This book is bitter-sweet, something I do love. My favourite thing about it is the setting. The author did a fantastic job with her descriptions of Sable Island and, as a Nova Scotian, I really loved seeing my province portrayed.

I really wasn't a fan of Emma. She made some poor choices (repeatedly) that had me rolling my eyes. Her love story just didn't do anything to me and it mostly had to do with it consisting of insta-love. I'm sorry, but I didn't find the relationship/connection between Emma and Oliver at all believable

I actually enjoyed the plot line with Logan, though I wish there was more to it.

Being a duel-timeline book, I was expecting it to have modern chapters sprinkled throughout, but we don't actually get the modern setting until the last part of the book.

Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of the narrator. Her accents for the Canadian characters (as well as her pronunciation of Saskatchewan) kept taking me out of the story.

Another one that MacLean just absolutely knocked out of the park. If you’re a fan of love stories and historical fiction, you will love this novel, as well as any other of hers.

Set in post WWII on a beautiful island in Canada. This was a beautiful sweeping historical fiction romance that follows Emma Clarkson on her journey of falling in love and becoming independent. The descriptions of Sable Island felt like I was right there. It was so interesting reading up on Sable Island after I was done with the story. It was obvious that Maclean put in a ton of research to write this. While I was invested in the characters and I think the character development was outstanding, I wasn’t fully invested in Emma’s love story. It fell flat for me. I don’t think historical fiction romance is my favorite genre. For those of you who enjoy that type of reading, you will love this!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC audio by Julianne MacLean. This novel had everything I look for in a captivating story - dual timelines, romance, mystery and lost loves. However, I struggled with it, especially in the beginning. By the end, I was heartbroken for Emma and Oliver and the misunderstandings and misinformation that tore them apart. I could not, no matter how hard I tried, stay focused on the 1995 timeline. I've always sworn I love dual timelines, but I'm starting to wonder if that's true! Overall, a great novel that I am glad I read, maybe I just wanted more of Emma and Oliver.

I truly enjoyed this dual timeline historical romance. Emma was such an endearing, strong, intelligent character and my heart just kept breaking for her. She went through so much and had the rug jerked out from under her so many times but she never gave up, never stopped looking for happiness and her purpose in life. There were many twists and turns in Emma’s path and she maneuvered each one with grace. Yes, there were times she was angry or bitter, but most of us would be. Her father was simply amazing. He was supportive in ways, many fathers probably weren’t in that time period with the situations they faced. Oliver was the perfect love interest, except they couldn’t be together for a myriad of reasons. He embodies the idea of that one person that you can’t forget and can never fully get over. Sable Island was the perfect setting. I had never heard of it before, but this has been added to my bucket list of must see places. It’s described so beautifully and I love the idea of the wild horses just being allowed to roam. The dual timeline really worked well with Emma’s story. I love that we get to see her successful and happy, despite the trials she had endured. All in all, this is a story about true love and how some people are just meant to be together.

I’d like to thank Julianne Maclean, Lake Union Publishing, and Netgalley for providing me with this arc. My review was not impacted in any way by this.

This book was beautifully written. I loved the descriptions of Sable Island. The love, both romantic and family, is so strong and wonderful. It was written in two timelines, which was fine, although I am not sure it really brought anything to the story. I enjoyed that it was a historical fiction, family drama with the main character being a woman who has experienced extreme heartbreak, yet still pushes through. I found it was well written and enjoyable, although parts of the book did drag on a little more than I would have liked. The romance part felt forced and not realistic, but it did not stop me from enjoying the book. Overall, a beautifully written story that will have you reaching for the tissues.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

This is a beautiful historical fiction story, starting in 1946 after WWII. Emma lives on the isolated Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. She plans on leaving for university, but when she meets a British sea captain, rescued from a nearby shipwreck, her plans are forever changed. This story spans decades and multiple generations looking into Emma’s life on the island and beyond.

Julianne Maclean writes such sweeping historical fiction stories! This is my third book I’ve read by her and they are all enchanting and I love learning about a different period or place I wasn’t previously familiar with. During the 1940s, Sable island was inhabited by about 35 people and it served as a weather station and was a beacon for those shipwrecked in the North Atlantic

This story is quite atmospheric and I loved the island setting, including the wild horses! It was so cool to learn more about the wild horses that still live there wild without intervention, and their origin and influence on the story. The two timelines worked really well together as we followed Emma’s journey to see all she overcame. I just would have loved a little more of our two leads at the very end of the story after all they went through.

It didn’t hold my attention well I didn’t care for the FMC as much as I wanted to which made the story hard to keep moving I did enjoy the town the historical side of things but just wasn’t for me.

All Our Beautiful Goodbyes honest ARC Review:

While I spent many summers visiting Halifax and various spots in Nova Scotia, I don’t think that experience is necessary to appreciate this beautifully crafted tale.

Filled with a natural beauty that leaves the reader enthralled, this story is definitely one to add to your TBR! This story is touching and will remain with you long after the last chapter. It really pulls at your heartstrings as you are taken on quite a journey with Emma, Oliver and Logan.

Thought provoking, reflective and inspiring, this tale reminds us not to give up on those we love. I just really loved this. It is such a remarkable way to remind each of us to try to connect and hold on to those we care for and love in our lives.

Thank you for sharing this ARC with me. I enjoyed it!

This book broke my heart a bit but I absolutely loved it. Emma was such a curious and passionate character and she captured my heart early on. The heartbreak she suffered time and time again would have been too much for some and her resilience was impressive. The Sable Island setting was fascinating and the writing was so descriptive that I could clearly picture it. The narrator was perfect for Emma's compelling story and I really appreciated the author’s note about the island and the background behind the book.

Julianne MacLean has done it again, I absolutely loved this book! It has so many depths when it comes to being emotional. Happiness, sadness, joy, fear, anxiousness, disappointment, surprise, but my favorite is the parts that are truly heartwarming. Not only was this a beautiful read, but at the end the author shares her research of this island, the horses, and some of the history. This is a beautiful book, and as much as I prefer listening to books, I will definitely buy the hardcover to have to reread when I like. Thank you for such a heartwarming book.