The Missing Pieces of Us by Eva Glyn

Robin and Izzy get together in their twenties but Robin disappears with no explanation. Twenty years later Izzy's husband has just died when she sees Robin homeless on the street near a coffee shop she's visiting with her 16 year old daughter Claire. The story follows the past and present day events from Robin and Izzy's perspectives but there's a problem - they don't match!

I enjoyed this book very much. It was an excellent exploration and portrayal of grief, mental health and so much more, with great characters and sense of place. I was intrigued about what the explanation for the discrepancy in Robin and Izzy's stories could be and read it very quickly. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

It is very strange when you start to read a new book and realise you know and can visualize all the places mentioned in the book, as you had lived in that area for over 20 years. This is the first time this has happened to me and made the book more enjoyable. The story weaves beautifully through the lives of both Robin and Izzie with Claire being the glue that holds them together. Both Robin and Izzie have their own troubles to deal with and the author does make you wonder if one or both are having breakdowns, but this is dealt with symphathetically and gently.

Sorry to say, this wasn’t a book I enjoyed overly much.
The writing style was confusing to me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is... completely not my book of tea! Oh God, I have never expected something like this. I dreamt about magnificent story, with forgiveness, true emotions, daily life struggles and happiness. I hope to find it here, but, unfortunately, no luck this time.

In fact, it hard to say it what this book is about. Ok, there are some major points, turns and situations but finishing the last page I was exhausted. I promise myself to read it to very end and I did, but I was so hard to get through.

I don’t like and don’t understand at all the characters. I don’t believe that there are many people behave in such manner (not to clarify or say more - I don’t want to get you guys any spoilers if you decided to read it anyway). And I did not found anything worth to remember from this book. Any quotations, any life advise. Just a blank space.

I believe that some people would like a slow pace, not easy decisions and battle with the internal demons. I believe that some people would understand the main though of it and motivations of Robin and Izzy. But not me.

I'm disappointed that I have to give only two stars for this book. I found it hard to get connected to. Right from the start there were so many questions. Too many details given that I found myself scrolling back to figure out who or what that was referring to and not finding the answer. And because I had to keep scrolling back, the story did not flow well. I kept getting confused about what was going on and so much seemed unbelievable.

Thank you so much to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I'm sorry I can't give it more love.

DNF at 25%

Could not get into the book. Writing felt disjointed and hard to follow.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.

The Missing Pieces Of Us by Eva Glyn
Pub Date 21 July 2021
There are three versions of the past – hers, his, and the truth.
When Robin Vail walks back into widow Isobel O'Briain's life decades after he abruptly left it, the dark days since her husband's unexpected passing finally know light. Robin has fallen on hard times, but Izzie and her teenage daughter Claire quickly remind him what it's like to have family…and hope.
But Robin and Izzie are no longer those twenty-something lovers, and as they grow closer once more, the missing pieces of their past weigh heavy. Now, to stop history from repeating, Izzie and Robin must face facts and right wrongs…no matter how painful.
The first few chapters were ok, but then it becomes chaotic, and the fantasy part was, well, a bit weird.
I want to thank NetGalley, Harper Collins Uk, One More Chapter and author Eva Glyn for a pre-publication copy to review.

This book totally captured my imagination, and I was immediately immersed in the story of Robin and Izzy. I will have to be careful as I review as I have no desire to include any spoilers. I first read one of Eva’s books under her guise of Jane Cable and was also enchanted by her storytelling. I’ve since learned that this is a re-release of the previously self-published The Faerie Tree. I must say, I’m delighted that she made the leap to re-release and to One More Chapter for seeing the potential.
The main focus of the book is about navigating how the human mind handles devastating loss. The way in which our brain seems wired to protect us from unbearable truths and the difficulty of discovering a way to heal and move forward.
When newly widowed Izzy catches a glimpse of her former boyfriend, she takes a leap of faith and tracks him down. Sadly, he is living as a homeless man since a mental break following two devastating bereavements. It’s Robin’s journey to wellness which occupies the main narrative, and it’s almost impossible not to wish for a happy ending.
However, Eva Glyn had created a powerful, examination of the complexities of the human spirit and all is not quite as it initially seems. As the couple find their way back together, it soon becomes apparent that Izzy has not come through her life unscathed.
This is an exceptional and triumphant story which reminds us that even the deepest valleys can lead to beautiful vistas. I was moved to tears and found the experience to be greatly cathartic as all elements of mental health came under scrutiny.
I urge you to read this beautiful book and bask in the truly life-affirming conclusion.

Missing Pieces of Us is definitely one of the books I've read in the shortest amount of time this year. Interesting and captivating, it just keeps you on the edge from the beginning. I loved the relationship of the main characters, their holding on to old memories and feelings, and the message it is never too late for change. Different than one could expect from the synopsis, it talks about love lost and love found, people coping with grief in many ways.as well as struggles with mental illness and addictions. Its truly a wonderful story and I cant wait to read more from the author.

