I'll Come to You

by Rebecca Kauffman

A story of family, I'll Come to You chronicles intersecting lives over the course of 1995, anchored by the anticipation and arrival of a child.

With empathy, insight, and humor, Rebecca Kauffman explores overlapping narratives involving a couple whose struggle to become pregnant has both softened and hardened them; a woman whose husband of forty years has left her for reasons he’s unwilling to share and the man who is now disastrously attempting to woo her; a couple in denial about a looming health crisis, and their son who is fumbling toward middle age and can’t stop lying. These storylines converge into a dramatic and harrowing turn of events.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Family, Contemporary, Ebooks

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2025

About the author

Rebecca Kauffman is originally from rural northeastern Ohio. She received her B.A. from the Manhattan School of Music in Violin Performance, and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from NYU. She currently lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Reviews

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Intricate Web of Family...

I'll Come to You is the story of one unremarkable family in 1995 - a year of change and adjustment hovering over their lives: the dynamics of a new baby, the impact of a divorce without warning or reason, an impending health crisis, and more. It explores the complexities of family relationships, old and new, and all the wonders, worries, and unknowns in life...

Kauffman's characters are quirky and memorable in good and not-so-good ways. Each chapter is a separate scenario with interlocking narratives that unite the story. This short novel packs a punch in 223 pages and slightly over 6 hours, but is not lacking in compassion for the struggles and largeness of everyday life.

Elisabeth Rodger's narration and voicing nail the character's idiosyncrasies with perfectly placed voice inflections and Kauffman's well-placed humor. A bit of levity is always a good thing when faced with the realities of life. This was an immersion read with a Kindle copy, and the audiobook is definitely the way to go for the best experience.

I'll Come to You is my second Rebecca Kaufman read; Chorus being my first. Similarly, they are about family, and both are recounted impeccably by Elisabeth Rodgers, one of my favorite narrators. I enjoyed both novels and look forward to reading a third by this author.

4⭐

Thank you to Recorded Books and Rebecca Kauffman for the gifted ALC through NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 ½* rounded up to 3

I think I’m an outlier on this one - I thought this one had promise but . . . .the audiobook seemed to drag and there wasn’t really a plot.

First off I have no idea why this is listed as “historical fiction” - WHAT??? The novel is set in 1995! There also isn’t any mention of anything memorable that happened in the US or anywhere during this time period? DEFINITELY NOT HISTORICAL FICTION!

From the blurb: “A story of family, I'll Come to You chronicles intersecting lives over the course of 1995, anchored by the anticipation and arrival of a child.”

I enjoy a good family drama but there wasn’t really much drama. We follow along, shifting from one character's struggles within the family to another.

I kept waiting for some spark or good mystery to make this novel stand out, but I didn’t find any!

The characters were all unremarkable but I guess they could be relatable. None of them were very well described.

I’m giving it 2 1/2 * rounded up to 3 because I think there is some good writing here.

I received the audiobook from the publisher and RBMedia through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this novel.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Chorus years ago, I was so excited to see this new one from Rebecca! Another family drama but more of a glimpse into their lives than a generational drama throughout the years. Kauffman’s ability to bring emotion to the surface in minimal pages is an incredible skill. Like Chorus, I needed more but also enjoyed the themes she explored, second chances, aging parents, changes in life, forgiveness…If you love family dramas, add this one and Chorus to your list!

[SueCanaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wholly and completely recommend I’ll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman.

Kauffman has penned a character driven family drama which takes place over the course of a single year, 1995.

Featuring a couple with fertility trials, a woman whose husband left after decades of marriage, a different pair dealing with a health crisis and a divorced man who chronically lies, Kauffman made me love them all. I was invested. As a reader who dealt with infertility and had my son in 1995, I related to them. As the child of divorce, I related to that woman. And now, in the final act of my life with a much older husband, I completely connected to that couple. So much life, beginnings and endings….. my heart broke.

Read this.

And I absolutely know other readers understand that heart breaking, gut punching novels are to be shared.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a bit of a complicated journey to read I'll Come to You (Approved on Netgalley for audiobook - downloaded audiobook to dreaded NetGalley Shelf App prior to archive date - try to find audiobook on NetGalley Shelf within a week of archive date - request replacement file from publisher - hear nothing - obtain PDF version from network - finally start reading), but I'm glad I persevered, because it was a really engrossing read.

