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Crescendo
A bittersweet story of family, loss and finding freedom in the rubble
'This beautiful, intricately woven novel of love, loss, and redemption will echo in your heart long after you turn the last page. Brava to the new maestro of family fiction.' BESTSELLING AUTHOR CHRISSIE MANBY
Two siblings. One family tragedy. Who will pick up the pieces now?
New Year's Eve, 1991: three generations of the Fenton family gather in their grand North Yorkshire home for what they don't yet know will be their last meal together.
Jamie, a talented pianist stuck in a dead-end job, is desperate to escape his father's disapproval and his mother's smothering attention, while his sister Caz, basking in the love of her adoring husband and obsessed with motherhood, assumes her parents will always be there to catch them if they fall.
But when tragedy hits, the two siblings are thrown into a tailspin of grief from which one of them may never recover. As the family crumbles, Jamie and Caz realize that adulthood doesn't come with a manual - and they're far less prepared for life than they thought.
Dark humour meets family dysfunction in this gripping, heartfelt debut novel about what happens when the grown-ups are gone and there's no-one left to take their place.
'This beautiful, intricately woven novel of love, loss, and redemption will echo in your heart long after you turn the last page. Brava to the new maestro of family fiction.' BESTSELLING AUTHOR CHRISSIE MANBY
Two siblings. One family tragedy. Who will pick up the pieces now?
New Year's Eve, 1991: three generations of the Fenton family gather in their grand North Yorkshire home for what they don't yet know will be their last meal together.
Jamie, a talented pianist stuck in a dead-end job, is desperate to escape his father's disapproval and his mother's smothering attention, while his sister Caz, basking in the love of her adoring husband and obsessed with motherhood, assumes her parents will always be there to catch them if they fall.
But when tragedy hits, the two siblings are thrown into a tailspin of grief from which one of them may never recover. As the family crumbles, Jamie and Caz realize that adulthood doesn't come with a manual - and they're far less prepared for life than they thought.
Dark humour meets family dysfunction in this gripping, heartfelt debut novel about what happens when the grown-ups are gone and there's no-one left to take their place.
Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
August 29, 2025
4 ★
This was such an emotional read, It still touches me deeply, weeks after finishing it.
Crescendo is the story of two siblings Caz and Jamie Fenton and their struggle to pick themselves back up, after a family tragedy. I was captivated by their story from the first few chapters, and stayed that way till the very end.
・❥・The entire book is very character driven . It focuses on the emotions that people experience after losing their loved one, and shows how different their responses to those feelings can be.
・❥・ Main Characters
The story starts with Caz, the older sister, seemingly having her life figured out and Jamie struggling and refusing to take on the role of an independent adult. As it develops we see them switch those roles, as the aftermath of dealing with grief.
𝓙𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓮
In the beginning of this book Jamie is a young man, with barely any responsibilities. He lives with his parents, parties with his girlfriend and doesn't have many cares in the world. That's not necessarily a bad thing, he just hasn't yet been forced to fully step into adulthood, and kept being dependent on his parents.
However, as his entire life changes in the span of a single night, you see him slowly adjust to that. It isn’t easy and there were many times where I doubted his ability to pick himself back up, but that’s what made it so real. His struggle felt like actually, watching someone learn to deal with trauma and grief in real time.
I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that watching him slowly learn to navigate his feelings, and grow more than I ever expected him to felt more than special.
𝓒𝓪𝔃
With Caz the situation is sort of the opposite. She had a rebellious streak as a teenager, got pregnant, got married and has lived the perfect small town life ever since, any rebellions long forgotten. And I truly believe she was happy with that life, or at least that she thought she was. But I also think that she never really dealt with letting that carefree teenage part of her go. She got shoved into a role she wasn’t expecting, or necessarily ready for, and while she played that part perfectly, it was still sudden, and her life changed drastically in a matter of weeks.
That being said, when another drastic change came her way she just didn’t have it in her to deal with it on her own. She needed help from the very beginning, and she knew that, but the people she turned to couldn’t provide the help she needed.
Jamie was struggling to stay sane as it was, and with his coping mechanisms being the exact opposite of Caz’s he couldn’t have been the support she wanted.
And her husband was absolutely useless in keeping Caz from spiraling and losing herself. And while I’m not defending him, because he did fail her when she needed him, but still, he wasn’t a bad person. He was just in no way prepared to turn into the person she needed him to be during those times.
All that causes Caz to go back to her old ways, and forget all the routines and responsibilities of her daily life.
What bugged me was how little of her healing process we got to see. And by little, I mean none. The whole book was a story of Jamie slowly finding his place in the world, and Caz’s mental health deteriorating and I can't say I’m completely satisfied with where the story ended. I just wish we got to see a little bit of Caz’s life after hitting rock bottom.
・❥・ The writing
I loved the writing. It was so pleasant to read, and had me captivated from start to finish. I would’ve never guessed this was Joanna Howat’s debut novel, and I’ll be definitely reading whatever she chooses to write next.
・❥・I loved this book, and would recommend it to all litfic lovers, especially if, like me, you live for character driven stories.
Thank you Net Galley and Joanna Howat for this ARC.
.•*¨*• pre-read •*¨*•.
first arc read of the year!
wouldn't feel like myself if i had less than 3 current reads at the same time 🤭
very excited about this one!!
thank you NetGalley and Joanna Howat for the ARC
This was such an emotional read, It still touches me deeply, weeks after finishing it.
Crescendo is the story of two siblings Caz and Jamie Fenton and their struggle to pick themselves back up, after a family tragedy. I was captivated by their story from the first few chapters, and stayed that way till the very end.
・❥・The entire book is very character driven . It focuses on the emotions that people experience after losing their loved one, and shows how different their responses to those feelings can be.
・❥・ Main Characters
The story starts with Caz, the older sister, seemingly having her life figured out and Jamie struggling and refusing to take on the role of an independent adult. As it develops we see them switch those roles, as the aftermath of dealing with grief.
