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A Beautiful Terrible Thing
From the winner of the inaugural DFB & Arvon Search for a Storyteller competition, a powerful story of love, loss and forgiveness: tender, devastating and hopeful.
“A phenomenal debut, dark but hopeful” — Eileen Armstrong, TSL (journal of the School Library Association)
**Shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize 2026**
**Shortlisted for the Southern Schools Book Award 2027**
Cara's world broke when tragedy struck her family. Three months later, she’s trying to find her way back through grief when she meets Nathan. Gorgeous, smart and kind, she feels a freedom when she’s with him. But he’s hiding a huge secret. His world broke three months ago too – when he caused something terrible to happen.
There’s no way Cara and Nathan can be together. But, despite everything, they find it impossible to be apart.
One tragic event. Two stories that collide and intertwine in the most beautiful, terrible way. A stunningly written, thought-provoking drama about loss, atonement, and love which defines a lifetime.
“Devastatingly impactful... shines with hope-giving truths” — Joanne Owen, LoveReading
Mainstreet Trading Books of the Year 2025
Hive Rising Writers: Our top debut authors to watch, Oct 2025
LoveReading YA Debut of the Month, Oct 2025
“A phenomenal debut, dark but hopeful” — Eileen Armstrong, TSL (journal of the School Library Association)
**Shortlisted for the McKitterick Prize 2026**
**Shortlisted for the Southern Schools Book Award 2027**
Cara's world broke when tragedy struck her family. Three months later, she’s trying to find her way back through grief when she meets Nathan. Gorgeous, smart and kind, she feels a freedom when she’s with him. But he’s hiding a huge secret. His world broke three months ago too – when he caused something terrible to happen.
There’s no way Cara and Nathan can be together. But, despite everything, they find it impossible to be apart.
One tragic event. Two stories that collide and intertwine in the most beautiful, terrible way. A stunningly written, thought-provoking drama about loss, atonement, and love which defines a lifetime.
“Devastatingly impactful... shines with hope-giving truths” — Joanne Owen, LoveReading
Mainstreet Trading Books of the Year 2025
Hive Rising Writers: Our top debut authors to watch, Oct 2025
LoveReading YA Debut of the Month, Oct 2025
- GenresRomanceYoung Adult
Unknown Binding
About the author
Miranda Moore
2 booksMiranda Moore writes fiction and non-fiction and works as a freelance editor and writing coach. Before books, she worked in newspapers as a features writer and section editor. She is an advisory fellow with the Royal Literary Fund, sings in a band and teaches qigong. Miranda has a degree in English and philosophy and a masters in international peace studies. She lives with her family in the Scottish Borders.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
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November 15, 2025Everyone should have a Shell in their lives
May 31, 2026
I’m testing out books for my 13yr old niece. It turns out you don’t even need to finish reading the first two pages to realise this is definitely for an older audience. My mistake. But to be honest, by then I was hooked enough to finish it for myself.
A Beautiful Terrible Thing covers a lot of very heavy themes including grief, self-harm and suicidal thoughts over the course of following the fall out of a fatal RTC involving a young boy. It was incredibly sensitively done, thoughtful and utterly believable. The main characters were well developed - I really liked both Nathan and Cara. But what Miranda Moore did really well here was signposting to help and support throughout. Nothing felt forced. I particularly appreciated the chat between Scotty and Nathan. More young men should have these sorts of chats and she did a fantastic job of normalising it. All in all, a good read.
A Beautiful Terrible Thing covers a lot of very heavy themes including grief, self-harm and suicidal thoughts over the course of following the fall out of a fatal RTC involving a young boy. It was incredibly sensitively done, thoughtful and utterly believable. The main characters were well developed - I really liked both Nathan and Cara. But what Miranda Moore did really well here was signposting to help and support throughout. Nothing felt forced. I particularly appreciated the chat between Scotty and Nathan. More young men should have these sorts of chats and she did a fantastic job of normalising it. All in all, a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2026
just a bit naff really x
October 29, 2026
wow. wow.
honestly, when a book leaves me speechless like this, you know it's done its job.
honestly, when a book leaves me speechless like this, you know it's done its job.
