I am both ashamed and delighted that this is my first Susan Lewis book; ashamed that this prolific author has written so many books that I have missed and delighted to have found her, better late than never. I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of One Minute Later that came with instructions to make the origami heart on the front cover and I absolutely loved this thoughtful touch from the publisher, HarperCollins.

Vivienne has the world at her feet until her world stops spinning and her heart stops beating on her 27th Birthday. Faced with an unimaginable prognosis, Vivienne feels completely helpless and exhausted but fate still has some of Vivienne's story to write. I couldn't help but be totally in awe of Vivienne as she struggled with her condition but tried to keep a smile on her face. Of course, there's nothing like a new man to put a smile on a woman's face and oh, wow love interest Josh fitted the bill perfectly. With time running out for Vivienne, the pair made the most of every single second and I found their happiness completely infectious. It reminded me that each day is precious and we should seize each day with both hands and live it to the best of our abilities.

Vivienne's story is very captivating and emotional, especially for those whose lives have been touched by the dreaded transplant list. My family has experienced both sides of this story and I fought to hold back my tears as hopes were dashed at the last minute. I suppose it is the thoughtlessness and laziness of youth (not that I can claim to be youthful anymore) that has caused me not to sign up to the donor register, as well as thinking I may have nothing to offer. My eyes may be lasered, my heart made of stone and my liver pickled, but it is not for me to decide which of my organs are still viable and could save lives. So after I finished reading Vivienne's story, I immediately told my family that I wished to donate my organs in the event of my premature death; mission accomplished, Susan Lewis!

I was fascinated by the Save9Lives campaign mentioned in the book, which is supported by Susan Lewis and founded by Jim Lynskey, who is also a character in the book but is very much a real and very inspirational person. You can find out more about Save9Lives by clicking here and I strongly urge you to do so.

One Minute Later is heartfelt and incredibly emotional with a very powerful and inspirational message at its heart (if you excuse the pun). It's amazing to think that lives could actually be saved by readers of One Minute Later being inspired to sign up to the donor register and Susan Lewis deserves huge recognition for this. One Minute Later won't necessarily change your life, but it could definitely change nine other lives.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion. ( )

One Minute Later by Susan Lewis is a poignant novel that also shines a very important light on organ donation.

On her twenty-seventh birthday, Vivienne "Vivi" Shager's life forever changes after she has a heart attack. Instead of remaining in London where she works a high powered job, she returns with her mum, Gina, brother Mark and former stepfather Gil to her small seaside hometown. Vivi's new reality involves an implant to shock her heart into beating, a strict medication regimen and a quiet, stress-free life. Now living with Gina, Vivi reconnects with her best friend, Michelle, and tries to prevent herself from falling into depression. Vivi has spent a lifetime wondering her father's identity and she is determined to find out who he is with or without Gina's help. After meeting a friend of Michelle's and her husband, Vivi is stunned by the depth of her feelings for him, but not knowing what her future holds, will they grab hold of their chance for happiness?

Before her heart attack, Vivi is a bit self-centered as she works long hours and travels frequently for her job. She has little time for her mum or Michelle due to her demanding work schedule. And yet, when Vivi is faced with a true medical crisis, there is nothing Gina and Michelle won't do for her. After her stunning diagnosis, she tries hard to keep her spirits up, but her prognosis is grim. Although grateful for Gina's assistance, Vivi is prickly, combative and downright rude to her mum. A lot of her animosity stems from Gina's refusal to answer her daughter's question about who her father is. After her mum refuses to answer her questions, Vivi starts searching on her own. Will Vivi's quest be successful?

Beginning in 1984, a secondary story arc follows Shelley, Jack and their family's idyllic life on their farm. Shelley and Jack are blissfully in love and although finances are tight and their property needs lots of work, their family is quite happy. With their future looking very bright, the only trouble on the horizon is a bit of an on-going feud with a neighbor.