𝓙𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓮
In the beginning of this book Jamie is a young man, with barely any responsibilities. He lives with his parents, parties with his girlfriend and doesn't have many cares in the world. That's not necessarily a bad thing, he just hasn't yet been forced to fully step into adulthood, and kept being dependent on his parents.
However, as his entire life changes in the span of a single night, you see him slowly adjust to that. It isn’t easy and there were many times where I doubted his ability to pick himself back up, but that’s what made it so real. His struggle felt like actually, watching someone learn to deal with trauma and grief in real time.
I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that watching him slowly learn to navigate his feelings, and grow more than I ever expected him to felt more than special.
𝓒𝓪𝔃
With Caz the situation is sort of the opposite. She had a rebellious streak as a teenager, got pregnant, got married and has lived the perfect small town life ever since, any rebellions long forgotten. And I truly believe she was happy with that life, or at least that she thought she was. But I also think that she never really dealt with letting that carefree teenage part of her go. She got shoved into a role she wasn’t expecting, or necessarily ready for, and while she played that part perfectly, it was still sudden, and her life changed drastically in a matter of weeks.
That being said, when another drastic change came her way she just didn’t have it in her to deal with it on her own. She needed help from the very beginning, and she knew that, but the people she turned to couldn’t provide the help she needed.
Jamie was struggling to stay sane as it was, and with his coping mechanisms being the exact opposite of Caz’s he couldn’t have been the support she wanted.
And her husband was absolutely useless in keeping Caz from spiraling and losing herself. And while I’m not defending him, because he did fail her when she needed him, but still, he wasn’t a bad person. He was just in no way prepared to turn into the person she needed him to be during those times.
All that causes Caz to go back to her old ways, and forget all the routines and responsibilities of her daily life.
What bugged me was how little of her healing process we got to see. And by little, I mean none. The whole book was a story of Jamie slowly finding his place in the world, and Caz’s mental health deteriorating and I can't say I’m completely satisfied with where the story ended. I just wish we got to see a little bit of Caz’s life after hitting rock bottom.
・❥・ The writing
I loved the writing. It was so pleasant to read, and had me captivated from start to finish. I would’ve never guessed this was Joanna Howat’s debut novel, and I’ll be definitely reading whatever she chooses to write next.
・❥・I loved this book, and would recommend it to all litfic lovers, especially if, like me, you live for character driven stories.
Thank you Net Galley and Joanna Howat for this ARC.
.•*¨*• pre-read •*¨*•.
first arc read of the year!
wouldn't feel like myself if i had less than 3 current reads at the same time 🤭
very excited about this one!!
thank you NetGalley and Joanna Howat for the ARC
November 10, 2024
There's not much better than taking a chance on a debut novel and it turning out better than you'd hoped.
Crescendo tells the story of Jamie and Caz Fenton who find themselves in the middle of a family tragedy. Jamie is the archetypal youngest child - still at home and reliant on his parents, in a job that he's hopeless at and dreaming of being a concert pianist. Older sister Caz was the wild child. She's married to a man who adores her with 2 little girls who are the apple of their mother's eye.
But after the tragedy the two siblings find themselves thrown into lives that they struggle with. Will they rise to the occasion or will their losses be too much to bear?
I often begin reading several books at a time but Crescendo took over my attention. I raced through it, desperate to know what happened next. Of itself, the story has elements that we've probably all come across either in other books or our own lives but it is the sensitivity of the writing and the immensely believable characters who really drove this story.
Joanna Howat has written a wonderful debut novel and I shall look out for her name on novels in the future.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
Crescendo tells the story of Jamie and Caz Fenton who find themselves in the middle of a family tragedy. Jamie is the archetypal youngest child - still at home and reliant on his parents, in a job that he's hopeless at and dreaming of being a concert pianist. Older sister Caz was the wild child. She's married to a man who adores her with 2 little girls who are the apple of their mother's eye.
But after the tragedy the two siblings find themselves thrown into lives that they struggle with. Will they rise to the occasion or will their losses be too much to bear?
I often begin reading several books at a time but Crescendo took over my attention. I raced through it, desperate to know what happened next. Of itself, the story has elements that we've probably all come across either in other books or our own lives but it is the sensitivity of the writing and the immensely believable characters who really drove this story.
Joanna Howat has written a wonderful debut novel and I shall look out for her name on novels in the future.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley for the advance review copy. Most appreciated.
February 26, 2025
I received this novel for free and write this review voluntarily.
Artemis had the chance to read elegantly written Crescendo by Joanna Howat. While reading this beautiful novel, Artemis felt a sense of tranquility and cosiness, as if she has returned to a familiar place. Reading also felt like reading the first chapters of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, who is one of Artemis' favourite authors. So, the experience of reading Crescendo was a great one for Artemis.
This novel has everything, a normal story of a normal family who encountered a shocking event. Characters are the ones one can see in real life and connect with. Being a journalist, Joanna Howat realistically creates the world, breaks it apart, and puts it together, where now the world is imperfect version of its previous version. Artemis finished the novel in one night (she stayed awake until this great novel finished). If you like novels that feels like a blanket that wraps you softly, Crescendo is great for you.
Thank you so much for this free eARC copy Joanna Howat, NetGalley and the publisher.
March 30, 2025
Crescendo was a captivating read. The manner in which Joanna wrote of the chaos of dysfunction within this family was brilliant. Seeing how the siblings navigated the tragedy of their parents’ death was both heartbreaking and realism at its finest. Seeing how each of the siblings were impacted definitely made this read all the better. As a debut novel, this was one the easiest reads I have ever read. The manner in which Joanna was able to show how death rips and rebuilds was fantastic. I would say that this was a medium paced read for me. Though that is the case, the characters were phenomenal.
Rating: 4.25 🌟
Rating: 4.25 🌟
May 13, 2025
This book was extremely sad and portrayed grief in many ways. It was very cleverly written, an easy read and I really did want to know what happens to each character. I really enjoyed the character development. I do think this was a really strong debut novel. A few negatives though:
It actually depressed me. This is positive and negative as it really did make me feel something but I didn’t enjoy what I was feeling.
