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When I'm Gone
An Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller.
Dear Luke,First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you…
Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home.
The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2016
16692 people are currently reading
64634 people want to read
About the author
Emily Bleeker
13 books1,707 followersEmily lives in suburban Chicago with her family. Between writing and being a mom, she attempts to learn guitar, sings along to the radio (loudly), and embraces her newfound addiction to running.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,863 reviews
March 14, 2016
Emily Bleeker's new novel, 'When I'm Gone,' is about Natalie Richardson. But the thing is, Natalie is dead. But through letters and secrets slowly being uncovered, she's continuing to control the way her husband and those that she left behind are able to live. Yes, they loved Natalie dearly, but this new information is making it hard to believe that Natalie was the person that they all felt they knew.
What would you do if you started to receive letters from someone who had recently passed away? Would you be freaked out? Would you relish in this continuation of their presence? Would you follow the instructions for you that they had laid out when they were still here? These are the things that Luke Richardson is faced with. And on top of that, he has to figure out how to be a single dad to 3 children. He misses his wife, but when does he reach the point in time where he just lets her go?
'When I'm Gone,' is one of those books that's so well written and engaging that you start to read it and suddenly you're 200+ pages in. I finished it in less than two days, and I actually felt like I had hardly spent any time with it. That goes to say, this one is just that good. It's got a mystery feel, but don't be surprised when you shed a tear or two. I also thoroughly enjoyed the fact that I didn't always know whether to like the characters a lot. I'm all for a dynamic character, but these took it to the next level. I loved them one moment, hated them the next, and was back to rooting for them again before the next chapter.
Trust me on this one, it's an emotional ride but one that is very well worth it.
What did I think?: This isn't a book that's like a lot of things I read. I'm normally attracted to mysteries, but this wasn't a flat out mystery. And the twists were a total surprise which was so much fun. It was happy, sad, angering...everything that makes a book just that much better.
Who should read it?: I think this is better answered by saying that if you've just lost someone close to you, it's probably best to skip over this one as it might hit a bit too close to home. But if you love mysteries, but are looking for something a little deeper that pulls on those heart strings a bit more than most, you'll probably be glad you gave this book a chance.
*I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for this honest review
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What would you do if you started to receive letters from someone who had recently passed away? Would you be freaked out? Would you relish in this continuation of their presence? Would you follow the instructions for you that they had laid out when they were still here? These are the things that Luke Richardson is faced with. And on top of that, he has to figure out how to be a single dad to 3 children. He misses his wife, but when does he reach the point in time where he just lets her go?
'When I'm Gone,' is one of those books that's so well written and engaging that you start to read it and suddenly you're 200+ pages in. I finished it in less than two days, and I actually felt like I had hardly spent any time with it. That goes to say, this one is just that good. It's got a mystery feel, but don't be surprised when you shed a tear or two. I also thoroughly enjoyed the fact that I didn't always know whether to like the characters a lot. I'm all for a dynamic character, but these took it to the next level. I loved them one moment, hated them the next, and was back to rooting for them again before the next chapter.
Trust me on this one, it's an emotional ride but one that is very well worth it.
What did I think?: This isn't a book that's like a lot of things I read. I'm normally attracted to mysteries, but this wasn't a flat out mystery. And the twists were a total surprise which was so much fun. It was happy, sad, angering...everything that makes a book just that much better.
Who should read it?: I think this is better answered by saying that if you've just lost someone close to you, it's probably best to skip over this one as it might hit a bit too close to home. But if you love mysteries, but are looking for something a little deeper that pulls on those heart strings a bit more than most, you'll probably be glad you gave this book a chance.
*I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for this honest review
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
November 21, 2016
I picked up this audiobook with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. This is the second book that I've read by this author and I have to say that I enjoyed this book quite a bit. As expected, it was a very sentimental read. However, it wasn't the depressing tearjerker that I had imagined it would be.
Luke Richardson has just buried his wife, Natalie. He is now a single father, trying his best to hold it all together when he really just wants to curl into a ball and hide. His pain was palpable.
Natalie was the focal-point of his life and the glue that held everything together. Even in death, she manages to keep Luke and her family on track. She's written letters, each to be delivered on specific dates, offering guidance and encouragement to Luke.
At first, the letters serve as the push that Luke needs to keep going through the motions. However, as time passes, the letters become both a blessing and a curse. He can't let go if he's hanging on to his past.
Over the course of the book, it becomes clear that Natalie had some pretty big secrets of her own. Little by little the truth comes out, causing Luke to question everything he thought he knew about the woman he loved. Appearances can be deceiving and everything was not as it seemed on the surface.
Meanwhile, Luke's relationship with Natalie's best friend, Annie, takes on a life of it's own. What was first friendship and support between two grieving individuals, soon becomes more. Yet, Annie's life is not without it's own set of complications.
Although this was a sentimental story with some emotional moments, it felt mostly like a mystery novel. I wouldn't say that it felt suspenseful, but it certainly kept you wondering exactly what Natalie had been up to. As much as I enjoyed the love story, this one was all about figuring out Natalie's secret for me.
All in all, I thought this was a great story. I listened to the Audible version and the narration was good. It is a standalone and won't leave you with any lingering questions. If you're looking for a nice, sweet, story with a big mystery, this is a wonderful choice.
See more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
Luke Richardson has just buried his wife, Natalie. He is now a single father, trying his best to hold it all together when he really just wants to curl into a ball and hide. His pain was palpable.
Natalie was the focal-point of his life and the glue that held everything together. Even in death, she manages to keep Luke and her family on track. She's written letters, each to be delivered on specific dates, offering guidance and encouragement to Luke.
At first, the letters serve as the push that Luke needs to keep going through the motions. However, as time passes, the letters become both a blessing and a curse. He can't let go if he's hanging on to his past.
Over the course of the book, it becomes clear that Natalie had some pretty big secrets of her own. Little by little the truth comes out, causing Luke to question everything he thought he knew about the woman he loved. Appearances can be deceiving and everything was not as it seemed on the surface.
Meanwhile, Luke's relationship with Natalie's best friend, Annie, takes on a life of it's own. What was first friendship and support between two grieving individuals, soon becomes more. Yet, Annie's life is not without it's own set of complications.
Although this was a sentimental story with some emotional moments, it felt mostly like a mystery novel. I wouldn't say that it felt suspenseful, but it certainly kept you wondering exactly what Natalie had been up to. As much as I enjoyed the love story, this one was all about figuring out Natalie's secret for me.
All in all, I thought this was a great story. I listened to the Audible version and the narration was good. It is a standalone and won't leave you with any lingering questions. If you're looking for a nice, sweet, story with a big mystery, this is a wonderful choice.
See more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
December 26, 2016
I am shocked by the positive reviews this book has. It should have been a lifetime movie. I feel dumber having read this trite and tired exploration of grief and relationships. Easily the worst book I have read in many years. This is what I get for choosing a book based on the cover.
Skip this one, friends. It's terrible.
