This book started strong. Immediately, I was sucked in because of the sheer craziness and mystery behind of the events that were unfolding. It has such a thriller vibe but that didn’t last long. It calmed down, slowed down and fit the fiction genre.

This is a pretty heavy book with dark themes. This is a book heavy in forgiveness of yourself and others along with compassion. The characters aren’t necessarily likable but very complex making for a very interesting read. The mystery behind the characters and the death of a character really pull you through. This was definitely an interesting read and I’m glad I got the opportunity to read it.

Thank you to @celadonbooks for the opportunity to read this ARC!

A heartbreaking powerful read is the majority feeling on this one. I am having a hard time reviewing this one as I didn't love it and I seem to be the only one so I am very much in the minority on this one. I think mostly because I went into this one expecting something much more different. This was incredibly well written and heart breaking but I was expecting more of a legal/courtroom family drama and this was not that.

About a shocking murder that happens in a small ski town and the parents Angie and David who reaches out to a town lawyer to represent their daughter. The town lawyer happens to be the mother of Angie's first love. From there we go back and forth between the past and present and the complicated history of all those involved. This is a slow burn, heavy character, heavy plot circling around family dynamics, forgiveness, and trauma.

PENITENCE by Author Kristin Koval is a complex, heartbreaking domestic suspense highlighting how impulsive decisions can change the trajectory of lives. Not only for the people directly involved, but also for the waves of people that wash in and out of lives over time. It's a story of profound grief, life altering choices, guilt, redemption and forgiveness. It's a story of the extraordinary power of love.

The story opens with thirteen-year-old Nora sitting in a jail cell while local police ponder what to do with a child that has just confessed to killing her older brother Nico. Nora hasn't spoken a word since the early morning hours when gunshots woke her parents, sending them rushing into the horrifying nightmare of their son lying in a pool of blood, their daughter holding the smoking gun. Fighting shock and tears, Nora's father David contacts small town lawyer Martine to plea for her to defend Nora while her mother Angela falls apart. Martine in turn contacts her son Julian, a successful New York City crime defense attorney who specializes in seeking justice for minors and asks him to take the case. This is where things get tricky . . . Julian and Nora's mother, Angela, were teenage sweethearts with plans for marriage after college before a tragic accident claimed a life, tearing the young lovers apart and banishing Julian to New York to live and finish school at the home of his grandmother. Both went on to marry others and appear to live normal, happy lives, but the burden of guilt, secrets and unanswered questions remain between them over what happened that dark night on the ski slopes. And now questions about what happened the night Nico’s killed are threatening to rip this family apart. Did Nora enter her brother's bedroom and shoot him with her father's gun in cold blood? Nora says she doesn't remember what happened, but is she telling the truth?

PENITENCE, Koval's debut novel, is an amazing, poignant, heart wrenching domestic thriller with a depth of characterizations and plot lines seldom found in debut novels. The story unfolds through dual timelines, the present with the tragedy unfolding with Nora and her family, and the past with Angela and Julian's tragic story with all its ugly secrets becoming known. Along the journey there are a multitude of broken promises and lives, all buried beneath some dark, take to the grave secrets that have festered for years. Koval's ability to tap into human emotions following unspeakable trauma is a stunning achievement. Richly drawn characters render flawless performances as the author delves deeply into the flawed juvenile justice and legal system highlighting the tendency to punish vs. rehabilitation. From the first page to the last, the pace escalates as Nora's situation plummets at every twist and turn until the final verdict is rendered. Some readers may find the ending too open ended, while others will nod their heads in agreement that justice is served. This reader is somewhere in the middle.

I highly recommend the audiobook version of PENITENCE as narrator Thérèse Plummer delivers an outstanding performance rich in emotion bringing each character to life. PENITENCE is a stunning, gut wrenching domestic thriller that encourages self-reflection. One this reader couldn't put down. Two stories of unfathomable tragedy, two shattered families entwined in crisis, two snap decisions decades apart forever changing the course of lives. Highly recommended to fans of soul-searching domestic suspense and family drama. I look forward to more from the talented Author Kristin Koval.

The characters were complex and deeply flawed, making them feel very human. The ending was tragic as was the tone of the entire book, but I loved the writing and story nevertheless. The plot of this will stick with me for a long time! I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work.

