This novel is a must-read for Gen X-ers like me, mostly because we're getting to the age where our friends/family (or even we, ourselves) are being diagnosed with cancer. And cancer is not an easy subject to tackle, but Irvin does such a wonderful (and heartfelt) job bringing us an insider's view of the process of being diagnosed/people's responses/treatments, wrapping this information in a storyline with characters we get invested in.

And let's talk about characters. The main character Kristen can be abrasive, yes, but she doesn't stay stuck there. The book is largely about the revelations that push her into growth. Anyone who knows (or is) a workaholic will recognize Kristen's incessant drive to do better for her patients, even to the point of ignoring her family. She literally can't SEE what she's doing by putting her job first.

The book has an excellent resolution to the workaholism and to Kristen's other childhood traumas, so we can finish knowing she's moving in the right direction, even after resisting it for so long.. In other words, there is character growth which makes her more relatable over time.

And Kristen's husband, Daniel. I'm guessing every reader has met a husband (or wife) like this--someone whose spouse's desires trump his own, to the point where he can't even talk to her about what he wants. This is an unusual marriage to be portrayed in Christian fiction, and I'd like to say kudos to Thomas Nelson for bringing us something different, yet highly believable with this story! It makes the reader think, which all the best books do. I loved seeing realistic marriages (and divorces) and how both partners grow over time.

I also appreciated the sobering but important thread that time is ticking for all of us.. I was impressed at how the storyline itself communicated deeper truths. Many Christian fiction books are extended sermons, full of pat answers, and, as anyone who's struggled with cancer knows (either themselves or their family/friends) there are many questions that might never get answered on earth. Yet the book continually points back to God's peace and the importance of TRUE faith, which I appreciated. The characters' struggles, laid bare for the reader, made us ponder if we're prioritizing the right things in the here and now, and their relationships and victories inspired readers.

I'll definitely be recommending this to those looking for a thought-provoking and realistic Christian fiction read.

This read was so good!! Hard--but good.

It was my first foray into this author's books; I'd seen her name before, but hadn't picked up one of her books until now as those I'd seen were primarily Amish-themed, and I'd ODed on those back in the 2000s, sad to say. (That might change given how much I enjoyed this--granted non-Amish--one; Irvin is quite a talented writer!)

Irvin juggled three narrators seamlessly here, and I particularly enjoyed that she included the husband of one of the sisters as a narrator. It added gravitas, a fresh perspective, and uniqueness one doesn't see too often in the multiple-narrator format.

Faith is woven throughout the read, as is the amount of research Irvin obviously did (which I learned in the afterword was in large part due to her own cancer diagnosis/experience--saaaad). Working in the healthcare industry myself, though not having much (any) oncology exposure, I was particularly interested and invested, and learned a lot. (And I felt suitably chastised for not having scheduled one of those joyous routine medical procedures available to women "of a certain age" whose ranks I recently joined, lol. <retreats behind a curtain>)

Really, really well done, and thought-provoking. As ever, timely to read around the holidays, a time I often spend at least to some degree in reflection about life, where I'm at now and where I'd like to be, and the people and things that really matter.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Two sisters. One is content in her life as a grade school teacher and beloved by all she comes in contact with- and she just received a cancer diagnosis. Another is a control freak who looks like she has it all- successful marriage, family, medical career in oncology. But underneath it all she is drowning and it’s all about to crumble. And she’s determined to heal her sister- it’s what she does for a living after all!

It’s a frustrating and sometimes hard book to read. It’s hard to watch these women battle their life’s struggles and it’s hard to watch it all fall apart. But there’s also a lot of redemption and self-awareness that had me pondering my own priorities in life.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a heartrending story encompassing the hard subjects of a cancer diagnosis, divorce, estrangement, and spiritual questioning.
The characters and situations came across as very realistic. I applaud the author for using her own cancer experience to enlighten her audience. She truly has made lemonade out of lemons.
Forgiveness is a big theme as was getting your priorities straight, living in the moment and actively loving your family. It was told in several voices. Kristen was an oncologist who wholeheartedly gave to her patients. But she learned that she could not do enough when the patient was her sister, Sherri. The story showed how cancer affects the whole extended family, not just the person with the diagnosis.
Recommended for fans of women’s fiction.
*i received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

This book was emotional and heavy, but it was so thoughtful and well done. I cared deeply for these characters. This is the one I keep recommending to my friends.

