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Until It Was Gone
When, at the end of their fortieth anniversary dinner, Laney announces she's leaving Franklin, he's stunned and asks if she ever loved him, to which she answers, “Yes, until it was gone.”
Laney leaves for the Oklahoma panhandle in search of Roz, their estranged daughter, who left home at sixteen, and the nineteen-year-old granddaughter, Maggie, Laney has never met.
Shortly after she leaves, Franklin contracts COVID which morphs into long COVID. His episodes of fogginess and disorientation awaken memories of abuse at the hands of his father. His sister comes to take care of him, but she needs to return home soon for the sentencing of a mass murderer who killed her husband.
If that weren't enough, Maggie becomes pregnant and, due to medical complications, needs an abortion, but she lives in a state where it's outlawed. What will she do? Where will she go? Will the family find the resilience to come together for everyone's sake?
Until It Was Gone tells of a family trying to make life work while being pummeled by the exigencies of contemporary society. It celebrates the thin strands of hope that hold us together and move us forward.
Laney leaves for the Oklahoma panhandle in search of Roz, their estranged daughter, who left home at sixteen, and the nineteen-year-old granddaughter, Maggie, Laney has never met.
Shortly after she leaves, Franklin contracts COVID which morphs into long COVID. His episodes of fogginess and disorientation awaken memories of abuse at the hands of his father. His sister comes to take care of him, but she needs to return home soon for the sentencing of a mass murderer who killed her husband.
If that weren't enough, Maggie becomes pregnant and, due to medical complications, needs an abortion, but she lives in a state where it's outlawed. What will she do? Where will she go? Will the family find the resilience to come together for everyone's sake?
Until It Was Gone tells of a family trying to make life work while being pummeled by the exigencies of contemporary society. It celebrates the thin strands of hope that hold us together and move us forward.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2024
22 people are currently reading
3898 people want to read
About the author
David B. Seaburn
12 books115 followersDavid Seaburn is a retired therapist and ordained Presbyterian minister. He also writes for Psychology Today magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 16, 2024
Rounded up from 3.5 stars. A beautiful story about the messy dynamics of family exasperated by the long term effects of the COVID-19 virus and the pro-life policies of the state of Oklahoma. No matter how many horrible things happened to this estranged family of 5, I'm glad I held on to my optimism. If you let Franklin, Laney, Roz, Maggie and Gretchen into your life, they will show you that it's never too late to blow up your life and that nothing is ever too broken to be fixed.
Thank you Netgalley, David B. Seaburn, and Black Rose Writing for the ARC.
Thank you Netgalley, David B. Seaburn, and Black Rose Writing for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2024
This is a fascinating book about families, hardships, and the bonds we make and break. Franklin and Laney separate after the 40th wedding anniversary and Franklin gets Covid. His sister, Gretchen comes to care for him as he's old and can't do many things for himself anymore. We also meet Roz, Laney's daughter and Roz's daughter, Maggie--whose relationships are also "messy"! It's a great family drama that covers many topics that all marriages go through and leaves the reader with hope.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
March 12, 2025
I was surprised how quickly and thoroughly Until It Was Gone drew me in. Perhaps being the same age as the main protagonist, Laney, I could relate to the life she’d lived and arriving at this point in time with misgivings.
Franklin and Laney Stafford have been married for forty years. The night they are out celebrating at their favorite restaurant, Laney ends their celebration by telling Franklin she’s leaving him. He’s stunned and asks if she ever loved him. She answers, “Yes, until it was gone.” Laney takes an Uber home, packs a couple of bags, and disappears in her lavender Mercedes.
Franklin returns to the empty house and is at a loss. Laney has done this before but always returned in a few days. Something feels different this time. He struggles to cope with her leaving him and then collapses in the throes of COVID-19. His sister, Gretchen, moves in. Gretchen lost her husband a few years earlier in a mass shooting, and the sentencing of the killer is coming up. She tries to nurse Franklin through the loss of Laney as well as long COVID.
