Before I Let You Go is such an emotional and evocative book. This is the kind of story that stays with you long after you finish reading it. It made me question how many Annies are out there who don't have a sister like Lexie to give them unconditional support even when everyone else gave up on them. I cried several times, especially when I thought about my sister. She passed away when she was still a baby and I never had the chance to see her grow up. I miss and need her every day. Her absence left a hole in my life.
Hands down to Kelly Rimmer. She surely knows how to touch her reader's hearts.

I devoured this book in under 24 hours and I was utterly captivated every single minute. The story opens with Lexie receiving a phone call from her sister Annie, Annie has struggled with heroin addiction for years and as a result, the sisters have a strained relationship. But this phone call changes everything, Annie is pregnant and afraid. From the minute Lexie receives this phone call, nothing will ever be the same. This story was heartbreaking but so well written and engaging. I had to know what was going to happen next and I felt the pain in the sisters hearts alongside them. Told in alternating perspectives from Lexie in present day and Annie from childhood through letters/diary entries, the storytelling is very well done and will you leave you wanting to know what’s next from Rimmer! Don’t forget to have tissues handy for this one!

Thank you to Harlequin books for an advance copy. All opinions are my own

Before I Let You Go was heart wrenching, speaks to a very topical subject ~ drug abuse, the way addicts, particularly female addicts with children are treated, how it impacts families and poses the question of what can we do about this.

Like a lot of people, I find it hard to find sympathy for pregnant addicts, thinking only of the poor babies that are born drug addicted, facing withdrawal before they can even get on with the business of being a baby. It breaks my heart and I tend to judge these mothers, but after reading this book, I believe I'll be just a little more understanding, especially when a pregnant mother faces the Catch 22 faced in this novel.

The examination of the relationship between the sisters and the back story leading to drug addiction of one sister and the success of the other was very well done and I particularly enjoyed the character of Sam, Lexie's boyfriend.

I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those looking for a unique family drama with a good dose of reality. Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and Ms. Rimmer for an early copy of this book.

This is a heartbreaking tale in so many ways. Both Lexie and Annie are still dealing with the impact of things that happened to them when they were girls but they've gone in different directions. Rimmer has hit on one of the great tragedies of the opioid crisis- what happens to the babies of addicted moms. This is a topical novel and it's also so affecting that it should make you think hard about how we deal with this issue. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a hard but wonderfully written novel.

Besides the title and cover, Before I Let You Go is not another psychological thriller — so many thrillers have similar titles.

No, it’s a heartfelt story about sisters, addiction, grief and abuse. Lexie and Annie lost their father as children, after which their mother moved them to a very insular and strict religious community. Lexie left first and then Annie followed her. Flash forward several years and Lexie is a doctor and Annie is pregnant and addicted to heroin. The story is told primarily from Lexie’s perspective starting towards the end of Annie’s pregnancy. There are also a few chapters from Annie’s perspective in the form of diary entries that recount her childhood moving forward.

I have given Before I Let You Go 4 stars because it had me fully emotionally engaged and I felt that the author really did justice to the real time pain, emotions and political, social and legal issues of the situation. Besides the story, the author is overtly trying to raise awareness about how the law treats pregnant women who have addiction issues, and she generally does a good job.

If I focused on literary merit, my rating would likely be lower. It got long and repetitive in places, and it did a bit to much saying rather than showing. But, in fairness, addiction involves lots of waiting, false hopes, guilt and blaming, and single minded focused attention by the addict and close family members, and the rhythm of the book captures that dynamic really well. While the characters other than Lexie and Annie are a bit simplistic, the dance between Lexie and Annie is really potent. As I say, I found myself fully emotionally engaged in their story and I have a lot of respect for the author’s point of view on the topic she deals with. Her perspective on addiction is not simplistic, and for that reason alone this novel is worthy of attention.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

I really love this novel, and here are a couple reasons why; One, Rimmer is sympathetic to both addicts and the family members dealing with addicted love ones. Two, Rimmer is a hugely talented writer.

