Kristin Koval’s debut Pentitence delivers a compelling writing style while exploring rich familial drama. A shocking murder shatters Angie and David Sheehan’s lives, leading them to lawyer Martine Dumont, who is also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian. As they each confront their past and long-buried guilt, the story spans decades and settings, diving deep into complex themes of love, loyalty, and forgiveness. While the suspense and literary depth are strong, I was left hoping for a redemptive quality that never materialized. Koval’s relentless focus on emotional turmoil drained me, leaving me exhausted. Still, it’s an engaging and thought-provoking read, earning a solid 3.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This book was a favorite of mine of January. This story was so moving and so good. It was sad and very emotional, and at times difficult to continue reading. The author did a phenomenal job with this story. I loved the courtroom drama aspect and the back-and-forth with the lives of Angie and her parents growing up and how she met David, while still with Julian. The fact that she lost her sister when she was young, then her son, and later her mother. Then all the emotions Nora went through in jail and her silence was making me think so many things. From the first page of this book I was completely hooked. This book deserves 5 stars.

This book really hooks you in from the start. A traumatic event leads two parents dealing with an unthinkable event within their home that leads to a true breaking of the family. The book moves from past to present, building on the story of how the main characters are intertwined. I did feel more drawn to the present, court room story line of the book vs the historical story line and did not feel that it brought much to the pacing. I understand not tying up the end perfectly, but I did find the ending was anti climatic and a reveal of some kind would have made the slower pacing of the book more worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC.

“God goes silent on all of us. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.” Penitence by Kristin Koval is a novel that explores forgiveness, guilt, and personal redemption. The story centers around a young teen, Nora, struggling with the aftermath of a tragic and life-altering event: she has killed her brother. But unlike thrillers or fast-paced murder mysteries, this story is a slow burn, taking time to deeply explore the emotional interiors of the characters as they search for ways to atone for their past mistakes.

Julian, Nora’s lawyer, and Angie, her mom are also characters seeking forgiveness—both from others and from themselves. Julian says to Nora, “You need to become the person you want to be instead of the person who did the bad thing.” Each character wrestles with their own form of penance, trying to piece together their fractured lives while grappling with overwhelming remorse.

Though some would describe Penitence as a thriller, I feel this novel is a quieter, more intimate exploration of trauma and recovery. This novel is less about the crime itself and more about the consequences of that crime and the difficult path toward redemption.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced ride, this might not be the book for you. However, if you enjoy a character-focused book with the themes of guilt, atonement, and forgiveness, then Penitence is an unforgettable read.

A wintery literary suspense debut set primarily in rural Colorado about a family in crisis who turn to the mother’s first love for help when their daughter is accused of murder. This book is being marketed for readers of Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng and I can see it for substance, but not necessarily style. Setting my expectations so high probably didn’t serve this book well, but I did enjoy it enough and it held my attention. The story moves quickly thanks to a dual timeline that flashes back to follow the first love story in the 90s into the early aughts which also contains a tragedy with present day reverberations.

I think Penitence will be best suited to readers who enjoy a literary leaning thriller.

3.25 stars

This started off amazing with a great premise but was in my opinion dragged out a little too much. The pacing was overall pretty slow. Chapters go back and forth between past and present timelines and the present story was way more interesting. I constantly found myself just wanting to get back to the main storyline. The backstory for the characters was nice but could've been shorter.

This does bring up valid critiques of our judicial system but the author doesn't trust her readers and holds their hand a little too much. Too many things were over explained or just repeated constantly.

Overall, not a bad book. It was just okay. The ending did make me cry a little though so it's def getting some points for that.