It's a novel told from several perspectives over the course of a year (1995) in the lives of an extended American family, featuring an ensemble cast, rather than any single protagonist or main character.

Ellen is a recently divorced older woman who works as a school bus driver in or near Chicago. She's just agreed to go on a blind date with Gary, but it doesn't look like their relationship is likely to go anywhere. She's keen to arrange a large family Christmas gathering for the end of the year, as she was left feeling bereft last Christmas when her adult son and his wife had to split their time between herself and her ex-husband.

Ellen's son Paul and his wife Corinne have recently conceived a child, although Corinne is experiencing symptoms that are making her anxious about the pregnancy. Paul is more affected by his parents' break-up than he's been prepared to share with anyone, especially after he sees evidence that his father is in a relationship with another woman.

Corinne's mother Janet and father Bruce live a few hours' drive away from their adult children. They're both looking forward to the arrival of their third grandchild, but Janet is preoccupied with Bruce's health, as he's exhibiting the early signs of a dementia-like illness. She keeps putting off telling their children about Bruce's symptoms, as she knows they have worries of their own.

Janet and Bruce's son (and Corinne's elder brother) Rob works as a used car salesman in Philadelphia. He's divorced, but has a reasonably amicable relationship with his ex-wife and her new partner, and sees his two young sons every fortnight. Ever since an incident in his teenage years, Rob's family have regarded him as someone who lies, or at least embellishes the truth, frequently.

Members of the family come together at a baby shower for Corinne, when baby Olivia arrives in August, a weekend at the Jersey Shore for Rob's birthday in September, Hallowe'en in Chicago, Thanksgiving celebrations at Janet and Bruce's home and finally Christmas. Through the series of vignettes - one or more representing each month of the year - each told from the perspective of a different character, we gain insight into the undercurrents of frustration, annoyance, yearning and love that underpin the interrelationships between them. As in life, each character has deeply-held vulnerabilities that they don't communicate effectively with those closest to them, demonstrating that the things that we don't say or share with our nearest and dearest can hurt far more than what we do.

Author Rebecca Kauffman draws her characters with empathy, insight and occasional moments of humour, leading the reader to an appreciation of what drives these ordinary people's lives. She explores hope, loss, insecurities, disappointment and joy as the characters navigate this pivotal year of their lives. I'm not entirely sure of the reason that the book is set in 1995, rather than the present, although it's clear that the availability of mobile phones would have a significant impact on the ways the characters are able to interact.

I'd recommend I'll Come to You to readers who enjoy contemporary literary fiction, family dramas and character-driven stories. Based upon the limited audio excerpt I was able to access via NetGalley, I would also recommend the audiobook edition narrated by Elizabeth Rodgers. In spite of its relatively compact format (223 pages), this is an emotionally perceptive and multi-layered story, exploring the universality of human experience and resilience.

Publisher RB Media Recorded Books granted me an advance review of the audiobook edition narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers. Whilst I was unable to access this file via the notorious NetGalley Shelf App, I am grateful to both the author Rebecca Kauffman and RB Media Recorded Books for their consideration, and I was fortunately able to obtain a review copy of the book elsewhere.

[Kyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll Come to You is a beautifully written glimpse into the lives of one family over the course of 1995. The story follows Ellen, a woman struggling after divorce, her son Paul and daughter-in-law Corinne, who are dealing with fertility issues, Corinne’s parents as they grapple with aging and dementia, and Corinne’s brother, Rob, who recently lost custody of his sons. Kauffman’s characters are so richly developed and complex, you feel like you know some version of them in your own life. Their stories all come together to create a chaotic, sad, joyful, and darkly funny family drama that perfectly captures the nuances of humanity.

[Chantel · Rating 3 out of 5]

With care, the life of a person might be shared with those who have yet to know them; those who hadn’t previously known of their existence might also find the account pertinent. It is at the author’s discretion whether this story is worth telling. The reader will then have to decide whether they have the desire to walk sidewalks & drive beyond the pines of a small town in order to reach the quaintly nestled, purely sardined saltiness of a human life.

