A well written book about love and motherhood.
The book starts very slowly but the pace builds up.
I loved the main characters
A good book

I do love a good heartfelt/emotional story with plenty of drama which is exactly what I got with this women's fiction book by author Anna Mansell, who is a relatively new author to me.

Very well written with truly wonderful characters, there were sad moments through out, I definitely felt for quite a few of the characters, can't even begin to imagine what they had each had to go through.

This story really does pull at those heart strings, and there are a few shocking events and revelations that take place throughout the story, which really ups the ante.

I will definitely be reading more by this author in future.

A heart-rending and captivating emotional rollercoaster of a novel, make sure you keep a box of tissues handy when you read Anna Mansell’s latest affecting page-turner, What We Leave Behind.

Life hasn’t always been easy for Lisa. But she is perfectly content with her life. Living with her daughter Poppy, Lisa has had to grow up quickly after she was abandoned by her child’s father as soon as Poppy was born. Still, with the support of her father and her best friend, Lisa has no cause to complain. After all, she is a survivor and she can survive whatever life throws her away. However, Lisa’s life is set to be shaken once and for all when she gets home one day and finds a gift waiting for her on her doorstep. Usually, an unexpected gift elicits great pleasure in the person receiving it, but Lisa cannot help but feel slightly uneasy and perturbed. The gift she receives is a beautifully wrapped diary with its pages empty. What is the meaning behind this gift? Who sent it? Why did they choose to send this to Lisa? And what is the story which the sender wants to tell?

The sender seems determined to share Lisa’s story and reveal all from her infancy to her family. As the gifts keep on coming, Lisa feels as if she is being forced to confront her past, but her unexpected presents quickly prove to be the last thing on her mind when tragedy strikes and Lisa is left completely and utterly floored. With everything to lose and her world in absolute tatters, Lisa feels as if there is simply no going back from this cruel and unexpected twist of fate. However, when the person who has been sending her gifts is left with no other choice but to come forward, Lisa wonders whether she can take even more heartbreak and upheaval.

With her family in danger of being torn apart once and for all, can Lisa ever lay old ghosts to rest and move on with her life? Or will she continue to be haunted by her past?

Anna Mansell’s What We Leave Behind is a haunting and heart-wrenching tale about love and loss from a consummate storyteller. A book that tugs at the heartstrings and brings many a tear to the eye, What We Leave Behind is a tale of survival, healing and redemption that is thought-provoking, honest, hard hitting and truthful.

What We Leave Behind is a superb tale readers will want to tell all their friends and family about. Captivating, emotional and unforgettable, Anna Mansell’s What We Leave Behind should not be missed.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

First, I want to thank Anna Mansell, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I can bring you this review.

What We Leave Behind is an Unforgettable read by Anna Mansell that will not soon be forgotten. Anna writes incredibly powerful storylines that if you read closely intertwined with eachother. I kind of felt like I was reading two separate books at first but toward the ending I had that aha moment. How she did that was just incredible.

Originally, I fell in love with the cover with the little girl. I just knew that this book was going to be an emotional read. Boy was I right. Plus, I knew that little girl on the cover (who I found out later was Poppy) was going to tug hard on my heart strings.

Anna brings awareness to some very important mental illnesses within the storyline and how it affects the characters physical and mental state. She educates us on Postpartum Psychosis, Bipolarism, what it was like for the character to go manic,etc.
This was a very powerful storyline that blew me away! I love learning about all things medical. Not to mention have a heart for individuals going to medical issues. So, reading this story tugged on my heart strings big time.

I felt like a few characters were near and dear to Anna’s heart. You can just tell by the way the story read. It meant more to me reading those parts having that feeling.

Forgiveness was a constant hidden life lesson in this book.

Anna has an amazing gift bringing important issues to the reader's attention by intertwining them into a fascinating story.

This book was very emotional and left me feeling drained, not many books do that!
I thought Lisa was an amazing character, left so young to bring up a child, with a controlling father herself, her decision to move away and start again was so courageous.
I hated that someone was messing with her though! I felt protective of her character and was upset at what happens to Poppy.
A well written book which really tugs on your emotions.

A heart-breaking read, definitely have your tissues at the ready for this one. I was on the edge of my seat and the whole time and was hooked from the beginning. An amazing read!

