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When She Was Ours
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
3 days and 04:06:13
100 copies available
U.S. only
9 hours, 49 minutes
Thea Erickson, a renowned surgeon, is filled with both joy and grief as her family gathers at their home on a summer night in 1995. Her elder daughter Phoebe is getting married, but even the happiness of the day feels bittersweet, as Thea grapples with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She worries she won’t be around to support her younger daughter Astra, who’s still in college, but even Thea cannot foresee what is to come—a terrible accident the night of the wedding that changes Astra’s life forever.
In a last-ditch effort to protect her family, Thea arranges a secret meeting with an old family friend and extracts a promise that will reverberate long after she’s gone.
Years after her mother’s death, Astra has moved forward with a career and relationship, but she still struggles with her grief. When a man reaches out to her and Phoebe, offering a window into their mother’s past, Astra must make a choice, and her decision forces her to face what it means to love someone after they’re gone, who we decide to forgive, and how families reckon with the past.
2026 by Anna Nordberg. ℗ 2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
Thea Erickson, a renowned surgeon, is filled with both joy and grief as her family gathers at their home on a summer night in 1995. Her elder daughter Phoebe is getting married, but even the happiness of the day feels bittersweet, as Thea grapples with a terminal cancer diagnosis. She worries she won’t be around to support her younger daughter Astra, who’s still in college, but even Thea cannot foresee what is to come—a terrible accident the night of the wedding that changes Astra’s life forever.
In a last-ditch effort to protect her family, Thea arranges a secret meeting with an old family friend and extracts a promise that will reverberate long after she’s gone.
Years after her mother’s death, Astra has moved forward with a career and relationship, but she still struggles with her grief. When a man reaches out to her and Phoebe, offering a window into their mother’s past, Astra must make a choice, and her decision forces her to face what it means to love someone after they’re gone, who we decide to forgive, and how families reckon with the past.
2026 by Anna Nordberg. ℗ 2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
Audible Audio
Published August 1, 2026
About the author
Anna Nordberg
1 book66 followersAnna Nordberg is an author, journalist and culture writer whose essays have appeared in Slate magazine, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and the San Francisco Chronicle. She spent a lot of her childhood writing novels with a number 2 pencil on yellow legal pads. She actually still has these novels.
In 2015, she started writing a memoir about becoming a mother without her mom, who died when Anna was 17. This memoir never found a home, but its themes—how loss unfolds throughout a life, how we carry the memory of someone forward, the surprising legacy of grief—are all themes in Anna's debut novel, When She Was Ours, out August 1.
Anna grew up in New York City and now lives in San Francisco with her husband, son and daughter, and English cocker spaniel, Guinness (who also loves books). She loves muddling through middle school with her kids, trying to remember what the formula for the circumference of a circle is, and rereading books like Tuck Everlasting and A Wrinkle in Time. Favorite books she has read to her kids: The Hobbit, The Dark is Rising, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Bridge to Terabithia.
It was always her dream to write a novel after watching her mother write one on an ancient Apple IIC when Anna was eight years old. When She Was Ours is dedicated to her.
In 2015, she started writing a memoir about becoming a mother without her mom, who died when Anna was 17. This memoir never found a home, but its themes—how loss unfolds throughout a life, how we carry the memory of someone forward, the surprising legacy of grief—are all themes in Anna's debut novel, When She Was Ours, out August 1.
Anna grew up in New York City and now lives in San Francisco with her husband, son and daughter, and English cocker spaniel, Guinness (who also loves books). She loves muddling through middle school with her kids, trying to remember what the formula for the circumference of a circle is, and rereading books like Tuck Everlasting and A Wrinkle in Time. Favorite books she has read to her kids: The Hobbit, The Dark is Rising, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Bridge to Terabithia.
