Moa Herngren's novel is a lovely story about, well, divorce. Herngren explores the divorce through Bea and Niklas, a couple facing separation after decades together. While Bea grapples with the suddenness of Niklas's desire to end their marriage, his chapters reveal a simmering disconnect he's felt for years. Herngren crafts alternating perspectives that allow us to understand both characters' viewpoints without taking sides. I found myself invested in both Bea and Niklas, appreciating their complexities and flaws.

I loved a lot about this book. The Swedish backdrop made me want to plan a vacation. The family dynamics were well done, feeling both realistic and complex. A recommended read with captivating characters!

WOW what a story.

This truly makes you think about life in general and just how fast things can turn around. This story is heartbreaking when you read it.

The empathy i felt for both sides. The author did great making you feel like you were right in the story while reading git.

Everyone should read this book.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

Thank you HarperVia and NetGalley for the opportunity to review the English translation of this book!

This is a heartbreaking and thought provoking story of a marriage dissolving over a hot summer. I felt empathy for both partners as they navigated their marriage falling apart after so many decades. The author did a great job layering the range of emotions one feels when trying to find themselves after so many years.

I would definitely recommend this book to my followers.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

I am so honored and happy to be given books such as The Divorce to review.

I found this story to be an interesting read. A couple breaks up after more than 30 years of marriage. Initially the break-up seems to be the typical story of a man reaching middle age, seeking a change - for seemingly selfish reasons. What makes this book stand out is that we are able to view the situation from BOTH sides, the husband and the wife the husband left behind - as with most stories, things are much more complex than they originally seem.

I found it a fascinating and unique story, well-written, honest, fair and utterly believable.

Also, you see how the dissolution of the marriage impacts the children (two daughters in this case).

Add in other multi-layered reasons the husband is vulnerable to manipulation and guilt, and this is quite a fascinating dissection of the termination of a marriage that withstood the passing of many years - to a point where it was no longer sustainable.

This book deeply resonated with me through its genuine portrayal of divorce. I admired how the author presented the story from both perspectives, creating a captivating narrative. While readers may empathize more with Bea's character, there are instances where the growing disconnect between the husband and wife is palpable, especially when Bea fails to truly listen to her husband. A truly compelling read!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Divorce.

I read mostly suspense and thrillers, and the premise had a suspense-y premise which is why I requested it.

I'm glad my request was approved because this turned out to be a thoughtful read, very different from what I usually read.

Bea and Niklas have been married for 32 years, which is why it comes as a surprise when he disappears after an unimportant issue. But, this is just the beginning of the end of their marriage, which comes as a shock to Bea.

Told in both Bea and Niklas' perspectives, we see how each of them cope with the end of their marriage; how it came to this stage, and the detritus and emotional chaos that ensues after you've spent most of your life with one person and built a life and children with them.

The Divorce reminded me an article I read recently that revealed many divorces occurring now are with couples in their 50s and 60s. These divorces are called the Golden Divorce. People are realizing there's no reason to stay in a loveless marriage and since our life spans have increased, its possible to still find love in your golden years.

I liked how the author gives us both perspectives, especially Niklas. Usually, the men are made out to be the bad guys; they cheat, they hook up with younger women, all the cliches, but I liked seeing how Niklas' outlook and frame of mind altered.

He was unhappy with his job, all the demands made on his life and time from family and work obligations. Wasn't there something more to life?

He needed a change. And he fell out of love with his wife because he changed.

He received a lot of flak from disrupting the status quo but Niklas had a point; why should he be unhappy for the sake of keeping his family together?

I found Bea insufferable. All she cared about was her fancy schmancy kitchen and everything remaining the same; her family, not learning how to drive, depending on her husband for everything.

In a way, I get it; her beloved brother is dead, her own family is toxic, and she glommed onto Niklas' family because they were happy and whole, completely unlike her own family.

But, Bea had no identity; she was Niklas' wife and mother to her twins. She didn't do anything, I didn't know anything about her except how she worshipped her brother, didn't finish school because she got pregnant, and worked at a non-profit. She didn't have any friends, no skills or talents of her own.

Divorces happen, and it's not a bad thing.

In the end, everyone has crafted a new life and even Bea has learned to adapt to her new life and routine. That's all anyone can do.

This book! What do I say? There is so much to unpack. Let’s start by saying there is a reason that most books are romantic comedies that follow a couple falling in love. It’s a fairy tale. It’s fun to read. This book is not a fairy tale and it’s hearty wrenching. Its about an unraveling of two lives and falling out of love. It is brutal and hard to read. I identified so much with Bea. I think a lot of people will be able to empathize with this character. She thinks she is in a normal happy stable marriage and then boom her life explodes. Niklas doesn’t even give her the curtesy of communicating or explaining his feelings. He literally just leaves.

