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In the Shadow of Silence
After a lonely childhood, this novel follows love and joy—until the descent untreated depression ends with unbearable loss, forcing a family to deal with the shocking and immediate aftermath of suicide.
Eva’s lonely childhood has given her an intuitive connection with kids and teenagers. She is a gifted child psychiatrist. Single, she dreams of having her own children, and she yearns for love. The future seems bright when she meets Lyman; They build a family. They share adventures. They meet life’s challenges as team. They navigate a bout of Lyman’s depression; treatment works.
They share rich, fulfilling years while their careers develop, and their children grow up.
When their sons enter adulthood and their daughter is a teenager, they plan an entire summer as a family. But Lyman abruptly stops both therapy and medication. He spirals into a dark and irritable isolation that none of them can penetrate.
After his brutal suicide, Eva is left to cope and to guide her children through the trauma, as they each rebuild their lives.
EDITOR'S PICK BookLife and Publishers' Weekly
Eva’s lonely childhood has given her an intuitive connection with kids and teenagers. She is a gifted child psychiatrist. Single, she dreams of having her own children, and she yearns for love. The future seems bright when she meets Lyman; They build a family. They share adventures. They meet life’s challenges as team. They navigate a bout of Lyman’s depression; treatment works.
They share rich, fulfilling years while their careers develop, and their children grow up.
When their sons enter adulthood and their daughter is a teenager, they plan an entire summer as a family. But Lyman abruptly stops both therapy and medication. He spirals into a dark and irritable isolation that none of them can penetrate.
After his brutal suicide, Eva is left to cope and to guide her children through the trauma, as they each rebuild their lives.
EDITOR'S PICK BookLife and Publishers' Weekly
264 pages, Paperback
Published February 17, 2026
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Rae Dumont
2 books3 followersRaymonde Dumont, MD, LMFT, is both a pediatrician and a family therapist.
She practiced and taught for several years at Harvard Medical School, and at the Joslin Diabetes Center. She saw the impact of one person's illness through their entire family, and showed that mental health affects medical outcomes.
In private practice, as a family therapist, she helps families collaborate during difficulties, rather than becoming divided.
She is also a mother, a widow, and a friend to many. She now turns her years of experience into words that speak of resilience, and of the flawed road that leads us to becoming good enough.
Depression and suicide are on the rise, and the impact of tragedy reaches far beyond those immediately affected. They often create a broad circle of confusion, anger and guilt. She hopes her book will make readers feel less alone. Perhaps it will bring some insight and comfort.
She lives and practices in Montclair, New Jersey, within reach of New York City. Her short stories have been published in Persimmon Tree and in The Hemlock Journal.
She practiced and taught for several years at Harvard Medical School, and at the Joslin Diabetes Center. She saw the impact of one person's illness through their entire family, and showed that mental health affects medical outcomes.
In private practice, as a family therapist, she helps families collaborate during difficulties, rather than becoming divided.
She is also a mother, a widow, and a friend to many. She now turns her years of experience into words that speak of resilience, and of the flawed road that leads us to becoming good enough.
Depression and suicide are on the rise, and the impact of tragedy reaches far beyond those immediately affected. They often create a broad circle of confusion, anger and guilt. She hopes her book will make readers feel less alone. Perhaps it will bring some insight and comfort.
She lives and practices in Montclair, New Jersey, within reach of New York City. Her short stories have been published in Persimmon Tree and in The Hemlock Journal.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 2, 2025
Triggers: Mental Illness, Depression, Suicide, Grief and Loss
Uff, wow, buckle up if you're planning to dive into ‘In the Shadow of Silence’ because this one is a serious emotional gut punch (but in the best way possible). This is really intense. It hits you hard, like a freight train.
It is, admittedly, hard to get through at times because it's so emotionally raw, dealing extensively with loss, grief, and mental illness. It's a powerful, riveting read with themes that everyone can connect with.
The story follows Eva's journey after a devastating tragedy leaves her widowed. She's a child psychiatrist who always dreamed of having a wonderful family, and she got it: a loving husband and the children she wanted. But now, she's struggling to keep herself and her adult kids afloat amidst all the grief.
This novel is heavy. It deals unflinchingly with emotions that we all can relate to so quickly and we instantly connect to all characters (we feel their pain, their struggles, we root for them, we suffer with them). What makes it so brilliant is that Eva, as both a wife/widow and a psychiatrist, gives us this unique, knowing perspective. The novel explores the constant yearning of searching for love and feeling loved, but it also delves into the difficult experience of caring for someone with a mental illness. It’s the perfect depiction of both the immense power of that affection and what one can do for a loved one, and the harsh reality of the limitations, especially when that loved one is fighting their own internal ‘demons’.
