This book had such high potential and premise. But both main sisters are so completely unlikeable. Even the one with cancer is just barely likeable. The other is completely unlikeable.

The writing is mediocre, the characters are flat, the story development is basic.

Disappointment all around.

I really enjoyed this book. I cried during it and I never cry with books! I read it in one day. I would definitely recommend this book.

This book captured me from the very beginning. I found myself so invested in the lives of the characters. It evoked all the feels for me. Several times I had tears rolling down my cheeks. It is so relatable in how life is today. I also found it convicting regarding choosing to make time for those most important to us.

The faith content in this book was done in a subtle way, not preachy, but evident. One quote that especially impacted me was, "Suffice it to say, I had no right to ask for anything, but I was sure God got that all the time."

I appreciate how Kelly is not afraid to write about the hard things in life and how important it is to work through them, good or bad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

This is a heartfelt book. It is about two sisters one an oncologist (Kristen) and one with ovarian cancer (Sherry). Sherry has strong faith and is using her time left to heal old wounds. Kristen is just trying to keep her life together.
This book was emotional. It took me through so many emotions. It was well written,as well.

Kristen's life is hanging on by a thread if her relationships with her daughters and husband get a say on it. Kristen is a bit in denial it's as bad as it is, but even her inlaws are beginning to notice. When her sister Sherri is diagnosed with cancer, it seems Sherri is everyone's focus and the rest is a blur. But, as the cancer journey continues, it's harder to ignore the rift, so it begins to implode. This is a sweet story of sisters working through cancer in a different way then they did when they were children with their Momma diagnosed and ultimately passing away. See this story that brings family together and digs deep holes in relationships. It's a bit heavy, but worth the read.

Tackling a tough life event while weaving in a today’s family dynamic.

Characters- Enjoyed the devotion between sisters Sherri & Kristen (past and present). The author did a great job with the multi-POV to explore family relationships and opinions.

Plot - Explained the life event and family member friction early where it was easy to understand and retain

Pacing - Quick read and couldn’t put it down

What I liked - written well (flowed) and so easy to read

What I didn’t like - Cancer may be a topic and experience some readers may find tough to read

What I loved - when you can use your profession to assist someone you love while also hurting someone you love—very interesting concept to explore

I recommend this book for many reasons but the compelling one is the multi-POV! The format was very well done and captured my attention for the family dynamics and paced how the story unfolded

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC opportunity and to provide my honest opinion!

Moving story of two sisters in middle age. Sherrie and Kristin have been a duo since their single-parent mother died when they were teens. Now Sherrie has cancer and oncologist Kris needs to learn how to step away from her "fix it" role and become the support team for Sherrie. The two women have a deep bond and have carved out a family through the years. Sherrie draws on her faith while Kristin struggles. Their careers have been important to the women; maybe due to being cast adrift as teens.
Readers get a real glimpse into the demands of cancer and its interruption to life. The book has joy and love and compromise. Thanks, Kelly Irvin, for telling this important story.

This is an emotional story of two sisters, Kristen who is an oncologist and Sherri who just found out she has ovarian cancer. I really enjoy books by Kelly Irvin and this one is no exception. Just know the topics may be hard to read about but it's definitely as great as her other books.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 5 December 2023

This book was well written, and got me teary at several points throughout it. It goes through such a beautiful sister relationship while one is an oncologist and the other is going through ovarian cancer. It also shows the toll it can take on one’s families going through cancer and on the opposite and being the husband of someone who treats cancer. It shows how one needs to find a balance in life.