This is an amazing debut novel and a story that I won't soon forget. This book contains deep emotion and mystery. It will keep you interested until the end. I loved the focus on forgiveness. This is a powerful novel and I can't wait to read more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Set in Colorado and New York in Then and Now timelines of the nineties/early aughts, and the 20-teens, PENITENCE tackles the mysterious and shocking death of a boy committed by his sister. There are two storylines, one this current story, and the other, that of the siblings’ mother decades before. This was a well-written debut which doesn’t tie things up with all the answers. It leaves you wondering and thoughtful about many things. I thought the strongest part was the ending, when the children’s mother reckons with the decision to forgive her daughter.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

Penitence by Kristin Koval is a beautifully written novel that explores love and redemption through the lives of two families bound by tragedy. This story spans from rural Colorado to pre 9/11 New York City while raising the question, does one terrible mistake define us forever? The characters feel deeply human, flawed, complex, and shaped by unspoken regrets and lost chances. While this book is rich in themes of family and forgiveness, it also delivers plenty of suspense and emotional depth. I was completely drawn in by the wonderful storytelling and the way the author balances tension and heartfelt moments. The pacing is just right, keeping you hooked while giving the characters the space to grow. If you love literary fiction with a touch of mystery and emotional depth, this book is absolutely worth reading.

I really enjoyed this book! I'll link to the review later once I put it up, but I thought it was a magnificent debut. good character work, strong relationship building, & ethical dilemmas. there was a tad bit of predictability and the ending felt a little too rushed for me in the confrontation with Julian and Angie, but otherwise I recommend it! reminded me of Jodi Picoult.

When the unimaginable happens, Angie and David must find a way to defend their 13 year old daughter from the crime that she just committed against her own brother. Angie must also face her past when her ex-boyfriend plays a pivotal role in the legal process, bringing about buried traumas and a search for the closure that was never obtained.

This book was captivating and well-paced. The depictions of the characters were nuanced and authentic. The focus of the book is not on the crime itself but rather the intricacies of familial relationships, past connections, and finding forgiveness in the most impossible situations.

PENITIENCE is an ideal companion to this seemingly endless winter season: set in snowy rural Colorado, this mystery is propulsive while still filled with depth.

The story opens when thirteen year-old Nora kills her fourteen year-old brother, Nico. Nora’s parents, David and Angie, seek legal counsel from the rural town’s best known lawyer, Martine, who is on the brink of retirement and not well versed in murder trials. Martine calls her son, a famed NYC defense attorney, Julian, for back-up. To make things even juicier, Julian and Angie have a deep romantic history.

PENITENCE reminded me of old school Jodi Picoult, the courtroom drama mystery novels I devoured on summery holidays in middle and high school. I similarly devoured this one; I looked forward to picking it up each night and to my commutes with the audiobook.

Kristin Koval executes a dual timeline brilliantly in this novel, with one timeline focusing on Angie and Julian’s history and the other focusing on the present day murder of Nico. The structure develops the key players, keeps the story propulsive, and strengthens the emotions behind the mystery.

I love nothing more than a mystery that goes beyond the blueprint set for the genre, and PENITENCE certainly does that. Though the pacing is propulsive, it is largely a character-driven novel. There are captivating family dynamics, the relatably powerful emotions of first love, discussion of the power of forgiveness, and commentary on the American legal system.

This is not, however, a perfect novel. The plot is scattered at times, the character development is inconsistent throughout, and there are elements left unresolved. It is, though, a strong and solid debut that kept me highly entertained. I’ll be on the lookout for whatever Kristin Koval writes next.

When a devastating shooting takes place in the home of Angie and David, both of their children are lost to them in the blink of an eye. Turning to a local lawyer, Martine Dumont, for help, the past rears its head and Angie is soon not only trying to save her daughter, but she is also in the throes of the past. Martine is the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a love that ended tragically. Martine is on the verge of retirement and doesn’t feel qualified to take on the case. She soon is calling on Julian to come help. Everyone must confront the past and present in this character driven debut. Broken relationships, trusts and hearts are at the center of this story, but will there be any reconciliation and forgiveness before we reach the ending? This book is written in different timelines and had me riveted from start to finish. Both past and present storylines were strong, which doesn’t always happen. The ending wasn’t what I’d hoped for, but fit right in with the rest of the story. Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This book had me all over the place. From the start, when I couldn’t stop reading, to parts where I felt I couldn’t keep reading, until the end, I was everywhere. This book, wow. Angie & David Sheehan’s lives are broken, the night their daughter kills their son. She is 13 years old and she shoots her brother dead, in their home. They don’t know who to turn to, so they reach out to an estranged friend, who happens to be a lawyer. Martine Dumont, isn’t just a lawyer, she is the mother of Angie’s first love. She isn’t the right person to handle this case, so she leans on her son. Who is a criminal defense lawyer in New York City. Julian comes to town to help Angie and her daughter and they must confront their past and make the best of the present. This novel spans declares. It has many different side stories but the author does a great job at connecting them all. There are lies, heartaches, grief and sadness. But even with this sad undertone, there is hope. That is why, this book had all the feels. It had some twists and turns and an ending, I didn’t see coming. I want to thank Netgalley & Kristin Koval for my copy of Penitence, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story.

