Ultimately, this book is trite. Isabel has a terrible secret from a trauma two and a half years ago. On leave from her job as hospital chaplain after she gave a physician a well-deserved piece of her mind, she just falls into the job as a caretaker for an elderly woman with dementia, whose grandson, a chef, just happens to be a handsome hunk. One thing leads to another and everything is all tied up neatly in a bow at the end.

I wanted to like this book but about halfway through it the stilted dialogue (I kept saying to myself, people don’t talk like this) became overwhelming as did the banal story.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ah what an emotional and beautiful book. Taken over by grief and loss Isabel lost her way in life. Her only connection she has was with her sister. She takes a summer job to care for Opal, a elderly woman suffering from dementia. Isabel becomes invested in Opals family especially her grandson Ethan. Their relationship together begins to unravel her loss but also her will to survive and live a life again.
I liked all the characters in this book. Especially Ethan who was supportive and sweet.

This was a very emotional book and I was pleasantly surprised by the twist. I have to say I love Ms. Echavarre’s previous books and I loved this one as well.

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my review.

What We Remember by Sarah Echavarre is a book about dealing with grief. When I started reading the book I would have never imagined that it was.

Such an emotional read! I haven't read a book that's made me cry this much in a while. Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for the ARC. I enjoyed this one a lot.

I think this one was billed as a trauma porn replacement for Coleen Hoover and I don’t think it hits quite the same.

What a wonderful little book! I loved the character development and the focus on the different relationships Isabel had and formed throughout the story. The author navigated a number of complex relationships with grace and understanding. Opal's character was a total gem; she was both beautiful and tragic as she dealt with the ugliness of dementia. I also thought Evan was an intriguing and likeable character. But the true star of this story was Isabel, who had to pull herself up from a pit of darkness to realize how beautiful life could still be, even after a tragic loss. I loved the twist that was thrown in, and how it only made Isabel even more even more sympathetic and likeable. Highly recommend this one!

Incredibly emotional story with well written characters. Isabel, Opal and Evan will pull your heart strings and tears may fall. A great depiction of dementia, grief and healing.

This was a touching read about recovery from loss to love again. Echavarre's writing is beautiful and her characters have such wonderful depth. This story tackles some tough things and does it with well. I've loved all of her books but this one hit a new depth.

A beautiful women's fiction story about grief, loss and healing after losing a loved one tragically. When Hospital chaplain, Isabel loses her temper with a doctor, she is forced to take a three month leave. In order to make some extra money she ends up being a caretaker for an Alzheimer's patient and grows close with the woman's grandson.

Heartfelt and moving, this was an easy read that tackles difficult topics and has a touch of magical realism. Perfect for fans of authors like Sarah Addison or Colleen Oakley. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Mere words cannot do this heartwarming story justice! Such an incredible story introducing characters you will fall in love with. Isabel, a hospital chaplain and her younger sister, Chantel, a traveling nurse, share an apartment and a close bond. Bel suddenly finds herself with time off and begins caring for Opal, a beautiful soul with Alzheimer’s. She and Opal become very close.
Throughout this story Bel struggles with “THAT DAY”. Gradually her relationship with Opal, and then Opal’s grandson, Evan, help Bel find a new path in life.
Sarah Echavarre has a rare ability to make you feel as if you are right there, actually listening to Bel, feeling emotions as Bel feels them, crying tears of frustration, pain, and loss. Opal’s gentle words of wisdom are so on point and brought so many emotions flooding in my mind. My mother also had Alzheimer’s and I was able to connect so easily to all the emotional threads flowing within these pages. Opal helped Bel as much as Bel helped Opal. Loved that balance!
I have to admit I needed to replace a box of Kleenex while reading the last few chapters. Sights of a sparrow will forever bring tears to my eyes, as will gazing at the sky.
My heartfelt thanks to Sarah Echavarre for introducing me to Bel, Tel, Opal, and Evan, who will linger with me for a very long time. Thanks also to Lake Union Publishing for recognizing the power within these pages, and NetGalley for affording me the absolute pleasure of having the privilege of reading an arc of this just published absolutely brilliant read.
Don’t pass this read by…I am highly recommending this read to everyone I know.