Laney, meanwhile, has headed to Oklahoma to try and forge a relationship with their daughter, Roz, who left home at 16, and granddaughter Maggie, who they have never met. Roz became pregnant after leaving home and raised Maggie as a single mother. They live in a desolate area without much chance of escaping. Roz manages a convenience store, while Maggie cleans rooms at a small motel. It’s a dead-end for both of them. That might not matter to Roz, who is comforted by the isolated atmosphere, but Maggie is stagnating. Laney arrives to a fristy reception from Roz, while Maggie wants to get to know her grandmother.
To read my full review please go to Until It Was Gone by David Seaburn – Family Dynamics, Generational Trauma, and COVID-19
Franklin and Laney Stafford have been married for forty years. The night they are out celebrating at their favorite restaurant, Laney ends their celebration by telling Franklin she’s leaving him. He’s stunned and asks if she ever loved him. She answers, “Yes, until it was gone.” Laney takes an Uber home, packs a couple of bags, and disappears in her lavender Mercedes.
Franklin returns to the empty house and is at a loss. Laney has done this before but always returned in a few days. Something feels different this time. He struggles to cope with her leaving him and then collapses in the throes of COVID-19. His sister, Gretchen, moves in. Gretchen lost her husband a few years earlier in a mass shooting, and the sentencing of the killer is coming up. She tries to nurse Franklin through the loss of Laney as well as long COVID.
Laney, meanwhile, has headed to Oklahoma to try and forge a relationship with their daughter, Roz, who left home at 16, and granddaughter Maggie, who they have never met. Roz became pregnant after leaving home and raised Maggie as a single mother. They live in a desolate area without much chance of escaping. Roz manages a convenience store, while Maggie cleans rooms at a small motel. It’s a dead-end for both of them. That might not matter to Roz, who is comforted by the isolated atmosphere, but Maggie is stagnating. Laney arrives to a fristy reception from Roz, while Maggie wants to get to know her grandmother.
To read my full review please go to Until It Was Gone by David Seaburn – Family Dynamics, Generational Trauma, and COVID-19
December 22, 2024
This book was vey good. I really enjoyed all the family drama and how they were going to cope with it
A little disappointing in the ending but still close enough for a 5 star rating
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy.
A little disappointing in the ending but still close enough for a 5 star rating
Thanks NetGalley for advance copy.
September 19, 2024
Franklin and Laney Stafford are out to dinner celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary when Laney nonchalantly tells him she’s leaving, stunning him because he thought their marriage was stable. A determined Laney leaves for Oklahoma to look for their daughter Roz, who left home at sixteen, and her 19-year-old daughter Maggie. Soon after, Franklin gets COVID, which turns into long COVID, and his health starts deteriorating. He starts remembering his traumatic childhood at the hands of his abusive father. His sister Gretchen comes to take care of him for a few days, but she needs to return home to testify in court for the sentencing hearing of a mass murderer who killed her husband.
In Oklahoma, Laney reconnects with Roz, whose relationship with Maggie is just as broken as theirs. Just when they are getting to know each other, Maggie becomes pregnant and develops complications. Her condition is getting worse, but she can’t get the healthcare she needs in Oklahoma because abortions are illegal there. Laney reaches out to Franklin back in New York, and they make the long trip to get her proper medical care while working to heal the fractures within the family.
Franklin and Laney had appeared happy on the surface, but Laney married for convenience and felt like she had settled. She has a history of leaving and then returning when she realizes that she has no other option. This time it’s different because she wants to mend her relationship with Roz. In “Until It Was Gone: A Contemporary Family Novel of Resilience and Hope,” David B. Seaburn reiterates that in a family unit, everyone has distinctive experiences that affect how they deal with each other.
Franklin is in denial about his marriage and when he starts getting sick, his painful childhood memories make a complicated life even worse. Roz has managed to make a life of her own but her relationship with Maggie is strained, mostly because she sees history repeating itself. This modern family is not only dealing with their personal issues, but with matters plaguing contemporary society such as COVID, mass shooters, and the healthcare industry. Resiliency and hope for a better life keep them going.