Penitence is a family drama/mystery/crime story that is able to draw the reader in like a high speed chase as we examine the characters' emotions and try to solve the case.

Kristin Koval's writing in this court drama filled family narrative echoed of Liana Moriarty and Jodi Picoult virtuosic qualities for me.

The story opens with a shooting. Thirteen year old Nora has shot her fourteen year old brother, Nico, not just once, but three times - all three shots point blank in their home. Nora herself calls 911 and reports the shooting.

The two siblings were only eleven months apart; they were very close in their "Irish twin" relationship; and Nico, previously very outing and athletic, had recently been diagnosed with Huntington's disease.

There aren't too many lawyers in the small, touristy ski town of Lodgepole, CO (where the majority of the story is set) so 70 year old and nearing retirement lawyer, Martine, is called to defend the case. Criminal law is certainly not her specialty, and she knows she is going to need expertise to defend Nora properly. At the urging of Nico and Nora's father, David, she asks her son, Julian, a lawyer in NY entering his twentieth year of practicing criminal law to come home to Lodgepole and argue the case.

Now, we as the reader are presented with so many juicy tidbits in the exposition of this story. Julian and Nora's mother, Angie, dated for years while both growing up in Lodgepole. There was a traumatic incident that occurred while they were dating in their teens that prompted Martine, Julian's mother, to send her son off to NY to live with his grandmother to complete his senior year in high school and also to attend college in the NY area. Lo and behold, Angie left Lodgepole upon graduating from high school to pursue an art degree in NY. Both of their mothers were adamant about the two not seeing each other, which guess what...they did see each other for years.

In her twenties, Angie is called back to Lodgepole because of her father's diagnosis of and later death from cancer. She finally decides to stay in her hometown and help her opinionated and stern mother, Livia, run the family's Italian restaurant. She is comforted during this time by old high school acquaintance, David, who she soon marries after returning to her hometown.

Fast forward approximately 15 years to now, the time of the crime. So much has changed, yet so much hasn't. Angie and now husband, David, still live in Lodgepole - in fact, in the very house where Angie was raised. Stern and opinionated Livia is now in a nursing home in the last stages of Alzheimer's. Strangely, it is Angie husband, David, who contacts not only Martine to represent Nora, but then also encourages her to ask Julian to assist.

This book is just infused with so many secrets. They will reveal themselves, some sooner than others, but what impact will they have on the case and on the lives of its participants?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of family saga - of crime, of consequences, of forgiveness, of retribution, of penitence. I will be honest though...I kept waiting for one more final reveal, one that would tie everything up nicely. That never came, but I think in asking for that, I was asking for too much, for tragedies such as these are not meant to be nicely tied up in a bow.

If you enjoy family drama/crime/mystery, definitely read Penitence. Thank you, Net Galley and Celadon Books, for this alluring ARC.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the Advanced Reader Copy of Penitence by Kristin Koval. I participated in the Read Together Program and enjoyed that. Angie experienced a great tragedy when she was 17 when her sister was killed in a skiing accident. Her son Nico has been diagnosed with Huntingdon’s disease at age 14, another awful tragedy. Then, her daughter Nora shoots and kills Nico. Nora goes to prison, and Angie is brought back in contact with Julian, her old boyfriend who was there when her sister died, and who is now a criminal lawyer. There is a lot to this story. I really liked the characters, and the whole quiet mystery effect. Great relationship building, family ties, and many many questions. #penitence #kristinkoval #readtogether #celadonbooks #huntingdonsdisease #gunviolence #bookstagram #lovetoread #readersofinstagram @booksandpenns @lisa8220 @runiechica4 @mkreads26 @celadonbooks @kristinkovalwriter

Ugh. Maybe the problem is I’ve read very similar books that execute this premise WAY better, but I found this so deeply tedious and shallow. It just doesn’t work.