Despite being called crescendo, I didn’t quite anticipate that much musical language!
The writer kills the dogs off. That’s all I have to say on the matter. The dog dies!
It actually depressed me. This is positive and negative as it really did make me feel something but I didn’t enjoy what I was feeling.
Despite being called crescendo, I didn’t quite anticipate that much musical language!
The writer kills the dogs off. That’s all I have to say on the matter. The dog dies!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2024
Very impressive for a debut novel - vulnerable characters, symbolism with the piano. I read this quickly, which is not always the case with novels like these. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
March 5, 2025
Read quickly, simply because it’s not very complicated to read. I don’t understand the reviews saying it was gripping; nothing about it was very interesting. Mostly it was dull.
After a tragic fire that kills their parents and wipes out their family home, the reader follows siblings Jamie and Caz as they deal with this huge change in very different ways. Jamie gets back to his usual unexciting job and tries to keep on with his semi-girlfriend, but winds up crashing at Caz’s, essentially raising her children while she spirals into alcoholism and self-harm.
I got increasingly frustrated that no one was doing anything about Caz for such a long time. Jamie kept circling back to how bad she was getting, but didn’t do anything about it for an incredible amount of time. When he finally gets her to agree to an appointment with the doctor, he doesn’t even go with her! The crux of it is that so much of Caz’s anguish could have been solved if the characters had a hint more of a spine. Caz’s husband, Steve, could be replaced by a coffee table and the story wouldn’t hurt for it. Mrs. Cole, their old housekeeper, gets inches away from actually helping Caz but of course that can’t happen, so she gives up too. It was just tough to get through without feeling like everyone was lacking common sense.
The most egregious moment was when Jamie let a barely awake or dressed Caz wander out of the house after learning she’d hurt her daughter the night before and didn’t even attempt to go after her. That blew me away, really.
As a native, I was trying to place where exactly they live near Ripon. The mention of a bus stop at the obelisk in Ripon jarred me - no way any buses can fit around that square. It was irritating to not be able to pin the setting down.
After a tragic fire that kills their parents and wipes out their family home, the reader follows siblings Jamie and Caz as they deal with this huge change in very different ways. Jamie gets back to his usual unexciting job and tries to keep on with his semi-girlfriend, but winds up crashing at Caz’s, essentially raising her children while she spirals into alcoholism and self-harm.
I got increasingly frustrated that no one was doing anything about Caz for such a long time. Jamie kept circling back to how bad she was getting, but didn’t do anything about it for an incredible amount of time. When he finally gets her to agree to an appointment with the doctor, he doesn’t even go with her! The crux of it is that so much of Caz’s anguish could have been solved if the characters had a hint more of a spine. Caz’s husband, Steve, could be replaced by a coffee table and the story wouldn’t hurt for it. Mrs. Cole, their old housekeeper, gets inches away from actually helping Caz but of course that can’t happen, so she gives up too. It was just tough to get through without feeling like everyone was lacking common sense.
The most egregious moment was when Jamie let a barely awake or dressed Caz wander out of the house after learning she’d hurt her daughter the night before and didn’t even attempt to go after her. That blew me away, really.
As a native, I was trying to place where exactly they live near Ripon. The mention of a bus stop at the obelisk in Ripon jarred me - no way any buses can fit around that square. It was irritating to not be able to pin the setting down.
February 20, 2025
A really great debut about family dramas and then some! The growth of Jamie was particularly well written. This story does not shy away from big topics which were handled sensitively yet Caz’s battles were raw and not sugar coated.
A book which had me gripped and I loved the early 1990’s setting.
I will look out for more from this author in future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
A book which had me gripped and I loved the early 1990’s setting.
I will look out for more from this author in future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
December 12, 2024
*4.5 stars* An incredible debut novel with themes of grief, love, and identity which I absolutely could not put down.
It’s New Year’s Eve in 1991 when Jamie and Caz, two adult siblings, suffer a sudden tragic loss that changes the trajectories of their lives as they know it. Jamie is a magnificent piano player but works a meager job his father got him, and Caz is a seemingly happy mother and wife who loves being in these traditional roles. However, the cracks begin to show as they both cope (or struggle to) with their grief and the way life goes on.
The story flowed so easily with its prose and the relationships between all the characters felt so vividly realistic and honest. The character development was strong and each one showed their own kind of vulnerability. I do wish we saw more from Caz but I also understand this realistic portrayal of her grief and how she manages to cope. As a lifelong piano player who no longer has immediate access to a piano, I just adored the way Jamie longed to play the piano and how that was his coping mechanism. Caz, on the other hand, finds more self-destructive means as she tries to move forward in life. What can I say - I love books that explore grief.
Normally I read several books at one time, but I found myself only gravitating towards Crescendo and felt fully immersed in the characters’ lives. I hope this book gets the attention and recognition it deserves, and I definitely plan to get my hands on a physical copy.
tw: grief, alcoholism, self-harm
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
It’s New Year’s Eve in 1991 when Jamie and Caz, two adult siblings, suffer a sudden tragic loss that changes the trajectories of their lives as they know it. Jamie is a magnificent piano player but works a meager job his father got him, and Caz is a seemingly happy mother and wife who loves being in these traditional roles. However, the cracks begin to show as they both cope (or struggle to) with their grief and the way life goes on.
The story flowed so easily with its prose and the relationships between all the characters felt so vividly realistic and honest. The character development was strong and each one showed their own kind of vulnerability. I do wish we saw more from Caz but I also understand this realistic portrayal of her grief and how she manages to cope. As a lifelong piano player who no longer has immediate access to a piano, I just adored the way Jamie longed to play the piano and how that was his coping mechanism. Caz, on the other hand, finds more self-destructive means as she tries to move forward in life. What can I say - I love books that explore grief.
