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The Good Parts: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 6 Apr 27She erased their past. He’s betting on their future.
When Landon receives a letter from Rose—the woman he once planned forever with—he learns their love story is over. She’s undergone a radical memory-erasing treatment, leaving behind her grief, her past… and him. But Landon can’t bear to lose the love of his life. If she fell for him once, couldn’t she fall for him again?
Now living in Edinburgh, Rose’s world is a blank canvas, and she’s dating someone new. When Landon reenters her life as a stranger, they become fast friends, their lives entwining once more. But what Rose doesn’t know is that this new friend carries the weight of everything they once shared: their firsts, their marriage, and the heartbreak they barely survived. And when she starts exhibiting strange symptoms, it becomes clear their history isn’t gone—it’s just buried. And remembering could come at a devastating cost.
Told in alternating timelines—his from the present, hers from the past—The Good Parts is an achingly poignant story about the people we become across a lifetime, and the quiet grace of learning to let go while holding on to what’s worth keeping.
When Landon receives a letter from Rose—the woman he once planned forever with—he learns their love story is over. She’s undergone a radical memory-erasing treatment, leaving behind her grief, her past… and him. But Landon can’t bear to lose the love of his life. If she fell for him once, couldn’t she fall for him again?
Now living in Edinburgh, Rose’s world is a blank canvas, and she’s dating someone new. When Landon reenters her life as a stranger, they become fast friends, their lives entwining once more. But what Rose doesn’t know is that this new friend carries the weight of everything they once shared: their firsts, their marriage, and the heartbreak they barely survived. And when she starts exhibiting strange symptoms, it becomes clear their history isn’t gone—it’s just buried. And remembering could come at a devastating cost.
Told in alternating timelines—his from the present, hers from the past—The Good Parts is an achingly poignant story about the people we become across a lifetime, and the quiet grace of learning to let go while holding on to what’s worth keeping.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,678 reviews
July 5, 2026
getting hit by a truck would've hurt me less than this book 😃 how am I supposed to cope with that outcome??
this is a book that's going to stick with me forever. this has the perfect balance of romance and devastation and consider me DEVASTATED. this follows landon and rose in a world where a memory erasing pill exists. it doesn't just erase a moment/moments but your whole entire life and essentially makes you a completely different person, just with the same face and body. this book reminded me of the severance tv show because they refer to their old self as their 'other.'
rose experiences something horrible and decides to take the pill without even writing a letter to her husband landon. she completely forgets him but since he didn't take the pill, he still remembers her. he can't live without her so he goes in search of "her" and starts to hang out with the new version of her. this book was such a good mix of magical realism/sci-fi/romance and really had me thinking about how horrible it would be to be landon in this situation but then also getting glimpses into why rose felt it was the only right choice.
thank you to grand central publishing for sending me this ARC, it's the best feeling for an ARC to be 5 stars ⭐️
this is a book that's going to stick with me forever. this has the perfect balance of romance and devastation and consider me DEVASTATED. this follows landon and rose in a world where a memory erasing pill exists. it doesn't just erase a moment/moments but your whole entire life and essentially makes you a completely different person, just with the same face and body. this book reminded me of the severance tv show because they refer to their old self as their 'other.'
rose experiences something horrible and decides to take the pill without even writing a letter to her husband landon. she completely forgets him but since he didn't take the pill, he still remembers her. he can't live without her so he goes in search of "her" and starts to hang out with the new version of her. this book was such a good mix of magical realism/sci-fi/romance and really had me thinking about how horrible it would be to be landon in this situation but then also getting glimpses into why rose felt it was the only right choice.
thank you to grand central publishing for sending me this ARC, it's the best feeling for an ARC to be 5 stars ⭐️
August 17, 2026
sigh. ion know about all this. another case of unrealized potential, methinks. this has a solid idea and attempts to tackle ambitious themes, but the execution felt so sterile to me at the best of times, and chaotic and disorganized at the worst. for a story that hinges on this deeply passionate soulmate-energy kind of love, this left me feeling very little and i’m shocked by this outcome because i really thought this was going to be emotional.
the premise is actually interesting. it’s a second chance concept between rose and landon. as it alternates between past and present, we get to see these two “fall in love” and live a whole life in the past, before something unknown to reader must have happened that made rose want to forget about everything, including landon. in this world, something called a “forgetting pill” exists and rose took it, like many others looking to wipe the slate clean. in the present timeline, landon, who’s not over his wife and this once-in-a-lifetime love that they had, tracks rose down across the seas to scotland where she’s living her new life. he pretends to be someone else in an effort to insert himself into said new life and reconnect with this new rose to get her back.
this makes for an angsty premise but it never really took off for me. i think my two main issues boil down to the writing style and the last 30% of the book.
when it comes to the writing style, i felt most let down by it in the past timeline. this kind of story really only works for me if the writing feels charged, emotive and well-fleshed out. in this, it just didn’t. it felt like the author was narrating all these supposedly defining moments instead of writing them in a way that they could be experienced. it started bordering on telling instead of showing and this created a disconnect between me and the book. for example, the book kept asserting that these two had electric chemistry but was the chemistry in the same room with us? on the same planet as us? in the same universe? i just didn’t feel it in how it was written in a very bland style with uninteresting individuals at the center of this love story. another example is that the writing would “state” characteristics for the characters like oh, this person is “funny” or “charming” or that person is “bold”, but i didn’t actually see solid examples of this or get to feel these supposed traits play out in enough situations in the book? i was just told about them. even some key milestones in their past that would have been nice to see play out as scenes were not shown, merely mentioned. the development of the initial relationship felt very disjointed and the execution came across very dull as a result. why this tell-y style of writing hurts most is because i didn’t believe in the monumental love these two were supposed to have had, so then going into the present chapters meant i had no investment in them actually finding their way back to one another. this fails the entire book.
there were some moments where the writing veered into something more evocative (and i can almost isolate those instances more to the present timeline). a few of the lines thrown around here and there nibbled a little, but the book’s grasp on me never lasted very long. any faint charge it managed to muster up fizzled out almost immediately until the next try. the sustained depth and connection just wasn’t there.
beyond the dynamic between the mcs, i also felt like the entire cast had no chemistry either. interactions between the mcs and side characters felt stilted and awkward — again, i think it was the writing being a bit dry and boring that caused this. attempts at humour also fell flat.
now, for issue número dos: the last 30% of the book. it was a mess. here is where all the big revelations and events that should be drawing an emotional reaction out of me were crammed into the narrative, but herein lies the problem…the aforementioned cramming. a lot here was under-developed and under-explored. like i said, there were some ambitious themes in here like postpartum depression, grief, marriage-in-crisis, the pains and joys of motherhood in particular all stand out to me, but it all felt glossed over because the book tried to smush all these ideas into the last stretch and only touched on them in a surface-level way. others, like rose’s grief over her father and estrangement from her mother, were completely forgotten about after being briefly introduced in the first half of the book. because of all of this, the book didn’t deliver the emotional punch something like this sorely needed. i think we wasted too much time on existential musings (even earlier on in the book) instead of using space and time to really go into more depth on some of these topics. the one core element that the book did explore well was the one around identity and whether the erasure of memories can fundamentally alter a person from who they used to be — a lot of time was dedicated to this. i wish there was more balance though with some of the other subjects.
