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Sim One: A Love and Then-What-Happens Story
Simone sent me an email. The subject line: “Just read.”
Most of us spend our whole lives searching for the one. Some of us are lucky enough to find them, even for a moment. And some—like Simone and Tom—were lucky enough to find love, purchase a second home abroad, create a successful business, and build a life together for nearly four decades. But what happens after the love story?
Told through a series of notes and emails, Tom shares his raw, humorous, and heartfelt declarations on what it’s like living, loving, and losing the one, Sim One, to a disease that no one talks about: cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Sim One is a love letter meets memoir that asks what does it mean to love—and keep loving—when faced with the possibility of losing it all?
Most of us spend our whole lives searching for the one. Some of us are lucky enough to find them, even for a moment. And some—like Simone and Tom—were lucky enough to find love, purchase a second home abroad, create a successful business, and build a life together for nearly four decades. But what happens after the love story?
Told through a series of notes and emails, Tom shares his raw, humorous, and heartfelt declarations on what it’s like living, loving, and losing the one, Sim One, to a disease that no one talks about: cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Sim One is a love letter meets memoir that asks what does it mean to love—and keep loving—when faced with the possibility of losing it all?
307 pages, Paperback
Published February 10, 2025
3 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 30, 2025
I will be the last one to Judge how a book told through emails and messages sent can shape a person. However, when I was reading Sim One for the first time, it broke me… in the best possible way. I found myself deep in Tom's messages because I just had to read his messages over and over again. The thing that struck me was, “We don't stop loving just because someone is no longer here.” That was a harsh reminder. The way Tom processes grief is painfully honest. It made me remember the death of my grandfather. It was not just a tale about love; it was about grieving gracefully. When I came to the end, I felt, for some odd reason, that someone finally put into words the untold feelings I carried for so many years.
April 25, 2025
Something deep is honest about Tom's way of writing - as you are reading his heart, not only his words. I found myself stopping to re -prepare some routes, not because they were complicated, but because they were full of feeling. A line that stayed with me, when he said that love did not end, it just changed the shape. He hit barely. The way they described everyday moments, such as sitting in silence or cooking together, prepared me to think about small things in my life. Once the story is over, I found myself sitting in silence, wrapped in the warmth of memories and people I cherish the most.
May 1, 2025
The way Tom Ahern writes is so beautiful, it creates a beautiful picture of Simone in your mind. I can totally imagine his wife Simone and feel their love, sadness, grief. Simone's struggle with CAA was heartbreaking to read. She was unable to read, recall simple things due to her deteriorating brain health. She still tries her best to fully live her remaining life. She was resilient and courageous to accept and embrace that disease. And Tom's constant love for her shines through as a testament.
If u like nuanced emotional storytelling with beautiful writing that stirs emotions in you then this would be a rewarding read for you.
If u like nuanced emotional storytelling with beautiful writing that stirs emotions in you then this would be a rewarding read for you.
May 2, 2025
The subtle complexities of interpersonal relationships are exquisitely captured in this book. After falling completely in love and getting married on August 3, 1984, Tom and Simone's journey continues until death gently separates them.
The core of the story is summed up in one striking sentence from Chapter 8: "Every wedding has mortality in attendance. The snickers go unheard.
The narrative serves as a reminder that although time limits our lives, the ties of love we can create can last a lifetime. It's a gentle reminder to treasure the people we care about for as long as possible.
The core of the story is summed up in one striking sentence from Chapter 8: "Every wedding has mortality in attendance. The snickers go unheard.
The narrative serves as a reminder that although time limits our lives, the ties of love we can create can last a lifetime. It's a gentle reminder to treasure the people we care about for as long as possible.
May 2, 2025
I felt as though I got to know Sim personally since Tom's writing is so personal. The emails and letters felt like fragments of a life, frozen in time, rather than like writing
I was in the middle of dancing in my kitchen when I heard one note in particular—a rare, unplanned form of happiness.
