Lovely. There’s a little intrigue mixed in with some wonderful characters. The current storyline of an anonymous caller who is able to get families to visit is thought provoking. The older storyline is quite shocking and memorable. I really enjoyed this one.

(Thanks to @librofm and @dreamscape_media #gifted.) 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗢𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗬 by Valérie Perrin was originally published in France in 2015. It was the author’s debut and has been a years-long best-seller in many countries. In 2023 it was finally published in the United States by @europaeditions and finally in June we also got an audio version which is how I chose to experience this book, one that very much deserves its many accolades.⁣
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This is a rich story full of complicated emotions. Since they were very young, Justine and her cousin Jules have lived with their grandparents after the death of all four parents in a tragic car accident. Justine at 21 is comfortable around the elderly and loves her job at a retirement home. She especially loves listening to the residents’ stories, some big and some small. Though she tries not to have favorites, Hélène, a WWII survivor, has won her heart. Hélène’s story is fascinating, riveting and Justine is slowly writing it down, so it won’t be lost.⁣
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The bond between these characters is lovely, but their individual stories are also captivating. The back and forth between the two almost made this feel like a story within a story as Helene’s life almost became a part of Justine’s. This is a touching story of love, loss, grief, aging, and strength. With a debut this good, I definitely want to read more of Perrin’s work! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Forgotten on Sunday was an excellent read. I love how Perrin writes about love and friendship. This was another great writing from her.

Justine is a young woman employed by a long term care facility in a small village in France. She and her cousin Jules were orphaned as young children when their parents were killed in a car accident. They were raised by their grandparents. Justine develops a special relationship with one of the residents, Helene. While writing Helene’s biography she also confides her own story to Helene. This is a lovely novel.

This book has such an interesting storyline! I enjoyed the character development also, and love how certain back stories overlapped in subtle ways. We forget when we see an elderly person that they’re not just close to the end of their life, they’ve already lived an entire story and most are willing to share if we just listen.

This is the gorgeous debut novel by the author of “Fresh Water for Flowers.” (Valerie Perrin’s second novel was published first in the USA. We are now privileged to have her debut translated into English.)

Twenty-one-year old Justine is an orphan, who along with her cousin, are being raised by their grandparents. Justine and Jules’ fathers were twins killed in a car accident along with their wives many years ago. The circumstances of the accident remain fuzzy, and their grandparents avoid any reference to it.

No matter, Justine gets her fill of stories and elder love from the nursing home residents she cares for as a nursing assistant at the Hydrangeas. When asked why she enjoys such a depressing workplace, Justine responds, “Because there isn’t a single job in which I could hear the stories these residents tell me.” If the proverb is true that a library burns to the ground when an old person dies, Justine is well-read. She is particularly fond of Helene, a resident in her mid-90s. Justine records Helene’s life story in a notebook.

The title refers to patients whose families don’t come on Sunday, the typical day for visits. Sundays are “steeped in sadness” with many of the “forgotten on Sunday hav[ing] only sons.” Perhaps in an effort to correct this negligence, an unknown person is telephoning the families of the forgotten and falsely reporting that they have died. The families rush to the facility to make funeral arrangements only to find that their loved one is alive and well … and thrilled to see them. The police investigation into the origin of these calls -- as well as the cause of Justine’s parents’ fatal car crash -- runs throughout the book. But the true heart of the novel is the friendship between Helene and Justine.

I worked in a retirement community my first job out of college and much of this novel rings true. I love the lyrical way Perrin describes aging and the associated loneliness. E.g. “Their window boxes are empty and their cats adopted. Their homes only exist inside their heads now.” Nor does she shy from the hard truth in her observations. E.g. “When old people kick the bucket, it means the guilt’s over.” This is a book to linger over and savor.

An unforgettable story about an unlikely friendship and healing the wounds from the past.
21 year old Justine has lived with her grandparents and cousin Jules since the death of her parents. She is a nursing assistant at a retirement home spending much of her days listening to her residents' stories.
Justine bonds with 96 yr old Helene and the two slowly reveal their stories to one another. Justine helps Helene to relive her memories of love and war, while Helene encourages Justine to confront the secrets of her own past.
A deeply emotional story about family secrets and the enduring power of love.
Highly Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Europa Editions for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I really struggled to get into this book. I thought the premise was interesting, but there was too much going on and too many mysteries to solve. Other readers may enjoy it more. Thank you Netgalley and Europa for the review copy.

Perrin simply does not miss. This one drew me in immediately and I'm truly sad to have closed the last page. She builds worlds within our world and I am entranced by her prose. Read this.

This is Valerie Perrin's debut novel, recently published in English. It is a beautifully written, quiet novel about a young woman who works at a retirement home because she loves to hear the residents' stories. The way Perrin ties together the threads of different stories is just breathtaking. I love sinking into her novels because the characters feel like family.

What a wonderful storyteller.
Compelling characters in a story about love, grief, family, betrayal, and loyalty.
Highly recommend this novel.

Forgotten on Sunday is a beautifully written story of love, loyalty, lies and pain and betrayal.

Justine is a young woman who works at a home for the elderly and makes special friends with one resident, Helene. As Justine listens to Helene's stories of her past the younger woman tries to make sense of her own life. Justine's parents were killed in a car accident when she was very young, so she grows up with her paternal grandparents - alongside her cousin whose parents died in the same crash.

Meantime, Helene's story unfolds as she experiences love and tragedy during World War II. And Justine works to find out the truth of the man who Helene lost during the war. But Justine's family has its own hidden truth, which is slowly revealed to the reader.
This is a must read for those who love family sagas and secrets with a touch of magic.