The story is about two sisters who have been estranged for two years because one of them has battled drug addiction for years. Lexie is the together sister—a doctor who is engaged to a wonderful man. Annie is the sister who has battled drug addiction. Lexie is used to getting late-night calls of requests for help from Annie. She’s put her in rehab, giving her a place to stay, tried to be understanding. She knows addiction is a disease, but it’s frustrating and heart-breaking nonetheless. But this late-night call is different—Annie tells her that she’s pregnant, and because she has still been getting high, she can’t go to the hospital or she risks losing the baby to social services.

Lexie and her fiancé Sam rush to help her. Annie is in premature labor and will die if she doesn’t get to the hospital. What follows is a harrowing tale of Annie trying to get clean and keep custody of her baby and Lexie doing her best to advocate on her behalf.

“We hold our pregnant woman on a pedestal in this society. We say we want the best thing for the babies, so we want to tell their mommas what to eat, what they can drink, what they drugs they can use . . . and there’s good intentions there, and maybe it’s the kind of thing that’s too nuanced to draw the line across but . . . for sure there’s a vein of misogyny here, too. Women who use drugs in pregnancy have fallen off the pedestal, and don’t we all just love to punish them for that.”

“In the last few years . . . politicians talking aout compassion with people with addiction, but . . . no one ever talks about compassion for women who are pregnant and have have addictions. Maybe we’re progressing to the point that we realize that raging addiction isn’t exactly a lifestyle choice, but we’re world’s away from applying that same logic to women who happen to be pregnant. We want our mommas to be perfect, and when they stumble and fall, we punish them.”

The recovery rates for people with substance abuse issues are abysmal. Rimmer deals with the subject with compassion and objectivity. This is a must-read for sure.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Graydon House for the opportunity to review this novel.

Before I Let You Go grabbed my heart from the first page and didn’t let go of it. Kelly Rimmer skillfully writes with compassion and honesty as she explores the bond between two sisters from their traumatic childhood and to the crisis they now face.

Kelly Rimmers does an excellent job compassionately creating our main characters here with Annie and Lexie as they deal with Annie’s drug addiction and an unjust law and the trauma of their past. She realistically captures Annie’s addiction and Lexie’s feelings of guilt, desperation, and anxiety for Annie without forcing any emotions on her readers but allowing us to feel our own. Kelly Rimmer brings insight and understanding to the reality of addiction for people who experience it and their families.

I found the ending well-done even though it wasn’t the direction I wanted it to go, it’s a story I won’t forget. A story that offers hope in understanding the reality of addiction and a look at a different side to it as well. I highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin - Graydon House Books and Kelly Rimmer for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review!

Review is written and posted on our themed book blog Two Sisters Lost In A Coulee Reading: https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com

4.5 stars!

BEFORE I LET YOU GO by KELLY RIMMER is a touching, raw, heartbreaking and an absolutely wonderful novel that had me totally emotionally engaged and interested throughout the entire book. I was totally immersed in this deeply moving and beautifully written story here making it hard to put down.

KELLY RIMMER delivers a compassionate, thought-provoking and well-written story here that touches on so many emotional issues and the sensitive subject matter of addiction. The story was told in alternating perspectives from Lexie in present day and from Annie through letters and diary entries. The portrayal of these characters and the bond that these two sisters shared was executed so well and in a realistic and honest way that touched my heart.

To sum it all up it was an interesting, insightful, unforgettable, emotional, and an enjoyable read with a touching, heart-wrenching, and bittersweet ending. Would highly recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harlequin - Graydon House Books and Kelly Rimmer for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the book in exchange for a review!

Before I Let You Go is the story of a pair of sisters tragic childhood that has led them where they are today, both the good and the bad.

Lexie and Annie were both young when their father died in a terrible accident, which was hard for them to completely understand and cope with. Their mother just shut down, withdrew from her daughters and stayed hidden up in her room, leaving Lexie to care for Annie and herself. Lexie and Annie were always close, but this and sudden marriage of tier mother to a controlling man, and moving to a new “community” brought them even closer. This community that their mother has moved them to is a religious cult, but she claims it is what is best for them, becasue they’re all family. Lexie left home as soon as she old enough to be on her own, but she left Annie behind.

