Storytelling filled with melancholy moments.
When All Is Said is a very emotional story about guilt and regret.

While it moves a little slow, the story is touching and emotional. A tale of age and recounting the past. A toast to those who have gone before and what they meant to someone. It's a tender story with well developed plot and characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed are my own. This was a slow start and it really didn't keep my interest. I didn't connect with the characters or story.

This book was a joy to read. I really found this book to be one that will stick with you for a long time. The character developement is outstanding and the words just flows from the pages. I highly recommend this book. Great read. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving this book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

This is such a beautiful story that I didn't want to end. I think each of us could raise a glass to five people in our lives and recall amazing memories. It was so wonderful to be a part of Maurice's.. There are so many emotions that will run through you while reading this and spending time with Maurice. This was not a book that I sat down and read in one sitting. It did take me awhile to get through it, but that's not a negative against the book. It's just one of those stories that you can take a piece of and come back later for more. Thank you to the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really tried to get into the book but just couldn't. I could not relate to the character or the story. I know most who reviewed it loved it but I found it: 1) not what I was expecting 2) depressing 3) written in a way that I could not really believe that an 84 year old man with dyslexia would tell his story 4) not my cup of tea. I do believe it is well written BUT did not feel I could truly give it a star rating since I did not read every word of it. I have enjoyed books from Thomas Dunne Books /SMP in the past but this is one I just could not get into. Sorry.

Great book! Couldn’t wait to read it, and it didn’t disappoint! Grabbed my attention within the first two chapters, and then I didn’t want to put it down. Excellent character development - I think that every reader will find a character to whom they relate. I enjoy books where there is character development, and then also a surprise, and this book provided both! Looking forward to reading more from this author!


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I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely loved When All Is Said, but at the same time, it broke my heart. Maurice Hannigan walks into a hotel bar and orders five different drinks, one for each important person in his life. He makes a toast to his brother, his sister-in-law, his daughter, his son, and his wife, who had passed away previously. As he goes back through his own life and the lives of those he loves, we get to see just how much love, support, sadness, triumph, and regret he has lived with. This was a quick--but highly memorable--read, and the end broke my heart into a millions pieces.

I absolutely loved this book. By the end of the book, it was like the main character was my friend, and I wanted to hear his story for forever. Really loved this one, and highly recommend.

A moving story of a man's life. Fantastic characters, excellent writing. Will definitely keep my eyes open for Griffin's next novel.

A beautifully told story about the life of Maurice Hannigan. I love that the story visited the past and present - this was my favorite kind of storytelling. Have tissues handy, but I highly recommend!

Unique, and the prose was certainly interesting. This felt very voicey and the characters definitely stuck out to me. I just loved the prose. However, it was very slow as well and it sometimes felt meandering. Still, would recommend.

A slower paced book, that just unfortunately didn’t work for me. I found the storyline quite depressing and just didn't work for me. Pacing needs to be a bit better. Good concept, could have been executed better.

A tender story of reflecting on your life. An elderly man walks into a bar with the purpose of 5 toasts to the most meaningful in his life and you are privy to his life story through his ruminations on each. Original concept that works well. I enjoyed this novel, but found it a slow start for me. However, once I felt I knew the narrator a bit, I become wholly invested. A great read that will make you reflect on your own life and your choices and consequences. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review

This book was a bit depressing to read during quarantine, to be honest. I liked the story of Maurice's life and read it pretty quickly, but I don't think it's going to be memorable.

A slower paced book, that just unfortunately didn’t work for me. I found the storyline quite depressing for me which I know is a completely personal thing and I know it will/and has connected with a lot of people. It was written really well but it just wasn’t a story that I could continue reading.

When All is Said is such a beautifully written and thoughtful novel.

The main character is 84 year old Maurice Hannigan. His wife, Sadie, died two years ago. Maurice has sold his belongings and even given away his dog. He is sitting at a bar in Ireland.

He proceeds to tell his life story, to his absent son, through toasts to five people who meant the most to him in his life.

It’s a wonderful novel that makes you think about your life. What would you look back on at the end? Who mattered the most to you? What would you do differently?

I received an arc copy.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for an advanced introduction to this title in exchange for my honest review. A wonderful narrative, this story was both breathtakingly heartwarming and heartbreaking. A unique plot in which the reader suspects at the beginning what the end will hold, Anne Griffin’s writing was a fantastic monologue filled with so much soul that it was not surprising to become attached to the characters and emotions within despite the imminent conclusion. A story that will surely be in the back of my mind always.