I really enjoyed this book. It was mostly a character study, but it had me fully engaged and interested. I recommend this one for folks who like character driven books!

A really interesting story told by a really great writer. The characters were a little hard to love, but the plot was unique and I felt like the the writing was really lived in.

Having just finished this, a few things are clear to me:
-This was a character study
-This was an observation of grief, loss, and betrayal
-This was also an exploration of friendship and its bounds
-Why so many people thought: “what’s the point?!” upon finishing

I’ve seen a lot of people criticize this for the fact that this doesn’t build up to any big epiphany or shift or self-realization moment. That there is no point. But my take is that that’s exactly the point. Sometimes there is nothing about grief and loss and betrayal that makes sense. And as much as we want to make it make sense, there is nothing that we can do to force that to happen. Sometimes things are just messy and painful and we have to accept them and push through. Sometimes there is no reasoning with it. Sometimes there is no taming it or conquering grief. Sometimes it just exists and we have to learn to exist beside it.

I have also seen a lot of criticism about the fact that the MC is unlikeable. And she is. But that’s never been a problem for me. And I think it’s also true to the circumstance. People who are grieving can be assholes, plain and simple. Grief can change people and force them to become terrible, because they have had this terrible thing thrust into their hands and they keep desperately trying to give it away to other people, including people that love and care for them. To me, it’s totally understandable that someone dealing with extreme grief and betrayal wouldn’t know how to interact with the world anymore, because the world as they saw it had completely disappeared. They would reasonably lash out at those around them. They would act nonsensically, because grief is not something that makes sense. Betrayal is not something that can be reasoned with. And I get it. But for those of you who are looking for a likeable MC, this isn’t it. Fair warning.

I will say, that I agree with a lot of other reviews that this maybe doesn’t take it far enough. I was hoping that the MC (whose husband has just died and discovers he had been cheating on her) would really unravel or become unhinged. Instead, the MC here felt drawn and restrained for the majority of the book, which for the sake of storytelling wasn’t as entertaining as the alternatives. But for many people I suppose that is what grief looks like. So I guess I understand the criticisms of this from a narrative perspective, but I can’t really agree that what those people wanted is always true to life. I would describe this as incredibly nuanced, subtle, and intriguing. One of those books where everything and nothing happens.

I could see this appealing to Sally Rooney fans, and if you liked her books, maybe give this one a try.

I found the perspective of the characters and their dissection of each other's faults and virtues refreshing. To be in such a glamorous resort as a backdrop for introspection was clever and relevant. Good writing.

Although somewhat hard to fathom that this was the choice Ellie makes, what transpires between her and Mabel while vacationing on the French Riviera is truly eye opening. Ellie’s husband is truly a hunk of junk. She is a smart young woman. Her choice to flee as she does is not consistent with how she has lived her life. But it brings her to a place where she can make peace.

You Can’t Stay Here Forever is a story about love, grief and loss. Ellie Huang is newly married and suddenly widowed in a small span of time. She just started to feel comfortable in the life her and her husband created. Things were going so well. It turns out that things weren’t what they seemed and Ellie has to deal with being betrayed as well. Ian, her husband had been having an affair with one of her coworkers. This is all too much for her to handle so after the funeral she runs, escapes to the south of France. Money is no object and she has her best friend with her, this is where she will start to heal. The days are filled with sun and friendship. Mable is the perfect travel companion. But as the trip continues the ladies find themselves looking for more connections. They meet interesting couples and things start to settle. But she can’t hide here forever and Mable starts pushing the fact. This was a good story. The writing was good.. it fell flat at some points, I was hoping for a bit more, while they were in France. But overall it was an enjoyable read. I want to thank Netgalley and Katherine Lin for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me and was a DNF but I am sure other readers will feel differently! Thank you for the ARC!

You can’t stay here forever is a literary fiction story that starts strong. Ellie’s husband dies in a sudden accident but after his death she finds that he has been in an affair. Grieving and devastated, Ellie takes the life insurance money and goes to Europe to discover herself again. While this is a well-written character study, it is a slow moving plot and gets boring as the story goes on. I’m sure readers into contemplative character driven novels will find something to enjoy-but this just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

You Can’t Stay Here Forever a terrific debut novel a book that drew me in from the first pages.WhenEllies husband dies ina car accident she shocked to discover he was having an affair with someone she knows.She cashes in his insurance policy and flees to Europe and her story takes off.Well written entertaining #netgalley#harper

A character driven novel -Ellie Huang -and I generally favor those. Starts off with a bang-a call that her husband has died tragically in an auto accident-but from that point on I really lost interest. Slow moving, plodding and frankly I could not identify with her or any of the accompanying characters. I finished it because I always do so, but frankly not one I could recommend

This is a well written and poignant novel from an exciting new author. I really enjoyed Katherine Lin's prose. She has a beautiful and impactful writing style. I really liked the main character, Ellie. She was such a realistic and complicated young woman. At the start of the novel, it is revealed that Ellie's husband Ian has passed away from a car accident. After his sudden death, Ellie learns some of Ian's secrets. She battles with depression and grief. Her best friend, Mable is there for her and the two decide to go on a trip together oversees. This is a great character study. The only flaw was the second half of the book, it started to drag and feel overwrought. Lovely novel overall, I highly recommend it!

