This is such a tough book to review, because while most of it is lovely and soft and romantic (if a little navel-gazing), the opening chapter is a truly heinous rug-pull. Really painful and show-off-y in equal measure, and nearly upends the sweet and mature love story that follows. I'd love to see either a book that's all like the first chapter or a book that entirely excises that first chapter -- weird, I know! But this mostly feels like a low-key charmer that opens with a single chapter meant to kickstart lots of chatter, none of it really about what the book is really about anyway. Bizarre.

Honor seems to have everything. She adores her daughter Chloe and her husband Tom (even if he does work one hundred hours a week). But her longing for another baby threatens to eclipse all of it―until a shocking event changes their lives forever.

Years later Tom makes a decision that ripples through their families' lives in ways he could not have foreseen. As the consequences of that fateful choice unfold, two women's paths become irrevocably intertwined. But when old love clashes with new, who will be left standing? And what happens when your secrets come back to haunt you?

I loved this book and I think it is an amazing debut novel!

I think it is challenging to review this book without giving away the spoilers (they are revealed early in the story). Read this book and you will be enveloped in Chloe, Tom, and Grace's intertwined lives. This was the most unique book that I have read in a long time and I love the perspective from Chloe's point of view.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

I've never read anything like Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild. This book gripped me from start—with one of the craziest first chapter twists—to finish and will stick with me for a long time. The story just kept getting better and better.

Finding Grace is about the beginning and end of a family—Honor, Tom, and Chloe—and Honor's desire to have another child. Struggling with infertility, Honor turns to surrogacy and an egg donor to make her dreams happen. Without knowing whether or not this will even work, the fate of their family takes an unexpected and tragic turn, and Tom is left to heal and fulfill Honor's wishes while dealing with heartbreak. As he progresses through these challenges and tries to cope with his feelings, the tension builds, putting Tom in the crossfires between authenticity and apprehension.

I didn't know almost anything going into this book, and if possible, I would recommend that all readers of this book do the same. I was fully addicted to the riveting twists and turns of this story. Exploring complex themes like grief, hope, and connection, Rothschild created characters who experience it all and feel it all. The relationships between them are complex but authentic to the human experience, and give readers a romance story, but also a story about the intricacies of the choices we make and the lies we tell to those we love.

Finding Grace is definitely going to be one of the books I'm still thinking about at the end of the year. It's a devastating story about love, hope, and redemption that I think lovers of addictive beach reads and literary fiction will adore. It is such an impressive debut from Rothschild and I'm excited to read more from her in the future!

Honor and Tom seem to have it all—a beautiful home, successful careers, an adorable daughter (Chloe), and a surrogate for their IVF journey. But a shocking, life-altering event shatters their world. Fast forward five years, and we find Tom making a series of choices that had me on edge. For over half the book, his decisions gave me serious anxiety—I wanted to crawl into a hole, but I was deeply invested in seeing how everything unfolded.

This story explores some heavy themes, including traumatic loss, infertility, and immense grief. I don’t want to give too much away because this is the kind of book where the less you know going in, the better. That said, I always feel it’s important to mention potential trigger warnings, as some of these themes might make this a difficult read for certain readers. While the narration style took some getting used to, it ultimately added depth and richness to the storytelling. There are plenty of likable characters to root for, and despite Tom’s frustrating moments, I had to see his journey through.

As a debut novel, Rothschild crafted a compelling story that kept me engaged, even when it made me squirm. My initial rating was 3.5 stars, but I typically round up for debut authors—and this one deserves the bump to 4 stars.

I absolutely loved this!! I thought the narrator of choice was completely interesting and I love the way the author organized the chapters giving us both the past and present in each chapter! I was on the edge of my seat for most of this story and it was overall just an amazing read!

A stunning book that I know will be an instant best seller. I loved the story so very very much!!! I will give away 0 plot, let this one unfold without any premise. I was lucky enough to get both the audio and the e print from NetGalley.

Go into reading this fully blind- y0u wont regret it!

We follow the main character (Tom) as he navigates loss, grief, and finding love again. This book will pull at your heart strings and you will grieve alongside of the characters. The writing style is unique and I could see some readers loving it and others not enjoying the style. This book is great for readers who love a big emotional start to the book and a twist at the ending- with emotions all the way throughout!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

Book is set to release 6/10/25!

Honor seems to have everything. A wonderful daughter, a loving husband, and a life she loves. Except that she wants another child. When her husband Tom makes a decision years later, everything changes. Can she withstand the upheaval and come out the other side?

I downloaded this a long time ago and then started reading it on a plane, so I had NO idea what the synopsis was, and this was NOT what I was expecting!! It's really a contemporary fiction, and the first few chapters shocked me. The plot/ending is very interesting - really had me thinking. I'm not sure exactly how I felt about everything, but I was really intrigued and couldn't put the book down.

I also couldn't believe this was the author's debut - I thought the writing was VERY well done!!

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild is a love story, but not in the usual fashion. It's about love lost and love found, and love enduring after tragedy. Rothschild has written her impressive debut in a unique and unexpected POV that is flawlessly executed.

This is a novel that feels at once new and exciting, but also timeless. It will be on my shelf for years to come, an instant favorite. I cried, I laughed, I gasped, I cried some more, I spoke to the characters out loud as I read, and finally, I cried again. Finding Grace speaks of chance, trust, lies and secrets, and what do those mean in relation to the motives of our lives.