What a tear jerker! This book so well written is about two sisters and their families. One, Sherrie gets a stage 4 ovarian cancer diagnosis and two, Kristen, the oncologist who is always so busy trying to save people. It is told in three POV's; Sherrie, Kristen and Daniel (Kristen's husband). The girl's mother had died when Kristen, the younger sister was a teenager and Sherrie took over where their mom left off. They have a strong bond and connection. Their Dad had left when the girls were much younger. Sherrie is very religious and has great faith that helps her keep positive with her diagnosis. Her sister is on the fence since she feels how could God take away her mother and now maybe her sister. It is a story of choices, family and love. You become involved in the lives of these two women like they were your own family. You root for Kristen and hope she makes the right choice with her marriage and career. You root for Sherrie and hope she can fight that horrible cancer she has. It is an emotional book and when I read the author's note she tells of how this book centered around her cancer diagnosis and you realize that is why it was so well told. It pulls at your heart strings.
Thanks to #netgalley, #thomasnelson and @kelly_irvin for an ARC of this book.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos
by Kelly Irvin
Pub Date 05 Dec 2023
Thomas Nelson--FICTION,Thomas Nelson
Christian| Women's Fiction


Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley sent me a copy of The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos to review:


Dedicated to saving her sister's life, Kristen drops everything to guide Sherri through a harrowing cancer treatment. The strain of caring for her patients, being a wife and mother, and trying to save her sister causes Kristen's carefully balanced life to crumble, starting with her marriage. Desperate to regain her footing, she vows to rebuild her broken relationships . . . as soon as she's sure Sherri will beat the odds stacked against her.She's desperate to regain her footing, so she vows to rebuild her broken relationships as soon as she's sure Sherri can beat the odds.


Sherri Reynolds has worked hard to keep her life balanced, unlike her sister. She's grounded by her kids, her job, and her strong faith--until her diagnosis sends her spiraling into the scary world of what-ifs and unknown outcomes. Sherri realizes that family history may repeat itself. With the clock ticking, she's determined to use whatever time she has left to heal old wounds and restore relationships.The clock is ticking, so she's determined to heal old wounds and restore relationships while she can.



I give The Year of Goodbyes and Hello's five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin is a deeply moving novel. This novel has great emotional resonance and the reader will be able to tell that the author truly understands what she is speaking about. This book is full of tragedy yet it is also full of hope and second chances. Cancer is dealt with throughout the book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

An emotive read chronicling the story of two sisters, one an overworked oncologist and the other a kindergarten teacher just diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer.

Deeply affecting and gripping. The author portrayed difficult subjects winsomely, with grace.

A very interesting story of a sister with cancer and a sister who treats those who have cancer. It is a very emotional ride through this book. Being someone who has lost both parents it was hard to read but also inspiring. Thanks fir the advanced copy.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is an emotional story of two sisters navigating the horrific world of cancer. One sister, diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the other sister an oncologist who has dedicated her life to trying to save patience from this horrible disease. This story is incredibly well written and well researched. Kelly Irvin is living this story herself, so she can write from a very unique perspective. As a mom who's 16 year old has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, there are parts of this story that are extremely emotional and difficult to read, but I also found it therapeutic and helpful. Almost like a friend that can relate in a unique way to what you are experiencing. I highly recommend this story! It's well thought out and executed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Wow! What an incredible emotional roller coaster this book was. I had so many ugly cries as I felt all the feels in this novels, which has a central Christian theme.

Kristen is a very successful oncologist who helps her patients 24-7. When her sister Sherri is diagnosed with cancer, she puts her life on hold to help her sister combat this awful disease. The emotional turmoil that Sherri and Kristen experience is so well described. Despite all of my tears, I really enjoyed the book.

Thank you to the author, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my feedback.

Thank you to the author Kelly Irvin, publishers Thomas Nelson, and TLC Book Tours, for an advance paperback copy of THE YEAR OF GOODBYES AND HELLOS. Thank you also to NetGalley for an accomanying widget. All views are mine.

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. I really enjoyed the religious messages written into this book, especially the call to connect to spiritual family in time of need. It's easy to isolate when there's trouble. The reminder to lean into our families is important in this story about terrible illness. Secular readers might find the frequency of religious discussion off-putting, while more conservative religious readers may take issue with such things as a divorced main character.

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. If you're interested in a plot that essentially follows a character's detailed experience with cancer treatment, which is unrealistic anyway for so many reasons, then you will probably like this book. Unfortunately, the plot has little conflict and thus little movement.

