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Mourning Has Broken: Love, Loss and Reclaiming Joy
“A gift of love to others who are seeking solace.” —Olivia Newton-John On the morning of May 11, 2015 , Erin Davis, one of Canada’s most beloved radio personalities, suffered a devastating blow Erin was on set in Jamaica when she received the news that her twenty-four-year-old daughter, Lauren—who had marked a joyous Mother’s Day just hours before—had failed to awaken to her baby’s cries. Thus began Erin’s journey of grieving out loud with her family, friends and listeners, and of demonstrating how to pick up and keep going after experiencing the worst loss a parent can endure. Struck with grief and unable to find the answer to why Lauren had died, Erin and her husband, Rob, started down the long road through loss, determined not only to survive but also to reclaim the joy in their lives. Inspiring and unflinching, Mourning Has Broken charts a way forward after life has dealt a crushing blow. It reminds us that we are not alone in grief, and that although life is unpredictable and unfair, we can survive and return to joy.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published February 26, 2019
31 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
About the author
Erin Davis
72 books57 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Erin Davis is a popular speaker, author, and blogger, Erin is passionately committed to sharing God's truth with others. She is the author of several books including Graffiti: Learning to See the Art in Ourselves, True Princess: Embracing Humility in an All About Me World, Beyond Bath Time, and the One Girl Series. Erin lives on a small farm in the midwest with her husband and kids. When she's not writing, you can find her herding goats, chickens, and children.
Erin Davis is a popular speaker, author, and blogger, Erin is passionately committed to sharing God's truth with others. She is the author of several books including Graffiti: Learning to See the Art in Ourselves, True Princess: Embracing Humility in an All About Me World, Beyond Bath Time, and the One Girl Series. Erin lives on a small farm in the midwest with her husband and kids. When she's not writing, you can find her herding goats, chickens, and children.
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August 12, 2019
I cried sometimes while I was reading this. As a parent - as a human - how could you not? Sadly, neither that fact, nor a foreword by Jann Arden, nor cover blurb by Olivia Newton-John make this a book I would recommend.
While there are many parts or her story that I can absolutely relate to - from finger feeding a baby, to triggers that bring on waves of sadness and bouts of depression, or dealing with alcoholic friends and/or family members, or that I volunteer for my local hospice - there are just too many strikes against the total package. I feel for Erin Davis, my goodness, nobody with a heart could help but and perhaps that’s enough to make this worth reading. However, if you are only going to read one memoir of the loss of a loved one choose either The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion or A Widow’s Story by Joyce Carol Oates.
This is supposed to be her - Erin’s - story - that’s how it’s pitched - but there are too many times where she is too much like an objective outsider conducting research… then there are other times where it reads like a self help manual… but worst of all are the times (too many) where I just feel like I’m being preached at. And let’s not talk about how I felt like it was an ad for her radio station - CHFI - in the early bits. I actually wrote myself a note asking whether they got a cut of the proceeds...
On top of that there are lots of annoying editorial issues.... grammar, punctuation, inconsistent use of acronyms, etc. And the repetition. Oh my. This book is characterised by a lack of tight focus… lots of repetition and doubling back (sometimes on the same page!). It needs a good final edit and 50 - 100 pages excised at a minimum.
Then there is her absolute belief in psychics and souls journeys and reincarnation. I do not ascribe to formal religion. I practice meditation and yoga. I believe that there are things we cannot know and cannot understand in life, and do believe that sometimes the universe sends you signs and messages.
But I'm sorry... the absolute belief in psychics and mediums and the receiving of personal messages from the ‘other side’ is just a little too out there for me, and, I suspect, for most people. I mean, I love dragonflies and hummingbirds, but to believe that they are bringing messages from the dead goes beyond all rational sense.
I don’t know Ms Davis at all - I listened to (another alternative Toronto radio station) CFNY when I was (much) younger, and my radio has only ever been tuned to the CBC for the last 30 odd years - so maybe if you were among her listening audience you will relate to this better than I... if so, please do.
While there are many parts or her story that I can absolutely relate to - from finger feeding a baby, to triggers that bring on waves of sadness and bouts of depression, or dealing with alcoholic friends and/or family members, or that I volunteer for my local hospice - there are just too many strikes against the total package. I feel for Erin Davis, my goodness, nobody with a heart could help but and perhaps that’s enough to make this worth reading. However, if you are only going to read one memoir of the loss of a loved one choose either The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion or A Widow’s Story by Joyce Carol Oates.
This is supposed to be her - Erin’s - story - that’s how it’s pitched - but there are too many times where she is too much like an objective outsider conducting research… then there are other times where it reads like a self help manual… but worst of all are the times (too many) where I just feel like I’m being preached at. And let’s not talk about how I felt like it was an ad for her radio station - CHFI - in the early bits. I actually wrote myself a note asking whether they got a cut of the proceeds...
On top of that there are lots of annoying editorial issues.... grammar, punctuation, inconsistent use of acronyms, etc. And the repetition. Oh my. This book is characterised by a lack of tight focus… lots of repetition and doubling back (sometimes on the same page!). It needs a good final edit and 50 - 100 pages excised at a minimum.
Then there is her absolute belief in psychics and souls journeys and reincarnation. I do not ascribe to formal religion. I practice meditation and yoga. I believe that there are things we cannot know and cannot understand in life, and do believe that sometimes the universe sends you signs and messages.
But I'm sorry... the absolute belief in psychics and mediums and the receiving of personal messages from the ‘other side’ is just a little too out there for me, and, I suspect, for most people. I mean, I love dragonflies and hummingbirds, but to believe that they are bringing messages from the dead goes beyond all rational sense.
