At the beginning of Koval’s debut, Martine Dumont is wakened from slumber unexpectedly. Dumont is a small-time lawyer near retirement. Dan Sheehan is at her door begging for her help: His daughter Nora, 12, was jested for killing her brother, Nico, 13. She allegedly shot him with Dan’s gun that he was issued in connection with his job as a park ranger. Martine doesn’t have the required expertise to handle a capital crime, but her estranged son, Julian, is a high-profile criminal defense lawyer in New York City. But Julian has complicated history with Diana, Dan’s wife. Diana and Julian were a couple in their youth until they were involved in an accident that ended with the death of Diana’s younger sister.

My Thoughts:

First off, this is a great debut — well written and ambitious. It explores some heavy themes and the characters are well-developed and really stand on their own. For some reason, the book did not grab me and it took me a while to get through. It did make me think a lot about forgiveness and acceptance. I just wish we went deeper on some of the characters to better understand their motivations and feelings. Since it was not written from Angie’s, Dan’s or Nora’s point of view, it was hard to really get inside of those characters and understand them.

Beautifully written thoughtful and thought provoking but know that, golly, it's just darn depressing. Angie and David's 13 year old daughter Nora has just killed their son Nico, who at 15 has been diagnosed with juvenile Huntington's disease. The best, the only lawyer in town is Martine, mother of Angie's former lover Julian, who is now also a defense attorney. This moves back and forth in time to tell their story which is also colored by tragedy. There are many secrets and lies here, not the least of which is one which you, like me might see coming along with yet another punch. There are twists, trauma, a lot of guilt. And there's forgiveness but not for everyone. No spoilers. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It's an interesting and compelling read that kept me turning the pages.

4.5 ⭐️

A beautifully written and narrated story of love and loss, guilt and innocence ; of secrets and lies ; of two families interlinked thru loss and tragedy

I went into this story blind. My honest opinion, it start at a slower pace (not a bad thing). In other words, the Author took her time and ended with a strong finish. This is my opinion and I would encourage readers to read this one for themselves. I look forward to future novels.

I first started seeing Penitence pop up on Instagram a few months ago, and it immediately caught my interest. I was hoping to get my hands on a copy, and I was fortunate enough to discover that Celadon was hosting a read-along. I was thrilled to be included!

I really enjoyed this book—it’s a suspenseful read with multiple points of view and several intertwining timelines. The way the different storylines were woven together created an intricate and engaging narrative. I’d rate it 4.5 stars because it kept me captivated, often leaving me with more questions, which I love in a suspense novel. I don’t want to provide too many details because I don’t want to spoil anything for you but I will tell there a death, one sibling Nora has been accused of killing her brother Nico.

The title Penitence truly encapsulates the essence of the story. The writing is beautifully crafted, and the character development allowed me to connect deeply with the characters. If this book isn’t already on your radar, I highly recommend adding it to your TBR—you don’t want to miss out!


In some ways, the author’s writing reminds me of Anne Napolitano or Jean Hanff Korelitz. I finished the book late last night, eager to see how everything tied together and to get some final answers. While not all my questions were answered, the ones that were provided satisfying closure.

This book struck the perfect balance between being plot-driven and character-driven. I found myself feeling both compassion and frustration for the characters at different points, which speaks to the depth of the storytelling.

This is a stunning debut! So full of emotions, a lot of heartbreak but beautifully executed!! I loved how easy the story and writing flows!

Our fleeting week of winter arrived in South Texas, bringing with it freezing temperatures and even a rare snow day. As I busied myself with chores to prepare for the chill, I was completely captivated by a book I couldn't pause. Kristin Koval’s debut novel, Penitence, is a profound and moving exploration of love, forgiveness, and the rippling effects of a tragic crime. Thanks to the generosity of Koval’s publisher, I had the opportunity to read, and from the first moments, I was utterly drawn in.

Angie and David Sheehan believed they had already faced the worst tragedy imaginable when their teenage son, Nico, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of Huntington’s disease. The devastating prognosis promised a slow and heartbreaking decline, leaving them bracing for the long road ahead. But just weeks after his diagnosis, their lives were shattered once again when Nico’s life came to a sudden and violent end.

In a chilling 911 call, their daughter Nora tearfully confesses to shooting and killing her brother. Overwhelmed by shock and grief, the Sheehans turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help. Martine isn’t just any attorney. She’s also the mother of Angie’s former flame, Julian, a prominent criminal defense lawyer in New York City. As Julian is drawn into the Sheehans' case, old wounds and buried guilt resurface, forcing him and Angie to confront a shared tragedy from their youth. Together, they must navigate the legal and emotional aftermath of the shooting, unravel the truth behind Nora’s confession, and confront the tangled web of culpability, grief, and unresolved feelings that binds them all.