March 18, 2026
This book cried for me. During what seems like such an intense time in my life, I can escape into someone else’s intensity. I thank Miranda Moore for that. I thank my local library in Northern Ireland and an exceptional librarian called Erin. The former for making this book available for my reading and the latter for her correct presumption that this would be a read for me and that it was.
As I sat in a Roman taxi with my mum and her husband on the way to the Vatican City, I asked aloud how one could muster such a premise as this book approaches. I was 70% through the book and 100% invested, but I was invested from page 1. Upon completion, I can say this book quite successfully mounted the feat it intended to and I’m grateful for having been on the journey.
I have always said life is both long and short. This book quietly but epically demonstrates that. As in her author’s note, this book deserves an acknowledged and thoughtful nod back at it. It tackles really difficult topics and does both sides that are affected by it justice; justice in the injustice.
4.5 rounded up. As someone returning to reading, the tone was in the spirit of where I left off when reading before as a younger person. In my maturity, the feels still hit but I recognise the audience is someone of a different generation and I am grateful to have consumed it as a distant bystander. The minus 0.5 stars is in fact not a lack but intentional for readers 25+ years old that this may not quite be the best book for them or exactly relatable due to the perspective of the younger minds we explore throughout the novel. For Goodreads, it was important to give it 5 stars to make it noteworthy on a shelf of lesser books.
This author writes both fiction and non-fiction. I look forward to exploring more of her works.
As I sat in a Roman taxi with my mum and her husband on the way to the Vatican City, I asked aloud how one could muster such a premise as this book approaches. I was 70% through the book and 100% invested, but I was invested from page 1. Upon completion, I can say this book quite successfully mounted the feat it intended to and I’m grateful for having been on the journey.
I have always said life is both long and short. This book quietly but epically demonstrates that. As in her author’s note, this book deserves an acknowledged and thoughtful nod back at it. It tackles really difficult topics and does both sides that are affected by it justice; justice in the injustice.
4.5 rounded up. As someone returning to reading, the tone was in the spirit of where I left off when reading before as a younger person. In my maturity, the feels still hit but I recognise the audience is someone of a different generation and I am grateful to have consumed it as a distant bystander. The minus 0.5 stars is in fact not a lack but intentional for readers 25+ years old that this may not quite be the best book for them or exactly relatable due to the perspective of the younger minds we explore throughout the novel. For Goodreads, it was important to give it 5 stars to make it noteworthy on a shelf of lesser books.
This author writes both fiction and non-fiction. I look forward to exploring more of her works.
June 20, 2025
I was sent an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to David Fickling Books for thinking of me as I really did love this book!
This is a beautifully written story about grief and mental health that doesn’t shy away from exploring these difficult subjects in a very real and raw way but without feeling exploitative for dramatic purposes.
Whilst reading this book I felt so many emotions and I definitely shed a tear or two but essentially I was left feeling hopeful. I feel that this novel could be an important book helping teenagers navigate complex emotions and situations that aren’t always so black and white! It will also make them think about what it means to have your life change so irrevocably with a split second decision and the consequences of this. It also made me think about forgiveness, could you forgive someone who caused the death of your brother and how would you feel if you found out that this was the person you were actually dating and had fallen in love with! It could certainly prompt some interesting discussions, I would highly recommend this book.
This is a beautifully written story about grief and mental health that doesn’t shy away from exploring these difficult subjects in a very real and raw way but without feeling exploitative for dramatic purposes.
Whilst reading this book I felt so many emotions and I definitely shed a tear or two but essentially I was left feeling hopeful. I feel that this novel could be an important book helping teenagers navigate complex emotions and situations that aren’t always so black and white! It will also make them think about what it means to have your life change so irrevocably with a split second decision and the consequences of this. It also made me think about forgiveness, could you forgive someone who caused the death of your brother and how would you feel if you found out that this was the person you were actually dating and had fallen in love with! It could certainly prompt some interesting discussions, I would highly recommend this book.
