For fans of Angie Kim, Jodi Picoult and Mary Beth Keane- Penitence is the emotional story of forgiveness and love and if the worst thing you've ever done should define you. The story opens just after thirteen year old Nora has shot and killed her fourteen year old brother Nico. Nora and Nico's parents, Angie and David, bring in a family from Angie's past to help with Noras legal counsel. What starts out as a mystery of why a sister would kill her beloved older brother, turns into a more complex story of the tale of two families, lost love, medical issues, the juvenile court system, and the power of forgiveness. Kristin Koval has a written a beautiful novel that while note quite a thriller, is fast paced and high tension, while delving into a lot of serious and heart-wrenching topics. This will for sure be a stand out of 2025 for many!

I loved Penitence by Kristin Koval. I understand why this book was listed as one of the most anticipated books of 2025 along with other bookstore and book community recommendations. The prologue is an attention grabber where readers are introduced to Angie and David Sheehan, the parents of Nico and Angie, widow and tough-cases attorney Martine DuMont, and Martine’s adult son Julian. The plot rapidly builds with tough circumstances throwing curve balls into these characters’ lives. I found myself marveling at the intricate character building and wondering how many hours, weeks, months Kristin Koval must have spent, plotting and revising this story that seamlessly unfolds and keeps a reader turning the pages as quickly as possible but without missing a single detail. Because, yes, details do count in this novel.
Whatever you do, do not read reviews or summaries that have spoilers; part of the magic of Koval’s story telling is learning the back stories on your own.
This book deals honestly with feelings of anger and blame when things go wrong. No character is perfect because each is realistic. There are good days and bad days, tested loyalties, and heartbreak while learning the hard way that there are no do-overs in real life. Koval maintains a high level of interest all while dealing expertly with serious issues of mental health, the quality of parenting, end-of-life decisions, partners growing apart, teenage emotions seesawing between careless exhilaration and devastation, and even caregiver burnout. Whew! Penitence is a cinematic experience. Thank you, Kristin Koval ,for obviously putting your heart and soul into every word, to Net Galley and Celadon Books for the privilege of reading an ARC. I am following this author on GoodReads and Instagram now, and Koval will be an auto-buy author for me !

4.5⭐️ This was a fascinating and heartbreaking page turner with a small measure of hopefulness. It had early Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper and Handle With Care) book vibes. My one hitch with this story was the dislike I had for Angie both in the past as a teen and young adult, and in the present day. But highly recommend.

Penitence is the perfect combination of two complex family trauma incidents, an intriguing legal case, an emotional multi-generational forgiveness tale, and an insight into issues surrounding juvenile justice. From the opening chapter, you are brought into a horrific case of a thirteen-year-old who killed her brother. What follows effortlessly is the impact of this murder on individual people with flashbacks to their pasts that brought them to the present. I will wonder what happens to these characters after caring about them, flaws and all. I will also note that a scene takes place on September 11th, which chilled me to the bone because of how well it is written in describing how it felt that day.

Thank you to Celedon Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I believe this is a debut novel. It's one you don't want to miss. It has so many feelings and will give you such deep emotions. In parts I got goosebumps and sure shed lots of tears. But the overall story is so good. It made me look at some things in a whole new way. Especially where kids who have committed crimes are concerned.

This is a story of a murder and the road to forgiveness. A story of a family torn apart by a tragedy that they never saw coming. This is a story that will definitely make you shed so many tears. And wonder why. Why did this happen?

Angie and David Sheehan have two children. Until they don't. Nora and Nico are very close siblings. Even in age they are being just eleven months apart. Nico is fourteen and Nora thirteen. Then Nora takes her dads gun out of his gun safe and shoots Nico three times. What could have made her do such a thing.

David goes to Martine Dumont, a lawyer, for help. He begs her to help his daughter. Martine is not a criminal defense attorney so she calls her son Julian. Martine and Julian have been somewhat estranged for many years. Only talking on the phone occasionally. Julian is also Angie's ex boyfriend. In high school the two were inseparable. Until they weren't.

This book is three stories in one but not in the least hard to follow. Each thing comes together in a way that makes the story that much better. This book is almost perfection. It's a story of people who need forgiveness. Of ones finding it. Of ones giving it. Sometimes it's hard to find forgiveness. And sometimes people just never think they deserve it.

I could not put this book down. It was that good. I have to highly recommend it to everyone I know. Yes it's sad but it's not graphic about things. No blood and gore. No horrors. Just a story that will hold your heart hostage until the very end.

Thank you #NetGalley, #CeladonBoos, #MacmillianAudio, for this ARC.

Five big stars.

If the purpose of a novel is to make you feel, then this one is effective. I was down in the dumps the entire time reading this. Everything about this was depressing - murder, infidelity, lying, prison, disease, mental illness - the whole tone was somber and morose. Did it keep my interest? Yes.

It took me days to muddle through this, simply because of the austere tone. I'm pretty sure the pain will stick with me for a few more days.

Don't expected an uplifting, hallelujah story. This isn't it. This is a well-written, poignant look at choices and their repercussions, it their effects on families and futures.