Normally I read several books at one time, but I found myself only gravitating towards Crescendo and felt fully immersed in the characters’ lives. I hope this book gets the attention and recognition it deserves, and I definitely plan to get my hands on a physical copy.
tw: grief, alcoholism, self-harm
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
December 16, 2024
What an impressive debut Novel! I am a true sucker for sad, tragedy, hard to read, heart wrenching books. This book delivered, I devoured every page. The book is well paced that kept me coming back for more. Family loss is a hard topic to read ( I couldn’t imagine writing it ) 100% will be recommending!
December 29, 2024
Absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Saw it on kindle unlimited and the cover drew me in but I love stories about grief that have a stillness and allow you to get to know the characters and I just adored this. One of my fave reads of 2024
December 17, 2024
Crescendo
Really Enjoyed this book , liked the way the characters developed .Showed how grief affects us album different ways and frankincense and understanding essential
Really Enjoyed this book , liked the way the characters developed .Showed how grief affects us album different ways and frankincense and understanding essential
March 23, 2025
This is a book that I can only describe as a character study. We follow two siblings following the tragic death of their parents through their struggles working through their grief.
There are parts of this book that leave you unsure if they will make it through but you hope that they will.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this exploration of grief.
Heartbreaking, endearing and difficult to put down.
There are parts of this book that leave you unsure if they will make it through but you hope that they will.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this exploration of grief.
Heartbreaking, endearing and difficult to put down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)
Review: Crescendo by Joanne Howat
New Year's Eve in the 90's. I'm in.
I absolutely loved the premise of Crescendo. The novel follows siblings Jamie and Caz Fenton as they navigate the aftermath of a family tragedy that turns their lives upside down. Jamie is the archetypal youngest child — still living at home, relying on his parents, stuck in a job he’s hopeless at, but dreaming of a career as a concert pianist. His older sister, Caz, was the family’s wild child, now married with two little girls who should be the centre of her world.
When tragedy strikes, both Jamie and Caz are forced to confront lives they’re unprepared for. Will they rise to the occasion, or will the weight of loss prove too heavy?
One of the aspects I loved most was being thrown back to the early 1990s. The reliance on the house phone, what that meant to this story - the limitations of that era, and the subtle ways it shaped the characters’ lives really grounded the story. It made me think: how would we have coped with this tragedy in the 90s, before therapy was widely normalized and before grief resources were as accessible as they are today? Did this make Jamie and Caz's story even more realistic? There’s a sense of authenticity to the way the siblings navigate loss in a time when seeking help carried a stigma — it made their struggles feel raw, real, and deeply human.
The side story with Jamie's "girlfriend" was utterly believable and added so much vulnerability to the story. Using this situation as a distraction from his grief, but also, where else would he live when his house burns down and he has nothing left?
The setting itself is beautifully rendered — I could almost touch and smell the world they inhabit. The story of the siblings, their separate struggles were deeply compelling. The prose flows effortlessly, and the relationships between characters feel vivid, realistic, and emotionally honest.
The growth of Jamie over the course of the novel is particularly well written. The book doesn’t shy away from difficult topics; grief and loss are explored honestly, without sugarcoating, and yet there’s a sense of hope woven throughout. Caz’s struggles feel raw and real, and Jamie’s journey of self-discovery is heartwarming and believable.
I was completely gripped from start to finish. Between the emotional depth, the vivid characters, and the nostalgic early 90s setting, Crescendo is a beautifully written, emotionally rich novel that explores grief, resilience, and the complexities of family with heart and honesty.
Review: Crescendo by Joanne Howat
New Year's Eve in the 90's. I'm in.
I absolutely loved the premise of Crescendo. The novel follows siblings Jamie and Caz Fenton as they navigate the aftermath of a family tragedy that turns their lives upside down. Jamie is the archetypal youngest child — still living at home, relying on his parents, stuck in a job he’s hopeless at, but dreaming of a career as a concert pianist. His older sister, Caz, was the family’s wild child, now married with two little girls who should be the centre of her world.
When tragedy strikes, both Jamie and Caz are forced to confront lives they’re unprepared for. Will they rise to the occasion, or will the weight of loss prove too heavy?
One of the aspects I loved most was being thrown back to the early 1990s. The reliance on the house phone, what that meant to this story - the limitations of that era, and the subtle ways it shaped the characters’ lives really grounded the story. It made me think: how would we have coped with this tragedy in the 90s, before therapy was widely normalized and before grief resources were as accessible as they are today? Did this make Jamie and Caz's story even more realistic? There’s a sense of authenticity to the way the siblings navigate loss in a time when seeking help carried a stigma — it made their struggles feel raw, real, and deeply human.
The side story with Jamie's "girlfriend" was utterly believable and added so much vulnerability to the story. Using this situation as a distraction from his grief, but also, where else would he live when his house burns down and he has nothing left?
The setting itself is beautifully rendered — I could almost touch and smell the world they inhabit. The story of the siblings, their separate struggles were deeply compelling. The prose flows effortlessly, and the relationships between characters feel vivid, realistic, and emotionally honest.
The growth of Jamie over the course of the novel is particularly well written. The book doesn’t shy away from difficult topics; grief and loss are explored honestly, without sugarcoating, and yet there’s a sense of hope woven throughout. Caz’s struggles feel raw and real, and Jamie’s journey of self-discovery is heartwarming and believable.
I was completely gripped from start to finish. Between the emotional depth, the vivid characters, and the nostalgic early 90s setting, Crescendo is a beautifully written, emotionally rich novel that explores grief, resilience, and the complexities of family with heart and honesty.
March 22, 2025
Enjoyed this one! I found Caz and Jamie’s relationship intriguing following the death of their parents. Caz’s sudden decline was hard to read, but I found the book overall very interesting and well written.
January 10, 2025
I started reading Joanna Howat’s “Crescendo” on New Year’s Eve 2024. I felt a little wink from the universe when I saw page 1 mention it was New Year’s Eve 1991 in the novel’s fictional world. This seemed to be the author’s debut novel and I discovered it after its publication date, still available for request on NetGalley.
