So many twists and turns - a secret language, a missing mother, and a daughter and granddaughter determined to translate a book. I will hold this one close to me for a long time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Patti Callahan Henry has become one of my go-to authors, and I couldn’t wait to read her latest novel. It checked many of my boxes – historical fiction, a bit of romance, a mystery, family secrets, art (both painting and writing), the British countryside, and connections to Beatrix Potter.

I appreciated the way so many themes were threaded into the novel: the mother-daughter relationships, the hints of magical realism, the connections to nature, the importance of language, the passion to be creative, concepts of memories, grief, abandonment, and trust.

What a beautifully written story with many sentences and paragraphs that had me marveling at the expressive and unique word choices. If you enjoy family dynamics, a literary mystery, and a sweet romance, you will want to read this story of a legendary book, a lost mother, and a daughter’s search for them both.

"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦; 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦."

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗙𝗧 𝗕𝗘𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗗 completely charmed me. Inspired by the true story of a children's book author who disappeared never to be heard from again, Patti Callahan Henry combines mystery, family drama, romance and magical realism in a beautiful way. The audiobook is wonderfully narrated by Julia Whelan and Theo Solomon, and left me with a huge smile on my face. It's hopeful and uplifting and who couldn't use that type of book right now?

4.5 stars

Thanks to Atria Books and Simon and Schuster Audio for the copies to review.

This book was utterly captivating, extraordinarily written and magical. It had all the elements of a great story; mystery, love, loss, hope and forgiveness. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

This was my first book by Patti Callahan Henry, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you, Net Galley and Atria Books, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Also Thank you to Patti Callahan Henry for such a brilliant story!

This saga about a missing woman, an original language, and the daughter searching for answers swept me up and captivated me.

Clara Harrington's mother Bronwyn went missing 25 years ago. Bronwyn was a child prodigy who wrote an invented language and a bestselling book as a child, and the world has been clamoring for a sequel ever since. When Clara is contacted by a man in England saying he has something that belonged to her mother, she is curious enough to travel across the Atlantic with her own daughter in search of answers.

Henry's writing is lyrical and beautiful, and the story slowly unspools across the pages. Clara faces multiple obstacles along her search, from the Great Smog to a stolen bag to asthma flares for her daughter. These problems added urgency to the story and held me captivated.

My only gripe was that Clara's 8 year old daughter speaks more like a teenager than a child, but I suppose we should be thinking this is normal for their family, that perhaps she is a prodigy just like her grandmother. Regardless, that took me out of the story a time or two and led to the 4 star rating instead of 5!

Thank you to Atria for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

In 1927, eight-year-old Clara Harrington’s life is upended when her famous mother, Bronwyn Fordham—author of a bestselling novel written in a made-up language—vanishes without a trace. Decades later, in 1952, Clara is a mother herself when a stranger contacts her about a possible clue to Bronwyn’s disappearance. Clara journeys to England with her daughter, facing danger, secrets, and buried truths. Set against the backdrop of the Great Smog, this lyrical novel explores grief, identity, and the enduring power of story.

5 stars!

I LOVED this book!!! What a beautifully written story, set in both Bluffton, South Carolina and the Lake District, England. Clara has such an interesting tale to tell about the mysterious disappearance of her child prodigy author mother Bronwyn, her creatively found language, and the empty place in Clara's life that her mother left behind. When Clara gets a call from London that papers belonging to her mother have been found, a true adventure begins and the twists and turns had me gripped!

As the reader, you want so much for Clara and you feel every labored breath she takes on this journey. The descriptions of their surroundings - the air, the sky, the ground, the water - are an ode to nature, to space and to quiet. There is a calm peacefulness as the story ebbs and flows between solving a lifelong mystery and taking time alone to ruminate on new information and relationships. This change in pacing requires the reader to slow down and imagine being in Clara's shoes.

I can't say enough good things about this book. What a pleasure!

Thank you Patti, Atria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a gifted copy of this book.

5stars!
I have to really think it through when I rate books the spectacular 5 stars.
First, special thank you to Atria Books via Netgalley for the complimentary copy in exchange of my honest review.
The Story She Left Behind follows Clara's journey on finding her long lost mother who was believed to be dead after she walked out of their lives. Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham was an adoring and wonderful mother to Clara. She was a genius who wrote her first novel at the age of 12. Renowned author the world's best children's adventure book. Bronwyn has written a sequel to the book but in her own made-up language that no one can understand. Twenty-five years after, Clara is now ready to receive her award as an illustrator and is raising her brilliant daughter Winnie which she named after her long-lost mother. She received a phone call from a man named Charlie who lives in London telling her that a note addressed to Clara with a strict instruction that it will be only handed to her and can never be mailed via post was found in his recently deceased father's library together with a satchel full of handwritten words like a dictionary of some sort. Clara knew that these words were the lost language her mom has made, and she must retrieve these items not just to finally able to translate the sequel but grasping of what she thought was parts of her mom left for her.

