This is an interesting look at a family grieving for their father, partner and ex-husband and deciding how best to divide his estate.
When Jonathan dies after a battle with MND, he assigns his three adult children (Liv, Noah & Chloe) as executors of his will, and tells them it’s up to them to agree on how his money should be shared - not just between them, but also his ex-wife Eloise, and the woman he left her for and lived with, Megan. With so much going on in their own lives, and emotions highly charged, agreeing on an outcome is far from easy...
This is a poignant and honest look at how people deal with grief, and the way it can make them behave. It’s very much a character driven story, with the narrative moving between all of the siblings and the two women from Jonathan’s life. There’s also quite a focus on Jonathan’s carer, Lisa, and how important she was to him in his final months - a beautiful message about the people who so selflessly choose to help others in their final days.
I was really intrigued when I read the first few chapters, but I think I expected this to perhaps get a bit darker and more exciting than it did. There were some surprises, but nothing which I’d call a shock twist which had me speeding through this novel. It is very much an emotional portrayal of loss and family rather than any great mystery, but the author really nails the dialogue around the horrible business of dividing a loved one’s estate.
I’d recommend this to anyone who is happy for a quieter, more tender and character driven read - and especially those who enjoy a good family drama, but I think I just went in with the wrong expectations. It’s brilliantly written, and really compassionate and understanding towards the realities of grieving, and how that can sometimes bring out the worst in people.
When Jonathan dies after a battle with MND, he assigns his three adult children (Liv, Noah & Chloe) as executors of his will, and tells them it’s up to them to agree on how his money should be shared - not just between them, but also his ex-wife Eloise, and the woman he left her for and lived with, Megan. With so much going on in their own lives, and emotions highly charged, agreeing on an outcome is far from easy...
This is a poignant and honest look at how people deal with grief, and the way it can make them behave. It’s very much a character driven story, with the narrative moving between all of the siblings and the two women from Jonathan’s life. There’s also quite a focus on Jonathan’s carer, Lisa, and how important she was to him in his final months - a beautiful message about the people who so selflessly choose to help others in their final days.
I was really intrigued when I read the first few chapters, but I think I expected this to perhaps get a bit darker and more exciting than it did. There were some surprises, but nothing which I’d call a shock twist which had me speeding through this novel. It is very much an emotional portrayal of loss and family rather than any great mystery, but the author really nails the dialogue around the horrible business of dividing a loved one’s estate.
I’d recommend this to anyone who is happy for a quieter, more tender and character driven read - and especially those who enjoy a good family drama, but I think I just went in with the wrong expectations. It’s brilliantly written, and really compassionate and understanding towards the realities of grieving, and how that can sometimes bring out the worst in people.