Because a reader can desire & alter their appreciation for any story they encounter, Kauffman’s work might be discarded. This is not to say that her fictions lack quality but rather that her books appeal to a reader who sits tenderly on the bench waiting for a single individual to pass them by, eager perhaps, to guess at the secrets of their existence.

This approach to storytelling works well for Kauffman. Her style is unique to her talent & I have found that the two books of hers that I have read, have both left me eager to meet this talent again. To my great surprise & pleasure, Kauffman’s roster has grown since first we met in the pages of “Chorus” (2022).

I readily admit that a part of me had nearly forgotten about Kauffman. Her stories carry a particular weight to them that does not bode well within the popularly shallow tales that line the shelves of the literary world today. A reader who has time for a story whose ending might not feel satisfactory & whose pacing is easy while semi-redundant, may appreciate what Kauffman offers. On the other hand, readers seeking the flamboyant fast-paced rumble of a riveting plot will be better off looking elsewhere.

In essence, this is a story about familial burden. The domestic setting explored within this story presents readers with a complex family dynamic, though one will note that it is no more complicated than the family dynamic of the masses. Each character shares the narrative space, sometimes drawing attention to a history of pathological lying, while in other sections, their need to withhold information speaks to a deep-rooted insecurity.

The characters are not necessarily inspiring & I would argue this is in their favour. Rather than spend time crafting a story in which someone had to be grander than the common individual, Kauffman’s characters each represent a facet of what exists in the non-fictional world & might well exist in the reader themselves.

I chose to read this book at random. I had been drawn to it thanks to the author’s reputation, but the cover art did the heavy lifting. Having finished the book, I wonder what Kauffman’s motivation was when selecting this particular art. There is greenery & foliage, a deep blue in the backdrop lined with a brilliant yellow, & in the forefront, a large cat stares curiously, drawn up in worry, to the eyes that behold the book.

These artistic choices seem to be both odd & on par with what the story is trying to communicate. Yet, I also believe that the beauty, stricken in the feline’s stare, speaks to something unwritten. With this in mind, I eagerly began reading. The flow of the chapters was utterly seamless & a total ease to work through. Kauffman does not show signs of hesitation as her pen waddles from one set of circumstances to another.

This approach will surely engage the reader, who will be poised to judge the characters & their decisions. I admit that as the story began, I was apprehensive about whether it would focus too heavily on one or another character, some of whom I found to be a total bore. I was glad to see Kauffman present the family tree as deranged & crooked, dying in some places, & falling to disrepair in others.

Mainly, I found the parents to be tiresome. As the story opens, the reader learns about the apprehension felt by a woman who has agreed to go on a date now that her husband of decades has chosen to terminate their marriage & seek greener pastures. I draw the eye here because this introductory chapter was one I found oddly charming.

The tone adopted & offered in this first chapter was reflected throughout the story in its entirety. At times, the characters fondle their needs while regretfully becoming angry at one another, their understanding of events & relationships became so entangled with their hopes & external players that the muddied water which might otherwise have proven to be deadly, revealed itself to be nothing more than a shallow puddle.

I would like to admit that at this stage in the review, I find myself with little to say. It is odd to sit to write, knowing that one had previously thought oneself in possession of words to speak, yet finding oneself in the absence of desire.

I use this stage of the review to highlight a problem I seem to have with reviewing Kauffman’s work. While reading, I do not necessarily find myself emotionally riveted by the story. I read & I appreciate what the author has included & then it is done & I place it kindly on my shelf, but otherwise, this is but a book among many.

Yet, I reflect on the quality & feel that Kauffman has done well with her characters & efficiently insightfully translated the plot. How is a critique meant to expose the major flaw in this without nagging the scripture for a flame as yet unmentioned?

I find myself wandering back & forth over the plot, trying to nail down some part of the fiction that might draw the eye or intrigue a future reader. The story itself, as I have said, is perhaps nothing special. I read it in a few hours over one snowy afternoon & have not thought back on it until now; as it seems important to ponder the nature of my experience & the logistics that made it so I bought the book to begin with.

Perhaps this short review will suffice. Perhaps you have come to this publication & realized that the simplistic nature of the plot, one that will offer readers the nagging reality of a family that refuses to communicate with one another, whose lies allow a person’s Dementia to advance without medical intervention, whose very nature refutes the presence of the reader whatsoever, will altogether neglect to entice anyone from choosing this book.