This is a heart breaking, thought provoking story that draws you in from the first page.
Focusing on friendship, motherhood and family, the story is full of emotion and truly unique characters that add so many layers to this wonderful story.
When tragedy strikes, you really feel yourself going through all of the raw emotions with the characters.
The author has created such raw, relatable characters you can't help but feel connected to them.
A brilliantly written story that really pulled on my heart strings. I adored this beautiful story.

I love Anna Mansell’s books, they’re always so real and so captivating. She has such empathy for her characters, and the storylines are always so realistic.

Lisa is a single mother to daughter Poppy, and manages very well, trying to be independent. Her relationship with her father is quite a difficult one. He brought her up on his own, and has been very over protective of Lisa, to the point of being somewhat controlling. Her relationship with her two best friends, Holly and Paul, is a lifeline to her, and they are very supportive.

The story progresses nicely, and then suddenly there is a shocking and life-changing event. Lisa needs all the help she can get, and her relationships are all seen in a new light.

The notebook, and other little mysterious gifts, are the thread that ties it all together. The notebook proves to be really thought provoking and important to Lisa as events progress.

This wonderful, emotional page-turner of a book just drew me in, very well written and engaging.

This is a tricky one to review. It's undeniably a very beautiful and moving story about the love between a mother and her daughter. However, I just struggled to engage with it fully, and I'm not really sure why. I just couldn't really connect with the characters and their lives, and even when tragedy struck, I was reading on more to find out what the ending was rather than because I became emotionally involved in the story.

I wouldn't say this is a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. It just wasn't one I engaged with on an emotional level, and as such my enjoyment was limited. I've never read anything else by Mansell, and while this wasn't a book I particularly loved, you can see she is a competent storyteller and a strong writer, and so I wouldn't hesitate to read her work again. A sweet book, but just not for me.

Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.




Disclaimer - I was fortunate enough to be provided with an advance reading copy of this book by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of this book by Anna Mansell.

4 star read for me- This was a heartwarming read, left me hooked and wanting more, it was also emotional about a mothers love.

I read within 1 day it was a great read, I definitely recommend
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lisa loves her daughter poppy she is a good mother. She has brought poppy up after her partner walked out.
Lisa finds a parcel on her doorstep with a blank notebook in it telling her to fill it up with all her wishes and dreams. Gifts keep appearing.
But Poppy has a accident and is fighting for her life and the sender of the gifts has no choice but to come forward.
Thanks NetGalley

What We Leave Behind is a thought provoking, heartbreaking story about motherhood, family and friendship. Anna Mansell always manages to create the most beautiful books that bring us mainly loveable and caring characters. On
Lisa is a single mother to 5 year old Poppy, has been since the day Poppys dad, Billy walked away.Lisa had relocated to Scotland as a 16 year old, for Billy, so she was alone in a strange place. Her dad immediately came to bring her home as he wasn't happy when she moved away anyway. her mum was killed in a car accident when Lisa was a baby, so her dad has looked after her always and tends to be controlling.
We see Lisa move into her own place and start a new job as Poppy begins a new school year, things are looking up.She has her best friend Holly, who she has a fantastic friendship with, and Hollys brother Paul, who has always been attracted to Lisa.
One day Lisa finds a parcel on her doorstep, inside a beautiful handmade journal, with nothing to say who has sent it.Then she receives another anonymous gift. She wonders who could be sending them. Then she receives a picture from when she was little so there are only 3 men who she can think of, Billy, Paul or her dad, but what for and why?
Then a tragedy happens which throws Lisa totally off kilter. A absolutely heartbreaking read at times, I was with Lisa all the way, holding my breath without realising it. This is truly a stunning read all the way through.
Thanks go to Bookouture and NetGalley for the copy of the book for my review today.

Lisa’s family had more secrets than most. Lisa is the single mother of Poppy, aged 5. Her partner abandoned them both when Poppy was a newborn and Lisa’s father drove to Scotland to bring them both home. Lisa’s father is overprotective and their relationship is strained. Her best friend Holly supports Lisa when she tries to assert her independence by getting a part-time job. Holly’s brother Paul confesses he has feelings for her but things get complicated when Poppy’s father makes a return appearance.
Lisa received mysterious gifts and she has no idea who is sending them. They include a notebook which makes her examine her life. When Poppy is seriously injured in a car accident, Lisa devotes all her time and energy to her daughter.
This is a story about relationships, It is well thought out and well written. Very emotional at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
#WhatWeLeaveBehind #NetGalley

I absolutely adore this author and was looking forward to reading this one, but something about it just didn't quite work for me. I found the pacing slow, hated the character of Lisa's father, and was just lukewarm about Lisa herself. I didn't hate this book but definitely my least favorite from this author. The most confusing thing is that I feel that I have already read this book, just under a different name. I've been wracking my brain and going back through my blog but can't put my finger on it.