I don’t know Ms Davis at all - I listened to (another alternative Toronto radio station) CFNY when I was (much) younger, and my radio has only ever been tuned to the CBC for the last 30 odd years - so maybe if you were among her listening audience you will relate to this better than I... if so, please do.
December 4, 2022
Title:
Mourning Has Broken: Love, Loss and Reclaiming Joy
Author: Erin Davis
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: February 26, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Beautiful • Open • Unflinching
📖 S Y N O P S I S
On the morning of May 11, 2015 Erin Davis, one of Canada’s most beloved radio personalities, suffered a devastating blow. She was in Jamaica when she received the news that her twenty-four-year-old daughter, Lauren, had died. Mourning Has Broken is Erin's journey of grieving with her family, friends and listeners, and charts a way forward after life has dealt a crushing blow.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I wasn't aware of who Erin Davis was, nor her heartbreaking story of loss, when this book was recommended to me in my own quest to find grief-adjacent reads. This book charts Erin's journey of unspeakable grief, and how she moved through it in order to find joy again.
This was by no means an easy read, because I could feel the pain in Erin's words. For me, this book both felt comforting in my own grief journey, and at times a tad frustrating because of the platitudes. It does offer tidbits of support for people grieving or those supporting a loved one who is mourning, but it also has a bit of the 'moving on' mentality that I find extremely difficult phantom. The other reason this didn't stand out as a grief resource, is because I felt like the narrative strayed away from the grief too much. At times it seemed somewhat like an advertisement for her radio station.
Mourning Has Broken is a beautiful reminder that life is unpredictable, sometimes unfair, and yet we can survive. I appreciate the vulnerability Erin shows in telling her story, and understand that grief is a very personal journey.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• memoir lovers
• anyone in need of solace
⚠️ CW: death, child death, grief, medical content
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"... time within the vortex of grief stands still. It could have been six months since Lauren died, or it could have been a year or five years. Everything stands still or moves at a crawl. Those on the outside who are scrolling through the calendar of a regular life simply don't get it. How can the passing of hours, days, weeks, years have any meaning when you're struggling with what your entire life and survival are about? Nothing makes sense, not even the simplest, most basic rules of our existence, including the inevitable march of time."
Author: Erin Davis
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 3.75
Pub Date: February 26, 2019
T H R E E • W O R D S
Beautiful • Open • Unflinching
📖 S Y N O P S I S
On the morning of May 11, 2015 Erin Davis, one of Canada’s most beloved radio personalities, suffered a devastating blow. She was in Jamaica when she received the news that her twenty-four-year-old daughter, Lauren, had died. Mourning Has Broken is Erin's journey of grieving with her family, friends and listeners, and charts a way forward after life has dealt a crushing blow.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I wasn't aware of who Erin Davis was, nor her heartbreaking story of loss, when this book was recommended to me in my own quest to find grief-adjacent reads. This book charts Erin's journey of unspeakable grief, and how she moved through it in order to find joy again.
This was by no means an easy read, because I could feel the pain in Erin's words. For me, this book both felt comforting in my own grief journey, and at times a tad frustrating because of the platitudes. It does offer tidbits of support for people grieving or those supporting a loved one who is mourning, but it also has a bit of the 'moving on' mentality that I find extremely difficult phantom. The other reason this didn't stand out as a grief resource, is because I felt like the narrative strayed away from the grief too much. At times it seemed somewhat like an advertisement for her radio station.
Mourning Has Broken is a beautiful reminder that life is unpredictable, sometimes unfair, and yet we can survive. I appreciate the vulnerability Erin shows in telling her story, and understand that grief is a very personal journey.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• memoir lovers
• anyone in need of solace
⚠️ CW: death, child death, grief, medical content
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"... time within the vortex of grief stands still. It could have been six months since Lauren died, or it could have been a year or five years. Everything stands still or moves at a crawl. Those on the outside who are scrolling through the calendar of a regular life simply don't get it. How can the passing of hours, days, weeks, years have any meaning when you're struggling with what your entire life and survival are about? Nothing makes sense, not even the simplest, most basic rules of our existence, including the inevitable march of time."
May 13, 2019
You can’t live in Toronto and not know who Erin Davis is, even if you didn’t listen to her morning radio show. I only occasionally listened to her in the morning (sorry, Erin, I listened to your main competitor back in those days!), but she was one of the major radio personalities in this large metropolis so I couldn’t help but know who she was. As it happens, I remember precisely the day her daughter passed away: although I didn’t listen to her morning show, my kitchen radio was usually (and still is) tuned in to her station and when I came into the kitchen that afternoon, the radio announcer was battling tears as he was talking. I immediately stopped what I was doing to listen because I’d never heard a radio personality so close to the verge of tears. What on earth had happened?!? That’s when I found out about Lauren’s passing, and even though I’d seldom listened to Erin and obviously had no personal connection, for some reason I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. How could something so horrific happen to a new mother (Lauren had just celebrated her first Mother's Day the previous day)? How could it happen while Erin was away in Jamaica, hosting a group of contest winners from CHFI’s annual trip giveaway while broadcasting live from the hotel?
Since that fateful day I’ve often wondered what became of Erin (she retired from CHFI 18 months later) and how she and her husband were coping, not only because their only child had passed away so unexpectedly but because it was done so publicly. Everyone in Toronto knew of it, talked about it, and I was sure reminded Erin of it daily. How did they cope?
It was a no-brainer to pick up this book when I heard she’d written it, and it didn’t let me down. In it she celebrates her daughter’s short life and tells the world what a wonderful person she was, but the book is so much more than that. In it we learn more about Erin herself, her ups and the downs that she kept from her fans. She is brutally honest. She also tells us how she and her husband coped with those first days, weeks, months and now years after losing Lauren.
