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Missing Pieces
‘A stunningly assured debut that explores the ripples of a terrible family tragedy on the surviving fragile members. Beautifully written and surprisingly life-affirming.’ — Sarah Pinborough What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart? All Linda wants to do is sleep. She won’t look at her husband. She can’t stand her daughter. And she doesn’t want to have this baby. Having this baby means moving on, and she just wants to go back to before. Before their family was torn apart, before the blame was placed.Alienated by their own guilt and struggling to cope, the Sadler family unravels. They grow up, grow apart, never talking about their terrible secret.That is until Linda’s daughter finds out she’s pregnant. Before she brings another Sadler into the world, Bea needs to know what happened twenty-five years ago. What did they keep from her? What happened that couldn’t be fixed?A devastating mistake, a lifetime of consequences. How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing? ‘I’ve not stopped thinking about Missing Pieces... it’s such a good book. Heartbreaking and hopeful.’ — Amanda Berriman 'A convincing, patient portrait of loss - beautifully written.' — Fiona Mitchell ‘Elegant, honest and breathtakingly beautiful, Missing Pieces is an impressive and raw portrayal of how one tragedy affects an entire family.’ — Christina McDonald
280 pages, Paperback
First published June 21, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
January 8, 2024
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
"Can a family that gets torn apart ever heal?"
Get the tissues ready! This isn't a new book, it is Laura Pearson's debut novel which originally came out in 2018, it blew me away and I love the new cover. The story was such a heartbreaker. How does a family move on after such a horrific occurrence? This book goes on to tell us how each family member deals with such a loss. The best part of the book is how the characters are written and how much they change and grow over time. I liked all these characters even though they have plenty of flaws, I cheered them on and wanted the best for them.
Despite how sad this book started I ultimately finished it feeling hopeful. The relationship between Esme and Bea really touched me because I have an amazing relationship with my older sister and a not so great one with the youngest one. There are two timelines in the story, we start in 1988 when the tragedy occurs and then part two is twenty-five years later when Bea shows up pregnant. I liked the first part of the book much more and wished I could have read a full book about the immediate aftermath. Poignant, uplifting and sorrowful in equal measure but a great read nonetheless.
This is my second book by Laura Pearson. I loved I Wanted You To Know and I have The Last List of Mabel Beaumont on my TBR pile so this won't be my last book by the author. I can honestly say I would recommend anything she writes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
The Storygraph and The Book Review Crew Blog
"Can a family that gets torn apart ever heal?"
Get the tissues ready! This isn't a new book, it is Laura Pearson's debut novel which originally came out in 2018, it blew me away and I love the new cover. The story was such a heartbreaker. How does a family move on after such a horrific occurrence? This book goes on to tell us how each family member deals with such a loss. The best part of the book is how the characters are written and how much they change and grow over time. I liked all these characters even though they have plenty of flaws, I cheered them on and wanted the best for them.
Despite how sad this book started I ultimately finished it feeling hopeful. The relationship between Esme and Bea really touched me because I have an amazing relationship with my older sister and a not so great one with the youngest one. There are two timelines in the story, we start in 1988 when the tragedy occurs and then part two is twenty-five years later when Bea shows up pregnant. I liked the first part of the book much more and wished I could have read a full book about the immediate aftermath. Poignant, uplifting and sorrowful in equal measure but a great read nonetheless.
This is my second book by Laura Pearson. I loved I Wanted You To Know and I have The Last List of Mabel Beaumont on my TBR pile so this won't be my last book by the author. I can honestly say I would recommend anything she writes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
September 29, 2019
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
“How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing?”
Wow! What an emotional roller-coaster. This was a great read and one that will likely stay with me for a long time.
With two daughters and a new baby on the way, Linda and Tom Sadler should have been on top of the world. Unfortunately, a tragic loss devastates the family.
Twenty-five years later the Sadler family still lives with the blame, guilt, and grief that has kept them all stuck in place.
Part one of the book starts 21 days after the tragedy in 1985. The second half of the book starts 9610 days after the tragedy (twenty –five years later) in 2011. The story is told from alternating points of view which I found easy to follow. Interspersed throughout the book are letters that help tell the story of what this family has gone through.
“What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart?”
Will breaking the silence of what happened all those years ago finally help the family to forgive and heal?
Honest, painful, and realistic. “Missing Pieces” was a heartbreaking and emotional read. Once or twice, I had to stop reading …but only for a moment as I was anxious to continue on with the story. I really liked how the author pulled everything together (although at times I was reading with tears in my eyes). Thankfully, I didn't have anywhere I needed to be as once I started this novel I didn't want to put it down. I ended up reading it in just one sitting.
"Missing Pieces" is Laura Pearson’s debut novel and what a great debut it was. Powerful and raw but also tender. I was completely immersed in the Sadler family and all they had been through.
In my opinion, this was an excellent novel with a great plot and well-developed and memorable characters. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.
I'd like to thank Ipso Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
“How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing?”
Wow! What an emotional roller-coaster. This was a great read and one that will likely stay with me for a long time.
With two daughters and a new baby on the way, Linda and Tom Sadler should have been on top of the world. Unfortunately, a tragic loss devastates the family.
Twenty-five years later the Sadler family still lives with the blame, guilt, and grief that has kept them all stuck in place.
Part one of the book starts 21 days after the tragedy in 1985. The second half of the book starts 9610 days after the tragedy (twenty –five years later) in 2011. The story is told from alternating points of view which I found easy to follow. Interspersed throughout the book are letters that help tell the story of what this family has gone through.
“What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart?”
Will breaking the silence of what happened all those years ago finally help the family to forgive and heal?
Honest, painful, and realistic. “Missing Pieces” was a heartbreaking and emotional read. Once or twice, I had to stop reading …but only for a moment as I was anxious to continue on with the story. I really liked how the author pulled everything together (although at times I was reading with tears in my eyes). Thankfully, I didn't have anywhere I needed to be as once I started this novel I didn't want to put it down. I ended up reading it in just one sitting.
"Missing Pieces" is Laura Pearson’s debut novel and what a great debut it was. Powerful and raw but also tender. I was completely immersed in the Sadler family and all they had been through.
In my opinion, this was an excellent novel with a great plot and well-developed and memorable characters. I can’t wait to read more from this talented author.
I'd like to thank Ipso Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 16, 2026
EXCERPT: Linda approached the coffin slowly, looked in at the girl who couldn't possibly be Phoebe. Who was too small, and still, and quiet, to be Phoebe.
And Linda felt like getting inside it, curling up with her daughter and going to sleep.
But the coffin was too small.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart?
All Linda wants to do is sleep. She won’t look at her husband. She can’t stand her daughter. And she doesn’t want to have this baby. Having this baby means moving on, and she just wants to go back to before. Before their family was torn apart, before the blame was placed.
Alienated by their own guilt and struggling to cope, the Sadler family unravels. They grow up, grow apart, never talking about their terrible secret.
That is until Linda’s daughter finds out she’s pregnant. Before she brings another Sadler into the world, Bea needs to know what happened twenty-five years ago. What did they keep from her? What happened that couldn’t be fixed?