outside of these two bigger issues i had with this read, there were three other more minor, but still notable things that gave me pause:
— the mmc
he gave me a bad vibe as the book progressed. i don’t know if all of this was supposed to be romantic, but the lengths he was going to with what started out as a desperate man in love quickly morphed into manipulations, secret agendas and obsessive behaviour that started feeling creepy and distasteful. usually i can enjoy this kind of conduct in darker romances (and from an mmc with the right kind of aura), but i’m not a fan in contemporary ones. also, finding out some of his actions in the past timeline from that chaotic last stretch of the book made me dislike him even more. ship him back to the streets 🙂↔️. if his grief was better explored in the book, i may have been able to drum up a bit more sympathy for him but it wasn’t, so here we are.
— the magical realism element — rules where?
⚠️ don’t read this next paragraph if you don’t want to see a hint at a spoiler!
if your book is going to have something not of this reality in it, at least make it make some sense and have it have some consistent rules to it. i’m all for whimsy but if things don’t really matter, it cheapens the concept. suddenly, things just don’t work and only for the mcs, without a plausible reason as to why not? how? maybe i missed something as i was dozing off, but i don’t understand why one mc would have a vastly different outcome to something when other people subject to the same set of circumstances aren’t having such outcomes — and for this immunity to wrap up the book. the ending didn’t feel all that well-thought out to me.
— the ending itself
no.
if i’m truly honest, i wasn’t happy with this resolution and i’m not sure i like all the choices made here. it also felt incredibly rushed.
a final (and more petty) remark: the fmc’s married name was rose calloway and there is only ONE person in my mind’s eye that this name belongs to and who embodies it, wholly and completely!!! one of the baddest fmcs to ever exist!!! this rose, unfortunately, holds no candle to her. sawri. try again 😂. and why was there also a poppy and a conor (albeit with one n) in this book? i’m psycho about the addicted / calloway books so all these name similarities were irking me 😂.
so yeah, this was a flop 😭😭. i really wanted to cry and feel something and i just didn’t. i really had to power through on this one and i was only motivated to because i was mildly curious about what drove rose to take the “forgetting pill” to begin with (so i was nosy), and i wanted to give the book a chance to recover, given how i’d seen mostly positive stars / sentiment on it. alas, it wasn’t for me i guess. pretty cover though.
the premise is actually interesting. it’s a second chance concept between rose and landon. as it alternates between past and present, we get to see these two “fall in love” and live a whole life in the past, before something unknown to reader must have happened that made rose want to forget about everything, including landon. in this world, something called a “forgetting pill” exists and rose took it, like many others looking to wipe the slate clean. in the present timeline, landon, who’s not over his wife and this once-in-a-lifetime love that they had, tracks rose down across the seas to scotland where she’s living her new life. he pretends to be someone else in an effort to insert himself into said new life and reconnect with this new rose to get her back.
this makes for an angsty premise but it never really took off for me. i think my two main issues boil down to the writing style and the last 30% of the book.
when it comes to the writing style, i felt most let down by it in the past timeline. this kind of story really only works for me if the writing feels charged, emotive and well-fleshed out. in this, it just didn’t. it felt like the author was narrating all these supposedly defining moments instead of writing them in a way that they could be experienced. it started bordering on telling instead of showing and this created a disconnect between me and the book. for example, the book kept asserting that these two had electric chemistry but was the chemistry in the same room with us? on the same planet as us? in the same universe? i just didn’t feel it in how it was written in a very bland style with uninteresting individuals at the center of this love story. another example is that the writing would “state” characteristics for the characters like oh, this person is “funny” or “charming” or that person is “bold”, but i didn’t actually see solid examples of this or get to feel these supposed traits play out in enough situations in the book? i was just told about them. even some key milestones in their past that would have been nice to see play out as scenes were not shown, merely mentioned. the development of the initial relationship felt very disjointed and the execution came across very dull as a result. why this tell-y style of writing hurts most is because i didn’t believe in the monumental love these two were supposed to have had, so then going into the present chapters meant i had no investment in them actually finding their way back to one another. this fails the entire book.
there were some moments where the writing veered into something more evocative (and i can almost isolate those instances more to the present timeline). a few of the lines thrown around here and there nibbled a little, but the book’s grasp on me never lasted very long. any faint charge it managed to muster up fizzled out almost immediately until the next try. the sustained depth and connection just wasn’t there.
beyond the dynamic between the mcs, i also felt like the entire cast had no chemistry either. interactions between the mcs and side characters felt stilted and awkward — again, i think it was the writing being a bit dry and boring that caused this. attempts at humour also fell flat.
now, for issue número dos: the last 30% of the book. it was a mess. here is where all the big revelations and events that should be drawing an emotional reaction out of me were crammed into the narrative, but herein lies the problem…the aforementioned cramming. a lot here was under-developed and under-explored. like i said, there were some ambitious themes in here like postpartum depression, grief, marriage-in-crisis, the pains and joys of motherhood in particular all stand out to me, but it all felt glossed over because the book tried to smush all these ideas into the last stretch and only touched on them in a surface-level way. others, like rose’s grief over her father and estrangement from her mother, were completely forgotten about after being briefly introduced in the first half of the book. because of all of this, the book didn’t deliver the emotional punch something like this sorely needed. i think we wasted too much time on existential musings (even earlier on in the book) instead of using space and time to really go into more depth on some of these topics. the one core element that the book did explore well was the one around identity and whether the erasure of memories can fundamentally alter a person from who they used to be — a lot of time was dedicated to this. i wish there was more balance though with some of the other subjects.
outside of these two bigger issues i had with this read, there were three other more minor, but still notable things that gave me pause:
— the mmc
he gave me a bad vibe as the book progressed. i don’t know if all of this was supposed to be romantic, but the lengths he was going to with what started out as a desperate man in love quickly morphed into manipulations, secret agendas and obsessive behaviour that started feeling creepy and distasteful. usually i can enjoy this kind of conduct in darker romances (and from an mmc with the right kind of aura), but i’m not a fan in contemporary ones. also, finding out some of his actions in the past timeline from that chaotic last stretch of the book made me dislike him even more. ship him back to the streets 🙂↔️. if his grief was better explored in the book, i may have been able to drum up a bit more sympathy for him but it wasn’t, so here we are.
— the magical realism element — rules where?