In the middle of all of this, the novel subtly highlights the amount of unseen grief that surrounds us. I was unaware of cerebral amyloid angiopathy till now. I now not only comprehend it, but I also find it to be quite important.
By the end, I was contacting my partner on Thanksgiving to express my love for them in a straightforward and real manner.
I was in the middle of dancing in my kitchen when I heard one note in particular—a rare, unplanned form of happiness.
In the middle of all of this, the novel subtly highlights the amount of unseen grief that surrounds us. I was unaware of cerebral amyloid angiopathy till now. I now not only comprehend it, but I also find it to be quite important.
By the end, I was contacting my partner on Thanksgiving to express my love for them in a straightforward and real manner.
May 2, 2025
On a friend's recommendation, I bought this, and I'm quite happy I did. Despite its unconventionality, the story framework is exquisite.
Every email was honest, unvarnished, and genuine, like reading through someone's own private journal.
Love, fear, and remembrance are all genuine emotions; there is no attempt to be brave or wise. I liked that there were no simple answers in the novel. What makes it so genuine is that Tom doesn't act as though love or life are easy.
I experienced a silent sense of emotional closure as I turned the final page, as if I had just bid a fond farewell to a loved one.
Every email was honest, unvarnished, and genuine, like reading through someone's own private journal.
Love, fear, and remembrance are all genuine emotions; there is no attempt to be brave or wise. I liked that there were no simple answers in the novel. What makes it so genuine is that Tom doesn't act as though love or life are easy.
I experienced a silent sense of emotional closure as I turned the final page, as if I had just bid a fond farewell to a loved one.
May 2, 2025
Tom and Simone's heart-wrenching love story unfolds against the background of an incurable disease — the insidious slow massacre called Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA).
CAA is a pathological condition in which amyloid protein accumulation happens in the arterial walls of the brain with the risk of bleeding or dementia.
Simone was suffering from migraine headaches, but everything changed on January 2, 2020, when a brain hemorrhage heralded the truly sad descent into hell.
In this moving memoir, Tom Ahern opens the door into the heartfelt world he shared through love and loss while caring for Simone to the bitter end.
CAA is a pathological condition in which amyloid protein accumulation happens in the arterial walls of the brain with the risk of bleeding or dementia.
Simone was suffering from migraine headaches, but everything changed on January 2, 2020, when a brain hemorrhage heralded the truly sad descent into hell.
In this moving memoir, Tom Ahern opens the door into the heartfelt world he shared through love and loss while caring for Simone to the bitter end.
May 6, 2025
It feels as though you are reading Tom's heart as much as his words because of the sincere honesty with which he writes.
Not because the parts were difficult, but because they were so emotional, I found myself pausing multiple times.
It truly got to me when someone said, "Love didn't end, it just changed shape." He barely murmurs it, but it lands with serene strength.
I was gently reminded to appreciate the little, priceless things in my own life by Tom's descriptions of everyday activities like cooking and sitting quietly.
I sat in silence at the end of the book, surrounded by the comfort of my most treasured memories and friends.
Not because the parts were difficult, but because they were so emotional, I found myself pausing multiple times.
It truly got to me when someone said, "Love didn't end, it just changed shape." He barely murmurs it, but it lands with serene strength.
I was gently reminded to appreciate the little, priceless things in my own life by Tom's descriptions of everyday activities like cooking and sitting quietly.
I sat in silence at the end of the book, surrounded by the comfort of my most treasured memories and friends.
May 12, 2025
I never expected a story told entirely through emails and texts to hit me so hard—but Sim One did just that. From the moment I started reading, I was pulled into Tom's emotional world. His words didn’t feel like fiction—they felt like confessions, raw and real. One line stayed with me: “Love doesn’t disappear just because someone’s gone.” That truth hit like a wave. It brought up memories of my own loss—of my grandfather—and left me reflecting in silence. This book isn’t just about romance or digital communication; it’s about the complexity of mourning and how we hold onto love even after goodbye. Somehow, it gave voice to feelings I didn’t know how to articulate until now.