Kristen and Sherri, sisters and best friends, are linked by the trauma of seeing their single-parent mother die young from cancer. Kristen, the younger sister, is so marked by the experience that she goes on to become an oncology doctor. As the book opens, middle-aged Kristen is reeling from hearing that Sherri has been diagnosed with the same disease. With her marriage already foundering from her workaholism--her determination to eradicate cancer from this planet and probably others--Kristen becomes navigator for Sherri's journey through the hell of treatments and diagnoses. A third narrator, Kristen's husband Daniel, helps us understand her, but she's a tough character to love, frankly. And the author's own trauma pushes the storytelling a bit too far into the territory of public service announcement. But what a deep and meaningful exploration of the hard road we travel under such circumstances, and a wrenching depiction of a marriage going under. Lots of pain but also redemption, love, and happy tears in this one.

This was a hard book for me to read, emotionally, because I have lost someone to ovarian cancer. I thought Ms. Irvin did an exceptional job at writing what it's like to be both the patient and the person on the other side who is taking care of their loved one and all the stress and emotions and heart ache that comes with that. I had to stop reading to cry numerous times but it was still a wonderful book

When I started reading The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin, the title cued me to anticipate a range of emotions. I didn't expect to read a profound novel with flawed and genuine characters who felt like real-life friends by its conclusion. The novel felt very "real" as its characters experience many hardships and challenges.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is a raw, honest ... and beautiful ... story of a middle-aged woman's ovarian cancer journey and the people who support her, primarily her sister who's an oncologist. While fiction, the plot closely mirrors the author's ovarian cancer treatment experience.
Using her first-hand knowledge, Ms. Irvin shares every aspect of the journey, from diagnosis, treatment, and side effects to the responses of family, friends, and coworkers. Along the way, marriage, family, work/life balance, legacy, and grief are explored.

This is Christian fiction so faith is important and organic throughout. As in any family, members have varying levels of connectedness to their faith so most readers should be able to relate to at least one character.

Readers will be wise to keep the novel's title in mind as they read, both to anticipate the ending and to protect their emotions if cancer has impacted them or a loved one.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel with special thanks to the author for using her deeply personal experiences to create a powerful novel that earns five shining stars from me.

This is a beautifully written story that is full of emotions. It is an emotional rollercoaster ride that deals with cancer, marriage, divorce and forgiveness. This story stays with you long after you turn the last page.
I received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos
by Kelly Irvin
Pub Date: December 5, 2023
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
*Christian fiction
In a novel inspired by the author's own cancer experience, two sisters seek a new balance in work, family, and love when one receives a diagnosis that sets the clock ticking.
Excellent book! I couldn't put it down!~
5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The blurb tells you that it is the story of Sherri as she deals with cancer but I was especially drawn to her sister Kristen's story. An oncologist Kristen has always been driven in her work and her marriage is showing signs of wear and tear before Sherri is diagnosed. Kristen and Paul's story rang true to me as did Sherri's journey with cancer and the choices and challenges presented by it. At the end of the book we learn that the author is also dealing with cancer which makes this novel feel even more authentic and I am impressed by her ability to tell a story so grounded in her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos in exchange for an honest review. It is available now.

Lightening strikes and the sisters world turns upside down. There are old wounds in this family, but what matters now? Beautifully written.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson fiction and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos had me conflicted on several levels, but it is so well written and engaging I couldn’t stop. Obviously the subject matter is difficult, and I also found myself disliking the main character so much I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep reading. But as I said the book is well written and complex, thoughtful and informative about many highs and lows of the cancer journey for everyone involved. Not a “feel good” read but I’m glad I read it. I am impressed at the strength of author Kelly Irvin for being able to write such a poignant, hopeful, heartbreaking story that intersects with her personal cancer experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for the opportunity to read for my honest review.

I have read several books by Kelly Irvin and enjoyed them all, so I had high hopes for this one... but unfortunately, I struggled to get into this one at the moment. I have to say though, I believe this is very much a me thing and nothing to do with the book itself. I am very much a mood reader, and definitely have to be in the right headspace to take on a book like this with its more serious themes such as cancer... and I just wasn't there when I sat down to read it and that kept me from really getting into the story as much as I'd have liked.