⚠️ don’t read this next paragraph if you don’t want to see a hint at a spoiler!
if your book is going to have something not of this reality in it, at least make it make some sense and have it have some consistent rules to it. i’m all for whimsy but if things don’t really matter, it cheapens the concept. suddenly, things just don’t work and only for the mcs, without a plausible reason as to why not? how? maybe i missed something as i was dozing off, but i don’t understand why one mc would have a vastly different outcome to something when other people subject to the same set of circumstances aren’t having such outcomes — and for this immunity to wrap up the book. the ending didn’t feel all that well-thought out to me.
— the ending itself
no.
if i’m truly honest, i wasn’t happy with this resolution and i’m not sure i like all the choices made here. it also felt incredibly rushed.
a final (and more petty) remark: the fmc’s married name was rose calloway and there is only ONE person in my mind’s eye that this name belongs to and who embodies it, wholly and completely!!! one of the baddest fmcs to ever exist!!! this rose, unfortunately, holds no candle to her. sawri. try again 😂. and why was there also a poppy and a conor (albeit with one n) in this book? i’m psycho about the addicted / calloway books so all these name similarities were irking me 😂.
so yeah, this was a flop 😭😭. i really wanted to cry and feel something and i just didn’t. i really had to power through on this one and i was only motivated to because i was mildly curious about what drove rose to take the “forgetting pill” to begin with (so i was nosy), and i wanted to give the book a chance to recover, given how i’d seen mostly positive stars / sentiment on it. alas, it wasn’t for me i guess. pretty cover though.
August 18, 2026
Unsettling psychological drama.
I almost didn’t finish it. The beginning was to slow and boring: sugary love story of two privileged unbothered people. But the intrigue how did it end up kept me going. And it was worth it. Author is very good in painting psychological portraits, in describing grief and complex relationship. Slowly the story leads to the tragic heart-breaking end.
The middle of the book reminded incel-horror: another man who believes that his feelings are more important that woman’s “no”. And his confession-revelation at the end doesn’t fix that impression. But that just the author being good in showing human nature and intricate emotions.
The sci-fi like premise also gives a lot of room for philosophising on death, love, marriage, second0chances and an importance of memories.
I almost didn’t finish it. The beginning was to slow and boring: sugary love story of two privileged unbothered people. But the intrigue how did it end up kept me going. And it was worth it. Author is very good in painting psychological portraits, in describing grief and complex relationship. Slowly the story leads to the tragic heart-breaking end.
The middle of the book reminded incel-horror: another man who believes that his feelings are more important that woman’s “no”. And his confession-revelation at the end doesn’t fix that impression. But that just the author being good in showing human nature and intricate emotions.
The sci-fi like premise also gives a lot of room for philosophising on death, love, marriage, second0chances and an importance of memories.
July 11, 2026
I’m actually very annoyed over the amount of tears I shed reading this book.
I thought people were lying about this book being sad but turns out it was even sadder than how they were portraying it 🧍🏻♀️
I thought people were lying about this book being sad but turns out it was even sadder than how they were portraying it 🧍🏻♀️
August 20, 2026
Oh the heartbreak!!!
The premise follows a married couple, Rose and Landon, who have broken up. Rose moves away and takes a memory erasing pill to forget all the heartache she’s been through and start fresh. Landon finds out and goes after her to make her fall back in love with him, and falls into a spiral of lies, etc. It’s a dual-timeline so you get to witness them falling in love, their marriage, plus the current timeline post-memory erasing pill.
Various parts of this book worked very well for me. I think the book did a very good job at keeping me engaged throughout, because I was so curious as to what could have been so bad to make Rose take the pill that I had to keep reading until I found out. Additionally, the spiral of lies that Landon kept getting himself into had me very stressed in a way that I wanted to look away but couldn’t.
Additionally, I found the writing-style to be lovely. I appreciated that it was written in third-person POV, and I thought it was very beautiful at times.
Some of my favourite parts about this book were that it wasn’t so in-your-face with lots of themes. I think that a lot of the times books will write something so explicitly that it loses it’s spark, but a lot of what resonated with me was pretty subtle. For example, Rose’s whole dilemma of feeling like she’s not doing enough with her life… it made me feel so dreadful and I could relate very deeply, but it wasn’t overly shoved in your face as a reader. Same goes for her frustration about how Landon could be such a good and positive guy because of his amazing upbringing, that it may be hard for her to connect to at times. I LOVED that the relationship wasn’t perfect, we saw deep flaws in both characters, but it wasn’t enough to put me off from their romance.
I think another aspect this whole premise really makes me consider is the whole dilemma of whether a good life is one which is happy or one that is meaningful? As we see, Rose is super happy after the pill, often waking up with hope and excitement for what life has to offer her. But we also quickly see how dispensable everything is to her, including her current boyfriend and anything in her current life. Is that a superior way to live? Whereas Landon is somebody who faced his trauma head-on and continued to do so, writing and recalling past memories, even the ones that hurt and shaped his life so tremendously. Both characters choose different paths yet have their own stubborn opinions of what a good life is. I thought it was insightful and gave the reader lots to think about.
The premise follows a married couple, Rose and Landon, who have broken up. Rose moves away and takes a memory erasing pill to forget all the heartache she’s been through and start fresh. Landon finds out and goes after her to make her fall back in love with him, and falls into a spiral of lies, etc. It’s a dual-timeline so you get to witness them falling in love, their marriage, plus the current timeline post-memory erasing pill.
Various parts of this book worked very well for me. I think the book did a very good job at keeping me engaged throughout, because I was so curious as to what could have been so bad to make Rose take the pill that I had to keep reading until I found out. Additionally, the spiral of lies that Landon kept getting himself into had me very stressed in a way that I wanted to look away but couldn’t.
Additionally, I found the writing-style to be lovely. I appreciated that it was written in third-person POV, and I thought it was very beautiful at times.
Some of my favourite parts about this book were that it wasn’t so in-your-face with lots of themes. I think that a lot of the times books will write something so explicitly that it loses it’s spark, but a lot of what resonated with me was pretty subtle. For example, Rose’s whole dilemma of feeling like she’s not doing enough with her life… it made me feel so dreadful and I could relate very deeply, but it wasn’t overly shoved in your face as a reader. Same goes for her frustration about how Landon could be such a good and positive guy because of his amazing upbringing, that it may be hard for her to connect to at times. I LOVED that the relationship wasn’t perfect, we saw deep flaws in both characters, but it wasn’t enough to put me off from their romance.
I think another aspect this whole premise really makes me consider is the whole dilemma of whether a good life is one which is happy or one that is meaningful? As we see, Rose is super happy after the pill, often waking up with hope and excitement for what life has to offer her. But we also quickly see how dispensable everything is to her, including her current boyfriend and anything in her current life. Is that a superior way to live? Whereas Landon is somebody who faced his trauma head-on and continued to do so, writing and recalling past memories, even the ones that hurt and shaped his life so tremendously. Both characters choose different paths yet have their own stubborn opinions of what a good life is. I thought it was insightful and gave the reader lots to think about.