The characters are at once shallow as well as earnest. The bits that Kauffman allows the reader to witness offer one enough information to continue paddling along beside them, all the while one is not left with any strong emotions.

I wonder if this is the key to the golden rule within Kauffman’s fiction. Is the author cognisant of her ability to pen plots that are feeble & simple, gifting them to a reader with the knowledge that they will do the heavy lifting? It is odd in fact to realize that one has spent a couple hours with a story that has left no impact, no trace of its depth.

All this being said, I am pleased to have spent time with Kauffman’s narrative. Perhaps this is overly kind & shadows the truth, which is that I had a book to read & I read it & the writing was fine & I had the mind of a patient listener as the tale wove onward.

Ultimately, Kauffman’s books reside on the shelves of readers like myself who find themselves wandering the tightly packed caverns of the bookstores & libraries in their towns, wondering when the next great book will make itself known.

I am glad to have read this book, but it is not one I would recommend based on any great talent rather, it is one I would recommend to readers who wish to watch the life of another human being pivot over the turmoil they have inflicted on themselves. At the same time, a reader will note that Kauffman’s talent exceeds the confines of her books. She welcomes readers into the lives of characters whose complicity in drama & lore encourages them to be better for the generation that looms down the line.

I suppose when all is said & done, although I have said much of nothing & greatly rather little of anything at all. I will wander the same crooks & crannies of the libraries & bookstores waiting for Kauffman to appear as she has, coloured & drawn with lovely covers & taunting stories, short as the blinking life that signals the end of the evening’s playtime.

[lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5! Rebecca Kauffman is crazy good at writing realistic families and characters in general. I love her signature of connecting all the characters in some way too. It took me a minute to settle in and figure out the family order but once I got used to it, I didn’t want it to end!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) Is 30 years long enough ago to count as historical fiction? In any case, this takes us through the whole of 1995, proceeding month by month and rotating through the close third-person perspectives of the members of one extended family as they navigate illnesses, break-ups and fraught parenting journeys. Corinne and Paul are trying to get pregnant; Paul’s mother, Ellen, is still smarting from her husband leaving with no explanation; Corinne’s father, Bruce, has dementia but his wife, Janet, is doing her best to keep his cognitive deficiencies from the rest of the family. Son Rob is bitter about his ex-wife moving on so quickly, but both he and Ellen will have new romantic prospects before the end.

The family’s lies and secrets – also involving a Christmas run-in with Bruce’s shell-shocked brother decades ago – lead to everything coming to a head in a snowstorm. (As best I can tell, the 1995 setting was important mostly so there wouldn’t be cell phones during this crisis.) The episodic nature of the narrative means that particular moments are memorable but the whole maybe less so, and the interactions between characters stand out more than the people themselves. I’ll Come to You, named after a throwaway line in the text, is poorly served by both its cover and title, which give no sense of the contents. However, it’s a sweet, offbeat portrait of genuine, if generic, Americans; I was most reminded of J. Ryan Stradal’s work. Although I DNFed Kauffman’s The Gunners some years back, I’d be interested in trying her again with Chorus, which sounds like another linked story collection.

Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.

[thebookybird · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I loved this even more than Chorus, Kauffman has such a knack for writing about families in a real and personal way.

I’ll Come To You is a short snap shot style story told over the course of one year, 1995, about two families tied together by the marriage of their children. There are alternating POVs as we get glimpses into everyone’s lives, there ups and downs, the anxieties of the every day and the future as well as the joyful moments that hold families together.

For such a short book it packs a lot in, the writing is sharp and Kauffman can pack a lot of emotion into simple sentences by drawing on the realism of these characters, there is something to take from each of them.

I am shocked this has under 100 reviews and isn’t being talked about more. Fans of family dramas like Signal Fires, Tom Lake or Same As It Ever Was I think would really enjoy this.

[jocelyn • coolgalreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

i've loved everything i've read by rebecca kauffman

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tense, yet cozy read. . . .simply because it is the push-me-pull-you of extended family life. The uber-extended kind with all the flavors of family: generations of all ages, including needy young and needy elderly, the in-laws who would so prefer to isolate, the Sensitive ones, the Marthas who do it all and wear themselves out, the quiet ones, the ones in desperate trouble. . . .(I'm describing my tribe, I think.) Anyway. . .this read is full of the above-described characters, set in the year 1995 for no particular reason I could find - from Jan to Dec, so a snapshot.