It was always her dream to write a novel after watching her mother write one on an ancient Apple IIC when Anna was eight years old. When She Was Ours is dedicated to her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 446 reviews
January 17, 2026
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO READ THIS WHEN IT COMES OUT IN JUNE. I’m very proud to be the first one to review this ever!!! How crazy is that? Wow. This was an incredible debut novel to say the least. I’ll be honest, when I first applied for this arc, I only did it for the cover, also gorgeous by the way. But Nordberg’s storytelling and beautiful writing, characters and storyline carried throughout the book and made me want to stay there forever. I laughed, cried, and anxiously flipped to the next page, and also wanted to punch many people (don’t worry, you’ll be rooting for it). You can tell Thea was the mother to her girls that her mother was never able to be. She had such an amazing support system around her, but I wish we would’ve seen more around the time of her death, like the immediate aftermath? Even if it was just a few pages. Tom is such a rom com father, I feel like he is exactly the right kind of person for Thea. Phoebe is so eldest daughter syndrome, and Eli is so just amazing and ugh, I just love everything about both of them. Nick!!! That’s all I have to say. We were very much robbed of them (respectively, frick you, 16 year old Allie, even though you were going through all that). And Astra. Where do I start? She is like the epitome of savior complex, mixed with an unhealthy amount of people pleasing youngest daughter. But she is so strong and knows between right and wrong? Which is also her biggest weakness I think, that she has too fine of a line, too black and white. And I love, how that is illustrated throughout and honestly I wish we would’ve gotten to see it develop more, because she still has this sharp line, even after she’s forgiven Nick (and apologised obviously). I cannot reiterate this enough though, how strong she is. And that’s the front that Thea never wanted her to have, so I’m glad that after her passing, her two girls were able to lean on people for support, I wish we would’ve gotten to see that with Tom too. There are so many like warnings, especially with the dreams that I think is so good. Like there were so many plot twists, and that line after Astra ran from that bear like creature made me alert the whole time. The whole time reading this I was thinking, it has to be this scene, and then the next and then the next. And I love how all the loose ends were tied up in the end, because that usually doesn’t happen when there’s so many elements and storylines happening in the one novel. I think Anna told this story beautifully, one of trust, love, and healing. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts are my own.
July 4, 2026
I feel horrible that I just dont understand the love others had for this book. The loss of a parent is certainly conveyed well, but it never really went beyond that. I feel this ought to have been an essay because it didn’t work as a novel for me. Nothing of note, beyond the death of a parent, ever really happened. Our main character ditches the partner of her dreams for a pretty weak reason that as a reader I didn’t understand. Later when our main character finds herself in danger, it was a nothing-burger. I just kept waiting for something to happen and it never did.
It’s one of those books that you probably have to read yourself and decide. Lots of readers have clearly loved the book. It just rang hollow for me.
It’s one of those books that you probably have to read yourself and decide. Lots of readers have clearly loved the book. It just rang hollow for me.
July 8, 2026
(Amazon first reads Kindle selection- July 2026).
🌺 Read what you love! 🌺
🌺 Read what you love! 🌺
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was beautiful. It filled my soul with so much joy. This book was written in such a way that made me feel connected with the characters. They felt like my family. It beautifully explores how a person’s presence doesn’t simply vanish—how memory, tradition, and love can carry them forward.
For me, there was also an element of suspense woven throughout. I had no idea what was going to happen next or how the pieces of the story would connect. The unpredictability kept me invested; nothing felt formulaic or convenient.
I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to read another book from this author!
For me, there was also an element of suspense woven throughout. I had no idea what was going to happen next or how the pieces of the story would connect. The unpredictability kept me invested; nothing felt formulaic or convenient.
I absolutely loved this book and I can't wait to read another book from this author!
August 20, 2026
This book was absolutely extraordinary. A love letter to mothers and daughters, written so delicately, tenderly, and beautifully that I have a hard time putting an into words. Just read it.
January 18, 2026
When She Was Ours is an outstanding debut that I believe will become a favorite for readers, especially for those that appreciate stories that focus on relationships between mothers and their daughters. I laughed and cried as I watched the heartbreak unfold. Themes of feminism, love that carries on after death, and ultimately forgiveness made this an easy 5-star read. I was shocked by the plot twist (did not see it coming!)
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 13, 2026
Thank you Anna Nordberg and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this novel.
4.75 Stars
As soon as the book started I thought oh goodness this is likely going to make me cry. It didn't, but it definitely will have that potential for some people.