November 6, 2026
Víc mě bavil příběh z pohledu Natea.
Nebavily mě ty rádoby zvraty.
s. 228-231 Otec jí vysvětluje, proč její vztah s Natem nebude nikdy fungovat. Ale ona ho miluje a basta.
s. 266 Sara se srdceryvně omlouvá bratrovi na jeho hrobě, jak ji jen mohlo napadnout, že by s Natem byli spolu.
Pak se tři týdny nic neděje, aby se na s. 272 po vynesení rozsudku na Natea vrhla a řekla mu, že ho miluje. Dokonce jí „vyrvali srdce z těla“.
Ale aby měla nějakou životní perspektivu, tak 17/18letá hrdinka dostala od rodičů místo na hřbitově hned vedle bratra.
Tím koncem si připadám podvedená.
Vadily mi ty prvoplánovitě patetické scény (např. s. 154-156) a časté zvracení.
s. 137 1385 stop (422 metrů)
A k tomu běžně používá cm, palce, m, km, míle...
uvozovky – s. 84
[české vydání, Nádherná katastrofa]
Nebavily mě ty rádoby zvraty.
s. 228-231 Otec jí vysvětluje, proč její vztah s Natem nebude nikdy fungovat. Ale ona ho miluje a basta.
s. 266 Sara se srdceryvně omlouvá bratrovi na jeho hrobě, jak ji jen mohlo napadnout, že by s Natem byli spolu.
Pak se tři týdny nic neděje, aby se na s. 272 po vynesení rozsudku na Natea vrhla a řekla mu, že ho miluje. Dokonce jí „vyrvali srdce z těla“.
Ale aby měla nějakou životní perspektivu, tak 17/18letá hrdinka dostala od rodičů místo na hřbitově hned vedle bratra.
Tím koncem si připadám podvedená.
Vadily mi ty prvoplánovitě patetické scény (např. s. 154-156) a časté zvracení.
s. 137 1385 stop (422 metrů)
A k tomu běžně používá cm, palce, m, km, míle...
uvozovky – s. 84
[české vydání, Nádherná katastrofa]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2025
A harrowing tale of good people coping with awful circumstances. The trajectories of these star-crossed lovers are unpredictable and therefore heartbreakingly real; a depiction of guilt and grief that is indeed terrible, punctuated by moments of hope that are profoundly moving without ever lapsing into sentimentality. 'The wee girl', 'Polaris'... Beautifully crafted. Also contains a pleasingly varied playlist!
June 16, 2025
One of the most gut-wrenching books I've ever read.
September 9, 2025
An exceptional YA novel, deeply emotional and nuanced. I have written a review on my blog: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
June 10, 2026
I didn't realise this was YA. I have read other YA and not noticed but this books had little depth and felt cliched.
September 10, 2026
Wonderful. Highly recommended.
All the love for this.
All the love for this.
September 14, 2026
Really well written, beautiful deep, heart warming romance between two young people with a tragic heartbreaking backstory that separated them in the end. Despite this, the emotional bond remains!
May 8, 2026
Dual POV
Heartbreaking and realistic.
Handles depression with realism and respect. The cliff scene made me emotional and was well written.
The family supposedly got justice for what happened but in my opinion a longer prison sentence was needed even though I sympathised with the character. Speeding and driving through a red light may be a lapse in judgement but he deserved death by dangerous driving.
Well written and a thought provoking book.
Heartbreaking and realistic.
Handles depression with realism and respect. The cliff scene made me emotional and was well written.
The family supposedly got justice for what happened but in my opinion a longer prison sentence was needed even though I sympathised with the character. Speeding and driving through a red light may be a lapse in judgement but he deserved death by dangerous driving.
Well written and a thought provoking book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2025
Heart breaking read.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews