All the Time in the World: A Novel

by Caroline Angell

When a devastating accident befalls the family she nannies for, a young composer faces a choice between her promising career and the well-being of the two little boys she has come to loveCharlotte, a gifted and superbly-trained young musician, has been blindsided by a shocking betrayal in her promising career when she takes a babysitting job with the McLeans, a glamorous Upper East Side Manhattan family. At first, the nanny gig is just a way of tiding herself over until she has licked her wounds and figured out her next move as a composer in New York; she doesn't mean to stay with the family for long. But, as the reader quickly becomes aware, Charlotte is naturally gifted with children and as deeply fond of the two little boys as they are of her. When an unthinkable tragedy leaves the McLeans bereft, Charlotte is not the only one who realizes that she's the key to holding little George and Matty's world together. She finds herself facing an impossible choice between her lifelong dreams and a torn-apart family she's come to love as her own. By turns funny, sexy, and heartrending, Caroline Angell's generous and unforgettable debut is the story of a young woman's discovery of the things that matter most.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Adult Fiction, Book Club, Audiobook, Novels

Paperback

First published July 12, 2016

About the author

Caroline Angell grew up in Endwell, N.Y., the daughter of an electrical engineer and a public school music teacher. She has a B. A. in musical theater from American University and currently lives and works in Manhattan. As a playwright and director, she has had her work performed at regional theaters in New York City and in the Washington, D.C., area. Caroline is the co-founder of Racket, an initiative dedicated to eliminating menstrual taboos and advocating for equal access to feminine hygiene products.

Reviews

[Rae Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caroline and I share a publisher so I had the good fortune of an early read of this book. All the Time in the World is a lovely novel, so assured for a debut, rich, emotional, and fully realized. Like Ann Packer's The Dive from Clausen's Pier, there is a certain "what would you do in this situation" feel to the premise even as the protagonist loses herself to her choice. This is a novel that is not trying to be cool. It is not snarky or ironic or callous or tricky--which allows for a real lose-yourself-in-the-book quality. As a mother, I sometimes found it hard to read, but I don't look to novels to be necessarily easy. I imagine this book will be a hit with bookclubs, a great summer read.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlotte is stuck. After graduating with her Masters in Music Composition, and not knowing what to do with her life she takes a job as a nanny for the Maclean family. Charlotte quickly becomes part of the family and develops a close bond with Gretchen, the mother of the two kids she nannies. When Gretchen is killed in a tragic accident, Charlotte's role in the Maclean household intensifies, as she becomes the primary caretaker for the kids. She is left questioning her identity and what she wants out of life.

I loved All the Time of the World. It has many layers and is packed with emotion, fluctuating between depression, despair, love, and hope. Angell paints a vivid picture of Charlotte's life with the Maclean family, and all of the characters felt very real to me.

I look forward to reading more books in the future by Caroline Angell. I highly recommend.

I received a copy of All the Time in the World from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, the reason I was so drawn to this book and wanted to read it was because of the cover. I mean, just look at that gorgeousness! Then, I saw that it was about a girl who babysits these little boys and has to take on a very large role in their lives when their mother dies. It definitely sounded like an emotional read and I was excited to dive in.

Charlotte is a gifted musician who went to school for composing, but after being cheated out of a career, Charlotte started to babysit for two adorable little boys. Becoming a major part of their lives, Charlotte has accepted her life as a baby-sitter. But when the boys' mother dies, their family starts to crumble and Charlotte becomes an even important figure for the boys and just might be the key to holding the family together.

Starting off, I did enjoy Charlotte's character and her chemistry with Matty and Georgie, the two little boys she takes care of. Since I knew that the mother died from the summary, though, I was just waiting for the mom to finally die and I was not a fan of the waiting and waiting for the bomb to drop. This book is told out of order and goes back and forth between before the death, after the death, and years in the past in order to slowly give details of the whole story. I'm still not sure if I liked the timeline of this book, but it did make the story more unique and interesting.

The one thing that really turned me off was the boys' father's and uncle's relationship to each other and with Charlotte. I don't know, the progression of the relationship between Charlotte and the father and Charlotte and the uncle (not necessarily romantic) was confusing with the pacing and I wanted more information at some parts that left me more confused than anything else. And as a romance lover, the relationships in this book left me feeling, as I said, confused and not completely satisfied.