2. I was often not interested in what I was reading, as I found the secondary stories, mostly centering the protagonist's relationships, unauthentic and therefore difficult to relate to. For example, the fmc's sister is a successful oncologist who takes three months off to help the fmc navigate her condition and treatments. Setting aside all other judgments about these details, I just couldn't buy in because it is almost impossible for specialists to walk away from their patients for a week, let alone three full months. But besides that, in whatever capacity oncologist sis could serve the fmc, it wouldn't require full time attention. At least not at first. Then there is the fmc's ex-husband of eleven years. I don't recall how long they were married before the divorce. But they act like they are still married. It all feels needlessly complicated.

3. I absolutely hate the fake "cancer positivity" this book pushes. A good attitude in a patient does improve treatment results. That's a medical truism across disciplines. But the fmc keeps saying this horrible thing-- "there's no crying in cancer." I mean what the eff even? I'm here to say that if you're sick, it is perfectly okay to cry about it. Show yourself a little compassion.

4. A new perspective is introduced late in the book. It's possible this was meant to suggest how ignored the character was until this point, but I don't think so. At least, none of the rest of the novel has been this intentional. I just don't understand why Irvin swiveled the plot's camera from the fmc's cancer, to the sister's messed up relationships.

5. This is a decently long book with a significant plot turn just past the halfway point. I get the feeling the story in the second half of the book is the story Irvin really meant to tell. The entire first half of the book actually seems like backstory, which is why it is so flat and offers little conflict. The form of this book, with its beginning pegged deep before the plot's beginning, is well tolerated by some readers. Being a stickler for form, this is not a favorite for me and finally caused me to DNF at 74%, chapter 32.

Rating: 🩸🩸.5 blood draws
Recommend? Some readers will like it
Finished: Jan 13 '24
Format: Advance paperback, TLC, Digital copy, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🧑‍⚕️ medical stories
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories, family drama
👭🏽 sister friendships
🧬 cancer stories
✝️ Christian fiction

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is based on the authors personal experience with ovarian cancer. Through the authors story we get a firsthand look at a womans cancer battle up close and personal in a way we wouldn’t have been able to without experiencing it ourselves.


A story about sisters, one is an oncologist, one is battling cancer. In this battle to help her sister her marriage is falling apart.

The book is raw, gripping, very personal and emotional. I know it had to take a lot for the author to write this but I’m so glad she has. If this book can help even one woman with her cancer battle and the detection of it.

A compelling read, one every woman should read, and her partner should too as he may notice something she doesn’t. This needs to be on everyone’s keeper bookshelf.

Pub Date 05 Dec 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I LOVED this book! My mind was wandering for the first 2-3 chapters but when it grabbed me - it REALLY grabbed me!! Let's start with Kristen - I could barely stand her!!! She managed to alienate every single person that loved her - excpet Sherri. I get it - everyone and everything could "wait" until she had more time... Until they couldn't/wouldn't. I don't recall if I KNEW that this was christian fiction when I selected it - but I REALLY loved the faith aspect of this story. Sherri had it and Kristen didn't. The characters were well fleshed out. While I didn't like Kristen (until the very very end lol) I totally understood how she came to be who she was and was actually able to have a little empathy for her. I would totally recommend this to anyone - I honestly gave it 5 stars and Kelly Irvin is an author that I will actively seek out. Bless Daniel - he literally has the patience of Job (no religious pun intended lol). He loved her. The end. Thank you to Netgalley, Kelly Irvin and Thomas Nelson for and advanced readers copy of this fabulous book in exchange for an honest review.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6046729146

What a powerful story! I was so proud of myself for not focusing on the cancer diagnosis throughout the majority of the book, concentrating instead on the other storylines so I wasn’t crying constantly. Cancer is a hard topic for me to read about but it was written in such a tender, sweet, sometimes funny way. However, toward the end of the book, I was so invested in all the characters that I couldn’t stop crying; yet before turning the last page, the tears stopped and I was almost smiling again. Ms. Irvin knows how to write! When I read about why she wrote this book, I was heartbroken again but yet have even more respect and admiration for her for writing about such a hard topic in such a tender way.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.