This novel follows Connie, Luke, and Lucasta, three individuals navigating the complexities of grief. Though the story centers on loss, it is written with warmth, humor, and a sense of hope, making it an uplifting rather than sorrowful read.

The characters find solace at a Bereavement Café, which becomes a supportive space where they share their struggles and participate in spiritual activities led by a local celebrity author. As they bond, they begin to heal—helping each other through life’s challenges, such as returning to work, single parenthood, and selling a family home, all while the world continues moving forward.

What sets this book apart is its lighthearted approach to mourning. It embraces the idea that lost loved ones remain with us in unexpected ways, whether through humorous signs or fond memories. Rather than simplifying grief, it portrays the experience authentically, much like reminiscing with family and friends, sharing both tears and laughter. This heartfelt and relatable story reassures readers that while loss is inevitable, love and connection endure, making it a comforting read for anyone coping with bereavement.

The story starts out very interesting. We meet several people in Dublin that are all dealing with having lost a loved one. They are all attending a weekly bereavement café to talk about their grief. One of the participants, Connie, receives mysterious calls from her deceased mother on an ancient Nokia cell phone. The story is told alternately from her point of view, that of Luke, a single father, and that of a well-known Irish author who can apparently communicate with the dead. In the first half of the book, it seems as if the story is about supernatural occurrences, but then this part of the plot ends quite abruptly and somehow everything turns out well for all the grieving main characters. It was a little unsatisfying to not receive an explanation for these supernatural occurrences, but nonetheless the story was entertaining and uplifting.

I’ve been a fan of Claudia Carroll for longer than I’ve been properly reviewing books, so I was absolutely thrilled to get an ARC of Remember I Love You. She’s one of those authors I always trust to deliver a brilliant read, so I went into this one with high expectations. That said, it wasn’t quite what I anticipated—this book leans heavily into the spiritual, with séances, messages from beyond the grave, and an overall theme of life after death. It’s not what I normally gravitate towards, but I was completely drawn in from the start and ended up really enjoying it.
One of the things Carroll does so well is creating characters that feel real, and that’s absolutely the case here. I became so invested in their lives, their heartbreak, and their emotional journeys that I didn’t want to put the book down. There’s a genuine warmth to her writing, even when tackling heavier topics like grief and loss, and I found myself getting quite emotional in places. The relationships between the characters, especially the family dynamics, were beautifully written, and I loved how everything unfolded naturally rather than feeling forced.
Despite the more mystical elements, the book never felt over-the-top or unbelievable. Carroll balances the supernatural side with very grounded human emotions, making it feel less like a ghost story and more like a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and what happens when we’re left behind. 
If I had one minor issue, it’s that the ending felt a little rushed. One moment, I was deep in the story, and then suddenly, I’d almost reached the end and had to pause to process whether everything had been tied up. It had, but I would have liked just a bit more time to sit with it all before it wrapped up. That said, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.
Remember I Love You might not have been the book I was expecting, but it was an emotional, heartfelt read that stayed with me after I finished. Carroll’s writing is as engaging as ever, and while it had a different tone from some of her previous books, it still had that signature warmth and depth that makes her stories so compelling. If you’re open to something with a slightly spiritual twist, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a go.

Luke and his daughter Amy are not coping with the death of Helen his wife and Amy’s mother.
Connie is struggling with the death of her mother, her brother Donald who lives abroad and is rich beyond rich is more concerned about the sale of the house that Connie has lived in all her life.
Stella is the headmistress of Amy’s school and she knows how much Luke is suffering she’s been there herself.
They all come together at a bereavement cafe and become friends. When a famous author comes to the meetings it shakes things up and they all start on a path that their loved ones have set them on,
Great book and well written loved this and couldn’t put it down.
Highly recommended

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. I didn't love this book but didn't dislike it either. The plot was interesting but quite slow, and I didn't feel there was much character development.

This is the first book I have read by Claudia and by the first few pages I was HOOKED!

Greif is such a difficult topic to handle and everyone deals with it differently. I loved the way this book covered the topic with kindness and humour. All the characters are wonderfully developed and I was rooting for every single one. I don’t agree with people who give bad reviews because they didn’t like certain characters because that just shows the author has created believable characters. (Phoebe and Luke did my nut in)

A perfect feel good story with dialogue that flows seamlessly

I am normally a massive fan of Claudia Carroll so I was really excited to read this book but I really struggled to get into this book. The story felt difficult to connect with, and the characters seemed so bizarre that I couldn’t develop any affinity or emotional attachment to them. Set in a bereavement café, the novel explores themes of grief and loss, whilst also infusing humour but it just missed the mark for me. While some may appreciate its unique perspective, it wasn’t the right fit for me, especially as I was looking for something more engaging or escapist.

Connie, Luke and Lucasta are all suffering from grief. How can a book about grieving the death of a loved one leave me feeling so hopeful? On a personal note I'm coming up on the one-year anniversary of the death of my beloved Uncle Mike, He is my mom's younger brother and I was worried that this book would make me feel sad but it didn't. Of course, we miss loved ones when they pass away but we needn't worry about them, they are always with us. I know my Uncle Mike isn't in pain isn't in pain any longer and he's watching over us. That is how this book left me feeling.

Even though it is such heavy topical matter it was done in a humorous way. Loved ones reaching out while on the toilet or your dearly departed mom giving you dating advice. I never felt the author was simplifying or belittling the healing process. Have you ever lost a loved one and sat around with friends and family sharing funny stories about them and laughing? That's what this book felt like to me.