I’ve heard only wonderful things about the author’s previously translated book, Fresh Water for Flowers, which prompted me to request this ARC.

Justina, orphaned at a young age and raised by her grandparents, spends her days caring for the elderly and listening to their stories.
I enjoyed the overall plot, and the uncovered secrets of the narrator’s family history were satisfying. However, I found myself getting tangled up in the different past threads. It’s hard to weave together different stories and timelines, and I can only speak for myself when I say I didn’t find it entirely successful here. By the end, I found I wasn’t as focused on Hélène’s story as I was on the story of Justina’s family. I had also forgotten the mystery of the phone calls by the end, and I didn’t feel I needed an answer.

Another barrier for me was that the tone shifts when the story moves between past and present, and I found it to be a little jarring and incohesive at times – it could be that this is more obvious in translation.

I’m surprised that the publisher labels this book as for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers; I definitely did not get the same feeling from this book as I did from those, which is not to say you wouldn’t enjoy all of them!

Not a hit for me but an enjoyable story that will find an English language audience.

Thank you, NetGalley and Europa for this ARC!

I came across numerous glowing 5-star reviews of the book "Forgotten on Sunday” which piqued my curiosity. With high expectations, I eagerly anticipated diving into its pages. However, I must admit that the story failed to captivate my attention as I had hoped. Presented from two distinct points of view, I found it challenging to form a profound connection with the characters, despite the underlying intrigue of the narrative.

Thank you to Net Galley and Europa Editions for giving me an advance copy. My opinions are honest and my own.

“Forgotten on Sunday” by Valerie Perrin is my second novel by this author and originally the author’s debut novel, only now translated into English. Following my positive experience with “Three,” which I read a year ago, I had the chance to receive an ARC of this one, so I eagerly accepted.

The narrative unfolds through multiple timeframes and perspectives, piecing together the story like a puzzle. Set in France, the book centers on Justine, a 21-year-old orphan who works at a nursing home, forming deep connections with the residents, especially Helene. Justine documents Helene’s life story while her own story intertwines with Helene’s.

Despite its brevity, this book is intense and filled with melancholy. It poignantly addresses the forgotten elderly who receive no family visitors, even on Sundays, the designated visitation days. The novel is suspenseful, brimming with secrets and characters on journeys of self-discovery. Perrin’s writing is simple yet impactful, marked by immense sensitivity and profound humanity. It’s a touching read.

This book makes me want to volunteer at an old age home and listen to the forgotten stories of the elderly. They often have the most profound memories.

I will certainly be on the lookout for Perrin’s future works.

Thank you to @netgalley and @europaeditions for the ARC of this book, for an exchange of my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Europa Editions for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This book is a treasure. At first, I had a little trouble getting into it, but I am so glad I kept going. Justine is a young lady (she's 21) who works as a nursing assistant at a retirement home. One of the things she enjoys is listening to stories and memories told by the residents. She has built an especially close bond to Helene, who is almost 100 years old. Helene shares memories of her loves and her life, and Justine writes them down in a blue notebook. Justine has also had trauma in her life, which she begins to share. I really enjoyed reading both of their stories. The author tells them in such a poetic, mystical way. There are some surprises along the way. I also liked the way the author handled Justine's romance, gradually building up to discovering who he might be. This is a story I will not soon forget. I highly recommend it, and I plan to read other books by this author!

I very much enjoyed Valerie Perrin’s novel Fresh Water for Flowers. It was a complex, character driven story. I was therefore excited to learn that Ms. Perrin has a new book out in translation now.

This is the story of two women; one of them has much life ahead while the other is elderly. Each comes with history and even tragedy.

Justine helps to care for Helene who is a resident of the facility where she is employed. As they get to know one another, many confidences are shared. They also face some difficulties over the course of the novel. Someone is making crank calls to the home. Find out what they are saying and how this evolves.

Those looking for a lovely and compassionate read will want to spend time in these pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Europa for this title. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley! This story touched me and is one I will keep for a long time. A beautifully woven story of family secrets and friendship. Valerie Perrin never fails me! Highly recommend for summer reading!!

I greatly enjoyed the writing style and how much you are drawn into the characters, but otherwise, I struggled with this book. It was difficult for me to follow the different timelines and truly understand all plot points. Some points there was way too much detail, to the point of making me uncomfortable, but other plot points seemed to be lacking. It is also very slow, especially for someone who is branching out from thrillers. I also had to keep reminding myself that Justine was only 21. In some scenarios she seems older but mostly, she seems very young in the way she acts and responds. That being said, I end with more positive feelings than negative. It also made me more emotional than I would have thought it would have. I like the idea of the phantom caller, not to the full extent of the sinister nature, but in its results. I also liked the love story within the love story. I also hope that there are people who do go through nursing homes and collect stories. I think that would be a fascinating project and a worthwhile compendium to read. The only thing I wonder though is how did Justine get the story when it seemed like Helene was always "at the beach"? I can only assume that she caught her at some good times or maybe others filled it in. Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC. I believe this novel and the topics within will stay with me for quite some time.

Pros: Anne Bogel of Modern Mrs. Darcy and the What Should I Read Next podcast has been raving about Valerie Perrin, so I was excited to see this book, which is her debut, on NetGalley. I read this book in one sitting because I was curious to learn about the pasts of the characters and to discover twists along the way. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style (and, I assume, the work of the translator) and immediately put Fresh Water for Flowers on my to-read list.

I switched between ebook and audiobook to read this book, and it was great on both formats. I especially enjoyed the audiobook narration and hearing the names spoken with a French accent.

Cons: I did not love every plot point, but that won’t keep me from reading more from the author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Europa Editions, and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read this book.