I started out hoping this was going to be short because instead of reading on my Kindle I had to read on a big and clunky tablet. Well it was short and it was amazing, the kind of book that will be read over and over again to reveal more layers of the story.

Joe is deeply affected by the death of his brother Sam, so much so that he doesn't speak for years. He takes up the guitar and becomes quite good and one day while playing in the woods he meets Cal. They become Blood Brothers and vow to move to Brooklyn and become famous. Joe takes the easy way out by going to Berkeley and working for his father. He loses touch with Cal who does become famous. After working for his dad for a while he quits and eventually he takes a job as an artist's assistant. October is a performance artist who is a bit of an empath. Being around too many people can be overwhelming so she prefers her art and her solitude.

The writing is very lyrical and sensual. Joe has a love of trees, specifically redwoods, and there are many hikes in the forest where you can imagine the light shining through the giant redwoods, the smells of the leaves on the ground and the mustiness of the dirt. Then there are the guitars, how each has a tone and a story to it and almost inspires him to play. I didn't understand a lot about October's art but she was multi-layered. Even though she was an artist she was wrapped up in her creations but looked out at the world and tried to experience it.

This is a story of love and chances not taken. Joe's MO is to stay safe and not care too much. But sometimes you have to take a stand and make a choice even though someone will get hurt. At one point Cal sends him an email telling him that people are one decision away from a different life. The question is Can Joe make the right decision?

Thank you to Netgalley and Woodhall Press for providing me a copy of this book.

“There’s no such thing as inaction, Joe. There’s only choice and consequence.” Everyone has those moments they remember so vividly because they shaped your future, for better or for worse. You are a victim of circumstance, you may say, or should have handled that differently. Or perhaps you say something similar to that was the best thing I’ve ever done. This book explores the consequences of choice, whether it’s to be involved, emotionally, physically, or mentally, with a situation or to check out and make no choice at all. Perhaps you will relate to running from your choices or jumping in with all your intentions on display. Perhaps the musicality of Tiffanie’s words will resound with you and you will feel the music Joe describes rise in your soul while he plays or shares his feelings. Maybe you will weep or laugh along with all the emotions and inspirations October shares. Perhaps all these things will occur, as they did for me, while reading Sorrow. I loved the layers of art added in to the words on the pages. I loved that this book made me want to explore the Redwoods and listen to live music so I could feel the notes like the musician does. Mainly, though, I loved this book because the characters are real in their challenges. Their strengths and weaknesses and passion were incredibly relatable yet so new feeling because their emotions read as so honest. Flawed. Unsure of their way but finding their steps. This book was raw and beautiful and inspiring. It touched my artistic soul on so many letters and pulled me in with every page. It left me unsure of how things would play out, dying to figure out where the characters would land at the end, and still wanting to savor each page and not rush the story, because you can’t rush art. Tiffanie DeBartolo writes characters that seem so real and fully dimensional and these particular characters were her best yet for me. This is a definite must read so you can discuss this beautiful book with others. And maybe create some art of your own.

This book is so f*cking good. It's art, painted with sorrow and stitched with love. It's by far my favorite read of the year and it will resonate with others. I am so filled with grief, I needed a light like a beacon of hope to pull me out and Sorrow did that for me 🖤

As the author of some of my favorite books, I've always held Tiffanie Debartolo to a higher standard than most books I review. Fair or not...

This book is magical. I needed it so bad. I didn't want it to end, but at the same time couldn't wait to finish it.

“Everyone is always one decision away from a completely different life.”

4.5 BEAUTIFUL STARS!

“Everyone is always one decision away from a completely different life.”

Tiffanie DeBartolo created magic once again! An angsty, beautiful book, 'Sorrow' is about flawed, damaged characters who may not always be likeable but always seem real. The main protagonist Joe has not lived up to his potential in life and seems to be hiding out both from his emotions and from responsibilities. The setting is a main part of this book, and beautiful Northern California serves as a gorgeous backdrop to the story.

October was fascinating. A performance artist, she lives an authentic life and encourages Joe to do the same. She really lives her art and through her, Joe feels emboldened to return to his musical roots. October teaches Joe that it is really never too late to follow one's passion in life and how vital it is to remain true to yourself.