September 2, 2026
The Good Parts was one of my most anticipated releases of 2026 after hearing its similarities to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (one of my favourite films ever)... however I wouldn't say that it necessarily lived up to my expectations.
Following our protagonist who voluntarily goes under a memory erasing surgery, she chooses to forget her lover... only for him to do whatever it takes to make her fall back in love with him. Now I love a second chance romance, I love yearning, longing and I really felt as if this had such promise to deliver on these feelings however whilst reading, it did not feel romantic in the slightest. There was something about Landon going against Rose's wishes due to his admiration for her, that morally I didn't enjoy. It opens so much discussion surrounding what we owe those we love especially in conjunction with ourselves.
My favourite part of this book however was the way Rose was written. Perhaps slightly controversial but I found that she was written in a way so raw and vulnerable that I couldn't help but resonate with her on some level. She felt like a real representation on what it means to be human and how grief, our circumstances and the people we surround ourselves with do to some level, govern parts or moments of our lives. This reading experience unfortunately wasn't what I was hoping for but there were elements that I adored (lowered my rating slightly)
Following our protagonist who voluntarily goes under a memory erasing surgery, she chooses to forget her lover... only for him to do whatever it takes to make her fall back in love with him. Now I love a second chance romance, I love yearning, longing and I really felt as if this had such promise to deliver on these feelings however whilst reading, it did not feel romantic in the slightest. There was something about Landon going against Rose's wishes due to his admiration for her, that morally I didn't enjoy. It opens so much discussion surrounding what we owe those we love especially in conjunction with ourselves.
My favourite part of this book however was the way Rose was written. Perhaps slightly controversial but I found that she was written in a way so raw and vulnerable that I couldn't help but resonate with her on some level. She felt like a real representation on what it means to be human and how grief, our circumstances and the people we surround ourselves with do to some level, govern parts or moments of our lives. This reading experience unfortunately wasn't what I was hoping for but there were elements that I adored (lowered my rating slightly)
August 18, 2026
trust, nobody is more disappointed than me over the fact that this was just a meh three star read. i started it thinking it had five star potential, and finished it feeling like there ended up not really being a point to the 333 pages i just read.
don’t get me wrong, there’s some great parts. the writing is sort of reminiscent of sarah damoff’s, which i LOVED. it was super fast-paced and easy to binge, and there were some quotes that i underlined and that stuck with me. i liked the concept of the story, too. the idea of a forgetting pill is so fascinating, and i kept thinking throughout the story about what it would be like if this was a real thing.
but honestly, my philosophizing was the most interesting part of my reading experience.
i just felt so indifferent for the majority of the story. the way this is told is, in theory, perfect for the story. alternating timelines, rose’s perspective in the past and landon’s in the present. you get to see them meet, fall in love, and go through tragedy together in the past; then see them (potentially) fall back in love in the present. but it all felt very … surface level, i guess. you only get the big moments of their relationship - first meeting, first date, first ‘i love you’, proposal, wedding, etc etc - in the past, and that made it really hard to really feel a connection to their relationship or characters. love is in the little things, and we didn’t see any of that. it was more that we were being told that they’re in love and experiencing these things, but i don’t feel like their (alleged) soul-deep bond was ever truly shown. and, again, i never once felt even the slightest attachment to either rose or landon, so.
as for the present timeline, i fear it never sat right with me what landon was doing. i know it was supposed to be romantic but the more i read the more i was like, why is he not respecting her decision to forget him? if rose wanted to keep him in her life, she would’ve. and to so blatantly go against her wishes when he claims to love her so deeply, all just because he can’t bother to work past his own heartbreak and grief, was so unbelievably selfish. and the misleading!!! like let’s not disregard the fact that he lied about literally everything. i won’t go on about this because i want to keep this spoiler free but EUGH i couldn’t look past it. maybe that makes me a cynic, but like, i love a love story. this was not it.
edit: i’ve read so many reviews blaming rose for taking the pill in the first place but oh my god can we stop blaming the woman for one single second in the history of humanity!!! i cannot even begin to imagine the devastation and hardships she went through, first with then with the literal . get your head out of the fcking patriarchy’s ass.
and the ending sucked i’m so sorry. first of all i absolutely despise it when a main character is oh so conveniently an exception to a rule. like what do you mean rose just happens to not end up like all these other cases of the same situation? with NO explanation. that’s just laziness on the author’s part idc. those last 60ish pages just turned far too convenient and idealistic (i think that’s the word i’m going for here) for me. odd incorporation of god and praying quite a few times too which was kinda sus but okay whatever. then the way everything came together just … made it feel like the entire story had no real point. like, genuinely, the progress and growth was so tiny it truly just didn’t even matter. i hated it.
lowkey i might drop this to a 2.5 or 2.75 because the more i think about this book the more i’m genuinely just so uninterested and, at best, annoyed and disappointed. i can understand why people love it so much - in theory, i should’ve too! - but the execution of it all just did not click for me unfortunately.
ps i didn’t cry. not a single tear even close to being shed.
── .✦ pre read
going into this after main characters may be slightly psychotic of me but what is life if you’re not constantly being wrecked by fictional love stories am i right!
don’t get me wrong, there’s some great parts. the writing is sort of reminiscent of sarah damoff’s, which i LOVED. it was super fast-paced and easy to binge, and there were some quotes that i underlined and that stuck with me. i liked the concept of the story, too. the idea of a forgetting pill is so fascinating, and i kept thinking throughout the story about what it would be like if this was a real thing.
but honestly, my philosophizing was the most interesting part of my reading experience.
i just felt so indifferent for the majority of the story. the way this is told is, in theory, perfect for the story. alternating timelines, rose’s perspective in the past and landon’s in the present. you get to see them meet, fall in love, and go through tragedy together in the past; then see them (potentially) fall back in love in the present. but it all felt very … surface level, i guess. you only get the big moments of their relationship - first meeting, first date, first ‘i love you’, proposal, wedding, etc etc - in the past, and that made it really hard to really feel a connection to their relationship or characters. love is in the little things, and we didn’t see any of that. it was more that we were being told that they’re in love and experiencing these things, but i don’t feel like their (alleged) soul-deep bond was ever truly shown. and, again, i never once felt even the slightest attachment to either rose or landon, so.
as for the present timeline, i fear it never sat right with me what landon was doing. i know it was supposed to be romantic but the more i read the more i was like, why is he not respecting her decision to forget him? if rose wanted to keep him in her life, she would’ve. and to so blatantly go against her wishes when he claims to love her so deeply, all just because he can’t bother to work past his own heartbreak and grief, was so unbelievably selfish. and the misleading!!! like let’s not disregard the fact that he lied about literally everything. i won’t go on about this because i want to keep this spoiler free but EUGH i couldn’t look past it. maybe that makes me a cynic, but like, i love a love story. this was not it.