This book follows Jamie and Caroline (Caz) Fenton, two adult siblings who must navigate a family tragedy and its aftermath. As the story progresses, how Jamie processes things is vastly different from how his sister, Caz, deals with their new circumstances.
The chapters alternated narrators between Jamie and Caz. I appreciated the author giving insight to the reader into what both siblings were thinking and why they were acting certain ways. At times, though, I felt like screaming “go to therapy!” at both of them. After reading about how the siblings were processing things for almost the entire book, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and things were wrapped up rather neatly.
Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.
This book follows Jamie and Caroline (Caz) Fenton, two adult siblings who must navigate a family tragedy and its aftermath. As the story progresses, how Jamie processes things is vastly different from how his sister, Caz, deals with their new circumstances.
The chapters alternated narrators between Jamie and Caz. I appreciated the author giving insight to the reader into what both siblings were thinking and why they were acting certain ways. At times, though, I felt like screaming “go to therapy!” at both of them. After reading about how the siblings were processing things for almost the entire book, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and things were wrapped up rather neatly.
Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.
March 13, 2025
Brief overview:
When Jamie and Caz lose their parents in a freak fire after an argument, their lives begin to spiral. Fueled by grief, guilt, and anger, the siblings each struggle to return to their before fire selves.
My thoughts:
Honestly, I did not find any of the characters to be enjoyable. As we got no real visual of life before the fire, we weren't able to really see how they changed. In fact, the only characters that I really could feel legitimate sympathy for were the poor children. We didn't really get to see any personality from the main characters until about 40%, and once we did, it wasn't great. Certainly this must have been because of the trauma, but there is no way to know that, as we didn't get to know the characters before hand. The slight romances in this story felt weird. There was no chemistry and not really even any reason for these characters to be attracted to each other, let alone in a relationship, and that's never really addressed. Overall, I did not enjoy it much myself, but I'm sure there are plenty of people that will! It did remind me a bit of A Little Life, so if depressing and traumatic is your thing, add this to your TBR!
When Jamie and Caz lose their parents in a freak fire after an argument, their lives begin to spiral. Fueled by grief, guilt, and anger, the siblings each struggle to return to their before fire selves.
My thoughts:
Honestly, I did not find any of the characters to be enjoyable. As we got no real visual of life before the fire, we weren't able to really see how they changed. In fact, the only characters that I really could feel legitimate sympathy for were the poor children. We didn't really get to see any personality from the main characters until about 40%, and once we did, it wasn't great. Certainly this must have been because of the trauma, but there is no way to know that, as we didn't get to know the characters before hand. The slight romances in this story felt weird. There was no chemistry and not really even any reason for these characters to be attracted to each other, let alone in a relationship, and that's never really addressed. Overall, I did not enjoy it much myself, but I'm sure there are plenty of people that will! It did remind me a bit of A Little Life, so if depressing and traumatic is your thing, add this to your TBR!
November 13, 2024
Crescendo follows Jamie and Caz, adult siblings who find themselves suddenly thrown into a family tragedy when a fire destroys their family home. Eldest Caz is a stay-at-home mum for her young family and Jamie finds himself having to stay at his very new girlfriends house.
We follow the very different brother and sister as they deal with the aftermath of this huge upheaval in their family and, although it is quite an upsetting read at times, I found it believable and very easy to read.
A very accomplished debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.
We follow the very different brother and sister as they deal with the aftermath of this huge upheaval in their family and, although it is quite an upsetting read at times, I found it believable and very easy to read.
A very accomplished debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.
January 21, 2025
Painful but satisfying
I chose this because of the musical thread, and, in spite of the tragic twists, enjoyed the whole story. The characters are all real people, with real emotions, and the background of the North Riding is very attractive.
I chose this because of the musical thread, and, in spite of the tragic twists, enjoyed the whole story. The characters are all real people, with real emotions, and the background of the North Riding is very attractive.
March 18, 2025
First 5 star of the year. Just a nice read. Kept me interested. Characters and intentions all quite understandable and likeable.
November 12, 2024
There is a stillness at the heart of Joanna Howat’s lovely new novel Crescendo as it follows two adult children reeling from the accident that took their parents. It is in that stillness that Howat best captures the search for equilibrium and identity. The tragedy and its consequences tear through worlds, relationships, and sense of self, yet Howat never loses sight that death is a part of life, which has as many ridiculous and gentle moments as it does serious and painful ones. In those lighter moments, though, grief also seeps in unpredictably and inconveniently, as Howat also shows.
Jamie, a musician stalled in a drab, unremarkable job, is haunted by a life he cannot quite grasp as well as a more practical need to access a piano. His one light is a new romance, and even that strains under the weight of tragedy so early in its course.
Meanwhile, his sister Caz turns to increasingly self-destructive behaviors that threaten the fragile steadiness of her family. In this stripped-down emotional place, Howat’s story takes flight as Jamie and Caz stumble towards reshaping their lives.
Crescendo pays particular attention to the texture of the ordinary moments that shape young adulthood, all of the pangs and small indecisions that can be ignored until, in a flash, they are unavoidably real. Howat’s focuses on the small, suspended moments that grief amplifies, and the subtle humor that can surface in times of hardship.
This is not a book of overwrought sentiment; its power lies in its honest look at grief with a restrained hand. Rather than dramatizing sorrow, Howat leans into life’s forward march, exploring how family loyalty, memory, responsibilities, and conflicts endure even as the world unravels. Yet Crescendo is not without its moments of levity—Howat tempers Jamie and Caz’s burdens with grace, warmth, and humor. It’s beautifully balanced.
With precision and British sensibility, Howat writes a world both familiar and quietly unsettling. Her prose is crisp, conjuring a sense of place that is cozy with an underlying chill, a reminder that family bonds can be as much a burden as a comfort. Their former nanny appears intermittently, an attentive and overbearing figure whose presence is both welcome and irritating—a person as apt to smother as to comfort. Jamie’s office mates—one competitive and crass, the other empathetic and insightful—round out the minor characters, refreshingly avoiding the clichés typical of supporting roles.