The writing had pathos and humor, but it reserved its rights to go dark. Heartbreak and hope sat on the same pages at times, just like life. This is one of those reads that I suspect I would grant more stars in re-reads, the kind that is like running into people you met once and upon the next times paths cross you realize you like them more than you thought you did. So I'm bumping my 3 up to 4.

Life is a light and dark process. Good things are happening in the same spaces that bad things are and we just have to learn to deal with it - Rebecca Kauffman's latest gives us some ways to make it through if we can be aware, try new things, and occasionally allow ourselves to change our minds about . . .everything. As in. . . I'll Come to You .

*A sincere thank you to Rebecca Kauffman, RBmedia and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #IllCometoYou #NetGalley 25|52:33d

[Gabril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dodici capitoli come brevi racconti che illuminano i vari componenti di una famiglia.
Corinne con grande trepidazione sta aspettando il suo primo figlio, la madre Janet è alle prese col declino cognitivo del marito Bruce, e tenta di tenerlo nascosto a tutti, la suocera Ellen affronta le conseguenze del suo inspiegabile divorzio e intanto conosce un nuovo amico …
Rebecca Kauffman è bravissima a spostare il suo obiettivo da un personaggio all’altro offrendocene un ritratto plausibile con poche ma significative inquadrature.
Dodici capitoli percorrono un intero anno in cui i pensieri, i sentimenti, le paure e le attese di tutti noi si fanno personaggi animati dalle passioni, dai dubbi, dalle gioie e dai dolori che attraversano il palcoscenico della vita.

[Ylenia Capotondo · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.5
Non è un'abilità da poco farmi immergere nella vita di altri.
Ho amato questo libro, per quella che sembra essere la semplicità con cui l'autrice descrive le vicende ed io riesca a viverle.
Tutti nella nostra vita conosciamo una parente "Janet" e proprio per questo l'ho detestata profondamente.

Mi ha toccata nel profondo l'approccio alla genitorialità senza che sia evidenziato. L'autrice non scrive a caratteri cubitali "riflettiamo sul ruolo di padre" ma me lo fa vivere, sentire. Lascia alla sensibilità del lettore comprendere, farsi domande.


att. spoiler



Non sono una fan dei finali aperti, ho bisogno di rassicurazioni sul futuro dei personaggi, quelle che nella vita quotidiana non hai. Ma non è proprio questo il senso del libro, ovvero lasciarmi vivere un anno assieme ai personaggi? Che rassicurazioni ci dà questa vita imprevedibile?

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(( audiobook ))

I’ll Come to You is a series of interconnected stories chronicling the lives of a very average family over the course of a year (1995).

I love books like this that show all of the small moments that seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things but somehow add up to be everything. Kauffman’s writing reminded me a bit of Claire Lombardo (The Most Fun We’ve Ever Had & Same As It Ever Was) in the best way, with bits of humor and lots of very realistic family drama - I honestly never wanted this to end and wish I knew what was next for every character.

This is my first book by Kauffman, and I’m excited to read/listen to her earlier work!

* thanks to Recorded Books for the NetGalley review copy. Out now!

[Jennydlovesthebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Rounded up

I adored this book, which follows two families during one year in 1995. Ellen is struggling after her divorce and still has no idea why her husband left her. Her son, Paul, and his wife, Corrine are struggling with infertility. Corrine’s mother is busy hiding her husband’s dementia. Corrine’s brother Rob has lost custody of his kids. If you love quiet, charecter-driven novels, this book is a pure delight. I loved the story and how it all came together. I’m so excited that I can now tackle Rebecca Kauffman’s backlist.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dico solo che è impossibile non sentirsi parte di quello che lei scrive. Anche se racconta di storie lontanissime da noi, anche se sembra che non accada nulla.
Penso che questa capacità sia quella dei veri scrittori, di quelli che sanno realmente raccontare.

[Salty Swift · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure that anything of significance happens in this novel. Besides a birth and a sudden moment of violence, this tale weaves the lives of a few families and shows their existence to be dull and mostly pathetic. Unfortunately, I'd developed a case of deep indifference towards each of these characters...that's how lifeless and unlikeable they were on paper.