edit: i’ve read so many reviews blaming rose for taking the pill in the first place but oh my god can we stop blaming the woman for one single second in the history of humanity!!! i cannot even begin to imagine the devastation and hardships she went through, first with then with the literal . get your head out of the fcking patriarchy’s ass.
and the ending sucked i’m so sorry. first of all i absolutely despise it when a main character is oh so conveniently an exception to a rule. like what do you mean rose just happens to not end up like all these other cases of the same situation? with NO explanation. that’s just laziness on the author’s part idc. those last 60ish pages just turned far too convenient and idealistic (i think that’s the word i’m going for here) for me. odd incorporation of god and praying quite a few times too which was kinda sus but okay whatever. then the way everything came together just … made it feel like the entire story had no real point. like, genuinely, the progress and growth was so tiny it truly just didn’t even matter. i hated it.
lowkey i might drop this to a 2.5 or 2.75 because the more i think about this book the more i’m genuinely just so uninterested and, at best, annoyed and disappointed. i can understand why people love it so much - in theory, i should’ve too! - but the execution of it all just did not click for me unfortunately.
ps i didn’t cry. not a single tear even close to being shed.
── .✦ pre read
going into this after main characters may be slightly psychotic of me but what is life if you’re not constantly being wrecked by fictional love stories am i right!
July 19, 2026
This one is definitely going to take the reading world by storm, it is an emotional, character driven and impactful story and I can see so many who are not only going to be bawling their eyes out but loving it.
For me personally, it was a 3 ⭐️ read, I’d recommend it but it wasn’t my favorite book, if that makes sense? The pacing was a bit off, going between the two different timelines and I had a hard time connecting to their love story, but I will say, the big thing that happens in this book, almost took me out. It was absolutely devastating and I couldn’t even imagine. And I did like the ending, you don’t see books end that way often, so it was refreshing to read something different. While I flew through this book in less than 48 hours, I felt disconnected from the couple and the pacing was not exactly right (for me), and I feel like there could have been more of the past brought into the story, to further solidify the relationship, I’m not sure if that makes sense, but anyway.
I’d recommend this one to you, if you love character driven stories with past and present tense and an emotional read, but for me it was just okay and not something I am super attached too.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy!
For me personally, it was a 3 ⭐️ read, I’d recommend it but it wasn’t my favorite book, if that makes sense? The pacing was a bit off, going between the two different timelines and I had a hard time connecting to their love story, but I will say, the big thing that happens in this book, almost took me out. It was absolutely devastating and I couldn’t even imagine. And I did like the ending, you don’t see books end that way often, so it was refreshing to read something different. While I flew through this book in less than 48 hours, I felt disconnected from the couple and the pacing was not exactly right (for me), and I feel like there could have been more of the past brought into the story, to further solidify the relationship, I’m not sure if that makes sense, but anyway.
I’d recommend this one to you, if you love character driven stories with past and present tense and an emotional read, but for me it was just okay and not something I am super attached too.
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy!
August 13, 2026
Question…If you could take a pill that would erase all your bad memories, would you?
But think twice; there’s a catch. It will remove all your happy ones too. In essence, you’ll be starting over with a fresh slate. No memories. You will forget everyone in your life.
This is the latest pill on the market, and people are clamoring for a chance at a do-over in life. But what about those left behind?
Our lead character, Rose, took the pill and moved to Scotland. Her husband, Landon, just can’t let go. He still loves her and wants her back even if she can’t remember their past. They fell in love once, and he believes in his heart they can do it again! He’s off to Scotland to re-introduce himself to Rose.
Perfect for readers who enjoy:
Slow-burn
Contemporary
Love, loss, and second chances.
🎧 Audio:
▶️The narrator’s performance felt a bit choppy; ultimately, it became a distraction rather than pulling me into the storyline.
▶️The transition between the present and past was abrupt in the audio with no warning. It would usually take my brain a minute to catch up.
✍️ Evann Normandin
🎧 11 hours 40 minutes
🎤 Mhairi Morrison
🗓️ Available Now
📈 3.5/5🌟🌟🌟💫
👉 Contemporary
Thank you to libro.fm and Hachette Audio
But think twice; there’s a catch. It will remove all your happy ones too. In essence, you’ll be starting over with a fresh slate. No memories. You will forget everyone in your life.
This is the latest pill on the market, and people are clamoring for a chance at a do-over in life. But what about those left behind?
Our lead character, Rose, took the pill and moved to Scotland. Her husband, Landon, just can’t let go. He still loves her and wants her back even if she can’t remember their past. They fell in love once, and he believes in his heart they can do it again! He’s off to Scotland to re-introduce himself to Rose.
Perfect for readers who enjoy:
Slow-burn
Contemporary
Love, loss, and second chances.
🎧 Audio:
▶️The narrator’s performance felt a bit choppy; ultimately, it became a distraction rather than pulling me into the storyline.
▶️The transition between the present and past was abrupt in the audio with no warning. It would usually take my brain a minute to catch up.
✍️ Evann Normandin
🎧 11 hours 40 minutes
🎤 Mhairi Morrison
🗓️ Available Now
📈 3.5/5🌟🌟🌟💫
👉 Contemporary
Thank you to libro.fm and Hachette Audio
August 18, 2026
This book had lots of potential that unfortunately wasn’t realized, imo. The Good Parts follows a couple, Rose and Landon, the former of whom decides to take a “forgetting pill” where she loses all recollection of her romantic relationship with Landon. We follow Rose in the past where we learn about the development of her relationship with Landon, whereas from Landon’s point-of-view we see the present and how he’s coping with the aftermath of her decision to take the pill. It’s an interesting concept that combined with the cover design, motivated me to give this novel a shot.
Unfortunately the writing was the biggest flaw here for me. Lots of telling instead of showing, lots of sentences that gave the vibe of “a big emotion is happening here” instead of the quality of the prose itself delivering that emotion. The prose kept me right outside of the characters and the story instead of letting me dive in. I also found one of the plot events/twists at the end of the novel a bit immaturely handled; I won’t spoil what it was but I think if you read the book and you get to it, you’ll likely see what I mean.
Overall, I wish I could’ve rated this one higher because I feel the author approached topics such as relationships, postpartum depression, interpersonal loss, etc. from a genuinely good place. The writing just didn’t cut it for me.
Unfortunately the writing was the biggest flaw here for me. Lots of telling instead of showing, lots of sentences that gave the vibe of “a big emotion is happening here” instead of the quality of the prose itself delivering that emotion. The prose kept me right outside of the characters and the story instead of letting me dive in. I also found one of the plot events/twists at the end of the novel a bit immaturely handled; I won’t spoil what it was but I think if you read the book and you get to it, you’ll likely see what I mean.