A devastating mistake, a lifetime of consequences. How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing?
MY THOUGHTS: 5 stars for this emotionally raw and completely absorbing debut novel by Laura Pearson.
I am lost for words to describe this book which drew me in, enveloped me to the point where I was constantly thinking about the characters, worrying about them like they were my own. I fell in love.
I am inclined to be dismissive when I read glowing reports of a book from its publisher. After all, that's their job, to make you want to read the book. But in this case, they have put into words exactly what I want to say and so I am going to quote from the publisher's letter at the beginning of Missing Pieces because I can't say it any better or with any more heart.
'(The) book that you can't put down at night, the book you tell everyone about - the book you tell anyone about.
This is that book.
When Kate (the publisher) read it, she was enamored. She read it in one go. She cried on the tube. Arriving in a jumbled flurry of manuscript pages, it was all Why Didn't I Read This Sooner?! and This Bit? Yes. That Bit? So Good.
This book will make you think about family and the unfathomable grief of losing someone you love. It will make you ugly cry. (No judgement.) It will make you think long and hard about who you want to be, the life you're living, and the relationships you cherish. It will make you happy cry. (You do you.) And it will make you want to read anything you can get your hands on by Laura Pearson.
And trust us, there's more. . .'
And like a child in a sweet shop, all I can say to that is 'more please.'
Thank you to Ipso Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
And Linda felt like getting inside it, curling up with her daughter and going to sleep.
But the coffin was too small.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart?
All Linda wants to do is sleep. She won’t look at her husband. She can’t stand her daughter. And she doesn’t want to have this baby. Having this baby means moving on, and she just wants to go back to before. Before their family was torn apart, before the blame was placed.
Alienated by their own guilt and struggling to cope, the Sadler family unravels. They grow up, grow apart, never talking about their terrible secret.
That is until Linda’s daughter finds out she’s pregnant. Before she brings another Sadler into the world, Bea needs to know what happened twenty-five years ago. What did they keep from her? What happened that couldn’t be fixed?
A devastating mistake, a lifetime of consequences. How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing?
MY THOUGHTS: 5 stars for this emotionally raw and completely absorbing debut novel by Laura Pearson.
I am lost for words to describe this book which drew me in, enveloped me to the point where I was constantly thinking about the characters, worrying about them like they were my own. I fell in love.
I am inclined to be dismissive when I read glowing reports of a book from its publisher. After all, that's their job, to make you want to read the book. But in this case, they have put into words exactly what I want to say and so I am going to quote from the publisher's letter at the beginning of Missing Pieces because I can't say it any better or with any more heart.
'(The) book that you can't put down at night, the book you tell everyone about - the book you tell anyone about.
This is that book.
When Kate (the publisher) read it, she was enamored. She read it in one go. She cried on the tube. Arriving in a jumbled flurry of manuscript pages, it was all Why Didn't I Read This Sooner?! and This Bit? Yes. That Bit? So Good.
This book will make you think about family and the unfathomable grief of losing someone you love. It will make you ugly cry. (No judgement.) It will make you think long and hard about who you want to be, the life you're living, and the relationships you cherish. It will make you happy cry. (You do you.) And it will make you want to read anything you can get your hands on by Laura Pearson.
And trust us, there's more. . .'
And like a child in a sweet shop, all I can say to that is 'more please.'
Thank you to Ipso Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.
This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 3, 2019
Oh my god what did I just read. Why did I read this?
If you want to have a rollercoaster of a ride, read this. If you want to use up a box of tissues, read this. If you want to carry on reading through your tears, read this.
Laura Pearson.
I need to look up her other books.
Oh my, can she write well. She made the characters real, so real I wanted to hug them, sit down with them, reason with them.
I was so invested in this today I’m so glad I had nothing else to do because there was no way, no way at all I was going to leave this book. It was glued to my hands.
Tom and Linda were expecting a baby, so they should have been on top of the world, but tragedy struck.
They were devastated. Life was never going to be the same again, ever.
The first part of the book started from 1985.
Just twenty one days before the devastating tragedy.
The second part was twenty five years later.
Each chapter alternated between character and was easy to follow.
Heartbreakingly easy to follow.
This is about,
Guilt
Pain,
Suffering
Learning to forgive others but also learning to forgive yourself.
What a compulsive read!
July 8, 2018
It is generally accepted that everyone will experience pain and loss in their lifetime. What sets individuals apart is their reaction to these fundamental and universal experiences. Laura Pearson offers the reactions of the Sadler family to a dramatic and disastrous tragedy in Missing Pieces. Each member of the family is impacted by the death of the youngest member.
Their reactions to the tragedy colors their interactions with each other and the outside world. Ms Pearson allows her characters to grow. Eventually they face the fact that reactions are not stoic, they change, they develop and they evolve. Tragedy’s deathly grip can be faced.
Ms. Pearson writes with depth and compassion in this story of loss and rebuilding.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This did not effect my review of this book. #netgalley #missingpieces
Their reactions to the tragedy colors their interactions with each other and the outside world. Ms Pearson allows her characters to grow. Eventually they face the fact that reactions are not stoic, they change, they develop and they evolve. Tragedy’s deathly grip can be faced.
Ms. Pearson writes with depth and compassion in this story of loss and rebuilding.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This did not effect my review of this book. #netgalley #missingpieces
November 7, 2018
This story was a rollercoaster of emotions for me and the story will stay with me a long time.
A story of a once happy family torn apart with the tragic loss of a child. An elderly neighbour desperately needs help and two children are left alone for a very short time. It doesn't take long for tragedy to strike when it's least expected and things will never be the same again.
The guilt and grief affects every member of the family in different ways. Sometimes it takes nearly a lifetime to forgive yourself and for others the pain is too much to carry on. A story of love, forgiveness and learning how to live again.
This was definitely a book that I couldn't put down. Very well written and narrated and possibly the best book by far this year. Deserves far more than five stars.
A story of a once happy family torn apart with the tragic loss of a child. An elderly neighbour desperately needs help and two children are left alone for a very short time. It doesn't take long for tragedy to strike when it's least expected and things will never be the same again.
The guilt and grief affects every member of the family in different ways. Sometimes it takes nearly a lifetime to forgive yourself and for others the pain is too much to carry on. A story of love, forgiveness and learning how to live again.
This was definitely a book that I couldn't put down. Very well written and narrated and possibly the best book by far this year. Deserves far more than five stars.
June 22, 2018
I’ve been really looking forward to reading this for a while, but I’ve lost my motivation for reading in recent weeks, due to so much going on in my life, which has resulted in me feeling distracted and not connecting with the books I’m reading. I was a little nervous the same would happen with this book, but I’m really pleased to say that was not the case. This was exactly what I needed. A book with such raw and real emotions, it was impossible not to connect with the characters. I loved it!
This is not a happy story, as it focuses on how tragedy impacts on a family. It isn’t all sad though. Despite being heart-breaking, it is also heart-warming. I actually liked all of the characters, despite their flaws, and even though there was one character I didn’t trust for a long time. Being one of three sisters myself (I’m the sensible firstborn, lol), I loved witnessing the relationships between the sisters. I also have a niece who is seven years old, so this really helped me to connect with what Esme faced, through a child’s eyes, as I imagined how Daisy would have coped.
