Member Reviews
This book was so poignant and realistic and I really loved the setting of Dublin and Christmas time. The book has a great cover to reflect the Dublin mountains. The story brought on a multitude of of thoughts and emotions for me...sadness, love, laughter and resilience to name a few. This was such a great family Christmas story as we have the happy Christmas before anyone knows the mother is ill and then we have an after Christmas, when the family is grieving and trying their best to move on. You never really do though, do you? Yes it gets easier but the missing never goes away. I felt the author's writing about grief was real as it does take a long time to deal with loss and bereavement. It brought back memories of my grandmother passing away. And as sad as this story was there was also hope and a lot of love and let's not forget forgiveness. I loved what this book made me think and feel.
Thank you so much for this ARC!
I have been a fan of Melissa Hill for such a long time. She is such a beautiful storyteller and her books always explore serious topics in a way that is enjoyable to read. After each of her books, whether it took place along the hills of Ireland or the coast of Italy, I always felt like I had a learned a lesson - on love, life, friendship and in this case family.
The Beautiful Little Things tells the story of a family grieving after the loss of their matriarch. Each family member is facing their own personal issues but come together for the first Christmas after their mom's passing to honor her traditions and to build their family back together.
A novel about family and love, grief, being together, and Christmas. It shows the impact of grief on a family. It's a very real, rich, and emotional story, beautifully portrayed and great characters. I definitely recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Moore family is celebrating a happier Christmas..one where Mum Moore has always given her three adult children want to go home for the holidays. From festive preperations ,baked pastries, sausage rolls, black puddings, and Christmas Eve filled their house with the neighbors .
Matt,Joanna,and Matt have no idea this may be their's mother's last Christmas,and bring home their own personal issues where Mum notices.
Her spirit is kept alive through her journals for the following holiday.
Romy, the single daughter makes sure their mother's instructions for a festive Christmas again, are kept the same traditions,food and decors included.
Joanna, a mother of girl twins has her life too busy to had gone home after last years holiday. She senses she is needed to return home once again for this year's Christmas.
Her brother Matt has now been living with their father Bill. In her entrance back to her childhood home,she finds the two men gloom and no holiday spirit started in the house.
This is a story of love, strength and finding hope and family connections without their mother's prescense.
Mum gives them all a push through a journal she has left behind, all the instructions and her thoughts alive and well, for each of them.
Each adult has their own hidden secrets they soon reveal to one another. I enjoyed reading their pain in their life, and love for each other,even if it didnt seem they could pick up the peices.
Melissa Hill gave this story a beautiful touch to let readers accept what we get in life for a mere moment because the detailed stressed out moments dont mean much,except the Beautiful Little Things.
I highly recommend this ARC given to me from NetGalley & AMazon Publishing UK.This opinion of my feedback is solely my own.
This beautiful family story begins during Christmas time when the children of the Moore family have all come home to their childhood home in Ireland. The three siblings, Joanna, Matt and Romy, had a wonderful childhood full of traditions and family experiences all instilled by their parents Bill and Cathy. These siblings are now grown adults who have their own real life problems with significant others and kids of their own, and begin experiencing a rift in the family bond after a death in the family changes them forever.
I truly loved this book and all of the family wisdom Cathy has passed down to her children through the use of her journal entries. . I cried throughout this book, aching to be a part of this lovely family and for the hardships they endured to bring their family back to what it once was. The messages that the author conveys of how our time on this earth is not infinite and we must use this time with our loved ones wisely.
This is a book I feel will stay with me for years and these memorable characters will be ones I will think of often and wonder how their life continued.
A story of loss and families pulling together . It proves a mother’s love is so important . The notebook of Romy , Matt andJoanna saved all of them and their Christmas’s . Ireland sounded lovely. Gosh Matt had a tough time with his work but I am glad he got his happy ending. You felt for Joanna big career then motherhood and all the juggling. We all know how hard that is. The ending was good. I always find Melissa Hill a good writer.
The story of how three siblings Joanna, Matt and Romy deal with the death of their mother and how harsh words said in the heat of the moment cause their family to fracture. That is until Romy discovers a diary left by their mother which she hopes will help bring the family back together.
An emotional story which was an excellent read.
A great read. Poignant at times. The story of how one family deals with bereavement is depicted in a realistic way by Melissa Hill. Two things: I didn't realise it was heavily based round Christmas, and if I had I would have waited to read it. Not a criticism, just a preference of mine to read Christmas books closer to well, Christmas, and not in August. Secondly, I would have liked a little more in the way of romance, but again, just my preference. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A heart wrenching story of grief and how families can fall out in an instant. Really well written and pulls you in making you feel every bit of the grief with the family. Side stories of bullying, gas lighting and the struggles of motherhood blend in to create a really moving book. Totally recommend
I received an advance copy of, The Beautiful Little Things, by Melissa Hill. I have read other books by Melissa Hill, and enjoyed them. This is a really good book about family. Losing your mother puts everything in perspective.
This was such a good book. I have loved all the books of Melissa’s that I have read. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The Beautiful Little Things by Melissa Hill
A hearbreaking story of bereavement . It is from the perspective of three siblings , who are each dealing with the terminal illness, and then death of their mother.
The story mainly covers two Christmases , the first one of the illness , and the second showing how they are bearing up ( or not ) for the first Christmas without her.
This is a completely believable insight into how families cope with the loss of the matriarch and much loved family member.
Moving , poignant , at times amusing . A great read .
This is a very heartfelt seasonal read about three adult siblings who have each reached a turning point in their lives and then have to deal with the devastation of their mums terminal illness and death. Told over two Christmases, the first of which they spent oblivious to their mums illness, this really shows what makes a family but also how vulnerable things can become. The different relationships in here and the impact of grief are so well written but this is by no means a negative read, it’s well observed and poignant but also uplifting.
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Debbie M, Reviewer
I love Melissa Hill and was really excited to receive this copy thank you. It follows a family through the year following a bereavement and how they deal with themselves and each other. It was very moving, tearful and happy all at the same time. A little confusing at times as to whose story was being told but it didnt spoil the book for me, loved it
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I love Melissa Hill and was really excited to receive this copy thank you.
It follows a family through the year following a bereavement and how they deal with themselves and each other. It was very moving, tearful and happy all at the same time. A little confusing at times as to whose story was being told but it didnt spoil the book for me, loved it
This is a very heartfelt seasonal read about three adult siblings who have each reached a turning point in their lives and then have to deal with the devastation of their mums terminal illness and death. Told over two Christmases, the first of which they spent oblivious to their mums illness, this really shows what makes a family but also how vulnerable things can become. The different relationships in here and the impact of grief are so well written but this is by no means a negative read, it’s well observed and poignant but also uplifting.
Torn apart by grief, can two sisters rediscover joy in the memory of their mother’s love?
I was really drawn to these sisters the characters were so realistic for me.
Fantastic storytelling at its finest ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️