This is a story of a family ravaged by the death of their young chidl, and the repercussions a generation on. Although we know of the death of the young child early in the story, what actually happened is not revealed until much later. The way it is revealed, in a series of letters, keeps the interest right until the end. It was sometimes heartbreaking to read, but well told.

All Linda wants to do is sleep. She won’t look at her husband. She can’t stand her daughter. And she doesn’t want to have this baby. Having this baby means moving on, and she just wants to go back to before. Before their family was torn apart, before the blame was placed.

Alienated by their own guilt and struggling to cope, the Sadler family unravels. They grow up, grow apart, never talking about their terrible secret.

This book grabbed me from the first chapter. I read a review by a person I sincerely trust and thought I would sign up to read it.

I spent a couple sleepless nights in a row trying to figure out what happened to phoebe but in the process learning what happened to Esme and Linda.

This is a story about loss, grief, and guilt. I can’t stop thinking about it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a new fresh author to try. I will be looking for more from this author. Thank you for the opportunity to obtain an advanced copy to read and review.

Missing Pieces is a debut novel by Laura Pearson. It is a moving story concerning the emotions of a dysfunctional family after the accidental death of a young child. Written in two parts - the actual time frame and then 20+ years later when they all admit to the truth. It tells how they all coped in different ways.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy 4.5*

As a parent there is nothing that could be worse than the death of a child.The unimaginable pain and torment you must feel is hard to comprehend but this author has captured it totally in this amazing debut novel.

This book is told in two parts, firstly with the death of 3 year old Phoebe and the aftermath for her parents Tom and Linda and older sister Esme. As Tom tries to deal with the tragedy in his own way Linda finds solace in the bottom of a bottle even though she is pregnant with their third child. She withdraws from her family and is tormented with grief.

The second part deals with Esme and Bea born after the death of their sister. Esme writes letters to Bea to try and explain the circumstances surrounding the death. Oh how my heart broke for them all, the tortured parents and poor little Esme who has lived with so much guilt for not being the perfect big sister. Bea who has always felt distanced from her family slowly learns about the past and why there family is so fractured.

This is a beautifully written tale of emotional heartache, guilt and family dynamics. If this is the standard of the debut I cannot wait for her next offering.

The first part of the book absolutely devastated me; the gritty realism and profound sadness permeated my day-to-day life. The second half of the book was like heaving a huge sigh of relief and the interplay between the two is what makes this book work.

The first half is told from three perspectives; Linda, her husband Tom and their eldest daughter Esme.

The three are linked by a terrible tragedy, each eaten away by remorse and all taking on the burden of blame. Tom has his personal demons and is racked with guilt and yet strives to keep going and ensure his children have a happy life. Heavily pregnant Linda is a broken woman, empty and struggling to cope and also consumed by guilt, while Esme is doing her best not to upset her parents and struggling with her own heavy weight of regret.

One of the issues powerfully highlighted by Esme’s character is the horrible reality of a child growing up with a depressed parent. She is forced to grow-up quickly and feels like she has to take on the responsibility for her parents’ happiness and well-being. This is a shocking, harrowing story and while I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters, especially Linda, I wasn’t sure how much more sadness I could take. I was desperate for a glimpse of hope or some kind of recovery for the characters.

Luckily the second half of the book, told from the perspectives of Esme and Bea, the youngest daughter, was like a breath of fresh air. I realised without the initial heartbreak and trauma of the first part of the book we wouldn’t appreciate the hope and warmth and the idea of new beginnings found in the second part. Pearson’s characters are all incredibly believable, flawed individuals, and even the minor characters have complex and unique personalities.

This debut by Laura Pearson is not only deeply moving but tackles extremely difficult themes such as grief, depression and guilt which could be uncomfortable and upsetting for the reader. I loved the stark honesty and complete lack of pretentiousness or excessive sentimentality in the story. But you have been warned, you’ll need tissues at the ready because tears are inevitable. I highly recommend it!