It’s hard to place Missing Pieces into just one genre. I would say it’s a combination of contemporary, women’s fiction, family saga and mystery. Covering death, grief, depression, suicide, jealousy, guilt and regret, this is far from a light read, but is definitely a very emotionally satisfying experience.
I had tissues near me each time I picked this book up to read, and the first time it made me cry I was in the bath, and my special pack of tissues were the other side of the bathroom door, argh! I cried with sadness and I cried with relief. This is definitely a book I recommend if you love emotional character led stories.
Missing Pieces is my favourite book read this month, and I highly recommend it. Now, where’s that chocolate?!
This is not a happy story, as it focuses on how tragedy impacts on a family. It isn’t all sad though. Despite being heart-breaking, it is also heart-warming. I actually liked all of the characters, despite their flaws, and even though there was one character I didn’t trust for a long time. Being one of three sisters myself (I’m the sensible firstborn, lol), I loved witnessing the relationships between the sisters. I also have a niece who is seven years old, so this really helped me to connect with what Esme faced, through a child’s eyes, as I imagined how Daisy would have coped.
It’s hard to place Missing Pieces into just one genre. I would say it’s a combination of contemporary, women’s fiction, family saga and mystery. Covering death, grief, depression, suicide, jealousy, guilt and regret, this is far from a light read, but is definitely a very emotionally satisfying experience.
I had tissues near me each time I picked this book up to read, and the first time it made me cry I was in the bath, and my special pack of tissues were the other side of the bathroom door, argh! I cried with sadness and I cried with relief. This is definitely a book I recommend if you love emotional character led stories.
Missing Pieces is my favourite book read this month, and I highly recommend it. Now, where’s that chocolate?!
June 23, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
The book opens on 5th August 1988, 21 days after. We meet a heavily pregnant Linda Sadler who is trying to come to terms with a loss and feeling isolated. We then discover that this loss is that of her three-year-old daughter Phoebe who has died in a tragic accident, but we are left to wonder what actually happened as this is not revealed until near the end of the book.
Over the course of the next half of the book, we follow Laura, her husband Tom and her older daughter Esme as they each try to deal with their grief separately. Linda also gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Beatrice (Bea). However, there is no love from Linda to Bea, she feels cold towards her new daughter, a daughter she wishes she could have aborted.
The second half of the book opens 25 years later and the youngest daughter, Bea is now pregnant. Bea left the family home years ago as it wasn’t easy being the child that obviously wasn’t wanted. Bea decides that it is time to go over old ground and in this section the family eventually open up about their feelings and what actually happened on that fateful day.
There’s no doubting the fact that Laura Pearson’s Missing Pieces is poignant, heart-breaking and raw. It will have you reaching for the tissues on more than one occasion.
This is Ms. Pearson’s debut novel and I think she has done a wonderful job. The writing was superb, there was enough detail to keep me intrigued as to what when on and the characters all had their own unique qualities and all perfectly realistic. It did feel at times that Linda was very selfish, but unless you have been in the grieving process you can’t understand how hard and vulnerable it can make you feel. Also, everyone grieves differently and some do push others away, sadly.
I found I related more to the first half of the book than the second. Perhaps because I found this more interesting as in character building and the suspense and mystery surrounding the circumstances of Phoebe’s death. Whilst I believe that there is no greater pain than losing a child, the build had me expecting something different to what actually occurred. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t disappointed, I just expected there to have been more to Phoebe’s death.
This is a beautiful book that deals with life, bereavement and how those that are still living learn to deal with their grief in their own way. I actually sat and read this in one sitting as I was that engaged with the plot.
The book opens on 5th August 1988, 21 days after. We meet a heavily pregnant Linda Sadler who is trying to come to terms with a loss and feeling isolated. We then discover that this loss is that of her three-year-old daughter Phoebe who has died in a tragic accident, but we are left to wonder what actually happened as this is not revealed until near the end of the book.
Over the course of the next half of the book, we follow Laura, her husband Tom and her older daughter Esme as they each try to deal with their grief separately. Linda also gives birth to a beautiful baby girl, Beatrice (Bea). However, there is no love from Linda to Bea, she feels cold towards her new daughter, a daughter she wishes she could have aborted.
The second half of the book opens 25 years later and the youngest daughter, Bea is now pregnant. Bea left the family home years ago as it wasn’t easy being the child that obviously wasn’t wanted. Bea decides that it is time to go over old ground and in this section the family eventually open up about their feelings and what actually happened on that fateful day.
There’s no doubting the fact that Laura Pearson’s Missing Pieces is poignant, heart-breaking and raw. It will have you reaching for the tissues on more than one occasion.
This is Ms. Pearson’s debut novel and I think she has done a wonderful job. The writing was superb, there was enough detail to keep me intrigued as to what when on and the characters all had their own unique qualities and all perfectly realistic. It did feel at times that Linda was very selfish, but unless you have been in the grieving process you can’t understand how hard and vulnerable it can make you feel. Also, everyone grieves differently and some do push others away, sadly.
I found I related more to the first half of the book than the second. Perhaps because I found this more interesting as in character building and the suspense and mystery surrounding the circumstances of Phoebe’s death. Whilst I believe that there is no greater pain than losing a child, the build had me expecting something different to what actually occurred. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t disappointed, I just expected there to have been more to Phoebe’s death.
This is a beautiful book that deals with life, bereavement and how those that are still living learn to deal with their grief in their own way. I actually sat and read this in one sitting as I was that engaged with the plot.
May 25, 2018
Wow!!!! Missing Pieces is gripping, heartbreaking, and I didn’t want to put it down. Laura Pearson’s writing is phenomenal!! Losing a child (of any age) has to be the worst thing parents can go through. Learning to move forward without that child is just so hard. We had to do it when we lost my husband’s daughter at age 48. It’s been 5 years for us. This book grabbed me from page 1. It is gripping throughout and the ending had me crying! And I’ve only cried twice reading books. This is one of my fave books of 2018 so far!! I received this complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 27, 2024
*Heartbreaking*
**4.5 Stars**
This is a book that I had to put the brakes on. I was reading it and before I knew it, I was almost at the halfway point. I just wanted to pause and take it in. It not only touched my heart but it smashed it into pieces. The tragedy that comes with favouring one child and grief so raw it was palpable. I also like the way we did not find out everything at once and although we know some of the story the details came in letter format between two sisters.
We get to see how the family were each carrying a portion of blame. And we see the devastation of living life in the wake of a tragedy.
My heart was starting to recover then once the truth comes out we see how they seem to give themselves permission to try to move on.
This is my first read by Laura Pearson. I was not disappointed. I will definitely read others by her.
**4.5 Stars**
This is a book that I had to put the brakes on. I was reading it and before I knew it, I was almost at the halfway point. I just wanted to pause and take it in. It not only touched my heart but it smashed it into pieces. The tragedy that comes with favouring one child and grief so raw it was palpable. I also like the way we did not find out everything at once and although we know some of the story the details came in letter format between two sisters.