Now as adults, Lexie has worked hard to become a successful doctor while her sister has led a life of promiscuity and drugs addiction. She finds herself pregnent and in need of Lexie’s help. Lexie is strong and has things about having control over things, in her personal life as well as work. She doens’t like to ask for anyone’s help either, but dealing with a sister who is not only addicted to drugs but is now pregnant, she needs to. But old habits die hard though, and Annie doesn’t make it any easier for her either. Her attitude abut everything that was going on was selfish, and she seemed to be just self sabotaging, I wanted to see more from her now that she was pregnant. I know a lot if was her drug addiction, so I had to have a little more patience with her character. She had a tough for a head of her. And so did Lexie.

The story is told from both Lexie and Annie, but Lexie tells of the events of what is happening currently, and Annie’s POV is in journal format while under going drugs treatment. Getting a glimpse of what their lives were like up until this point was so emotional and completely heartbreaking. Rimmer did am amazing job with these characters, making you feel their feelings and fears and even their anger. You felt it all right along with them, and for them. Drug addiction was af the forefront of this, and it brings all of what it does to those close to the addict, as well as what happens if there is an unborn child. It is brutally honest, and raw, and it definitely shines a light on the stigma of this heartbreaking disease and how we treat those who are going through it, both personally and legally.

Before I Let You Go was a fantastic but hard read for me, it evoked so may emotions in me, frustration, anger and sadness, and the tears just came. I was a blubbering mess when I finally got done reading the last page. It isn’t often that a book can do that for me. It was truly an emotional story and very thought provoking and one I would definitely recommend. Just have some tissues handy.

This book is very different to any book I have read it’s also the first book I have read by Kelly Rimmer and I have to say it won’t be my last. This story touched my heart, it covered a subject most authors steer away from but this author went head long in giving us a beautifully written story.
Lexi has always had a complicated relationship with her sister Annie but when she gets a call from her saying she needs help in the middle of the night she can’t say no, what follows is tragic story about someone who is hooked on drugs, she wants to do right by her unborn child but the drugs have always been a powerful force and she doesn’t know if she can find the strength she needs to fight her demons..... will Kexi and her partner Sam help Annie fight ....
This author was not afraid to write about drug addiction and what it does to families, this is a heart wrenching story that drew me in and didn’t let me go until I had read the last line. I will be looking out for more from Kelly Rimmer.

5 stars! This was a touching and emotional novel that affected me deeply. I have not stopped thinking about these characters since I finished reading.

This is a story about addiction. It involves family secrets that test the strength of the bond of sisters. This novel will challenge you to examine your thoughts and feelings toward addiction and the effects it has on the addict as well as their families. My mind was swimming with my thoughts and reactions as the story progressed. I questioned myself constantly throughout the pages of this novel, asking how I would react and I really struggled to find my answers (some answers I still have not yet found).

There are many books about addiction. For me, the piece that truly pulled me into this story was that it was about drug addiction during pregnancy. This got right to my heart and kept me fully invested from first to the last sentence.

I will warn readers that there are upsetting scenes and discussions about the effects that substance abuse during pregnancy has on a newborn baby, but my suggestion is to push through these uncomfortable details (if you feel you can) because this story, as a whole, is deeply contemplative and insightful. It was a very eye-opening journey – one I will never forget experiencing. I would like to thank Kelly Rimmer for writing this deeply affecting story and opening up my mind to understand and show compassion to people who are often judged and ridiculed.

A big thank you to NetGalley, HARLEQUIN – Graydon House Books and Kelly Rimmer for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Two sisters have been estranged for two years and a late night phone call will bring them back together and hopefully heal their relationship. Lexie Vidler has been the older sister her entire life and even at some moments she has had to be a second parent. Annie is the younger sister and has always had Lexie to help pick up the pieces when life got rough. Annie is in a bad place and she thinks only Lexie can help.

