The narrative revolves around Emily grappling with unforeseen challenges following her sister's tragic demise. Upon assuming responsibility for her nieces, Hayley and Mia, Emily's life takes an unexpected turn. The book delves into the complexities of trauma, love, and the repercussions of well-intentioned choices.

The story unfolds, revealing buried family secrets and the ensuing emotional turmoil faced by each character. Emily's evolution into a caregiver triggers a profound exploration of unconditional love amidst unsettling revelations about her late sister's death.

"After I'm Gone" skillfully navigates delicate themes such as addiction, abuse, and betrayal with empathetic precision. Each character's struggles and interwoven secrets contribute to a poignant and introspective narrative, providing readers with a compelling literary experience.

Notable characters, including Aunt Jane, serve as pivotal figures in the story, offering unique perspectives and driving the plot forward. Conversely, characters like Olly and David embody contrasting traits, evoking mixed sentiments within the story.

This evocative tale artfully dissects familial dynamics, personal growth, and the enduring impacts of past decisions, culminating in a compelling narrative that resonates with readers on an emotional and intellectual level.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Enjoyable book but i found it dragged on a bit in the middle. In saying that i couldn't put it down to find out what had happened on that fateful night. Good characters and well written,

This exactly the kind of story we have come to expect from Clare Boyd. I felt that it started off quite slowly but it became very emotional as we read of the secrets and challenges following Charlotte's death.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this ARC

This author is one of my firm favourites - she writes beautifully and her stories are just wow! And this one is just absolutely brilliant. Loved, loved, loved it so much.

A top notch emotional family drama. It has torn my heart into a million pieces. The characters are real and friendly as well as going through life.

For the first half I didn’t love this book and I think the reason was that I didn’t warm to lots of the characters. I also found it a bit boring in places, with a fair amount of repetitions.
But then something changed and I became invested in the story and I felt sad at the struggles both girls were dealing with and the way Emily felt not having ever wanted children, but having found herself as a carer/guardian for them both. The effects on Emily and her own actions revealed long lasting secrets and traumas from her own childhood.
An emotional story which left me feeling slightly uncomfortable in places but pleased I had pursued with reading it. Certainly thought provoking and insightful. So slightly mixed views overall.
3.5 stars

After I’m Gone had me absolutely hooked! I had to read it every chance I got. After Emily’s sister Charlotte dies unexpectedly, Emily feels responsible for her two daughters despite having decided never to have children of her own. There are many challenges and battles along with discovering Charlotte’s secrets and the truth about the night she died.

A great read in true Clare Boyd style. The chapters are short so it’s easy to say ‘just one more’.

A very emotional read.
I identified with Emily about never wanting to be a mother. I thought Emily was high strung and I wasn’t keen on her coping mechanisms.
I thought Olly was self absorbed from the beginning and he doesn’t change.
I had to know what was in chapter 17 of the book and it revealed what I thought.
Boyd did whack me in the face with a big surprise later in the book that I hadn’t anticipated.
The book is about changes, assimilating and also letting go. There is quite a lot of angst and I did wonder why no one pursued professional counseling.

What a beautiful story about family, loss, addiction and betrayal. When Emily's sister dies suddenly, she rushes to her young nieces' sides to help them with the grief and figure out their next steps. Emily, who is married has never wanted children and this trauma has now become her reality. It was such a great novel, I just felt some of the back and forth was a little drawn out, but I highly recommend to everyone!

If you like gripping, emotional, & heartbreaking family dramas, #AfterImGone, is perfect. #ClareBoyd has penned a remarkable story about sacrificing for loved ones, trying to keep promises and, boy, quite a few secrets. There’s so much going on with Emily as she navigates a world without her sister, balancing taking care of her nieces & her own husband. She works through her inner struggles with obligations, what’s right & what her heart wants. This is a moving one.

Thank you, Clare Boyd. Bookouture & netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

We have Emily whose sister has just passed away after an accident. She made a promise to her sister that should anything happen to her then she would take care of her two daughters, Hayley and Mia.
Hayley is a very difficult child that is continually lashing out and has alot of anger issues that Emily can't believe is all down to her sisters death.
Emily believes that something more happened on the night her sister died so she tries to discover exactly what happened.
Along the way secrets are exposed and some hometruths revealed.

This really was a book of two halves for me, the first half got me thinking it was a mystery with a focus on who killed her sister, I didn't like any of the characters and was a little bored and struggled to get through it. Then out of nowhere just over half way I just started getting really involved in what was happening with this family and I was totally invested in their wellbeing. It was just so emotional what they were going through, it was realistic with the raw emotion of losing a parent and how to move on from that. Please stick with this book you won't regret it.

The writing is good, the character building was slow but then bam it hits you and you start to really care about these kids.
I really enjoyed this book. Well done.

First, I want to thank Clare Boyd, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

You will need tissues for After I’m Gone! Clare Boyd’s latest novel is an emotional one that pulled on my heart strings. After reading this book I just wanted to reach out to my sister, hug her and tell her how much she means to me.

