You know you’re in for a wild ride when you’re already crying in each of the first 3 chapters of a book…

Wow! This was so so good! The writing style was perfect and made it such an easy, quick read. But it still packed quite the punch and caused all of the emotions to surface. I was not expecting how this story ended up playing out just by reading the blurb. Definitely check some trigger warnings for this one.

I think I went through every emotion just towards Tom alone. I felt for him but also was irritated by him in the beginning, then felt utterly heartbroken and wrecked, then hopeful, then frustrated, then satisfied. It was quite the journey for that one. The backstory intertwined with the present day made my heart just feel good.

All of the side characters, along with Grace and Honor, felt fully flushed out. You could clearly see how each of them had their own part in the story. Man, I need more from Loretta if this is how she writes!

This was a very interesting story. It kept you engaged and you had to keep reading to see what was going to happen. There was a horrible tragedy that left a husband almost incapacitated and it was very difficult for him to go on. His son made it possible to live again. Then a surprise comes up and he is enchanted by Grace but doesn't tell her why and it almost derails their lives completely. She finally understands and comes to see him.
The story had some very good characters that were easy to picture

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Sometimes when we desire more out of life, we can lose perspective and forget to enjoy what we already have. When Honor loses her ability to have a sibling for her daughter Chloe by natural means, she becomes obsessed with finding a way to expand her family. Tom, who is content with the way things are, struggles with her constant push for another baby.  When tragedy strikes, Tom is left to handle the consequences of her choices alone. When you are suffering through heartache, it’s hard to hear that sometimes things happen for a reason. Because how can that much pain have a purpose? We never know where life is leading us, and we need to allow for healing and be open to love whenever and however it shows up in our lives.

This novel is an exploration of the human experience . . . of profound grief and about the choices we make both out of fear and for love.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Finding Grace for my unbiased evaluation.  4 stars

I wasn’t prepared at all for what happened in the beginning of this book. The tragic opening was intense and then the storyline with the surrogate was really tricky for me. I felt for Tom and all he had gone through, but I found myself incredibly frustrated at his deception. And then the ending felt too neat even though I was wanting a happy ending. I have mixed feelings about this book.

I strongly believe you have to go into this one blind because no one can prepare you for all the WTF’s in this book. It is shocking & painful the entire time and heartbreaking to read. The story is told in a unique way with the narrator sometimes giving us morsels of opinion which develop the plot. I think we could have used more from the narrator but I enjoyed the way the story was told.

Some of the things that happen in this book are just insane & it certainly kept me on my toes but I don’t totally know how I feel about a lot of it. Definitely an interesting read that would make for a great book club discussion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

The cover and description were what initially drew me in. I found the book to be well written and genuinely enjoyable. It was hopeful yet emotional. This book touched on many themes like loss, parenthood, grief, and love. There are several trigger warnings to be aware of. I found myself rooting for the characters but was also often frustrated with them. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and thought it was a good debut novel.

TW:
Recurrent miscarriage
Child death
Grief /Loss

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I can not review this book without giving anything away. But the book starts off with a bang that turns out the book is not at all what you were expecting. I almost didn't pick this up at the time because I didn't think I was in the mood for it, but it turned out great. Really enjoyed it, enjoyed the story and the characters and the father-son relationship. More a story about coming clean. Will say the ending is predictable, but the journey to the ending is enjoyable. A fun read. Kind of a crazy premise, but quite a story after that.

Thank you to NetGalley for the preview copy of this book. I will be looking forward to more works by this author!

This is getting great reviews, but is just not the right book for me. I really dislike overly sentimental books. I mostly read mysteries and thrillers!

BUT iff you love tragic and unusual love stories, you should definitely try it! I don't want to give too much away, but it's about a man who falls in love with a very unlikely person. It was hard for me to tease out whether this relationship was truly love or just trauma bonding. Give it a try! Just because it wasn't for me does not mean that you won't really love it!

Thanks to the publisher for the advance review copy!

Usually huge surprises and WTH’s in a plot come late in the story, but damn, this had me exclaiming,”Wait, WHAT?!” rather early on, then I was irrevocably hooked. I could not put this one down, and finished in one day.
Rothschild’s debut novel is a total standout. She delivers a masterful narrative with a most unique, yet completely relatable, protagonist, whose ‘voice’, wit and humor are like a familiar, comfortable friend.
I had all the feels with this one- ALL of them. Grief, tears, laughter, secrets, lies, disappointment and hope; at one point I was literally laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face, and I will never think of ‘purple’ in the same way again! There are stories within the story, beautifully woven, and the writing is detailed and creative. I haven’t read a novel this layered and truly excellent in a long time. Seriously, read this book, you’ll thank me later!