A very sad and heartbreaking story that certainly pulls no punches when it comes to describing - in depth - the rawness of the loss of a child and the impact it has on a family. It was well-written and I found it gripping - although I am used to reading books with more 'suspense' I did want to find out more about what happened to the family and the background to the loss. Having said that, I did not find that I hugely connected with any of the characters and I think I would have liked a more dominant storyline. Nonethless a worthwhile read.

loved this book. I liked how it told how people were feeling about the death of their daughter and how they were trying to cope with getting past that and a new baby on the way. Then how it moved on 26 years later and showed how people were living with their grief and guilt and how the relationships developed between people because of this. lovely book makes you very tearful.

I wasnt expecting this book to go in the direction it did almost like reading four stories all linked by one sadness - the players are all very human with failings and this is a story of survival
and moving on - very enjoyable read

How do you deal with the death of a child? Particularly when you’re pregnant. Such a hard subject and beautifully written. Had me guessing to the end.

This was such a sad story throughout, centering around the worst tragedy any family could ever go through, and how it tore the family apart. It was very well written for such a sensitive subject that you just had to carry in reading it. Just make sure you have tissues to hand!

This was a sad story that drew me in and filled me with hope for the characters that lasted after finishing the last page. Engagingly written and convincing. I’m not always a fan of the epistolary style of writing but I think it worked well in bridging the gap between the two sisters. I really liked the character Tom, despite his flaws. The characters were very human and believable. Inescapable grief was dealt with sensitively and made me question how anyone could move forwards from their various positions, but hoping that this is possible, because the scary thing was, we could all walk in those shoes in the flutter of a butterflies wing.

A beautifully written heart-breaking novel. A sad but uplifting book that had me utterly hooked. Would definitely recommend!

Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson, a new to me author that I look forward to read more books by. A heart-breaking story of a family's tragedy and how they move on afterwards. Likable characters and great dialogue.

This is a beautiful well written story. The loss of a child would be unbearable. When Phoebe dies Linda, Tom and Esme are all grieving and their lives are all changed forever. This is such a sad story. Bea who was born after Phoebe died is pregnant years later and wants to know how Phoebe died. The answer is heart breaking. This is a story about love, life and a grief that never does away. It is about trying to live with that grief.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I had high hopes for this novel. Loved the title and the cover. But it is very gloomy, very tragic. I kept waiting for some light and shade, some moments of joy or light heartedness which never came. Written in two parts, set twenty six years apart, it almost felt like two separate books for a while, despite them both featuring the same characters. The book took a long time to explain what had killed toddler Phoebe and why everyone blamed themselves. All a bit too sad for me.

EXCERPT: Linda approached the coffin slowly, looked in at the girl who couldn't possibly be Phoebe. Who was too small, and still, and quiet, to be Phoebe.

And Linda felt like getting inside it, curling up with her daughter and going to sleep.

But the coffin was too small.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart?

All Linda wants to do is sleep. She won’t look at her husband. She can’t stand her daughter. And she doesn’t want to have this baby. Having this baby means moving on, and she just wants to go back to before. Before their family was torn apart, before the blame was placed.

Alienated by their own guilt and struggling to cope, the Sadler family unravels. They grow up, grow apart, never talking about their terrible secret.

That is until Linda’s daughter finds out she’s pregnant. Before she brings another Sadler into the world, Bea needs to know what happened twenty-five years ago. What did they keep from her? What happened that couldn’t be fixed?

A devastating mistake, a lifetime of consequences. How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing?

MY THOUGHTS: 5 stars for this emotionally raw and completely absorbing debut novel by Laura Pearson.

I am lost for words to describe this book which drew me in, enveloped me to the point where I was constantly thinking about the characters, worrying about them like they were my own. I fell in love.

I am inclined to be dismissive when I read glowing reports of a book from its publisher. After all, that's their job, to make you want to read the book. But in this case, they have put into words exactly what I want to say and so I am going to quote from the publisher's letter at the beginning of Missing Pieces because I can't say it any better or with any more heart.

