I found this to be a skillfully written book about a difficult topic indeed - death of a spouse.

This is a work of fiction, but nevertheless it showed the path that grief can take e.g. not linear. Alex was a nice guy, completely in love with his wife and trying to be a great dad to his sensitive son, Connor. Next thing he knows, his brilliant wife was dead and he had to deal with a myriad of emotions and situations.

I like that Molly, Mac, Barbara and Jamie come into Alex's life - all of them enhance his life in some way and in a funny way, I think they were put there to help him through. There are tiny bits of supernatural speculation here but I think that is understandable when a loved one dies - you are looking for signs from a departed loved one.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

This is a story about love, loss, friendship and family. Alex and Connor are on a journey neither wanted to take, the sudden loss of Lisa, Alex’s wife and seven year old Connors mother.

They are comforted by family and new friends, 4 people who received organ donations from Lisa.
This story reminds us that family is the people who come around to help you through the journey of loss.

Thank you Netgalley for complimentary copy Thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dani has done it again, this is a beautiful emotive book following a group of people who have been brought together following the tragic death of Lisa, wife of Alex and mother to Connor.
Following Alex, Molly, Mac , Jamie and Barbara we learn about the events that bring them together and the way they handle this,
Dani writes so well that you are instantly drawn in and feel a huge connection to each and every character. I cried (big, fat, ugly tears), I laughed and at times my heart was in my mouth as I worried about how things would turn out.
Little things like the tattooed man in the lift( when you read it you will know), and the going home to tell Connor what has happened rip into you as you imagine you are there with Alex.
The way Dani transitions from the very emotional scenes following Lisa’s death to the time after as all those affected rebuild their lives. I went from crying, to feeling hope and even laughing out loud at the scene in the department store (again when you read it you will know).
I highly recommend this book (and maybe a box of tissues)

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Wow, the feelings and love that I have for this book. It is full of so many emotions it's hard to put into words. From the first few pages you are completely swept into the life of Alex and Connor and the heartbreak of losing the anchor of their family, their wife/mother. We then get into the lives of our secondary characters, the individuals that Alex chose to donate his wife's organs to at the time of her unexpected death. At this point the story quickly takes off and you are on this rollercoaster ride of emotions. This is such a solid book and I enjoyed it so very much. With each chapter you become more drawn into the lives of each character. I love how this book teaches us that through tragedy we may also find happiness if we persevere through the pain the way that Alex found friendship through the donor recipients. It was truly a beautiful book. The only reason I didn't rate this book 5 stars is that I felt that there was a lot of unnecessary "fluff" to the book that made it longer than it needed to be. But such a good read. Truly recommend.

A Sky Full of Stars is the first book by Dani Atkins that I’ve read despite having some of her other titles in paperback or on my kindle. The title will be released on 4th February and will be released under the title ‘Gone Too Soon’ in the US on 17th February.

In this story Alex’s wife Lisa dies after a tragic train accident. Lisa is an organ donor and goes on to save the life of four other people through her donation. Alex eventually meets the four strangers and the story focuses on the impact Lisa has on all of their lives.

Alex and one of Lisa’s organ recipients, Molly, tell the story throughout. Two sides of the same story with vastly different feelings and emotions.

This is an emotionally journey from beginning to end. One of love, grief, life and healing. The author touches on every story with gentle care and explores death of a loved one and how we move on from that in a tender and moving way. It felt like a very honest read and I will definitely be reaching for the other novels I have from this author.

Lisa is an astronomer, and on her way to give a presentation, her train derails, leaving her brain dread. She was on the organ donor list and saved for people's lives. Months after, her husband Alex holds a memorial for her and invites these four after exchanging communications. Barbara, a lonely elderly woman, mother to several cats; Jamie, a young man with wild stories of travel and adventure; Mac, an architect who lost his vision; and Molly, a kindergarten teacher who received Lisa's heart. Strangely drawn to each other, the four find ways to continue their connection to each other. Alex feels drawn to Molly, feeling that as long as Lisa's heart keeps beating in her chest, there's still a party of Lisa to hold on to.
Have your tissues ready for this emotional ride! It was a beautiful story of grief, love, and healing, finally learning to let go.
Thank you to Dani Atkins and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Gone Too Soon by Dani Atkins was a heartwarming book precipitated by an awful tragedy. A young wife and mother, Lisa, unexpectedly dies in a train accident. Against his own desires her husband, Alex, donates her organs. Four unlikely candidates are the recipients.

This book is told in dual points of view, Alex and Molly, the recipient of the donor heart. This book has an outstanding premise, relatable characters, and insightful wisdom about how to rebuild your life after tragedy. The transplant recipients form bonds that have you cheering them on as they face the tragedies that life has dealt them with unflagging courage and humor. Organ donation is something to be celebrated, finding the courage to give the gift of life to others when you are at your own lowest point after the loss of a family member is admirable.

This story is told with true grace and empathy even though it deals with the heavy topic of organ donation. The ripples of this gift is reflected throughout their lives as they navigate a fantastic new tomorrow, I am going to look up more books from this author as her fantastic sense of storytelling is a true gift.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Bookouture in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

The premise of this book is so interesting a young mother is killed and her organs are donated to four individuals. All of these lives collide and as can be expected there are lots of emotions from all of the people involved. Unfortunately, the story did not pull me in like I thought it would.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

I am still processing this one. It was such an emotional and raw read! I loved the authors writing style and approach to such an intense subject. Would recommend.

Never read anything by this author but I’m glad I did. Really good book. Would read more by this author. Thank you for allowing me to read this book.

Lisa, beloved wife, mother and friend, is a brilliant astronomer on her way to present a paper at a professional conference when tragedy strikes – her train is derailed and she sustains a catastrophic head injury. Unbeknownst to her husband, Alex, she signed an organ donor authorization and after some angst, he agrees to honor her wishes. Four individuals are the grateful recipients of Lisa’s selfless act: Molly, a devoted elementary school teacher suffering from viral cardiomyopathy, receives her heart; Jamie, a young man with a proclivity to exaggerating his life experiences, receives her lungs; Barbara, a septuagenarian who loves cats, receives a kidney; and Mac, a successful architect who has lost his sight, receives her corneas.

Against the advice of friends, family and the transplant team, Alex invites the four recipients to a gathering. Thus begins a year-long exploration of the almost inexplicable, deep bond that arises within the group. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of Alex and Molly as they traverse this unknown terrain of relationships based on such unusual circumstances. The emotional tone of the book is somber, addressing the grieving process after a traumatic loss for a husband and father who is now responsible for raising his six year old son alone. There is a bit of humor interjected in the repartee between Molly and Mac, but for the most part this is a heart-wrenching story with an uplifting ending.

I enjoyed the storyline and feel that the characters are well-developed, realistic and relatable. Even with the seriousness of the topic, I found the author’s approach refreshing and compassionate. I felt it was well worth the time invested.

My thanks to the author, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing a digital ARC in exchange for an independent, honest review.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

“ Their devastation is the flip side of our good fortune”.
The lives of four strangers begins as Alex’s wife dies. Lisa had signed up to be an organ donor.
The worst days of Alex’s life becomes the best day for the four recipients. Alex breaks all the rules and not only reaches out to the recipients but starts to invite them into his life and into the traditions he shared with Lisa.
This book is told from the point of view of Alex and Molly, who receives Lisa’s heart.
Beautifully written about an incredibly hard subject!
Lives are changed, and strangers become family.
This book is so beautifully heartbreaking and really makes you count your blessings and appreciate not only all you have but helps you see the world in a different way !
Lisa was “ A collector of friends” and even in her death she is helping her husband and son collect new ones !