Dear Luke,
I should have stopped reading this book when I realized the characters weren't fully developed, and the plot belonged on Lifetime television, and not even as one of the movies they run in prime time, but one they save for the midnight hour when even the hardcore lifetime movie fans are asleep. The plot line of this book is an interesting one- a wife dies, and leaves her husband letters. But, wait, that's been done before (P.S. I Love You, anyone?- Oh man, this is going to actually be made into a Lifetime movie, right?) and not that long ago it was done. I thought this could be an exploration of grief, but it really becomes a husband developing a crush on his dead wife's best friend, and then to add to the crazy, the author decides that the husband of the best friend's wife is clinically insane and abusive, and that's not even the only subplot.
There's too much going on in this book. Melodramatic. Poorly developed characters, outlandish plot. I can honestly say I hated it. A steaming pile of shit. I rarely have such strong negative reactions to books, but this was awful. One of the worst books I have ever read.
Edit: my kindle just informed me this is on the Amazon best seller list right now. There's not much I can say I didn't say above.
Skip this one, friends. It's terrible.
Dear Luke,
I should have stopped reading this book when I realized the characters weren't fully developed, and the plot belonged on Lifetime television, and not even as one of the movies they run in prime time, but one they save for the midnight hour when even the hardcore lifetime movie fans are asleep. The plot line of this book is an interesting one- a wife dies, and leaves her husband letters. But, wait, that's been done before (P.S. I Love You, anyone?- Oh man, this is going to actually be made into a Lifetime movie, right?) and not that long ago it was done. I thought this could be an exploration of grief, but it really becomes a husband developing a crush on his dead wife's best friend, and then to add to the crazy, the author decides that the husband of the best friend's wife is clinically insane and abusive, and that's not even the only subplot.
There's too much going on in this book. Melodramatic. Poorly developed characters, outlandish plot. I can honestly say I hated it. A steaming pile of shit. I rarely have such strong negative reactions to books, but this was awful. One of the worst books I have ever read.
Edit: my kindle just informed me this is on the Amazon best seller list right now. There's not much I can say I didn't say above.
January 29, 2016
"Are you afraid of death, or are you afraid of leaving your family?"
......the above sentence brought tears to my eyes ...( I took in the magnitude of the question).
Enjoyed it!
Took value from it
Plan to explore a few questions for myself
I didn't give a rats ass if the writing had a few flaws ( hell, so does life)...overall...
I found the entire premises intriguing....
I liked the characters that I got to hang out with...
I looked inward. My very close friend Barbara, died of Cancer, 26 years ago. Marty, her husband, was left as a single father to raise 3 young kids. Our families still very close today. Observing the beauty of how this family survived and thrived is very inspiring. Single fathers with 3 small kids is still rare in my book. Doing an exceptional job, as my friend did...is even more rare!
This story took me back to old memories - my conversations with Barbara the day before she died. The frightening first words Marty first said to me after the funeral.
I felt for Mr. Mom in this novel. ( I really could imagine all that was on his plate). How does a man who just lost the love of his life have time to grieve, with 3 small kids needing him? How does he get out of bed and go to work?
Add.... IMPORTANT THINGS UNSAID...secrets which he was discovering - haunting him....things get even more twisty & complicated.
Lots of juice to keep readers turning pages. I lost a nights sleep!
Loved "The Wreckage"...( see my review)... The author got me all charged up!!!!
Loved "When I'm Gone"! ( a different type of enjoyment) ... Tender...thought-provoking- a damn good human story!
Thank You Lake Union Publishing, Netgalley, and Emily Bleeker
......the above sentence brought tears to my eyes ...( I took in the magnitude of the question).
Enjoyed it!
Took value from it
Plan to explore a few questions for myself
I didn't give a rats ass if the writing had a few flaws ( hell, so does life)...overall...
I found the entire premises intriguing....
I liked the characters that I got to hang out with...
I looked inward. My very close friend Barbara, died of Cancer, 26 years ago. Marty, her husband, was left as a single father to raise 3 young kids. Our families still very close today. Observing the beauty of how this family survived and thrived is very inspiring. Single fathers with 3 small kids is still rare in my book. Doing an exceptional job, as my friend did...is even more rare!
This story took me back to old memories - my conversations with Barbara the day before she died. The frightening first words Marty first said to me after the funeral.
I felt for Mr. Mom in this novel. ( I really could imagine all that was on his plate). How does a man who just lost the love of his life have time to grieve, with 3 small kids needing him? How does he get out of bed and go to work?
Add.... IMPORTANT THINGS UNSAID...secrets which he was discovering - haunting him....things get even more twisty & complicated.
Lots of juice to keep readers turning pages. I lost a nights sleep!
Loved "The Wreckage"...( see my review)... The author got me all charged up!!!!
Loved "When I'm Gone"! ( a different type of enjoyment) ... Tender...thought-provoking- a damn good human story!
Thank You Lake Union Publishing, Netgalley, and Emily Bleeker
December 2, 2016
I stumbled across this book on audible and the synopsis reminded me of one of my favorite movies of all time - P.S. I Love You; so of course, I couldn’t resist. Aside from the similarity of the letters, both from spouses that passed, this is an entirely different story. It's sad and told in a contemplative tone, but somehow still manages to be quite melodramatic in parts.
Luke just lost his wife, Natalie, to cancer and he has to find a way to keep it together for their kids. It’s the surprise arrival of handwritten letters from his dead wife, composed over the course of her cancer treatments, that provide him the most support initially. Natalie uses the letters to fess up about her struggles with treatment, her imminent death, nudges him to engage the kids, reminisces about their relationship and pushes him to move on and live his life without her.
I can’t hide the fact that I had some issues with this story. I was pretty confident early on that I knew exactly where the story was headed and it turns out, I was right. I will say that the author tried really hard to throw in things to hide the predictability of the plot. Granted it was drama filled and felt like overkill by the ending, but it did what she set out to do. Or at least what I assume she was trying to do - it distracted the reader from the obviousness of it all. Why did it take Luke so long to figure it out? Is it just that guys tend to miss the details?
My biggest gripe -
What at first came off as a heartfelt story about life after losing someone morphed into something entirely different by the end. I felt kind of duped in regards to Natalie and Luke’s relationship. Why hide the truth for so long? Why not just fess up when you know your days are numbered? Did the author purposely taint them both? Was it all in an attempt to lend some credibility to their relationship, to reiterate that nothing in life is perfect? I'm not sure. What I am sure of - my feelings are mixed, landing me at a 3 star rating.
Luke just lost his wife, Natalie, to cancer and he has to find a way to keep it together for their kids. It’s the surprise arrival of handwritten letters from his dead wife, composed over the course of her cancer treatments, that provide him the most support initially. Natalie uses the letters to fess up about her struggles with treatment, her imminent death, nudges him to engage the kids, reminisces about their relationship and pushes him to move on and live his life without her.