There are really books that made you feel lucky to have the chance to read and this is one of them. Beautiful writing all over, with equally smooth story line. If you have the habit of annotating a book, this is a perfect specimen because the poetic lines, emotional delivery and passionate narratives are raised to the roof! I cannot put it down. I was totally captivated from start to finish. The description of Cumbria, England's Lake District was so vivid that I can almost smell and taste it. The romance between Charlie and Clara was subtle and deep in a perfect way. I have always been intrigued of what Windermere looks like in reality because of the beautiful things I have read about it. This book, paired with Talyor Swift's song The Lakes are like a rainfall of words that gives justice to poetry. I almost want Bronwyn's language to be real because there are really times when the language available around is not enough to describe what humans actually feel. The ending was satisfying and has left me to my imagination of violet-filled meadows long after the last page has been flipped closed.
The Secret Book of Flora Lea and Surviving Savannah are two of my favorite works of Patti Callahan Henry. I feel that today, The Story She Left Behind has surpassed those two. I have heard that Julia Whelan is narrating the audio version, and I cannot wait for a chance to listen to that. I know it will be spectacular!
I highly recommend this read!

Captivating and SO original! The prose is nothing short of magical. I found myself rereading passages to savor the beautiful language. Henry is at the ABSOLUTE top of her game! Book lovers of all stripes will revel in this gorgeous story filled with romance, mystery, and unforgettable characters.

—Dianna Rostad USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of You Belong Here Now

A historical fiction/mystery with a bit of fantasy about a woman searching for the last remnants of a mother who left her as a child, “The Story She Left Behind” intertwines vibrant landscapes with beautiful prose to present a story that was lovely to read.

I was initially drawn to this story not because of the plot, but the backdrop of London during the great fog and the countryside of the 1950s, but was happy with the story that enfolded there. All of the characters have a brightness to them that make them easy to love. PCH’s writing is abolsutely beautiful…the words she uses to describe a situation and the dialogue of the characters make the reader think they’ve been transported back to 1952. The way she describes the richness of the countryside made me want to pack my bag and move there right now. This story plays on mystery, not on drama, so the angst is within the question of what happened to Brownwyn vs. other issues within the characters…something that I was perfectly ok with but might not be for everyone. The only other criticism I might have for this story is that it dragged a bit towards the end….once we got answers to most of the questions, the story felt completed but continued on maybe longer than it needed. I also wish something more came of Moira and why she was in the study, but that might just be me.

Overall, this is an enchanting book that will will envelop the reader in their world with a charming story to boot.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate the opportunity to review this lovely book!!**

Renowned author, Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham disappears off the coast of South Carolina in 1927 leaving her eight year old daughter Clara Harrington’s enchanted childhood to be no more. Bronwyn shocked the world with her book written in her made up language. It became a national sensation when she was only twelve years of age. Her devoted husband and heartbroken daughter were not only left behind but also the hope of ever translating the sequel to her original work. Clara yearns for something deeper than the national headlines of the missing author it was the love of her mother.

Clara is now an illustrator in 1952 raising her own daughter, Wynnie. The handwritten dictionary of the mother’s lost language was discovered by Charlie Jameson from London which he then contacted Clara. She is leery but travels across the Atlantic with Wynnie during London’s most deadliest natural disaster- the Great Smog. Wynnie’s in great risk being asthmatic. Charlie helps them escape the city taking them to the Jameson retreat in the countryside the Lake District. Clara must find the truth there about her mother and the secrets of the story she left behind.

There are not enough words to express how good this book is! It’s tremendously captivating and extraordinary! So well written! Love Wynnie’s story line. It’s fantastic! This is the first book that I have read/listened to by this author and I can’t express how this is the best book and audiobook that I have read/listened to this year. Patti Callahan Henry has out done herself! Superb! Definitely will be reading/listening to more of her work!

Julia Whelan, narrator builds to a crescendo in a part of the book. My heart was racing as she was talking. She was stupendous in her delivery! Narration of Wynnie’s voice is so adorable. Julia’s extremely talented as making her voice sound like a little girl of eight years old! She brings the story to life! The male narrator’s voice brings to life the British accent and makes it very English as the voice of Charlie.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers in providing me with this and allowing me to leave an honest review.

A missing mother, an adventure across the pond, a tiny touch of magical realism, and a bit of a romance - this sweet story will absolutely charm readers that love books about books.