This is definitely a book that will put readers through a whole rollercoaster of emotions, from tears to laughter (because heaven knows, Erin has a wicked sense of humour!). You don’t have to know who she is to get something out of this story of love and grief. Hopefully it will help those who are going through similar journeys, and give the rest of us an idea of how to help our friends and family who feel like their hearts have been ripped from their bodies and have no idea how to move forward after suffering the worst loss a parent can experience.
Since that fateful day I’ve often wondered what became of Erin (she retired from CHFI 18 months later) and how she and her husband were coping, not only because their only child had passed away so unexpectedly but because it was done so publicly. Everyone in Toronto knew of it, talked about it, and I was sure reminded Erin of it daily. How did they cope?
It was a no-brainer to pick up this book when I heard she’d written it, and it didn’t let me down. In it she celebrates her daughter’s short life and tells the world what a wonderful person she was, but the book is so much more than that. In it we learn more about Erin herself, her ups and the downs that she kept from her fans. She is brutally honest. She also tells us how she and her husband coped with those first days, weeks, months and now years after losing Lauren.
This is definitely a book that will put readers through a whole rollercoaster of emotions, from tears to laughter (because heaven knows, Erin has a wicked sense of humour!). You don’t have to know who she is to get something out of this story of love and grief. Hopefully it will help those who are going through similar journeys, and give the rest of us an idea of how to help our friends and family who feel like their hearts have been ripped from their bodies and have no idea how to move forward after suffering the worst loss a parent can experience.
September 26, 2019
I wish I could say I loved it but I just couldn’t get into it. I love Erin Davis and her daily journals and am so sorry for her terrible loss but this book just wasn’t for me. Perhaps if I had experienced the same I might be more inclined to finish it.
February 5, 2020
Davis, a famous radio celebrity in Canada, lost her adult daughter Lauren (who was in her mid-twenties) when she died in her sleep. Was this the result of a possibly undiagnosed heart defect? Was the death caused by an adverse interaction with a medication Lauren was taking to promote lactation? We--not to mention Davis and those who grieve Lauren--never learn the ultimate cause of death even after an extensive autopsy report performed by the local coroner.
In her typically witty, disarming, and self-aware style, Davis weaves together a story of parenthood, loss, and joy, of the way grief changes our sense of time and personal identity, of the many choices (logistical, emotional, situational) a family must make in the wake of a sudden death. In doing so, she deftly dismantles the many taboos that continue to surround those who are actively grieving loved ones.
Yet as difficult as the subject matter is, this is ultimately a story of hope--of choosing to be grateful for life even when it, tragically, doesn't go as planned.
The writing shines when the author shares and reflects on her own experiences; the many diversions into more globalized research is not always seamlessly interwoven. I found myself distracted by sudden tangents into the world of miscarriages and other sources of grief that--while important--do not bear on the author's experience and seem impersonally anecdotal compared to the rest of the book. There were also portions of the book that repeated themselves, at times nearly verbatim.
In her typically witty, disarming, and self-aware style, Davis weaves together a story of parenthood, loss, and joy, of the way grief changes our sense of time and personal identity, of the many choices (logistical, emotional, situational) a family must make in the wake of a sudden death. In doing so, she deftly dismantles the many taboos that continue to surround those who are actively grieving loved ones.
Yet as difficult as the subject matter is, this is ultimately a story of hope--of choosing to be grateful for life even when it, tragically, doesn't go as planned.
The writing shines when the author shares and reflects on her own experiences; the many diversions into more globalized research is not always seamlessly interwoven. I found myself distracted by sudden tangents into the world of miscarriages and other sources of grief that--while important--do not bear on the author's experience and seem impersonally anecdotal compared to the rest of the book. There were also portions of the book that repeated themselves, at times nearly verbatim.
April 26, 2019
What a difficult, wonderful book for you to write and share with us.
I don’t have children so it’s hard to truly imagine the loss but I do have losses in my life and friends with losses such as Erin’s.
She has been so brave to share this with us.
I truly laughed and cried at different times during the read.
My sister and I have been reading it together which is cathartic in itself. It’s not her usual type of read so it’s been good to be able to share it with her
Thank you to Erin for sharing this with the world, it’s a wonderful read and brings so much understanding to grief. It truly is different for every person.
I don’t have children so it’s hard to truly imagine the loss but I do have losses in my life and friends with losses such as Erin’s.
She has been so brave to share this with us.
I truly laughed and cried at different times during the read.
My sister and I have been reading it together which is cathartic in itself. It’s not her usual type of read so it’s been good to be able to share it with her
Thank you to Erin for sharing this with the world, it’s a wonderful read and brings so much understanding to grief. It truly is different for every person.
March 8, 2019
Erin (and Rob) write with such honesty, grace, grief, and even humour. Many times I cried, and sometimes even laughed out loud. They had to endure something any parents worst nightmare, and had to do it in a much more public way then most. I thankfully have not suffered the unimaginable loss of a child. I have known friends who have. Each person/family suffers or deals with it differently, grief is unique to each person. Erin brings that point home, no right way, no wrong way, no timetable, no rules.
April 5, 2019
Erin Davis is a radio personality I’ve heard of before, I had heard of her story, of her daughter Lauren’s passing; but reading stories about grief and how to live with it is something I’ve come to oddly enjoy so I immediately knew I had to read this. I’ve lost some very close people in my life (never a child) so I can’t compare exactly, but to read the joy, the heartbreak and sadness of Erin (and Rob) had me crying. I did feel a sense of peace reading this, the empath in me had me feeling like I was on those front lines. A wonderful tribute to a daughter taken far to soon.
April 9, 2019
I should probably have given this book more than 3 stars just for the fact that the author lived through this horribly tragic event. However, when I find myself skipping pages and just scanning to get to the end, I cannot honestly rate it more than 3 stars. Kudos to you Erin - an amazingly strong woman and 3 stars does not begin to rate your strength - that would be an infinite number!