Truly a tearjerker novel that sticks with you long after you turn the final page. If you're looking for something deep and meaningful that unapologetically tackles real-life challenges head-on, definitely pick this up.
Many, many thanks to Rae Dumont, She Writes Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
Uff, wow, buckle up if you're planning to dive into ‘In the Shadow of Silence’ because this one is a serious emotional gut punch (but in the best way possible). This is really intense. It hits you hard, like a freight train.
It is, admittedly, hard to get through at times because it's so emotionally raw, dealing extensively with loss, grief, and mental illness. It's a powerful, riveting read with themes that everyone can connect with.
The story follows Eva's journey after a devastating tragedy leaves her widowed. She's a child psychiatrist who always dreamed of having a wonderful family, and she got it: a loving husband and the children she wanted. But now, she's struggling to keep herself and her adult kids afloat amidst all the grief.
This novel is heavy. It deals unflinchingly with emotions that we all can relate to so quickly and we instantly connect to all characters (we feel their pain, their struggles, we root for them, we suffer with them). What makes it so brilliant is that Eva, as both a wife/widow and a psychiatrist, gives us this unique, knowing perspective. The novel explores the constant yearning of searching for love and feeling loved, but it also delves into the difficult experience of caring for someone with a mental illness. It’s the perfect depiction of both the immense power of that affection and what one can do for a loved one, and the harsh reality of the limitations, especially when that loved one is fighting their own internal ‘demons’.
Truly a tearjerker novel that sticks with you long after you turn the final page. If you're looking for something deep and meaningful that unapologetically tackles real-life challenges head-on, definitely pick this up.
Many, many thanks to Rae Dumont, She Writes Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This is a voluntary review, reflecting solely my opinion.
November 4, 2025
What an incredible book with so many relatable themes. From family life and depression to suicide and its aftermath, this book touched my heart and broke it into pieces. I absolutely love the characters and felt like I got to know them so well. This was a hard book to put down as I wanted to stay and sit with this family. Beautiful writing, a realistic and raw plot, and fantastic character development. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 7, 2026
In the Shadow of Silence by Rae Dumont. Thanks to @booksparks #winterpopup for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A story of a family’s joys and sadnesses, until one parent’s deepening depression affects them all.
This was a hard read, but a very important one. It shows the effect depression has on the entire family. I loved that it took place over a long period of time and felt not only like a character study, but a family study. We see the effect on a relationship, then a marriage, then children, and then family as an entirety. It’s emotional and difficult, but true to life and mental illness.
“I am losing you right in front of my eyes. You are here, I can see you, and I can’t find you.”
Read if you like:
-Mental health fiction
-Family studies
-Stories of characters suffering from depression
In the Shadow of Silence comes out 2/17.
A story of a family’s joys and sadnesses, until one parent’s deepening depression affects them all.
This was a hard read, but a very important one. It shows the effect depression has on the entire family. I loved that it took place over a long period of time and felt not only like a character study, but a family study. We see the effect on a relationship, then a marriage, then children, and then family as an entirety. It’s emotional and difficult, but true to life and mental illness.
“I am losing you right in front of my eyes. You are here, I can see you, and I can’t find you.”
Read if you like:
-Mental health fiction
-Family studies
-Stories of characters suffering from depression
In the Shadow of Silence comes out 2/17.
February 19, 2026
How does severe and untreated depression impact a family? “Like an oil slick.”
This is a powerful, compelling, beautiful and heart-wrenching novel with universal themes about looking for love and lovability, and the more specific experience - told knowingly by a wife, widow and psychiatrist - of loving someone with mental illness, the power but also limitations of what you can do for someone if they’re ambivalent about their own treatment and wellbeing.
This is a powerful, compelling, beautiful and heart-wrenching novel with universal themes about looking for love and lovability, and the more specific experience - told knowingly by a wife, widow and psychiatrist - of loving someone with mental illness, the power but also limitations of what you can do for someone if they’re ambivalent about their own treatment and wellbeing.
February 21, 2026
Some books don’t entertain you; they sit with you in the quiet and refuse to let go. 💔📖
In the Shadow of Silence was one of those reads for me. Following Eva, a child psychiatrist who understands young minds but is blindsided by her husband’s unraveling felt heartbreakingly real. This story doesn’t rush or dramatize grief; it lets you feel it. The slow shift from a full, loving family life into silence and loss is handled with such care that I found myself pausing just to breathe it all in.
What stayed with me most was the honesty. Eva’s struggle to survive her husband’s suicide while helping her children rebuild their own fractured worlds is raw, compassionate, and deeply human. There’s pain here, yes but also resilience, love, and the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up when everything has changed. It’s heavy, but it’s meaningful, and it left a lasting imprint on my heart.