I can’t hide the fact that I had some issues with this story. I was pretty confident early on that I knew exactly where the story was headed and it turns out, I was right. I will say that the author tried really hard to throw in things to hide the predictability of the plot. Granted it was drama filled and felt like overkill by the ending, but it did what she set out to do. Or at least what I assume she was trying to do - it distracted the reader from the obviousness of it all. Why did it take Luke so long to figure it out? Is it just that guys tend to miss the details?
My biggest gripe -
What at first came off as a heartfelt story about life after losing someone morphed into something entirely different by the end. I felt kind of duped in regards to Natalie and Luke’s relationship. Why hide the truth for so long? Why not just fess up when you know your days are numbered? Did the author purposely taint them both? Was it all in an attempt to lend some credibility to their relationship, to reiterate that nothing in life is perfect? I'm not sure. What I am sure of - my feelings are mixed, landing me at a 3 star rating.
March 16, 2016
Last year I read Wreckage by Emily Bleeker, which I quite liked, so I was willing to give When I'm Gone a try. I can get into the occasional sentimental book, but this one was a mixed bag for me. At the beginning of the book, Luke's wife Nathalie dies of cancer, leaving him with three children and a few secrets to uncover. Nathalie had arranged for her best friend Annie to check in on Luke, for 21 year old Jessie to help with the kids, and for letters to arrive on a regular basis with various messages to Luke. The concept is quite cheesy, but the characters Bleeker creates are quite good and there are definitely some surprising secrets to be discovered. What spoiled the book for me somewhat was that Bleeker seemed to try to pack too much into the story. It turns out that Luke, Nathalie, Annie and Jessie all have a lot of complicated baggage, and after a while it felt like too much. In Wreckage, Bleeker did a good job pulling together a complicated plot. For me, in When I'm Gone she didn't quite pull it off. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
July 20, 2016
The first two words that come to mind are 1.) unbelievable and 2.) melodramatic... Let's add 3.) predictable.
I noticed another review mentioning 'heart' but unfortunately, When I'm Gone, lacks just that. While the summary was one that clearly made me want to read the book, the actual content was void of character development. The author describes certain things in painstaking detail (i.e. a mailbox & dirt road) while others that are far more significant, are glossed over. The end result is like reading an outline: unfinished, easy to spot (not to mention ridiculous) plot twists, & a depth that is less than a plastic kiddie pool.
The death of a spouse is story enough, yet in all too many novels, authors seem apt to toss in convoluted plot devices that feel so phony, it's impossible to care about what's unfolding. The fact that I got to read a three year old speak far more than characters who could have added some actual value? That would be the hardened mess of inedible crumbs & frosting on the plate of a cake I never actually saw, much less got to eat.
SPOILER ALERT
A long lost daughter given up for adoption who is presumed kidnapped/dead, but hey, wait... Just kidding! The whole felony aspect, planting drugs, domestic abuse... The forced sense of intimacy in the marriage & the kids, who have seemingly no purpose—of three children, a 3 year old seems to have the most dialogue & it adds nothing to further the story... unless annoyance was the goal & I missed that part?—the story doesn't feel genuine to me. Even Natalie's letters are seemingly written by someone in high school. There's a lack of maturity & inauthenticity that's impossible to overlook.
END SPOILERS
I can see opportunities for multiple novels with a high quality, dedicated storyline. Unfortunately, all of these storylines ended up in one book & that's ultimately what ensures the downfall of the novel in its entirety. I continue to be rather stunned by the high reviews on this. Yeah, people are entitled to their opinions, but wow... really?!
I enjoy characters who feel so real, they could jump from the page & in to my living room. In this, all I discovered were unfinished, cardboard cutouts that fail to keep one engaged. I returned my copy. As a whole, I can't say I recommend it unless you can read for free via Kindle Unlimited.
I noticed another review mentioning 'heart' but unfortunately, When I'm Gone, lacks just that. While the summary was one that clearly made me want to read the book, the actual content was void of character development. The author describes certain things in painstaking detail (i.e. a mailbox & dirt road) while others that are far more significant, are glossed over. The end result is like reading an outline: unfinished, easy to spot (not to mention ridiculous) plot twists, & a depth that is less than a plastic kiddie pool.
The death of a spouse is story enough, yet in all too many novels, authors seem apt to toss in convoluted plot devices that feel so phony, it's impossible to care about what's unfolding. The fact that I got to read a three year old speak far more than characters who could have added some actual value? That would be the hardened mess of inedible crumbs & frosting on the plate of a cake I never actually saw, much less got to eat.
SPOILER ALERT
A long lost daughter given up for adoption who is presumed kidnapped/dead, but hey, wait... Just kidding! The whole felony aspect, planting drugs, domestic abuse... The forced sense of intimacy in the marriage & the kids, who have seemingly no purpose—of three children, a 3 year old seems to have the most dialogue & it adds nothing to further the story... unless annoyance was the goal & I missed that part?—the story doesn't feel genuine to me. Even Natalie's letters are seemingly written by someone in high school. There's a lack of maturity & inauthenticity that's impossible to overlook.
END SPOILERS
I can see opportunities for multiple novels with a high quality, dedicated storyline. Unfortunately, all of these storylines ended up in one book & that's ultimately what ensures the downfall of the novel in its entirety. I continue to be rather stunned by the high reviews on this. Yeah, people are entitled to their opinions, but wow... really?!
I enjoy characters who feel so real, they could jump from the page & in to my living room. In this, all I discovered were unfinished, cardboard cutouts that fail to keep one engaged. I returned my copy. As a whole, I can't say I recommend it unless you can read for free via Kindle Unlimited.
March 22, 2016
Good god, the only thing missing in this book was a natural disaster.
I didn't enjoy it much. Too much on the go. Too many coincidences. Too much flowery writing.
I didn't enjoy it much. Too much on the go. Too many coincidences. Too much flowery writing.
April 30, 2016
This book is one I have not only read but digested.
Its emotional, its intriguing, its kind of concerning.
Emotional because Luke had to bury his young wife who suffered cancer and didn't win.
Leaving behind three children for him to bring up.
His sadness along with helping his children is an everyday struggle that Annie [his wife's friend] helps him with.
But then comes a letter through his letterbox, its a letter from his dead wife.
I began to think she had got someone to post this after her death.
But more arrive as time goes on and its his wife definitely writing to him. Who is posting these letters.
Are they disturbing or unacceptable? No, he finds them quite comforting until as time goes on Will his son finds something that makes Luke think unbelievable things and ideas.
I cannot tell you too much in fear of giving much away.
But the search for the truth takes him back down dark paths of his past he didn't want to remember so we get more and more of an incite to Luke's life growing up.
The story ends unexpectedly. It turns in such a way you wouldn't expect it.
Great read, highly recommend this.
I was granted this to read by Lake Union Publishing via Net Galley
January 22, 2019
I am not going to write an ultra long review about this book. I will say this - I was impressed with the writing AND the story line.
A woman writes letters to her husband from beyond the grave. Who is actually sending them and what role did this person really play in her life?
Natalie Richardson is the woman. She has been married to Luke for 16 years. She dies from cancer and then the letters start arriving. They will eventually reveal some things about Natalie that Luke does not know.