Family dynamics can be challenging because they can be strong and fragile at the same time and influenced by individual experiences. I was curious to read about a family facing the issues of our day and how it affects their relationships and views of the world. This is what drew me to this novel. Right from the beginning, it’s clear that Franklin and Laney are living different versions of their marriage. Franklin is excited about celebrating this milestone, while Laney feels trapped. By the second chapter, after reading how she truly feels, I was hooked and wanted to find out where this was going:
Her doubts lay dormant for years, but eventually, they reawakened and demanded to be heard. Tonight, without warning, they walked onto the stage, grabbed the mic, and declared her independence.
This poignant work of literary fiction is an exploration of memory, loss, and the nature of the human condition as it relates to family ties. Through each character’s personal journey, the author examines how people cope with loss and grief and how their lives are forever changed by such events. They each have a balance of strength and vulnerability, making their struggles both relatable and deeply affecting. The narrative unfolds at a steady pace, keeping readers engaged with a writing style that has emotional richness and deep psychological insight. The lyrical prose makes the difficult topics bearable:
The flame burned bright, but the wind was unrelenting. Darkness returned quickly.
Overall, “Until It Was Gone” by David B. Seaburn is a compelling story of one family’s struggle as viewed through multiple perspectives. By exploring the themes of family, death, resiliency, and survival, it offers various emotional experiences and personal reflections that capture the complex nature of personal and familial conflicts. It is recommended for readers interested in thought-provoking character-driven stories that explore the human condition.
In her mind, in her heart, there was no time between then and now. He could just as easily have died this morning, and the tears would be as warm, as salty, as they were on the day it happened.
In Oklahoma, Laney reconnects with Roz, whose relationship with Maggie is just as broken as theirs. Just when they are getting to know each other, Maggie becomes pregnant and develops complications. Her condition is getting worse, but she can’t get the healthcare she needs in Oklahoma because abortions are illegal there. Laney reaches out to Franklin back in New York, and they make the long trip to get her proper medical care while working to heal the fractures within the family.
Franklin and Laney had appeared happy on the surface, but Laney married for convenience and felt like she had settled. She has a history of leaving and then returning when she realizes that she has no other option. This time it’s different because she wants to mend her relationship with Roz. In “Until It Was Gone: A Contemporary Family Novel of Resilience and Hope,” David B. Seaburn reiterates that in a family unit, everyone has distinctive experiences that affect how they deal with each other.
Franklin is in denial about his marriage and when he starts getting sick, his painful childhood memories make a complicated life even worse. Roz has managed to make a life of her own but her relationship with Maggie is strained, mostly because she sees history repeating itself. This modern family is not only dealing with their personal issues, but with matters plaguing contemporary society such as COVID, mass shooters, and the healthcare industry. Resiliency and hope for a better life keep them going.
Family dynamics can be challenging because they can be strong and fragile at the same time and influenced by individual experiences. I was curious to read about a family facing the issues of our day and how it affects their relationships and views of the world. This is what drew me to this novel. Right from the beginning, it’s clear that Franklin and Laney are living different versions of their marriage. Franklin is excited about celebrating this milestone, while Laney feels trapped. By the second chapter, after reading how she truly feels, I was hooked and wanted to find out where this was going:
Her doubts lay dormant for years, but eventually, they reawakened and demanded to be heard. Tonight, without warning, they walked onto the stage, grabbed the mic, and declared her independence.
This poignant work of literary fiction is an exploration of memory, loss, and the nature of the human condition as it relates to family ties. Through each character’s personal journey, the author examines how people cope with loss and grief and how their lives are forever changed by such events. They each have a balance of strength and vulnerability, making their struggles both relatable and deeply affecting. The narrative unfolds at a steady pace, keeping readers engaged with a writing style that has emotional richness and deep psychological insight. The lyrical prose makes the difficult topics bearable:
The flame burned bright, but the wind was unrelenting. Darkness returned quickly.
Overall, “Until It Was Gone” by David B. Seaburn is a compelling story of one family’s struggle as viewed through multiple perspectives. By exploring the themes of family, death, resiliency, and survival, it offers various emotional experiences and personal reflections that capture the complex nature of personal and familial conflicts. It is recommended for readers interested in thought-provoking character-driven stories that explore the human condition.
