Penitence was a surprise in some ways.

Surprising start and premise, then a slow burn. Really, for quite a while.
Toward the last quarter though, things picked up again and I completed the book feeling quite satisfied with the story and overall trajectory.

Accident and mistakes, guilt, forgiveness of ourselves and others.. you will find those in the storyline and more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an ARC of Penitence in exchange for an honest review.

When a shocking murder shatters the lives of Angie and David Sheehan, they seek help from small-town lawyer Martine Dumont, who is also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian—a prominent New York City defense attorney. As Julian and Angie reunite, they must confront buried guilt from a tragic accident, unresolved feelings, and their own roles in the present crisis.

From the moment I read the synopsis of Penitence by Kristin Koval, I knew I had to dive in. This poignant and heartbreaking story is hard to sum up in a review, but it’s remarkable that such a deeply affecting novel is Koval’s debut. Her writing is evocative, brimming with raw emotion, and her characters are so vividly drawn that I found myself empathizing with each of them. Julian, in particular, stood out—flawed yet deeply relatable, his journey stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

The way the story spans decades and interweaves Julian and Angie’s relationship through flashbacks is masterfully done, adding layers of depth and complexity. Nora’s storyline, while difficult to read, is handled with care, and her time in juvenile detention and subsequent trial are woven seamlessly into the narrative. While a few questions are left unanswered, it feels intentional, reflecting the messy realities of life and grief. If you’re seeking a thought-provoking family drama that explores themes of loss, tragedy, and redemption, this book is not to be missed.

Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Genuinely one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I cannot believe this was a debut. The writing reminded me of Kristin Hannah and Jodi Picoult both of which have an incredible talent of character creation. There are so many conversations to be had from this book and one I’ll never thinking about for a while. While slower paced books sometimes can drag I did not have that issue with this story and thought the author did a great job keeping the reader invested. I was hoping for one last twist in the book but the ending was appropriate. This will be a hit once it comes out and I will be recommending to everyone! Thanks to NetGalley for early access in exchange for my honest review.

What an incredible debut novel!! Though an emotional and heavy read, you won't want to put this book down. Koval seamlessly weaves the multiple characters' backstories together, tying their past mistakes to consequences in their present time--all while exploring themes of family, forgiveness, and learning from your past mistakes. Triggers here for child death, and in small amounts, alcoholism and Alzheimer's--but Koval handles them with care. You really become attached to these characters--I love stories that span decades like this one and allow you to really get to know them.

"'No,' he says. 'You can't. None of us can undo the bad things we've done. All we can do is learn from our mistakes.' Nora doesn't answer at first, but she eventually nods. He adds, 'You need to become the person you want to be instead of the person who did the bad thing."

I can't wait to read what Koval writes next!

A shocking murder rocks Angie and David, changing their family forever. Needing to defend their family, they hire Martine, who isn’t just a lawyer; she has a tragic background with Angela.

This was quite the emotional ride and very well written. A perfect book for a book club or discussion because there’s so much to discuss. Personally I felt there were some slow parts in the middle, which kept this from being a five star read for me, but it really is a great read. While not a courtroom drama, there is still a lot of legal workings. There are developed back stories to the characters that you gradually learn. The ending was perfect and brought a few tears.

“Everyone has committed wrongs, but everyone needs forgiveness and the chance to make up for those wrongs.”

Penitence comes out 1/28.

Shocking, heartbreaking, beautiful story. It's about motherhood, grief, forgiveness and love. It's a stark look at the American justice system for a juvenile.

A shot in the night - 2 parents abruptly woken up. The unimaginable has happened - one sibling has shot the other. One of them has passed. So begins our story. It's shocking, this beginning, but it's handled with love and grace. The grief the parents feel and their struggle to understand what's happened and why was so moving.