We get to see how the family were each carrying a portion of blame. And we see the devastation of living life in the wake of a tragedy.
My heart was starting to recover then once the truth comes out we see how they seem to give themselves permission to try to move on.
This is my first read by Laura Pearson. I was not disappointed. I will definitely read others by her.
July 1, 2018
It is generally accepted that everyone will experience pain and loss in their lifetime. What sets individuals apart is their reaction to these fundamental and universal experiences. Laura Pearson offers the reactions of the Sadler family to a dramatic and disastrous tragedy in Missing Pieces. Each member of the family is impacted by the death of the youngest member.
Their reactions to the tragedy colors their interactions with each other and the outside world. Ms Pearson allows her characters to grow. Eventually they face the fact that reactions are not stoic, they change, they develop and they evolve. Tragedy’s deathly grip can be faced.
Ms. Pearson writes with depth and compassion in this story of loss and rebuilding.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This did not effect my review of this book. #netgalley #missingpieces
Their reactions to the tragedy colors their interactions with each other and the outside world. Ms Pearson allows her characters to grow. Eventually they face the fact that reactions are not stoic, they change, they develop and they evolve. Tragedy’s deathly grip can be faced.
Ms. Pearson writes with depth and compassion in this story of loss and rebuilding.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. This did not effect my review of this book. #netgalley #missingpieces
June 5, 2018
Wow what an amazing debut book, straight away it captures you’re heart it is so beautifully written and impossible to put down, there are moments of sadness ( have the tissues ready) and it feels so real, the characters so strong that even after reading it, it stays with you and you can’t stop thinking about the pain this family went through
This is an author to watch out for, I can’t wait for the next literary wonder.
A must read for 2018, thank you to netgalley for letting me review this great book.
This is an author to watch out for, I can’t wait for the next literary wonder.
A must read for 2018, thank you to netgalley for letting me review this great book.
June 23, 2018
Good grief. I am broken. Absolutely in bits.
The lovely ladies at Agora Books were kind enough to include the most thoughtful care package with this review copy, intent on dealing with your emotions while reading the debut novel by Laura Pearson. Now, I consider myself quite tough as boots so I laughed in the face of the “might make you ugly cry” warning. However, after reading just a few pages I already panicked, realising the tissues that were provided would not be sufficient at all.
Missing Pieces is written in two parts. Part one is set in the 1980’s. A time when Tom and his wife Linda are supposed to be happily awaiting the birth of their new baby. But something has happened and Linda is not the woman she used to be. She can’t stand her daughter, won’t even look at her husband and really, really doesn’t want this baby to be born at all.
Part two is set decades later, when daughter Bea discovers she’s pregnant. This prompts her to try and find out what happened all those years ago because the secrets and the guilt have affected this entire family. Even Bea, who has no memories of those days at all. And no, I’m not telling you why this family was torn apart. You don’t have to wait long to find out and I’m sure, like me and the Sadler family, you too will feel the impact to your very core.
This is an absolutely heartbreaking and devastating story about family, love, loss, grief and guilt. The Sadler family are highly realistic and believable characters and there is no hardship at all in becoming invested in them and feeling utterly bereft right alongside them. It’s hard to talk about them without giving anything away. My heart broke for Linda as she struggled to cope. Tom, who has his own issues to deal with, somehow manages to keep going, to take care of his family and despite showing he’s not at all perfect, he is the most wonderful father and the stories he tells his children managed to put a smile on my face, which was much needed!
Missing Pieces is beautifully written, highly moving and emotional. Even when I couldn’t see properly as the tears streamed down my face rivalling the force of the Niagara Falls, I couldn’t put this novel down. It is raw, it is devastating (yes, I’m aware I’ve used that word before but it is!) and yet, it’s wonderful and I absolutely loved it!
I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know this family and even more so, to discover what an amazing new talent Laura Pearson is.
The lovely ladies at Agora Books were kind enough to include the most thoughtful care package with this review copy, intent on dealing with your emotions while reading the debut novel by Laura Pearson. Now, I consider myself quite tough as boots so I laughed in the face of the “might make you ugly cry” warning. However, after reading just a few pages I already panicked, realising the tissues that were provided would not be sufficient at all.
Missing Pieces is written in two parts. Part one is set in the 1980’s. A time when Tom and his wife Linda are supposed to be happily awaiting the birth of their new baby. But something has happened and Linda is not the woman she used to be. She can’t stand her daughter, won’t even look at her husband and really, really doesn’t want this baby to be born at all.
Part two is set decades later, when daughter Bea discovers she’s pregnant. This prompts her to try and find out what happened all those years ago because the secrets and the guilt have affected this entire family. Even Bea, who has no memories of those days at all. And no, I’m not telling you why this family was torn apart. You don’t have to wait long to find out and I’m sure, like me and the Sadler family, you too will feel the impact to your very core.
This is an absolutely heartbreaking and devastating story about family, love, loss, grief and guilt. The Sadler family are highly realistic and believable characters and there is no hardship at all in becoming invested in them and feeling utterly bereft right alongside them. It’s hard to talk about them without giving anything away. My heart broke for Linda as she struggled to cope. Tom, who has his own issues to deal with, somehow manages to keep going, to take care of his family and despite showing he’s not at all perfect, he is the most wonderful father and the stories he tells his children managed to put a smile on my face, which was much needed!
Missing Pieces is beautifully written, highly moving and emotional. Even when I couldn’t see properly as the tears streamed down my face rivalling the force of the Niagara Falls, I couldn’t put this novel down. It is raw, it is devastating (yes, I’m aware I’ve used that word before but it is!) and yet, it’s wonderful and I absolutely loved it!
I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know this family and even more so, to discover what an amazing new talent Laura Pearson is.
June 4, 2018
The Sadler family is in freefall after the death of Phoebe, with consequences that will last decades.
I’m seated here unable to write a review. I’m stunned after reading Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson. Stunned with grief at the events in this heart rending story. Stunned with astonishment at such a beautifully wrought work and stunned by my inadequacy at expressing what a powerful and utterly incredible experience it is to read Missing Pieces.
There’s a mystery and claustrophobia underpinning the narrative that the reader guesses at, making them almost complicit in the blame and guilt. The confined sense of rage, fear, obsession, love and devastation is enhanced by the narrow cast of characters so that I felt the level of crushing entrapment Linda experiences very vividly myself. The Sadler family is utterly extraordinary and simultaneously completely mundane, making the reader realise all too vividly that the Sadler lives, their relationships and their grief could happen to any one of us in the blink of an eye.
I loved the structure of the book, from the dated numbered days ‘after’ to the two distinct sections because they illustrated so clearly how the events reverberate through time. However, what impressed me most and gave me incredible joy, despite reading what is a devastating picture of grief, is the exquisite quality of the writing. Laura Pearson’s style is taut, intense, varied, smooth and natural. Not a word is wasted. She has the ability to look into the very souls of humanity in her characters and lay them bare for her readers to find themselves reflected. Hers is some of the most skilful writing I have read in a very long time.
I’m quite an emotional reader and felt an almost physical ache in my heart as I read. I fully expected I’d cry but I didn’t. Not because Missing Pieces isn’t emotional, but because I had the feeling that if I let myself give in to the emotions it was engendering in me, I might never recover.