In her mind, in her heart, there was no time between then and now. He could just as easily have died this morning, and the tears would be as warm, as salty, as they were on the day it happened.
August 9, 2025
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
💔 🧭 David B. Seaburn’s Until It Was Gone is a poignant, multi-generational family novel that dares to confront the emotional wreckage of long-term relationships, the ripple effects of trauma, and the brutal realities of contemporary American life. It begins with a quiet bombshell: Laney tells her husband Franklin, after forty years of marriage, that she’s leaving him. Her reason? “Yes, until it was gone.” That line becomes the emotional fulcrum of the novel.
🧠 Seaburn doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. The novel tackles long COVID, abortion access in restrictive states, mass shootings, and generational estrangement. But it’s not a political polemic—it’s a deeply human story. Each issue is woven into the characters’ lives with sensitivity and nuance, never feeling forced or didactic.
This is a story about the fragility of connection and the resilience required to rebuild it. Laney’s journey to find her estranged daughter Roz and meet her granddaughter Maggie is mirrored by Franklin’s descent into illness and memory, and by Maggie’s own crisis of autonomy and survival.
✍️ Seaburn’s prose is restrained, almost meditative. He avoids melodrama, opting instead for quiet revelations and emotional authenticity. The use of flashbacks—particularly Franklin’s memories of childhood abuse—adds psychological depth, though occasionally disrupts pacing. Still, these moments enrich the narrative, illuminating the characters’ motivations and emotional landscapes.
The novel’s structure is episodic, moving between characters and timelines, which creates a mosaic of perspectives. This approach allows Seaburn to explore how trauma reverberates across generations, and how healing often comes in fragments.
🎭 Franklin and Laney are rendered with aching realism. Their flaws are front and center, but so is their capacity for growth. Gretchen, Franklin’s sister, is a standout—her grief over her husband’s death in a mass shooting is handled with grace and gravity. Maggie, the granddaughter, becomes the emotional anchor of the story, her pregnancy and medical crisis forcing the family to confront their past and present.
🌱 Until It Was Gone is a quiet triumph. It’s not flashy or fast-paced, but it’s emotionally resonant and socially relevant. Seaburn invites readers to sit with discomfort, to witness the slow work of healing, and to believe in the possibility of reconciliation—even when it seems out of reach.
For readers who appreciate novels like Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge or Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, this book offers a similarly rich emotional terrain.
💔 🧭 David B. Seaburn’s Until It Was Gone is a poignant, multi-generational family novel that dares to confront the emotional wreckage of long-term relationships, the ripple effects of trauma, and the brutal realities of contemporary American life. It begins with a quiet bombshell: Laney tells her husband Franklin, after forty years of marriage, that she’s leaving him. Her reason? “Yes, until it was gone.” That line becomes the emotional fulcrum of the novel.
🧠 Seaburn doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. The novel tackles long COVID, abortion access in restrictive states, mass shootings, and generational estrangement. But it’s not a political polemic—it’s a deeply human story. Each issue is woven into the characters’ lives with sensitivity and nuance, never feeling forced or didactic.
This is a story about the fragility of connection and the resilience required to rebuild it. Laney’s journey to find her estranged daughter Roz and meet her granddaughter Maggie is mirrored by Franklin’s descent into illness and memory, and by Maggie’s own crisis of autonomy and survival.
✍️ Seaburn’s prose is restrained, almost meditative. He avoids melodrama, opting instead for quiet revelations and emotional authenticity. The use of flashbacks—particularly Franklin’s memories of childhood abuse—adds psychological depth, though occasionally disrupts pacing. Still, these moments enrich the narrative, illuminating the characters’ motivations and emotional landscapes.
The novel’s structure is episodic, moving between characters and timelines, which creates a mosaic of perspectives. This approach allows Seaburn to explore how trauma reverberates across generations, and how healing often comes in fragments.