Many years ago Robin left Izzy and walked away. Now twenty years later Izzy meets him again.
This story is told in multiple time lines and viewpoints. At times I was confused as to which time I was reading. As in most things there is Robin's side, Izzy's side and the truth. Who's memories are the nearest truth? What roll will Izzy's daughter Claire play in there relationship? Will they ever find out the truth? Will they be able to repair the relationship? Do they even want to?

Thanks to netgalley and One More Chapter for the arc.

The Missing Pieces of Us is a complex and unique second-chance love story. Main Characters Izzie and Robin met early in life, but at the wrong time for each other. In present day, Izzie is recently widowed and a now single mom to Claire. When Izzie and Robin’s paths collide again, readers are taken on a journey through the past and into the present with their relationship. I was shocked at the number of serious topics that author Eva Glyn is able to cover in a single novel. From taking care of elderly parents to homelessness to serious mental illness, these characters have faced them all.
As a reader, I often tend to struggle to follow multiple viewpoints and timelines and this novel had them both. There were times when I wasn’t sure which story, in which timeline, by which character I was reading about and this was occasionally frustrating. Overall, The Missing Pieces of Us is a moving love story that will pull you in and keep you entertained and invested.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

We meet Izzie, whose a young adult and Robin, who at the start of their love story. Unfortunately, each has barriers that stop them from getting closer. Robin is caring for his mother whose an invalid and Izzie, is already in a relationship. Many years later, things have changed but their love for one another hasn’t.
Slowly, we come to know of their separate past lives, there are differences which come clear later on in the story.
I liked the story and how the characters of Robin and Izzie were portrayed. The story is told from both Robert and Izzie perspective at various stages in their lives.
The book had a bit of everything romance, suspense and tragedy.

Recommend It.

I am sorry to say I did not enjoy this book in the slightest. It felt like the story was all over the place and never came together; perhaps the author was trying to bring awareness to mental health issues; I'm not sure but both main characters have bouts of depression and sort of ping pong between them when they have it. Then the memory loss and who's memories are right and who's are wrong. I couldn't have cared less at that point.
I don't feel like the characters of Robin and Izzie were developed enough for me to really get to know them and care about them; all I really got a feel for were their problems.

3 1/2 Stars for this emotional read.

Robin and Izzy are in a new relationship when Robin disappears without a trace and she never forgets him. Twenty years later, Izzy has just lost her husband and has a 16-year-old daughter, when she sees a homeless man who looks Robin. A few days later she discovers that the homeless man was Robin and now he is in the hospital. When Robin is ready to be released, Izzy takes him to her house because he has nowhere else to go. But things aren't as they seem ... in Robin's world ... or Izzy's world.

The premise if this book is good, but I found it confusing at times because of going back and forth in time ... dates would be helpful, so that you know what time period it is. In the beginning of the book, I didn't like Robin ... I thought he was too sentimental and selfish, but by the end of the book I really liked him. I found it the compete opposite with Izzy ... I liked her in the beginning, but not so much by the end. This is a real life look at troubles people face every day.

I received an early copy courtesy of HarperCollins UK through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

A truly emotional read looking at grief, loss and memories. Asking a question as to what is real or a false memory in our minds. I really warmed to the character of Robin straight away - his attitude to life so refreshing. His relationship with Claire was open and warm. I loved the sound of Jennifer too, she seemed an amazing strong woman.

This was a very good second chance romance with realistic characters. These characters have dealt with some harsh reality in life and lost each other along the way. Can they find their way back to each other?
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a roller coaster and also a great look into how people cope with what life throws at you. Would recommend

Three versions of a past. Her version, his version and the truth. The past prevented them from being together now many years later can it work out? Truths are faced, difficult topics addressed and obstacles overcome. As the book progressed I did get confused. An okay read.

A story of lost loves.
Izzie`s husband had died suddenly, and when her daughter Claire and Izzie are out having a coffee they meet a beggar who Izzie remembers falling in love with in her teenage years, later Izzie goes looking for him finding him in hospital with a chest infection, when he is discharged he goes to live with Izzie and her daughter .

The story goes from past to present confusing you as it does not say at he beginning of the chapter. The story goes along nicely till two thirds of the way it goes in a different direction which for me my interest just went out the window and struggled till the end so gave 3star for the first two thirds the 2star for the end.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

At times, I wasn't sure if I was reading about the past or the present lives of Robin and Isobel, and found the book a little confusing. It wasn't until much further on in the book that the story line became a little clearer. Robin and Izzie reconnect after many years apart, only to find that differing memories of the past are getting in the way of their current relationship.