April 15, 2019
As a mother of an only daughter around the same age as Lauren my heart was breaking for Erin. With this heartbreaking account of losing a child no rating is really applicable.
January 22, 2026
I have my own very complicated relationship with grief and I think maybe that’s why I didn’t live this book. It bordered on saccharine at times. The Hallmark movie version of grief. Or at least that’s this cynic’s takeaway. That being said, there are some good messages about grief not being formulaic or a one-size-fits all.
Mostly though, I wish I would have skipped it.
Mostly though, I wish I would have skipped it.
March 28, 2020
I do not know who Erin Davis is. I did not know who her daughter was. I feel very ambivalent about this book, not knowing whether to dislike it, or to like it. Certainly there are parts that are so poignant that would make one's heart break. There are other parts where Ms. Davis seems to be touting her "celebrity status", as she finds it to be, which appears to have very little to do with the fact of her daughter's death. It almost seemed that she was promoting her employer and the radio station, which.....sorry, outside of Toronto, many of us have never heard of. Nothing will ever ease her pain as the mother of a child who has suddenly died. A tragedy beyond words. However, saying that, I read the account of Lauren's life as a child with her parents, and it seemed to be the most wonderful life a child could have imagined. It almost made me envious of the way I had to work shifts and raise 4 children, and not adequately be able to provide for their emotional needs, and maybe even their physical needs, as much as I should have, or would have liked to. It made me feel guilty that I was not the super mother I should have been. But, imagine my surprise when toward the end of the book, Erin confesses that she has been an alcoholic for most of her adult life, and even at one time promised her 11 year old daughter that she was going to stop drinking. She talks about her alcoholic binges when she could barely get out of bed...."waking" up an hour early to put cold cloths on her eyes, and then stumbling into work, and getting through a show. So Erin also had a terrible addictive disease, and had and continues to have a life long battle with addiction. I feel that Erin should have discussed this situation much earlier in the account of her life with her daughter. It appears to be an "add on". However, be that as it may, to admit to being an alcoholic is brave. But to say that the daughter of an alcoholic mother had the most beautiful childhood is wrong. The most stable person in this family appears to be Erin's husband Rob, a stay at home husband when Lauren was young, a necessity in this case. Erin also battled a genetic disposition to depression, and I applaud her for seeking help in what ever way that she could. Her own mother was abusive in her depression, and Erin talks about wondering as a child....what caused my mother's anger, what am I going to do.... One interesting fact is that her daughter Lauren had a disappointing birth and a disappointing time breastfeeding. There is such a pressure on new moms to have a "natural birth", and to breast feed. Erin is right when she states "Fed is Best", to stop putting such pressure on new moms to breast feed. This is a story of a joy, tragedy and the continuous recovery that Erin and her family continue to this day. Everyone recovers in their own way.
March 14, 2019
A wonderful read for anyone who is experiencing a loss. This is definitely a book I will keep and read again.
April 8, 2019
A very well written, honest picture of grief. Having also lost a daughter, I identified with much that she said. Recommend 👍👍
March 29, 2020
This was such a heart felt story.
June 3, 2019
Erin Davis was the morning show host on Toronto's CHFI radio station with Mike Cooper. I listened to them for years.
This is Erin's story; her and her husband had one child, a daughter Lauren. Lauren and her husband had a 7 month old baby boy and had just celebrated Lauren's first Mother's day. The following morning, Lauren failed to wake up. She had mysteriously died in her sleep at the age of 24. Incredibly tragic.
Erin tells of their family life with Lauren through the years and the many happy and memorable times they experienced. And she also very articulately tells of the devastation of their only childs death. It seems incomprehensible how any parent can cope with a blow like this.
Being in the public eye for so many years, Erin had to also grieve publicly - so many of her listeners were a part of her life and felt this grief as well.
It also brought to the surface the tragedies that happened in my own family when I was 10 years of age and then again at 20 years of age. 2 of my brothers died by accidental drowning, ten years apart. Looking back, I don't know how my parents coped with their grief. It was done so differently 40 - 50 years ago. There was no counselling and mostly they had to grieve quietly and alone.
Thank you, Erin for sharing your life with us in this book. It is both joyful and painful.
This is Erin's story; her and her husband had one child, a daughter Lauren. Lauren and her husband had a 7 month old baby boy and had just celebrated Lauren's first Mother's day. The following morning, Lauren failed to wake up. She had mysteriously died in her sleep at the age of 24. Incredibly tragic.
Erin tells of their family life with Lauren through the years and the many happy and memorable times they experienced. And she also very articulately tells of the devastation of their only childs death. It seems incomprehensible how any parent can cope with a blow like this.
Being in the public eye for so many years, Erin had to also grieve publicly - so many of her listeners were a part of her life and felt this grief as well.
It also brought to the surface the tragedies that happened in my own family when I was 10 years of age and then again at 20 years of age. 2 of my brothers died by accidental drowning, ten years apart. Looking back, I don't know how my parents coped with their grief. It was done so differently 40 - 50 years ago. There was no counselling and mostly they had to grieve quietly and alone.
Thank you, Erin for sharing your life with us in this book. It is both joyful and painful.
November 11, 2022
Don’t feel right giving this a rate as you venture with our hometown radio celeb Erin Davis on the loss of her adult daughter’s (early 20’s) death. Her daughters death 7 months after giving birth to her first child-a son- is still inconclusive and something no parent should face.
Erin ventures into the grief, the partnership of her husband and really just the unbridled love a parent has for their child. This book is a gift to her daughter Lauren as we leave feeling like we “knew” her.