With Penitence, Kristin Koval delivers a debut that seamlessly blends deep character exploration with profound thematic contemplation, crafting a deeply engrossing story. While the catalyst for the novel is a teenage girl’s shocking act of killing her brother, the crime itself serves primarily as a lens to examine the intricate lives of those around her. Like the adults in the story, I was initially consumed by the mystery of why such a tragedy occurred. But the true brilliance of Koval's writing lies in her ability to delve into each adult character’s life, unearthing their pasts, revealing their emotional complexities, and tying them all to the present in a natural and profoundly moving way.

Koval’s narrative structure, reminiscent of Celeste Ng's Little Fires Everywhere, shifts perspectives fluidly, offering glimpses into the characters’ inner lives as their stories converge toward the present day. Penitence is a novel about family, love, guilt, forgiveness, and the heavy truths we carry, all woven together with remarkable skill. It is the first truly great book I’ve read this year, one that will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time.

I enjoyed the legal aspects of this book. It was a bit slow and parts of it got to be a bit long. Definitely a good debut, but not something I'd remember long term.

Penitence is an impressive debut novel that hooked me from the start. I loved the multiple points of view, giving each character a unique and flawed perspective that made them deeply relatable and engaging. Despite their imperfections, I found myself genuinely hoping for the best for each of them.

The author's background as a lawyer is evident throughout the novel, especially during the client-attorney meetings and court appearances. These scenes felt incredibly authentic which is often hard to achieve. It reminded me of the attention to detail found in Jodi Picoult’s works, which is a high compliment, in my opinion.

Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the story took an unexpected turn that kept me on the edge of my seat. Without giving too much away, I found the ending to be refreshingly different for this genre—unexpected but perfect in its own right.

I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next! Thank you to Netgalley and Celadon for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

★★★★ 4/5 stars
⁕ Pub date 1/28/25 - out next week!

⟡ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 :
-Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
-Mad Honey or My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
-powerful, thought-provoking reads
-snow Colorado setting
-dual timelines
-complicated families
-the search for forgiveness & redemption

⟡ 𝐌𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 :
I am so incredibly impressed that this is a debut novel! Penitence is one of those books that really grabs hold from the first page. It has tension that grips like a thriller & even some legal drama. It’s such an emotionally charged story that highlights the way forgiveness comes from acceptance, because “each one of us is more than the worst we’ve ever done."

This story is messy & complicated, filled with morally grey areas. It asks some tough questions. The characters are flawed & multifaceted, connected by tragedy & grief while navigating a broken criminal justice system.

The audiobook narration was fantastic. Thérèse Plummer’s performance was truly captivating, bringing the characters to life with depth & emotion.

The chapters were on the longer side, & in the end we don’t have all the answers. But I felt like that fit the story in a way, a little disappointed & frustrated - exactly how the characters felt I’m sure.

I'm excited to see what author Kristine Koval comes up with next! Consider me a fan ◡̈

Thanks to @celadonbooks @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for this Arc ◡̈

What an incredible debut novel! I was riveted. Two connected families face the aftermath of an unthinkable crime, as memories of a previous tragedy still haunt them. This family drama is complex and layered, delving compassionately into some heavy territory.

Beautifully written, well-paced, and powerful, this has a dual timeline and multiple POVs. I found myself fully invested in each timeline and in all of the characters. Every scene is vividly depicted, and the characters are multi-faceted, flawed, and compelling.

The story is deeply emotional, looking at grief, guilt, redemption, healing, forgiveness, love, and more. Some scenes are heartrending, although there is hope. This did not go where I thought it would, which is not a criticism. I appreciated that things were not tidy and tied up in a neat bow. Not every question has an answer.

The commentary on the justice system, particularly the juvenile justice system, gave me a lot of food for thought. And I'm still thinking about this story days after I finished the book.

A must-read if you enjoy a family drama. I look forward to reading what Koval writes next. I was really blown away that this is her debut novel!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Celadon Books for the gifted audiobook!

A solid 4.5 stars for this thought-provoking, poignant DEBUT author!!! Kristin Koval kills it!! This novel will find the reader often pausing to contemplate its very humanly-flawed characters, inspire discussions, and even change the reader's mind--entertaining new thoughts and challenging his/her core beliefs and values.