- "...Is it okay that I don't know if I'll ever be the person I once was? .... I'll always carrying a sadness underneath it all. I'll miss her. I'll always think of her and the things I miss about her. Everything will always feel incomplete in a way because she's not here to share it with me."

- "....that's what happens when you lose someone you love so much. You're never the same without them....."

"... I miss you. I miss you all day, everyday. It's s not the same here without you. Yeah, I'm moving on. I'm coping. But I still ache for you..... How am I supposed to love without you?"

"I won't leave you. I'll still be here jn a lot of ways."

Ohmy... this.... THIS BOOK!!!!!!💔
When I requested it a couple months ago I didn't know what it really was about and I didn't know the lofe I was going to be living when reading it.
I was completely hooked since I started it and couldn't put it down and then suddenly the huge twist happened and I couldn't control my tears and my own grief. I was sobbing while reading it and I couldn't stop thinking about how amazingly well represented grief is in this book. I simply loved this book so much! I'm dealing with my own grief right now and this story was so powerful.
I love the writing style. I love the way thw topic of dementia is managed in the story. I love the friendships, I love the romance and I love the families. Everything felt just so pure and the characters are amazing.

I highly recommend it to you guys!!!!
Please give this book a chance.

This book is very touching. It's not a thriller or a historical. It's a women's fiction and full of raw emotion. Things to make you think and things to make you thankful that there are such good people in this world.

This is the story of Isabel. She's a chaplain in the hospital who is on suspension. It's actually a few stories in one. The main one being Isabel and her sister. It's the story of a sister's love that is so strong. Isabel will do anything for her younger sister Chantel. And Chantel will do the same for Isabel. They are that close. Chantel is a traveling nurse who is gone quite a bit. Isabel only goes to work and home. She's had a trauma that leaves her almost helpless. She just can't seem to get out anymore and do things. She's lost her friends and is estranged from her parents. The only person she talks to or sees is Chantel.

Then there is the part about Opal. Opal is eighty-eight years old and suffering from dementia. While on suspension for the summer Isabel becomes Opal's caregiver. She's hired by Opal's daughter to just be there for Opal and do things for her and with her. She meets Opal's grandson Evan who gives her a hard time at first. Together though they make life for Opal a bit happier. A bit more exciting. They do things with her that are just for fun. Opal loves Isabel and always looks forward to seeing her.

This is a very tender book if you will. It tells us what dementia does to a person. It tells us what anxiety and mental illness does to a person. Things that are so much out of our control. Many don't understand that anxiety is so debilitating. It leaves you so helpless. Dementia leaves families helpless. It has to be horrible watching a person you love forgetting you and the people around them. I admire anyone that takes care of others that suffer from dementia or any other disease. It takes a strong person to have the strength to do that. To give up their life for someone else. To put their life on hold. I truly honor people like that. They are angels for sure.

This book has many emotions in it. Most are tears but there are also some laughs along the way. There is a touch of a love story involved and a family finding their way back to each other. Friends found again. So many changes are made. All for the better. I admire Isabel for what all she went through and overcame. For all the struggles she had and all the love she had to give for an old lady. To be there and help Opal the way she did. This book touched my heart. It gave me pause in many ways. Many times.

This is a beautifully written book. Lots going on. Lots of emotions. It keeps you turning the pages until the very end. There is a part that might catch you by surprise. I saw it coming but it sure did not take away from the story at all. It's one that will stay with me for a good while.

Thank you #NetGalley, #SarahEchavarre, #LakeUnionAuthors for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five huge stars and a very high recommendations. Just have lots of Kleenex ready. You will need them.

It's a beautiful book about love, loss & recovery. You will absolutely shed a few tears and want to binge read it.

The first person narration and just the right amount of dialogue makes it an easy and quick read.