April 27, 2025
The book caught me from the guard. I felt that I was getting a romantic memoir, but it was much more than that. This made me think about long -term relationships and in the end what exactly matters. Tom's humor, even during the heart -wrenching moments, was such a human touch. I particularly liked the part where he compares his relationship with a well-worn record-cushion, but still playing his favorite tune. After reading, I felt more grateful to my partner and promised to tease them a little every day.
April 28, 2025
I raised it on the recommendation of a friend and I am happy that I did it. The structure was unusual, but it worked. Each email felt like opening one's private magazine. Whatever was standing outside was honesty - there was no pretense of being strong or intelligent. Just love, fear and memory. I liked how the book did not give easy answers. Life and love are complex, and Tom does not hide it. After closing the book, I felt emotionally complete and strangely peace, as if I said goodbye to just a dear friend.
April 30, 2025
This book is about Simone, beloved wife of author Tom Ahern, married for 37 years with deep love. Author Tom recalls all his bittersweet memories of his wife in this book.
Simone, a lovely woman loved and cherished by many for her admirable nature. She's caring, bold, joyful, a person with high morality( Tom calls her his moral compass). Once she creates a bond with you, then she'll make sure that bond only flourish. Unfortunately, she's diagnosed with an incurable disease.
This book is centred around Tom and Simone's deep love despite a devastating illness.
Simone, a lovely woman loved and cherished by many for her admirable nature. She's caring, bold, joyful, a person with high morality( Tom calls her his moral compass). Once she creates a bond with you, then she'll make sure that bond only flourish. Unfortunately, she's diagnosed with an incurable disease.
This book is centred around Tom and Simone's deep love despite a devastating illness.
May 2, 2025
This is one of the books which makes you realise the value of loved ones. After finishing this book, you'll definitely feel like calling your loved ones and tell them how much you love them and you'll be with them no matter what.
I meant, Tom Ahern has kept the book so raw and authentic that it makes you reflect on your relationships with your closed ones and cherish them.
What I realised from this book is that in the times of difficulties, love matters the most. Someone can really get the strength to live despite an incurable illness if they know that people love them.
I meant, Tom Ahern has kept the book so raw and authentic that it makes you reflect on your relationships with your closed ones and cherish them.
What I realised from this book is that in the times of difficulties, love matters the most. Someone can really get the strength to live despite an incurable illness if they know that people love them.
May 3, 2025
Reading Sim felt like listening to someone’s soul speak out loud.
There’s a moment where Tom writes, “Every memory now echoes in silence with me,” and I had to put the book down — that single line pulled me deep into my own emotions.
The story blends joy and sorrow in a way that feels completely unfiltered. It isn’t neatly edited its raw, imperfect and heartbreakingly beautiful.
At one point, I found myself reaching for the phone, just to hear my mothers voice
By the end, I had cried, smiled, and simply sat in stillness.
It felt as though I had briefly lived another life altogether.
There’s a moment where Tom writes, “Every memory now echoes in silence with me,” and I had to put the book down — that single line pulled me deep into my own emotions.
The story blends joy and sorrow in a way that feels completely unfiltered. It isn’t neatly edited its raw, imperfect and heartbreakingly beautiful.
At one point, I found myself reaching for the phone, just to hear my mothers voice
By the end, I had cried, smiled, and simply sat in stillness.
It felt as though I had briefly lived another life altogether.
May 3, 2025
Having lost a loved one to a neurological illness, this book struck incredibly close to home.
In Tom’s words, I found echoes of my own story — the confusion, the quiet strength it takes to witness someone you love slowly fade.
One line in particular stayed with me: “She was forgetting things, but I was the one who was lost.”
It captured something I’ve never quite been able to say out loud.
What I appreciated most was Tom’s honesty. He didn’t flinch from the difficult moments.
By the time I finished, I had tears in my eyes — and a heart a little more open than it was before.
In Tom’s words, I found echoes of my own story — the confusion, the quiet strength it takes to witness someone you love slowly fade.
One line in particular stayed with me: “She was forgetting things, but I was the one who was lost.”