One Minute Later is an engaging novel with a lovely cast of likable characters. Vivi's medical diagnosis and her struggle to accept what the future holds is quite emotional yet also very informative. Both story arcs are interesting but readers will need to exercise patience since the intersection between past and present is not apparent until rather late in the story. Susan Lewis brings this endearing novel to a bittersweet conclusion that is realistic yet heart-wrenching. An engrossing novel that I enjoyed and highly recommend. ( )

A novel with two distinct halves. One is the story of Vivi, a high-flying London lawyer who has a massive heart attack out of the blue on her 27th birthday, from which it is discovered she has congenital heart disease and needs a heart transplant asap. Whilst waiting for a heart to become available she returns to a small south coast town to live with her mother Genna who has a hair salon. The other half is the story of a married couple who inherit a dilapidated farm, and through hard work turn it into a working proposition, and idyllic place in which to bring up their family. The author makes clear her love of 'The Darling Buds of May' books by H E Bates, and life on this farm is very like in his works.
These two halves are eventually knitted together, and from then on it is about the race against time to get a donated heart for Vivi.
I found the book somewhat shmaltzy and was not sure if the author was trying to tell a story or just using it as a platform from which to advocate the reader (and everyone else) to become organ donors.
If people become organ donors after reading this it can only be a good thing, and I will urge everyone I know to go on the donor register and talk to their families about organ donation, but felt that as a reader I was being manipulated. ( )

As I began to read Susan Lewis' novel, One Minute Later, I wasn't very excited. Another story about a young, beautiful, hugely successful lawyer who lives in a fabulous apartment in London.

But then 27 year-old Vivi is rushed to a hospital when she has some kind of medical episode during her birthday party with friends. Unbeknownst to her, Vivi has a serious congenital heart condition and needs a heart transplant.

Vivi moves back home to her mother's house in a small town in England. She and her mom have a strianed relationship; nothing Vivi's mom Gina says or does is right, and Gina criticizes Vivi. But now Vivi must rely on Gina and her best friends Michelle and Sam to care for her.

Things look very bleak for Vivi. She is weak, frequently bedridden, and the chances of her finding a heart for transplant are low. She becomes depressed.

Then she meets Josh, Sam's best friend and a local veternarian. Vivi knows she shouldn't get involved with Josh, it is unfair to both of them, but she enjoys his company and they begin to spend a lot of time together.

Vivi's story is interspersed with Shelley's story from 1985. Shelley and her husband Jack inherit a dilapidated farm, and with the help of family and friends, they bring the farm back to working order and begin to raise their three children there. They struggle financially, but are a loving family.

While reading, I was wondering how these two stories would intersect, and when you get the answer, it is a surprise. Lewis' leads the reader in one direction, and then she skillfully takes the story another way.

Author Lewis includes a real person in this emotionally powerful story, Jim Lynskey, a young man in England who founded the Save9Lives campaign to get people to sign up to be organ donors. Lynskey himself needs a heart transplant and he befriends Vivi in this story.

In addition to being a love story with a mystery, One Minute Later educates the reader about the importance of organ donation and the reality of life while waiting for a transplant. She also brought to life the hard work it takes to make a living farming.

I'm always happy when a book surpasses my expectations, and Susan Lewis' One Minute Later certainly did that. I recommend it. ( )

Susan Lewis takes her readers on a roller coaster ride of a story about how life can change in just one minute. She always write wonderful stories about families but I thought that this was her best novel yet.

Vivi is a successful lawyer in London. She lives in a perfect apartment, has plenty of friends and works long long hours at her job. It all changes in a minute when she has a massive heart attack at her 27th birthday party. She is unable to keep her job, her boyfriend is no longer interested in her and her friends have little in common with her new life as she moves back home to the small town she grew up in and moves in with her mother. She is aware that she is on borrowed time unless a transplant can be found and she is depressed about all of the changes in her life that led her away from her exciting life in London. She has one thing that she wants to do before she dies - she wants to find out who her father is and her mother refuses to tell her as she has all of her life. And then she meets Josh, a young vet and begins to fall in love with him. The big question through out the book is whether she will be able to get a heart before it's too late.

The book is a bit confusing when after a long chapter about Vivi and her medical problems, there is a chapter about Shelley and Deerwood Farms. There appears to be no connection between the people on this farm and Viv's story. All I can tell you is to keep reading because once the connection is made it ties up any questions that you may have.

I was very impressed with this book and with the characters - especially Vivi who showed determination to adjust to her new life and her continued hope for the future. I learned a lot about heart transplants and what life is like for someone waiting for a transplant. Overall, a great story!

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own. ( )