Imagine you are the parent of two children, whom you love with every ounce of your being...now imagine if one of those beloved children murders the other...This is the story that unfurls with a vehement impact from page one and does not let go until its conclusion; It's a brilliant narrative of pain, desire, mystery, hope and forgiveness, written so beautifully, in lyrical language, that leaves the reader much time to deliberate the emotions conceived so magnificently and powerfully. Think brilliant author, Celeste Ng here...as Ms Koval's writing, although VERY MUCH unique, mirrors that of Ms. Ng's style.

Please give this debut novel a chance, dear reader; I believe you will truly enjoy everything this beautiful book emotes, and it will stay with you long after its last luminous word. It is due out on January 28th, 2025; buy it.

Thank you to author, Kristin Koval, Publisher, Celadon Books, and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book so much! The writing was so well done and so was the character development. I could not put it down!

This novel centers around the murder of Nico, who has Huntington’s disease, by his 13 year old sister Nora. Her motive is unclear and she is unable to recall the event, initially even refusing to speak. Her parents respond to this event in very different ways, with her mother, Angie, essentially shutting her out until the end. We get a lot of Angie’s perspective and history and the additional storyline of how she had a relationship with Nora’s defense attorney when they were younger. This is a story of many secrets and some forgiveness. I expected a few more twists and surprising moments. The reveals were somewhat predictable and I really wanted the story to focus on Nora, because Angie was unlikeable. Even though there were some disappointments along the way, I was invested in this story (maybe hoping for more Nora) and kept coming back to see how it would end.

Impressive first novel by author/lawyer Kristin Koval. You can certainly tell that Koval has experience as an attorney since much of this novel follows a mother and her son who are representing her son's former girlfriend, which brings a sort of Peyton Place element to this dramatic novel. I've been snowed in most this week so it was to settle down with this novel, wondering why this 13-year-old girl murdered her 14-year-old brother with Hutchinson's disease, the former sweethearts who hadn't seen each other in 16 years, reconnected as the legal representation for the couple having to make sense of this horrific tragedy, and then the lingering tragedy that involved these same families decades earlier. Many secrets, much grief, and endless losses that more or less return full circle, though some secrets remain secrets, and other mysteries remain unknown, yet, the families reconnect and it's a compelling read for the readers of this engaging novel.

Very much the same feeling when reading Celeste Ng - intense and eager to find out the outcome of a harrowing story. Deep topics covered - complex and heartbreaking at times reading about the intersection of these two families. Multiple perspectives helped make this an emotional read.

This is a hard tale, one where a young girl commits fratricide. There are many secrets being kept from others, and they are slowly revealed throughout the course of the book. It’s worth a read, especially for the very last bit, which made me cry.

That said, this was such a slow burn that it won’t be on my re-read list. However, Koval’s thoughts on forgiveness and redemption will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC.

This book packs an absolute emotional punch. So much pain for these people without any true resolution (in my mind). This book centers on a young girl shooting and killing her brother. If that alone doesn't break your heart, the rest of the story will. While some plot points felt wrapped up and finalized to me, others didn't. 4/5 for me. This could have been a 5 star read, but without answers on specific things that happened in this book I couldn't.

This is such a poignant read with flawed characters, complex circumstances, family drama, and loss. The pace is a slow burn, but the story is so deep in character, in multiple POVs, that it maintains your interest. I’m so glad I got an ALC and the ebook because Thérèse Plummer's narration was great. Thank you MacMillan Audio and Celadon Books for the gifted ALC and ebook.

Penitence is a remarkable debut. This is a gripping family drama centered on siblings Nico and Nora, whose lives are forever changed by a devastating act. Thirteen year old Nora has shot her older brother, Nico. But why would she commit such an unthinkable act?

As Nora’s parents Angie and David, wrestle with the unimaginable loss of one child and the effective loss of another, they face a community that has turned its back on them and the only lawyer available is the mother of Angie’s ex lover. They struggle to uncover the truth and navigate a justice system that feels as broken as their family.

Although I often find non-linear timelines challenging, this story was so absorbing that the shifts between past and present felt seamless. The narrative is woven with tension and emotion, making it difficult to put down.

This story involves a lot of difficult topics, but the writing is sensitive, thoughtful, and never veers into sensationalism. Themes of guilt, forgiveness and a very broken justice system feature heavily throughout.

Ultimately, Penitence is a poignant and thought-provoking read, with a lot to unpack. It would be an ideal choice for book clubs, since there are so many discussion points.

This book publishes January 28. Thank you Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.