Overall, I wish I could’ve rated this one higher because I feel the author approached topics such as relationships, postpartum depression, interpersonal loss, etc. from a genuinely good place. The writing just didn’t cut it for me.
August 9, 2026
mais quelle histoire 🥹 une de mes meilleures lectures de l’année, et un des livres les plus marquants qu’il m’ait été donné de lire. je n’oublierai jamais cette lecture ❤️🩹
August 6, 2026
This was a really meh book for me... Nowhere near as heartbreaking as I thought considering the heavy themes.
I liked the premise and structure, and the ending couldn't be better. However, the execution fell flat. The concept of the "forgetting pill" never fully sold me, and I couldn't connect with the main characters. Rose and Landon's story is supposed to be this great, epic love story, but to me it lacked depth and heart, which made it hard to root for them or stay invested.
Overall, it was ok but didn't deliver the emotional payoff I was hoping for.
I liked the premise and structure, and the ending couldn't be better. However, the execution fell flat. The concept of the "forgetting pill" never fully sold me, and I couldn't connect with the main characters. Rose and Landon's story is supposed to be this great, epic love story, but to me it lacked depth and heart, which made it hard to root for them or stay invested.
Overall, it was ok but didn't deliver the emotional payoff I was hoping for.
August 25, 2026
3.5/5 This was sadly a like not a love for me! I can see why people love this one, it was fast-paced and I did really love the writing. Unfortunately I just had an incredibly hard time connecting with the FMC and believing in the romance and so unfortunately I spent most of the book feeling mostly angry upset vs sad upset. And I wanted/expected the latter!
August 3, 2026
What if you could take a pill and forget all of your heartache, grief, and tragedy?
The Good Parts takes on a unique premise. Rose has endured unbearable tragedy throughout her lifetime, bringing to mind her father's favorite word, apricity—the warmth of the sun in winter—and the way we wrap language around complex human emotions.
At its core, this story centers on Landon and Rose. Theirs is a deeply moving love story that manages to transcend overwhelming grief, devastating family loss, emotional betrayal, physical distance, and the terrifying prospect of a pill designed to erase one half of a couple's shared memory.
While I didn't entirely love the ending, I completely understood why it went the direction it did. Overall, it's a poignant and thought-provoking read about memory, loss, and connection.
**Thank you, Grand Central Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC.
The Good Parts takes on a unique premise. Rose has endured unbearable tragedy throughout her lifetime, bringing to mind her father's favorite word, apricity—the warmth of the sun in winter—and the way we wrap language around complex human emotions.
At its core, this story centers on Landon and Rose. Theirs is a deeply moving love story that manages to transcend overwhelming grief, devastating family loss, emotional betrayal, physical distance, and the terrifying prospect of a pill designed to erase one half of a couple's shared memory.
While I didn't entirely love the ending, I completely understood why it went the direction it did. Overall, it's a poignant and thought-provoking read about memory, loss, and connection.
**Thank you, Grand Central Publishing & NetGalley for this ARC.
![Profile Image for ahana ⊹ [ ia ].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1745486243i/169798388._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
August 23, 2026
tugged at my heartstrings ouch
August 2, 2026
3.5☆
Did I shed a tear while reading this? Absolutely! The Good Parts is reminiscent of One Day, with the emotional turmoil experienced by the main characters. As a huge fan of dual timelines, I found the author’s clever approach particularly noteworthy. As the story unfolds, the reader’s experiences are intertwined with Rose’s perspective from the past, while Landon’s perspective remains in the present. The book’s prose revolves around the concept of a memory erasing pill that acts as a restart button to one’s life. It’s evident that something unfortunate must have occurred for Rose to desire taking the pill and forgetting. The gradual buildup to this revelation kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the other shoe to drop.
Rose and Landon met during their first year of college, and while they instantly had chemistry, it felt more like insta love to me. I would have preferred a more gradual development of their relationship before they delved into deeper emotional moments. Throughout the entire book, I felt for Rose because of the hardships she faced.
I genuinely enjoy the side characters, Poppy and Connor. Poppy was not afraid to confront Landon when she felt it was necessary, and Connor’s brotherly bond with Landon was incredibly endearing.
I wish there was more scientific explanation or even backstory and depth behind the memory-erasing pill. It was simply thrown at the reader without any real context, except that it erases one’s memory.
Overall, this was a good read for me that 100% pulled at my heartstrings.
Did I shed a tear while reading this? Absolutely! The Good Parts is reminiscent of One Day, with the emotional turmoil experienced by the main characters. As a huge fan of dual timelines, I found the author’s clever approach particularly noteworthy. As the story unfolds, the reader’s experiences are intertwined with Rose’s perspective from the past, while Landon’s perspective remains in the present. The book’s prose revolves around the concept of a memory erasing pill that acts as a restart button to one’s life. It’s evident that something unfortunate must have occurred for Rose to desire taking the pill and forgetting. The gradual buildup to this revelation kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipating the other shoe to drop.
Rose and Landon met during their first year of college, and while they instantly had chemistry, it felt more like insta love to me. I would have preferred a more gradual development of their relationship before they delved into deeper emotional moments. Throughout the entire book, I felt for Rose because of the hardships she faced.
I genuinely enjoy the side characters, Poppy and Connor. Poppy was not afraid to confront Landon when she felt it was necessary, and Connor’s brotherly bond with Landon was incredibly endearing.
I wish there was more scientific explanation or even backstory and depth behind the memory-erasing pill. It was simply thrown at the reader without any real context, except that it erases one’s memory.
Overall, this was a good read for me that 100% pulled at my heartstrings.
August 14, 2026
I think one of the most honest things a romance novel can explore is the idea that sometimes loving someone means letting them go. We tend to think that holding on is proof of love, but sometimes the most loving thing you can do is accept that you can’t have the person you love. Love isn’t always about getting what you want, and I think this book understood that beautifully. That’s probably why this became one of the best romance novels I’ve ever read. Even though it has elements of speculative fiction, the emotions and relationships felt incredibly real and familiar. I loved the characters, and I especially enjoyed the way we got glimpses of the past and the future through different perspectives. It made the story feel much more intimate and immersive. The friendship between Rose and Poppy was another highlight for me. Their relationship reminded me so much of my own college roommate, especially the way they met and gradually became such an important part of each other’s lives. That familiarity made their friendship feel especially genuine to me. And, of course, I absolutely loved the ending. I genuinely love unhappy, tragic, bittersweet endings in romance novels, which I realize is probably a slightly questionable preference, but this one completely delivered. It broke my heart reading what happened between them, but I found it incredibly moving. This felt much more honest than the romances I usually read because it acknowledges that sometimes letting go really is an act of love. Being selfish isn’t necessarily loving someone, and sometimes choosing their happiness over your own is the hardest and most genuine expression of love. That’s what stayed with me after finishing this book, and it’s ultimately why I loved it so much.