I read this book partially on kindle and listened on audio partially.

Kristin Koval’s debut novel, Penitence is great for book clubs because it is a thought-provoking book that allows the reader to consider many “what-ifs” leading to the opportunity for great discussion. An emotional, multi-layered family drama that packs a punch from the very beginning, I was fully invested in this story from start to finish. Wonderfully written, with deeply flawed characters carrying long-held secrets, Penitence explores topics of grief/loss, guilt, forgiveness, redemption and the lasting impact they have on our lives.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Penitence by Kristin Koval!

I am really upset with this book...

This book started out really good and then the ending ruined it for me.

What I liked about it:
-I thought this book was really well written. It jumps between POVs and different timelines, and I was interested in all of it. The writing was so well done that I did not realize it was a debut at first.
-It was very thought provoking and I'll think about it for a while. The dilemma of forgiveness is a really interesting theme throughout the book.

What I didn't like:
-THE ENDING. I felt like I went through hours of consuming this story to only have barely any answers at the end.
-It had long chapters which made it feel like it dragged in some spots.

To conclude, I want to end this review by saying that this book is not so much a mystery/thriller like I thought it was. The synopsis makes it seem like there is some form of plot altering twist and while there was a twist of sorts in the last quarter of the book, I was waiting for it to be something more grandeur. The story itself was good up until the ending being a let down. I am still interested in seeing what this author writes next!

❄️I have an unpopular opinion of this one, I fear. While I loved the overarching message of this book— I struggled with a lot of parts of it. Thank you to @celadonbooks for the chance to read this.

❄️ Ok, the message behind this book: a person is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done. Or, you can do a bad thing and not be a bad person. I LOVE that. But to that end I’d say— that doesn’t mean you should hide your bad thing forever and never pay any consequences. And what does it say if you repeatedly do bad things and lie about them? Like forever?

❄️ What I liked in this book:
- a gripping beginning, fantastic writing and engrossing family drama
- atmospheric descriptions both of winter in a Colorado mountain town and New York City
- societal analysis of the juvenile justice system in the U.S.
- the message of forgiveness

❄️ What I didn’t like:
- in a book about forgiveness some of these characters felt a little greedy 🤣 at some point, you need to face your consequences
- this book starts with a sad, shocking, disturbing event — and while it has ripple effects— we never really learn why that event happened and that left me feel like I read a really sad thing with no payoff or lesson learned. It left me feeling like it was shock for shock’s sake.
- some of the big twists were pretty predictable

❄️ After all that, I sit right in the middle with this one. I know many people loved and adored it so remember I am just one person. If you’re intrigued by this at all, you should definitely check it out for yourself! Have you read this? What did you think?

Thanks for the review copy. This book reminded me of Jodi Picoult, Angie Kim, and Celeste Ng. I will admit I wanted more answers about why Nora did what she did.

I think there were some problems with pacing, but I did really enjoy this. Angie Kim-esque. Definitely one I'll be thinking about for a bit.

Started very strong, I was hooked right in the prologue. I enjoyed the writing style and the story was compelling. It did have moments as it went on that were a bit slow and could of used some trimming but all in all a solid read.

I have so many mixed feelings about this book! I really felt like I wanted to know the story and really appreciate the different premise and storyline . I enjoyed the flash backs and felt like I was getting to know the characters… meanwhile kind of hating all of them, haha! I just wish we would have gotten to know more about Nico and Nora and really why/or a believable reason why Nora did it!

A heartbreaking story of love, guilt, and forgiveness .
When a sibling kills another sibling truths and secrets are revealed as we the reader try and figure it out! A page turner with surprises .
I enjoyed the writing and I was definitely invested in the characters and the outcome .I also loved the dual timeline and connecting the dots.
Thanks Net Galley for an early read of this one!

The debut novel manages to strike a balance between a legal and family drama with the inciting crime actually only being a foundation for the story. The exploration of complex relationships, guilt and forgiveness, is handled with care and insight. If you're looking for a nice, neat ending, this isn't the book for you.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #CeladonBooks for a free copy of #Penitence by Kristin Koval. All opinions are my own.

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.