It captured something I’ve never quite been able to say out loud.
What I appreciated most was Tom’s honesty. He didn’t flinch from the difficult moments.
By the time I finished, I had tears in my eyes — and a heart a little more open than it was before.
May 3, 2025
Meeting this book didn’t feel accidental — from the very first page, it drew me in.
Tom’s voice felt familiar, like reconnecting with an old friend you haven’t seen in years.
The way he speaks about loving someone through illness — and beyond — is something I won’t forget.
There’s a moment where he writes about time, almost too quietly to notice, and it stopped me in my tracks. That one line stayed with me.
Something had changed inside of me by the time I put the book down.
It made me realize how incredibly lovely and delicate love really is.
Tom’s voice felt familiar, like reconnecting with an old friend you haven’t seen in years.
The way he speaks about loving someone through illness — and beyond — is something I won’t forget.
There’s a moment where he writes about time, almost too quietly to notice, and it stopped me in my tracks. That one line stayed with me.
Something had changed inside of me by the time I put the book down.
It made me realize how incredibly lovely and delicate love really is.
May 7, 2025
This is a very moving and true story. It is a story about love, life, and loss. Tom tells us about his great love for Simone, also referred to as Sim One. They lived a happy life together for many years. But then Simone becomes seriously ill with a rare brain disease. The book illustrates how difficult it is to lose someone you love. It is written down in emails and letters, and that makes it very real. Occasionally it's tearful but also full of laughter and hilarious times. It reminds us that love remains real, even once somebody has gone. A great and emotional read.
May 7, 2025
Reading Sim One was like walking through someone’s most sacred memories slowly, gently, and with tears quietly building behind my eyes. I didn’t know Tom or Simone, but by the end of the book, I felt like I had loved them too.
There’s no filter here, no effort to beautify the pain of loss just honesty. The way Tom writes about Simone made me think about the people I love in my own life. It made me scared of losing them. It made me appreciate them more.
This isn’t just a book you read. It’s one you sit with long after. It hurts, yes but it also heals something quietly inside you.
There’s no filter here, no effort to beautify the pain of loss just honesty. The way Tom writes about Simone made me think about the people I love in my own life. It made me scared of losing them. It made me appreciate them more.
This isn’t just a book you read. It’s one you sit with long after. It hurts, yes but it also heals something quietly inside you.
May 8, 2025
“We don’t stop loving just because someone is no longer here.” Sim One is more than a love story, it’s a lesson in courage, grief, and the power of memories. It reminds us to cherish the people we have while they’re here and to hold on to the love even when they’re gone. This book will stay with you long after you finish it, making you see life, love, and loss in a new way. If you’ve ever loved someone deeply or faced loss, this book will speak to your heart. It’s painful, beautiful, and unforgettable a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of love.
May 8, 2025
Structurally, Sim One is refreshingly unconventional. The narrative unfolds through emails, personal notes, and scattered fragments that echo the disjointedness of grief itself. It’s not linear because love and loss aren’t.
Tom Ahern’s prose isn’t polished and that’s exactly why it works. The rawness becomes its strength. It reads like a man trying to hold on to his sanity by writing things down. That makes it feel honest. Human.
Not just a memoir, not quite fiction. Somewhere in between and all the more powerful for it.
Tom Ahern’s prose isn’t polished and that’s exactly why it works. The rawness becomes its strength. It reads like a man trying to hold on to his sanity by writing things down. That makes it feel honest. Human.
Not just a memoir, not quite fiction. Somewhere in between and all the more powerful for it.
April 25, 2025
I met this book, but it didn't feel like a coincidence. From the first page it pulled me in. Tom's voice is so real, as you are as a friend who has gone for years. The way he talks about loving someone through illness - and then - something I will never forget. It was a line about time if you're ready. He barely beat. After ending, I thought it was changing. As I was reminded of how delicate and beautiful love really.