What I admired most of all was the way in which Erin and her husband Rob have welcomed and genuinely loved her SIL Phil’s new wife Brooke. That is no easy feat for a parent As I’m sure it can feel like her daughter was replaced And yet... Brooke clearly sounds like she has brought joy and a “mama” figure in every sense to young Colin’s life. Her tribute at the end of the book further enforces that.
Books like this bring something to everyone but at the heart of it all, is the fact that if you yourself are facing heartache, that someone knows your pain even with grief being different for all.
Erin ventures into the grief, the partnership of her husband and really just the unbridled love a parent has for their child. This book is a gift to her daughter Lauren as we leave feeling like we “knew” her.
What I admired most of all was the way in which Erin and her husband Rob have welcomed and genuinely loved her SIL Phil’s new wife Brooke. That is no easy feat for a parent As I’m sure it can feel like her daughter was replaced And yet... Brooke clearly sounds like she has brought joy and a “mama” figure in every sense to young Colin’s life. Her tribute at the end of the book further enforces that.
Books like this bring something to everyone but at the heart of it all, is the fact that if you yourself are facing heartache, that someone knows your pain even with grief being different for all.
January 22, 2021
Not being a frequent radio listener, nor caring who is the voice I hear - I had no idea who this person and her daughter were. Consequently, I found the long descriptions of her work and her colleagues boring, even quite boastful. She seems to consider that she is a household name throughout the country having worked at one local radio station.
Add to that frequent repetition and inconsistent jumping back and forth in time and events. I don’t think that a plot / events in a book should be chronological, but it takes a talent to alternate present and past. This book is so badly structured.
Everything we learned of their lives was so goody-goody for more than half of the book and then comes a surprise: years of drinking problem. Perfect example of disorganized writing.
Finally the section of other people losing their children, supposedly well-known stories - probably to journalists only, with the exception of Margaret Trudeau - did not add anything of interest to the long and winding repetitive mess.
All that became so annoying that I just glanced through more and more pages, even skipped many, which is what I do very seldom.
Not a book I would recommend.
Add to that frequent repetition and inconsistent jumping back and forth in time and events. I don’t think that a plot / events in a book should be chronological, but it takes a talent to alternate present and past. This book is so badly structured.
Everything we learned of their lives was so goody-goody for more than half of the book and then comes a surprise: years of drinking problem. Perfect example of disorganized writing.
Finally the section of other people losing their children, supposedly well-known stories - probably to journalists only, with the exception of Margaret Trudeau - did not add anything of interest to the long and winding repetitive mess.
All that became so annoying that I just glanced through more and more pages, even skipped many, which is what I do very seldom.
Not a book I would recommend.
March 2, 2019
Full disclosure - I'm in this book.
But as an author myself, I would never leave anything other than an honest review. Erin tells the story of the sudden loss of her daughter, Lauren, and how she and her husband Rob coped and learned to find joy in life again. This book isn't maudlin. It's sad in parts, of course, but there is a lot of humor and laughter, too - that's how the author rolls! Anyone who listened to Erin Davis on CHFI for so many years, knows she has a lightning-quick wit and she uses it to its fullest in these pages. This book will help a lot of people who have been through a similar experience, and it will help others understand that there isn't just one path through grief. But you do, eventually, come out the other side.
But as an author myself, I would never leave anything other than an honest review. Erin tells the story of the sudden loss of her daughter, Lauren, and how she and her husband Rob coped and learned to find joy in life again. This book isn't maudlin. It's sad in parts, of course, but there is a lot of humor and laughter, too - that's how the author rolls! Anyone who listened to Erin Davis on CHFI for so many years, knows she has a lightning-quick wit and she uses it to its fullest in these pages. This book will help a lot of people who have been through a similar experience, and it will help others understand that there isn't just one path through grief. But you do, eventually, come out the other side.
February 3, 2022
I used to listen to Erin Davis on CHFI and was a fan. I was devastated for her and husband when their daughter Lauren died suddenly and could not imagine how I would be in that same situation. I was interested to read this book, to see how Erin had coped and where she was mentally a few years later. As I had been a loyal listener for years, many of her anecdotes and people she mentioned were familiar to me and I enjoyed that. But I found that book a little too much about Erin and her life/ success and less about thoughts or tips to help others who are grieving.
August 29, 2019
Woah. I wasn't a listener of Erin Davis' radio programme when we lived in Toronto, but I knew who she was and I heard about the tragic, inexplicable (as in no preceding illness and no accident) death of her 24 year old daughter. I remember thinking how devastated she must feel and remember worrying about how she would handle such a public grief. I didn't follow the story closely as it wasn't personal to me. And, honestly, I didn't want to think about my children dying. Nobody wants to think about that.
Fast forward to early 2019 when I heard that Erin Davis had written a book. I noted it, but did not intend to read it because, like I said, I didn't want to think about my children dying.
Then, earlier this summer, someone I care about dearly had to bury their daughter. In quite similar circumstances. An adult daughter, inexplicably, and without an illness or accident. And all of a sudden, this issue, this grieving of a parent for their beloved child, this was about someone I knew -- someone I loved. And I just didn't know what to say to them or how to be helpful.
So I have spent the last two days listening to Ms. Davis's book. It is her personal story, she reads it herself, and much of it is about her own circumstances and her own (and her husband's) grief. And grief is personal -- it cannot be compared. But she did give some pragmatic thoughts about how to support my Dear One. What to say -- what not to say. How to be present. When to stay away. That kind of stuff.
If you are reading this book because you are a grieving parent, I am so sorry. I hope you find comfort in Ms. Davis' words and experiences. If you were a "fan" of Ms. Davis when she was a radio personality, then this book is probably a rewarding reading experience. If you, like me, are reading for supportive advice to a loved one, there are bits that will guide you on that road.