🎭 Franklin and Laney are rendered with aching realism. Their flaws are front and center, but so is their capacity for growth. Gretchen, Franklin’s sister, is a standout—her grief over her husband’s death in a mass shooting is handled with grace and gravity. Maggie, the granddaughter, becomes the emotional anchor of the story, her pregnancy and medical crisis forcing the family to confront their past and present.
🌱 Until It Was Gone is a quiet triumph. It’s not flashy or fast-paced, but it’s emotionally resonant and socially relevant. Seaburn invites readers to sit with discomfort, to witness the slow work of healing, and to believe in the possibility of reconciliation—even when it seems out of reach.
For readers who appreciate novels like Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge or Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House, this book offers a similarly rich emotional terrain.
September 9, 2024
“Until it was gone” is the perfect novel for contemporary novel lovers. The novel has all the thrills, chills, and adventure to keep you on the edge of your seat. It revolves around forgiveness, memories, hope, and reunion.
The book explores themes of family, personal growth, and the difficult parts of relationships during important moments in life. The author carefully exposes the feelings of the characters and shows how they handle their connected lives during challenges, changes, and the passage of time.
The story shows how family relationships change over time. It features Maggie’s struggles with her operation and how different family members react. The novel emphasizes on the fact that family support can make someone stronger and also lead them to think about themselves more. As each person faces their own problems, the story shows how strong and enduring their family ties are.
The characters’ experiences are shown with care and detail. This gives a strong view of how personal challenges and family connections affect each other. The dialogue between the characters will help readers understand each character’s personality in the novel clearly.
Maggie’s struggles with her mom, Roz, is an aspect of the novel that is interesting. She feels trapped in a dull life at a motel in a tiny town in Oklahoma. She was once a rebellious teen, who later turned out to be sad about her job and the choices she has made. Her mom constantly criticizes her decisions, which makes their relationship strained. Maggie feels like she cannot breathe because of her mom’s high hopes and her own feeling of not getting anywhere. The only person who gives her a break is her grandma, Laney, who brings her some comfort. With every step taken, the family experiences different challenges.
Gretchen and Franklin travel to Erie, Pennsylvania for the court hearing where the man responsible for Gretchen’s husband’s death will be punished. This was a difficult moment for Gretchen, who felt very emotional about confronting her past. Franklin’s unwavering commitment to his sister, despite his ongoing fatigue and the enduring impact of Covid, serves as a clear testament to the importance of family support, as highlighted by author David Seaburn.
I highly recommend everyone to read this book, especially those struggling with familial challenges. The novel is worth your time.
Reviewed by Andrew
December 31, 2024
This is the third of Dave Seaburn's books that I've reviewed and he is an author to who I am keen to return again and again. His books are well-written with a clear thread and purpose and I lose myself in them totally, with no jarring jerks in continuity or other, like odd plot turns or characters I can't grasp, so I'm never taken out of my involved reading. For me, this is the most crucial sign of a good read: to become immersed and invested in what you are reading.
Seaburn's book is about a family and their dynamics and more precisely, the relationships within the family that connect each individual: whether marriage, as siblings or most crucially, as mother and daughter.
Laney is married to Franklin and the book begins on an anniversary where they are out celebrating, only it doesn't go quite as Franklin had planned. Laney has an epiphany and decides to break away from her marriage to find her estranged daughter, Roz, who lives in a small town in Oklahoma and with whom she has not had contact for years. Roz has a daughter too, Maggie who is in a dead-end job but is not really certain about where she's headed. Her relationship with her mum is fractious and there are parallels between Laney and Roz, and Roz and Maggie which adds to a sense of history repeating itself.
As Laney goes off to find their daughter, Franklin is left behind, wondering what on Earth happened. Seaburn shows a man bewildered and hopeful, who hangs on to the life that he knew, flummoxed as to why after 40 years, his wife has suddenly decided to leave him when he still loves her. We discover however that Franklin may not have been the attentive husband he supposed himself to be.
Franklin is supported by his sister, Gretchen, a widow and the narrative shifts between following Laney, Roz and Maggie in Oklahoma, and Franklin and Gretchen in Rochester. Seaburn's novel is contemporary and so, issues that have governed people's behaviours in more recent times like Covid, as well as controversial concerns that resurface to be hotly debated, like American gun control and abortion, are all central to his story, some of his characters being directly affected by these.