While the author did explore what it means for a family to lose and grieve for someone that was so important to the family's dynamic, the pacing was a bit weird and I did not like how the relationships played out once the mother actually did die in the book. This wasn't a completely unpleasant read, but I was expecting more from the story.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 4 out of 5]

After facing a devastating setback as a composer, Charlotte takes a job as a nanny for two young children in a very warm family in New York City. This job is supposed to be a short-time pass-through kind of job for Charlotte to clear her head and plan her next move to achieve her career goals. Two years later, Charlotte is still a nanny but it has become because she loves it and feels so much for the family. Tragedy strikes the family and Charlotte will be thrown into a situation that she doesn't fully understand. "All the Time in the World" is a coming of age story set in the heart of New York City where anything can happen when you least expect it.

I fell hard for the characters in this book. Charlotte is incredibly charming as a main character. She is driven but also gives herself enough free-rein to follow wherever the wind may take her. You get to see her change a lot throughout the book and I loved how the author was able to capture how she grows and changes throughout the book. The secondary characters are great as well and felt really well rounded. The author did a great job of capturing really realistic dialogue, which made the characters feel even more real.

I also really liked the gamut of emotions that the author was able to evoke for me. There are some really sad moments and some very happy emotions. You are pulling for the characters through it all because the author makes you feel for them. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book! Overall, this was a great read!

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the Time in the world is a book about family and grief. It's a tough book to read in parts but was worth sticking with it. It's told in different time periods - basically before the accident and after the accident as the family struggles to adjust to their new normal.

Charlotte is the babysitter for Gretchen and Scott's two young sons - George and Matt. Gretchen works part time and Scott is gone most of the time since his job requires him to travel. They appear to be normal family until Gretchen is killed by a car while walking across the street. The family (and Charlotte) are devastated and have to learn how to continue their lives. The most difficult parts of the book for me was watching the children deal with the loss of their mother.

This is an interesting read about love and loss and creating families out of the people who love us the most.

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another great book that I did not want to put down. I felt so sorry for most of the characters involved in this book. Sorry for the husband that lost his wife. Sorry for the babysitter that lost her regular life. Sorry for the poor kids that this happened to. I could not imagine having to go through with that.

It was such a good story and beautifully written with strong characters. Well, the dad was totally out of his league, but it was a whole new world to him, so you really can't blame him. The little boys were so cute as well. I can't believe a child doesn't talk until age 2 or 3 and then just starts speaking in complete sentences. That was crazy! And Pup, that was really sad. Yeah, you will probably need tissues for this one as well.

Thanks Henry Holt and Net Galley for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ariel Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I even look at this book I can't help but be impressed by Caroline Angell. In her very first novel, Caroline has taken her personal experiences of being a nanny in Manhattan's high society and woven a story that will both warm and break your heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the first page to the last. It will be a fantastic beach read and summer book club book.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars
I wanted to like this more than I did.
I can't put my finger on why this was underwhelming...but I'm certain the audiobook was partly to fault. The narrator seemed so put off with each plot move, that I couldn't relate at all. Oh well, on to better books.....

[Cindy Roesel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In ALL the TIME in the World (HenryHolt&Co.) by Caroline Angell, Charlotte is a classically trained composer who has chosen to take a babysitting job for a wealthy Manhattan family in order to "clear her head," after being betrayed by a colleague. At first, its supposed to be temporary, but Charlotte realizes she's good at her job and she enjoys the McLean family. Two years after working for them, tragedy strikes and the wife/mother, Gretchen is killed by a taxi cab, leaving the father, Scotty alone with two little sons, five-year old Matt, and 2-year old George.

"I didn't try to be her, but somehow I lost me. And Scotty let me do it because he's in pain, and I was there. I didn't really have a choice, when it started." Charlotte, ALL THE TIME in the WORLD

Charlotte's personal life is left behind as she steps in to care for Matt and George full-time. After a brief conversation with Scotty, she moves in and is handling the kids' behavior problems at school, sessions with the psychologist and planning for birthday parties.

Charlotte tries to keep one foot in her own personal world, by keeping her own apartment, although she's rarely there, but her friends and family witness her losing her sense-of-self to a family that is truly not hers. Charlotte believes she's doing the right thing, but after Scotty leaves her with the kids for an extended European business trip, she finally realizes, they may have crossed the line.