Fast forward to early 2019 when I heard that Erin Davis had written a book. I noted it, but did not intend to read it because, like I said, I didn't want to think about my children dying.
Then, earlier this summer, someone I care about dearly had to bury their daughter. In quite similar circumstances. An adult daughter, inexplicably, and without an illness or accident. And all of a sudden, this issue, this grieving of a parent for their beloved child, this was about someone I knew -- someone I loved. And I just didn't know what to say to them or how to be helpful.
So I have spent the last two days listening to Ms. Davis's book. It is her personal story, she reads it herself, and much of it is about her own circumstances and her own (and her husband's) grief. And grief is personal -- it cannot be compared. But she did give some pragmatic thoughts about how to support my Dear One. What to say -- what not to say. How to be present. When to stay away. That kind of stuff.
If you are reading this book because you are a grieving parent, I am so sorry. I hope you find comfort in Ms. Davis' words and experiences. If you were a "fan" of Ms. Davis when she was a radio personality, then this book is probably a rewarding reading experience. If you, like me, are reading for supportive advice to a loved one, there are bits that will guide you on that road.
April 25, 2020
I was listening to the radio that awful morning when tearful radio personnel announced the unexpected death of morning host, Erin Davis’ 24 year old daughter. It was the morning after Mother’s Day, her first as a mom to a 7 month old boy. Having only come to the radio station about seven years earlier, I wasn’t one of those listeners who was familiar with Lauren, but the news hit me hard anyway. As the mother of a daughter not much older than Lauren, I immediately identified with Erin and all the hopes and dreams that were now shattered.
This book will appeal to those who were listeners and fans of the morning show that Erin co-hosted. She bares all when it comes to the raw emotions she and her husband, family and coworkers experienced and continue to experience. It will also appeal to those who have lost children in the compassionate sharing of her coping with this personal tragedy.
Yes, there are aspects that some might find off-putting, but this is Erin’s personal story, personal journey with grief and, as she states many times, each person’s grief journey is unique and as such, might incorporate coping mechanisms that could appear bizarre to those who have never lost a child.
Davis also details her alcoholism and journey into sobriety. This has a direct bearing on her relationships (although as she states she was high functioning) as well as her ability to cope with loss and grief. It is a brutally honest and courageous admission.
An autobiographical memoir is, by definition, a long “I” story. So, yes, she might come off as egotistical. She is also a performer and a public personality. Without a bit of ego, she could not have gotten as far in the male- dominated radio business as she did.
I might have given it 4 stars because of the repetitive aspect of the writing. A good editor would have tightened it up. But her story is compelling and, as a fan, I read it to the end, including the acknowledgments.
This book will appeal to those who were listeners and fans of the morning show that Erin co-hosted. She bares all when it comes to the raw emotions she and her husband, family and coworkers experienced and continue to experience. It will also appeal to those who have lost children in the compassionate sharing of her coping with this personal tragedy.
Yes, there are aspects that some might find off-putting, but this is Erin’s personal story, personal journey with grief and, as she states many times, each person’s grief journey is unique and as such, might incorporate coping mechanisms that could appear bizarre to those who have never lost a child.
Davis also details her alcoholism and journey into sobriety. This has a direct bearing on her relationships (although as she states she was high functioning) as well as her ability to cope with loss and grief. It is a brutally honest and courageous admission.
An autobiographical memoir is, by definition, a long “I” story. So, yes, she might come off as egotistical. She is also a performer and a public personality. Without a bit of ego, she could not have gotten as far in the male- dominated radio business as she did.
I might have given it 4 stars because of the repetitive aspect of the writing. A good editor would have tightened it up. But her story is compelling and, as a fan, I read it to the end, including the acknowledgments.
May 23, 2019
I opened the book with the expectation that I would be reading a personal experience of a person overcoming grief. I was disappointed when I realised that the story was written as a journalist would write it. Even though the memoir was written in the first person, the author does not dig deep and expose raw emotions. It is as if a barrier has been placed between the reader and the writer’s inward emotions. Davis tells us about the facts and outlines a sequence of events but hesitates to let us in and experience the raw grief that she had.
The writing in this memoir is definitely a case of tell and not show. Davis describes to the reader, in detail, her thought processes and what she was thinking as she experienced her grief over the loss of her daughter. At times the writing is a bit repetitive and tedious. In addition, the timeline in the book jumps around a bit and I found myself having to piece together the progression of grief and its lessening over the two years described in the book.
There were moments when I felt that the writing in the memoir was more emotional and in depth. The pages in which Davis writes about her alcohol dependence (before her daughter’s death) made more of a connection with me than the rest. If she had opened up about her grief in this way, I would certainly have enjoyed this memoir more.
Even though I have experienced grief, I have not lost a child and, while reading Davis’ words, I did not experience a sense of what it would be like. For readers who have lost their children to death, the memoir may be more appealing as they could compare their experience to the writer’s. Those who know of Erin Davis as a radio personality, may enjoy this book as well because it gives the reader a snippet of her life. For me, however, the memoir fell flat.
The writing in this memoir is definitely a case of tell and not show. Davis describes to the reader, in detail, her thought processes and what she was thinking as she experienced her grief over the loss of her daughter. At times the writing is a bit repetitive and tedious. In addition, the timeline in the book jumps around a bit and I found myself having to piece together the progression of grief and its lessening over the two years described in the book.
There were moments when I felt that the writing in the memoir was more emotional and in depth. The pages in which Davis writes about her alcohol dependence (before her daughter’s death) made more of a connection with me than the rest. If she had opened up about her grief in this way, I would certainly have enjoyed this memoir more.