My heart totally broke into so many pieces when Emily and I found out together about the loss of her sister Charlotte! I couldn’t imagine what it would have felt like hearing that tragic news over the phone! I had so many questions like how did she fall in the bathroom. Years ago I too passed out in the bathroom and fractured my neck. However, this was way worse than that.

Not only did I feel for Emily but her daughter’s she was leaving behind! Their life was about to be turned upside down! Who would they live with their Dad David (that was referred to as a sperm donor) or their Aunt Emily (who Charlotte wanted them to live with)?

Needless to say there were so many secrets that were about to come out regarding Charlotte’s death.

Clare educated her readers briefly addressing being Gluten Free and what Gluten does to your body.

This is an incredibly emotional read. It will really capture your heart and stay with you forever. A real eye opener to how things can change in the blink of an eye.

The story itself really draws you in and will take up most of your day as you will not want to put this book down. I knew I had to keep reading as I wanted to know what really happened to her sister and if it really was accidental or not.

Absolutely fantastic characters aswell. Just brilliant will definitely be recommending this book.

This one draws you in from the start with the promise of mystery and intrigue. The characters suited their roles. This was more of a slow burn. A book like an onion where you slowly peel back each layer until the whole story becomes clear. There are many winding roads in this one and it keeps you wondering what really happened until the very end. A gritty, low key mystery that is not to gory or horrifying. Just a solid little read.

A brilliant family saga. Every family has its secrets but as they are revealed in this brilliant read you'll switch your allegiance time after time. When Charlotte dies it's only natural that Emily should look after her two daughters, especially as she promised Charlotte that she would should that day ever come. After all Emily has a history of doing things for others, but at what price?

After I'm Gone" by Clare Boyd is a heart-wrenching roller-coaster of a read that delves deep into themes of bereavement, addiction, abuse, and betrayal. From the very beginning, the emotional action grips you as Emily grapples with the sudden loss of her sister and takes on the responsibility of caring for her nieces, Hayley and Mia. The tension never lets up, keeping you hooked until the very end. Boyd skillfully crafts a narrative filled with twists and turns, making it a definite page-turner.

The characters are intricately developed, each grappling with their own demons and secrets, which adds layers of complexity to the story. Despite initial reservations, readers find themselves deeply invested in Emily's journey, learning to care for her as much as for Mia and Hayley. Through their struggles, the novel offers an insightful exploration of trauma, unconditional love, and the consequences of decisions made with the best intentions.

“After I'm gone” tackles difficult topics with sensitivity and authenticity. From the impact of addiction to the scars of abuse and the weight of betrayal, Boyd navigates these themes with finesse, never shying away from the raw emotions they evoke. The result is a poignant and thought-provoking story.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced review copy.

I was thrown into the emotional action from the start when Emily hears about her sister's death and her nieces are traumatised and the tension didn't let up until the end. It's a heartwrenching roller-coaster of a read with insightful look on trauma, unconditional love and consequences of decisions made with the best intentions. The characters were well developed and though in real life I'd not get on with Emily I learnt to care for her as much as the Mia and Hayley. There are twists and plenty to make this a gripping read.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘After I’m Gone’ written by Clare Boyd in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Emily and her older sister Charlotte make a pact that Emily will look after Charlotte’s children Hayley and Mia if anything happens to her. When Charlotte accidentally dies in her bathroom Emily immediately takes over their care but Hayley’s aggressive behaviour is causing tension between Emily and her husband Olly. Faced with two young girls who are grieving the loss of their mother, Emily realises that they know more about what happened the night Charlotte died than they’re telling, and she aims to find out what it is.

‘After I’m Gone’ is the touching story of a family who have secrets and tell lies to safeguard them whilst they strive to adjust to life after the loss of a loved one. It’s a well-written family drama with authentic characters and a realistic story that has twists and turns and a surprising but perfect ending. This is an enjoyable novel that’s had me involved from the start and was easy to read. I recommend it.

One thing that Olly and Emily agreed on was their desire not to have children. However, when Emily's sister dies in an accident, her two girls, Hayley and Mia, are shuttled around a bit as Emily has to decide if she is willing to raise them..

Meanwhile, Olly is an aspiring writer, and Emily is none too pleased with the similarities between herself and his female protagonist. In fact, what Olly writes just might show the deep cracks in their marriage and as to what they want to do with their lives.

While Emily is struggling to navigate her new normal as an instant mother, she remains disturbed about the circumstances surrounding her sister's death. Deep secrets have seemingly been buried and just might be coming to the surface.

While the book began to read to me as a psychological thriller, it is anything but. In fact, it is an excellent women's fiction novel with family drama and secrets. It was impossible not to feel compassion for Emily, Hayley and Mia, all for very different reasons. Equally heartbreaking and heartwarming, the story was fabulous throughout.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

An excellent read. The story of Emily and Olly who have a nice life as a married couple with no children and a nice life. When Emily’s sister Charlotte is found dead Emily is left with the job of minding her two nieces while a decision is made as to where they can go. A lot of trials and tribulations follow.