I am not a fan of Christian fiction, but the summary intrigued me. This book has a very touching story - I have to admit it was my favorite part. I was looking forward to seeing how the author would represent Natalie's emotion (by the summary I expected lots of it, and complexity as well). I was happy to witness the beautiful manner it was written. I loved this read, I loved the poignant fashion in which Mrs. West touched on difficult subjects.
Recommended for fans of Christian fiction, and everyone who's interested in this book. It doesn't disappoint.

Absolutely Loved this book. A quote from the book actually says exactly how I felt. The quote "If we don't save some for later, we'll be all done. You can't rush a good book." This is the way I felt about the book. I didn't want to rush through it because I didn't want it to end. Well written, and great storyline. Not just warm and fuzzy, you felt the everyday struggles. But also not all doom and despair. It talked of hope and smiles and fun times. It had me from page one. Glad I have found a new author to follow.

This story of going back home and overcoming obstacles was an uplifting and enjoyable story. It seemed a little slow in parts but overall was a very good novel.

This is the first book I've read from Catherine West. She definitely has a new fan and follower of her writing. This is probably the best contemporary romance book I've read this year.

From the beginning to the end of the book, it was beautifully written. The author has a style of writing that is fluid, coherent, descriptive, emotional, and vivid. I felt like I was in California among the grapes in the vineyard as the story unfolded.

The pathway to accepting God's gift of grace, mercy, and love for all the main characters was incredibly real and well-placed. The forgiveness and grace the characters learn to show each other was extremely poignant and heart-warming. The brokenness of each character in his/her life journey was heart-rending but the healing that each experienced was so gratifying.

I really liked that though it was in third-person narrative, the thoughts and feelings of Natalie, Tanner, and Jeffrey were so deeply woven into the writing that it almost felt like the characters themselves were speaking in the pages. All the characters had major flaws and faults, which made them very real. Even such difficult topics like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD were addressed through the characters and their struggles.

I'll definitely be reading her other books, especially The Things We Knew, which comes highly recommended.

I received a digital advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to give a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

This is a new author for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed her latest offering. Character-driven, the story is engaging and has a satisfying ending.

A delightful read with a colorful collection of characters that I thoroughly enjoyed. This book had a great message and was a wonderful read.

Catherine West has another winner in "The Memory of You"! I loved this book set between New York and Sonoma - and am definitely ready to visit Sonoma for an extended period after reading it.

The author has a way with words that almost makes you not want to finish reading - because then the story would be over. I just wanted to savor every moment of reading.

Each of the characters was relatable and quirky; my heart ached at what each of them went through at varying plot points. The author routinely weaved in God's faithfulness and power to redeem everything for good, no matter how hard it was. The struggle is real - and West does not shy away from that - but God is bigger.

The Memory Of You by Catherine West is a contemporary Christian romance and I loved it. I was absorbed into its pages from the start. The Memory Of You will make you cry. It will make you smile. And it will make you think - about your own loved ones and about a God who loves you more than you can imagine.
The Memory Of You is a study of grief. A grief so raw that every day hurts. "Would there ever come a day when it wouldn't hurt when she thought of her sister?" Grief, if not worked through can lead to depression. There is no magic formula for dealing with grief but the pain and the hurt do need to be faced and shared with people you trust.
The theme of guilt is linked to loss. It is both a survivors guilt and a 'what if?' guilt linked to a past that cannot be changed. "I want you to stop blaming yourself for things you cannot change."
Forgiveness goes hand in hand with guilt. "He would never be forgiven. And didn't deserve to be." This is where grace comes in. We receive grace and forgiveness that none of us deserve. It is not about anything we have done, it is all about what Jesus has done. At the cross He exchanged our sins for grace and forgiveness.
There are some difficult topics to read - PTSD, bipolar, early mortality, life support - and all these are presented with sensitivity. Catherine West writes with such depth of feeling that the reader 'feels' the pain of the sufferers in the novel and can empathise.
There is also a glorious hope - we have a hope in Jesus. Although life can be painful at times, our hope is of heaven. It is not a case of 'goodbye' but a 'see you later.' Death is not the end and therefore we have hope.
The story is a family saga. Families can be messy. Families can also be the place where we feel most loved, "...to hear his laugh and bask in the smile that made her feel like the luckiest girl in the world." Within the novel, the role of fathers or father figures is examined. The unconditional love of our father God for each and every one of us is also shown.
Another theme is that of faith and trust in God. Faith in God may be hard in the bad times as we work through our anger and hurt. "Where is your God now?" God waits patiently for each and every one of us to come to Him. He longs to give us His love and peace that come from trusting Him in the good and the bad times. "Learning to rely on God wasn't easy but it gave a comfort and a peace."
A major storyline is that of growing grapes and harvesting them. This may be seen as a metaphor for our lives. God is the gardener who will tend us and love us until the time is right for the harvest.
Catherine West's stories always speak to my soul. Her characters take up residence in my heart. I 'feel' their pain and their joy. I 'see' them in my mind. As the novel ends, it feels like I am bidding good friends a fond farewell.
The Memory Of You is a fabulous read on so many levels. Pick up a copy today.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Good job Catherine West, you have written my kind of book.. There are many aspects to the story, grief, healing, second chance, forgiveness, healing. Best of all, family and a clean romance. I will look for other books by this author.

My first introduction to Catherine West's writing was The Things We Knew. It was an interesting general fiction novel that I enjoyed spending time with. So when The Memory of Us was released, I wanted to read the novel. I figured the novel had to do with someone's death, but I didn't know who or how. Losing my Daddy in late 2015 has affected every decision that I have made since. Death is not anyone's friend, so i was curious what this novel is about.
The setting of the vineyard in California was awaken in my imagination. I had no problem seeing the house and the rows and rows of grape vines. West does a good job at bringing the modern setting to life for me. West writing is clear, crisp, and concise. I never once lost my place in the story because of headhopping. She stayed in Natalie and Tanner's point of views for the entire story. The research into the workings of a vineyard flowed from Tanner's mouth without me doubting that he knew what he wanted.
In West first novel that I read, there really wasn't a lot of romance, but The Memory of Us turned into a contemporary romance novel, and I was turned away pretty quickly when I saw Tanner and Natalie start to fall in love with each other. I wanted to see them heal from their past hurts but did the story really have to turn into a romance novel? Since it took a turn toward the romance, the romance felt out of place from the growing hostility Tanner and Natalie showed toward each other at the beginning of the novel.
The pace of the story moved forward, but I felt that it was slow at times. It was an interesting story of learning to forgive and move on, but there were moments I wished the story was finished already. While the story was predictable and unoriginal, I did enjoy the idea of letting go of guilt and allowing dead ones to move on. Fans of contemporary romances will enjoy this novel and probably love it.
In conclusion, Catherine West's The Memory of Us is a slow-moving contemporary romance that starts out with a bang but then moves into a romance story between Tanner and Natalie, which I did not see coming. The spiritual truths of love, forgiveness, and moving on are apparent in the novel and were a good reminder to me.
I received a complimentary copy of Catherine West's The Memory of Us from Thomas Nelson Publishing and the opinions stated are all my own.