The story's direction completely went left of what I initially thought which was quite satisfying and definitely upped the intensity of the story.
I really enjoyed the development of the characters, though some of the decision making by them was frustrating, it made them undeniably human. The writing was goo, specifically the way the author allowed the story to unfold. Definitely pulls on the heartstrings.
Great read.
4.75 Stars
As soon as the book started I thought oh goodness this is likely going to make me cry. It didn't, but it definitely will have that potential for some people.
The story's direction completely went left of what I initially thought which was quite satisfying and definitely upped the intensity of the story.
I really enjoyed the development of the characters, though some of the decision making by them was frustrating, it made them undeniably human. The writing was goo, specifically the way the author allowed the story to unfold. Definitely pulls on the heartstrings.
Great read.
July 10, 2026
Predictable
I guess that in a romance novel the hero is required to show up in the Nick of time. This book meets the requirement.
I guess that in a romance novel the hero is required to show up in the Nick of time. This book meets the requirement.
July 27, 2026
Moving, tender, and quietly gripping!
𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 is a perceptive, emotional debut that follows the Erickson family, specifically Thea, a devoted surgeon facing a terminal diagnosis, and her daughters Phoebe and Astra, as they navigate the collision of a joyful wedding day with an unimaginable loss, and the years of grief, love, and reckoning that follow.
The prose is warm and rich. The characters are flawed, troubled, and reliable. And the plot is a layered, patient tale about mothers and daughters, sisterhood, memory, forgiveness, and the strange, enduring ways the people we lose keep shaping the people we become.
Overall, 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 is an assured, pensive, touching debut by Nordberg that reminds us that grief isn't something we get over, but rather something we carry forward, woven into who we are.
𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 is a perceptive, emotional debut that follows the Erickson family, specifically Thea, a devoted surgeon facing a terminal diagnosis, and her daughters Phoebe and Astra, as they navigate the collision of a joyful wedding day with an unimaginable loss, and the years of grief, love, and reckoning that follow.
The prose is warm and rich. The characters are flawed, troubled, and reliable. And the plot is a layered, patient tale about mothers and daughters, sisterhood, memory, forgiveness, and the strange, enduring ways the people we lose keep shaping the people we become.
Overall, 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 is an assured, pensive, touching debut by Nordberg that reminds us that grief isn't something we get over, but rather something we carry forward, woven into who we are.
March 7, 2026
Review of Advanced Copy received from NetGalley
It’s been a long while since I fell so in love with a book as I did with When She Was Ours, and it’s unbelievable that this work of art is the author’s debut.
It’s difficult to recount what this book is about, because it manages to touch on many themes, and it does so with depth and sensitivity.
It’s a story about every different kind of love (between parents and children, between siblings, friends, spouses, significant others, even between merging families), about the lives that we might have lived and the selves we might have been in a different world, about trauma and grief and rebuilding oneself after falling; it’s about women’s authority in a world that leaves little space for them; it’s about not knowing where you stop and your children begin, and where you begin and your parents stop.
Everything resonated deeply with me. I found myself in Astra, in her mother, in Nick. Their thoughts and words made me rethink so much about my own life, past and present.
The prose was “simple” enough that it made it very easy to get through, but also threw some good punches when least expected.
Reading this book was a journey, and one I encourage everyone to undertake.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been a long while since I fell so in love with a book as I did with When She Was Ours, and it’s unbelievable that this work of art is the author’s debut.
It’s difficult to recount what this book is about, because it manages to touch on many themes, and it does so with depth and sensitivity.
It’s a story about every different kind of love (between parents and children, between siblings, friends, spouses, significant others, even between merging families), about the lives that we might have lived and the selves we might have been in a different world, about trauma and grief and rebuilding oneself after falling; it’s about women’s authority in a world that leaves little space for them; it’s about not knowing where you stop and your children begin, and where you begin and your parents stop.
Everything resonated deeply with me. I found myself in Astra, in her mother, in Nick. Their thoughts and words made me rethink so much about my own life, past and present.
The prose was “simple” enough that it made it very easy to get through, but also threw some good punches when least expected.
Reading this book was a journey, and one I encourage everyone to undertake.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2026
4.5 rounded up for Goodreads
Astra is losing her mother. How does someone move on , how does someone prepare to lose someone so significant in their life, all before graduating high school?
Almost immediately this book pulled me in, it’s so moving and profound so quickly and I knew it was a book that would stick with me. Maybe it’s in part because I too lost a parent at 17 that it resonated with me so much. The characters were likable, and we got to grow with them over the years.
My favorite part of this was it didn’t stick to one track , there are so many layers to it (we even get a little thriller in there!)
Perfect for anyone looking for a comfy, nostalgic, thoughtful book and maybe looking for a good cry.
Astra is losing her mother. How does someone move on , how does someone prepare to lose someone so significant in their life, all before graduating high school?
Almost immediately this book pulled me in, it’s so moving and profound so quickly and I knew it was a book that would stick with me. Maybe it’s in part because I too lost a parent at 17 that it resonated with me so much. The characters were likable, and we got to grow with them over the years.
My favorite part of this was it didn’t stick to one track , there are so many layers to it (we even get a little thriller in there!)
Perfect for anyone looking for a comfy, nostalgic, thoughtful book and maybe looking for a good cry.
July 9, 2026
I seem to be in the minority here but I thought this was pretty terrible. It felt extremely juvenile.
March 20, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ What a stunning debut novel! I’m excited about this one & looking forward to what Anna Nordberg writes next as well- she could easily become a favorite author!
When She Was Ours is a lovely blend of literary family drama, love story, and suspense; Nordberg thoughtfully explores loss, grief, coming of age, friendships and family ties. Think: The Family Stone meets Lily King’s Writers & Lovers. We get a wedding, a couple Thanksgivings & all of the family happenings around and in between these events. I’m LOVING these novels set in the 90s- it’s nostalgic and cozy and just feels so right for a good family drama. Nordberg elegantly and skillfully writes mother/ daughter & sister relationships, another of my favorite themes to read recently. This was exactly the sort of introspective character-driven story that I gravitate towards and it really worked for me.
This fantastic debut releases June 23, 2026 and you’re going to want to add it to your summer TBR! I will definitely be personally recommending to my friends who love to read Ann Patchett, Lily King and Ann Napolitano. Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When She Was Ours is a lovely blend of literary family drama, love story, and suspense; Nordberg thoughtfully explores loss, grief, coming of age, friendships and family ties. Think: The Family Stone meets Lily King’s Writers & Lovers. We get a wedding, a couple Thanksgivings & all of the family happenings around and in between these events. I’m LOVING these novels set in the 90s- it’s nostalgic and cozy and just feels so right for a good family drama. Nordberg elegantly and skillfully writes mother/ daughter & sister relationships, another of my favorite themes to read recently. This was exactly the sort of introspective character-driven story that I gravitate towards and it really worked for me.
This fantastic debut releases June 23, 2026 and you’re going to want to add it to your summer TBR! I will definitely be personally recommending to my friends who love to read Ann Patchett, Lily King and Ann Napolitano. Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2026
This story follows a terminally ill surgeon named Thea Erickson in 1995. At her oldest daughter Phoebe's wedding, a tragic accident alters her younger daughter Astra's life. Thea makes a secret pact with a family friend, before she dies. Years later, an unexpected stranger contacts Astra and Phoebe, forcing the sisters to confront long-buried family secrets, grief, and forgiveness.
This story examines themes of love, grief, betrayal, forgiveness, family, and legacy. It also examines the bonds of mothers and daughters.
I enjoyed Thea’s storyline and the love she had for her family. This book also portrayed the grief of losing a loved one well. This is a very character driven story, and I had trouble connecting to the characters in this story. The sisters calling their mom “mommy” when they were adults made me cringe a little.
The narration of the book was performed by Sarah Beth Goer. She held my attention throughout the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
This story examines themes of love, grief, betrayal, forgiveness, family, and legacy. It also examines the bonds of mothers and daughters.
I enjoyed Thea’s storyline and the love she had for her family. This book also portrayed the grief of losing a loved one well. This is a very character driven story, and I had trouble connecting to the characters in this story. The sisters calling their mom “mommy” when they were adults made me cringe a little.
The narration of the book was performed by Sarah Beth Goer. She held my attention throughout the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
August 13, 2026
Beautiful Strength
Pheobe and Astra are two sisters blessed with a strong, capable, formidable mother and father. Their family has a reputation for their commitment, drive and strength of character. When faced with losing one of their parents many of the lessons they've been taught through their shared childhood help them to wade through their grief and ensuing hardships.
This book was a beautiful story about the strength of family. It pulls at your heart if you've suffered the loss of a parent.
Pheobe and Astra are two sisters blessed with a strong, capable, formidable mother and father. Their family has a reputation for their commitment, drive and strength of character. When faced with losing one of their parents many of the lessons they've been taught through their shared childhood help them to wade through their grief and ensuing hardships.
This book was a beautiful story about the strength of family. It pulls at your heart if you've suffered the loss of a parent.
August 13, 2026
2026 page turners book club pick #14
this was one of those books where the words and emotions were felt in my bones—the dread, the sadness, the regret. completely powerful debut novel!
this was one of those books where the words and emotions were felt in my bones—the dread, the sadness, the regret. completely powerful debut novel!
August 1, 2026
A forgettable 3-star read. The plot jumped the shark during the Los Angeles arc, but a decent twist at the end saved the finale. As an aside - I cannot stand grown adult characters referring to their mother as "mommy."
February 2, 2026
huge thanks to lake union publishing + netgalley for this arc!
phew. oh boy. wowza.
it’s very rare for a book to move me to tears, yet here we are.
what a stunning debut. an immediate all-time favourite with everything i need in a book: nuanced characterization, messy, real relationships, and a quiet, compelling narrative about womanhood, loss, love, and healing.
please read this when it releases in june. anna nordberg’s future releases will absolutely be insta-buys!
phew. oh boy. wowza.
it’s very rare for a book to move me to tears, yet here we are.
what a stunning debut. an immediate all-time favourite with everything i need in a book: nuanced characterization, messy, real relationships, and a quiet, compelling narrative about womanhood, loss, love, and healing.
please read this when it releases in june. anna nordberg’s future releases will absolutely be insta-buys!
January 29, 2026
What a lovely book!! Such a heartfelt, emotion book about daughters, mothers, family, and relationships. So much vulnerability within the writing.
The cover of this book really caught my eye. Glad I was able to get the ARC from NetGalley!
The cover of this book really caught my eye. Glad I was able to get the ARC from NetGalley!
July 20, 2026
4.5 stars - for some reason I decide to read a book about a young adult women processing the years leading up to and immediately after her mom’s death—two months after my mom died! This was hard and cathartic and sad and sweet.
Despite the horrible familiarity, I really enjoyed the story. I felt very seen by Astra’s experience of grief and extremely complex emotions that come with immense loss. The death of your mom is the most frustrating and heart wrenching thing in the world. It hurts more than anything and sucks pretty much always. I also related to her struggle with trying to be “good” while everything you knew about life has changed.
I appreciated how the author shared different character povs but it mainly focused on Astra. We got to learn about everyone and see grief at different points from different people. I loved the sister dynamic. I loved the. changing family involvement. I loved seeing how loss and heartache changed everyone for the better, for the most part—which I feel like was the most unrealistic part of the book for me.
I did not expect the twists throughout the story, especially at the end! I believe that they showed how raw and vulnerable you are in loss, especially in the months immediately after. You will do anything, be anything, to feel connection to your lost person. It can make you say, feel, think, or do things you never would have before. It’s normal and understandable, but it still has consequences unfortunately.
Despite the horrible familiarity, I really enjoyed the story. I felt very seen by Astra’s experience of grief and extremely complex emotions that come with immense loss. The death of your mom is the most frustrating and heart wrenching thing in the world. It hurts more than anything and sucks pretty much always. I also related to her struggle with trying to be “good” while everything you knew about life has changed.
I appreciated how the author shared different character povs but it mainly focused on Astra. We got to learn about everyone and see grief at different points from different people. I loved the sister dynamic. I loved the. changing family involvement. I loved seeing how loss and heartache changed everyone for the better, for the most part—which I feel like was the most unrealistic part of the book for me.