The book evolves well and reaches a satisfying conclusion and does so with Seaburn's solid storytelling guiding us there.
Seaburn's book is about a family and their dynamics and more precisely, the relationships within the family that connect each individual: whether marriage, as siblings or most crucially, as mother and daughter.
Laney is married to Franklin and the book begins on an anniversary where they are out celebrating, only it doesn't go quite as Franklin had planned. Laney has an epiphany and decides to break away from her marriage to find her estranged daughter, Roz, who lives in a small town in Oklahoma and with whom she has not had contact for years. Roz has a daughter too, Maggie who is in a dead-end job but is not really certain about where she's headed. Her relationship with her mum is fractious and there are parallels between Laney and Roz, and Roz and Maggie which adds to a sense of history repeating itself.
As Laney goes off to find their daughter, Franklin is left behind, wondering what on Earth happened. Seaburn shows a man bewildered and hopeful, who hangs on to the life that he knew, flummoxed as to why after 40 years, his wife has suddenly decided to leave him when he still loves her. We discover however that Franklin may not have been the attentive husband he supposed himself to be.
Franklin is supported by his sister, Gretchen, a widow and the narrative shifts between following Laney, Roz and Maggie in Oklahoma, and Franklin and Gretchen in Rochester. Seaburn's novel is contemporary and so, issues that have governed people's behaviours in more recent times like Covid, as well as controversial concerns that resurface to be hotly debated, like American gun control and abortion, are all central to his story, some of his characters being directly affected by these.
The book evolves well and reaches a satisfying conclusion and does so with Seaburn's solid storytelling guiding us there.
August 26, 2024
Francis and Laney Stafford’s 40th anniversary meant to celebrate their enduring love, instead marks the beginning of a tumultuous period in their lives. This milestone sets the couple on a challenging journey to repair severed and estranged relationships. Along the way, they confront personal struggles, face a modern illness, and unearth long-hidden secrets. As they navigate their complicated relationships and confront their turbulent past, hope seems elusive—until a life-changing accident shifts their perspective. Will this pivotal event bring their fractured family back together, or is fate steering them toward a different outcome?
David B. Seaburn's Until It Was Gone offers a nuanced exploration of marriage and family, skillfully weaving subtle tensions into the fabric of everyday interactions. Seaburn draws readers into the complexities of long-term relationships, illustrating how past mistakes and unspoken struggles shape his characters' lives. His portrayal is both thoughtful and authentic, revealing the layers of emotion and motivation that drive his characters. Seaburn's strength lies in his restrained handling of emotion. He steers clear of melodrama, opting instead for a genuine approach that makes each experience feel real and impactful. The emotional moments resonate deeply without overwhelming the narrative, striking a careful balance between realism and sensitivity. The plot is engaging and multi-layered, with enough twists and revelations to keep readers hooked. While occasional flashbacks may momentarily disrupt the pacing, they add depth to the characters and enrich the overall narrative. These reflective moments help to illuminate the characters' motivations, adding complexity to their relationships. The novel concludes in a bittersweet yet fitting manner. Rather than tying everything up neatly, Until It Was Gone offers a realistic portrayal of resilience and connection, leaving readers with a lasting impression of the unpredictable nature of life and relationships.
Until It Was Gone by David B. Seaburn compellingly portrays family dynamics and personal struggles. Readers who appreciate realistic, emotionally charged narratives will find this novel both engaging and rewarding.
David B. Seaburn's Until It Was Gone offers a nuanced exploration of marriage and family, skillfully weaving subtle tensions into the fabric of everyday interactions. Seaburn draws readers into the complexities of long-term relationships, illustrating how past mistakes and unspoken struggles shape his characters' lives. His portrayal is both thoughtful and authentic, revealing the layers of emotion and motivation that drive his characters. Seaburn's strength lies in his restrained handling of emotion. He steers clear of melodrama, opting instead for a genuine approach that makes each experience feel real and impactful. The emotional moments resonate deeply without overwhelming the narrative, striking a careful balance between realism and sensitivity. The plot is engaging and multi-layered, with enough twists and revelations to keep readers hooked. While occasional flashbacks may momentarily disrupt the pacing, they add depth to the characters and enrich the overall narrative. These reflective moments help to illuminate the characters' motivations, adding complexity to their relationships. The novel concludes in a bittersweet yet fitting manner. Rather than tying everything up neatly, Until It Was Gone offers a realistic portrayal of resilience and connection, leaving readers with a lasting impression of the unpredictable nature of life and relationships.