It's hard to read and believe ALL the TIME in the WORLD is Caroline's debut novel. She is able to alternate between the past and present smoothly, and she handles smoothly the well-developed and identifiable character's perspectives. I respect Charlotte's loyalty and concern for the family, especially the young boys, believing I'd do the same thing. Scotty and the entire family were fortunate to have Charlotte step up and be the adult in the end.

For All things Caroline, check out her website www.carolineangell.com or twitter @carejaneangell

Thanks to Caroline's publicists, Anna and Leyane, we're lucky to have one copy of Caroline's novel, ALL the TIME in the WORLD to giveaway. Just tell us if you've ever had to step in and be the strong one in a difficult situation and what your experience was. We'll pick a winner Monday, July 18th.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was honestly a stunning novel. I can't remember how I came across it; probably an impromptu trip to the book store where the cover caught my eye. I absent-mindedly scan beautiful covers and forget them on a fairly frequent basis. I'm glad I came back to this one.

After a personal blow, Charlotte decides to retreat from her career goals as a talented composer, and takes on a job as a nanny for the McLeans. She grows close to the two young boys, and their amazing mother, Gretchen. What was supposed to be an interlude becomes years spent caring for George and Matty, and when loss strikes the McLeans, Charlotte falls into the role of caregiver, struggling against her love and her dreams.

"What if Gretchen, like me, was still making excuses for why her real life hadn't yet started at the tail end of her twenties?"

"I tried to squeeze them all in, the boys and Scotty and all of the rest of their world, to make myself full of them so that I wouldn't have to be full of me."

Everything in this one resonated with me. Hurtling towards my thirties, I'm feeling a lot of the same things as Charlotte in very different circumstances. Expectations for ourselves can do funny things to our emotional well being.

I highly, highly recommend this one.

[Julie Busa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book as an advanced reading copy. I loved this book. I could really relate with Charlotte. I could feel what she was feeling throughout the book. I loved all the characters. Excellent read!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of this ARC from a GoodReads giveaway and I am amazed to know this is the author's first novel. The story lends to so many different emotions and she handles each very well...the tragedy of losing a young life, love, hate, overwhelming grief, sexual fantasy, betrayal and friendship. The idea of a "good mother" or someone who is nurturing has a big place in this story. The events are out of the characters hands, but their reactions are all different and yet somehow the same. Moving through the months after the accident, the situation finally comes to a head and they stop and say "What now?". There is an assessment of where each character is and where do they want to be. The end is the best solution for all and it works because it is a joint decision of all the major people.

It was uncomfortable for me to think of Charlotte as "easy". As time goes by, she stands up for herself in regards to the music betrayal, but also with the men in her life. I liked that because she seemed less "used" and she wasn't drifting into situations, but making choices. She truly loves the two boys and has a remarkable bond with them. She wants to be there for them and with them.

Everyone knew Patrick was a womanizer, but was it necessary to be so explicit in the office scene.
I cannot believe that Charlotte would let the taxi scene escalate to that point especially with the boys so close by.

Even though I only gave this book 4 stars, overall, I enjoyed the opportunity to read it and I would recommend it to others. It brought back many of my motherhood memories. The energy of living day to day with small children can be overwhelming at times and yet the times spent together can be priceless. This story has a way of showing how Life can be turned upside down in an instant.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard hitting novel. It makes any reader take a step back and think about your own mortality. It only takes a second of carelessness to change not just your life but the lives of all
those around you.

Charlotte is a happy baby sitter. She has her masters in music studies but cannot find a niche in the music world. She is happy with the two boys she looks after, has a wonderful relationship with their parents and everything seems alright. A freak accident and everyone's world turns topsy turvy. Now Charlotte seems to be the glue holding the boys' world together and her personal life as well as her
professional life seems to be put on hold. The story winding its way through Charlotte and everyone in her periphery brings together the elements of love, grief, survival of the spirit amidst the overwhelming sadness of loss.

Beautifully handled debut for this author.

[Gina Nilsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly an incredible book. I experienced so many different emotions while reading this and I loved every second of it. The dynamics between each of the characters was so interesting and the love that was shared between Charlotte, the kids, and the rest of the family was just beautiful. This is a wonderful debut by Caroline Angell and I am so happy that I read it. Would definitely recommend to everyone!

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely characters, that will stay with me for a long while! I especially loved Charlottes relationship with her sisters.

[Mitzi Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this book absolutely sing--some moments just leap off the page and into your heart. Other parts are mundane--just like real life.

Can I rewrite the ending?

[Alissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part coming of age part look at grief. Compelling.