Crescendo places its characters in moments of impasse and progress that move in fits and starts, moments of adrenaline, moments of stillness. Howat brilliantly and, at times, humorously shows grief as it often is: fogged, disorienting, ebbing and flowing. Loss in all of its complex humanity.
I might have wished for a little more of Caz’s point of view for fuller balance to the narration, but this is a small quibble. Though the theme is somber, it is not a weepy stroll through a garden of grief where everyone is either a saint or a monster.
This book offers a surprising sense of escape and an affirmation that, indeed, the only way out is through. Strongly recommend.
Jamie, a musician stalled in a drab, unremarkable job, is haunted by a life he cannot quite grasp as well as a more practical need to access a piano. His one light is a new romance, and even that strains under the weight of tragedy so early in its course.
Meanwhile, his sister Caz turns to increasingly self-destructive behaviors that threaten the fragile steadiness of her family. In this stripped-down emotional place, Howat’s story takes flight as Jamie and Caz stumble towards reshaping their lives.
Crescendo pays particular attention to the texture of the ordinary moments that shape young adulthood, all of the pangs and small indecisions that can be ignored until, in a flash, they are unavoidably real. Howat’s focuses on the small, suspended moments that grief amplifies, and the subtle humor that can surface in times of hardship.
This is not a book of overwrought sentiment; its power lies in its honest look at grief with a restrained hand. Rather than dramatizing sorrow, Howat leans into life’s forward march, exploring how family loyalty, memory, responsibilities, and conflicts endure even as the world unravels. Yet Crescendo is not without its moments of levity—Howat tempers Jamie and Caz’s burdens with grace, warmth, and humor. It’s beautifully balanced.
With precision and British sensibility, Howat writes a world both familiar and quietly unsettling. Her prose is crisp, conjuring a sense of place that is cozy with an underlying chill, a reminder that family bonds can be as much a burden as a comfort. Their former nanny appears intermittently, an attentive and overbearing figure whose presence is both welcome and irritating—a person as apt to smother as to comfort. Jamie’s office mates—one competitive and crass, the other empathetic and insightful—round out the minor characters, refreshingly avoiding the clichés typical of supporting roles.
Crescendo places its characters in moments of impasse and progress that move in fits and starts, moments of adrenaline, moments of stillness. Howat brilliantly and, at times, humorously shows grief as it often is: fogged, disorienting, ebbing and flowing. Loss in all of its complex humanity.
I might have wished for a little more of Caz’s point of view for fuller balance to the narration, but this is a small quibble. Though the theme is somber, it is not a weepy stroll through a garden of grief where everyone is either a saint or a monster.
This book offers a surprising sense of escape and an affirmation that, indeed, the only way out is through. Strongly recommend.
June 28, 2025
I enjoyed this, but wouldn't recommend it. I found that the language was at times overly figurative, felt a bit like it was trying quite hard to be clever. It succeeded, but not effortlessly, and I felt like I was dragged along rather than wanting to keep pace myself.
The characters were, at times, annoying and unrealistic. No one helping Caz - actually helping her - was infuriating. The book is set in the 90s and I know people's approaches to mental health were different then - but not *that* different. People don't just watch their loved ones spiral that much and do absolutely nothing!*
The romance was also annoying to me. How many times are these two going to keep banging their heads against the wall to make this work? You're twenty two! You were together for a couple of months! Circumstances got in the way, just accept that! There's also one particular scene - Jamie and Zoe's picnic - that genuinely baffled me.** I stopped rooting for them halfway through because it was just so excruciating.
All that said, I did find this gripping. I liked both Jamie and Caz, and aside from the above, they felt realistic. The novel could have been shorter, but the beats were good aside from a perhaps slightly rushed ending. *** The music thing feels well embedded but not central, as I expected it to be. It's definitely not a book about music. 3 stars - glad to have read it, but I won't be rereading.
(Spoilers below)
*At one point Jamie says they're heading into a crisis with Caz - the crisis has happened! It's here! You're living it! And if you think something's going to get worse, why don't you do anything before that point? As a reader it was clear that Caz was heading towards either suicide or accidental death. The slow descent to that while no one responded was just infuriating. And we're supposed to still think her husband is a good guy, despite the fact that he's abandoned his wife to her grief and is neglecting his children? What?
** Jamie says he forgives Zoe - for something that doesn't need forgiveness, really. And then she declares that he has no self respect because what she did was so awful that he shouldn't forgive her? She slept with someone else, which is a blow for Jamie, sure, but they're not dating! She owes him nothing!
***Also, who just rushes out into the dark and fog on foot, with no torch, and no idea where you're going? She obviously wasn't in the local pub, and he must have had a car there because he'd showed up somehow. Just grab your keys!
The characters were, at times, annoying and unrealistic. No one helping Caz - actually helping her - was infuriating. The book is set in the 90s and I know people's approaches to mental health were different then - but not *that* different. People don't just watch their loved ones spiral that much and do absolutely nothing!*
The romance was also annoying to me. How many times are these two going to keep banging their heads against the wall to make this work? You're twenty two! You were together for a couple of months! Circumstances got in the way, just accept that! There's also one particular scene - Jamie and Zoe's picnic - that genuinely baffled me.** I stopped rooting for them halfway through because it was just so excruciating.
All that said, I did find this gripping. I liked both Jamie and Caz, and aside from the above, they felt realistic. The novel could have been shorter, but the beats were good aside from a perhaps slightly rushed ending. *** The music thing feels well embedded but not central, as I expected it to be. It's definitely not a book about music. 3 stars - glad to have read it, but I won't be rereading.
(Spoilers below)
*At one point Jamie says they're heading into a crisis with Caz - the crisis has happened! It's here! You're living it! And if you think something's going to get worse, why don't you do anything before that point? As a reader it was clear that Caz was heading towards either suicide or accidental death. The slow descent to that while no one responded was just infuriating. And we're supposed to still think her husband is a good guy, despite the fact that he's abandoned his wife to her grief and is neglecting his children? What?
