@counterpointpress | #gifted. For me, 𝗜’𝗟𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗬𝗢𝗨 was another winning book from author Rebecca Kauffman. If you’re not familiar with Kauffman, the most important things to know about her are that no two books of hers are similar, and that the writing, the storytelling is always stellar. I especially liked it in this book which almost reads like very tightly connected short stories.⁣
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The story takes place over the course of 1995 somewhere in the midwest. It’s about everyday people, going through everyday things. At the core are Paul and Corrine, both working at a jelly/jam factory and struggling to get pregnant. Everyone else in the story is connected to this couple in one way or another. Month by month, we hear from different characters, with the others always close by, learning more and more about the two families, their joys, their hurts, and the changes life brings to them.⁣
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𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶 was one of those softer stories that you suddenly realize has swept you up, and has done so with no drama, no crazy plot twist, but instead with its very real characters. It was a delightful surprise and one I think many literary readers will enjoy. Keep in mind that this is a quiet story, but one I definitely recommend. Fans of the 𝘋𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘰𝘯 books by Shannon Bowring will surely connect to this book as well. It goes down easily and would be perfect for a cold winter day, snuggled up in your favorite reading spot under a fuzzy blanket! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I adored this book, which follows two families during one year in 1995. Ellen is struggling after her divorce and still has no idea why her husband left her. Her son, Paul, and his wife, Corrine are struggling with infertility. Corrine’s mother is busy hiding her husband’s dementia. Corrine’s brother Rob has lost custody of his kids. If you love quiet, charecter-driven novels, this book is a pure delight. I loved the story and how it all came together. I’m so excited that I can now tackle Rebecca Kauffman’s backlist.

See full review on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution website:

"It isn’t unusual for couples to grapple with how to please two sets of parents — or more, if divorce factors into their family histories — over the holidays. It’s hard to make everyone happy, Virginia author Rebecca Kauffman’s fifth novel asserts when single mother Ellen Leach complains about her first Christmas alone post-divorce on a blind date.

Ellen isn’t the only reason the date doesn’t go well. Gary drinks too much wine and reveals he baits telemarketers for entertainment, behaviors Ellen isn’t inclined to overlook. And so begins “I’ll Come to You,” Kauffman’s contemplative story brimming with quirky characters that follows two families connected by marriage preparing for the arrival of the couple’s first child..."

https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/ill-come-to-you-a-quiet-story-about-regular-folk-that-quickly-builds-suspense/GRFAFB3YMNDXTEXPJH7A6XPNQM/

So much is packed into these 224 pages. It is a beautiful glimpse into all that happens to one family during one year - 1995. I'm a huge fan of this author. I absolutely loved Chorus and I'm looking forward to getting to more of her backlist.

This is my first Rebecca Kauffman book and I can’t wait to dive into her whole backlist!

This is a shorter read and one that packs a punch. It left me thinking the whole time I was reading it. This reminded me a bit of the movie Love, Actually. It's a character driven story and all the characters connect in some way. They are all struggling or overcoming something and so many of them are relatable, real, and raw. There is grief, love, loss, marriage, divorce, babies, changes, just so many powerful and thought provoking themes.

I really, really enjoyed this one and highlighted so much of this book.

4.5 stars

I’ll Come to You is a beautifully written glimpse into the lives of one family over the course of 1995. The story follows Ellen, a woman struggling after divorce, her son Paul and daughter-in-law Corinne, who are dealing with fertility issues, Corinne’s parents as they grapple with aging and dementia, and Corinne’s brother, Rob, who recently lost custody of his sons. Kauffman’s characters are so richly developed and complex, you feel like you know some version of them in your own life. Their stories all come together to create a chaotic, sad, joyful, and darkly funny family drama that perfectly captures the nuances of humanity.

This both depressed me & bored me. It feels like the author was trying to create a literary masterpiece but fell far short of that.

thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

This is a short book that hits all the highs and lows of family life over the course of one year. The author does a good job drawing the reader in but I found it a little confusing at times. It jumped around a the storyline and the characters. I liked format of the book but I needed a little more character development. That being said, I was engaged throughout the book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced eGalley of the book. All opinions are my own. #I’llComeToYou #RebeccaKauffman #NetGalley

Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for providing my review copy!

Rebecca Kauffman is one of my top authors so I was excited to receive an advanced copy for her newest release. She is crazy good at writing realistic families and characters in general. I love her signature of connecting all the characters in some way too. It took me a minute to settle in and figure out the family order but once I got used to it, I didn’t want it to end!

I am a tough critic of family dramas, so take my review with a grain of salt. I liked the different stories and how they all connected in the end. Although I did not like all the characters, they were all unique and interesting in their own way. I always find family secrets to be entertaining. This book had some difficult topics, secrets and personalities, as all families do. I, however, found that the transition between different stories and POV (which alternated throughout the book) were not smooth. It often made it confusing and I was not always 100% sure what was going on. The author did a great job of showing different emotions and making you feel for whatever the characters were going through, I just wish that it flowed more smoothly. If you are a fan of family dramas, give it a try. 
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

A short novel about an extended family told from different viewpoints over the duration of one year. I love this kind of writing that lets us get into the head of each character and see things from each of their perspectives; the author captures the way that different family members view different conversations or actions in totally different ways, or how what they assume about each other keeps them from seeing the full picture. Each chapter is like a short vignette from a different perspective. Kauffman doesn't waste a single word; her sparse but emotional writing is easy to read yet hits powerfully and directly.

Domesticity reigns in this quiet novel about the vicissitudes of family life. Its composition is a mosaic of events in the lives of an interconnected group - parents, children, other family members and related folk. Characters are explored, kindly usually, in an effort to deliver both sides, especially in the case of inveterate liar Rob. The author handles all this with some humor as well as a transcending sense of love, glimpsed behind the welter of daily stuff, holidays and efforts to cope. It’s alternately humdrum and affecting, which is quite an achievement in its own small way. I was not uni,pressed.

A cascade of vignettes of an extended family as the children reach middle age. Kauffman has created a fable of second chances, and new opportunities - the participants need only to open their hearts and lower their guards. Kauffman writes with a soft tone but has much to say - none of the situations are particularly unique or devastating but her soft words create sharp darts when the ripples effect hits. I loved this story and felt like I actually learned to be a better friend and family member from it!
#catapult #softskull #illcometoyou #rebeccakauffman

this book was exactly the right length and hit all the right emotional tones in such a short period of time… nothing fancy, just a wonderful book