Tammy
I’d give this book a solid 3.75, rounding up to a 4-star read for me.
The plot is easily the strongest part. I was hooked right from the first page and stayed invested the whole way through. I really felt the main character’s dilemma weighing on her every step of the book, it made me stop and seriously ask myself, “What would I do if I were in her shoes?” As a mom, I know how impossible that kind of choice feels from both sides, and the story captured that tension so well. That emotional pull and the strength of the central conflict are the biggest reasons I rated it this high.
I really liked the characters, too. Everyone felt distinct, the author gave each one their own voice, so you could always tell who was speaking without needing a tag. Some characters you genuinely root for, while others are clearly there to move the story along, and that’s totally fine. The book is on the shorter side, so there’s not endless time to develop everyone, but I thought the author did a great job making even some of the side characters worth caring about. They support the mains beautifully, showing us who the protagonists really are and why they make the choices they do.
The writing itself was solid but not flashy. It’s clean, easy to read, and the pages flew by, which is a huge plus. Nothing jumped out as brilliantly poetic or anything, but nothing felt clunky or off-putting either. It just worked.
Pacing was mostly good, though there were a few spots where the main character circled back over the same dilemma and inner thoughts a little too much. I get why, it’s the heart of the story, but those repetitive recaps slowed things down just a touch for me. I could’ve done without a couple of them. There’s also some insta-love vibes that you kind of have to accept as a plot device rather than something super realistic. It’s necessary to keep the story moving toward a resolution, so I rolled with it.
This is a very emotionally heavy book. It dives deep into death, motherhood, losing someone you love, and the guilt that can come with it. The themes are powerful, and as a parent, it hit me hard in places. There were moments that tugged at my heartstrings and left me misty-eyed (one scene in the middle really got me when I put myself in her position). That said, it didn’t quite shift my perspective or make me see something in a brand-new way, which is something I love in books. It pulled on my emotions without fully changing how I think about the issues, but it definitely made me feel them.
The setting gave off a nice small-town vibe. You could picture the motel, the bar, the quiet streets, it felt lived in and atmospheric. Since it’s set in the modern U.S., the author didn’t have to build a whole new world, but she still set the stage perfectly and made the place feel real.
Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot. It kept me turning pages, guessing how it would end, and wondering what choices everyone would ultimately make. I never felt like it dragged or should’ve been shorter, in fact, I think it could’ve been a little longer and I still would’ve been happy. It’s a good, gripping story with real heart, and I’m glad I read it.
I’d give this book a solid 3.75, rounding up to a 4-star read for me.
The plot is easily the strongest part. I was hooked right from the first page and stayed invested the whole way through. I really felt the main character’s dilemma weighing on her every step of the book, it made me stop and seriously ask myself, “What would I do if I were in her shoes?” As a mom, I know how impossible that kind of choice feels from both sides, and the story captured that tension so well. That emotional pull and the strength of the central conflict are the biggest reasons I rated it this high.
I really liked the characters, too. Everyone felt distinct, the author gave each one their own voice, so you could always tell who was speaking without needing a tag. Some characters you genuinely root for, while others are clearly there to move the story along, and that’s totally fine. The book is on the shorter side, so there’s not endless time to develop everyone, but I thought the author did a great job making even some of the side characters worth caring about. They support the mains beautifully, showing us who the protagonists really are and why they make the choices they do.
The writing itself was solid but not flashy. It’s clean, easy to read, and the pages flew by, which is a huge plus. Nothing jumped out as brilliantly poetic or anything, but nothing felt clunky or off-putting either. It just worked.
Pacing was mostly good, though there were a few spots where the main character circled back over the same dilemma and inner thoughts a little too much. I get why, it’s the heart of the story, but those repetitive recaps slowed things down just a touch for me. I could’ve done without a couple of them. There’s also some insta-love vibes that you kind of have to accept as a plot device rather than something super realistic. It’s necessary to keep the story moving toward a resolution, so I rolled with it.
This is a very emotionally heavy book. It dives deep into death, motherhood, losing someone you love, and the guilt that can come with it. The themes are powerful, and as a parent, it hit me hard in places. There were moments that tugged at my heartstrings and left me misty-eyed (one scene in the middle really got me when I put myself in her position). That said, it didn’t quite shift my perspective or make me see something in a brand-new way, which is something I love in books. It pulled on my emotions without fully changing how I think about the issues, but it definitely made me feel them.
The setting gave off a nice small-town vibe. You could picture the motel, the bar, the quiet streets, it felt lived in and atmospheric. Since it’s set in the modern U.S., the author didn’t have to build a whole new world, but she still set the stage perfectly and made the place feel real.
Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot. It kept me turning pages, guessing how it would end, and wondering what choices everyone would ultimately make. I never felt like it dragged or should’ve been shorter, in fact, I think it could’ve been a little longer and I still would’ve been happy. It’s a good, gripping story with real heart, and I’m glad I read it.