✨️Thank you, Book Sparks and Rae Dumont, for sharing In the Shadow of Silence with me!
In the Shadow of Silence was one of those reads for me. Following Eva, a child psychiatrist who understands young minds but is blindsided by her husband’s unraveling felt heartbreakingly real. This story doesn’t rush or dramatize grief; it lets you feel it. The slow shift from a full, loving family life into silence and loss is handled with such care that I found myself pausing just to breathe it all in.
What stayed with me most was the honesty. Eva’s struggle to survive her husband’s suicide while helping her children rebuild their own fractured worlds is raw, compassionate, and deeply human. There’s pain here, yes but also resilience, love, and the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up when everything has changed. It’s heavy, but it’s meaningful, and it left a lasting imprint on my heart.
✨️Thank you, Book Sparks and Rae Dumont, for sharing In the Shadow of Silence with me!
February 20, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
In the Shadow of Silence by Rae Dumont is a beautifully atmospheric and emotionally layered novel that lingers long after the final page.
The author does an incredible job capturing the weight of unspoken truths and the way silence can shape relationships just as powerfully as words.
The emotional tension builds steadily, and while the pacing leans more introspective than fast-moving, it works well for the story being told. The character development is strong, especially in the quieter, more vulnerable moments. I found myself deeply invested in the unraveling of past secrets and how they ripple into the present.
The reason this is a four-star rather than five-star read for me is that there were a few moments where I wanted a bit more depth or resolution in certain threads — but overall, it was thoughtful, moving, and beautifully written.
If you love character-driven stories with atmospheric settings and emotional depth, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
In the Shadow of Silence by Rae Dumont is a beautifully atmospheric and emotionally layered novel that lingers long after the final page.
The author does an incredible job capturing the weight of unspoken truths and the way silence can shape relationships just as powerfully as words.
The emotional tension builds steadily, and while the pacing leans more introspective than fast-moving, it works well for the story being told. The character development is strong, especially in the quieter, more vulnerable moments. I found myself deeply invested in the unraveling of past secrets and how they ripple into the present.
The reason this is a four-star rather than five-star read for me is that there were a few moments where I wanted a bit more depth or resolution in certain threads — but overall, it was thoughtful, moving, and beautifully written.
If you love character-driven stories with atmospheric settings and emotional depth, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
February 21, 2026
Riveting Book by an Exceptional Author
This book read with the vibrancy of a beach novel, but was so much more. For anyone who has dealt with a family member’s depression and its consequences on every family member, the book will touch you deeply. However, the book is not simply heavy as there is a wonderful love story behind the creation of the family at the core of the book. I am a voracious reader, but no book of fiction has risen to this level for me in decades.
This book read with the vibrancy of a beach novel, but was so much more. For anyone who has dealt with a family member’s depression and its consequences on every family member, the book will touch you deeply. However, the book is not simply heavy as there is a wonderful love story behind the creation of the family at the core of the book. I am a voracious reader, but no book of fiction has risen to this level for me in decades.
February 8, 2026
Trigger warning: suicide
Moving. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. A slow dive into the abyss of mental illness with an honest examination of the cascading fallout. The author did a great job portraying how depression erodes and breaks down the soul. There is a moment in this book where one of the characters asked, why weren’t we enough? That hit me hard because in my experience with depression, it’s never about other people. It’s about the intense dislike of oneself, the feeling of not being good enough for others, the loneliness, that just eats away until there’s nothing left. My heart was in shambles watching the kids question themselves. As hard as this will be for some to pick up, it’s important, relevant, and eye opening. And it may just lead some getting the help they deserve.
"I guess he was too lost in the dark to love himself anymore. And you know, if you can't love yourself, then you cannot take in anybody else's love for you. Their love makes no sense, and it can't get through."
Thank you to Book Sparks and Rae Dumont for the gifted copy.
Moving. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. A slow dive into the abyss of mental illness with an honest examination of the cascading fallout. The author did a great job portraying how depression erodes and breaks down the soul. There is a moment in this book where one of the characters asked, why weren’t we enough? That hit me hard because in my experience with depression, it’s never about other people. It’s about the intense dislike of oneself, the feeling of not being good enough for others, the loneliness, that just eats away until there’s nothing left. My heart was in shambles watching the kids question themselves. As hard as this will be for some to pick up, it’s important, relevant, and eye opening. And it may just lead some getting the help they deserve.
"I guess he was too lost in the dark to love himself anymore. And you know, if you can't love yourself, then you cannot take in anybody else's love for you. Their love makes no sense, and it can't get through."
Thank you to Book Sparks and Rae Dumont for the gifted copy.
February 19, 2026
This is such an important book. A sweeping, multi decades look at depression, In the Shadow of Silence showcases not only how depression affects the person struggling with it, but the people around them. I absolutely loved Eva as our main character. She was so beautifully written and even though I knew where the story was headed, I wanted so much to shield her from it. I thought the highs and lows Lyman went through felt incredibly accurate and it was hard to see him shrink further into himself. It’s a heavy book, but there are also some lighter times, especially with Ezra, Gaven and Olivia. I loved their sibling relationship so much. In the end, as sad as it was, there was so much hope and possibility for Eva and her family, which was so beautiful to see. I think this is a tough, but important story for anyone who has ever had a loved one struggle with depression or even struggles with it themselves. I would just say to make sure you’re in the right mental health space for it.
Thank you to Book Sparks for the gifted copy!
Thank you to Book Sparks for the gifted copy!
February 20, 2026
“Sometimes, loving someone means you cut them some slack. You have to be a big enough person to be able to do that.”
4.5 stars! What an emotional and powerful story. Wow. Delving into the complexities of mental illness is never easy as everyone’s experiences with it are different. I think that’s what makes it so difficult to manage.
And most people can be managed. For awhile. This story ripped my heart out. Ugh. You so desperately want to say WHY CAN’T YOU JUST BE HAPPY?!? But that is the reality of mental illness. It tricks you into thinking that life is too overwhelming. It tells you you can’t do it anymore.
The kids reactions to their father Lyman’s struggles are spot on. Eva’s desperation to help him is spot on. His decisions and actions are spot on. Wow. This book is heavy but so very important. If you have ever loved someone who suffers, or suffer yourself, then I think you will find some solace in reading this. I highly recommend it!
Thank you to @booksparks for the Winter Pop Up tour spot and the book.
4.5 stars! What an emotional and powerful story. Wow. Delving into the complexities of mental illness is never easy as everyone’s experiences with it are different. I think that’s what makes it so difficult to manage.
And most people can be managed. For awhile. This story ripped my heart out. Ugh. You so desperately want to say WHY CAN’T YOU JUST BE HAPPY?!? But that is the reality of mental illness. It tricks you into thinking that life is too overwhelming. It tells you you can’t do it anymore.
The kids reactions to their father Lyman’s struggles are spot on. Eva’s desperation to help him is spot on. His decisions and actions are spot on. Wow. This book is heavy but so very important. If you have ever loved someone who suffers, or suffer yourself, then I think you will find some solace in reading this. I highly recommend it!
Thank you to @booksparks for the Winter Pop Up tour spot and the book.
February 18, 2026
Depression hits so many people and so many families. This story, In the Shadow of Silence, is one family's journey through the trials and tribulations of living with depression. This is something that affects everyone in a family going through it.
The author did an amazing job of creating caring, loving family members who lived and survived depression and the aftermath of their loved one's suicide. The subject was handled in a sensitive and responsible way while also showing how something like this touches everyone.
This story was quite personal to me as some of my loved ones have in the past, and some are currently struggling with depression so this one hits close to home. It was sometimes hard to read but also reassuring to see how others are managing their lives to get through it.
The author did an amazing job of creating caring, loving family members who lived and survived depression and the aftermath of their loved one's suicide. The subject was handled in a sensitive and responsible way while also showing how something like this touches everyone.
This story was quite personal to me as some of my loved ones have in the past, and some are currently struggling with depression so this one hits close to home. It was sometimes hard to read but also reassuring to see how others are managing their lives to get through it.
February 19, 2026
In the Shadow of Silence is a novel about living with depression, written from the point of view of the wife of a charismatic but, as becomes clear, seriously depressed husband. The marriage begins quite wonderfully. There are shared interests, there is real vitality. The relationship becomes increasingly difficult over the years, and ends in tragedy. Everyone in the family (there are three talented, interesting children) suffers and must, in the end, find a way to heal. Author Rae Dumont brings personal experience, professional expertise, sensitivity, intelligence, and the touch of an artist to her story. Readers who live with similar situations might relate in a special way to In the Shadow of Silence, but it will also appeal to those who simply want a good novel filled with psychological insight and much beauty.
February 21, 2026
4.25 Stars
What it’s about
A gifted child psychiatrist builds a loving family with her husband until his untreated depression resurfaces and ends in suicide, leaving her and their children to navigate grief, trauma, and the slow, fragile work of rebuilding their lives.
My take
A stark, unflinching portrait of depression, both when it is treated and when it is left to smolder, showing how it can quietly consume a person and pull them into profound darkness. The novel confronts the devastating aftermath of suicide and the wreckage it leaves behind, tracing the guilt, anger, and self-blame carried by those left to pick up the pieces. Emotional and raw, it captures the reality of depression and loss with painful clarity.
What it’s about
A gifted child psychiatrist builds a loving family with her husband until his untreated depression resurfaces and ends in suicide, leaving her and their children to navigate grief, trauma, and the slow, fragile work of rebuilding their lives.
My take
A stark, unflinching portrait of depression, both when it is treated and when it is left to smolder, showing how it can quietly consume a person and pull them into profound darkness. The novel confronts the devastating aftermath of suicide and the wreckage it leaves behind, tracing the guilt, anger, and self-blame carried by those left to pick up the pieces. Emotional and raw, it captures the reality of depression and loss with painful clarity.
February 18, 2026
4.25⭐️ This novel tackles a difficult and heavy subject, but at the same time, Eva’s story is also one of a life marked by beauty. The book thoughtfully explores the pain of being unable to reach someone who is struggling, as well as the impact on those left behind. The author’s professional background and eloquent writing make this debut a significant read for anyone affected by mental illness, whether personally or through someone they care about, including those who have lost someone to suicide.
Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy. All thoughts shared here are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy. All thoughts shared here are my own.
February 20, 2026
This book is a lovely family story. It is also a love story. It also explores the world of depression and the effects in has on those who are depressed and who care about them. Mixing this all together makes for a fascinating read, and Dumont's story telling and characters are up to the task. I was engrossed from many angles, and found myself talking to the book when twists came up. I also enjoyed comparing it to my world and those I know in similar situations.
Just a wonderful, powerful book.
Just a wonderful, powerful book.
Review of advance copy
Eva, a Child Psychologist working at the University of Vermont, yearns for a family of her own. After her lonely adolescence and a difficult breakup, she's waiting for someone who matches her morals and interests. When a flyer about a lecture on ecology catches her attention, she meets Dr. Lyman Willis and can't deny the pull she feels toward him. Their attraction is mutual, and though his work requires him to be in the field for long periods, their gentle romance unfolds into something beautiful. But Lyman is a complicated man, and despite a happy marriage and growing family, his depression and avoidance will eventually shatter the life they built.
This deeply compelling novel exposes the story's traumatic climax from the start. It's not a matter of "if", but "when". Knowing what's ahead adds an additional layer of emotion, as we see their relationship develop while we know what's yet to come. In The Shadow of Silence reads like a memoir, and the author's personal experience shines through with the beautiful writing and understanding of the struggles the characters faced. It's a heavy, but important read, and one I won't soon forget.
Thank you to BookSparks for providing me with a copy of this book as part of the WinterPopup.
This deeply compelling novel exposes the story's traumatic climax from the start. It's not a matter of "if", but "when". Knowing what's ahead adds an additional layer of emotion, as we see their relationship develop while we know what's yet to come. In The Shadow of Silence reads like a memoir, and the author's personal experience shines through with the beautiful writing and understanding of the struggles the characters faced. It's a heavy, but important read, and one I won't soon forget.
Thank you to BookSparks for providing me with a copy of this book as part of the WinterPopup.
February 21, 2026
Book rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Genre: literary fiction
Themes: depression, trauma, suicide, family dynamics
This is a hard story to read, but one that is immensely powerful. It is a collage of one family as they migrate through love, joy and loss. It is a beautifully woven story of living with and around the shadow of swaying moods, of the day to day struggles of living alongside someone with depression and how it can sit in between family members and corral the narrative. When relationships become taught and fragile, when life feels like drowning and all the feelings that surround an unimaginable death and of surviving.
The waterworks were in full effect by the end of this book and I really appreciated the book club questions at the end with so many resonating points I wished to think on. There were a lot of characters, especially Eva and the youngest child Olivia who I was frustrated with. Eva started making concessions for her partner’s self-absorbed and despondent nature because she was desperate for someone to shower with love and a family. It was this behaviour that set a precedent for what she was wiling to put up with in the long-term that often bothered me. As a professional psychiatrist it was interesting to see her expert opinions converging with her lived experiences, but also how emotions muddled the water. She was a complex character who always wanted to fix things, and I forgot that there was a very really love she was trying to salvage. These characters are imperfect and messy, just like real life.
Like most parents during times of tragedy, Eva attempts to box in her feelings so that she can support her children. It was interesting to have them at different stages of life when they loose their parent, and to see how grief can make some self-absorbed and others launching into a caregiver role. I found Olivia challenging to witness, as though she was the only one experiencing the loss. I also wanted the children to support their mother more, but that is wishful thinking and not true to the characters. I think it was the honesty in the story that had me really pulled into it’s orbit.