** Jamie says he forgives Zoe - for something that doesn't need forgiveness, really. And then she declares that he has no self respect because what she did was so awful that he shouldn't forgive her? She slept with someone else, which is a blow for Jamie, sure, but they're not dating! She owes him nothing!
***Also, who just rushes out into the dark and fog on foot, with no torch, and no idea where you're going? She obviously wasn't in the local pub, and he must have had a car there because he'd showed up somehow. Just grab your keys!
December 3, 2024
Review
✍🏻 Crescendo - Joanna Howat
Synopsis:
New Year's Eve, 1991: three generations of the Fenton family gather in their grand North Yorkshire home for what they don't yet know will be their last meal together.
Jamie, a talented pianist stuck in a dead-end job, is desperate to escape his father's disapproval and his mother's smothering attention, while his sister Caz, basking in the love of her adoring husband and obsessed with motherhood, assumes their parents will always be there to catch them when they fall.
But when tragedy hits, both siblings are thrown into a tailspin of grief from which one of them may never recover. As the family crumbles, Jamie and Caz realise that adulthood doesn't come with a manual - and they're far less prepared for life than they thought.
My thoughts 💭
Heartbreaking, beautiful and brilliant!
A thou rally enjoyable and impressive debut novel from Joanna Howat. The characters were interesting and captivating - two siblings, Jamie, living at home with his parents, in a job he dislikes but with a love of piano and the hopes of becoming a concert pianist. Caz, a wild child who’s husband adores her and her two children. When tragedy strikes in the family we see the raw emotion, complex nature of grief and difficult family dynamics when coping with loss. Jamie’s story I enjoyed very much and felt a connection too.
The raw emotion in this story was beautiful and I couldn’t put it down. I will be on the look out for Howat’s future books.
Thank you for the advanced copy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️
✍🏻 Crescendo - Joanna Howat
Synopsis:
New Year's Eve, 1991: three generations of the Fenton family gather in their grand North Yorkshire home for what they don't yet know will be their last meal together.
Jamie, a talented pianist stuck in a dead-end job, is desperate to escape his father's disapproval and his mother's smothering attention, while his sister Caz, basking in the love of her adoring husband and obsessed with motherhood, assumes their parents will always be there to catch them when they fall.
But when tragedy hits, both siblings are thrown into a tailspin of grief from which one of them may never recover. As the family crumbles, Jamie and Caz realise that adulthood doesn't come with a manual - and they're far less prepared for life than they thought.
My thoughts 💭
Heartbreaking, beautiful and brilliant!
A thou rally enjoyable and impressive debut novel from Joanna Howat. The characters were interesting and captivating - two siblings, Jamie, living at home with his parents, in a job he dislikes but with a love of piano and the hopes of becoming a concert pianist. Caz, a wild child who’s husband adores her and her two children. When tragedy strikes in the family we see the raw emotion, complex nature of grief and difficult family dynamics when coping with loss. Jamie’s story I enjoyed very much and felt a connection too.
The raw emotion in this story was beautiful and I couldn’t put it down. I will be on the look out for Howat’s future books.
Thank you for the advanced copy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️
December 29, 2024
The story is stark and you’ve got to force yourself to turn the pages especially hard to read about the disintegration of a family.
Jamie and Caz lose their parents in a home fire. Jamie overnight becomes homeless living with a girl whom he met just once and who kindly allows him to live with her. Jamie is disorganized, does not know how to share chores and is a mess. Losing his job, which he is not interested in adds to the mess. Caz cannot cope with the normal workings of her marriage- caring for two little girls and very very swiftly goes into an abyss of drinking, cutting herself and sleeping her days and nights away. Stevie her husband avoids facing any unpleasant situation or the fact that his home life is spiraling out of control.
Jamie without any idea how to control matters takes up the slack of parenting two confused children, housekeeping the best way he can and trying to salvage his personal life and his destroyed piano in the best way he can (which is not much). The characters ebb and sway this way and that in a constant state of confusion, living for the moment and not caring for consequences. There is no stability or purpose in any of their lives till a crisis blows up in their faces and all of them have to face the consequences of their action and inaction.
Emotional and very pragmatic in its writing this is a good, but hard to read story.
Jamie and Caz lose their parents in a home fire. Jamie overnight becomes homeless living with a girl whom he met just once and who kindly allows him to live with her. Jamie is disorganized, does not know how to share chores and is a mess. Losing his job, which he is not interested in adds to the mess. Caz cannot cope with the normal workings of her marriage- caring for two little girls and very very swiftly goes into an abyss of drinking, cutting herself and sleeping her days and nights away. Stevie her husband avoids facing any unpleasant situation or the fact that his home life is spiraling out of control.
Jamie without any idea how to control matters takes up the slack of parenting two confused children, housekeeping the best way he can and trying to salvage his personal life and his destroyed piano in the best way he can (which is not much). The characters ebb and sway this way and that in a constant state of confusion, living for the moment and not caring for consequences. There is no stability or purpose in any of their lives till a crisis blows up in their faces and all of them have to face the consequences of their action and inaction.
Emotional and very pragmatic in its writing this is a good, but hard to read story.
May 25, 2025
This is probably the slowest I've ever read a book; it took me nearly a full month to finish even though it's not a long one at all.
My feelings about this novel are a little bit mixed, let me start with its best features: the story is exactly what it says on the tin. A pair of siblings (former bad girl older sister and mama hotel inhabitant, irresponsible younger brother) spend a turbulent year trying to cope with the sudden death of their parents. I really enjoyed the diverse represantions of grief and how it had completely opposing effects on their characters. Caz's struggle with alcoholism was painfully realistic, her way of rationalizing every single awful decision she made was just heartbreaking every single time.
Jamie was another source of mixed feelings for me, I kept finding him annoying every now and then, even when I finally thought I had grown to like his character. He did end up as a likeable character by the time the story concluded but his journey was a real rollercoaster for me.
I deducted one star from the overall rating because I found the story to be a bit of a drag sometimes but I think this book is excellent work for a first novel; I'll definitely be looking at Joanna Howat's future publications.