If I’m honest, I feel somewhat overawed by Laura Pearson’s Missing Pieces. Its pure genius. It’s raw, vital and almost overwhelming. Outstanding.
I’m seated here unable to write a review. I’m stunned after reading Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson. Stunned with grief at the events in this heart rending story. Stunned with astonishment at such a beautifully wrought work and stunned by my inadequacy at expressing what a powerful and utterly incredible experience it is to read Missing Pieces.
There’s a mystery and claustrophobia underpinning the narrative that the reader guesses at, making them almost complicit in the blame and guilt. The confined sense of rage, fear, obsession, love and devastation is enhanced by the narrow cast of characters so that I felt the level of crushing entrapment Linda experiences very vividly myself. The Sadler family is utterly extraordinary and simultaneously completely mundane, making the reader realise all too vividly that the Sadler lives, their relationships and their grief could happen to any one of us in the blink of an eye.
I loved the structure of the book, from the dated numbered days ‘after’ to the two distinct sections because they illustrated so clearly how the events reverberate through time. However, what impressed me most and gave me incredible joy, despite reading what is a devastating picture of grief, is the exquisite quality of the writing. Laura Pearson’s style is taut, intense, varied, smooth and natural. Not a word is wasted. She has the ability to look into the very souls of humanity in her characters and lay them bare for her readers to find themselves reflected. Hers is some of the most skilful writing I have read in a very long time.
I’m quite an emotional reader and felt an almost physical ache in my heart as I read. I fully expected I’d cry but I didn’t. Not because Missing Pieces isn’t emotional, but because I had the feeling that if I let myself give in to the emotions it was engendering in me, I might never recover.
If I’m honest, I feel somewhat overawed by Laura Pearson’s Missing Pieces. Its pure genius. It’s raw, vital and almost overwhelming. Outstanding.
May 17, 2018
You can check out my review on this book my going to my blog found here: https://wordpress.com/post/booksonthe...
Gripping, tragic and thrilling. Three words to describe this book. The book follows a family after a tragic loss and tells about how this tragedy has shaped their lives. The mother is having a difficult time coping and it shows in her daily life, the father is struggling to keep his wife’s spirits up and keep the family together. To find out what tragic I am talking about, you’ll have to check out the book and find out 🙂
I was hooked on this book from the very first page. This book had me up reading into the late hours of the night, often until 2am or later to find out what was going to happen next. Be prepared for a lot of “wow” and “oh no” moments and even a tear or two as you read about the family dynamics and tragedy in this book. So much sadness and grief and it pulls on your heart strings.
I liked how this book was written in two parts. In the first part of the book you follow the lives of the mother, father and their daughter Esme leading up to the tragedy and the time that follows. In the second part of the book you follow their lives and how the tragedy has affected their lives 25 years later.
Thank you to Net Galley and Ipso Books for an ARC copy of this book. It was a pleasure to read and give my honest review.
June 7, 2018
An emotional tale about a family who loses their daughter and what they face afterwards.
I am actually having a hard time writing a review for this book without giving away too much of the story. But, I will say be sure you have some tissue ready when you read it. It feels so real. Just the thought of losing a child is hard enough, but what the family endures afterwards is heartbreaking.
The book is told in two parts. The first part of the book is about Linda and Tom Sadler and how losing their daughter, Phoebe, changes their relationship and other daughter’s life. The second part is 25 years later and focuses on sisters, Esme and Bea. We learn how the death of Phoebe has affected their lives. When Esme reveals some secrets to Bea, she doesn’t know if it will help or harm the family even more, but she needs to open up about them.
This is one of those books that once you read it, you can’t get it out of your mind.
*Thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book for an honest review.
I am actually having a hard time writing a review for this book without giving away too much of the story. But, I will say be sure you have some tissue ready when you read it. It feels so real. Just the thought of losing a child is hard enough, but what the family endures afterwards is heartbreaking.
The book is told in two parts. The first part of the book is about Linda and Tom Sadler and how losing their daughter, Phoebe, changes their relationship and other daughter’s life. The second part is 25 years later and focuses on sisters, Esme and Bea. We learn how the death of Phoebe has affected their lives. When Esme reveals some secrets to Bea, she doesn’t know if it will help or harm the family even more, but she needs to open up about them.
This is one of those books that once you read it, you can’t get it out of your mind.
*Thank you to Agora Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book for an honest review.
May 21, 2018
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced Kindle copy of "Missing Pieces" in exchange for an honest review. "Missing Pieces" describes life for a family after the death of a child. Phoebe's mother, father and sister all feel responsible for her death for different reasons. The story covers the events that took place the night Phoebe died and the fallout from that time until almost 30 years later. Laura Pearson's writing is sharp, breathtakingly sad and poignant. She takes the reader through a journey of one family's pain and heartache and chance for recovery. The story seems so realistic that its difficult to believe that its not based on true events. I highly recommend this debut novel from Ms. Pearson.
August 22, 2018
Linda is a mother who is missing a child. Mourning the loss of her daughter whilst looking after another and pregnant with a third is not how she saw her life going. Following Linda through her grief you begin to question how this tragedy happened and who, if anyone, was really at fault.
The second half of the book focuses on Bea, Lindas daughter. She is now pregnant and is looking back on her family for answers about the sister she never met.
The story is a heartbreaking mystery, exploring the family constructs that change following the loss of a child. Read with a box of tissues ready!
The second half of the book focuses on Bea, Lindas daughter. She is now pregnant and is looking back on her family for answers about the sister she never met.
The story is a heartbreaking mystery, exploring the family constructs that change following the loss of a child. Read with a box of tissues ready!
June 23, 2018
A totally heartbreaking read about the aftermath of a family tragedy- how it shapes everyone's lives. You can feel the desperation and how they all feel and it really touches you. Further parts of the story trickle through and you are wondering just what happened on the awful day.
May 7, 2018
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
'And Linda felt like getting inside it, curling up with her daughter and going to sleep.
But the coffin was too small.'
This is one of the saddest stories I’ve read this year. A family torn apart by one tragic moment, each person shouldering blame that severs each relationship and demands love and support that is no longer possible to give. It begins with a countdown, 21 days after the nightmare that has Linda longing for nothing more than eternal sleep, but with a baby inside her womb she can’t cave in to darkness. All she wants is make the child go away, there is nothing left inside of her for the newborn on the way, and certainly no comfort to give her eldest daughter, Esme.
Esme’s grief and shame is burying her, she needs her mother now more than ever. But Linda can’t stomach even looking at her little girl without wanting to hurt her. Still, in the beginning she tries, she attempts to rally enough energy, some remnant of ‘life’ to at least be present. She knows it isn’t fair to her husband Tom and daughter, nor to their unborn child but fair is no longer reality, not for any of them. There is no such thing as fair, she knows this now, it is a brutal truth the universe has taught them all. After losing Phoebe, everything isn’t just a challenge, it’s an impossibility. She is sinking in depression that is feeding her rage, and Esme is trapped between her parents, protective of the mother that seems to hate her so much. Her childhood is over, she is only 7 years old when her mother decides to erase all reminders of Phoebe, so that maybe she can go on, so that maybe she can breathe and get through just one day. When Linda isn’t feeling judged by other mothers for collapsing under her grief and being a terrible mother to Esme, resentful of husband Tom, then she is hearing her dead daughter’s voice. She needs help! When the new baby arrives, it should be a moment of rebirth for the entire family, a chance to heal, but Linda cannot escape her sorrow. Esme becomes Bea’s second mother of sorts, a stand in for the love and care her mother can’t bear to give. That care verges on suffocating, because she will do everything to keep Bea safe.