As they arrange an attorney, a funeral and hide from everyone in their small town, you start getting flashbacks to understand how they might have gotten to this point. It's such a compelling story. It was heartbreaking but never so overwhelming I didn't think I could read. Understanding what happened and getting the attorney's POV was so compelling it was hard to stop reading. I loved it as much as it broke my heart, and the ending was so perfect. Amazing this is a debut, I will definitely look for more from this author!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

What is the worst dilemma a parent can face? Having one child kill another is probably right up there at the top. How are you supposed to mourn the loss of your child while still taking care of the other one? Is it even possible? Angie and David are faced with that predicament when their daughter shoots their son 3 times. And this is just the very beginning of the book! The characters are incredibly well developed. And as Nora's character was revealed, I only wanted to comfort her more and more. Even the deceased Nico feels real. The killing is just the beginning of the unravelling of old secrets and old emotions. I also really appreciated that the author didn't let some of those secrets hang over the readers' heads for the entire book. Several were revealed early enough that the reader could focus on the main plot instead of getting sidetracked wondering about minor points. I thoroughly loved reading this book and feeling the anguish along with the characters. This story will stay with me long after!

PENITENCE
Kristin Koval


“We’re only as sick as our secrets.”
AA

It is far more important for you to know who you are, the secrets you keep, the actuality of your intentions than whatever it is other people think they know of you. There is only one mind you can make up, only one reality you must lay down with every night, only one viewpoint you will take with you to the grave.

If life were a movie there would be only one angle, only one shot.

PENITENCE is about a family. Upended and torn apart in the dark recesses of one night. They will never be the same again once the sun rises.

I left the summary pretty vague as I feel the more I leave for you will mean you will have more when you pick up the book. Which you definitely should, pick it up, that is.

The writing is thoughtful and the questions asked are amazing, the emotions felt were completely and layered. I was left at several points in the material to ponder how I felt. To reassess my judgments and to reevaluate where I stand.

The predicament our characters face is not one you would want to face in real life. One of the most important ways we grow when we read is that we are given the opportunity to experience life in someone else's shoes without having to put them on. We are given the benefit of empathy for what the characters in the book are going through. And it reminds us that everyone whether loudly and publicly or quietly and internally, is facing battles that are not always visible from the outside.

I enjoyed this book immensely and I am blown away that this was a debut novel.

Thanks to Netgalley and Celadon Books for the advanced copy!

PENITENCE...⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I knew this book would be a heartbreaker based on the blurb which I did read for this book; however, I had no idea just what a heartbreaker it would be. There was so much to this book: love, family, deceit, murder, characters with conflicting feelings regarding the murder, and so much more.

David and Angie are married and have two children: Nico and Nora. The family has had some good memories, but David and Angie seem like they're in a struggling marriage from the get-go. When the unthinkable happens in their very own home, things are exacerbated and their marriage slowly begins to unravel or at least seems to be. How they will ever come to terms and be able to grow their marriage was an enigma. Or, I wondered, if they'd end in divorce.

The story has several time lines and within those time frames we have a younger Angie and a boy named Julian. They are like Romeo and Juliet when after a very tragic accident they're forbidden to see each other. This storyline continues throughout and is an integral part of the plot.

When I reached the end of the book, I realized that this book was more about forgiveness and learning if/how/why to forgive than anything else. At least that's how I saw it.


I had both an e-ARC and audiobook and while I thought the narrator was very good and I would definitely listen to her again, this is a book that I would get just as much out of it without the audiobook. Some audiobooks are practically necessary but in this case either option works.

I think this book is one that should be put on others' TBR shelf and read because it's really good.

What a novel! I inhaled this well-wriit2n thought provoking look at love, forgiveness and family. When tragedy strikes and a young girl is sentenced for murdering her brother a family must reconcile their thoughts about one another and the interplay of relationships. With a beautiful Colorado setting and a lot of plot twists, the novel becomes a work of art. Loved it.

“Nora would have never done this if you’d paid half as much attention to her as you did to Nico.”
Did Angie really love Nico more than Nora?
Can there really ever be true forgiveness?
Perhaps.
This debut novel concerning fratricide is a dark family drama of long held secrets, of mental health, heartache, shock and a debilitating disease. It is also a book that may stay with you long after the last page is turned. I received an early copy from Netgalley and Celadon Books, a Division of Macmillan Publishing. This review of flawed characters, secrets, festering animosity and the breakdown of a family was hard to read, but definitely thought provoking.

4.5 debut stars

Penitence – remorse for your past conduct

I am thinking about the title of this book and the themes of forgiveness and penitence that this book explores. This powerful debut novel still has me thinking after I’ve finished. Are you a forgiving person?