What a fantastic sister book! Being a part of a sisterhood is rewarding and hard. Like Lexie and Annie, me and my sister are completely different, but unlike them I have never had to parent my sister, we have always been able to just be sisters. Kelly Rimmer gives a voice to both sisters as they take turns narrating the book chapter by chapter. I won't divulge too much, but the way Annie's chapters are presented is unique and different and made this book stand out for me. BUT be prepared to cry!

The writing in this book is beyond outstanding. AND the characters are just full and true. I loved reading about these sisters so much. The way she wrote the characters and the story was just so good. You can tell how much I love this book because I am beyond the ability to use words to express the love!

I was excited to find out after reading this book that Kelly Rimmer has a backlist. I will have to dive into her backlist soon and read away!

3.5 A subject that is important and one has not been explored enough in fiction. A pregnant woman, addicted to heroin,who will lose her child and have to serve prison time. A law, which I never knew, that is enforced in some states. At first I had a hard time not being judgemental, having a baby that has to go through withdrawal, just such a horrible thing. Once I read Annie's story though I felt equally sorry for her and what she has gone through. As my grandmother used to tell us, everyone has a story, and it is certainly true here.

Lexie, her older sister, a doctor who has tried to help Annie numerous times, tries to help her again. Taking on the task of caring for the infant, Daisy while Annie goes to rehab. Completing rehab a court imposed mandate if she wants to avoid jail time and ever having a chance of reclaiming her child. Unfortunately I didn't taeto Lexie's character as much as I did Annie's. For a doctor she seemed over emotional, not the capable person she was supposed to be. Repetitive thoughts and actions, whiny at times, which I felt stalled the plot. Also her fiance seemed to good too be true. Alternating between controlling and supportive. Something about him bugged me.

So another mixed read for me, good story for the most part, very worthy subject and a characters terrific, Annie that will frustrate you but who you can't help pulling for. A sisters read with many of us falling on different ends of the rating spectrum. Made for some good discussions though as I'm sure everyone's life experience had a play in their reception of this novel.

ARC from Netgalley.

Before I Let You Go is a realistic look at addiction and how it affects the family. This book is not an easy read. I cried for most of the book. I cried for Annie and the trauma she endured. I cried for Lexie. I cried for the baby. I will warn that there are triggers in the book. They are sexual/physical abuse, drug use, newborn withdrawing from opioid addiction. I would recommend to family and friends but with a warning about the triggers. Overall, a good but hard read.

have never read a book like this! It was decidedly different than any book i would choose to read.
Having said that, i feel this book sends some messages to those that read it! You may feel differently as you read. Its a heartfelt story of two sisters and what they go through in life. Its a rather sad story with some delicate life experiences that may be uncomfortable for some readers and that's all i will say on that!

At times it was an emotionally draining read as i often wondered in the back of my mind, will Annie overcome her addiction? Will she get better? Or will Lexie’s help hinder her!

Lexie has her fiance Sam, who i came to admire! His strength in his relationship especially when Lexie keeps things to herself is so beautiful, hes so incredibly supportive even if she doesn’t see it right away! He's a flipping saint, that man, to tolerate what he did!!
This book was heart wrenching!!! A story about addiction, some awful things happened in Annie's young life and when Lexie finds out, the proverbial poo hits the fan. Then when their Mum finds out,well lets just say justice may be served!
A real sense of sadness hits and things have to be changed but they do get better and I love how Lexie and Sam's story finishes! They are a beautiful caring couple who deserve all the happiness in the world.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Two sisters, Lexie and Annie, who couldn’t be more different. They went through a lot in their childhood and especially Annie is struggling with the consequences now. Their dad died early and their mum married another man. His background is special and also the way he treats the girls. That’s why Lexie left early, but Annie is younger and suffered a lot.

Now, years later, Annie is happy with her fiancé Sam, has a great job, but whenever something happens with her sister, she is there immediately. Annie has been through several rehabs and is still struggling and now she is pregnant!

Lexie suddenly sees herself caring for the baby and things get even more dramatic. The storyline is very intense and gripping.