Fast forward to the future, Part 2 and Bea is about to have a child of her own. There is a strain between she and Esme. This novel beautifully exposes how children, with an age gap, can live a completely different upbringing within the same family. All Esme ever wanted to do is protect Bea from the heavy weight of the grief she has lived and breathed since before Bea was born. To keep Bea safe becomes a second chance for the unforgivable mistake made with Phoebe. Esme hasn’t had much of a life of her own, hasn’t felt she deserved one, not after her mother Linda fell apart, and what about Tom, her father? If there are secrets that have been kept from Bea, there too are things Tom and Linda had kept from Esme, that changes everything she believed about that ill-fated day when she lost her beloved little sister. Just who is to blame?
It is about regret, how making one poor judgement can cost you everything. How many moments have we ourselves dodged, simply through fate? One may never know. It is not having the full story, and how Bea’s relationship with her family is damaged by fear, by the unspeakable truths we keep close thinking it’s the only way to salvage the remains of happiness, the only chance to keep someone safe. It’s how much of our future we give away to guilt, to pain. This is a heavy read, and as a mother one can understand Linda’s struggle with shame, rage, hopelessness and bottomless grief. Tom has his own burden to bear, he too made a mistake, as did Esme (though of all of them, surely Esme is the least to blame)? What a position for so young a child to be in. It seems like an impossible scenario, but such things have happened, and I always wonder ‘my god, how does a child move on from such a terrible accident.’ A heavy read. Maybe there is hope for healing, but tragedy is an unwanted guest that refuses to leave. Will they ever be a family again, will Bea ever have all the Missing Pieces and finally know what happened? What about her pregnancy? What does it mean for her future? This is a weeper.
Publication Date: June 21, 2018
Ipso Books
'And Linda felt like getting inside it, curling up with her daughter and going to sleep.
But the coffin was too small.'
This is one of the saddest stories I’ve read this year. A family torn apart by one tragic moment, each person shouldering blame that severs each relationship and demands love and support that is no longer possible to give. It begins with a countdown, 21 days after the nightmare that has Linda longing for nothing more than eternal sleep, but with a baby inside her womb she can’t cave in to darkness. All she wants is make the child go away, there is nothing left inside of her for the newborn on the way, and certainly no comfort to give her eldest daughter, Esme.
Esme’s grief and shame is burying her, she needs her mother now more than ever. But Linda can’t stomach even looking at her little girl without wanting to hurt her. Still, in the beginning she tries, she attempts to rally enough energy, some remnant of ‘life’ to at least be present. She knows it isn’t fair to her husband Tom and daughter, nor to their unborn child but fair is no longer reality, not for any of them. There is no such thing as fair, she knows this now, it is a brutal truth the universe has taught them all. After losing Phoebe, everything isn’t just a challenge, it’s an impossibility. She is sinking in depression that is feeding her rage, and Esme is trapped between her parents, protective of the mother that seems to hate her so much. Her childhood is over, she is only 7 years old when her mother decides to erase all reminders of Phoebe, so that maybe she can go on, so that maybe she can breathe and get through just one day. When Linda isn’t feeling judged by other mothers for collapsing under her grief and being a terrible mother to Esme, resentful of husband Tom, then she is hearing her dead daughter’s voice. She needs help! When the new baby arrives, it should be a moment of rebirth for the entire family, a chance to heal, but Linda cannot escape her sorrow. Esme becomes Bea’s second mother of sorts, a stand in for the love and care her mother can’t bear to give. That care verges on suffocating, because she will do everything to keep Bea safe.
Fast forward to the future, Part 2 and Bea is about to have a child of her own. There is a strain between she and Esme. This novel beautifully exposes how children, with an age gap, can live a completely different upbringing within the same family. All Esme ever wanted to do is protect Bea from the heavy weight of the grief she has lived and breathed since before Bea was born. To keep Bea safe becomes a second chance for the unforgivable mistake made with Phoebe. Esme hasn’t had much of a life of her own, hasn’t felt she deserved one, not after her mother Linda fell apart, and what about Tom, her father? If there are secrets that have been kept from Bea, there too are things Tom and Linda had kept from Esme, that changes everything she believed about that ill-fated day when she lost her beloved little sister. Just who is to blame?
It is about regret, how making one poor judgement can cost you everything. How many moments have we ourselves dodged, simply through fate? One may never know. It is not having the full story, and how Bea’s relationship with her family is damaged by fear, by the unspeakable truths we keep close thinking it’s the only way to salvage the remains of happiness, the only chance to keep someone safe. It’s how much of our future we give away to guilt, to pain. This is a heavy read, and as a mother one can understand Linda’s struggle with shame, rage, hopelessness and bottomless grief. Tom has his own burden to bear, he too made a mistake, as did Esme (though of all of them, surely Esme is the least to blame)? What a position for so young a child to be in. It seems like an impossible scenario, but such things have happened, and I always wonder ‘my god, how does a child move on from such a terrible accident.’ A heavy read. Maybe there is hope for healing, but tragedy is an unwanted guest that refuses to leave. Will they ever be a family again, will Bea ever have all the Missing Pieces and finally know what happened? What about her pregnancy? What does it mean for her future? This is a weeper.
Publication Date: June 21, 2018
Ipso Books
June 19, 2018
Linda and Tom have just lost their little daughter Phoebe to a tragic accident. But they still have the other daughter, and there is another baby on its way - so they have a reason to keep going. Tom tries, but Linda submerges in her grief.
Fast forward and the unborn baby is to have a baby of her own. There is a tension between her and her older sister Esme and her father, they're really not so much in touch - there are too many secrets and lies between them but maybe now is the time to build new bridges?
The book is split into two parts. In the first one we experience what has happened and follow the after - tragedy lives of Linda, Tom, Esme and the little Bea. This part was really heart - wrenching and it touched at all the right heart - strings, it was emotionally wrecking and all the feelings were palpable. The second part takes place 25 years later, and here I had a feeling that it is a different read, to be honest, that it is written by a different person - it just read differently and well, let's be honest, it wasn't as gripping and compelling as part one.
