The Child I Long For was a heartwarming story about second chances, the things most important to us, and what we are willing to do to get what we want.

Reeling from grief and a failing marriage Emily 'runs away' to New Zealand. She only returns to Ireland some nine years later, following the death of her mother. Amongst the gamut of emotions Emily feels is guilt which shapes her future life. Desperately sad and heartbreaking in places there are also pockets of joy. I did find the plot quite predictable and figured out the ending pretty early on. I rate this as 3.5, rounded up to 4 as it is definitely worth more than 3 stars.

With thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced reader copy in return for my unbiased and honest review.

This was such an emotional read as they always are with Caroline. I was crying, and smiling at times. Carolines books are always thought provoking and I highly recommend this book. Loved the ending.

Have really enjoyed all caroline finnertys previous. Tough subjects So well written with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. Following Emily's and Robs was thoroughly enjoyable eventually.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. This was a sensitively written and emotive read. Finnerty created a realistic and relatable cast of characters, and I was invested in Rob and Emily's story. It was well paced and engaging throughout.

My 2nd book by Caroline Finnerty and it’s a heartbreaking story and I felt so bad for parents Emily and Rob. This is not a thriller, more of a contemporary story which I enjoyed from the very beginning. It sits heavy on the heart but had a great ending. I had actually guessed the ending but that’s ok. Thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy.

The Child I Long For by Caroline Finnerty⭐⭐⭐⭐

Follow along on this tearjerker 13 year life of Emily. Definitely will rip you heart into a hundred pieces. Have many boxes of tissues handy.
Caroline has done a wonderful job with this book from page 1 to the final sentence.

The Child I Long For is a heart wrenching and emotional read, this book pulled me in deeply and didn’t let me stop until the final page. Although there were parts of the book which were heartbreaking and difficult to read, the way the characters and backstories are beautifully written its easy to empathize with their plight. I loved how the characters eventually realized what was important to them, embracing second chances. The only change I would make is more of Robs POV past and present. If you love tear jerking fiction then this is perfect.

These characters have made me invested in their lives. I actually cried throughout.

You can feel the pain of every character.

When you experience loss, it IS different for each person. This book helped you to realise it’s not all about you but even if you’re struggling your struggles will be different to others. Xx

The Child I long For takes place over about 13 years, and follows the life of Emily, a successful business owner whose life seems to be fitting together so nicely until a tragic loss leaves her reeling. Suddenly depression takes over and she is unable to get out of bed, much less keep her business and relationship with her husband a float. Then one day Emily disappears, changing continents without letting anyone know where to find her. She returns several years later, and only after the loss of an immediate family member to help with the affairs. It is then that she reconnects with her husband she left so long ago, only to realize that things have changed drastically for him since she left.

I enjoyed this story, I liked Emily and felt for her when she was going through so many difficult times. I liked the relationship she and Rob had and the fact that it was able to rekindle in some ways so quickly. I also liked the relationship between Emily and her sister, though strained at times, it was one that I thought was pretty realistic. The time hopping was a little hard to follow, only because the first part was quite short, so then when we returned to that time period for the third part it was hard to remember what had happened in that short first section. Other than that though it was easy enough to follow. I found it very similar to another boldwood book I read recently, A Mother's Betrayal by Louise Guy so I thought that was interesting. Overall, a solid 4 star read for me! Thanks again to Boldwood and Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

3.5 stars. This was a story of loss and redemption. It is a sweet story even if it’s a bit predictable. There is a lot of loss in the story so that may be triggering for some people. The author explored the different ways people grieve and how that can drive people apart.

I found this an engaging read that pulled me in from the outset and held my interest until the end. This is my first book by this author but I look forward to reading more of her work.

I just absolutely loved this book. Very emotional story but I was totally gripped from the very start.. Tissues needed but this is a book that I 100% recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Child I Long For' by Caroline Finnerty.

'The Child I Long For' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Caroline discusses/includes the death of a parent, cancer and the death of a child.