Well done.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Penitence
by Kristin Koval
Pub Date: Jan 28 2025

Penitence is a beautiful but very sad book. It's about a family trying to move on after a devastating loss. It includes past and present timelines showing how choices and decisions impacted the trajectory of their lives. I don't want to spoil the book by saying any more. It is a book I do recommend reading.

Synopsis: When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel—she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them.

Thank you #Penitence #NetGalley for providing me an E-ARC of this wonderful book.

This touching and emotional novel had me on the edge of my seat as I read chapter after chapter. I was hooked from the beginning and this one is such a powerful read full of family trauma, drama, secrets, and deceit.

I recommend this novel.

There is nothing better than receiving a widget for a book 4 days before publication. Thanks to Celadon Books, I pushed this right to the top of my pile. I can see why so many people took part in group reads. There is a lot I want to say but cannot here because of spoilers.
The story centers around an unthinkable tragedy. A 911 call changes the Sheehan family … Forever. When David and Angie desperately need good lawyers, they call Martine and her son Julian. Angie and Julian were high school sweethearts, but something life-changing happened to derail their happily ever after. The story unfolds in a rather(to me at least) unusual way. Set much more in the past than I expected.
There was one character that I personally thought was, well really selfish(and honestly that’s putting my feelings mildly). Those actions that started many years ago had little to do with the current tragedy, but boy did they make me mad about the choices that were made.
I do agree with everything that I’ve seen written about this book. It was quite a complex story, and honestly one that I haven’t totally processed.

Thank you so much to @celadonbooks for the #gifted book!

📚 I buddy read this for the 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙄𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 along!

🔹 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🔹
This debut fiction book was a compelling read and something I haven’t come across before! A 14 year old boy is murdered by his 13 year old sister, and the only people that can help defend the sister, are the mother’s ex-boyfriend and mother. However, their history runs deep and old secrets come to light when they have to face each other again.

This story focuses on forgiveness and makes you consider if you would be able to forgive someone for something awful that affected you. It also brings up how forgiveness and holding on to past grudges can affect how you are living your life.

Even though there is murder and secrets, this story is not a thriller, but a character based story. Both main characters were frustrating to read about but I can appreciate what tragedies they were going through.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🔹 Complicated Family Dynamics
🔹 Legal Procedures
🔹 Two Intertwined Families
🔹 Murder/Grief/Trauma
🔹 Dual Timelines

“She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter

This book is a tragedy and a very heavy read. It is filled with secrets, deceptions, bad decisions, life-altering mistakes, heartbreak, blame, grief, fratricide, and more. Every character experiences profound suffering. There is virtually no positivity in the story until the very end, but when I got there, I was crying right along with the characters.

The book emphasizes often that each of us is more than the worst thing we have ever done. Forgiveness is a central theme, and the story emphasizes the immense difficulty of giving it to others and ourselves. The lesson is that forgiveness benefits the forgiver as much as the forgiven. [See the Hawthorne quote at the top.]

I’m really struggling to give this book the quality review it deserves. I don’t know how to fully explain the depths of pain and sorrow that emanated from this story, or how the story made me think and feel. I can’t describe how much I wanted to jump into this story and fix everything for these characters who felt so real to me. It feels wrong to say I loved this book, because it truly is a tragedy… but I really did love this book.

This is the author’s debut and she definitely jumped into the deep end with it. She tackled this compelling story with honesty and didn’t balk from showing us the ugliness that can exist in the world and within us as individuals. This book is going to stick with me for a long time.

Thank you @netgalley and @celadonbooks for a copy of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Every now and then a book grabs you and doesn’t let go. Penitence was that kind of book for me. This was my most recent read and I just could not put it down.

A young girl commits fratricide in their home and Angie and David Sheehan’s life is forever changed. A family is left in ruins. Adding another layer to the mix, Angie’s ex lover’s mother becomes their defense attorney. One child is dead, another one essentially lost, a community that has deserted them and secrets lingering under the surface, this slow burn novel kept me in its thrall.

This book has a lot going on. Both a family drama and a look at a criminal justice system that often fails, this book examines the nature of forgiveness in a sensitive and thought provoking way. Lately, I’ve been craving books with more depth to them and this one delivered on that in a big way. It kept me thinking and feeling.

Thank you to @netgalley and @celadon books.

Prepare yourself for Penitence—a gripping, emotionally charged debut that weaves together the concepts of family, guilt, forgiveness, and redemption. Kristin Koval’s novel pulls no punches, leaving readers questioning whether we are defined by the worst choices we've ever made—or the paths we take to seek forgiveness.

Thirteen-year-old Nora Sheehan is at the heart of the story, sitting silently in a Colorado jail cell after she shot her 14-year-old brother, Nico, three times, killing him. Nico, who suffered from Huntington's disease, was the golden boy of their family, leaving everyone reeling from his loss and struggling to understand Nora’s actions. Was it a mercy killing? A desperate cry for help? Or something more complex?