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing me with this book for review. What a read, I had no idea what a tear jecker of a book this would be, amazing.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

What We Remember
by Sarah Echavarre
Pub Date: 10 Jan 2023

This book is an emotional look at the many different faces of grief. The author does a wonderful job of not sugar coating the anger, sadness, overwhelming sense of loss and the many ways someone handles (or not handles) their grief. Isabel is a character in denial of her grief over something that happened on "that day" over two years ago that she never talks about. There is a bit of mystery because the reader does not find out anything to do with that situation until late in the book. Evan is currently dealing with a loss as his grandmother Opal does not recognize him as her condition takes more of her memories. The relationships between the characters are so wonderfully written and everything and everyone feels so genuine. You become absolutely invested in all their stories and just want happiness and healing to find all of them.

We know that something happened to Isabel on “that day”, something that has traumatized her and has made her shut her life off from family and friends. As an interfaith chaplain at the hospital, a job she enjoys, she feels like a fraud as she has lost her faith. When an altercation leaves her suspended from her position for ninety days, she takes the job as caregiver to Opal, a woman she met at the hospital with dementia. As she cares for Opal, she takes a closer look at the life she’s living and reconnects with her best friend and parents. The one main stay throughout has been her sister Chantel. They have remained close and Chantel lives with Isabel when she’s not working as a traveling nurse. While caring for Opal, Isabel meets her grandson Evan and they draw close together as they care for Opal. When Isabel’s trauma comes to a head, it’s a shock when we hear her story. Will she be able to overcome again or will she once again shut herself off from those that love her. This book was beautifully written. Opal was an absolute delight and the unique care Isabel and Evan came up with was completely heartwarming. This story will touch your heart and is one you won’t soon forget! Thank you to Lake Union and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

The main character of this book has been dealing with grief and loss of faith for two years and two months. After the traumatic experience that has haunted the main character has alienated her from family and friends, she has a turning point in which she takes care of an elderly patient suffering with dementia. This situation helps the main character go through her journey towards healing, fixing her relationships with others, and gaining a special relationship with a new person in her life.

This Sarah Echavarre book is sometimes easy-to-read, and yet there are times when it's also hard-to-read. The subject of this literary work is deeply touching and easily relatable. Thus, why the book gave me mixed emotions throughout my reading. I did like the main character as she went through changes from the beginning to the end of this book. I liked the supportive secondary characters that surrounded her and the family that were there for the elderly patient. It's a rough journey but one where you cheer for the main character. Though there were some parts of the book that I would have liked to have some more details, but that's a personal preference of mine and not a deterrent of my enjoyment of the book. Overall, a touching Sarah Echavarre book.


**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions and thoughts in the review are my own.**

This was such a beautiful book. It had so much heart and dealt with some heavy topics . I loved how this author took you on an emotional journey and it felt genuine and authentic. Check out my full
Review on instagram

I really didn't know what to expect with this book, and it has been one of my most beautiful reading surprises the last few months! This novel tells the story of Isabel, a chaplain in a hospital, who seeks a new meaning to her life following a heavy trauma.
Through her meeting with Opal, a patient suffering from dementia, Isabel will begin an introspection that will transform her and allow how to resume the course of her life.
With "What we remember", Sarah Echavarre offers us a very moving novel, which addresses the difficulties that illness and the loss of loved ones can present. The outcome of this novel surprised me as much as it moved me, and I rarely cried so much because of a book! A wonderful novel that I can only invite you to read!

The first book of 2023 to make me cry and my first 5⭐ read of the year. This is one of those books that left me sobbing and wanting to call my parents, grandparents, sister, best friend, and everyone in between 😅. Isabel is a hospital chaplain who ends up being a caretaker for an elderly woman, Opal, who has Alzheimer's. As she cares for Opal, she is fighting her own battles: grief from an event two years ago that she refers to as "That Day" that left her world completely shattered. Complete with a little romance and a twist I didn't see coming, this one gutted me. It is a story about grief, vulnerability, healing, letting go, moving on, and ultimately how grief and joy can coexist. It is a story about love, and, when we look back on our lives, what we remember. Out tomorrow!