[Miriam Downey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read my full review here: http://mimi-cyberlibrarian.blogspot.c...

All the Time in the World is the exceptional first novel by a talented young author, Caroline Angell. It tells the story of a young woman, Charlotte, who has finished a master's degree in music composition but is now working as a nanny for two young boys, George and Matthew McLean, who are the children of Gretchen and Scotty McLean, wealthy New Yorkers.

A gifted musician, babysitting wasn't in her career plans, but a betrayal by one of her trusted instructors has put Charlotte's career on hold. She falls in love with George and Matthew and finds her employment to be satisfying, although a bit stifling. She considers the job to be good for now; it pays for her life in the city. In the first few pages of the novel, the mother, Gretchen, dies in a taxi accident, and Charlotte's role in the family takes a significance that she had not imagined. The narrative moves backward and forward in time from her first days as the nanny to the day that Gretchen dies to the weeks and months following the tragedy. Charlotte remains as the stabilizing force in the children's lives because Scotty is barely functional. Charlotte's help is what keeps the family going for several months, until the exhaustion of being everyone's everything takes its toll on her well-being. I was impressed that Angell understood the effects of grief for all the family members as well as for Charlotte.

Angell gets a lot of things right. Having just come from a week with grandchildren of the same age, I was impressed that Angell understands the life and times of preschoolers so well, with all the minutia of child care. George and Matthew are very appealing children, and their confusion and grief when their mother dies is heartbreaking. George is too little to really understand what has happened, but as a 5-year-old, Matthew descends into a combative mess that Caroline has to manage every day.

Angell has used her own experience as a music student, composer, and nanny to form the basis of her novel. But more than that, she draws upon a deep and intuitive understanding of death and grief as it plays out in the lives of a family with young children. The characters are all believable, and their reactions are realistic and relatable. Charlotte is a very sympathetic character. I loved her innate understanding of children and their needs, and I liked how she matured when she was called upon to keep the family functioning. I also appreciated the way she led Scotty through his grief and helped him find a path to wholeness.

This novel could easily have been based on the experience of our Downey family—albeit the Downey experience occurred more than 30 years ago, when Lee, the father in our family, died of cancer. Little 2-year-old Rachel had no understanding of what was happening, but her brothers and I experienced a grief that lasted for a long time. The depiction of Scotty, the father, is quite true to my experience—a fog that gradually lifted.

I think that it would have been easy for Angell to have tied this novel up in a neat little bundle, like The Sound of Music, with Charlotte marrying her employer and everyone living happily ever after. I was proud of her for not descending to a formulaic ending. The conclusion was far more satisfying.

As an aside, one detail that I found amusing was about Pale Male, the red-tailed hawk that lives on the facade of a building across from Central Park. My book club had read Red Tails in Love by Marie Winn, so I was familiar with Pale Male. I felt quite smug about knowing that!

As you can tell, All the Time in the World hit fairly close to home for me, bringing back many memories that had laid buried. I did get a bit bogged down in the back and forth of the narration and a lot of details about child care, but I persisted and in the end, I was glad that I did. All the Time in the World is true and heartfelt—it didn't feel like a first novel. Kudos to Caroline Angell.

[Mike Heyd]

All the Time in the World, as this story reminds us, is something we should never take for granted because time is always finite in human lives and it can run out without warning at any time. That's what happens to one of the novel's key characters, and it is why Charlotte's life takes an unexpected ninety-degree turn. So many of the most important decisions in our lives are not really decisions, because they are forced on us by circumstance, or because we choose our paths with no idea what lies around the next bend. This novel explores these themes as Charlotte tells her story.

It is a very good first novel. Catherine Angell is a keen observer of people and places. She tells her tale with sharp insight and deep compassion. She clearly understands human nature; she knows how different people react to events and to each other. Her well drawn people have emotional depth, unlike the cardboard people in so many first novels. These are people we can care about. Angell treats us to a panoply of assumptions, guesses, and truths about life as seen through Charlotte's eyes. The author note doesn't say whether she has children of her own, but she understands them and, as she indicates in the acknowledgments, she enjoys them. The two young brothers at the center of this story are as real and believable as Charlotte herself.

Caroline Angell's background is in musical theater, and it shows. All the Time in the World seems almost to have been composed rather than written, if I may make that distinction. It is filled with movements and refrains, harmonies and occasional dissonances. Just as life is.