Set in a Colorado mountain town and NYC, the story features several families and follows them through a lifetime of choices, actions, and consequences.

Julian and Angie have grown up together, are deeply in love, and plan to spend their lives together until a tragic ski accident forces them apart. Julian heads off to college in Vermont while Angie attends art school in New York.

The book hops around in time, feeding us the story in bits and pieces. We know that Angie and Julian don’t stay together, but we don’t know why until near the end of the book. Angie moves back to Lodgepole, the mountain town they grew up in, marries, and has two children, Nora and Nico.

Tragically, at age 13, Nora fatally shoots her older brother Nico three times. Julian’s mother, Martine, is an attorney in Lodgepole representing Nora. Julian is drawn back into Angie’s orbit because he is an attorney in New York and has experience representing juveniles in the criminal system.

The book explores the concepts of treating some juveniles as adults and how a case like this might play out. As Angie, Julian, and Nora grappled with past mistakes and forgiveness, I was captured by the compelling writing and storytelling.

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” Bryan Stevenson (If you aren’t familiar with him, I encourage you to check out Just Mercy)

I keep reading wondering how it is all going to tie together- as the decades old storyline rumbles towards the modern storyline.

The story follows a dual timeline of Julian and Angie as teens and young adults- starting with a tragedy in 2016. The second timeline is modern time, with Nora in jail for a horrible crime, Nico’s diagnosis, and Angie + Dave’s decisions in the midst of tragedy. We walk these two remarkably different paths, both filled with tragedy alongside the characters.

Set in Colorado, Koval investigates the side of childhood trauma, past secrets and second chances, living life to the fullest and punishments for severe crimes committed by children.

It sounds like a lot to take in, and it is, but it is also done in a way that really asks the reader to connect with characters, walk through the mystery of what happened and why, and then think through some very challenging moments for the adults in the novel.

A well done debut novel, for sure! This should be one of the first novels you grab in 2025!

Penitence has an interesting premise but the execution fell a little flat for me. Right before the story begins, 13 year old Nora has shot and killed her 14 year old brother Nico. Their parents are left trying to figure out how to grieve one child while setting up a defense plan for the other. The book begins with the Bryan Stevenson quote “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” This was definitely enough to draw me in. Thank you to the publisher for the free ebook and audiobook to review.

From here on will be spoilers about what didn’t work for me so please stop reading here if you don’t want to see more.

There were a few examples where the writing really didn’t work for me - the one that stuck with me the most was “She’s not sure what hurts more, her feelings or her heartburn.” Randomly since I read it I’ll just think that to myself and laugh.

The foreshadowing was so heavy handed that anything that could have been a surprise was not at all. The heart of a great story was in there but the execution could use some polishing - I’m interested to read what’s next from the author and see her writing evolve.

Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced reader copy.

It's hard to believe this is a debut novel, for how well crafted the characters are and how nuanced the layers of the story are. From the setup (a young girl is arrested for murdering her brother, someone she'd been almost like a twin to, and her parents have to rely on the mother's ex-boyfriend to try and save the only child they have left), it's clear Koval isn't interested in a neat and tidy story. With each new layer added into the mix, understanding Angie's and Julian's backstories, I was overcome by how much the writer made me care about two people who were at times selfish, self-centered, and careless with others. The end gutted me and I know this will be a book that I continue to think about for a awhile. If you're someone who enjoys lives lived in the messy gray, this is the book for you.

Penitence comes out January 28, 2025

Penitence is a story about ultimate forgiveness. A mother coming to terms with decisions made in her past that impact her future. When the unthinkable happens, this mother needs to learn to forgive herself and her family members. Heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time.

This is a wonderful book which covers multiple generations of secrets, love, and regrets. Overall, it is a touching family drama that may leave you wondering if the worst thing you've ever done will be the one thing that defines you, You can feel the raw emotion (including love, loss, anger, betrayal, grief, guilt, depression, loneliness, and death). This book is so well done and engaging that it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. If you enjoy stories full of family drama, dual timelines, and themes of forgiveness, this is one to add to your list.