I did not expect the twists throughout the story, especially at the end! I believe that they showed how raw and vulnerable you are in loss, especially in the months immediately after. You will do anything, be anything, to feel connection to your lost person. It can make you say, feel, think, or do things you never would have before. It’s normal and understandable, but it still has consequences unfortunately.
July 26, 2026
If you've sat with grief, this book will resonate. I found myself having conversations with my mom, who passed several years ago, wishing she were here to read this book, too. A beautiful love letter to living and loving and being truthful to yourself. A very special story.
August 3, 2026
I guess maybe I didn’t understand what kind of book/what genre this book was or wanted to be, but it was fine. Confusing? Not deep enough where it should be, but not offensive or outright bad.
August 3, 2026
I had a hard time putting this down. This book had everything; love, longing, loss, mystery, emotion. So happy I picked this up from Amazon first reads!!
August 17, 2026
3.75⭐️ Thea is a renowned surgeon, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. As she is filled with joy over her eldest daughter Phoebe’s wedding, she struggles with grieving the future she won’t have with her youngest, Astra. Thea does what she can to prepare the family for her absence, and future proof certain possible scenarios. Astro struggles deeply with making the right life choices, especially in love, after an accident the night of her sister’s wedding, and as readers we follow the family throughout the years that follow their mother’s death.
This is a beauitfully written story about family, love, grief, and finding the beauty in life. As someone who lost their mother as a young adult, I was able to relate to much of what both Astra and Phoebe went through and were feeling. While it was a little on the slower side, it was steady. I thought the author did a great job building the characters, especially Astra, as well as creating a little mystery. Despite Astra seeming to be the center of the story, we still get to explore each of the other characters through timelines and multiple perspectives. I was absolutely pulled in by the gorgeous cover, and will for sure be recommending this to anyone who loves a deep and meaningful character driven story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Anna Nordberg, for the eARC of When She Was Ours.
This is a beauitfully written story about family, love, grief, and finding the beauty in life. As someone who lost their mother as a young adult, I was able to relate to much of what both Astra and Phoebe went through and were feeling. While it was a little on the slower side, it was steady. I thought the author did a great job building the characters, especially Astra, as well as creating a little mystery. Despite Astra seeming to be the center of the story, we still get to explore each of the other characters through timelines and multiple perspectives. I was absolutely pulled in by the gorgeous cover, and will for sure be recommending this to anyone who loves a deep and meaningful character driven story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Anna Nordberg, for the eARC of When She Was Ours.
July 4, 2026
Just ok. A bit of a confusion in the plot but a good ending.
July 6, 2026
“You’re the center of the family. It’s not like after you are gone it will be the same family, just muddling along with a vacancy. They’ll have to figure out who they are without you.”
The book starts in the summer of 1995 where Thea Erickson, our mum of the story, is alive although suffering through a terminal cancer diagnosis. She was previously a renowned surgeon that had a calm presence and knew exactly what she was doing. One of her daughter’s, Phoebe, is getting married - an event that is filled with both joy and grief.
Here, a traumatic event takes place that alters the lives of Nick, our MMC (an old school friend) and Thea’s other daughter, Astra.
We see Thea make last minute plans to support her family after she’s gone - specifically Astra who is still in college. She sets a meeting with an old family friend, to promise to deliver a message when the time is right.
As Astra grows older, we see her navigate her grief and try to create a career for herself.
We’re shown beautifully the depth of grief and how it becomes a part of the ebb and flow of everyday life and that even though we have lost our loved ones, we carry them forward with us through our memories and tradition.
The book starts in the summer of 1995 where Thea Erickson, our mum of the story, is alive although suffering through a terminal cancer diagnosis. She was previously a renowned surgeon that had a calm presence and knew exactly what she was doing. One of her daughter’s, Phoebe, is getting married - an event that is filled with both joy and grief.
Here, a traumatic event takes place that alters the lives of Nick, our MMC (an old school friend) and Thea’s other daughter, Astra.
We see Thea make last minute plans to support her family after she’s gone - specifically Astra who is still in college. She sets a meeting with an old family friend, to promise to deliver a message when the time is right.