The first thing I have got to say that if you are a fan of books by Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks then I wouldn't bother reading any further because if you love them you will definitely love this stunning book that will pull at your heart strings and bring you out in tears!! This is an absolutely fantastically written book by the very talented Caroline! I really enjoyed reading this page turning family drama that had me turning the pages from the moment I started it in the morning until I finished it a few hours later. It is one of those books that I just didn't have any will power to put down as I just had to know exactly what was going to happen next and so I ended up walking around with my nose glued to my kindle!! It is an emotional rollercoaster ride that will leave you thinking about what happened long after you have finished the last chapter. Caroline does an amazing job of weaving such heart-breaking topics such as cancer, parental and child death into an absolutely gripping page turner while doing so in as sensitive way as possible. This book tells us the story of Emily who was happily married to Rob until tragedy struck their family and she moved to New Zealand. Nine years later she returns to Ireland after receiving a call from her sister telling her that their Mum collapsed at home and has been rushed to hospital. Emily is determined to keep her visit to Ireland short but then she finds herself face to face with her ex husband Rob and to make matters worse he is holding hands with his five year old daughter Molly. Emily's heart is broken as she feels that Molly is the daughter that should have been theirs together but Rob and Molly's lives have been struck by tragedy too. Can Emily and Rob help each other and little Molly heal and find happiness? Grab your copy of this emotive and stunning page turner today to discover the answer to this and much more for yourselves. i can promise that you will not regret it but UI can also guarantee you will end up with tears streaming down your face so make sure you have the tissues at the ready too!!! With a storyline ram packed with emotions, family, love, second chances, heartbreak, tragedy and so much more this book will grip your attention from the moment you open it until the very end and even then it will stay in your mind long after you have finished the last page! Emily, Rob and Molly are both strong, realistic and very likeable characters and I was completely invested in them all from the very beginning to end. Caroline's evocative writing skills ensures that not just the storyline comes to life in front of the reader but so do all the characters. I enjoyed seeing how their friendship and personalities changed and developed throughout the book and I was rooting for them all throughout. This book really is a thought provoking, emotional and page turning domestic drama. I picked up this book in the morning and had absolutely devoured it by the afternoon. there was no point even attempting to put it down after I tried the first time as there was constantly something happening meaning I just had to know what was going to happen next so I ended up glued to my kindle and devouring the book in one sitting of several hours. Caroline takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of emotions ensuring you feel everything that each of the characters are feeling and my heart really did go out to Emily, Rob and Molly. This would make a great movie which I would love to watch and I am definitely looking forward to reading more books by this very talented author!!

Clear your schedules, get the tissues ready and get ready to go on an emotional rollercoaster ride!! I am looking forward to reading more of Caroline's books which all look just as good as this one!!! This is the exact reason you are one of my favourite authors Caroline even though by the end of your books i am always a blubbering mess!!!

Overall an emotionally packed family drama filled with emotions, love and hope that will keep you hooked throughout!!!!

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This was quite an emotional read. It was raw, real, candid and very touching. It is about how self recrimination can be damaging to both oneself and others.

It is the story of Emily who returns to Ireland for her mum’s funeral. Her return forces her to confront the very reason for leaving a decade ago.

The book was quite detailed and I loved how the author built up the suspense of how Emily is the way she is. There is no right or wrong here you will either love or hate Emily.

This focuses on serious issues such as grief, depression, abandonment and death. These issues were addressed sensitively and with compassion and understanding.

All the characters were well rounded, relatable and fully developed at the end. There were no airs around them and they delivered what was expected of them.

If you love a gripping women’s fiction with some romance then you should read this.

The Child I Long For by the incredibly talented Caroline Finnerty is her latest emotional masterpiece! I regret that I haven't had the chance to read any of Caroline's works since 2021, when she published The Last Days of Us, and I can’t help but feel like I've been missing something special!

This novel centers around Emily, who experienced a devastating tragedy that forced her to leave her home in Dublin nine years ago. Now, she receives a call from her sister, informing her that their mother has been rushed to the hospital after collapsing at home. Emily is determined to keep her visit short, but she didn’t expect to encounter Rob and his young daughter. I won’t reveal any more to avoid spoiling the story!

I found myself deeply connected to this narrative—perhaps because my name is Karen and my husband is Dave, which coincidentally mirrors the names of Emily’s sister and brother-in-law. The characters felt incredibly relatable and easy to empathise with. I found myself urging Emily to follow her heart. From the very first page, I was captivated by the story, finishing it in just two sittings because I couldn’t bear to set my iPad aside!

Be prepared, as tissues will definitely be necessary.

The Child I Long For is a heart wrenching and emotional read that tore my heart to pieces at time. This was one of those books that completely engrossed me right from the very beginning and kept me captivated right up to the final page. The story was so well told and the characters were wonderful . This book will make you cry big ugly tears but it will also make you smile at times. Caroline Finnerty is fast becoming one of my favourite authors and she has 100% smashed it with this superb read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of The Child I Long For by Caroline Finnerty. This was my first book by this author. It was a good read, but an emotional one. A lot of death in the book. Grief strikes hard and everyone reacts differently. It is worth a read but have the tissues ready. I gave this one a 4 star rating.

Using her pain as a shield to keep people away, Emily must now face her actions at her mother's funeral. The story is emotional, so many people react differently to loss instead of letting time heal. She now must interact with all of those she had left behind to find her true heart.

This was a beautifully sad story. I needed tissues on more than one occasion while reading. It handles some very difficult subjects in a respectful way that makes the characters feel very real. I loved the epilogue and definitely recommend if you’re looking for a tear jerker.

Challenges galore in this family's life. Grief is difficult and different for everyone. While I felt empathy for the main character, I wanted her to talk to a professional and get help. I wanted her to be happy, but she was frustrating in her actions or non-actions. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.