Things I Want You to Know

by Martina Reilly

When a tragic accident tore his life apart, Nick Deegan left his beautiful wife Kate and their two young children - always thinking that someday he would return to them.
Now, two years later, Kate has passed away after an illness and Nick moves back home to raise Emma and little Liam without her.
On the day of Kate's funeral, Nick discovers a book she left for him containing things she wanted him to know. But alongside the dos and don'ts of raising their children are details of five dates, with five very different women, Kate has arranged for Nick in the months ahead.
As Nick navigates his way through the book and tries to cope with everyday life in Kate's absence, he slowly realises that it's not romance Kate wanted him to find, but something far more important. Will Nick find the courage to take a second chance?

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Hi. It’s Martina Reilly here, the artist formally known as Tina Reilly! And before that, I was teen writer, Martina Murphy.

Reviews

[Tea Leaves and Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book…. This book will have you laughing one moment, and tearfully emotional the next. It is just a stunning read and the whole book traverses the peaks and falls of loss and parenting artfully with the right amount of humour and the right amount of respect. I think that this is the first of her books that I’ve ever read and after reading this one I’ll definitely be exploring the others.

Nick and his wife were separated when she sadly passed away after a short battle with cancer. She leaves Nick their two children and just a single book that she has put together to help him manage parenting. Nick left the family home some time beforehand and he has to navigate his way back to two young children who aren’t a hundred per cent sure who he is. In the book are five dates that Kate want’s Nick to go on, which she set up before she died. Through these and through little bits of the past and watching Nick move into the future, we learn exactly what led him to be where he is today. With Nick we find out the man he can become and how he can move forward with his life – with lots of funny anecdotes, great humorous moments and excellent characters in his two children.

My question though – what is a ‘Press’ in Ireland? People seem to keep food in some, toys in others…

Publisher: Hacette Books (Ireland) 5th June 2014

If you liked: I find Reilly’s style quite different to the usual, but I really think if you loved this and the storyline you’ll love ‘How to talk to a widower’ by Jonathan Tropper.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story told here has been told in similar ways by other authors but is well enough done that it doesn't matter. When his wife dies from cancer, Nick has no idea how he will manage to care for young children that he hasn't been living with for some time. He and his wife were separated but he hoped they would have time to repair things. They didn't but at her funeral he is given a book that she left him filled with things she wanted him to know. Some of them were simple things, some quite complex. This book definitely brought me to tears but there were also moments of laughter. It is always hard to lose someone you love, but there can be hope that life will go on and happiness will eventually come again.

[Nono Mbhashe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book back in 2014, and I have reread it a couple of times over the years. It’s such a brilliant read! A powerful story that always has me laughing and crying, each time I go back to read it- it evokes new emotions. Nicky’s journey feels both intimate and universal, making it impossible not to root for him as he navigates grief and new beginnings…

[Safiyya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid '4 stars' from me! Such a beautiful, human story about love, loss and family. I feel as though I have lived in Nick's shoes and this most certainly won't be the last Martina Reilly book I read! Very much a recommended read.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read

I loved this book from start to finish. It made me laugh, made me cry & kept me turning the pages. Highly recommend

[Janey Dicker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

This is the best book ive read in ages...and I read a LOT of books. A modern day Marve Binchy with believeable characters. Love this book.

[christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful reading

Made me laugh and cry a wonderful book to lose yourself in

The story flowed and was so real .

[Becky Macphee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster of emotions, grief, happiness, the laugh out loud and tears!

[Paulette · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a few chapters to "get into" this book, but once I was in, I couldn't put it down. Nicely written and thought-provoking. This is the second book I've read by this author.

[Cath T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the book, find it to be captivating from the beginning to the end.

[Silvia Mo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boken har en søt tanke. Men jeg har tatt opp denne 3-4 ganger nå med noe mellomrom og lest 1/3 av boken. Ah, jeg orker ikke en side til med måten forfatteren skriver på uten dybde. Gir opp.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Very moving - I was in tears more than once.

[Pat Raab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply insightful and very touching.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was touching in the most sincere form of the word. The relationship the author built between the main characters was heartwarming and the end leaves you feeling hopeful.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Will make.you laugh and cry.

[Heleen Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lekker lees soos die trant van PS I love you. Les om te leer: hoe om te reroute na jou eie self afgesien van dinge wat met jou gebeur.