Until It Was Gone by David B. Seaburn compellingly portrays family dynamics and personal struggles. Readers who appreciate realistic, emotionally charged narratives will find this novel both engaging and rewarding.
September 11, 2024
The Review
Immediately the author found that perfect balance of realism and hope within this narrative. The realistic emotions and troubles that this cast of characters faces throughout the story, from the complexities of marriage and relationships to more profound themes surrounding abortion and abuse, allow the author to explore how these topics impact a person and a family in our modern world. The setting of the COVID pandemic and studying the health concerns so many people were affected by during this period brought a relatability to the story many readers could attest to.
The character dynamics and how everyone connects made this story feel so compelling. What stood out was how all these characters felt so relatable and vibrant on the page, and despite their various flaws or struggles, they kept the reader engaged throughout the book. The journey for Laney to find her independence and reunite with her daughter and granddaughter was inspiring. At the same time, the shock of loss Franklin felt, the health struggles, and the recovered memories all brought a closer look at the hardships and benefits of self-reflection and growth, and the importance of family and powerful bonds in our lives.
The Verdict
Moving, compelling, and engaging, author David B. Seaburn’s “Until It Was Gone” is a must-read drama meets genre fiction novel. The evenly paced and emotional journey of these characters, the realism of the evolving story, and the equally realistic ending speak to the intricacies of life and the vastly different lives we each live within our own families.
Immediately the author found that perfect balance of realism and hope within this narrative. The realistic emotions and troubles that this cast of characters faces throughout the story, from the complexities of marriage and relationships to more profound themes surrounding abortion and abuse, allow the author to explore how these topics impact a person and a family in our modern world. The setting of the COVID pandemic and studying the health concerns so many people were affected by during this period brought a relatability to the story many readers could attest to.
The character dynamics and how everyone connects made this story feel so compelling. What stood out was how all these characters felt so relatable and vibrant on the page, and despite their various flaws or struggles, they kept the reader engaged throughout the book. The journey for Laney to find her independence and reunite with her daughter and granddaughter was inspiring. At the same time, the shock of loss Franklin felt, the health struggles, and the recovered memories all brought a closer look at the hardships and benefits of self-reflection and growth, and the importance of family and powerful bonds in our lives.
The Verdict
Moving, compelling, and engaging, author David B. Seaburn’s “Until It Was Gone” is a must-read drama meets genre fiction novel. The evenly paced and emotional journey of these characters, the realism of the evolving story, and the equally realistic ending speak to the intricacies of life and the vastly different lives we each live within our own families.
December 29, 2024
“Until It Was Gone” by David Seaburn is a complex, and sometimes heartbreaking, family saga that highlights how messy families can be and how life in the contemporary United States is filled with dangerous uncertainties. Laney leaves her husband Franklin on their 40th anniversary, saying that their marriage is over, and heads for Oklahoma to connect with her daughter Roz, whom she hasn’t seen since Roz ran away from home at the age of 15. Franklin contracts COVID and is unable to recover from its aftereffects. His sister, still grieving over her husband’s death in a mass shooting, moves in to help him out. Laney’s granddaughter Maggie becomes pregnant, but the pregnancy isn’t viable, and she is in desperate need of surgery, which cannot be performed in the state of Oklahoma. How will this family come together to survive when all this has been thrown at them?
Seaburn writes sensitively about these issues and it’s hard not to feel strong compassion for these people. But at the same time, I am grateful to NOT be living in their world--a place that easily puts guns in the hands of mentally disturbed people, a place where women, regardless of the reason, cannot chose to terminate a pregnancy (even under life-threatening conditions), and a place where someone in dire need of emergency care is not provided for immediately. These people’s world seemed so bleak and hopeless to me, but I’m hoping the characters find happiness as they rediscover their relationships with each other.