She is supposed to go on vacation and seemingly out of no where her husband decides to go stay at a friends “to think”. Bea is so confused and wants to fight for her Marriage. The advice she gets from friends and family is to work it out. Stay. Go to counseling. Fight. Don’t give up. The problem is the situation is not in her control. As I’m reading this I’m reliving a very similar situation where my partner walked out on me and made me feel exactly like Bea. Like my world collapsed. As Bea is processing the situation her thoughts were so similar to mine in that situation.

I think a lot of people will be able to empathize with this character. I couldn’t put this book down I knew that the perspective of this book would change to Nikolas’s character and I just wanted to punch him in the face. I kept thinking you have a lot of explaining to do.

I thought this book was very good. I recommend it for anyone that has gone through a heart break.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. My opinions and thoughts are mine alone.

summary: so this book features a married couple before, during, and after a particularly gruesome divorce. the pov switches between niklas, the husband and bea the wife.

footnotes: there are also two daughters, and grandparents in the story. the whole book is split up into sections, so you truly get to hear everyone's thoughts and perspectives. there is also a fair but of cussing in this book, so please be mindful

thoughts: i though the idea of this book was really interesting, taking a divorce and showing it from either side. you really get to see the events from both characters sides. this makes the plot so much more interesting, and helped me fly through the book. bea and niklas truly felt real to me, and i could feel the emotions of every character. i think this book would be perfect for a new adult, as it really encourages you to think from multiple perspectives. i really enjoyed reading this book, and i would 100% recommend it,

my only issue was the ending being really rushed and not fully explained. other than that, i enjoyed every moment of this book.

Beatrice, also known as Bea, couldn't be more thrilled to escape the suffocating heat of Stockholm and retreat to the serene Gotland Island for a vacation. She eagerly looks forward to spending quality time with her devoted husband of thirty-two years, Niklas, and their occasionally moody teenage daughters. It's a chance for Bea to recover from the stresses of daily life while enjoying the company of her beloved in-laws. However, just before their departure, Bea and Niklas engage in a seemingly trivial argument which leaves Niklas feeling frustrated. In an attempt to blow off some steam, he heads out with a friend. Little does Bea know, her life is about to take an unexpected turn. While her pediatrician husband, known for his kindness and gentleness, appears physically unharmed, their marriage is on the brink of collapse. In Niklas' perspective, however, his decision to leave is not an act of sudden insanity, but rather a deeply considered choice.

Through this gripping tale told from two different viewpoints, The Divorce poses thought-provoking questions: Is the person who chooses to leave always the villain? What lies beneath the surface of seemingly straightforward situations? Prepare to be captivated by this domestic drama that skillfully explores the intricacies of modern marriage. While reading this book, I found it intriguing, although it did have some slower moments. I had hoped for more development of the supporting characters, as this would have added additional layers to the captivating subplots. Nonetheless, it proved to be a satisfying read that kept me engaged until the very end. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Gorgeously written domestic drama with very well done characters! I’m shocked this author hasn’t been translated before and hyped for the next one !

I am a firm believer that you give a book a 75 page chance to grab you … this book just got slower and slower with each page read… sorry but it just took too long to get going… belittle to slow for my taste..

Loved this novel, such an interesting look at point of view and character and so many surprises along the way. Wonderful to have this addition to translated work by women!

Reading books about divorce as a married woman is something scary, in my opinion. But also necessary. I don't think this story entertained me, but I felt it was important to read to understand both points of view. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I found the Divorce to be a page turner. It portrayed real feelings of betrayal and the jealousy that comes with the loss of a partner to another. I believe it would make a great book club discussion.

The Divorce by Moa Herngren was a hard, but good read. I’m a 50 something woman who has been married 30 odd years and it was easy to relate to both Bea and Niklas’s characters.

Bea goes to bed after an argument with her husband Niklas and expects him to come home and apologize for what they were arguing about and she is trying to decide if she should forgive him and instead he tells her he’s leaving her.

Told from a dual POV, this story tells both Bea and Niklas’ version of their separation and how they handled it.

I cried for both characters and their children and empathized with all of them. Growing apart when the other hasn’t is so hard and growing from the circumstances is harder.

I loved and hated this book at the same time. I hurt for the characters and felt happiness when they found it again.

What I definitely did was hug my husband and tell him how much I appreciate him when I was done with this.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I’m still thinking about it days later. All opinions are my own.

I’m not sure how I felt about this book! I felt like it was supposed to be very balanced between the separated couple since we read both of their point of views but the wife really suffered here. She was perhaps a little bit of a steamroller but was dropped like a hot potato by her in-laws and husband without any warning!

I wish we got to know the daughters more or they were child free. I didn’t think they were developed as characters at all.

A heart wrenching intimate look at a marriage falling apart told from both the wife Beas perspective and her husband Nicks pint of view.This is so real the characters come alive you feel you are eavesdropping on their personal emotional moments.So well written I hope this amazing authors are translated.#netgalley #harpervia