Nevertheless, I still give it three stars because I love Anna Mansell. My opinion on this one seems to be in the minority so check it out for yourself!

Lisa lost her mother when she was a baby so she is determined to be the best mother she can be. When Poppy's father left when she was a small baby Lisa's father brought her back to Lincolnshire. He is very controlling & she finds it hard to be as independent as she would like. Her life is enriched by her best friend Holly, & Holly's brother Paul.. Paul would like to be more than friends & the reappearance of Poppy's father adds more confusion. Although she is still grieving for her grandmother, who recently died she is moving to a new stage as her beloved daughter Poppy starts school & she begins her job as school secretary. When they get home after their first day she finds a beautiful notebook which suggests she writes down her hopes & dreams. More mysterious parcels arrive but a near fatal car accident that leaves Poppy in a coma overshadows everything else.

This is a well written story of a mother's love how corrosive secrets can be. Apart from Lisa's Dad I really warmed to the characters & even he had some redeeming features! All in all a satisfying read. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

A story full of pain, regret, disbelief and heartache yet one that will fill you full of warmth as you finish it. One woman’s struggle to fill in the details of her life, details she never knew were missing. A mothers love they say is like no other and this book tells the story of the bond between mother and child. The heartache she feels when her child is ill, the joy she feels as the child grows and blooms, the misgivings she feels about the smallest of issues. This book is a journey through a short time in the lives of those within its pages yet it is full of emotions and details that make you feel part of those lives. You feel the mothers pain as she watches over her child, you feel the grandfathers fear that all will never be the same. Yet you feel the strength and determination too that Lisa has to overcome everything and be the person she wants to be not what others expect her to be. A heartwarming journey that i thoroughly enjoyed taking.

Lisa is a single parent raising her five year old daughter under the watchful eye of her dad. The recent death of her grandmother makes this the perfect time for her to start a new job and perhaps a new romance. A serious car accident as well as the reappearance of two people from her past set in motion a series of events which leave Lisa to question everything and everyone around her. Mansell does an excellent job of unravelling the story of Lisa's childhood thus explaining several mysteries in her life. She provides plenty of suspense coupled with a smattering of romance. A thoroughly engrossing read!

I was swept away with this book, living through the emotions the characters were experiencing, willing love to blossom and flourish, hoping all the misunderstandings would get cleared up and relationship rifts healed with hope.
Lisa is mum to 5 year old Poppy, living in a house bought by her over protective and emotionally distanced father, desperately trying to prove to him, herself and everyone around her that she can make her way independently through life, juggling work with being a single mother and striving to meet financial demands on her own.
She has the support of best friends Holly and Paul who are siblings, and the dynamic works well until Paul makes a declaration.
This is a love story, a thoughtful and sensitive portrayal of the journey Lisa makes, reflecting on her past relationship with Billy, Poppy's father, thinking about what motivates her own father and the coming to terms with her grandmother's death.
It is also a wonderfully uplifting (but at times sad) examination of the choices we make, the mistakes we make and the consequences of those decisions and actions reverberating down the passage of time.
I was particularly drawn to Lisa's mother and the heartache that has plagued her for so many years. Her storyline is realistic and dealt with compassionately so that even things that are at first shocking become understood in the context of what has gone before.
I thought this book was beautiful as well as a jolly good read, making me think about our powerful minds and how we can use them to do great things but how equally our minds can, given the right circumstances, rule us and how this can then lead to devastating consequences.
I am now interested in reading another Anna Mansell book before too long as I love emotionally intelligent books and I suspect this is a forte of Mansell, giving the reader a good yarn, characters to empathise with, and plenty of different emotions to work one's way through.
A great read.
PS And if you love dogs, you'll enjoy the bits with Frank (and Jeffrey)!

After an incredibly slow start, the story picked up a bit. I didn't like Lisa as she seemed to just have no control over anything. It was only at the end of the book that everything came together. I did like the storyline and the ending. I'm giving it four stars because as I've said, it had a slow start and was a bit tedious in places. Having said that I would like to read more of Anna's books in the future.

I enjoyed the story and found it an interesting read. However, in some places I found the writing repetitive and I also struggled to keep up with which character was being referred to.