I absolutely loved this book and the fact that it's set not too far from where I live made it even more special. I was heartbroken firstly for Annie and her mother and later for Holly and Nate but despite that, their lives went on to be happier. I have never read anything by this author before but I will be looking forward to the next book.

I knew from the synopsis that this was a book fir me. I’d seen that it had been published before under a different title so searched Amazon and my account to make sure I hadn’t read it. However after about 20% of the book I realised I had read it before! However this didn’t stop me carrying on reading it even though I remembered some bits of it, and I still thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a very sad, and quite harrowing story at times but a very good story.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my god, where do I start? I have not read a book this quick since the summer when my head was engrossed in my favourite book of 2018.

When You're Gone tells the story of two members of the same family, Grandmother Annie and Granddaughter Holly. Annie is dying, Holly is grieving; not only for her beloved Grandmother but also her unborn child.

Flitting between the present day and the 1950's Brooke Harris manages to drill down into your very soul with both Annie and Holly. Both women deal with their emotions in a similar way, holding them in until they finally snap. I don't want to give any of the plot away but I urge and implore people to go out and read this book for themselves but I shall gloss (spoiler free) over some of my favourite moments:

Annie finally exhorting her authority and just Annie in general. Even at her sickest she still made me smile.

Ben - I had a brother like Ben who sadly passed away twelve years ago. But reading this character reminded me so much of him; arguing with his sister and then loving her the next. Possibly my favourite boy in the book.

Holly - her emotion, her drive to be with her Nana at the end and yes it took me a while to warm to her but once you realise what she's going through you understand, you feel her pain, you want to hold her hand and tell her everything is going to be ok even though you know its not.

The setting is stunning. I love Ireland from afar and could picture myself among the farms and orchids.

And I must give special mention to Holly's dad and his "mid-life crises car" which did make me giggle.

In short, this book is stunning and must be read by everyone. Even though it made me blub like a baby and I met my grocery delivery man with tears streaming down my face!

Five Stars

When You're Gone
Brooke Harris
Description
1958

In a small town like Athenry, people talk. Everyone’s noticed that the injury which stopped Annie Fagan’s father from working doesn’t prevent him from hitting his wife. But a man’s home is his castle, and no one is going to intervene.
Until Annie runs into Arthur ‘Sketch’ Talbot. Sketch is determined to help Annie, and the two soon fall in love. But Annie’s father won’t give his daughter up lightly, and Sketch’s attempts to save her will have devastating consequences…
Now
Holly’s world is falling apart. Her unborn baby is seriously ill, her relationship is fracturing before her eyes, and her Nana is dying. But Nana has one final wish before she leaves: to read, one last time, the handwritten story of her first – and last – love, Albert ‘Sketch’ Talbot.

As Holly reads to Nana, could it help her find the strength to face her own future? Could fulfilling her grandmother’s final wish really be a gift for Holly?

Compelling, heart-breaking, and emotionally vivid, When You’re Gone will break your heart and fix it anew. A gripping and emotional novel about family, love, and sacrifice, for fans of Diane Chamberlain, Susan Lewis and Kathryn Hughes’ The Letter.

Previously published as When It Rains. This edition contains significant editorial revisions.
I was having a feeling I had read this before. I had read it as When It Rains. Very good to revisit the book. I enjoyed it then and now. Some will need a tissue and smile thru tears. Some love last for a lifetime.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

A fantastic book, it held my interest throughout and I enjoyed the way this author writes.

All the characters were described brilliantly, I found it very hard to put down and I can thoroughly recommend.

Wow ! What can I say about this book apart from the fact it was just
fantastic. What a beautiful but sad story of life and death. It may sound like this is going to be quite a depressing read but honestly it's not like that at all. Yes it is sad and I made me cry a lot but it also makes you realise how precious family are and how important memories are. I just loved the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter and you could actually feel the strong love Holly had for her grandmother as I read the book.

This is one amazing book that once you start you won't want to put down until you've finished it.

My only problem with it is that I can't give it more than 5 stars !

I already read the original version of this book, When it Rains. That one was already amazing. This one is just as wonderful. It’s well written, gripping, emotional, I fell right into it from beginning to end