This book is not the typical chick-lit. Another reviewer (Manda) pointed out that this book was narrated by a man, Luke. Not many books in this genre use this narrative approach.
I loved this book. AS the secrets unfolded, they WERE surprising.
4.25 stars
PS. Thank you Carissa and Elyse for the rec.
A woman writes letters to her husband from beyond the grave. Who is actually sending them and what role did this person really play in her life?
Natalie Richardson is the woman. She has been married to Luke for 16 years. She dies from cancer and then the letters start arriving. They will eventually reveal some things about Natalie that Luke does not know.
This book is not the typical chick-lit. Another reviewer (Manda) pointed out that this book was narrated by a man, Luke. Not many books in this genre use this narrative approach.
I loved this book. AS the secrets unfolded, they WERE surprising.
4.25 stars
PS. Thank you Carissa and Elyse for the rec.
December 24, 2015
I was lucky enough to read an advance reader's copy of this book. I loved Emily's first book, WRECKAGE, and this book was great too. Emily has an ability to unwind a mystery like a coil so that you're always guessing what's going to happen. In WHEN I'M GONE, she does this inside what could otherwise be a familiar plot: a woman's untimely death brings certain secrets to life. Her twist is that the departed wife is actually stage managing what gets revealed and when, and the final twist will leave you touched and surprised. Highly recommend.
April 6, 2016
Melodramatic at parts, but it has a lot of heart. It is a story about a family working through grief, centered around a mystery. I had a hard time putting it down!
Natalie Richardson passed away after a year-long battle with cancer and her husband Luke is now faced with the daunting task of raising their three children alone while they all deal with immense grief. When Luke returns home from her funeral, there is a letter on the floor…from Natalie! It was written on the first day of her cancer treatment. The letters keep coming throughout the year and become a great source of comfort for Luke. But as time goes on, the contents of the letters and the mystery of who is sending them make Luke question the entire life he and Natalie built together.
I chose this book from the 'Read Now' section at NetGalley. When I was in high school, one of my parents had cancer. (They are okay now!) Years later, I discovered a set of letters that had been written during their illness and were addressed to me and my three siblings. I did not read them because it felt too intrusive. They would have been too difficult to read even if I were feeling especially nosy! That experience made me interested in the concept behind this book.
This book had me from the opening line! I adored the Richardson family and they were written so authentically. Luke's grief felt real. He struggles with the bitterness of losing his soulmate so young and he doesn't know how he will ever move forward. He doesn't believe in an afterlife and that makes for some interesting conversations because he is unable to provide the kind of comfort that he knows everyone around him needs. Natalie's letters to Luke are so heartbreaking, especially the ones dealing with her hopes and fears after her diagnosis. Even though we only get to know Natalie through her letters and those she left behind, I got a full sense of her as a person.
The story did go from a standard grief story to full out DRAMA in the last 15%. Everyone had a dramatic problem that was revealed in a very dramatic way. This is not a complaint! It was all very juicy and I couldn't stop turning the pages. The part of me that loved soap operas and Lifetime movies couldn't get enough of it!
I do have a personal bias against stories where the dead spouse's best friend and widower develop feelings for each other and/or where the dead spouse orchestrates their partner's romantic future. It creeps me out and I probably wouldn't have picked this book if that had been mentioned in the summary! I was far more interested in the mystery behind the letters than the growing romantic tension between Luke and Natalie's best friend Annie, no matter how much the children viewed her as a second mom. (#TeamFelicity! ;) ). A relationship between them felt weird, especially with how codependent they were with dead Natalie.
I feel like a terrible person saying this, even about a fictional character, but I wasn't a huge fan of Natalie. She is Type A to an extreme! My opinion of her started to turn during the incident at the college. The women's treatment of Natalie was absolutely despicable, but Natalie's controlling and moralistic behavior that preceded the incident made me view her differently. Suddenly, her hold over all the adults in the story seemed a tad over-the-top and a bit crazy. Doling out suspense to her mourning husband via strategically scheduled letters seemed unnecessarily cruel.
This is a little nit-picky, but I get distracted by overly specific outfit descriptions. ("dressed up in a black pantsuit with a dark-blue silk blouse that matched the water in Lake Michigan.) This story isn't written in first-person but it is very much from Luke's perspective and I didn't believe those details would be important to him. The outfit descriptions were especially noticeable when Annie or Jessie, the nanny hand-picked by Natalie, entered a scene. I did think it was adorable when Jessie's love of Broadway was revealed in ways other than clothing choice, such as singing with the middle Richardson child while doing chores.
This book was just the kind of juicy page-turner I needed at the time. I raced through this book, so I really enjoyed Bleeker's storytelling ability! I especially enjoyed the parts dealing with grief, the cancer diagnosis and Natalie's secret. If you liked A Small Indiscretion or The Day We Met, you will probably like this book. The stories are different, but they all have a similar 'feel.'
Natalie Richardson passed away after a year-long battle with cancer and her husband Luke is now faced with the daunting task of raising their three children alone while they all deal with immense grief. When Luke returns home from her funeral, there is a letter on the floor…from Natalie! It was written on the first day of her cancer treatment. The letters keep coming throughout the year and become a great source of comfort for Luke. But as time goes on, the contents of the letters and the mystery of who is sending them make Luke question the entire life he and Natalie built together.
It always amazed him how something that is broken on the inside can look so perfect on the outside..
I chose this book from the 'Read Now' section at NetGalley. When I was in high school, one of my parents had cancer. (They are okay now!) Years later, I discovered a set of letters that had been written during their illness and were addressed to me and my three siblings. I did not read them because it felt too intrusive. They would have been too difficult to read even if I were feeling especially nosy! That experience made me interested in the concept behind this book.
First sentence: It was a beautiful funeral. How could it not be? Natalie planned the whole thing, and she always had a knack for entertaining.
This book had me from the opening line! I adored the Richardson family and they were written so authentically. Luke's grief felt real. He struggles with the bitterness of losing his soulmate so young and he doesn't know how he will ever move forward. He doesn't believe in an afterlife and that makes for some interesting conversations because he is unable to provide the kind of comfort that he knows everyone around him needs. Natalie's letters to Luke are so heartbreaking, especially the ones dealing with her hopes and fears after her diagnosis. Even though we only get to know Natalie through her letters and those she left behind, I got a full sense of her as a person.
The story did go from a standard grief story to full out DRAMA in the last 15%. Everyone had a dramatic problem that was revealed in a very dramatic way. This is not a complaint! It was all very juicy and I couldn't stop turning the pages. The part of me that loved soap operas and Lifetime movies couldn't get enough of it!
Part of the heaviness holding him down came from all the reminders of Natalie. Yet that ache wasn’t as profound as he’d feared it would be, almost as though he was adjusting to the pain, like when your eyes adapt in a darkened room. Underneath this understandable sadness was a simmering anger.
