This was my first time reading this author, and I can confidently say she writes beautifully. Her depiction of grief, loss, and death is vivid and deeply emotional. However, I wouldn’t classify this as a romance novel. It leans much more toward contemporary fiction with a touch of romance, which was disappointing for me. I went in expecting to watch a love story unfold, but instead, I found an incredibly heavy, heartbreaking story about a woman who loses her husband at a young age and struggles to raise her son, build her career, and simply hold herself together while navigating her overwhelming grief.

Unfortunately, the plot felt disjointed and somewhat unfocused. Certain scenes didn’t seem to serve a clear purpose, making the story feel scattered—almost like the author was trying to do too much at once. The book started out light-hearted and humorous, but then took a sharp, serious turn, ultimately becoming a long, drawn-out exploration of grief that started to lose my interest. The dual timeline structure, shifting between past and present, didn’t help much either—I found myself far more invested in the past than in the present storyline. And because I struggled to connect with the characters, I had a hard time emotionally engaging with the story as a whole.

I listened to the audiobook, and I will say the narration was excellent. The story takes place in Australia, and the narrator’s Australian accent really helped immerse me in the setting. However, because the book was so emotionally heavy, I often found it difficult to pick it back up. I had to be in the right mindset to continue and, at times, had to push myself to finish.

That said, the last 30% of the book finally felt more like the romance I had been hoping for. It had its tender, swoon-worthy, and genuinely sweet moments, making the slow burn worth it to some degree. However, the ending felt a bit rushed, and I was left with lingering questions.

Sensitive readers should be aware that this book deals with difficult topics, including spousal death, grief, loss, fertility struggles, and miscarriage. Also, there is no language and no spice.

Overall, this was just an okay read for me. While I wouldn’t personally recommend it, I recognize that it’s a well-written and emotionally raw portrayal of loss and healing. If you’re looking for a deeply emotional, authentic story and don’t mind a heavier read, this might be for you. But if you’re expecting a true romance, you may want to adjust your expectations before diving in.

**This book is part of a contemporary romance real-time reaction episode, which you can listen to here.