May 18, 2026
4.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was like eternal sunshine but ten times more sad to read. The build up between Landon and Rose was so beautiful and the reveal of what happened between them felt like a rug being pulled out from beneath you. This entire book portrayed all of the ways people deal with grief gorgeously and was definitely a tear jerker. The ending was bittersweet but I think it fit the characters and the story perfectly. I would check trigger warnings on this one because one of the main themes can be really difficult to read about but I 100% recommend this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was like eternal sunshine but ten times more sad to read. The build up between Landon and Rose was so beautiful and the reveal of what happened between them felt like a rug being pulled out from beneath you. This entire book portrayed all of the ways people deal with grief gorgeously and was definitely a tear jerker. The ending was bittersweet but I think it fit the characters and the story perfectly. I would check trigger warnings on this one because one of the main themes can be really difficult to read about but I 100% recommend this.
May 30, 2026
Wow, what a beautiful and emotional ride that was.
The premise of this book was so unique and I am such a sucker for anything with magical realism. The entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking about how this would make such a fantastic book club book. It is so thought provoking and can really stir up some interesting conversations.
I adored Landon and Rose and all of the side characters. Each one played such an important role throughout the story. I would love a version in Poppy’s POV.
This book was so much more than a love story — I felt like the way that it depicted grief and marriage and all of life’s challenges was heartbreakingly beautiful and real and vulnerable.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
The premise of this book was so unique and I am such a sucker for anything with magical realism. The entire time I was reading it, I kept thinking about how this would make such a fantastic book club book. It is so thought provoking and can really stir up some interesting conversations.
I adored Landon and Rose and all of the side characters. Each one played such an important role throughout the story. I would love a version in Poppy’s POV.
This book was so much more than a love story — I felt like the way that it depicted grief and marriage and all of life’s challenges was heartbreakingly beautiful and real and vulnerable.
Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
October 27, 2025
The Good Parts is an exquisite exploration of memory, grief, the choices we make, and the ways we love. The fantastical premise drew me in, and the cozy backdrop of Edinburgh made me want to stay. Normandin's characters navigated the moral and ethical dilemmas she posed in such a way that, despite the surreal elements, made the narrative feel entirely true. For a book about forgetting, The Good Parts will not let you go, and will keep you thinking about the world she has built long after you've finished reading.
July 3, 2026
4.5 rounded down for Goodreads and Netgalley.
It was definitely a thought-provoking and intense read, with a lot of depth in the exploration of the characters’ emotions.
I loved the overall idea of the pill and all the talks about memory and the questions surrounding it. It was such an unique take on an universal feeling: wanting to start over without consequences. Forgetting about all the hurt, all the sorrow, but also all the good. Because I loved the fact that if you forget about the bad, you also forget about the good. You don’t get to choose what to forget, everything gets forgotten. I also liked the dual timeline even though I wished we had a different narrator for one of them. I’ll explain that later.
Throughout my reading experience, I grew a distaste and distrust for the male character, Landon. It’s been quite a while since a character made me feel so many negative emotions (frustration, irritation, disbelief among others). So I’m going to explore that character in this review, because some things have to be said. First of all, there was a duality to this character. With all the other characters he seemed too perfect and sweet and caring but underneath that, there was a thick layer of deceit and a mountain of lies. He was a manipulator and his greatest victim was Rose. Living a part of the story through his eyes was a challenge, and he was the narrator I wish I never had. The constant mask he was wearing with the other characters made him extremely unlikeable and impossible to root for to me. His lies were unbearable, how could he expect anything from Rose if he’s not truthful? He was a coward hiding behind his lies. Lying about his identity to get to her was just nasty. Also, I didn’t like the way he was calling her « his Rose », that was very possessive. It was like she didn’t exist on her own, like she was his possession and nothing more than that. His obsessive behaviour was endangering Rose and he was so deep in this obsession he didn’t understand that he became the danger. During their time together, he was forcing Rose to do things and to become a version of her that just didn’t exist. He tried to control her. He was so selfish and oblivious to Rose’s issues. He kept failing to understand Rose, in so many levels. He did not even seem to try to understand her sometimes. He couldn’t understand her pain, her struggles. So he belittled them. His narrow-mindedness and failure to understand Rose were disrespectful to her. And she deserved to be treated better. He believed his pain was bigger than hers when it has never been and will never be.
And yes, unlike Rose, I do believe it was his fault.
Poppy was the only one who saw through Landon and his deceitful looks. She saw through the lies and she was rightfully protective of Rose. She was Rose’s real support, not Landon. He has never been that. Here when not needed, absent when needed. Inconsistent and unreliable. I do not understand her forgiveness (because I sure as hell do not forgive him) but she always put Rose ahead of him and she always showed love and support for her. And that matters.
Rose… I grew to be quite protective of her too, in a way. And that’s most likely why I felt such strong emotions towards Landon, who massively hurt her. Watching Rose fade away as the story progressed was such a dreadful experience. She gave so much away of herself to that male that she slowly lost herself and this helplessness was insufferable. She went through so much pain alone when she was supposed to be supported by the male she trusted to be on his side at all times. In the present, Rose was absolutely not regretful of her choice and I liked that. When I found out why she made that choice… it was an obvious one. And choosing herself was the strongest decision she ever made. She deserved a life without all that misery and agony. She deserved some peace of mind.
I liked the ending, I’m glad the author chose to write this ending. It was the most realistic ending and it made sense. Anything else wouldn’t have.
This review is most likely all over the place and driven by emotions, but I feel like this is the sort of review this book deserves. It’s a bit messy but it’s raw, and it’s meaningful. The fact that this is a debut is truly remarkable. It will definitely stay with me for a little while.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
It was definitely a thought-provoking and intense read, with a lot of depth in the exploration of the characters’ emotions.
I loved the overall idea of the pill and all the talks about memory and the questions surrounding it. It was such an unique take on an universal feeling: wanting to start over without consequences. Forgetting about all the hurt, all the sorrow, but also all the good. Because I loved the fact that if you forget about the bad, you also forget about the good. You don’t get to choose what to forget, everything gets forgotten. I also liked the dual timeline even though I wished we had a different narrator for one of them. I’ll explain that later.
Throughout my reading experience, I grew a distaste and distrust for the male character, Landon. It’s been quite a while since a character made me feel so many negative emotions (frustration, irritation, disbelief among others). So I’m going to explore that character in this review, because some things have to be said. First of all, there was a duality to this character. With all the other characters he seemed too perfect and sweet and caring but underneath that, there was a thick layer of deceit and a mountain of lies. He was a manipulator and his greatest victim was Rose. Living a part of the story through his eyes was a challenge, and he was the narrator I wish I never had. The constant mask he was wearing with the other characters made him extremely unlikeable and impossible to root for to me. His lies were unbearable, how could he expect anything from Rose if he’s not truthful? He was a coward hiding behind his lies. Lying about his identity to get to her was just nasty. Also, I didn’t like the way he was calling her « his Rose », that was very possessive. It was like she didn’t exist on her own, like she was his possession and nothing more than that. His obsessive behaviour was endangering Rose and he was so deep in this obsession he didn’t understand that he became the danger. During their time together, he was forcing Rose to do things and to become a version of her that just didn’t exist. He tried to control her. He was so selfish and oblivious to Rose’s issues. He kept failing to understand Rose, in so many levels. He did not even seem to try to understand her sometimes. He couldn’t understand her pain, her struggles. So he belittled them. His narrow-mindedness and failure to understand Rose were disrespectful to her. And she deserved to be treated better. He believed his pain was bigger than hers when it has never been and will never be.