I do have a personal bias against stories where the dead spouse's best friend and widower develop feelings for each other and/or where the dead spouse orchestrates their partner's romantic future. It creeps me out and I probably wouldn't have picked this book if that had been mentioned in the summary! I was far more interested in the mystery behind the letters than the growing romantic tension between Luke and Natalie's best friend Annie, no matter how much the children viewed her as a second mom. (#TeamFelicity! ;) ). A relationship between them felt weird, especially with how codependent they were with dead Natalie.
It was like his world was swirling around one spot lately, and he wasn’t sure if it was the gentle tug of gravity or the dangerous currents of a whirlpool. The only thing he was sure of was who was at the center of that spiral..
I feel like a terrible person saying this, even about a fictional character, but I wasn't a huge fan of Natalie. She is Type A to an extreme! My opinion of her started to turn during the incident at the college. The women's treatment of Natalie was absolutely despicable, but Natalie's controlling and moralistic behavior that preceded the incident made me view her differently. Suddenly, her hold over all the adults in the story seemed a tad over-the-top and a bit crazy. Doling out suspense to her mourning husband via strategically scheduled letters seemed unnecessarily cruel.
This is a little nit-picky, but I get distracted by overly specific outfit descriptions. ("dressed up in a black pantsuit with a dark-blue silk blouse that matched the water in Lake Michigan.) This story isn't written in first-person but it is very much from Luke's perspective and I didn't believe those details would be important to him. The outfit descriptions were especially noticeable when Annie or Jessie, the nanny hand-picked by Natalie, entered a scene. I did think it was adorable when Jessie's love of Broadway was revealed in ways other than clothing choice, such as singing with the middle Richardson child while doing chores.
Then Luke found himself saying the sentence he’d heard more times than he could count. Perhaps the least helpful sentence he’d ever heard. “If there is anything I can do to help, please, let me know.” When Natalie’s school acquaintances or the administrative assistant at work said those words, they always sounded empty, like a halfhearted attempt to care. Now he knew—it’s what you say when there’s nothing you can do to help besides want to.
This book was just the kind of juicy page-turner I needed at the time. I raced through this book, so I really enjoyed Bleeker's storytelling ability! I especially enjoyed the parts dealing with grief, the cancer diagnosis and Natalie's secret. If you liked A Small Indiscretion or The Day We Met, you will probably like this book. The stories are different, but they all have a similar 'feel.'
"It’s the end that marks a beginning, not the first day.”
January 21, 2016
I'd rate this 3.5 stars.
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for making it available.
How well do we really know the people we love, those we've built a life with?
If you ask Luke that question about his wife, Natalie, he'd say he knows her better than everyone. They dated in high school before he had to move away, and once they found each other again in college, they seemed destined to be together. And together they've built a family, with three wonderful, loving children.
But when Natalie dies of cancer, it throws Luke for a total loop. He doesn't know how he'll cope, how he'll be able to raise the children without her. And when they return from Natalie's funeral, he finds a letter on the floor of the entry foyer, delivered through the mail slot. It has no postmark, and it's in Natalie's handwriting.
The first letter was written on the first day Natalie's cancer treatment began. And then additional letters show up, with varied frequency—sometimes daily, sometimes a few days or even a week passes before the next one arrives. The letters give Luke advice on how to handle the children, what to do for them and for himself, and give him insight into how Natalie was feeling, physically and emotionally. He doesn't realize just how much he comes to depend on the letters, even as Natalie forces him outside his comfort zone, to do things he never would have expected he'd be able to do.
But the more he reads them, the more the questions start to arise. Who was the "Dr. Neal" she keeps referring to in her letters, and what was their relationship? Why did she have an envelope for an organization that facilitated adoptions, and why is there a picture of Natalie and her high school boyfriend at the organization's headquarters? Were there other things she kept hidden from him all this time?
When I'm Gone is the story of a man who has led a difficult, turbulent life but finally finds a haven, only to discover that the haven is not quite what he imagined. And as he tries to process what might be crucial secrets Natalie kept hidden, he also must keep his children surviving and thriving, deal with a disapproving mother-in-law, and the stress of the strange relationship of Natalie's best friend and her policeman husband. For a man raised in the midst of anger and chaos, this may be more than he can take.
I enjoyed this book but it was a different story than I expected, although that didn't disappoint me. Luke is an interesting, complex character, and you really felt the emotional turmoil he was experiencing, the conflicts between wanting to wallow in his own grief and be present for his children. I just felt as if Emily Bleeker tried to pack in so many different twists and turns, so many different crises, that the book became a little too melodramatic for its own good. I think it could have flourished with perhaps a little less drama, because the core of the story was just so good.
I really enjoyed Bleeker's first book, Wreckage , and this one reinforces that she has strong storytelling ability. It raises some interesting questions, and may even choke you up a little. I could totally see it as a made-for-television movie, and that's not a bad thing.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for making it available.
How well do we really know the people we love, those we've built a life with?
If you ask Luke that question about his wife, Natalie, he'd say he knows her better than everyone. They dated in high school before he had to move away, and once they found each other again in college, they seemed destined to be together. And together they've built a family, with three wonderful, loving children.
But when Natalie dies of cancer, it throws Luke for a total loop. He doesn't know how he'll cope, how he'll be able to raise the children without her. And when they return from Natalie's funeral, he finds a letter on the floor of the entry foyer, delivered through the mail slot. It has no postmark, and it's in Natalie's handwriting.
Dear Luke,
First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you…
The first letter was written on the first day Natalie's cancer treatment began. And then additional letters show up, with varied frequency—sometimes daily, sometimes a few days or even a week passes before the next one arrives. The letters give Luke advice on how to handle the children, what to do for them and for himself, and give him insight into how Natalie was feeling, physically and emotionally. He doesn't realize just how much he comes to depend on the letters, even as Natalie forces him outside his comfort zone, to do things he never would have expected he'd be able to do.
But the more he reads them, the more the questions start to arise. Who was the "Dr. Neal" she keeps referring to in her letters, and what was their relationship? Why did she have an envelope for an organization that facilitated adoptions, and why is there a picture of Natalie and her high school boyfriend at the organization's headquarters? Were there other things she kept hidden from him all this time?
When I'm Gone is the story of a man who has led a difficult, turbulent life but finally finds a haven, only to discover that the haven is not quite what he imagined. And as he tries to process what might be crucial secrets Natalie kept hidden, he also must keep his children surviving and thriving, deal with a disapproving mother-in-law, and the stress of the strange relationship of Natalie's best friend and her policeman husband. For a man raised in the midst of anger and chaos, this may be more than he can take.
I enjoyed this book but it was a different story than I expected, although that didn't disappoint me. Luke is an interesting, complex character, and you really felt the emotional turmoil he was experiencing, the conflicts between wanting to wallow in his own grief and be present for his children. I just felt as if Emily Bleeker tried to pack in so many different twists and turns, so many different crises, that the book became a little too melodramatic for its own good. I think it could have flourished with perhaps a little less drama, because the core of the story was just so good.