I am so sorry I hated this. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

I hated that this is narrated as if by a ghost that was also somehow the most rational person ever despite dying horrifically and tragically. I also hated the romance with a passion. I understand it's complicated but holy shit I wanted to kill this man.

As a happily childfree person, a few pages into this book, I wasn’t sure I would finish it; I just couldn’t empathize with Honor at all. And then the twist and wow. FINDING GRACE dramatizes the most implausible mess but somehow makes it compelling. Or maybe I just really love wine. A fine debut.

Loving. Longing. Shocking...and that's just the first chapter...

"Finding Grace" has an intentionally vague synopsis, but as you read, you'll discover the nuggets along the way. It's edgy and a bit of a nail-biter, but it's also quiet and intense. Very intense, actually, and challenging to put down when life gets in the way.

I loved spending time getting to know these characters, listening to their stories, and learning about each of them. They are diverse, complex, and mostly likable, and all of them hold this story together.

The writing is lyrical and straightforward, and I love how the author chose to narrate the story. It fits just right. I appreciate the touches of humor that help to lighten the atmosphere a bit, as well.

This was an immersion read; the audiobook is narrated by Fiona Button, whose voicing skills brings the story to life. The author's words flow effortlessly through her voice; she doesn't read the story, she becomes the story. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite English narrators.

"Finding Grace" is an impressive debut, and I'll be there for Loretta Rothschild's next novel, too!

4.25⭐

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Loretta Rothschild for the gifted DRC and ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thanks, St. Martin's Press, for the opportunity to read a review copy. Unfortunately, I found the main character grating and couldn't get engaged in the story with her narrating. The big twist at the beginning was jarring and threw me out of the story. I wasn't a good fit as a reader for this one, but I have seen many favorable reviews.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild (book cover is in image) unfortunately was not the book for me. The plot was cringy and the narration by Fiona Button came off as monotone and found myself easily distracted. Since I had the eBook as well, I switched over to that, but still found it hard engage in this book. I am sure that there is an audience for this one, but I am not it.

Thank you to St Martins Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and listen to the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 2 Stars
Pub Date: Jun 10 2025

#MacmillanAudio
#StMartinsPress
#Finding Grace
#LorettaRothschild
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Bit of an outlier here. Male main character was very unlikable and it was overall just an odd premise/story.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Wow, it's so hard to review this book without giving anything away. It's unusual, and so I think it will work best for readers when they don't go in with a lot of expectations. I enjoyed the unconventional structure, narrator, plot choices. Life is messy and this story is messy in a very real way. I think anyone who enjoys family dramas and relationship stories that feel like they are happening between real people will enjoy this.

Title: Finding Grace
Author: Loretta Rothschild
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Finding Grace" by Loretta Rothschild

My Insight:

"Finding Grace" is an enchanting love story that beautifully weaves the lives of Honor, Tom, and Chloe. This novel is brimming with unexpected twists, masterfully exploring themes of love, heartbreak, and family secrets. From the very first page, it grips your attention and pulls you into a whirlwind journey where tragedy strikes and life spirals out of control.

By the time you reach the final chapter, you'll be left in awe of how the narrative unfolds, with shocking revelations that will leave you breathless. It's an absolute must-read that showcases the author's extraordinary talent for crafting a compelling narrative, leaving you yearning for more once the last word is turned.


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance reader's copy.

Finding Grace was an emotional debut, a page turner, and thought provoking novel where the main protagonist struggled with a moral conflict. From the first chapter, I was pulled in immediately with a tragic event that sets up the rest of the story. I don’t want to give anything more away but make sure you don’t miss out on this one. Finding Grace would be a perfect book club pick to discuss.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own. I give this one 3.5 stars. I know other reviewers were more positive but I struggle a bit with this one. The beginning was unexpected but then I felt like the story lost its way a bit with implausibility. I don’t want to provide any spoilers but I will say I did not care for the choice of the narrator. Made the book feel voyeuristic in a way. Tom the main character, is flawed but I think a lot of that can be because of the grief. I struggle with unlikable characters so this was not the book for me. The writing was well done though.

It’s hard to review Finding Grace without giving anything away, because the best way to read this book is to go in knowing nothing.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild has one of the strongest openings I’ve ever read. The first chapter, then the second, both are incredibly compelling. The choice of narrator is clever, with consistent and meaningful callbacks. The writing throughout the book is beautiful, especially when addressing [redacted] topics.

That said, the powerful beginning sets a high bar. With the reveal hanging over the entire story, I found the ending disappointing. It felt almost like a romance, when I had expected something more in line with literary fiction. The tone of the conclusion didn’t quite match the rest of the book, and it didn’t land for me.