The great thing in this book was that it was really easy to relate to the characters, to understand them. I really didn't want to judge Linda, I've never been in her shoes and I pray to God to never be in her shoes - loosing a child is the biggest nightmare of each parent, that's for sure. However, I couldn't help but feel annoyed with her - she had another daughter, and later on Bea was born, and yet Linda has chosen to desolate, she didn't even try to try. It looked like she wanted Bea to disappear, Esme to look after herself - she was for sure no comfort to them, and she didn't even try, and this is what bothered me so much about her character. That she just gave up. But also her grief, her shame and her rage were so natural to understand. Tom, who has his own burden and guilt to bear, tried his best to help Linda and to provide his daughters with relatively normal childhood - I was in awe how great he was with the girls, and how much and how long he tried. Even with the mistakes he did, I kept my fingers crossed for Tom, as he does his best to keep his family together, to blend together what's left, to go on somehow, and it was heart - breaking to see that whatever he did, it was not working.And Esme - though Esme was really not to blame, right? Full of guilt and bearing her own burden her whole life, finding herself in an awful position. Bea's life was like pre-programmed through the loss of Phoebe, by the unspeakable truth, and I can imagine how hard it was to grow up in the shadows of ignorance, of not knowing, and secrets.
It is Laura Pearson's debut novel and it turned out to be a great read. The author has skills to tell a gripping, intriguing and heart - wrenching story and really has a way with words. She can really deal with feelings and emotions, bringing them all easily on the paper and the family portrait that she has painted in "Missing Pieces" is incredibly realistic. The way she describes grief and pain just gets under your skin and you really experience this all, together with the characters. I, however, quickly guessed what has happened to the middle daughter and the circumstances, and I personally think the book would be even better if it was explained earlier on.
Altogether, "Missing Pieces" was a sad, but not too overwhelmingly depressing, book - and it's for sure not easy to write such a novel, to find this balance, to not to push this limit of being too depressing, too teary, and the author has really done it in a great way. This was a poignant and heart - wrenching story about regret, about losing hope, and about not giving up, about Missing Pieces - yes! - and how important they are to leave the past behind and to know the truth that affects you as well. A gripping story about how a tragedy can shape lives, emotionally raw tale of depression, grief, secrets and lies, a story about a family damaged by the death of a young daughter, by betrayals, by depression and lies, with characters that were very well layered and with realistic family dynamics. A great debut and I am looking forward to read more from Laura Pearson.
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
June 22, 2018
Missing Pieces is an emotionally raw debut by Laura Pearson. Be prepared for your heart strings to be stretched to their limit, Laura delves into the aftermath of an unfortunate accident which results in the death of a child, the grief, the destruction of the family dynamics and the sense of guilt all borne by each surviving family member.
Laura has written sensitively about tough subjects, the death of a child, mental health, suicide, an extra marital affair all encompassing the intense grief which will either pull a family together or shatter the very foundations, all because of a split second decision.
A family of four become three, Phoebe the youngest child of Linda and Tom Sadler, sister to Esme has died in a tragic accident, Linda is pregnant with their third child and due to stress, grief and anxiety Bea is born prematurely. A newborn, a child’s death, and the one daughter left behind, no one talks, Phoebe is gone, Linda is disconnected, Esme is withdrawn and Tom is struggling.
A fractured family, Missing Pieces. Piece by piece the walls crumble and fall but the passing of time heals the rifts, the Missing Pieces connect, each learns to forgive but never to forget.
The narrative and characters flowed with ease, each persona was brought forth in a vivid picture in my mind allowing me to feel the sense of raw emotion. I felt as if I walked hand in hand with them, shrouded in their lives, seeing what they could see, thinking what they were thought, re-living their past, involved in their present and looking to their future.
Laura dealt me a blow straight through the heart with Missing Pieces, I fumbled through pages, blinded by tears, hoping and praying the family could forgive themselves, re-connect and accept that the split second decisions they each made were just that, a fleeting thought, an unintentional act.
A debut which will draw empathy to the fore front, influence your behaviour, thoughts and leave you in a puddle of tears.
My thanks go to Lucy Irvine, Laura Pearson and Agora Books for the advanced readers copy of Missing Pieces, it was a delight to be able to read Laura’s debut and be part of the Blog Tour. This review is my personal, honest and unbiased opinion on Missing Pieces. I look forward to reading many more books from Laura and I wish you all the best in your future writings.
Laura has written sensitively about tough subjects, the death of a child, mental health, suicide, an extra marital affair all encompassing the intense grief which will either pull a family together or shatter the very foundations, all because of a split second decision.
A family of four become three, Phoebe the youngest child of Linda and Tom Sadler, sister to Esme has died in a tragic accident, Linda is pregnant with their third child and due to stress, grief and anxiety Bea is born prematurely. A newborn, a child’s death, and the one daughter left behind, no one talks, Phoebe is gone, Linda is disconnected, Esme is withdrawn and Tom is struggling.
A fractured family, Missing Pieces. Piece by piece the walls crumble and fall but the passing of time heals the rifts, the Missing Pieces connect, each learns to forgive but never to forget.
The narrative and characters flowed with ease, each persona was brought forth in a vivid picture in my mind allowing me to feel the sense of raw emotion. I felt as if I walked hand in hand with them, shrouded in their lives, seeing what they could see, thinking what they were thought, re-living their past, involved in their present and looking to their future.
Laura dealt me a blow straight through the heart with Missing Pieces, I fumbled through pages, blinded by tears, hoping and praying the family could forgive themselves, re-connect and accept that the split second decisions they each made were just that, a fleeting thought, an unintentional act.
A debut which will draw empathy to the fore front, influence your behaviour, thoughts and leave you in a puddle of tears.
My thanks go to Lucy Irvine, Laura Pearson and Agora Books for the advanced readers copy of Missing Pieces, it was a delight to be able to read Laura’s debut and be part of the Blog Tour. This review is my personal, honest and unbiased opinion on Missing Pieces. I look forward to reading many more books from Laura and I wish you all the best in your future writings.
July 15, 2018
Three-year-old Phoebe dies while in the care of her six-year-old sister Esme while their mother Linda runs next door to help an elderly neighbor tearing the family apart. When Bea is born several months later to a mother too depressed to bond with her, a sister too afraid to lose her and a father just trying to hold the family together. Twenty-five years later, Bea is pregnant, asking for answers about the sister she never knew and the mother who couldn’t love her.
MISSING PIECES, a slow paced, dreary story is saved by Laura Pearson’s beautiful writing, strongest in adult Esme’s letters to Phoebe and Bea. Pearson captures Esme’s pain, so raw, palpable and honest, I felt as if it was my own. The last letter, when she finally discloses the events that led to Phoebe’s death, was vivid and heartbreaking.
Aside from the letters, I couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. I felt terrible for Esme after her sister’s death, she needed so much more. During the second half, readers learn more about Esme, making her both less sympathetic and more real.
MISSING PIECES wasn’t an enjoyable read, not because of the sad topics, more so due to the slow pace, my lack of connection with the characters (except in the letters) and that the story didn’t feel memorable.
MISSING PIECES, a slow paced, dreary story is saved by Laura Pearson’s beautiful writing, strongest in adult Esme’s letters to Phoebe and Bea. Pearson captures Esme’s pain, so raw, palpable and honest, I felt as if it was my own. The last letter, when she finally discloses the events that led to Phoebe’s death, was vivid and heartbreaking.
Aside from the letters, I couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. I felt terrible for Esme after her sister’s death, she needed so much more. During the second half, readers learn more about Esme, making her both less sympathetic and more real.