I really enjoyed Bleeker's first book, Wreckage , and this one reinforces that she has strong storytelling ability. It raises some interesting questions, and may even choke you up a little. I could totally see it as a made-for-television movie, and that's not a bad thing.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
August 4, 2017
I envied Natalie being dead because that means that she won't have to read this terrible book. The premise was enticing but be advised that the author grows bored with it and barely uses it after the first half of the book turning instead to story lines from a bad soap-opera. Poorly plotted, poorly written, poorly edited, this was not even worth the $1.99 I paid. And if you still think it sounds good, consider this line: "he was watching her defenses go up like homeowners boarding up their windows before a hurricane." Yeesh!
April 29, 2016
More of a Lifetime movie than a novel. I kind of hate myself for finishing it.
December 22, 2017
Audio book narrated by Dan John Miller 9h 58 min
I am over it! The whole dead wife leaving letters to her husband and trying to manage things beyond the grave like some type of master puppeteer! I often wonder if that is some strange secret desire of married female friends.
Update:
Well, I have taken two days to allow myself to mull over what worked for me and what didn't. There is no doubt that Emily Bleeker can write an emotionally charged contemporary family drama. Recently widowed, father of three Luke relies on his friends and the letters of his dead wife, Natalie. But there is so much "other" going on in this story. Secrets about Natalie's life before Luke, the suspected domestic violence between Natalie's best friend, Annie and her husband Brian, Luke getting back into dating, Luke 's complicated past with his own parent. Oh and the teenage babysitter that seemed to be special to Natalie. I get that this was a technique to show how complicated we all are as human beings. We all come with our own baggage and Luke certainly has quite a bit to juggle in this book. Yet, I really didn't like him. I felt he was a jackass, but perhaps that falls with the fault of the narrator.
I am over it! The whole dead wife leaving letters to her husband and trying to manage things beyond the grave like some type of master puppeteer! I often wonder if that is some strange secret desire of married female friends.
Update:
Well, I have taken two days to allow myself to mull over what worked for me and what didn't. There is no doubt that Emily Bleeker can write an emotionally charged contemporary family drama. Recently widowed, father of three Luke relies on his friends and the letters of his dead wife, Natalie. But there is so much "other" going on in this story. Secrets about Natalie's life before Luke, the suspected domestic violence between Natalie's best friend, Annie and her husband Brian, Luke getting back into dating, Luke 's complicated past with his own parent. Oh and the teenage babysitter that seemed to be special to Natalie. I get that this was a technique to show how complicated we all are as human beings. We all come with our own baggage and Luke certainly has quite a bit to juggle in this book. Yet, I really didn't like him. I felt he was a jackass, but perhaps that falls with the fault of the narrator.
March 2, 2016
Luke and Natalie date in high school, go their separate ways and reconnect in college, getting married with a family and the rest of their lives ahead of them, that is until Natalie’s cancer diagnosis. After burying his wife, Luke Richardson returns home, to find a letter with his name written in wife’s familiar handwriting waiting for him. As he prepares to begin raising their 3 children on his own his wife’s letter is the first of many that keep showing up and they become an obsession with him. As more and more letters appear and he starts to uncover long kept secrets he begins to learn things about his wife that make him question the woman he thought he had known so well. The letters try to give him advice on raising the children and living a life that does not include Natalie. This book keeps you guessing and wanting more and covers one of life’s hardest things a person can face, life without the one you love. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
March 15, 2016
A special thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Emily Bleeker returns following her debut, Wreckage with another bittersweet story WHEN I'M GONE, domestic suspense; human emotions, family, and secrets between a husband and wife.
As the book opens Luke Richardson is returning to his suburban Michigan home, with his children after Natalie’s funeral. Cancer. They have been married for sixteen years and now he is faced with raising the three children (Will, May, Clayton) on his own.
He finds a letter: (s) To Luke. Where did this come from? The mail slot? Natalie had picked out the door ten years earlier. After one freezing Michigan winter she had asked him to seal it off. He had never gotten around to it. Not in nine years. And now his dead wife was communicating with him through a slot.
"When people die they do not send letters through mail slots, they don’t even go live in some magical place called heaven, they just die. Someone was messing with him. Who is mailing the letters? "
The letter. Her handwriting. No one but Natalie would write letters to her widower in a fifty-cent spiral notebook and rip it out without cutting off the fringe. He tried waiting but could not put it off any longer.
Dear Luke, First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you…
The first one was the day before she started chemo—afraid of losing herself. She will write again the following day. A Journal. Writing letters from beyond the grave was far stranger but also—wonderful. Could there really be another one tomorrow? The idea made him smile. He had given up on hope; however, now he imagined another blue envelope slipping mysteriously through the slot on his front door. The letters make him feel she was alive a little longer.
From witty wishes, kisses, cuddles, hidden secrets, advice, instructions for the kids and demands he get back to work. Then when she was unable to write by hand, the printer letter came on Day 34. She even has a friend, a twenty-one- year-old, Jessie; a girl with chronic kidney disease. She would be a wonderful example to their children. She could help the kids with the homework and dinner, and all he needs to do is hire her.
Luke was always afraid when the last one would come. As the book draws near the ending, Luke receives his final good-bye. Fifty-eight letters filled with Natalie-- her words, her stories, her regrets, her beliefs.
From high school when they first met, Luke’s heartbreaking childhood---each their separate ways to reconnect again in college, marriage, and a family—until their life is cut short with cancer.
She was going to let her secret die with her, when only a few months before her death—she spills her secrets.
Painful, heartbreaking, and poignant. The author does an outstanding job unraveling the woman behind the letters; her dreams, thoughts, and aspirations. The ongoing complex mystery and suspense revolves around Natalie’s secret revealed in the ending—the author keeps the reader guessing with intriguing clues. A nice ending.
Touching, heartwarming, and beautifully written---a love story. I think letters are a special touch and a loving gesture.
On a personal note: Cancer is such a brutal disease. My mom is still struggling with colon cancer metastasized (going on three years). A roller-coaster ride from surgeries, hospitalizations to on and off chemo. Sometimes she seems better without chemo—destroying her immune system and other organs; however, she is a trooper. The specialists recommend she not go back on chemo; however, at 84, she is determined to fight. Speaking of letters, I gave her a gift—a book long before her diagnosis about things in her childhood, to complete---last week she told me she was writing in it before her eyes get too bad. I will look forward to receiving it one day after she is gone, to pass along to my grandchildren. Unless she outlives all of us!
JDCMustReadBooks
Emily Bleeker returns following her debut, Wreckage with another bittersweet story WHEN I'M GONE, domestic suspense; human emotions, family, and secrets between a husband and wife.
As the book opens Luke Richardson is returning to his suburban Michigan home, with his children after Natalie’s funeral. Cancer. They have been married for sixteen years and now he is faced with raising the three children (Will, May, Clayton) on his own.
He finds a letter: (s) To Luke. Where did this come from? The mail slot? Natalie had picked out the door ten years earlier. After one freezing Michigan winter she had asked him to seal it off. He had never gotten around to it. Not in nine years. And now his dead wife was communicating with him through a slot.