[brenda young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This is the first book by this author that I have read and if it is anything to go by it won't be the last . Funny bits sad bits but overall just a great book.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good...

This book is a lovely heart warming story of love even after death. However I personally found it a bit of a slow burner!

[Kelly Spillane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick hasn't had an easy ride, and now he's lost his wife, Kate to cancer. Now he is faced with bringing up their to children, Emma and Liam alone. But Kate doesn't want to be forgotten and leaves Nick with a book that she has put together, title, Things I Want You To Know. The book contains everything from family photos to baking and even the children's routines. With the help of Kate's book, Nick manages to plan Emma's Communion and even brave the local Mother and Toddler group.

Although Nick doesn't know it, Kate has set up five dates for Nick to go, starting the Saturday six weeks after she dies, with one every six weeks after that. These dates are with women that were close to Kate and the aims is to bring back fond memories to Nick.

The book is written in intervals of Nick's point of view and his daughter, Emma's. I loved how it showed an adults take and a child's take on the same subject. It made the book fun to read, and Emma never failed to make me laugh.

The characters were hugely likable. Nick is a character that I won't forget, and other characters, such as Lenny and Marcy, Emma's godparents, really added to the book. As did Emma and Liam. I really cared about these characters and I felt like I was in the book. I was glued to it from the very first page and I just got lost in it.

There wasn't one thing I didn't like about this book. It made me cry tears of laughter and tears of sadness. It deserves nothing less than 5/5 stars.

[Diana Newnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick has lost his way in life and his wife Kate has told him to leave the family home and his very young children and sort himself out. During his period of soul searching, Kate becomes terminally ill and eventually dies.

Nick returns home to take on responsibility for his children who are traumatised by the loss of their mother, especially Emma who is convinced Nick will leave again.

Kate has left Nick a video telling him he must find himself and move on with the children. Not an easy task as Nick is bereft at the loss of Kate but also cannot find it in his heart to forgive himself.

Kate has also left Nick a book about the routines for the children and telling him 'Things she wants him to know..' This includes 5 dates with people who she feels can help him on the road to recovery.

This is a great story of a man in turmoil, suddenly thrust into single parenthood.. How will me manage, and will he find the answers within the community, as Kate wants him to?

[Tonks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martina Reilly truly knows how to write about seriouse occasions and paths in a way that makes you feel the pain but still lets enough space for your own feelings towards the characters.
I loved this book (though it is not Martina's best book, in my opinion) and it was so well written that it took me not so long (after I had the make a pause because of some business I had to take care of) to finish it.
I think the only think I would have to criticise is that somehow the ending was so sudden. This kind of got to me and I had to wait a few day to start a new book.
It has it's advantages as well, since it's kind of an open end everyone can imagine the end of the family's story as one wishes.

I don't write any more or I might spoil things for other readers.

[Alwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book it brought me to tears of sadness to tears of laughter. The main character Nick has to deal with events that happened in his past, losing his wife and trying to be the best dad he can be for his two young children. You are sent on an emotional roller coaster from the beginning. I felt the author did very well in showing how death affects people in different ways from Nick to his children and to the rest of the family and friends. I loved the friendship between Nick and Larry also the emotions of Emma, Nicks daughter. Overall I really enjoyed this book a great read.

[Kate Tobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book with characters like Nick and Emma . Kate runs his life following her death . She shows him his past, present and future. The other people in the book build on what is a wonderful story . I laughed and I cried . Things I want you to know has made me want to read more of Martina Reilly's books. Do you care to join me

[Barbara-ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im a huge Martina Reilly fan and I have read all her books and just loved them. This one didn't disappoint .From the beginning it grabbed me into the story . I love that it was written from a male perspective and I completely fell in love with his kids. I cried and I laughed and I cried some more! If i could find one negative is the story ended too soon and i didn't want it to end .

[Adri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not quite know what to expect. And I was pleasantly surprised. The book read well, I liked the characters, and I liked the plot. It is not a 'heavy' book but it still had substance. Will read more by this author.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it,it was a complete story.

[Shahd Thani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you laugh and cry. Truly beautiful

[Susan O'donoghue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish there were 10 stars. I loved it from start to finish

[Lisa Mc · Rating 4 out of 5]

would loved to have given it a 4.5!
Thought it would be difficult to read, but thoroughly enjoyed it

[Melanie Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful heartfelt story. Just felt the crude language and blasphemy did not fit and was so unnecessary!