Nora’s parents, Angie and David Sheehan, are consumed by grief, torn between their love for their daughter and the anguish of losing their son. Desperate for help, they turn to small-town attorney Martine Dumont. But Martine carries her own burden—her son, Julian, is not only a high-profile criminal defense attorney in New York City but also Angie’s first love. Julian reluctantly takes on Nora’s defense, forcing him and Angie to confront a shared, painful past involving tragedy, guilt, and choices they’ve tried to bury for decades.

The narrative unfolds across two timelines, from small-town Colorado in the 1990s, to the present-day courtroom drama that centers on Nora. This novel isn’t just about forgiveness—it’s about the courage it takes to face the truth, even when it’s unbearably painful.#Penitence #KristinKoval #CeladonBooks #LiteraryThriller

Set in the small ski resort town of Lodgepole, Colorado, we meet Angie Sheehan who is married to David, a park ranger. When the story begins, Angie's daughter Nora, 13, has been charged with the murder of her brother Nico, 14, who had recently been diagnosed with juvenile Huntington's disease. After Martine, a local attorney, is brought in to defend Nora, David requests that her son Julian help with the case. Julian, a defense attorney in New York City, is Angie's former boyfriend. The narrative alternates between the present, as Julian seeks the best way to defend Nora, who refuses to talk about what happened, and the complicated past of Angie and Julian, including another tragic family event. 

Kristin Koval’s impressive debut novel Penitence is a heavy read. This emotional story features complex, flawed characters harboring secrets and pain, filled with deep regret and remorse. The author also provides interesting insight into the juvenile justice system. Can forgiveness be given for unforgivable acts? Julian's wife tells him that forgiveness can be achieved when we accept that “each one of us is more than the worst we’ve ever done.” It broke my heart. 

4.25 stars.

I received an ARC of this book from Celadon and, after reading the premise, was extremely excited to begin.

This is a slow burn, character-driven novel. The writing is beautiful and the novel is just honestly well-written. What I appreciated was that the author clearly did her research—this was the first work of fiction I’ve read where the criminal procedure is ACTUALLY correct!! Not only that, but the author provided a realistic look into the judicial system for juveniles—also something I’d never seen done before.

I knew this book was going to be good from the moment it started with my favorite Bryan Stevenson quote, but I didn’t know it would be this great. It really does instruct you to sit down, take the world around you in, and look within—are you providing mercy in those crucial moments?

Looking forward to reading more from this author! Thank you Celadon Books for this!

3.75 rounded up | While I liked this quite a bit and found it very thought provoking, much of it was fairly predictable which took away some of the oomph. Full of complicated characters making complicated decisions (which not all readers will agree with), it definitely sucked me in (and I found the audio harder to put down than the print). I'm not sure this one will stick with me, but I'm glad it. For readers of Defending Jacob and Everything I Never Told You (though those two were 5 stars).

A huge thank you to Celadon Books and Kristin Koval for this exclusive ARC!

I love books that challenge your perspective and delve into real-life social issues. In “Penitence,” readers get a raw, unfiltered look at the juvenile justice system, and let me tell you, it’s both eye-opening and heartbreaking.

❄️ What did you love the most?
My husband is a criminal defense attorney, so one of the things I deeply appreciated was the authentic portrayal of legal proceedings. We had so many discussions about the plot because, sadly, he’s seen cases eerily similar to what unfolds in this book.

On top of that, the intense family drama was incredibly well done in this must-read debut novel. With dual timelines and multiple POVs, the story gets messy fast. Seriously, how would you react if one of your children killed their sibling? 🤯

❄️ What to expect:
📍 Small-town secrets
🕵️ Slow-burn mystery
⚖️ Legal dramas
⏳ Dual timelines
👨‍👩‍👧 Family drama

❄️ How was the pace?
This book is a slow-burn gem that’s perfect for fans of Celeste Ng’s emotional storytelling or Jodi Picoult’s ethical dilemmas. It’s deeply character-driven, so don’t expect nonstop action—it’s all about the emotions and relationships.

❄️ Do you recommend this book?
Absolutely! Every character grapples with the theme of forgiveness in ways that are both moving and devastating. Even though I guessed the motive behind the crime early on, that wasn’t the point. This book shines in its exploration of grief, guilt, and redemption. It’s a heavy, thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

was this a thirller? definitely not. it was more of a literary work than i expected. but it was VERY well written and very sad. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

📖 The Penitence is a gripping tale that seamlessly weaves themes of redemption, love, and resilience. Koval’s storytelling is both raw and poetic, drawing you into the protagonist’s journey of confronting the past and seeking forgiveness. The emotional depth of the characters makes it impossible not to root for them, even as they wrestle with the weight of their choices.

🌟 If you’re looking for a story that will break your heart and heal it all in one sitting, this book is a must-read. The powerful narrative lingers long after the final page, leaving you reflecting on your own paths to redemption.

WOW! This is the first word that comes to mind after finishing this amazing book by Kristin Koval! This is her debut book and I can't wait to see what else she will write.

Forgiveness is the theme of this book and when it comes I couldn't stop crying. Tears are running down my face as I write this review.

Grab this book as soon as possible and enjoy the beautiful but sad story of Nora killing her brother. I found myself reading as fast as possible to see where the story took me.

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC. I highly recommend it.