Even though I have experienced grief, I have not lost a child and, while reading Davis’ words, I did not experience a sense of what it would be like. For readers who have lost their children to death, the memoir may be more appealing as they could compare their experience to the writer’s. Those who know of Erin Davis as a radio personality, may enjoy this book as well because it gives the reader a snippet of her life. For me, however, the memoir fell flat.
September 22, 2019
This book is not for every grieving parent. As is emphasized in the book everyone's grief journey is different. There may be some sections of this book that are difficult for some families grieving the loss of a young loved one.
The book is what the subtitle advertises. A story of Erin Davis' love for her daughter, loss of her daughter and the reclaiming of joy in her life.
First Erin Davis explains all the love that she has for her daughter. This part of the story is tricky. Ms. Davis has every right to go through how much she loves her daughter, how great their relationship was and how well her daughter was doing before her death. It is part of the heartbreak of the story. However; if your child has died and your particular circumstances prior to your child's death were not so rosy this could make the early parts of the book difficult to listen to.
Then comes the story of the loss of a daughter and the questions and grief that followed.
Lastly, there is the story of how Ms Davis has moved forward in her life since her daughter's loss as well as stories of some others who have suffered the loss of a child and some information from a hospice as to what your grief may look like and how you may get help. I can understand why this information is provided - one person's story is not a road map for anyone else and I can understand the responsibility to put emphasis on that - but I was there for the personal story, so I found this part slightly less interesting.
I enjoyed the audio book version. Someone who has spent the better part of her life in radio was very well equipped to tell the audio book version of her story.
It was an interesting listen for me at the right time.
The book is what the subtitle advertises. A story of Erin Davis' love for her daughter, loss of her daughter and the reclaiming of joy in her life.
First Erin Davis explains all the love that she has for her daughter. This part of the story is tricky. Ms. Davis has every right to go through how much she loves her daughter, how great their relationship was and how well her daughter was doing before her death. It is part of the heartbreak of the story. However; if your child has died and your particular circumstances prior to your child's death were not so rosy this could make the early parts of the book difficult to listen to.
Then comes the story of the loss of a daughter and the questions and grief that followed.
Lastly, there is the story of how Ms Davis has moved forward in her life since her daughter's loss as well as stories of some others who have suffered the loss of a child and some information from a hospice as to what your grief may look like and how you may get help. I can understand why this information is provided - one person's story is not a road map for anyone else and I can understand the responsibility to put emphasis on that - but I was there for the personal story, so I found this part slightly less interesting.
I enjoyed the audio book version. Someone who has spent the better part of her life in radio was very well equipped to tell the audio book version of her story.
It was an interesting listen for me at the right time.
October 5, 2024
This didn't help.
What was the point of this book? It's not what the title, subtitle, or blurb suggests. This seems to be three books shoved into one:
1) Erin Davis' autobiography
2) Erin Davis' struggle with alcoholism
And, oh yeah
3) Erin Davis' recovery from the sudden, and still unexplained, death of her 24 year old only daughter.
As someone who has been more or less in a state of grief since the late 1970s, I was hoping to find some tips, or help ... or something.
This is what I learned from this book:
* Grief is something that can be "broken" when you are rich.
* Parents of dead kids deserve more sympathy and understanding than anyone who suffers from other kinds of losses.
* Suffering from the loss of a pet? Get over it! It's not like you're REALLY suffering. Only parents of dead kids know THE TRUE MEANING of suffering!
* Fake it 'til you make it.
God, she's a snob when it comes to grief.
She gives advice to people about what NOT to say to the grieving ... and how to respond to these people. I'll save you the trouble of reading these long passages by sharing what I've learned:
* Anyone asks you how you are, just say, "I'm tired." And walk away.
* Anyone starts giving you advice about how to "get over it", tell them to go fuck themselves sideways and never have anything to do with them again. These people are NOT your friends. They are not trying to help. They're just trying to hurt, and you're an easy target.
* Ditto to anyone who says stupid, painful shit like, "God needed another angel" or "Everything happens for a reason."
* If at all possible, adopt a pet, because no human being is ever going to understand what you are going through. Even me, because, unfortunately and to my everlasting shame, I'm a human being.
What was the point of this book? It's not what the title, subtitle, or blurb suggests. This seems to be three books shoved into one:
1) Erin Davis' autobiography
2) Erin Davis' struggle with alcoholism
And, oh yeah
3) Erin Davis' recovery from the sudden, and still unexplained, death of her 24 year old only daughter.
As someone who has been more or less in a state of grief since the late 1970s, I was hoping to find some tips, or help ... or something.
This is what I learned from this book:
* Grief is something that can be "broken" when you are rich.
* Parents of dead kids deserve more sympathy and understanding than anyone who suffers from other kinds of losses.
* Suffering from the loss of a pet? Get over it! It's not like you're REALLY suffering. Only parents of dead kids know THE TRUE MEANING of suffering!
* Fake it 'til you make it.
God, she's a snob when it comes to grief.
She gives advice to people about what NOT to say to the grieving ... and how to respond to these people. I'll save you the trouble of reading these long passages by sharing what I've learned:
* Anyone asks you how you are, just say, "I'm tired." And walk away.
* Anyone starts giving you advice about how to "get over it", tell them to go fuck themselves sideways and never have anything to do with them again. These people are NOT your friends. They are not trying to help. They're just trying to hurt, and you're an easy target.
* Ditto to anyone who says stupid, painful shit like, "God needed another angel" or "Everything happens for a reason."
* If at all possible, adopt a pet, because no human being is ever going to understand what you are going through. Even me, because, unfortunately and to my everlasting shame, I'm a human being.
April 28, 2019
Residing in the west I had never heard of Erin Davis and her radio show until I picked up this book.