Are you only as good as the worst thing you've done?

The Sheehan family lives in a small Colorado town, in the same house in which the mother Angie grew up. They have been struggling with two burdens of late, caring for Angie's mother Livia who is living with Alzheimer's and the even more devastating diagnosis of her fourteen year old son Nico with Juvenile Huntington's disease. Angie is the caregiver for both her mother and her son, which doesn't leave much time left over for her thirteen year old daughter Nora...but Nora has always been closer to her father anyway, or so Angie justifies things. Nico's prognosis is dire and has taken a toll on everyone in the family, but no one predicted the events of one October night. That is the night that Nora took her father David's gun from the gun safe, shot Nico three times, and called 9-1-1 to tell the responder that she had just killed her brother. Now Nora is locked up at a juvenile detention center awaiting trial, Nico is dead, and Angie and David are growing further and further apart as they assign blame and try to make sense of the senseless act. The principal lawyer in town is Martine, who used to be Livia's best friend back when Angie was close to Martine's son Julian. The two young people were high school sweethearts until a tragic occurrence ripped the families apart...and would eventually be the underlying cause of Angie and David's later breakup as well. How much grief can one person, or one family, stand? Why would a girl who loved her brother as much as Nora did Nico kill him? And by bringing first Martine, and later Julian (now an accomplished NYC attorney), back into their lives, are Angie and David inviting wounds and secrets from the past to be reopened?
Penitence is a devastating novel to read, rife with guilt, bad choices, and the effects that past events have on people long after those events have occurred. So many of the richly drawn characters in this story have secrets which they have kept from those they loved, sometimes with the best of intentions but generally resulting in unanticipated (and negative) results. The story begins with the bare facts from the night of the shooting, offering a brief introduction to each of the main players, and goes back in time first leading up to that night and later reaching back further both to the day that Angie's younger sister died and to the circumstances leading up to Angie and Julian's breakup. There are so many questions posed...when one child in a family kills another, how should the parents treat the child who killed? Can you forgive and love one without betraying the other? How does a community look upon those parents? Who is to blame? What effects can living with guilt have upon a person, even if it is kept hidden? While the pacing of the book slows down at different times, it was hard as a reader to look away as I observed the devastation felt by the family, the gulf that opened up between Angie and David, the flaws of the legal system for juveniles, and more. While the one question I hoped most would be answered was left up to the reader's interpretation, I found Penitence to be a gripping if dark novel, one that will appeal to authors like Angie Kim, Celeste Ng, and Ann Patchett. My thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me access to this debut from author Kristin Koval in exchange for my honest review,

"Penitence" is the debut novel of author Kristin Koval. Angie and David Sheehan's 13 year old daughter murders her older brother one night. They call in local attorney Martine Dumont to defend their daughter because of financial constraints even though she isn't qualified. She in turn calls in her estranged son Julian who just happens to be Angie's ex-boyfriend and a criminal defense attorney.

This novel has two timelines including the present when the upcoming court case is coming up. The second is flashbacks of when Angie and Julian were dating in late high school, college in NY, and up until their break up.

I was very engaged with this novel until the last page. Please read this if you are a fan of character driven books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Penitence starts with the murder of a teenager in a small ski town in Colorado. We know immediately who committed the crime; the remainder of the book explores the why and how the characters got to where they are. There is a bit of a mystery involved, but this novel is really more of a slow burn family drama. The few "twists" are pretty well laid out throughout the novel and are not a surprise. I am so impressed this is a debut novel. I thought she did a great job of showing a very complex situation from many viewpoints. There were several times I wondered what I would do in that situation. I really enjoyed this story that is ultimately about forgiveness, love, guilt, how to live and move on after a traumatic event. 4.25 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced e copy.