[Senia ☆ EchoRain87 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Come sempre con la Kaufmann faccio fatica a dare un giudizio preciso sui suoi libri.
È indubbiamente brava a scrivere dinamiche familiari, riesce a rendere vivide ambientazioni e situazioni ma trovo che, a fine lettura, mi manchi sempre qualcosa.
Non so, mi lascia sempre soddisfatto e insoddisfatta allo stesso tempo.

[Jessica Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Kauffman’s debut from years back moved me so deeply that I will read anything she writes. If you love Elizabeth Strout, READ THIS. Trust me. Kauffman’s characters and their dynamics are right on that level.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

5555555555555 To all my friends: read it read it read it

[SaraC4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

due libri da 5 stelle letti uno dopo l’altro starà forse arrivando l’apocalisse?

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for the audiobook!

I’m always drawn to family dramas, and this delivered a layered story about the struggles, expectations, and connections within a family.

One thing that stood out to me was the 1995 setting. Without mobile phones or instant communication, the characters had to navigate relationships in a way that feels much less immediate than what we’re used to now. They were tied to their physical environments, waiting by the house phone. It made me think about how much simpler communication is today, just sending a text is second nature now, but it also reminded me how even with all that convenience, some families still struggle to actually talk to each other. This family was no exception, they seemed to have all the tools to connect but were often hesitant to voice their feelings.

The core to me of this book is the message about parental expectations. Whether it’s dreaming of the “perfect” baby shower, Christmas, or being disappointed when a newborn doesn’t inherit a family name, the book explores how parents project their hopes onto their children. It resonated with me because these expectations are so common, even if they play out differently in every family. Reading this made me appreciate the more relaxed approach my own circle has toward traditions, we do things our way, and it works for us.

Keeping track of the family tree while listening to the audiobook was a bit confusing at times (the family isn’t even that big, so maybe that’s on me). The multiple perspectives were well-written, and each character felt distinct. I found myself easily immersed in their struggles and experiences.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of boring overall—nothing much really happened.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 stars

[Susan Tunis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Set over the course of 1995, this is a quiet, intimate look at the members of an extended family. Paul and Corrine are having a baby. His parents have recently divorced in late life and are beginning their second acts . Her father is in decline, and her mother is trying to understand their new circumstances. And her brother, well, he has issues of his own.

These are the things of ordinary lives, but Ms. Kauffman does a gorgeous job of depicting these ordinary lives. And she views her flawed characters with so much empathy, her readers must surely do the same. This is a lovely read.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley and RBmedia for an audio version of this book in exchange for a review!
Deeply humbled to have gotten the beautiful opportunity to get to listen to this book. The narration was beautiful and worked in tandem with the writing to create an incredibly lovely and human book. I adored hearing about the characters and how truly real they felt. I had to pause the audiobook several times just so I could sit with what I’d just heard.
This book teaches you how someone may keep things to themselves not out of malice but because they don’t know what else to do. I can’t stop thinking about how beautiful this book is but I also don’t think there are words for it. Read it yourself and you’ll understand

[Rebecca RebeccasFamAndMore · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.
This story is the second I've read by this author. She has a unique style of writing that elicits raw emotions to the point of needing to be in the right headspace to take on such detailed, multi-character woven stories that manage to all come together, by which you are left caring for them all.

A couple who have struggled with fertility , a woman whose husband has left her after decades of marriage, another couple who are facing a health crisis and a divorced man who never grew out of his childhood habit of lying, their lives are all interconnected as we follow them throughout the year, 1995 -- January through December. Multi-layered, we see past and present moments. It takes a while to become invested and I was going to rate this 3 stars. But by the end, I felt I knew them all so well, that I was truly rooting for each in peace and happiness. I appreciated as an older mom, myself, how real this felt. I also appreciated the shorter length of this novel -- it felt just right (even though a small part of me wanted to see the future of them all after the last line. Lol!)

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This if the fifth novel I’ve read of Kauffman’s and I’ve really enjoyed them all. This one takes place across one year (1995) and rotates POVs across adult members of a family. Her characters are well fleshed-out and in this book in particular she did a great job with her middle-aged and elder characters.