And yes, unlike Rose, I do believe it was his fault.
Poppy was the only one who saw through Landon and his deceitful looks. She saw through the lies and she was rightfully protective of Rose. She was Rose’s real support, not Landon. He has never been that. Here when not needed, absent when needed. Inconsistent and unreliable. I do not understand her forgiveness (because I sure as hell do not forgive him) but she always put Rose ahead of him and she always showed love and support for her. And that matters.
Rose… I grew to be quite protective of her too, in a way. And that’s most likely why I felt such strong emotions towards Landon, who massively hurt her. Watching Rose fade away as the story progressed was such a dreadful experience. She gave so much away of herself to that male that she slowly lost herself and this helplessness was insufferable. She went through so much pain alone when she was supposed to be supported by the male she trusted to be on his side at all times. In the present, Rose was absolutely not regretful of her choice and I liked that. When I found out why she made that choice… it was an obvious one. And choosing herself was the strongest decision she ever made. She deserved a life without all that misery and agony. She deserved some peace of mind.
I liked the ending, I’m glad the author chose to write this ending. It was the most realistic ending and it made sense. Anything else wouldn’t have.
This review is most likely all over the place and driven by emotions, but I feel like this is the sort of review this book deserves. It’s a bit messy but it’s raw, and it’s meaningful. The fact that this is a debut is truly remarkable. It will definitely stay with me for a little while.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
August 14, 2026
4.5★
this is actually a horror book.
it was so heartbreaking. i never want to think about this book but i know i'll never be able to stop. i think if not for my massive reading slump this could've been a 5★!
this is actually a horror book.
it was so heartbreaking. i never want to think about this book but i know i'll never be able to stop. i think if not for my massive reading slump this could've been a 5★!
August 26, 2026
as predicted, this hurt me🥲
July 29, 2026
this was actually a HORRIBLE story. this is not romance, this is a f****ing horror book. I cannot imagine the pain the characters went through but this was such a devastating story to read from the MMCs POV. This woman is selfish to her core. I am utterly DISGUSTED & ANGRY at the way this man was treated. Wasted my time & $30. I was better before this book.
August 29, 2026
This book reminded me of The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick in that it dealt with a way of getting through trauma or grief. This book involves taking a “forgetting pill.” I loved the two main characters and felt like their love story was so amazing that it was hard for me to see the separation.
July 28, 2026
This is absolutely the kind of book that belongs in a book club because I had SO many thoughts, questions, and feelings while reading it. The Good Parts is an emotional, complicated, devastating love story that asks fascinating questions about memory, identity, grief, and the morality of choosing what parts of ourselves we want to erase.
The concept of a memory erasing pill immediately grabbed me because there are so many layers to unpack. If you could remove your deepest pain, would you? Would you still be the same person afterward? Are our hardest moments just wounds, or are they also part of what shapes us? This book doesn’t give easy answers, and honestly, I loved that it left room for discussion.
From the beginning, you know something truly heartbreaking must have happened for Rose to make such an enormous decision without even talking to Landon first. Watching their story unfold across timelines made their relationship feel incredibly human—messy, beautiful, painful, and filled with all the complicated pieces that come with loving someone for a lifetime.
I was not emotionally prepared for the ending. It was bittersweet, poignant, and completely true to Rose and Landon’s journey. It wasn’t the ending I expected, but it was the ending their story needed. Beautiful, unique, and quietly devastating, this is a book that will stay with you long after the final page.
Perfect for Readers Who Love
* Emotional book club fiction that sparks deep conversations
* Complicated love stories filled with heartbreak and hope
* Thought provoking “what would you do?” concepts
* Character driven stories about grief, healing, and letting go
January 11, 2026
I want to thank NetGalley and Grand Central for allowing me the utmost privilege to read The Good Parts.
This may have been one of the best books I have ever read. I loved the story, the concept, but most of all I love Rose and Landon. This book broke me, I cried at so many chapters, especially nearing the end. Understanding why we got to where we were, but I also, surprisingly, thought it ended perfectly.
The writing is so well done that you can’t help but find yourself there watching the story unfold. I love the way the story is from Rose in the past and Landon in the present. It shows you the story in such a way that keeps you involved and hanging on for each chapter and then for the next to finish the one before.
I would pay to see this book turned into movie or limited series, played exactly as the author intended with the back and forth.
I cannot praise this book more, I hope everyone reads it and loves it and feels as broken as I do now.
Thank you again for allowing me an early release of this amazing book.
This may have been one of the best books I have ever read. I loved the story, the concept, but most of all I love Rose and Landon. This book broke me, I cried at so many chapters, especially nearing the end. Understanding why we got to where we were, but I also, surprisingly, thought it ended perfectly.
The writing is so well done that you can’t help but find yourself there watching the story unfold. I love the way the story is from Rose in the past and Landon in the present. It shows you the story in such a way that keeps you involved and hanging on for each chapter and then for the next to finish the one before.
I would pay to see this book turned into movie or limited series, played exactly as the author intended with the back and forth.
I cannot praise this book more, I hope everyone reads it and loves it and feels as broken as I do now.
Thank you again for allowing me an early release of this amazing book.
Did Not Finish
August 18, 2026DNF at 17% because I'm not in the mood to angry read a book and I spoiled myself for the ending. I can't believe how poorly Landon was treated by Poppy, and Rose, too. Nobody wants to feel pain, but our pain is what makes us, us. I'm feeling a bit betrayed, too, because I was expecting a happily ever after as this is classified as romance, but is not (there's no HEA for the couple in the end).
I think in the future I'll give a chance to this book, but is a DNF for now.
edit to add that I really won't finish this book in the future. It isn't for me, but I still think people should give a chance, the writing is solid, I just don't think some plot points are believable.
I think in the future I'll give a chance to this book, but is a DNF for now.
edit to add that I really won't finish this book in the future. It isn't for me, but I still think people should give a chance, the writing is solid, I just don't think some plot points are believable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2026
Honestly anything would have hurt less than finishing this book. Hit me with a vehicle, shoot me... anything is better than the devastating sadness I am feeling.
Whew, can barely breathe through the sobs.
Whew, can barely breathe through the sobs.
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