It was a profound picture of how mental health and depression can impact a family and a marriage. A powerful story that explores human nature and endurance in a moving perspective with sensitivity and compassion. And it integrates the natural world into a very human experience in a tactile way. The representation of jazz as an unpredictable and variable rhythm was another clever analogy that was played throughout the story and one I could hear while reading. So many elements working cohesively together in this book.
Get the tissues ready, this is an emotional roller coaster. Thank you to Book Sparks and the author for this Winter Pop Up feature. I am still wrung out after reading this.
Genre: literary fiction
Themes: depression, trauma, suicide, family dynamics
This is a hard story to read, but one that is immensely powerful. It is a collage of one family as they migrate through love, joy and loss. It is a beautifully woven story of living with and around the shadow of swaying moods, of the day to day struggles of living alongside someone with depression and how it can sit in between family members and corral the narrative. When relationships become taught and fragile, when life feels like drowning and all the feelings that surround an unimaginable death and of surviving.
The waterworks were in full effect by the end of this book and I really appreciated the book club questions at the end with so many resonating points I wished to think on. There were a lot of characters, especially Eva and the youngest child Olivia who I was frustrated with. Eva started making concessions for her partner’s self-absorbed and despondent nature because she was desperate for someone to shower with love and a family. It was this behaviour that set a precedent for what she was wiling to put up with in the long-term that often bothered me. As a professional psychiatrist it was interesting to see her expert opinions converging with her lived experiences, but also how emotions muddled the water. She was a complex character who always wanted to fix things, and I forgot that there was a very really love she was trying to salvage. These characters are imperfect and messy, just like real life.
Like most parents during times of tragedy, Eva attempts to box in her feelings so that she can support her children. It was interesting to have them at different stages of life when they loose their parent, and to see how grief can make some self-absorbed and others launching into a caregiver role. I found Olivia challenging to witness, as though she was the only one experiencing the loss. I also wanted the children to support their mother more, but that is wishful thinking and not true to the characters. I think it was the honesty in the story that had me really pulled into it’s orbit.
It was a profound picture of how mental health and depression can impact a family and a marriage. A powerful story that explores human nature and endurance in a moving perspective with sensitivity and compassion. And it integrates the natural world into a very human experience in a tactile way. The representation of jazz as an unpredictable and variable rhythm was another clever analogy that was played throughout the story and one I could hear while reading. So many elements working cohesively together in this book.
Get the tissues ready, this is an emotional roller coaster. Thank you to Book Sparks and the author for this Winter Pop Up feature. I am still wrung out after reading this.
February 19, 2026
This book is intense, deeply moving, and impossible to forget. As a former suicide prevention counselor, I found myself connecting very deeply with the themes and messaging. The author captures the reality of depression, grief, and loss with honesty and compassion.
The story follows Eva, a child psychiatrist whose life is shattered after a devastating loss leaves her widowed. She had built the loving family she always dreamed of, and now she must find a way to help herself and her adult children navigate the overwhelming aftermath. The novel spans decades, allowing us to see not just the immediate impact of tragedy, but the long-term emotional ripple effects on an entire family.
This is not a light read—but it’s an incredibly meaningful one. The writing is beautiful, raw, and deeply personal, almost like reading someone’s diary. The characters feel real and fully formed, and I found myself completely invested in their lives, their struggles, and their healing. The author does a remarkable job showing both the power of love and the painful reality that even the strongest love cannot always heal mental illness.
What makes this book so powerful is its honesty. It doesn’t shy away from difficult emotions, yet it also offers moments of hope, resilience, and quiet strength. It’s a sensitive and thoughtful exploration of grief, family, and the complicated nature of loving someone who is struggling internally.
This was not an easy read emotionally, but it was absolutely worth it. It’s the kind of book that makes you reflect, feel deeply, and carry its message with you long after you finish. If you’re looking for a beautifully written, meaningful story that explores real-life emotional challenges with depth and compassion, I highly recommend it.
The story follows Eva, a child psychiatrist whose life is shattered after a devastating loss leaves her widowed. She had built the loving family she always dreamed of, and now she must find a way to help herself and her adult children navigate the overwhelming aftermath. The novel spans decades, allowing us to see not just the immediate impact of tragedy, but the long-term emotional ripple effects on an entire family.
This is not a light read—but it’s an incredibly meaningful one. The writing is beautiful, raw, and deeply personal, almost like reading someone’s diary. The characters feel real and fully formed, and I found myself completely invested in their lives, their struggles, and their healing. The author does a remarkable job showing both the power of love and the painful reality that even the strongest love cannot always heal mental illness.
What makes this book so powerful is its honesty. It doesn’t shy away from difficult emotions, yet it also offers moments of hope, resilience, and quiet strength. It’s a sensitive and thoughtful exploration of grief, family, and the complicated nature of loving someone who is struggling internally.