Touching and funny with a dash of spiritual magic, Claudia Carroll wrote a poignant story about death and grieving that was actually a joy to read.

Oh Claudia you've done it again. Stolen my heart and then hugged it ♥️. I love Claudia's books. Love love love the way she writes. That I feel like I know the characters. Like I'm sat down in the cafe alongside these characters. I always think of her stories long after I've read them. And they both sit and heal a little part of me as I read.
This this this level of talent is why books are deemed so important to our lives. And why should cherish our authors.
This story is about grief. And loss. And what we do with that. And how other alongside us are doing with. And perhaps how coming together people can heal together. Support and love. It's all you need it honestly is. It's the strength and hope you'll ever need and this book shows us a little part of that.
I really liked how our two main families were different so we got their own angles. But how in some thing we go tjroguh in life we are also feeling similar. There is a trodden path we can the help guide others on.

Remember, I Love You by Claudia Carroll is a poignant and uplifting novel about love, loss, and the unexpected ways healing can unfold. Set in a tight-knit Dublin community, the story follows Luke, Connie, and two grieving teenagers, Alex and Lucy, each struggling with the death of a loved one. Their paths intersect at the Leesom Street Café, where friendship and laughter help them navigate their heartache. Carroll beautifully explores themes of grief and the possibility of second chances, offering a heartfelt reminder that love doesn’t always say goodbye. With its warmth and emotional depth, this book is perfect for readers who enjoy stories about hope, resilience, and the healing power of connection.

I really enjoyed Remember, I Love You. It is about love and loss and how an unlikely group of people make new connections through a bereavement cafe.

Another favourite to add to my list from this author! There were quite a few characters to follow, but it was very easy to keep track of the different threads. I absolutely loved.Lucasta, I could just imagine her in my head as she was described! The characters were all very warm and sensitive and kind, especially to each other, which is a characteristic of Claudia Carroll's novels. This is one of the nicest books she has ever written. It may also be a help to those who have been recently bereaved.

Oh I read this out of my TBR order and far far away from my TBR's jar and I'm so glad I did! Such a beautiful book! Loved every minute spending with every character. Sweet and heartfelt to the core. Fabulous through and through.

Connie, Luke, Alex, Lucy, all customers at the Bereavement Cafe, have something in common, they all lost someone they loved and miss them constantly.
We learn how every person is grieving in they own way, but with something in common: love for their loved ones.
Heartwarming tale of loss and friendship.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Interesting concept - a group of people meet at a bereavement cafe - all experiencing the loss of a loved one. Lovely characters that you warm to and want the best for. Architect Luke and his six year old daughter Amy - he’s trying to continue his demanding job and bring up Amy after the loss of wife Helen. Actor Connie whose brother wants to sell the house Connie had lived in with their late mum. Novelist Lucasta who hears the voices of those who have died and relays messages. A pair of teenage sisters grieving for their dad. And other characters.

There are funny and sad moments but written in a sensitive way. It’s a story of how the group can help and support one another.

Review is on Goodreads under my profile name of Sarah Truckell

I was lucky enough to be given the book for free in return for an honest opinion, Thank you Netgalley.
Now this book has me feeling 50/50! I love the idea of it and I loved it until towards the end. I was hooked the first part, what I lovely idea of a book and the idea of spiritualists but I feel like the end was rushed and didn’t fit the flow of the rest of the book. I’m sad for saying this as I loved the most but don’t feel like the part towards the end does the first half justice!
I’ll definitely look out for the author again as I loved the ideas just hoped for a more in depth second half of the book.

3.5 🌟
Remember, I love You is about love, loss and grief and the different journeys people go through.
I thought this was a heartwarming read, with lots of lighthearted moments throughout. The opening prologue actually had me giggling! It was a great way to start, particularly after I realised her mum wasnt actually still alive! 🙈. I also really liked the range of interesting charcaters we got to meet.

This didn't make me as emotional as I thought it would but if you're looking for something 'not too deep' when it comes to the grief subject, then this will be the perfect read for you!

This was a lovely story about people losing loved ones, it could have been mothers, fathers wives or husbands, it brought people together to talk about grief. Lucasta is an author who can communicate with the dead, she’s been coming to a coffee shop for bereavement workshops when she hears the family of the other people. Luke has lost his wife, Stella had lost her husband, Connie her mother and the twins have lost their father. It’s a beautifully written book that leaves you with a lasting feeling, it creating friendships with very different people and showed that there is good people among us. A 4 star read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

What a wonderful story about love, loss and growing around the sadness. This was a delightful story to read, there were a couple of moments that broke my heart, but honestly overall I adored this story, there was something really special about it. The bereavement café is a great idea, we have one locally to me and its always a great place for a cuppa and to make you realise that life ca n be happy again. Even if its listening to someone tell an embarrassing story about their loved one that they haven’t ever shared before. I loved the telephone idea and Lucasta stole the show in some moments, but I loved every minute of this story. It is about grief and loss, but its done in a beautiful manner and will show you that its not all grey clouds and darkness.

This is a heart warming book! I was unsure about at first of the medium aspect but as I enjoyed the authors previous books I kept going. Throughout the book we follow each of the characters on their grief journey. Although grief and loss is the main them of the book it also on the light hearted side too. This book was really well written and I loved reading it and read it in a weekend which is a good sign. Thank you to the publisher and to netgalley for this arc.