Many thanks to Flying Dog Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
My feelings about this novel are a little bit mixed, let me start with its best features: the story is exactly what it says on the tin. A pair of siblings (former bad girl older sister and mama hotel inhabitant, irresponsible younger brother) spend a turbulent year trying to cope with the sudden death of their parents. I really enjoyed the diverse represantions of grief and how it had completely opposing effects on their characters. Caz's struggle with alcoholism was painfully realistic, her way of rationalizing every single awful decision she made was just heartbreaking every single time.
Jamie was another source of mixed feelings for me, I kept finding him annoying every now and then, even when I finally thought I had grown to like his character. He did end up as a likeable character by the time the story concluded but his journey was a real rollercoaster for me.
I deducted one star from the overall rating because I found the story to be a bit of a drag sometimes but I think this book is excellent work for a first novel; I'll definitely be looking at Joanna Howat's future publications.
Many thanks to Flying Dog Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 14, 2025
CRESCENDO is an emotionally gripping and compelling novel about a brother and sister (Jamie and Caz) whose lives are turned upside down after a horrific and tragic loss in their family. I admired and appreciated the emotional depth to the story and the realness and rawness of it all. The writing is both so sharp and soft - blending wit and drama, pain and love, that it made me feel everything reading this. I felt for and cared about every character in this story, even Jamie's ex-girlfriend, co-worker Charlotte and Caz's husband, Steve. It just reminded me how we all are going through things and trying our best doing this thing called life.
It was so interesting to see how differently Jamie and Caz grieve and cope and how their loss transforms them. Caz, is a 26-year-old wife, mother , and recovering alcoholic, who spirals and becomes unrecognizable to her family. Meanwhile, Jamie, who is 22 years old, jobless and homeless, quickly grows into a responsible and mature adult, keeping his family afloat. I also really liked how Jamie's mistake is what saved his most prized possession.
Thank you to Flying Dog Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
It was so interesting to see how differently Jamie and Caz grieve and cope and how their loss transforms them. Caz, is a 26-year-old wife, mother , and recovering alcoholic, who spirals and becomes unrecognizable to her family. Meanwhile, Jamie, who is 22 years old, jobless and homeless, quickly grows into a responsible and mature adult, keeping his family afloat. I also really liked how Jamie's mistake is what saved his most prized possession.
Thank you to Flying Dog Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
June 26, 2025
Crescendo is a beautiful, haunting, character-driven novel that explores family ties, grief, addiction, depression, and in general, relationships.
I love the growth we see in Jamie, one of two sibling protagonists, who lose their parents in a unexpected tragedy on New Years Eve. Crescendo examines how humans handle tragedy and trauma through a lens that does not sugar-coat the issue. I finished this book and still feel the emotional heaviness of the siblings' situation. Caz, the sister, is hard to read about, and her story is a heartbreaking one. There are descriptions in the novel of alcoholism and SH that I think are important for readers to know about before going in.
One thing I did think, was that the end / last third of the novel did a great job at tying the theme of emotions and music together, but that I felt in the beginning, the only reason it was called Crescendo was because of a piano. By the end I saw the tie.
Howat is a beautiful writer and I look forward to more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flying Dog press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love the growth we see in Jamie, one of two sibling protagonists, who lose their parents in a unexpected tragedy on New Years Eve. Crescendo examines how humans handle tragedy and trauma through a lens that does not sugar-coat the issue. I finished this book and still feel the emotional heaviness of the siblings' situation. Caz, the sister, is hard to read about, and her story is a heartbreaking one. There are descriptions in the novel of alcoholism and SH that I think are important for readers to know about before going in.
One thing I did think, was that the end / last third of the novel did a great job at tying the theme of emotions and music together, but that I felt in the beginning, the only reason it was called Crescendo was because of a piano. By the end I saw the tie.
Howat is a beautiful writer and I look forward to more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Flying Dog press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2025
Crescendo by Joanna Howat is a story of a brother and sister, whose parents die after a house fire after a family meal on New Year’s Eve, 1991.
The storyline is about how they both cope with the grief after their parent’s deaths.
Caz is married happily to Steve and has two young daughters, Jamie is single, a talented pianist, in a dead end job and still living at the Hall with his parents.
Caz is devastated by her parents death and goes back to the addictions she had before she was married.
Jamie has to realise that he needs to grow up, after his relationship with. Zoe, the local vet, fails he moves in with Caz and Steve.
Steve and Jamie have no way how to cope with the drunken behaviour of Caz, it is only when Caz reaches rock bottom that things have to change.
It is only when both Jamie and Caz have to finally deal with the death of their parents that you feel sympathy for them. In reality everyone deals with grief in their own way.
Highly recommended
November 5, 2024
This is the story of siblings Jamie and Caz, and how they cope (or don't cope) with the sudden death of their parents in a house fire. Author Joanna Howat writes well, in a sentence to sentence kind of way, but this book is a bit aimless. It's at it's best when it is showing Jamie's development and struggles, and it's worst when it is telling about Caz - which never gets explored deeply. It veers into second chance romance territory, and looks as if it might go into mysteryland, but shies away from that. The dénouement was annoying - I keep reading books where people spend the final chapter running around, when there is no need for that, and that's how the end of this felt. I will be keeping an eye out for Howat's future work, because I think she has a lot of potential as an author.
I was given an e-arc from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an e-arc from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This was a complicated story of how two siblings grieve the sudden death of their parents. I enjoyed Jamie’s storyline. It felt fully flushed out and there were details on his thought process / how he was coping. I struggled a bit with Caz’s storyline. She had a much different story, but it felt like the conclusion was rushed for the final few chapters. The supporting characters were well written and added to the story. I’m giving 3.5 stars, I would have liked to explore some details of the storylines more, but I enjoyed Howat’s writing and would love to read her next book. I would recommend this book if you’re looking to read about complicated family dynamics and grieving.
tw: grief, death of parents, alcoholism, self harm
tw: grief, death of parents, alcoholism, self harm
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