There is another main character rounding out this book but anything more would spoil this review. 'Sorrow' is best read without knowing too much of the plot. If you are a fan of the author's previous books, then you will love this one. 'God-Shaped Hole' is one of my all-time favorites and I am a fan for life of Ms. DeBartolo! She recently said that one of her favorite words is ‘saudade’, which means a feeling of deep longing, melancholy, or nostalgia, and that feeling describes my emotions while reading this book. 'Sorrow' is perfect for those who love books mixing art and music and the deep emotions they both inspire. This book is a beautiful reminder to always live your life to the fullest.

Tiffanie has such a distinctive way of writing. It's so unique and whimsical, strong and defining. I found myself pulled into a story that was completely enthralling.

Joe is wandering. Wandering through life, his decisions, or lack thereof and his choices. I feel like this is a testament to Tiffanie's writing because I usually need some sort of connection with the main character in order to hold my interest and unfortunately Joe and I did not vibe, however the story itself is so strong that it kept me interested.

October is one of the most interesting characters I have ever read, the words she chooses, the choices she makes, the way she lives her life, it was so fascinating. She's very eccentric and intuitive. October is a conceptual artist, but she's so much more than that, she does installations, live art,  she can draw, paint and everything around her inspires her. Her art is real and transparent and raw.

Cal is Joe's best friend, they're actually more like  brothers because they met each other at a time in their lives where things weren't the best, they needed each other, they balanced each other and it's the kind of frienship that even if you don't speak everyday or for awhile you can always pick back up right where you left off.


There's so much to spoil with Sorrow so I'll stop there. Sorrow is purposeful, it's beautiful and phenomenal, it definitely made me think and and brought out certain emotions, Tiffanie DeBartolo is truly exceptional!

Joe Harper is a work in progress. He takes a job as an assistant set-maker with a world-renowned performance artist, October Danko. Joe finds himself back in his California hometown, where he grew up surrounded by the redwood trees and trails he has always been enamored with throughout his life. Unlike the redwood trees he is obsessed with, he can't seem to find the courage to plant his own roots and branch out. Joe is so full of regret and sorrow that he can't find happiness within himself. When he finally seems to find the courage to lead him to the right trail in life, his world starts to resemble a forest fire.

While reading this book, I felt like I was part of Joe and October's complex story and was deeply involved in their own emotional performance art exhibition. As the reader, you are in for a journey of he(art) and soul set to a backdrop of art, music, and the beauty of Muir Woods. You should go into this book knowing your own takeaway is truly the experience of Tiffanie's storytelling art. I lived and breathed the words and worlds of Joe and October. Reading Sorrow was a unique and galvanizing experience. You might dislike Joe or even October at times. Think of them as a work in progress. One-click Sorrow on October 20th.

This book will draw you in right away. You have October Danko a world renowned artist who posted an ad to find a studio assistant in Mill Valley, California. Joe Harper decided to apply for the position. He was ready for a fresh start and to get back to the area he grew up in. When he was young he lost his brother and after that tragic accident, Joe stopped talking for over two years. It wasn't until he was approached by someone, while playing his guitar, that he finally spoke his first words since the accident.

Now that Joe is moving in next to October to be her assistant, emotions begin to take place. Right when everything seem to be working out there is a surprising twist of events. There is not a dull moment in this book. Usually, I can predict the events that will follow, but not this book. I loved it for it. Highly recommend this book if you want a smooth moving book with unexpected turns. I received this book complimentary in exchange for a honest review.

I'm very glad that Tiffanie DeBartolo is back, because her writing style is so unique and I find it extremely enjoyable. However, I think that this story had some fundamental issues, just like God-Shaped Hole did.

Sorrow is about Joe, a lonely man who has missed way too many opportunities in life and is just overall unsatisfied. We follow pretty much his entire life, so this is almost a character study. The two other protagonists are October, an artist that he works for, and Cal, his childhood best friend.

I know that DeBartolo pours her heart out while she's writing, and it definitely shows. Her books are filled with a lot of soul and it's a pretty unique experience. However, I think that I've seen this plot before way too many times and I felt like the conflict was awfully handled. Joe was such a coward, I couldn't even root for him to have a happy ending. Also, it took me over a week to finish this, because the second half dragged on plot points that I didn't think were necessary.