April 27, 2025
Reading Sim was like reading someone's soul loudly. There is a line where Tom says something, "Every memory now echoes in silence with me," and I had to keep the book down. That one sentence pulled me completely into my world. The mixture of happiness and pain is so real and reliable. It is not polished - it is raw and dirty and beautiful. This wanted me to call my mother and just heard her voice. Till the end, I cried, smiled, and sat down in silence. It seemed that I lived only another life.
April 27, 2025
Honestly, I don't think this book will first attract my attention. But the way Tom tells his story is not attractive - it's real. Simple words, great emotions. I really liked when he talked about the construction of the dream house abroad, and how it ended, more than memories than furniture. That scene stayed with me. This reminded me that the spaces we make are just backgrounds for those we love. I felt emotionally quiet, later that kind of feeling of that gender for several days.
April 28, 2025
As someone lost a loved one for a neurological disease, this book came close. I saw pieces of my story in Tom - especially confusion and the calm heart to see someone was broken. A line that really hit me: "She was forgetting things, but I was the one who was lost." How did it like it? I appreciate how Tom never cane difficult parts. I finished the book with tears in my eyes and a heart was more open than before.
April 28, 2025
Sim-One tells a life story, not just a love story. I loved how the author depicted love as development, vulnerability, and choices in addition to passion. This is a great romance if you're searching for something unique. I found myself underlining a lot of passages that related to my personal experience. For anyone who has experienced intense love and pondered, "What comes next?," this book is a hug.
April 28, 2025
A welcome departure from the usual romance genre. I had the impression that I was reading someone's actual diary because it was so intimate and genuine. Though I wished the climax had a little more impact, I really enjoyed the characters' depth. Overall, though, it was a lovely read. It serves as a reminder that love is a commitment rather than merely an emotion; it can be messy at times but is always significant.
April 30, 2025
Tom's way of writing made me feel as if I knew SIM too. The emails and notes were not just words—they were memories, frozen moments in time. There was a note about him that made me laugh loudly while dancing in the kitchen. There is so much sadness in so many lives. I didn’t know what cerebral amyloid angiopathy was before, but now I do and I care. After reading, I felt motivated to write to my partner for Thanksgiving. I just wanted to say, I love you.
April 30, 2025
Lovestory of Tom and Simone amidst an incurable disease CAA.
“Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a condition in which proteins called amyloid build up on the walls of the arteries in the brain. CAA increases the risk for stroke caused by bleeding and dementia.”
Simone usually used to have headaches. But her brain bleed on January 2nd, 2020 started worsening her condition.
Tom Ahern shares his journey of loving and losing his wife Simone.
“Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a condition in which proteins called amyloid build up on the walls of the arteries in the brain. CAA increases the risk for stroke caused by bleeding and dementia.”
Simone usually used to have headaches. But her brain bleed on January 2nd, 2020 started worsening her condition.
Tom Ahern shares his journey of loving and losing his wife Simone.
April 30, 2025
The nuances of relationship is truly well captured here.
Tom and Simone, a couple madly in love gets married on Aug 3rd, 1984 until death makes them apart.
There's a quote in chapter 8 which sums up the essence of this book. It is " Mortality attends every wedding. No one hears the snickers."
This story highlights that even though life is finite, we still get a chance to build infinite love and connection. And this opportunity must be valued till we have it.
Tom and Simone, a couple madly in love gets married on Aug 3rd, 1984 until death makes them apart.
There's a quote in chapter 8 which sums up the essence of this book. It is " Mortality attends every wedding. No one hears the snickers."
This story highlights that even though life is finite, we still get a chance to build infinite love and connection. And this opportunity must be valued till we have it.
May 1, 2025
This is a touching love story about Tom and his partner Simone. For nearly 40 years they have exchanged emails and personal notes & letters, he shares his journey of their love, her illness, and the journey of the loss and healing and heartbreak that comes after. It’s a deep & moving story about love & healing & the strength of love endures even after loss. This book is extremely emotional and honest.
A short, heartfelt read for anyone who has experienced deep love and grief.
A short, heartfelt read for anyone who has experienced deep love and grief.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews