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Before the Sun Sets
Ellie feels lost and alone after surviving the car accident that killed her seven-year-old son, Jake. She needs help to cope with her grief and survivor’s guilt, so her doctor prescribes her sleeping pills. These pills do more than help her sleep; they bring her son back.
In her dreams, Jake lives on, her family is whole, and it’s as if the accident never happened. But seeing her son for a few hours at night is no longer enough. She wants more, but the more time she spends with Jake, the worse her health and relationships in the real world become.
The line between Ellie’s worlds begins to blur. When she is deprived of her pills, it threatens everything she has come to believe is real. She wants it all, and she will push past the point of no return to get it.
In her dreams, Jake lives on, her family is whole, and it’s as if the accident never happened. But seeing her son for a few hours at night is no longer enough. She wants more, but the more time she spends with Jake, the worse her health and relationships in the real world become.
The line between Ellie’s worlds begins to blur. When she is deprived of her pills, it threatens everything she has come to believe is real. She wants it all, and she will push past the point of no return to get it.
Audible Audio
Published February 12, 2025
11 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Vieira
4 books6 followersJessica Vieira was born in Canada and has lived most of her life there. She also lived in Portugal for six years, until the age of 10. Her passion for languages persuaded her to become an ESL teacher and live in Spain for three years.
Jessica has always enjoyed writing, but her love for it really blossomed when she studied for her BA in English and minor in Spanish at the University of Ottawa. Jessica is a first-time author of Before the Sun Sets. She currently resides in Ottawa. She loves to spend her free time hiking outdoors and eating out with friends.
Jessica has always enjoyed writing, but her love for it really blossomed when she studied for her BA in English and minor in Spanish at the University of Ottawa. Jessica is a first-time author of Before the Sun Sets. She currently resides in Ottawa. She loves to spend her free time hiking outdoors and eating out with friends.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 2, 2022
Wholesome ending. So happy to support you Jessica! Great first book, can’t wait to read more x
April 25, 2022
Life is beautiful but only if we live long to see it. People are lovely but only if they are there in your life for eternity. Things are marvellous if they don't haunt you at night with wet eyes and sour lips. The world is beautiful but so it is cruel, devastating and soul wrecking.
This is a story of a family, a mother who loves her child too much, a father that cares for his family what could go wrong in their little universe when they have each other to back themselves out from straggling heights? This is a heartwarming story of a nurse mother who is too tired of her work, she loves her child but often regrets not being able to spend more time with him. Jack, the little prince of the family is something out of a Disney kid's tv show, he is energetic and bubbly and you will crave to have his life until you don't. Everything is magical and their lives are mystical until God decides to take their little prince away.
Losing a child is not something no person should have to go through with. Losing anybody from your life essentially breaks you into a thousand pieces and most of the pieces that filled you are buried are go off with the people far gone. This is the time when our mind makes up reality but that is fine unless you take special help to create realities right? Just like out from an episode of the Black mirror, Ellie gets herself pills that make her boy live again, bending reality and morphing into the unreal Ellie soon is confused between the actual world and the one she wants to be real. I empathise with Ellie and want to live in a reality that is nothing but unreal, sometimes the voids in your hearts make it unlivable for you and all you could ask from it is for the people gone to come back and fill it. This book will warm your heart, it will make you cry, it will leave you in despair and then it will crash the media of reality you live in. Hauntingly beautiful.
This is a story of a family, a mother who loves her child too much, a father that cares for his family what could go wrong in their little universe when they have each other to back themselves out from straggling heights? This is a heartwarming story of a nurse mother who is too tired of her work, she loves her child but often regrets not being able to spend more time with him. Jack, the little prince of the family is something out of a Disney kid's tv show, he is energetic and bubbly and you will crave to have his life until you don't. Everything is magical and their lives are mystical until God decides to take their little prince away.