That said, the writing itself was great... the author did a great job of sharing this reality that these sisters were facing in a way that felt very genuine to those experiences. I loved that they were flawed characters, and felt very real. It was heartfelt and well-written and as such, I definitely wish I could have made myself connect with it better. I do believe this is one I will come back to later and try again when I am in a better place to enjoy it.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book ripped my heart right out of my chest and made me cry so much. My heart ached but I didn’t want it to end. I fell in love with all of the characters. The story was told with three points of view, sisters Sherri and Kristen, and Kristen’s husband, Daniel. The sisters lost their mother to cancer and Sherri then got diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Sherri was my favorite sister while Kristen was not a fan favorite for me. She was too focused on her career and not her family.
Cancer is not a topic I like to read about, but Kelly Irvin used her own cancer experience to take you on an emotional and faith filled journey. I have read many of her Amish books so that is why I decided to check this out. And I’m glad I did!
Many thanks to the author, Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheYearOfGoodbyesAndHellos #KellyIrvin #NetGalley #ThomasNelson #BookLove #BooksSetInTexas #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

Oh, my goodness, where to start! This is one of the best books I've read in awhile.
Sherri has what people on the outside looking in would call the 'perfect life.' She's married to the love of her life. They've raised two wonderful daughters who are now both in college. Her husband, Daniel is a successful engineer with his own firm. He even designed their home! Sherri is an oncologist. They seem to have it all, but do they?
Daniel still loves his wife, but he is a terribly lonely man. Sherri's life is her work. Her own mother died of cancer when she was a child. Her sister, Kristen who is four years older, finished raising her. Sherri has a passion to help cancer patients, so that families don't have to experience what she and her sister did. But, in her zeal for helping others, she is seriously neglecting her husband as well as her daughters. She, recently, forgot her husband's birthday. The even bigger lapse was forgetting their 25th wedding anniversary. She was with a patient and then the patient's husband after her patient passed away. She couldn't leave the grieving man alone, could she? Meanwhile, back at home, her husband had prepared a dinner, lit candles, bought red roses, and the trip to Paris that they couldn't afford for their honeymoon.
After waiting and waiting for Sherri to come home, resigned, Daniel packed a bag and left. He had enough of being last on her list.
Then, Sherri's sister, Kristen gets a cancer diagnosis. Sherri has Kristen move in and change doctors so that she could oversee her care and see that she got the best of care. She has stretched herself even more.
Her daughters are very angry with their mother. They have seen what her priorities have been.
The story takes the reader on Kristen's journey-the ups and the downs. The strains on Sherri's marriage and family. Daniel's temptation. The story is very well written. I felt like I was in the story. Great characters. I cried. Can't say enough about this one!
Then, at the end, I discovered that the author, Kelly Irvin, had a diagnosis of Stage 4 Ovarian cancer just a few years ago. She still goes through the tests, scans and everything else associated with this disease.
Wonderful, wonderful story!
I was given an advanced ecopy by the publisher, Thomas Nelson, through Netgalley. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is a meaningful, thought-provoking, sad, hopeful, fulfilling, and beautiful sister story.

Drawing from the author's personal experience with ovarian cancer, this story is beautifully written.

I noticed the book falls under the category of Christian fiction, which I don't typically read. However, this novel handles those themes without being preachy or heavy-handed. One sister is religious, the other is not. But the author makes it seamless and natural the way questions about God and faith weave through the novel. Facing the fear of death, it's natural to question faith, beliefs, and seek greater meaning.

I admired the close relationship between the two sisters as a reader. The book is filled with emotional depth and a genuine portrayal of life's emotions.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is equal parts sad, joyful and full of hope, family and love.

I cried, laughed, and appreciated this beautiful novel very much. For me, it was a reminder not to wait too late to dedicate the time and care to our loved ones they deserve.

EXCERPT: My sister, Sherri. when was the last time I'd talked to her? She texted me on New Year's Day from her son Cody's house in Fayetteville, where she was spending the holidays. We used to talk more, but time seemed to get away from us - or me. I glanced at my smartwatch. Ten thirty. She should be sitting crisscross on the rug in her kindergarten classroom in Kerrville, reading The Little Blue Truck to her students. Or trotting in a single-file line to recess. Her life a a teacher had always struck me as idyllic. Not fair, I knew, but so hopeful and full of tomorrows. She gave her students the key that opened the door to a lifelong love of reading. What a gift.

Know yr busy but need to talk. When u can

Tonight? She went to bed so early, and I worked. I stabbed a response with my rapid-fire index finger.

Will try to call you on lunch break. are u on cafeteria duty today?

Not at school. in car. Doctor's office parking lot.

The hair on my arms prickled. A cold breeze wafted over me that had nothing to do with the overactive AC. My older sister had always been the picture of health. She loved Zumba, Billy Blanks Tae Bo, and spin classes. Her weight was perfect for fifty-two, likely so were her cholesterol and blood pressure. Last year she finished fourth in the San Antonio Rock'n'Roll Marathon's female fifty to fifty-five age division.

Why? whats up? are u sick?

Suddenly lightheaded, I waited, staring at the little twitching bubbles that meant she was typing a response.

not sick. have cancer.

ABOUT 'THE YEAR OF GOODBYES AND HELLOS': Two sisters work to heal lingering childhood wounds and seek a new balance in work, family, marriage, and love when one receives a diagnosis that sets the clock ticking. Determined to save Sherri’s life, Kristen drops everything to guide her sister on the harrowing cancer treatment journey. When she’s unable to balance the strain of caring for her patients, being a wife and mother, and her frantic efforts to save her sister, Kristen’s carefully balanced life crumbles, starting with her marriage. Desperate to regain her footing, she vows to rebuild her broken relationships . . . as soon she’s sure Sherri will beat the odds stacked against her. Unlike her sister, Sherri Reynolds has worked to cultivate balance in her life. Her children, her job as a teacher, and her strong faith keep her grounded—until her diagnosis sends her spiraling into the scary world of what-ifs and unknown outcomes. Sherri faces the agonizing realization that family history may be about to repeat itself. With the clock ticking, she’s determined to use whatever time she has left to heal old wounds and restore relationships. Together, the sisters are forced to reexamine their priorities, address the still tender wounds of their childhood, and delve more deeply to discover what it means to live each day to its fullest.

MY THOUGHTS: Firstly, I would like to thank author Kelly Irvin for writing this book. It cannot have been an easy task as she has written it since being diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, the seven years since her diagnosis being her 'research' period. She says in her acknowledgements that every appointment, every blood draw, every scan, every surgery and every healthcare provider she came in contact with served as fodder for the big and small details needed to accurately and authentically write Kristen's and Sherri's stories. And it shows. Kelly Irvin is obviously a very strong person, and I would like to thank her for sharing her story with us through this novel.

Secondly this is a book that every woman (and man) needs to read. We need to be more aware. We need to learn to listen to our bodies. We need to be our own health advocates and not bow down to our doctors whom we presume to know more than we do. They do know more than we do, generally. They just don't know our bodies like we do.

I was blessed to receive both a digital and an audio version of this novel and made great use of both formats. It is an emotional read, and definitely not an easy one. We are all touched by cancer in one form or another and, like with Kristen and Sherri, everything else going on in our lives doesn't stop because of it. Some relationships fracture, some are mended. Some people adjust their lives to encompass what is most important to them, some don't. Some people die, some don't.

I loved that we see the full story from both the perspective of the patient (Sherri) and the Oncologist (Kristen). This is an emotionally complex story involving not only the relationship between the two sisters, but a historical marriage breakdown on Sherri's part, a widening rift in the marriage of Daniel and Kristen, infidelity, Sherri and Kristen's estranged father coming back into their lives, the difficulties in achieving a work/life balance as a health professional, and the birth of a new generation into the family.

The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is an important book. The characters are realistic and relatable, the story both devastating and hopeful.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheYearofGoodbyesandHellos #NetGalley

I: @kelly_irvin

X: @Kelly_S_Irvin

THE AUTHOR: Kelly Irvin worked in public relations for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department for 22 years before retiring earlier this year. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-eight years. They have two children, four grandchildren and two ornery cats. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories, read books by her favorite authors, and looks forward to visits with her grandchildren.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Collins Christian Publishing, and Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley for providing both a digital and an audio ARC of The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin for review. The audiobook is superbly narrated by Jessica Holten and Jeremy Childs. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

A powerful book! Two sisters, impacted by the journey and death of their mother's cancer chose different paths to deal with the pain. Kristen, an oncologist dedicates her life to curing cancer to the point of almost destroying her family. Sherri, diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer has devoted her life to God and struggles with many questions. This story is told through the eyes of the sisters and Kristen's husband, Daniel. Raw, emotional, and heartbreaking. The importance of faith in God throughout. Highly recommended!

The bond between Sherri and Kristen, two sisters who faced trauma early on, was a beautiful one. I found Sherri to be very sweet, albeit a bit over the top with her unrealistic dedication to teaching kindergarten and her fierce devotion to her faith. On the other hand, I found Kristen to be annoying; she couldn't seem to be content with whatever she achieved and seemed to vacillate between wanting to cure cancer and trying harder to be there for her husband. And then there seemed to be an abrupt change in her that seemed disingenuous.