I'm still glad that I read this, and I'd definitely recommend if you enjoy hard hitting fiction with a touch of art.

I've been going back and forth between 4-5 stars with this one. 5 because the writing is tremendous, 4 because well I just personally didn't connect with the characters much. Not like I have with this authors other work and you know what, I decided that's okay. I will never ever not pick up a book by Tiffanie DeBartolo. She is a beautiful storyteller. I loved how she incorporated all the things she loves in this book. If you follow her on any social media you know with out a doubt this book is splashed with her own personal loves. Nature, art, music. You name it, it's in there and in such beautiful ways.

I don't know what quite was missing for me for the characters but I just couldn't quite get emotionally connected to them like I wanted or felt like I needed to truly get the full affect of the book. I don't believe this is any fault of the author but more of personal reason. I'm not a creative person by nature and although I can appreciate those kinds of things I just don't have the same connection as others do.

This is a solid story that is beautifully written and I do look forward to what this author has for us in the future.

Sorrow is one of those unique stories where I didn’t like any of the characters, but loved the story as a whole. Told completely from Joe's POV, we watch him turn from a passive, perpetual floater through life to someone who realizes that he can create his own future, rather than be lead by it. It is both awkward and poetic to watch. as each decision he makes either leaves him in a suspended way of living or grows him into his his best self.

I haven't even heard of Tiffanie DeBartolo before, and after this novel she's become one of my favorite authors. I'm rating it 4.5 because it was so dang close to being a perfect melancholic novel for me.

We follow Joseph Harper, a man in his thirties dealing with the loss of a lot of things, his dreams, his brother, his best friend, his family and his motivations, and he lives with the guilt and fear of being unable to take control of his life. Through flashbacks, we see how he lost monumental people to him and his thought process in acknowledging that. It's a love letter to tress and wilderness, performing art, guitar and rock music. And when the flashbacks end, and we're there with him contemplating all of his life choices, we feel for him and wish that he'd make the choice to make himself happy for once.

I loved his friendship with Cal, one of the best friendships I've read in novels. Also his relationship with October was dreamy a lot of the time, and honestly? the concepts for a lot of her art projects are wonderful, that I'm wishing there's a real artist doing them (I'll google them after writing this review to make sure if anyone was inspired to do them). He had to resolve his issues with his family, his guilt towards his brother, Cal, and October, and most of all, himself.

The language was lyrical, and you found yourself rooting for the romance even though it's obvious that this is not a romance book. Also, I loved the whole "favorite words" part, and I was taking note of all the words they were discovering.

Wow.. this was my first book by Tiffanie DeBartolo, and now I am going to go and purchase every book by her. I absolutely loved her writing, I went into this book thinking that it was just going to be just your normal romance story.. but it wasn’t. Joe and October aren’t your normal characters. This wasn’t even really a “romance” novel that you would even normally think of. This was more of a live story of Joe. I was swept away in the story, and I was torn between having to know what happens, and not wanting it to end. I was absolutely hooked. I will definitely be recommending this to all my friends. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this in advance. I can’t wait to buy this book to keep for always on my shelf. Thank you to Tiffanie DeBartolo for this story!!

Sorrow blindsided me with wisdom.

It's exactly the kind of book you should read if you're feeling stuck in a job you hate, relationships that feel hollow, and a life you uninspired by. It will wake you up--and not in some corny way, but in a subtle, honest way.

I knew I'd love the writing because I am such a fan of Tiffanie's previous two novels, and this one did not disappoint. Highly recommend.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Woodhall Press for allowing me to review an early draft of Tiffanie DeBartolo’s Sorrow.

First, I must confess that I may be biased since I adore Tiffanie DeBartolo’s work. How to Kill a Rockstar is one of my all-time favorite guilty pleasures; plus, I love any story that incorporates music in a smart way.

Sorrow is ultimately a love story about the different kinds of love that people may experience throughout their lives: love for music, for art, for a significant other, for family, for friends, for self, and so forth.