This was not an easy read emotionally, but it was absolutely worth it. It’s the kind of book that makes you reflect, feel deeply, and carry its message with you long after you finish. If you’re looking for a beautifully written, meaningful story that explores real-life emotional challenges with depth and compassion, I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“The snow, the cold, the fresh air, and hard exercise always bring them back together, to who they are. Out there, away from the rush and the rat race, they always find each other.”
This is a melancholic yet almost clinical perspective of how depression can affect a family. Spanning across over four decades, this story follows Eva from when she was a hopeful young girl looking for love and acceptance to being a widow grappling with the aftermath of her husband’s death, finding meaning in her loss.
This was a very pensive and foreboding story about how depression can consume an entire family by having two completely different people living in the same body. It explored the challenges of loving both while not knowing which person was going to take the helm: the affectionate fun-loving persona or the withdrawn, unpredictable one.
The writing style leans more towards telling than showing and feels like a nonfiction memoir than literary fiction. Each chapter is short and divided into even smaller sections as if they’re compiled journal entries. I feel that may have detracted from some of the emotional impacts of the story.
Thank you so much Rae Dumont, @booksparks @shewritespress for this gifted copy!
Tropes: grief, loss, family drama, depression, anxiety, marriage, character-driven
This is a melancholic yet almost clinical perspective of how depression can affect a family. Spanning across over four decades, this story follows Eva from when she was a hopeful young girl looking for love and acceptance to being a widow grappling with the aftermath of her husband’s death, finding meaning in her loss.
This was a very pensive and foreboding story about how depression can consume an entire family by having two completely different people living in the same body. It explored the challenges of loving both while not knowing which person was going to take the helm: the affectionate fun-loving persona or the withdrawn, unpredictable one.
The writing style leans more towards telling than showing and feels like a nonfiction memoir than literary fiction. Each chapter is short and divided into even smaller sections as if they’re compiled journal entries. I feel that may have detracted from some of the emotional impacts of the story.
Thank you so much Rae Dumont, @booksparks @shewritespress for this gifted copy!
Tropes: grief, loss, family drama, depression, anxiety, marriage, character-driven
Review of advance copy
I found this book to be moving and inspiring. It’s a sensitive look inside the lives of a family affected by mental illness. Even though written in third person POV, it reads like a memoir much of the time. This is due to the authenticity with which it’s written, in my opinion. The author is a pediatrician and family therapist who has extesive experience helping families affected by mental illness as each member deals with the varying impacts.
Much time is spent getting to know the main character, Eva, but this helps make the story feel real. Eva is a psychiatrist and ‘watching’ as she supports her husband during his struggle with depression as a spouse rather than a professional was fascinating.
The outcome for Lyman is heartbreaking and the effects on the rest of the family devastating, but there is a hopeful message even in this tragedy. We get to see how Eva helps her family navigate the aftermath, long term. The story also provides an important example for those left behind — sometimes even the most loving support cannot help defeat depression. Though devastating, a loving reminder of this truth can be valuable.
I would have liked for the book to spend more time on the aftermath of Lyman’s death (it is less than half of the book), but that is my only quibble.
It’s a heavy book but I recommend it to all.
I received an advance copy of this book for free, and I'm leaving my review voluntarily.
Much time is spent getting to know the main character, Eva, but this helps make the story feel real. Eva is a psychiatrist and ‘watching’ as she supports her husband during his struggle with depression as a spouse rather than a professional was fascinating.
The outcome for Lyman is heartbreaking and the effects on the rest of the family devastating, but there is a hopeful message even in this tragedy. We get to see how Eva helps her family navigate the aftermath, long term. The story also provides an important example for those left behind — sometimes even the most loving support cannot help defeat depression. Though devastating, a loving reminder of this truth can be valuable.
I would have liked for the book to spend more time on the aftermath of Lyman’s death (it is less than half of the book), but that is my only quibble.
It’s a heavy book but I recommend it to all.
I received an advance copy of this book for free, and I'm leaving my review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one hurts...
This book is such a slow meditation on depression and grief and how this affects not only the person experiencing it, but those around them. As someone who's dealt with a lot of grief in my own life, I resonated deeply with the messaging of this read.
However, something about it kept it from being a new favourite. It might be that I read it too fast, or it might be the fact that despite connect with the message of the book, I felt disconnected from the characters. Not that Eva and Lyman weren't wonderful characters to follow - I simply felt that the third-person narrative style created a distance between the reader and the characters.
This hindered my reading experience just somewhat as I feel that when I read about grief, I want to be in the trenches of that grief with the character, I want to feel it like it's my own. In the case of this novel, I feel like I'm standing on the outside, looking through the window at someone else experiencing the emotion.