'(The) book that you can't put down at night, the book you tell everyone about - the book you tell anyone about.

This is that book.

When Kate (the publisher) read it, she was enamored. She read it in one go. She cried on the tube. Arriving in a jumbled flurry of manuscript pages, it was all Why Didn't I Read This Sooner?! and This Bit? Yes. That Bit? So Good.

This book will make you think about family and the unfathomable grief of losing someone you love. It will make you ugly cry. (No judgement.) It will make you think long and hard about who you want to be, the life you're living, and the relationships you cherish. It will make you happy cry. (You do you.) And it will make you want to read anything you can get your hands on by Laura Pearson.

And trust us, there's more. . .'

And like a child in a sweet shop, all I can say to that is 'more please.'

Thank you to Ipso Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

Now – I don’t like reviews to have spoilers, but sometimes parts of the storyline are so fundamental, and also so difficult for people who’ve been through situations, that I think the blurb needs to be upfront. So – if you don’t want to know any more then stop now – but I think it needs to be said that this book’s entire premise is based around the death of a young child. Having watched a friend lose her son (in his instance to an evil b*stard brain tumour) I think it could be really upsetting for someone to pick up this book not knowing that was going to blindside them within the first chapter.

The first half of the book is set in the immediate aftermath of the death of Phoebe in the mid 80s. It is written just beautifully and is very emotional. I found it hard going at times – emotionally. But you wanted to keep reading and know what happened. Each chapter is at a new date and it specifies the number of days since Phoebe’s death – starting in single digits and increasing.

The book is set in Southampton – where I went to University – and the campus, and the Common both feature – and I always like having such reference points – although geographical knowledge definitely wasn’t fundamental to enjoying the book.

The second half of the book is much closer to now – in fact 9,000+ days from Phoebe’s death. It’s very interesting picking up with the characters – from the Sadler family and peripheral people – after such a large period of time has passed. This chunk of the book finally explains what actually happened to Phoebe – and how many of the central characters blames themselves for the events of that fateful day. It felt like the whole book was building to the point where you found out what happened.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, and the way the individuals develop is really interesting. It ends with potential new beginnings for most of the characters – which is lovely after a read that was harrowing at times.

This is Laura Pearson’s debut novel – but I am sure it won’t be her last, as it is really good, well written, pacy and keeps you wanting to read on. I’m not sure there could be a sequel – although I’d love to know what happens to Esme and Bea in particular.

This book is centered on grief, and grief that the characters either can't shake or that they carry with them through their life. This book has 2 parts - one centered on the days closest to the accident that took Phoebe from the family, and then a section centered on the time when the daughters are grown and living on their own. Throughout the book, we never know the real details of what happened to Phoebe, and the story slowly unravels. The story is written well, and flows easily, but overall fairly somber.

Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
#FirstLine ~ The coffin was too small.
This book will move you to the core. This book will make you ugly cry. This book may even change you in ways you cannot really understand. This book will become a new favorite. This book will be a book you read more than one time! I cannot really capture how good this book is without giving too much away. Missing Pieces is special because it is harsh and real. It captures life when it is broken. There is heartbreak and beauty within these pages and a story that will leave its mark on you, in the best possible way. A MUST R

A beautifully told, heartbreaking story. What really happened to Phoebe on the day she died? Was it anyone's fault, or a tragic accident? By telling the story in the past when three year old Phoebe died, and then moving it forward to the present day when Bea, who was born in the immediate aftermath of the story, has found out she is pregnant and wants to know what happened to break her family, we are caught in the lives of the Sadler family and want to find what happened. I couldn't find anything to like about Linda, I know she was grieving for her daughter but to turn from her seven year old who needed her and ignore a newborn was mindblowing. How could any mother admit that one child was her favourite- even Esme had picked up on this from an early age. Esme seemed like such a good, well behaved child, some of her later accounts of early life were surprising. Thank goodness for Tom, such a good dad, but is there more to his story than at first appears? Such a good read about the long term effects tragedy can have on a family if not addressed at the time. #missingpieces # netgalley