"When people die they do not send letters through mail slots, they don’t even go live in some magical place called heaven, they just die. Someone was messing with him. Who is mailing the letters? "
The letter. Her handwriting. No one but Natalie would write letters to her widower in a fifty-cent spiral notebook and rip it out without cutting off the fringe. He tried waiting but could not put it off any longer.
Dear Luke, First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you…
The first one was the day before she started chemo—afraid of losing herself. She will write again the following day. A Journal. Writing letters from beyond the grave was far stranger but also—wonderful. Could there really be another one tomorrow? The idea made him smile. He had given up on hope; however, now he imagined another blue envelope slipping mysteriously through the slot on his front door. The letters make him feel she was alive a little longer.
From witty wishes, kisses, cuddles, hidden secrets, advice, instructions for the kids and demands he get back to work. Then when she was unable to write by hand, the printer letter came on Day 34. She even has a friend, a twenty-one- year-old, Jessie; a girl with chronic kidney disease. She would be a wonderful example to their children. She could help the kids with the homework and dinner, and all he needs to do is hire her.
Luke was always afraid when the last one would come. As the book draws near the ending, Luke receives his final good-bye. Fifty-eight letters filled with Natalie-- her words, her stories, her regrets, her beliefs.
From high school when they first met, Luke’s heartbreaking childhood---each their separate ways to reconnect again in college, marriage, and a family—until their life is cut short with cancer.
She was going to let her secret die with her, when only a few months before her death—she spills her secrets.
Painful, heartbreaking, and poignant. The author does an outstanding job unraveling the woman behind the letters; her dreams, thoughts, and aspirations. The ongoing complex mystery and suspense revolves around Natalie’s secret revealed in the ending—the author keeps the reader guessing with intriguing clues. A nice ending.
Touching, heartwarming, and beautifully written---a love story. I think letters are a special touch and a loving gesture.
On a personal note: Cancer is such a brutal disease. My mom is still struggling with colon cancer metastasized (going on three years). A roller-coaster ride from surgeries, hospitalizations to on and off chemo. Sometimes she seems better without chemo—destroying her immune system and other organs; however, she is a trooper. The specialists recommend she not go back on chemo; however, at 84, she is determined to fight. Speaking of letters, I gave her a gift—a book long before her diagnosis about things in her childhood, to complete---last week she told me she was writing in it before her eyes get too bad. I will look forward to receiving it one day after she is gone, to pass along to my grandchildren. Unless she outlives all of us!
JDCMustReadBooks
January 11, 2018
I honestly just kept swiping the screen hoping, praying there were more pages, there's no way the book ended the way it did.
This book begins with Luke and his three children returning home from his wife's funeral. Luke just buried the love of his life and his children just buried their mother. Soon after, Luke begins to receive letters from Natalie and almost obsesses over them, they are one of the only things keeping him going.
Honestly, I thought this was going to be a predictable book, I began reading and was into the book but eventually I had no idea where it was going and the pace began to slow a little. I continued reading and I am glad I did.
Although the letters are holding Luke together they begin to destroy him, Natalie had secrets and these secrets are making Luke question their entire lives together.
As the book goes on, the secrets are revealed and pieces are put together. This book tugged on my heart and played with my emotions and I am beyond happy I continued to read.
The ending however, SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. I can see why the author ended the book the way she did, realistically it makes sense, but I can't help but be selfish and need to know more. So I', just going to go pout in a corner some more.
This book begins with Luke and his three children returning home from his wife's funeral. Luke just buried the love of his life and his children just buried their mother. Soon after, Luke begins to receive letters from Natalie and almost obsesses over them, they are one of the only things keeping him going.
Honestly, I thought this was going to be a predictable book, I began reading and was into the book but eventually I had no idea where it was going and the pace began to slow a little. I continued reading and I am glad I did.
Although the letters are holding Luke together they begin to destroy him, Natalie had secrets and these secrets are making Luke question their entire lives together.
As the book goes on, the secrets are revealed and pieces are put together. This book tugged on my heart and played with my emotions and I am beyond happy I continued to read.
The ending however, SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS. I can see why the author ended the book the way she did, realistically it makes sense, but I can't help but be selfish and need to know more. So I', just going to go pout in a corner some more.
November 2, 2017
This was a nice read. It required allot of patience to read (don't most books?). At points I felt uncomfortable with the way I thought the plot was heading, but then I was easily warmed and intrigued with the story as it unfolded. Once you make it through to the end, I would ask a simple question. Why wouldn't you like this book?
September 12, 2016
I purchased this book on Deal of the Day on Audible for $3.95 and want my money back. I only made it about 30 minutes in before I started throwing up in my mouth. I sat down to read some reviews and this one might be the best ever:
More of a Lifetime movie than a novel. I kind of hate myself for finishing it.
I saw more reviews mention this should be a Lifetime movie and that someone has already done this - P.S. I Love You.
I can't take cheesy love. I was really hoping someone murdered someone or had a crazy affair and it didn't come out until they died (oh, wait, thats been done too My Husbands Secret). Moving on....
More of a Lifetime movie than a novel. I kind of hate myself for finishing it.
I saw more reviews mention this should be a Lifetime movie and that someone has already done this - P.S. I Love You.
I can't take cheesy love. I was really hoping someone murdered someone or had a crazy affair and it didn't come out until they died (oh, wait, thats been done too My Husbands Secret). Moving on....
Read
August 15, 2016I read this because it was chosen as the book of the month for my neighborhood's new book club. (I know, I know... Pick your jaws up off the floor, CySisters; my hermit ass joined a book club). I'm not rating it because it's not my usual genre and it's not something I ever would have picked to read of my own accord.
This was a Lifetime movie waiting to happen. Luke loses his wife, Natalie, after a long battle with cancer, and he's left to raise his three children on his own. Natalie arranged for Luke to receive letters after her death in no particular pattern. Sometimes she just talks, sometimes she asks favors--do something for the kids, go out on a date because she wants him to find love again, etc--and sometimes she talks about this "secret" she has.
This "secret" is a long, drawn out mess. Meanwhile, there are a ton of subplots.
There's just too much going on. What started off as kind of sweet--a wife leaving her last goodbyes, hoping to help her husband through the grieving process--turned into taunting him with tiny clues about this "secret" that was tearing him apart.
It's not really miscommunication as a plot device because, well, she's dead and he can't really ask her. It's damn close though. And my aggravation reached a breaking point when he received yet another letter and after waiting a full day (because he was too angry to read it at first), he sat down to read it, got through the first three pages, and... "There was a whole other page of writing, but Luke put the letter down. He wouldn't read any further." At this point, it IS drawing it out, and it's too much.
It's a well written book, but there are so many coincidences, and I think there are just too many things going on.
This was a Lifetime movie waiting to happen. Luke loses his wife, Natalie, after a long battle with cancer, and he's left to raise his three children on his own. Natalie arranged for Luke to receive letters after her death in no particular pattern. Sometimes she just talks, sometimes she asks favors--do something for the kids, go out on a date because she wants him to find love again, etc--and sometimes she talks about this "secret" she has.