MISSING PIECES wasn’t an enjoyable read, not because of the sad topics, more so due to the slow pace, my lack of connection with the characters (except in the letters) and that the story didn’t feel memorable.
June 9, 2018
Missing Pieces is Laura Pearson’s debut novel. This is a heartbreaking read but you will be hooked to the very end.
This book is sad throughout. Linda is struggling. All she wants to do is sleep, she can’t stand her daughter, can’t bear to look at her husband and doesn’t want the baby she s carrying. She wants to go back to before. Before the tragedy happened.
Twenty five years later, her daughter is pregnant and before she brings her baby into the world, she wants to know what happened twenty five years earlier. What tore her family apart.
This book although sad and heartbreaking, is also heartwarming. The characters are likeable and you can easily identify with them. It’s a tough read but is written with sensitivity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ipso books and the author for the chance to review.
This book is sad throughout. Linda is struggling. All she wants to do is sleep, she can’t stand her daughter, can’t bear to look at her husband and doesn’t want the baby she s carrying. She wants to go back to before. Before the tragedy happened.
Twenty five years later, her daughter is pregnant and before she brings her baby into the world, she wants to know what happened twenty five years earlier. What tore her family apart.
This book although sad and heartbreaking, is also heartwarming. The characters are likeable and you can easily identify with them. It’s a tough read but is written with sensitivity.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ipso books and the author for the chance to review.
June 21, 2018
#FirstLine ~ The coffin was too small.
This book will move you to the core. This book will make you ugly cry. This book may even change you in ways you cannot really understand. This book will become a new favorite. This book will be a book you read more than one time! I cannot really capture how good this book is without giving too much away. Missing Pieces is special because it is harsh and real. It captures life when it is broken. There is heartbreak and beauty within these pages and a story that will leave its mark on you, in the best possible way. A MUST READ!!!
This book will move you to the core. This book will make you ugly cry. This book may even change you in ways you cannot really understand. This book will become a new favorite. This book will be a book you read more than one time! I cannot really capture how good this book is without giving too much away. Missing Pieces is special because it is harsh and real. It captures life when it is broken. There is heartbreak and beauty within these pages and a story that will leave its mark on you, in the best possible way. A MUST READ!!!
June 21, 2018
Missing Pieces is a story about family tragedy and the heartbreak of having to cope with the death of their little girl little Phoebe who was only two years old, without giving too much of the story away, it takes you through to what Linda and Tom, her mum and dad went through, what I loved most about this book was that it kept you guessing as to how she died, it had me totally gripped throughout, I really enjoyed it.
July 20, 2018
Oh my goodness. This book broke me. 😭 I sat down to read it yesterday and ended up reading it in one sitting. Missing Pieces is the beautifully written story of the Sadler family. After the tragic loss of their daughter Phoebe, the Sadlers fall apart. Linda, the mom who is pregnant with their third daughter, cannot cope with this enormous loss and falls into a deep depression. Esme, the 7 year old sister, is lost without her sister and blames herself for her death. And the father, Tom, is doing his best to keep it all together while dealing with his own grief. This story broke my heart and I was completely invested in this family. This is a beautifully written story of love, loss, heartbreak, mental illness, family, and grief. For me, Missing Pieces gets all of the stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This is the first novel for Laura Pearson and I am impressed! I cannot wait to read what she comes up with next. Thank you @agorabooksldn for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
June 19, 2018
Missing Pieces is a book told in two parts. In part one, we watch a family destroyed by grief after losing a young daughter. We are never quite privy to the details around the death of Phoebe, but we see how the mother, father, and also young sister deal with the aftermath of losing a loved one. There are some truly heartbreaking moments during this part of the story, especially with Linda, the mother, and her overwhelming sadness.
In part two, we follow Bea, who was born months after the death of Phoebe. Bea is now pregnant, but becomes determined to find out what happened to her family when she was just a baby. What happened to the sister no one talks about, what happened to her mother? She starts to bond once again with sister and father, as she navigates a pregnancy that wasn’t expected.
While I did enjoy Missing Pieces and stayed interested in the story throughout, I didn’t get as emotionally invested as I thought I would. Instead of being in the story, I felt like I was simply watching from the sidelines, not quite able to get in the game. It was still a very well written novel and one that made you think how you would handle certain situations that the Sadler family deals with. This is Laura Pearson’s debut novel, and I would definitely read more from her.
I received a review copy
In part two, we follow Bea, who was born months after the death of Phoebe. Bea is now pregnant, but becomes determined to find out what happened to her family when she was just a baby. What happened to the sister no one talks about, what happened to her mother? She starts to bond once again with sister and father, as she navigates a pregnancy that wasn’t expected.
While I did enjoy Missing Pieces and stayed interested in the story throughout, I didn’t get as emotionally invested as I thought I would. Instead of being in the story, I felt like I was simply watching from the sidelines, not quite able to get in the game. It was still a very well written novel and one that made you think how you would handle certain situations that the Sadler family deals with. This is Laura Pearson’s debut novel, and I would definitely read more from her.
I received a review copy
June 21, 2018
This novel is an emotionally charged story - a debut from a natural born writer. An ordinary family are thrust into a tragedy when their three-year-old daughter Phoebe dies. There is a snowball effect, and a series of further tragedies as the family fail to cope with the fall-out. Suffering the loss of a child must be a devastating ordeal. To cope with it during pregnancy when the hormones are crazy must be far worse. All the characters seem to close off believing they are responsible for the death and indeed they are a lot of "if only....." situations and serious issues to work through. Each member of the family has their individual way of recovery. None of them wise or workable. Strangely I found myself perpetually changing my opinions of the family members as the story progressed. There is love in the family, but it sours and stagnates as they blame themselves, each other or believe others are blaming them. These secrets emotionally separate the family. Will they find peace and forgiveness? Thank you to NetGalley and Ipso.
July 9, 2018
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Oh my goodness this book took me through so many emotions - I don't think I have felt so moved by a book for such a long time, it is definitely a story that is going to remain with me!
Every now and again I want to read a book that isn't a psychological or crime thriller and as soon as I saw the blurb and cover for this book, I knew it was a book that would tick all the boxes for me and it was certainly one I wanted to read.
This book is beautifully written and I adored the story, the characters really make it a special read and the plot was superb. I loved how the story developed and we got to catch glimpses of the past and what happened to the family. This is a really impressive debut.
Honestly I couldn't give this book anything other than 5 stars - just be warned it might make you cry, and I mean ugly cry - have plenty of tissues and chocolates to hand!!
Oh my goodness this book took me through so many emotions - I don't think I have felt so moved by a book for such a long time, it is definitely a story that is going to remain with me!
Every now and again I want to read a book that isn't a psychological or crime thriller and as soon as I saw the blurb and cover for this book, I knew it was a book that would tick all the boxes for me and it was certainly one I wanted to read.
This book is beautifully written and I adored the story, the characters really make it a special read and the plot was superb. I loved how the story developed and we got to catch glimpses of the past and what happened to the family. This is a really impressive debut.
Honestly I couldn't give this book anything other than 5 stars - just be warned it might make you cry, and I mean ugly cry - have plenty of tissues and chocolates to hand!!
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