Thank you to Netgalley and She Writes Press for the e-ARC of this title.
Other than that, I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to others, but reading the trigger warnings is a must.
This book is such a slow meditation on depression and grief and how this affects not only the person experiencing it, but those around them. As someone who's dealt with a lot of grief in my own life, I resonated deeply with the messaging of this read.
However, something about it kept it from being a new favourite. It might be that I read it too fast, or it might be the fact that despite connect with the message of the book, I felt disconnected from the characters. Not that Eva and Lyman weren't wonderful characters to follow - I simply felt that the third-person narrative style created a distance between the reader and the characters.
This hindered my reading experience just somewhat as I feel that when I read about grief, I want to be in the trenches of that grief with the character, I want to feel it like it's my own. In the case of this novel, I feel like I'm standing on the outside, looking through the window at someone else experiencing the emotion.
Thank you to Netgalley and She Writes Press for the e-ARC of this title.
Other than that, I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to others, but reading the trigger warnings is a must.
January 10, 2026
Haunting, and deeply sad, and written by someone with evident intimate knowledge of the journey taken by her protagonist, Eva.
This novel reads more like a memoir or a series of journal entries, and at times the dialogue overtakes the story.
There is never any doubt about what is going to happen, the only question is how.
The language is often beautifully poetic and lyrical, and I was immediately drawn into the story. Unfortunately toward the middle, I found the psychiatry/counsellor/therapy angle too heavy handed - to the point it reads more like a guide for families experiencing the same issues. This will be off putting for some
readers and perhaps useful for others.
The climax of the story is bravely written with no punches pulled.
With lived experience of the grief that suicide creates, I must be honest and say it was not an easy or enjoyable read. However, for those who choose to do so, it will certainly enlighten and inform, and make one think.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
This novel reads more like a memoir or a series of journal entries, and at times the dialogue overtakes the story.
There is never any doubt about what is going to happen, the only question is how.
The language is often beautifully poetic and lyrical, and I was immediately drawn into the story. Unfortunately toward the middle, I found the psychiatry/counsellor/therapy angle too heavy handed - to the point it reads more like a guide for families experiencing the same issues. This will be off putting for some
readers and perhaps useful for others.
The climax of the story is bravely written with no punches pulled.
With lived experience of the grief that suicide creates, I must be honest and say it was not an easy or enjoyable read. However, for those who choose to do so, it will certainly enlighten and inform, and make one think.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
You can definitely relate to the main character, the way she tells her story, and her thought process. Now, this book deals with so much emotion, and while reading it, you can feel the intensity and sadness that it comes with it. We all know that the husband loses his life to sucicide and while reading this book, I think, okay, it's gonna happen in this chapter, and so on. What I'm trying to say is when you know a character dies in the book beforehand, you feel this sudden shift when going through the chapters, and it's this ever ending rotation where your heart sinks, and you're like, okay, this is the moment. With that being said its a heavy book, but I loved it. It felt like I was reading this person's diary, and everything was so vivid. For me, it was a slow read and Im glad I took my time with it.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
December 3, 2025
This book creates a feeling of dread from page one. You know what is coming, but are unsure about the "when." As a therapist, I have often asked myself the same questions in my personal relationships, "Is this therapist me wanting to intervene... ?" This is a book about a family who is not absolved from the depths of mental illness, despite the main character's training and expertise. The author "shows" the reader the intrusive thinking that occurs when someone you love struggles with severe depression. I probably shouldn't have read this in two sittings, but I couldn't put it down.
February 20, 2026
This one isn’t an easy book, but it’s an important one. Spanning years, it’s an intimate look at how depression ripples through an entire family—shaping relationships, straining a marriage, and leaving kids quietly questioning themselves. It’s raw, honest, and at absolutely heartbreaking. The author handles such a heavy topic with care, showing both the weight of mental illness and the lingering aftermath. I was especially struck by how real it all felt. Tough to read, but powerful, eye-opening, and deeply moving.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A good, slow read. Character-driven with a lot of dialogue, self-reflection and introspection. Sad, contemplative, pensive, and melancholic. I didn't like the family, but I was still invested enough to sympathize with the situations that they had to endure. Good book for those who like their novels more on the realistic side of things. ** I was provided with an ARC by NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.
November 17, 2025
This story is powerful, emotional, and beautifully written. It follows a family through love, connection, and the deep impact of mental health, all told with incredible honesty and heart. Eva’s journey is gripping from start to finish, and the raw emotion woven through every chapter makes this book unforgettable.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
fantastically lyrical book about grief, loss, depression, and suicide. the characters are super deep and well-written. 5 stars. tysm for the arc. would recommend.
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