This "secret" is a long, drawn out mess. Meanwhile, there are a ton of subplots.
There's just too much going on. What started off as kind of sweet--a wife leaving her last goodbyes, hoping to help her husband through the grieving process--turned into taunting him with tiny clues about this "secret" that was tearing him apart.
It's not really miscommunication as a plot device because, well, she's dead and he can't really ask her. It's damn close though. And my aggravation reached a breaking point when he received yet another letter and after waiting a full day (because he was too angry to read it at first), he sat down to read it, got through the first three pages, and... "There was a whole other page of writing, but Luke put the letter down. He wouldn't read any further." At this point, it IS drawing it out, and it's too much.
It's a well written book, but there are so many coincidences, and I think there are just too many things going on.
March 20, 2017
I enjoyed this book. I debated whether to give it 3.5 or 4 stars because the beginning was a little slow but I ended up going with 4 stars because the pace quickened and I liked the ending. It is the story of a man named Luke who loses his wife to cancer. He is raising his daughter and two sons alone when he starts to get letters from his late wife Natalie. I really liked this premise and I thought it was executed well. It turns out Natalie had some secrets which I won't spoil. I'm glad to have read this book and will look for more from this author.
May 22, 2018
یکبار شروعش کردم. شاید تا صفحه ده! بعد گریه ام گرفت چون عجیب یاد مامان افتاده بودم!پریروز دوباره شروع کردم به خواندن و دیشب تمام شد و وای که چه داستان قشنگی!
August 15, 2016
Luck Richardson lost his wife to cancer and now has to care for his 3 children on his own.
On the day of the funeral he finds a letter on his front mat from his wife which she wrote during her illness telling him how to look after the children and how mush she loved him from then he starts to get a letter once a day.As the letters keep arriving Luke begins to wonder if he knew his wife as he thought he did as secrets are told.
The ending of the story was very good.
Thanks to Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book.
On the day of the funeral he finds a letter on his front mat from his wife which she wrote during her illness telling him how to look after the children and how mush she loved him from then he starts to get a letter once a day.As the letters keep arriving Luke begins to wonder if he knew his wife as he thought he did as secrets are told.
The ending of the story was very good.
Thanks to Netgalley the Author and Publisher for a chance to read this book.
April 7, 2018
بین دو یا سه ستاره موندم!
قرار بود داستان جنایی باشه؟عاشقانه باشه؟یا چی؟
به طور کلی فقط اگر مثل من در حال حاضر خیلی بیکارید و کتاب دیگه ای در دسترستون نیست بخونیدش.
قرار بود داستان جنایی باشه؟عاشقانه باشه؟یا چی؟
به طور کلی فقط اگر مثل من در حال حاضر خیلی بیکارید و کتاب دیگه ای در دسترستون نیست بخونیدش.
August 1, 2016
The premise of the book reminded me of P.S. I Love You. And that along with the positive reviews made me want read it.
I'm in the minority here but really, this was bad.
The characters are one dimensional. There's no character development whatsoever. And the little boy Clayton, his character was completely unrealistic. He's a 3 year old that talks and behaves like an adult! It was so unbelievable that his lines made me laugh.
The plot is good. There are some mysteries and secrets that could have worked for this type of story if it wouldn't have been so melodramatic. I get what the author tried to do. This book deals with several important and sensitive topics that should have made the story deep and moving. But it's just dramatic. Not even cheesy. Really there's so much drama.
So, I guess this could have been good. I don't know. To me it was just boring.
February 10, 2017
Luke is a broken and fragile with the loss of his dear wife, Natalie. Natalie was the glue that held everything together, the voice of reason behind everything. Knowing that her presence is not visible, he is torn with how to raise three children by himself. Clayton, his youngest child has so much childhood innocence thinking that his mother will return soon. May has accepted her mother death, but Luke still can see glimpses of his deceased wife traits in her. Will has his mother complexion, distant from the family, Luke rarely has a bond with the son that he desires. Raised in a broken home, Luke considers himself a failure as a parent. Day by day he tries to be the superhero dad that his kids could look up to, instead of being reminded by insecurities of what a terrible father he is.
Natalie left behind a legacy that can only be triggered by the leftover letters. Upon stumbling on these letters, Luke learns more about his wife that he though that he will never know. The past is explored in this deeply moving novel about love and loyalty.
Honestly if I said anymore, I would give out spoilers. Back to the review, this honestly will go down in history as being my favorite book I read in my life. Not this year, Not this month but in my 25 years of living. The characterization was phenomenal: Luke was such a sensitive soul who I wanted to hug every time he felt insecure about his parenthood. I felt everything he was going through, his attachment to his kids was so touching and so vulnerable. Plenty of times I was on the verge of tears watching how he described his life. Natalie was another character that brought so much humor and passion to her personality. Emily Bleeker gift of characterization is something that I treasure, she has a canny way of making unlovable characters be so forgiving.
Best book this year? No best book I ever read in my life. My status updates does not even compare to what this book did to be emotionally.
Do yourself a favor and read this book and read it..NOW!
Natalie left behind a legacy that can only be triggered by the leftover letters. Upon stumbling on these letters, Luke learns more about his wife that he though that he will never know. The past is explored in this deeply moving novel about love and loyalty.
Honestly if I said anymore, I would give out spoilers. Back to the review, this honestly will go down in history as being my favorite book I read in my life. Not this year, Not this month but in my 25 years of living. The characterization was phenomenal: Luke was such a sensitive soul who I wanted to hug every time he felt insecure about his parenthood. I felt everything he was going through, his attachment to his kids was so touching and so vulnerable. Plenty of times I was on the verge of tears watching how he described his life. Natalie was another character that brought so much humor and passion to her personality. Emily Bleeker gift of characterization is something that I treasure, she has a canny way of making unlovable characters be so forgiving.
Best book this year? No best book I ever read in my life. My status updates does not even compare to what this book did to be emotionally.
Do yourself a favor and read this book and read it..NOW!
October 6, 2019
I thought this was a poorly written book. I read the first five chapters and had to start again because the story took such big leaps and assumptions that I was certain I had missed something. But no, that was just how it was written. I was interested in the premise that the newly widowed man was receiving letters from his late wife but it was a very unsatisfying resolution when it was revealed how this was happening. There was very little character development such that I wasn’t invested in the characters.
November 29, 2016
I don't even know where to start with this one. I was nearly laughing at the end, and I'm pretty sure that wasn't the emotional response Ms. Bleeker was gunning for. Such a ridiculously absurd plot, with characters who read like they were penned by an adolescent imagining how grown-ups behaved. Just awful. I almost feel bad giving this such a poor review, but even the writing couldn't save this one. Just really uninspired descriptions of events and actions from beginning to end, that left me dragging my heels. I read this for book club which was the only reason why I picked it up in the first place. I have always prided myself on finishing books, no matter how bad, but this one has actually inspired a New Year's resolution for 2017 - there are too many great books out there to waste my time on books that make me resent each turn of the page.
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