Honor, Grace, and Tom touched my heart. I am grateful to @netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mark your calendars for June 10th when Finding Grace hits shelves at your local bookseller, or better yet, preorder your copy now.

3.5 stars

This book made me so uncomfortable the entire time I was reading it, but that's not a criticism; I think that was part of the - or maybe the whole? - point.

The synopsis includes the detail that "a shocking event changes their lives forever," and that dramatic statement is accurate.

When the novel begins, Honor, her husband, Tom, and their young daughter Chloe are hoping to add another child to their family. They are in the thick of this conversation/experience when that aforementioned event occurs.

Perhaps the most important thing to know about this book is that the only correct approach is to know as little as possible before starting. In vague terms, there are some innovative (and strange?) things happening with the narration. The various truths and lies and characters' treatments of them gave me a lot of anxiety. I had - and still have - many feelings about the various choices characters make, their culminating outcomes, and how I feel about their motivations. There is stuff that I unquestionably did not like, but I do like the fact that this book made me think and provoked a lot of deeper consideration.

The most important thing this listen did for me was introduce me to this debut author, whose work I am certain I would like to read more of in the future. I have VERY mixed feelings on the content, but positive thoughts about the ambition.

*I'm not including any TW or CW here for specific reasons. Prospective readers who appreciate this info (I'm one of them) should take a look at a detailed set of warnings as there are some.

This book was unexpected from the get go. The end of chapter one made me go, "What?" That said, I expected more from the ensuing exposition. While I cared about the main character, I didn't always understand why she made the choice she did and that left me feeling a bit disconnected to the text. It was a quick and engaging read and for that, I am appreciative.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

Honor is longing to have another child, but she’s had difficulty with conception in the past and her desire turns into obsession and she doesn’t appreciate the family in front of her. Honor’s husband, Tom, works nonstop and makes some decision that trickles down and impacts his family later.

This is a book that is best going into blind and enjoy the ride. The writing is beautiful and the characters have so much depth with their flaws and choices. It is more of a character driven book, but the plot is also intriguing. This book will tear your heart out at times. The ending fell a little flat for me, but I still enjoyed this book overall. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys literary fiction. It’s hard to believe that this is a debut and I will gladly read her other books in the future.

Mired in grief due to the sudden loss of his family, Tom became a shadow of himself and wondered if he ever would be truly happy again. It is only because of Henry and the serendipitous letter that led him.to Grace that he began to enjoy and appreciate life again. He opened himself up.and no longer defined himself simply as a widower. I really enjoyed how Honor narrated the book as it was evident that despite the tumultuous times of wanting to have another child, that she truly did love him and just wanted him to be happy. She wanted him to move on. He found solace in the group of women who gathered on Sunday nights. Yet he wss keeping a secret from Grace that ultimately could have led to the complete demise of their relationship. He knew what he needed to do but for the first time in years, he felt happy again. I really liked the line that love sought is good but unsought love is even better. The relationships with Annie, Oliver and Lauren certainly took a shocking turn but Tom remained strong. When Grace reappeared and announced her wonderful news, he found hid family again.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild.
Finding Grace is a great debut novel by Loretta Rothschild. Told from an onlooker's perspective adds a unique view to the story. Rothschild creates characters that are tragic, yet endearing. The reader gets emotionally connected to Tom and you find yourself hoping he finds true happiness.

This book had me hooked from the first chapter- I absolutely flew through it. It's one that I will be handing to my patrons and telling them the less they know, the better.

Literary fiction is not my genre of choice, but the marketing and synopsis for this book had me desperate to read it, and I was not disappointed!

My god, this might be the most depressing book I’ve ever read, but in the best possible way. Rothschild has an uncanny ability to capture the inner workings of a man’s mind, especially when it comes to their justifications and failings. Tom isn’t an awful character, but his poor choices make it nearly impossible to sympathize with him.

What truly sets this book apart is the narration. Using the dead wife’s perspective was such a unique and powerful choice. It reminded me so much of the early 2000s movie Return to Me that I had to rewatch it the moment I finished reading. Finding Grace is beautifully written, deeply emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Loretta Rothschild, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest reviews.

from the first chapter i was intrigued with this novel. Tom's choices throughout the book were frustrating at times, but I think it was still a well-crafted debut. The narration was unique and beautifully written, unlike anything I've read before.I wish Tom had made different choices, as his ending felt a bit undeserved and too neatly wrapped up. However, I understand the reasons behind his actions. Overall, it was an ok read

The writing is both lyrical and grounded, with vivid descriptions that evoke a strong sense of place and atmosphere. Whether it’s the quiet introspection of the main character or the dynamic relationships she forms, Rothschild’s words draw the reader in, making them feel like a part of the story.

The characters in the novel are multi-dimensional and authentic, each carrying their own struggles, flaws, and desires. Their interactions feel genuine, and the way Rothschild explores their growth over the course of the book adds depth to the overall narrative. The relationships—whether familial, romantic, or platonic—are central to the story, and Rothschild handles them with sensitivity and insight.

It is definitely more character driven than plot driven for most of the book.

Wow. I could not put this book down. It starts out with a bang and I found myself going back to make sure I had in fact read it correctly. From there I was absolutely hooked.

The narrator is at first surprising, but very quickly turned out to be one of my favourite characters. A twisted, yet unexpectedly tender point of view which added an extra layer of suspense, and honestly quite a bit of anxiety. At times I was unsure whether to laugh, cry, smile, or scream - at Tom specifically - which made for a page turner!