As I read this book I dreaded reaching the end because I feared that the author would neatly tie up the package with the typical romantic conclusion where the lovers come together at the last minute as everyone but the lovers themselves knew they would. Fortunately, Catherine Angell is too wise to take the easy out. She knows that life is surprising and messy and she can make her fiction convey that in a way that is believable and satisfying.

My only quibbles with this book are really personal preferences. Like so many contemporary novels it is told in the first person, a practice that does convey the immediacy of the events quite effectively. I'm just tired of it. The narrative frequently jumps back and forth in time between the cataclysmic main event, the things that happened before that, and the developing future of Charlotte and her adoptive family. This is not necessarily bad- many novels toggle between "then" and "now." Perhaps it is the third chronological dimension that I sometimes found a little confusing and therefore mildly irritating.

I received this free Advance Reader copy of All the Time in the World in a Goodreads giveaway. I am happy to recommend it to all who enjoy a story about real people facing real, albeit unusual, events. It deserves wide readership.

[Gail Cooke]

This remarkable debut is not only a riveting story filled with heartbreak and humor but it also gives readers much to ponder in their own lives. Caroline Angell’s voice is so honest, so truthful that one almost feels she has penned a memoir. All The Time In The World is an extraordinary book - what a debut!

We meet Charlotte, a young woman living in New York City who once dreamed of being a composer but has given that up after a teacher stole her composition. So to pay the rent she becomes a babysitter for a wealthy, loving Upper East Side family - the McLean’s. Scotty, Gretchen, and their two young sons, Matt and George. Charlotte finds her job distracting and rewarding while she tries to decide how to move forward after the betrayal that sent her off course.

Before long she finds herself totally absorbed in the daily lives of the McLean’s - planning birthday parties, pick-ups and drop-offs, play dates, bathing, feeding, naps, and joyfully hearing little George’s first words when some had feared he would never speak. Charlotte’s personal life goes by the wayside as when a grad school friend comes to her with good news, she chooses to work late rather than be with him.

Tragedy strikes when Gretchen is struck by a car on a gray, rainy day and dies. The scene in the hospital waiting room when relatives have gathered and the family hears the news is stunningly, heartbreakingly drawn. Suddenly Charlotte finds herself the boys’ primary care giver and the glue trying to keep this grieving family together, living a life she had never imagined - she moves into the McLean home to care for the boys and if at all possible assuage Scotty’s grief. She tries to do all of this under the watchful, sometimes judging eyes of friends and family. Scotty’s younger brother, Patrick, is a story in itself as we are privy to his responses to the tragedy and to Charlotte herself.

Angell has chosen to tell her story by moving backyard and forward in time beginning with the day before Gretchen’s death, then moving to two years before when Charlotte applies for the job, and so on. This reader found that somewhat distracting but it did not detract from the power of this complex story that is both heart-breaking and life affirming. I eagerly await the next from Caroline Angell.

[Viviane Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

All The Time In The World: A Novel. Caroline Angell. Holt, Henry and Company, Inc.. July 2016. 336 pp. ISBN#: 9781627794015.
Charlotte is a musician who is currently unemployed and wondering what she’s to do with her degrees and talents in music. She has a sometimes on and sometimes off boyfriend who is also a composer but for now she’s taken a job as a babysitter of the two McLean boys, Matty and George, in the upper East Side of Manhattan. She has no intention of making this a permanent job but she, like the reader, is quickly enamored of these two funny and caring little boys. Their parents, Scotty and Gretchen, are also unusual people who treat Charlotte as more than an employee, indeed a family member. The two boys are typical boys who keep this tale from seeming too good to be true.
The normal day-to-day events come to a devastating halt when Gretchen dies and the remainder of the story becomes very complex as each character attempts to deal with this searing loss. Charlotte knows she is only an employee but also knows she is such an integral part of this broken family that she cannot just walk away from them, adding another traumatic loss to the experiences of these lost little boys and their father. Some other characters, like Scotty’s brother, add to the humorous, edgy and sexy textures woven into this memorable story.
Caroline Angell has written a beautiful novel about loss and love that shows exceptional skill in exploring the multi-layered reactions to a family’s coping skills. No, it’s not depressing because the scenes are presented with remarkable sensitivity that also includes irony, laughter, and other “normal” scenes because life does go on in spite of the most grievous pain accompany loss. It’s also made even more fascinating as it weaves back and forth between the present, past and future. The reader never knows what to expect and this skillful presentation of time adds to the connected elements that weave together to form one unique story.
Very nicely done, Caroline Angell – highly recommended contemporary fiction!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Charlotte, a fledgling composer who is more successful at being a nanny for a young family than she is at her art. At least that’s how she feels. She had the rug pulled out from under her by a mentor who found success with Charlotte’s composition, claiming it as her own. Feeling powerless, Charlotte can barely speak about it to anyone so she does her best at helping care for the McLean children. When a tragedy occurs Charlotte becomes indispensable to the family and is even less inclined to pursue her art. As they do, things come to a head and Charlotte must make a decision that could shake the world even more for everyone involved. As difficult as it is, that decision will empower Charlotte in ways she hadn’t imagined.

