By Your Side by Ruth Jones

Summary

Ruth Jones’s By Your Side is that kind of novel that catches you off guard. It begins with a funeral and a woman named Linda who’s practically a professional at saying goodbye—but what follows is a story that’s not about endings at all. It’s about staying alive in every sense of the word.

Linda Standish is 55, works for the Unclaimed Heirs Unit, and spends her days eulogising the forgotten. She's a paradox: tough but tender, funny but raw, sarcastic but heartbreakingly sincere. Her voice carries this book—sharp, observant, and often laugh-out-loud funny.

The big question behind the book? What does it mean to start again when everything’s fallen apart?

The narrative doesn’t revolve around one major event. Instead, it’s a slow unravelling of personal reckonings. Linda is facing forced retirement, unresolved pain from her past marriage, the looming threat of losing her grandson, and the invasive presence of her ex-daughter-in-law. The emotional stakes rise quietly but powerfully. The beauty of it is that while you’re laughing with Linda over her chin hair or macaroni pie obsession, you’re also feeling every crack in her heart.

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Key Themes of the Book

1. Grief and Resilience

Linda works in death, but what’s dying inside her is never far from the surface. The loss she’s endured—personal, private, unspoken—is woven throughout the book. Ruth Jones doesn’t spoon-feed us closure. Instead, she shows how loss lingers, how it lives in the background noise of your day. Linda's grief isn't theatrical; it's the kind that shows up in the quiet, in the habits, in the chocolate wrappers hidden under the bed. It feels real, like something many of us have brushed against but never fully named.

2. Second Chances

This isn’t your usual Hallmark-style redemption arc. Linda doesn’t want a second chance at first—she wants to be left alone. But life doesn’t care what she wants. Purpose, companionship, even the possibility of new love… they all nudge their way back in.

It’s not that Linda becomes someone new. It’s that she rediscovers parts of herself she thought were long gone. Parts like joy, spontaneity, and the ability to care deeply without losing herself. That’s what makes her transformation feel earned rather than forced.

3. Family Complications

Families, especially post-divorce and post-trauma, are never straightforward. Linda's strained relationship with her son and his manipulative ex-wife highlights just how complicated modern families can be. There’s tension, guilt, and above all, an aching desire to be needed.

Jones doesn’t sugarcoat it either. There are no neat bows at the end, just hard-earned understanding. It’s that messiness—those jagged edges—that makes the story hit home.

4. Humour as Survival

Linda’s sarcasm is her armour. Her inner monologue is filled with dry wit and ridiculous mental asides, but it’s not just for laughs—it’s how she copes. It’s her lifeline, and it’s ours too. The book gets serious, but never lets you drown.

There’s something deeply comforting in that humour. You’re reminded that it’s okay to laugh while life feels heavy. That a good giggle doesn’t cancel out grief—it just gives it a place to breathe.

Experience

Reading By Your Side felt deeply personal. It was like having a brutally honest chat with your funniest, most emotionally intelligent friend. I laughed—a lot. Linda’s zingers had me giggling in public places. But then, just as quickly, the story would gut-punch me with something honest and sad.

One moment she’s cheerfully making snarky funeral observations, and the next she’s face-down in grief, fighting the loneliness that creeps in after the casseroles stop coming.

“Everyone deserves a farewell.” That line lingered with me long after I closed the book.

There were scenes where I had to put the book down and just sit with it. Her pain didn’t feel fictional—it felt shared. Whether you’re someone who’s had to restart life, raise a child alone, or carry grief quietly, Linda’s journey resonates.

What made it even more affecting was the specificity. The references to everyday things—Greggs bakery stops, itchy chin hairs, and passive-aggressive HR emails—gave the story that lovely British realism. You don’t feel like you’re being told a tale; you feel like you're living in it.

Strengths

Ruth Jones has a few magic tricks up her sleeve:

Incredible dialogue – Real, sharp, and hilarious. You’ll find yourself wishing Linda could narrate your life.

Rich characters – Not just Linda, but everyone. Even the side characters have depth. Nobody feels like set dressing.

Emotional pacing – The story rises and falls with grace. It never drags you under, but never lets you forget the weight it carries.

And the sense of place? Impeccable. The fictional island of Storrich feels textured, windswept, lonely, and alive. You can smell the sea air and feel the isolation—and still, it’s beautiful.

Another underrated strength is how Jones handles romance. There’s something refreshing about seeing older characters get their romantic spark back—not in some glossy, idealised way, but in a fumbling, hopeful, human way. It’s sweet, but not cloying. Real, but not heavy.

Weaknesses

If I had to nitpick, I’d say the book dips slightly in momentum mid-way. The ferry scenes and quiet stretches in Storrich, while atmospheric, could have been tighter.

Also, Linda’s inner voice—though brilliant—sometimes circles the same emotional territory too often. But honestly? That’s human. Real thoughts repeat themselves. Real grief loops.

Some readers might crave more plot or action, especially if they’re used to fast-paced stories. This isn’t that kind of book. It’s slow, reflective, and more about internal change than external drama. But if you know what you’re getting into, it’s deeply satisfying.

Final Thoughts

By Your Side is a book that wraps you up in the warmth of humour while quietly breaking your heart. It’s not just entertaining—it’s affirming. Ruth Jones delivers a narrative that says: yes, your life may look nothing like what you planned. But there’s still beauty, still joy, still a next chapter worth turning to.

Linda is the heroine you didn’t know you needed. She’s not polished or perfect. She’s relatable, brave in her vulnerability, and ferociously herself.

This novel reminds you that life doesn’t stop surprising you after 40—or even 50. The courage to face change isn’t something you grow out of. It’s something you grow into.

Who should read it?

• If you love stories driven by strong, messy women
• If you’ve ever felt unseen or underestimated
• If you're navigating life changes in midlife or later
• If you're a fan of novels that mix comedy with genuine emotional heft

Ready to read? Get By Your Side on Amazon

My Recommendations

If By Your Side moved you, here are a few more you might love:

• Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – Another unforgettable heroine learning to navigate life.
• The Cactus by Sarah Haywood – Funny, flawed, and deeply satisfying.
• The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley – A feel-good read about messy lives and meaningful connections.
• Us Three by Ruth Jones – Yes, her again. Because she knows how to write women who feel real.
• The Lido by Libby Page – A quiet, uplifting story about unlikely friendships and community that also hits you right in the heart.

Each one balances wit with weight, reminding us that our quirks and heartbreaks are part of what makes us worth reading.

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Disclaimer

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