A missing mother, a mysterious book, and a daughter's search for answers. This story of family, choices, grief, and hope captivated me from the beginning and held my heart until the last page. Once again Patti Callahan Henry has delivered a beautifully written historical fiction novel with richly drawn characters sharing a deep connection over time. Could it be that the most wonderful thing in the bookish universe is a consistent author that can deliver impactful stories with well-developed characters over and over again?

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me the opportunity to read this book prior to its publication in exchange for my honest review.

Captivating and magical, I could not put down this novel based on a true literary mystery. When Clara gets a call from a man in London that a satchel was found with notes and papers addressed to Clara, who lives in South Carolina, she hopes the mystery of her mother’s disappearance will be revealed. Brownwyn Harrington authored a best selling children’s book at eight years old, but her complicated upbringing contributed to the decisions she made as Clara’s mother. The search for answers in Cumbria, the river district in England, is described with such detail of the atmosphere that I wanted to enter the pages of the book and live there. Beautifully written, emotional and atmospheric,I highly recommend this novel. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I’m happy for the author, the publisher and the readers who found so much gratification in reading this rendering of a story very loosely inspired by an actual historical event.
Many readers here enjoyed the “lush”, “lyrical”, “mysterious”, “atmospheric” etc. language used by the author. Two pages in, I was already choking on the purple prose. (Why use one really apt adjective when you can use three cloying multi-syllabic ones?) But, clearly from the popular vote here, that’s just my taste.
Then there were the anachronistic mistakes. In the 1950’s, no one talked about their “skill set.”
A strangely-plotted, crocheted doily of a book. Many others will disagree with my review, and already have!.
Sharing this honest review with my thanks to the publisher, and will not be sharing it online. Why spoil everyone else's fun?

I loved everything about this book! The use of language was truly magical and passed down through 3 generations of women from the late 1920’s and into the 1950’s. My favorite stories include those that deal with female relationships between mothers and daughters. Clara’s feelings for her mother are complex since she was abandoned at age 8.

I particularly enjoyed the journey of Clara and her daughter to London during the infamous fog that killed 12,000 people. Placing fictional characters during a past event in history really transport me to what that must have felt like. Frightening, in this case as well as informative.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book.

Patti’s writing is so beautiful and it’s a real pleasure to read her books. I loved the story, the mystery, the setting, and the relationships. Such a great book and highly recommend.

This was a lovely book with a dual timeline and a fun historical setting… Didn’t realize it was based on a somewhat true story until the end. This book felt a little bit magical and I definitely could tell it was written by the same author as the Flora Lea book. Julia Whalen killed the narration, per usual, and the story moved at a good clip even though this book was a little bit on the longer side. Enjoyed this one very much!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for eARC (and the library for an audio copy after publication day, my review is a little late) in exchange for an honest review!

Patti Callahan Henry always does such a tremendous job of building a lovely and evocative piece of fiction around a person or event in literary history.

This one is more of a mystery than her C.S. Lewis books, and while those remain my favorite, this is both a more creative endeavor and also a far easier read emotionally (becoming Mrs. Lewis was wonderful, but a ROUGH go).

I suppose I would recommend reading The House Without Windows by Barbara Newhall Follett before reading this, as that is the book and the author that this story orbits. That said, it’s not necessary to do so to enjoy or understand this, and the author has given us a plausible ending to a mystery that has never been solved.

But like Callahan Henry’s other books, so much of the loveliness of this is in the telling, and in the gorgeously rendered sense of time and place. I didn’t love the protagonist, but she is well drawn and right for the story.

In all, a good choice if you like literary or historical mysteries (especially those based on real world events), as well as if you love a feel-good read that is sharper and better written than most of its kind.

The Story She Left Behind by @pattichenry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A brand new, beautifully written story by an author I have come to love. It’s based around a true literary mystery that was never solved, but also contains fictionalized elements that simply round out the story in a way you don’t expect. I didn’t want to put it down. Bonus - it’s partially set in South Carolina.

I received an ARC ebook from @netgalley, @atriabooks, and the author herself in exchange for a review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Additionally, I read this alongside the audiobook that was published recently on Libby. 10/10 recommend.
#netgalley #bookstagram #goodreads #literarypearlsof25 #thestorysheleftbehind #historicalfiction #britishlit

A book about a book/writers/illustrators is a book lover's dream. The characters are likable, the setting is charming, the story is enchanting and captivating, and Beatrix Potter and her home find a place in this book. Family, mystery, a child prodigy, forgiveness, love, a touch of romance. This book pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me coming back, had me thinking about it when I was away from my reading. 4.5 ⭐s.