Despite the fact that You Can't Stay Here Forever begins with the death of Ellie's new husband, Ian, it feels like the central relationship of the story is the one between Ellie and her friend Mable. Mable is loud, opinionated, witty and biting, deeply involved in everything except, perhaps, the direction of her own life. Ellie is brilliant, successful, faithful, yet restless and unsure of herself and her desires. The relationship between the two women appears to be both caring and caustic; however, the needle points more and more towards the latter as the story progresses.

There was an element of unreality to the story, with its French Riviera setting and languorous days juxtaposed against interpersonal tension so thick it could be spread with a knife. I felt myself wanting to connect more with the main character and her decisions, but her world feels so far removed from my own that it was hard for me to feel too sympathetic. That being said, I think this title would land well with fans of Rebecca Searle or Adrienne Brodeur; possibly Kyle Lucia Wu or Alexandra Chang, too.

Thank you to Harper for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

This story follows Ellie as she learns of her husbands death. While still reeling from her loss she discovers that he has been unfaithful for years. In an effort to run away from her hurt, she goes on a luxury vacation using the life insurance money from her late husband.
This book was just okay for me. Unfortunately I didn't like any of the characters, which I'm fine with as long as there is a great plot. I think that Ellie was written to be sympathized with but I found her to embrace more of being a victim than growing forward into a survivor. She felt dull and stationary. The final chapters of the book did finally show some growth in her character, but I didn't really care much at that point because she spent so much time being a victim. With that said, this book was not written for someone like me. I typically enjoy fast paced and action packed thrillers, with dark and mysterious characters. This book was written for those who enjoy literary fiction with emotional characters that are struggling to overcome the hand they've been dealt in life.

Thank you to @netgalley and @harperbooks for the gifted copy of this book.

I devoured this novel in two sittings and felt like I was tripping through the sun-soaked world of our main character as she sorted out her suddenly troubled life. This is a fun book despite its heavy subject matter and its focus on the way that friends and chance encounters can sometimes teach us more about ourselves than the romantic relationships that our culture deems life changing. The perfect deep beach read.

YOU CAN'T STAY HERE FOREVER is the debut novel by Katherine Lin, chronicling the story of Ellie, a young widow who finds out her husband was having a years-long affair just days after his death. Ellie and her best friend flee to the French Riveria and the story explores themes of grief and loss, friendship and marriage, family and connection.

Lin's writing is incredibly compelling and captivating. I constantly found myself reading just one more chapter to find out more about Ellie's world and where her grief and her trip to France would take her and her best friend Mable. Lin captures so many genuine experiences and challenging topics in this story, and the characters are believable and heart-wrenching throughout. I will absolutely recommend this title to others, and will keep an eye on any of Lin's future work!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review.

This is a thought-provoking debut with a WOW! of a first sentence, an amazing setting and an interesting premise. It was a bit too slow of a burn for me, though. It's very character driven, which I usually enjoy, but I didn't connect with any of them and I wanted a deeper dive into the problems they were facing. I did love Lin's portrayal of Asian-American issues and the relationship between Ellie and Mabel, and I look forward to what she writes next.

Thanks to Harper for the copy to review.

I am so thankful to Harper Collins/Harper Books, Netgalley, and Katherine Lin for granting me advanced digital access to this jarring thriller. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to consume more of this like-minded content going forward.

I flew through this book - a perfect, smart vacation read. Loved the writing style and tone of voice, and even though the subject was difficult (I tend to avoid books about affairs), the author did a good job with it.

You Can't Stay Here Forever" by Katherine Lin begins with the main character, Ellie, discovering that her husband has passed away. Shortly after the news of his death breaks, Ellie realizes she has been lied to by her late husband. Heartbroken and distraught, Ellie decides to work remotely as a lawyer and embarks on a journey to the south of France with her best friend, Mable.

This book held much promise, so I requested it on NetGalley, but it ultimately fell short for me. Firstly, while it could be categorized as literary fiction, a genre I typically enjoy, it didn't resonate with me this time. The book heavily focused on character development rather than the plot, and I was disengaged from the characters. Ellie, in particular, was intended to be a likable protagonist, but I couldn't connect with her, making it difficult to care about her experiences.

The book touched on significant themes such as grief, infidelity, and the complexities of female friendships through its characters. Ironically, these same themes became a source of annoyance for me because they weren't well-developed within the plot. Instead of exploring these topics naturally, they were often manifested through Ellie's irrational actions. I wished to see Ellie reflect more on her experiences as she navigated her struggles, but that didn't occur.

Despite its shortcomings, this book has potential, especially considering it is Lin's debut novel. While it may not be the worst book I've ever read, it also falls short of being the best. I'm curious to observe Lin's growth as an author in her future works.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You Can't Stay Here Forever is an interesting character-driven novel about complicated relationships and healing. The narrator, Ellie Huang, a young lawyer, experiences the loss of her husband in a car accident. She learns he has been having an affair. After cashing his life insurance policy, she impulsively books a palatial vacation in the French Riviera and travels there with her best friend, Mable. I loved the writing style and complicated relationships. It was wonderful to see how Ellie's relationship with her mother and Mable evolved throughout the book. So often, we don't have the hard conversations we need to with those close to us. I loved that the characters did and it strengthened their bonds.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.