As Astra grows older, we see her navigate her grief and try to create a career for herself.
We’re shown beautifully the depth of grief and how it becomes a part of the ebb and flow of everyday life and that even though we have lost our loved ones, we carry them forward with us through our memories and tradition.
August 12, 2026
i guess i am in the minority of people who did not like this book. it certainly had some moving parts and meaningful lines, but nick really bothered me, and i couldn’t shake it. the way he “fell in love” with astra at literally first sight (mind you, he had a crush on her sister first) and then expected sex at her sister’s wedding seemed predatory and crude. i genuinely thought they were setting him up to be a villain. and then, on top of that, he got jealous of her family (namely her DYING mother) when she wouldn’t have sex with him at said sister’s wedding. they had no real history for him to be thinking of her in that way.
also, the twist at the end with adrien was very predictable. i enjoyed the family parts, especially the scenes between astra and phoebe, but overall, this book took me way longer to read because it dragged on forever. it also built up this “secret” that nick was keeping on behalf of astra’s mom, and the “secret” ended up being a deeper iteration of “just keep an eye on astra and be there if she needs it”??
also, the twist at the end with adrien was very predictable. i enjoyed the family parts, especially the scenes between astra and phoebe, but overall, this book took me way longer to read because it dragged on forever. it also built up this “secret” that nick was keeping on behalf of astra’s mom, and the “secret” ended up being a deeper iteration of “just keep an eye on astra and be there if she needs it”??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2026
When She Was Ours is a beautiful story that captures the honesty and love between a mother and her two daughters. Having lost my mother a few years ago, this resonated with me on so many levels. There is a beauty to grief when we can finally figure out how to move forward; carving out a new life we are forced to create, while still honoring our loved ones each day. This novel illustrates this so brilliantly. The character development is solid with immediate buy-in. The story feels authentic, relatable and flows easily through the timeline. There were also a few moments of suspense. During one twist, I caught myself taking a sharp breath and had to put the book down for a few moments. I was emotionally engaged from start to finish. I’m not sure how this could possibly be a debut novel but Anna Nordberg’s first is a literary treasure. I hope there will be more published works from this author in the future.
July 24, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️This novel is about relationships and loss. And it was heartbreaking and beautiful. Lovely and tragic. Hopeful and frustrating. I loved it.
Thea spent her life as a surgeon. But now, as she is dying of cancer she can only worry for her daughters Phoebe and Astra. She wants to make it to Phoebe's wedding. The night of the wedding something tragic occurs that affects Astra for years to come.
Much later as adult Astra seems to be falling into life and happiness, voices from the past and an old promise Thea begged someone to make come into play. The book asks questions about forgiveness, choices, what we really know about those we love, and how we can move forward. An amazing look at grief, sisterhood and love.
From Lake Union Publishing. Pub date 8/1/26.
Thea spent her life as a surgeon. But now, as she is dying of cancer she can only worry for her daughters Phoebe and Astra. She wants to make it to Phoebe's wedding. The night of the wedding something tragic occurs that affects Astra for years to come.
Much later as adult Astra seems to be falling into life and happiness, voices from the past and an old promise Thea begged someone to make come into play. The book asks questions about forgiveness, choices, what we really know about those we love, and how we can move forward. An amazing look at grief, sisterhood and love.
From Lake Union Publishing. Pub date 8/1/26.
August 8, 2026
An emotional look inside a close-knit family that is knit tighter than usual by the mother’s lingering illness. Her adult daughters still call her “mommy” and one has trouble connecting with men despite the presence of a loving and supportive father. A good part of the story centers around the wedding of the elder daughter as seen through the eyes of her younger, college-age sister.
Every family is different, but I found this one difficult to imagine and didn’t care to spend any more time with them after finishing their sad story. That being said, it is a well-written and well-narrated audiobook. 3.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #WhenSheWasOurs for review purposes. It is now available.
Every family is different, but I found this one difficult to imagine and didn’t care to spend any more time with them after finishing their sad story. That being said, it is a well-written and well-narrated audiobook. 3.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @BrillianceAudio, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #WhenSheWasOurs for review purposes. It is now available.
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