I’m grateful for Net Galley for an ARC of this book and my opinions are my own.
Seaburn writes sensitively about these issues and it’s hard not to feel strong compassion for these people. But at the same time, I am grateful to NOT be living in their world--a place that easily puts guns in the hands of mentally disturbed people, a place where women, regardless of the reason, cannot chose to terminate a pregnancy (even under life-threatening conditions), and a place where someone in dire need of emergency care is not provided for immediately. These people’s world seemed so bleak and hopeless to me, but I’m hoping the characters find happiness as they rediscover their relationships with each other.
I’m grateful for Net Galley for an ARC of this book and my opinions are my own.
December 9, 2024
Until It Was Gone by David B Seaburn is a broken story. A broken family, marriage, mother-daughter relationship, legal system, and society. Laney and Franklin are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary when she announces she's done. She's done with the marriage and her current life. She needs something greater.
Franklin immediately deteriorated, catching COVID-19 and becoming a victim of Long COVID-19, something that is still affecting people today. His sister, Gretchen, moves in to take care of him. She's suffering the deep pains of grief after her husband was a victim of a mass shooting.
Laney and her lavender Mercedes zoom to Oklahoma, where Laney hopes to reconnect with her estranged daughter. This, of course, is not without it's own problems as Roz (daughter) is dealing with her own failed relationship with HER daughter.
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Seaburn was able to write a very contemporary novel. While it seems like it covers a lot of hot-button issues (Covid, masking, mass shooting, small-town hospitals and their services, child abuse, abortion.....), he's able to tie everything together. These multiple things can and do affect families. This is a particular American problem, so I'm not entirely sure that international readers will understand small-town Oklahoma, but this is a universal story about family.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Franklin immediately deteriorated, catching COVID-19 and becoming a victim of Long COVID-19, something that is still affecting people today. His sister, Gretchen, moves in to take care of him. She's suffering the deep pains of grief after her husband was a victim of a mass shooting.
Laney and her lavender Mercedes zoom to Oklahoma, where Laney hopes to reconnect with her estranged daughter. This, of course, is not without it's own problems as Roz (daughter) is dealing with her own failed relationship with HER daughter.
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Seaburn was able to write a very contemporary novel. While it seems like it covers a lot of hot-button issues (Covid, masking, mass shooting, small-town hospitals and their services, child abuse, abortion.....), he's able to tie everything together. These multiple things can and do affect families. This is a particular American problem, so I'm not entirely sure that international readers will understand small-town Oklahoma, but this is a universal story about family.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
February 7, 2025
Very original, very moving, very real, and even funny at times. The story follows a couple on their 40th wedding anniversary, when the wife decides she's had enough and goes off to find her estranged daughter. The story continues as the couple copes with unforeseen events that follow. Highly recommend!
February 17, 2025
This book had great potential, and it really was building up toward the end, but then it just ended.. There was so much happening in this story , and I was really invested until that blah ending. There were also some grammatical errors that made me wonder if the author knows the difference between there, their, and they’re..
March 31, 2025
enjoyable book about loss of love. a wife calls it quits after forty years of marriage as she determines enough is enough. her left behind husband does not see it that way and contracts Covid post split. into this story enters the estranged daughter of the couple, their unknown granddaughter, and the husband's sister. some sad family secrets are uncovered. but all ends well.
January 26, 2025
I enjoyed the book. I love the characters from three different generations. Very interesting how they interacted amongst each other. I enjoyed the book and would suggest it to anyone looking for a good book to read.
July 19, 2025
Won a copy on Goodreads Giveaways. Was ok. Characters were just blah. Enjoyed the story though. Some parts were hard to follow and there was some inconsistency in the story. Like how Maggie started working at the motel. But over all and ok story.
March 31, 2025
I enjoyed the development of characters and the story .
Certain situations resonated with me .
Certain situations resonated with me .
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