I had a hard time finding something to like about a couple of the characters – two brothers, one being the father of the two young children. I found them lacking when it came to stepping up at the appropriate times – two more people to take advantage of Charlotte. And that led me to shake my head at times when Charlotte failed to speak up or act.

Caroline Angell’s novel is a study in grief, moving through grief, and finding one’s way through challenges in life. Any reader who has experienced loss of this kind will understand what the characters go through – and that there’s no right way to do it. This is just how Charlotte and the McLean family grieved their loss and started the ascent to a new normal. It’s a compelling story and I’m glad I had the chance to read it. 3.5 stars.
*I received a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the book as member of a book club. I found it interesting and am looking forward to the discussion next week. It was thought provoking. The main character was appealing and it was impossible not to be concerned for her. The sexual relationship she had with Patrick, I felt, did not add to the story. The point that he was a "womanizer" was made without Charlotte's participation. The book ended leaving me with questions about her future and the futures of Scotty and Patrick. One theme I have not seen mentioned in the few reviews I have read, is that of sibling relationships. Charlotte has two sisters and Scotty and Patrick are brothers. How Patrick supported his brother and how Claudia and Jane supported their sister-- and Gretchen's sister dealing with Gretchen's death, I felt, were important pieces of the story. I would recommend this book and certainly think it would be worthwhile for a book club. Lot there to discuss.

[Reading Fool · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book.

This is an impressive debut novel. Charlotte is a young composer who becomes part of the McLean family when she is hired to be the babysitter of the two boys, Matt and George. The parents, Scotty and Gretchen, are wealthy Manhattanites, living on the Upper East Side. A tragic accident leaves the boys motherless, and Charlotte is left to face the challenges of grief and loss with Scotty and his sons. Told from Charlotte's perspective, the story goes back and forth in time, before and after Charlotte's death, and the storytelling is brilliant. I was sucked in from the start and fell in love with Matt and George, just like Charlotte. I look forward to more novels from Caroline Angell.

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy in a Good Reads Give away.
Charlotte has graduated with a Masters in Music Composition.
She is stuck not knowing what to do with Her Life. So she takes a job as a Nanny for the MaClean Family and forms a close bond with Gretchen the Mother. After Gretchen is killed in a tragic accident Charlotte's role intensifies, she becomes the primary care taker for the Kids.
She begins questioning her identity and what she really wants out of life. The story has many layers to it and it is packed full of emotion's, Love, Depression, Despair and Hope. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

[Candace Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a wonderful debut novel. The whole premise of the blurred lines between "help" and the family they work for, especially when tragedy befalls them was interesting. I suppose we will have to see if future writings bare this out, but Caroline appears to have a unique quality to her writing, a style even, perhaps its the chapters that read more like "parts" or the seamless crossing from the present into the past. I look forward to future books by this author.

[Cindy Wilkerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love this book. It is a story that mainly deals with grief and how people handle it in different ways. All the while we are watching a young woman trying to figure out her life. Everything these characters felt, did, and said were 100% believable considering the circumstances. There were times when my heart sank and times when it felt incredibly light. Amazing.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars... This was a fantastic, engaging read that kept up until the early morning hours to finish. I am surprised to learn this is the author's first novel, and I will definitely be looking for more from her in the future.

[Roxanne Meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED!! Caroline Angell is a wonderful new author. Even though this story is full of sadness and tragedy, Charlotte has such an authentic voice and her compassion and love for Matthew and George make the sadness bare-able. ❤️

[Jennifer Gingerich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book for what it was. I bought it from a clearance table in a small book store on Sanibel Island that unfortunately isn’t there anymore. So, my expectations weren’t too high. The only thing that left me wanting more was the end.