"Penitence" by Kristin Koval begins with a horrific murder that implodes the lives of Angie and David Sheehan. As they seek help from Martine Dumont, the small-town lawyer who is also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian Dumont, the plot thickens with layers of unresolved emotions and shared histories and uncovers many secrets and lies.

Overnight, Angie and David go from being parents of two to their fourteen-year-old son, Nico, being shot dead and their thirteen-year-old daughter, Nora, in police custody after a 911 call admitting her guilt. The brother and sister were always so close and loved each other dearly, but things started to change after Nico was diagnosed with uncurable Huntington's disease. The family was already dealing with the tragedy that comes with slowly losing a grandparent to dementia, and now they were preparing themselves for a similar scenario with Nico. But he wasn't to that point yet, and Nora won't talk about why she killed her brother.

The family begs Julian to return to town to assist his mother, Martine, with representing Nora. He agrees, and it's the first time he's been near Angie in fourteen years.

Koval skillfully navigates the complex relationships among her characters in this story, particularly between Angie and Julian, whose past is fraught with tragedy, addiction, loss, and regret. The realization for Angie and David that they have essentially lost both of their children, even though one is still alive, is beyond heartbreaking. And how do you forgive that child for murdering the other for no apparent reason?

There are several stand-out moments in the book for me:
* One is when Nora is being transported to court from the detention center by the officer, and he hits a wolf running across the road. That entire moment and the conversation between them was so profound, emotional, and impactful! Wow.
* And the second was Angie finally understanding forgiveness or maybe coming to terms with forgiveness. I was angry with her throughout most of the book, but the scene with Nora truly moved me.

While the writing and storytelling show so much emotional depth and character development, it delves deeply into loss and suffering (child death, child loss, parent loss, addiction, depression), which may be difficult for some. It was hard for me. But overall, Koval's debut is a thoughtful exploration of the human experience and the weight of forgiveness. It certainly left a lasting impression.

Thank you, #NetGalley, #KristinKoval, and CeladonBooks, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of #Penitence.
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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

"Penitence" by Kristin Koval is a poignant and suspenseful exploration of love, forgiveness, and the complexities of family loyalty. Koval's debut novel is a compelling page-turner that delves deep into the emotional landscapes of its characters, making it a truly immersive reading experience.

The story revolves around Angie Sheehan, whose life is marked by tragedy and loss. When her daughter, Nora, commits a shocking murder, Angie's world is shattered. Desperate to defend her family, Angie turns to Martine Dumont, a small-town lawyer who happens to be the mother of Angie's first love, Julian. As Julian returns to help with the legal defense, old wounds are reopened, and long-buried secrets come to light.

Koval skillfully weaves together the past and present, spanning decades from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the bustling streets of New York City. The narrative is rich with emotional depth, exploring the themes of guilt, redemption, and the journey towards forgiveness. The characters are intricately developed, each grappling with their own culpability and unresolved feelings.

This story explores the human capacity for both good, evil, loss and love. Koval challenges readers to consider whether each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done, prompting introspection and empathy. The writing is evocative and insightful, capturing the nuances of human relationships and the complexities of personal growth.

The pacing is well-balanced, with moments of intense suspense interspersed with quieter, reflective passages. Koval's prose is lyrical and accessible, making the story engaging for a wide range of readers. The settings are vividly described, adding to the atmospheric tension that permeates the novel.

"Penitence" is a beautifully crafted and emotionally resonant story that will leave a lasting impression on its readers. Kristin Koval's debut is a testament to her talent as a writer, offering a suspenseful and thought-provoking exploration of the human experience. This book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a well-told tale of love, loss, and redemption.

This book was floating around on bookstagram, getting a few five star reviews, so I figured I would give it a shot. Immediately I was hooked! The story is so intricately woven and deep, spanning decades in the character’s lives. It seems impossible that this is a debut, these characters and their stories are imprinted in my mind and I can’t stop thinking about them! There are two different families that the story follows and it goes back and forth in time showing how much they have impacted one another. The characters are flawed, make mistakes, broken, and that makes this story feel even more real to me. It is a story about forgiveness ultimately and how much heartbreak one can endure in a lifetime. I cannot stop raving about this book and won’t be happy until every one has read it!