Losing a child is not something no person should have to go through with. Losing anybody from your life essentially breaks you into a thousand pieces and most of the pieces that filled you are buried are go off with the people far gone. This is the time when our mind makes up reality but that is fine unless you take special help to create realities right? Just like out from an episode of the Black mirror, Ellie gets herself pills that make her boy live again, bending reality and morphing into the unreal Ellie soon is confused between the actual world and the one she wants to be real. I empathise with Ellie and want to live in a reality that is nothing but unreal, sometimes the voids in your hearts make it unlivable for you and all you could ask from it is for the people gone to come back and fill it. This book will warm your heart, it will make you cry, it will leave you in despair and then it will crash the media of reality you live in. Hauntingly beautiful.
October 2, 2024
Let me begin by saying I have been looking for a book and trying numerous books for the past few years and cannot get into any until I started this one. Within the first couple of chapters, you can feel the love and dedication put into these details that make it so much more easier to envision the words. From happy moments to devastated moments and onto realistic moments of the way the world really is, this book keeps you reading as there’s no dull moments within it. I recommend this book 100% regardless of what type of books you do read this falls under many categories. Congratulations Jessica and I cannot wait for your next book!
October 31, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Before the Sun Sets by J. R. Vieira is a moving work of art in words about the heartbreaking journey of a mother grappling with the loss of her only son.
Ellie and Trevor and their greatest blessing seven year old Jake lead a tight-knit family life full of love and light. When a tragic accident happens and the worst comes to pass, by what Ellie believes to be her fault, she struggles to understand the divide between reality and dreams.
Can her only source of hope and joy maybe be the means to her unraveling?
Jessica gently holds the reader’s hand as they walk through Ellie’s journey and reminds them of the beautiful healing after pain that we all can feel after a loss.
Ellie and Trevor and their greatest blessing seven year old Jake lead a tight-knit family life full of love and light. When a tragic accident happens and the worst comes to pass, by what Ellie believes to be her fault, she struggles to understand the divide between reality and dreams.
Can her only source of hope and joy maybe be the means to her unraveling?
Jessica gently holds the reader’s hand as they walk through Ellie’s journey and reminds them of the beautiful healing after pain that we all can feel after a loss.
October 8, 2024
Jessica Vieira’s novel is a beautifully crafted exploration of love, grief, and the thin line between reality and the dream world. I was deeply moved by Ellie’s journey, her pain, and her desire to hold onto her son. The emotional depth and relatability of the characters made it an unforgettable read. This story touched my heart and left a lasting impact. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a powerful, emotional experience. Thank you, Jessica, for this masterpiece!
January 7, 2026
This was a heartfelt and emotional story of grief following the loss of a child. It was really well written, and while you could see Ellie spiralling out of control you could also completely understand why she was and the driving force that was stopping her from seeing the reality of her spiralling situation.
Tiffany Vanlandingham's narration was beautifully done and expressed the raw emotions coming through in the story. Her soft spoken narration for this was a perfect choice for the story.
Tiffany Vanlandingham's narration was beautifully done and expressed the raw emotions coming through in the story. Her soft spoken narration for this was a perfect choice for the story.
January 1, 2026
I listened to this one on audio. Really good story that had me in all my emotions from start to finish. the narrator was really really great!
March 21, 2025
Can a book be tragic and yet so beautiful at the same time?
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster, hitting me right in the feels with its mix of happy and devastating moments. It explores grief and depression through a mother’s painful journey toward accepting the loss of her son.
With such raw honesty and emotional depth in Vieira’s writing, it was impossible not to be deeply moved, making it an unforgettable read.
There's one scene in particular which Vieira describes so perfectly well, fully immersing me into the character's horrific mind.
Although not a thriller, it's still one I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for a powerful and moving read.
This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster, hitting me right in the feels with its mix of happy and devastating moments. It explores grief and depression through a mother’s painful journey toward accepting the loss of her son.
With such raw honesty and emotional depth in Vieira’s writing, it was impossible not to be deeply moved, making it an unforgettable read.
There's one scene in particular which Vieira describes so perfectly well, fully immersing me into the character's horrific mind.
Although not a thriller, it's still one I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for a powerful and moving read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews