so subjective that I’d rather a book didn’t mention it, and then if I do find humour in it, then that’s all the better. But maybe that’s just me.
It’s not all sweetness and light and rainbows. It explored some very difficult topics, particularly around mental health, which are handled very well. But if you’re after a relaxing read, this probably isn’t it. It is very good and thoroughly enjoyable, well written, and I really liked it, but it is tough going at times.
Books By Your Bedside 