I have never grieved the death of a child/grandchild (and pray I never have to). But in grieving deeply the deaths of a partner/soulmate and recently my Dad, Erin’s writings very much speak to and provide comfort in these losses. There is most certainly a shared community and connection in profound loss and grief, to which Erin Davis speaks to with grace and compassion.
She shows honesty and integrity in baring her soul, including her faults and failures...she shows her humanity. In writing about all the aspects of her grief, including the falls from grace, a reader can identify and empathize with her more fully.
I loved the idea of her writing about an imaginary interview with her precious daughter, who asks the one all important question: “So, Mom, what did you do with your life?” I believe we would be wise to imagine our deceased loved one asking us this question at times. Hopefully the answer shows how we went on living the love and life that honoured what we shared with them when they journeyed with us. This is how we truly live their legacy of love!
I have never grieved the death of a child/grandchild (and pray I never have to). But in grieving deeply the deaths of a partner/soulmate and recently my Dad, Erin’s writings very much speak to and provide comfort in these losses. There is most certainly a shared community and connection in profound loss and grief, to which Erin Davis speaks to with grace and compassion.
She shows honesty and integrity in baring her soul, including her faults and failures...she shows her humanity. In writing about all the aspects of her grief, including the falls from grace, a reader can identify and empathize with her more fully.
I loved the idea of her writing about an imaginary interview with her precious daughter, who asks the one all important question: “So, Mom, what did you do with your life?” I believe we would be wise to imagine our deceased loved one asking us this question at times. Hopefully the answer shows how we went on living the love and life that honoured what we shared with them when they journeyed with us. This is how we truly live their legacy of love!
April 19, 2023
I am and have been an ardent fan of Erin Davis all during my working years. Her and Don Daynard accompanied me on my early morning drive to the office and stayed with me right up to my first coffee break, quietly and soothingly in the background of my day. I remember very well the day Lauren was born and even 'met' her as a young child when she and her parents attended a CHFI sponsored dance that we were at.
After moving to the east coast in 2001 I lost touch and when I heard of Lauren's passing after the fact I felt Erin's pain...I was devastated for her and Rob.
After reading this book, which I found wonderfully written with such honesty and compassion, it has made me realize that grief needs to be felt, needs to be allowed, needs to be embraced. Something I was never given the opportunity to do when at age 11, I lost my Mother. One day she was there, the next, her and the baby she was carrying were gone and it was never explained or discussed with us again.
That lack of a grieving period has seriously affected me throughout my life and I'm only now realizing it. This book has made me look deep within and stop blaming myself for something that I had no control over.
After moving to the east coast in 2001 I lost touch and when I heard of Lauren's passing after the fact I felt Erin's pain...I was devastated for her and Rob.
After reading this book, which I found wonderfully written with such honesty and compassion, it has made me realize that grief needs to be felt, needs to be allowed, needs to be embraced. Something I was never given the opportunity to do when at age 11, I lost my Mother. One day she was there, the next, her and the baby she was carrying were gone and it was never explained or discussed with us again.
That lack of a grieving period has seriously affected me throughout my life and I'm only now realizing it. This book has made me look deep within and stop blaming myself for something that I had no control over.
July 27, 2025
I had heard of and had seen Erin Davis on commercials for a radio station she worked for in Toronto for several years. I had not heard of her daughter’s death until recently and when I grabbed this book from a Little Free Library I didn’t even notice the authors name. The cover caught my attention for how pretty it looked.
As I started to read it I realized who the author was and became intrigued only because I had just heard of Lauren’s passing.
Although I can’t understand what parents go through with the loss of a child, I feel heartbroken knowing Lauren passed only months after she became a mother herself. I certainly feel terrible for Erin and her husband Rob I just felt that the book took on way more than it needed to. It could have been half the length and got enough of their story told in that length. Too much about Erin’s job and how they could provide so much more for Lauren than other families. She was an only child.
I found so often I just skimmed many pages.
As I started to read it I realized who the author was and became intrigued only because I had just heard of Lauren’s passing.
Although I can’t understand what parents go through with the loss of a child, I feel heartbroken knowing Lauren passed only months after she became a mother herself. I certainly feel terrible for Erin and her husband Rob I just felt that the book took on way more than it needed to. It could have been half the length and got enough of their story told in that length. Too much about Erin’s job and how they could provide so much more for Lauren than other families. She was an only child.
I found so often I just skimmed many pages.
April 16, 2019
Mourning Has Broken: Love, Loss, and Reclaiming Joy, by Erin Davis holds forth a gentle hand, validating those who walk the lonely isolating path of grief. Ms. Davis, a beloved broadcaster, shares her courageous journey following the tragic unexpected death of her precious twenty-four-year-old daughter. On her first Mothers' Day, as a new mom, Lauren was unable to wake to her baby son's hungry cry, or to her dear husband's fearful entreaties. As the author shares her family's intimate heart-rending story of loss, she also reaches outward with the priceless gift of hope. I highly recommend Mourning Has Broken, as an important guide, for anyone who suffers the anguish of grief, or for those who wish to lend a helping hand to a grieving friend, or a family member but simply do not know how.
Gwendolyn Broadmore, author, Life Came to a Standstill
Gwendolyn Broadmore, author, Life Came to a Standstill
April 22, 2019
Call it coincidence or fate, I saw Erin on a morning show and I knew at that moment I had to purchase the book for my friend. Ben Mulroney was moved by her anecdotes and shed a tear. I picked it up at Costco and on the long drive home (I was the passenger btw 8 hrs) I looked through the whole book before handing it over to my beloved friend. They lost their 25 year old daughter in the Ethiopian air March 10 th. I pray your words bring a shimmer of hope to all families who are faced with such loss and emptiness. I appreciate the chapter where you touch upon other types of losses such as in vitro or stillbirth. Our local library has ordered a copy of this book.
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