The most important relationship throughout the novel is the one between Joe Harper, the protagonist, and his childhood best friend, Cal. I’ve only read a handful of stories that center on male friendships, but somehow this reminded me of tidbits from all of them.

Without giving too much away, all the prospective reader needs to know is that Cal moved to NYC to pursue both boys’ dreams of becoming musicians and Joe stayed behind in California to follow the mundane path of getting a degree to work at a job he hated.

Personally, I could not stand Joe. To steal one of the author’s words, he is so pusillanimous that I wanted to shake him out of frustration. I am sure that is what the author intended, but his personality truly became grating after a while. Cal, of course, is his foil, always confident and driven.

DeBartolo stays true to her usual form in that she begins the novel with a sense of foreboding, which she uses as a device to lead the reader to the main tragedy, as if anticipating a train wreck. The story is told in reverse through Joe’s eyes, starting with where he is in the present (in Whitefish, MT) and him explaining how he got there over the course of technically three years. (I say technically because we learn about his life in Mill Valley, CA and how his childhood and upbringing helped shape the man he is today).

Most of the story is about Joe taking an assistant job with a prominent artist who also happens to be an empath, October Danko, and how meeting her starts to change him. He applies the skills he learned as a construction worker to help her build an art piece for a gallery showing, and soon they develop feelings for one another that have catastrophic level consequences in Joe’s mind.

I am not doing the story any justice by simply recapping it, so I suggest picking it up and reading it for yourself. The imagery is beautiful, the descriptions of characters’ feelings are heartfelt, and overall, it is just truly a poignant reminder that we should live life to the fullest and to not be afraid to take risks.

First off I have never received a book from net galley which I am so incredibly thrilled to have gotten this one. I love Tiffany DeBartolo and her books they’re so inspiring and it’s almost like they carve open your soul and dig deep down inside to see what you’re really made of. They open you up and make you feel every ounce of the characters being.

I was so drawn to these characters first of all Joe Harper because he is the type of man who seems like he is running from his life. And I can relate to that in some ways. Life is scary.

I craved October because she’s the friend that I’ve always wanted artsy inspirational and almost like a kindred soul to where you always want to be in her presence.
I’ve never wanted to read a book more slowly just to soak up every ounce of it. This book was so thoughtful and touching.
This was my favorite book this year.

I was really excited to receive an ARC of this book because I've heard how wonderful Tiffanie DeBartolo's books are and what better way to jump in than with her newest release. I have to say that this book wasn't what I was expecting. I related so well with Joe - second guessing every little thing sometimes to the point of complete immobility, never believing in myself and what I want in life. With that being the case, it was a difficult but rewarding read, wanting to see if Joe would continue to run from life or step fully into himself and the feelings that truly living bring. Wonderful book!

There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for this book, particularly among women. The author has a lot of talent, and it shows here, including her style. There's a lot of emotion and a character second-guessing himself and/or playing it safe. The characters are well-drawn, while not fast-paced, it is mostly engaging.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!!

I jumped at the opportunity to read Tiffanie DeBartolo's new book because in the past I enjoyed her previous works very much. Maybe that's why I expected more from this read, it was a nice book, but nothing more for me.

I didn't particularly feel the chemistry between the main couple and was much more interested in Joe's past with Cal, something I wish we could have seen more of. Also, the book moves at quite a slow pace and the end left a lot to be desired in my opinion. It's a short novel and so I believe the ending could have been explored further.
I appreciated Joe's growth in the novel, but I didn't particularly feel for him, especially towards the end, I didn't like the decisions he made.
In this novel there's also a magical realism element, but it's just hinted at, which is truly a shame since it could have played a much bigger role in the story.

Overall it was a nice read, but it didn't particularly catch my interest.

I have been waiting and wishing for a book from Tiffanie DeBartalo and let me tell you, this book was EVERYTHING and was SO worth the wait!! The characters, the story, the depth, it was all there. Her writing style and story concept are as original and beautiful as her others. I loved everything about this book and look forward to buying the physical copy to add it to my bookshelf.

Sidenote- This is more so for NetGalley, NOT the book. But, the NetGalley app is a huge pain to read on. It took me a lot longer to read this book than normally because It was difficult to read. I couldn't make the font bigger like I can on my kindle, so I had to read it a little bit at a time.