The two women take turns telling us their story. Lexie focuses on the now and her feelings really come through. Through Annie we get to know what happened in the past. That helps to understand the characters better and I think it’s a great way to tell a story. It’s different and special.

I really liked Sam, Lexie’s fiancé, he was a wonderful support, always there for her and helping in every possible way.

Kelly Rimmer touches the topic of drug addiction in an emotional way, show that it is a disease and how the addicts actually feel.

The book is heart-breaking, touching and very poignant. I loved every minute of this story.

Rating: 4.5/5

Wow!!! I'm yet again blown away by a book by Kelly Rimmer.

The main thread of the story involves older sister Lexie and younger sister Annie. They haven't had an easy life, but Lexie has always been Annie's protector, and in a lot of ways, her mother figure. Lexie has a settled life with her fiance Sam and her job as a GP. Annie's life is the opposite and she has spiralled into the dark world of heroin addiction.

What could have happened to make two sisters take such different paths?

I felt this story, right in my heart, for how Lexie and Annie felt and dealt with the situations they found themselves in. It was absolutely heart breaking. But yet, Kelly didn't sugar-coat it. I understood every realistic reaction from both sisters.

I didn't think Kelly could top 'A Mother's Confession', but this book is right up there alongside it. So once again, I will be shouting from every platform available to me, for people to pick up this book. If I could have given it more stars, then I would have.

Now I do sometimes struggle with what’s known as ‘women’s fiction’ and more so when a book has a message, this falls into both categories but despite some reservations, there was lots to enjoy and think about.
Lexie and Annie are sisters, and in the middle of the night, after two years with no contact Annie rings Lexie asking for help. Annie is an addict and she’s pregnant. Annie is also very ill and needs to go to hospital but if she does she could be charged with child endangerment because of the drugs she’s taken.

Here lies the message with the author urging the reader to see that this isn’t the right approach for the law to take over addiction, which we are reminded frequently, is an illness and therefore if helped the women can turn their lives around and care for their children. Personally I think this is a far from black and white issue but I will say no more on the subject, if you want to ponder on this further, this is the book to make you do so.

That off my chest the book takes us back to the girl’s childhood which includes loss and moving to a cult. This part is told through Annie’s eyes in a journal she writes to her therapist and it’s not only incredibly moving, expertly creating a whole world of confusion for the young girl which felt realistic. Through Annie’s journal which we read excerpts from throughout the novel we learn more about her descent into drugs, this too with no personal experience of the matter also felt highly authentic. Kelly Rimmer knows how to tell a story convincingly and I defy anyone not to have their heartstrings pulled by Before I Let You Go.

Lexi is a doctor, the older sister who had the same upbringing but her approach as a child was different and of course even siblings do not necessarily have the same reactions to each other. Lexi had always cared for Annie and the bond between the two is again created in full technicolour.

Before I Let You Go is an emotional read and I have to admit even though I despised the choices she made, in many ways I felt far more of a connection with Annie than Lexie. Lexie was just a little too perfect for me and I could see how being her younger sister would cause some ‘issues’ To make matters more complicated Lexie is planning to marry Sam, another doctor and someone else that had good person running thorough his core like a stick of rock. Lexie’s need to be independent causes issues between the couple, and if I were Sam I would probably have stated my case far earlier and more strongly than he did.

So a book about relationships in the main those between siblings and their parents viewed through the interesting angle of life in a cult. As much as I struggled with the message at times, I would have ripped your arm off if you’d tried to remove this book from my hands before I’d finished it. In the world of books it can be good to read a book that arouses strong emotions, even when they aren’t positive ones, and believe me, I was irritated by all the characters more than once!

This book covered so many heavy topics I don't know where to begin. The guilt these sisters had was so strong and so off base, it was so sad. I think the author was on point when talking about their feelings of inadequacy and how they got there. I really thought this was a good book even though it covers so many sad subjects. The bond between the sisters was strong even though so many bad things had happened between them. Their mother redeemed herself at the end, but I think it was to little to late, especially for Annie who suffered the worse treatment from their stepfather and never recovered from it.