Super cute book that has a wonderful story in its pages. I loved the main characters and the story as a whole.

An emotional and heartfelt read that will have you feeling all the feels! I loved the characters so much and wish I could read 100 more books about them. Fantastic read!

I really enjoyed this book, so much emotion in it.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This is a wonderful story about a woman and her 3 children abandoned by her husband. Out of the blue, Simon tells Stella he's leaving. She's in shock but as the month's pass she starts to realize she and the children need to move forward. When her business accountant calls and tells her that Simon has been skimming money from their business she contacts lawyers and looks into his past. She is shocked at what she finds. Enter Emily into her life. I'm glad the book turned out the way it did. This is my first read by Ms. McGinn and I'll look for her again.

A great read
A well written book
Plenty of twists and turns
Will keep you reading and not want to put it down
Thanks NetGalley

An unforgettable heartfelt book that will stay with me forever. I enjoyed the relationships between the friends and the gorgeous Rome settings. I cried for the children and rejoiced when Stella started to rebuild and take back her life. A book of love, friendship, family and starting again. Just beautiful I read it in one sitting.

Helen McGinn aims for the heart and hits bullseye with her latest emotional, intelligent and brilliantly nuanced new novel, This Is Us.

When Stella had first met her husband Simon, she immediately knew that he was the one. Simon ticked all the boxes and he was everything she had always wanted in a partner. The two of them have been happily married for ten years and life is as close to perfect as it is possible to get. They have three children they adore, thriving careers and a beautiful London home. Stella and Simon are rock-solid and nothing and nobody is going to come between them and tear them apart – until a bolt from the blue turns their whole world upside down.

Simon is gone. He has vanished and left Stella to pick up the pieces of their lives. Distraught, broken-hearted and completely devastated, Stella doesn’t know which way to turn. Simon was the one person she trusted and she never imagined that he would do this to her. Who was the real Simon? Did he ever really love her? And can she trust the memories of the life they had built together? Or has the past decade been nothing but a tangled and twisted tissue of lies and deceit?

Helen McGinn’s writing continues to go from strength to strength. She writes brilliantly compassionate family dramas that beautifully get to the heart of the complications and complexities of relationships and she has written another superb book with This Is Us. Affecting, forensic and acutely observed, This Is Us is a heart-wrenching, intelligent and hugely enjoyable page-turner from a writer who is well on her way to become a major star in the field: Helen McGinn.

Marry in haste, repent at your leisure?
The story of Stella and Simon's romance is initially pleasure,
But more than a decade - and three children later - it seems
That suddenly Simon has other dreams.

What should you do when your husband leaves?
No real explanation, no reason, no time to grieve.
What's worse is he vanishes without trace
Leaving a huge vacuum in his place.

Stella goes through the feelings of loss and grief
But the support of family and friends help bring relief.
Next comes anger at what he has done then
Time to begin attempting starting over again.

Some detective work, a holiday, a business to run,
Plates spinning, Stella has little time for fun.
But with the support network running a full speed,
They're all there to support her in her time of need.

A heartwarming story, with laughter and more
As the relationships the story does gently explore.
There's personal growth, and holidays, too,
As Stella rebuilds her life anew.

This isn't a romance but is so much more
With friendship, motherhood and family at its core.
A moving story that is a memorable read
Perhaps it could be just the book that you need?

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
A gentle, relaxing read and this is my honest review.

Stella is thrown for a loop when her husband, Simon, walks out on her and her 3 children without warning. I really enjoyed the first quarter of the book- I loved how the author sped through the backstory of Simon and Stella's relationship. After Simon left, I was very confused about the direction of the story. The descriptions of Florence and the food are amazing, but I just kept waiting for something to happen. It felt almost suspenseful but than had huge letdowns.

Stella and Simon met, when Simon was consulting for the company she worked for. She fell for him quickly and it wasn't long before they married. Fast forward ten years. Stella has started her own company and her and Simon work together. They have three children and are a happy family, or are they. Suddenly, Simon leaves, giving no reason except that he no longer wants to be married to her. Stunned and broken hearted, and dealing with her grief at the end of her marriage. Stella's bookclub group made up of family and close friends, convince her to go on a vacation to Florence and just enjoy herself for awhile. While there she gets a phone call from her business manager. There is money missing from the business, a lot of money and she is sure Simon took it. Now she needs to deal with a divorce, a deadbeat dad, and an embezzler.

This is Us was a very enjoyable read. It is a story about life, friendships, family, dealing with a family breakup, moving on and new beginnings. I liked that Stella had to deal with life, without a new romance in her life. The ladies were great characters. They were strong, relatable and stood by one another. I really liked their friendship and how they supported each other, listening, being friends and not telling each other what they should do. The marital and family break up was unfortunately too realistic, with Simon blindsiding Stella. When Stella finally got angry, I loved the way she dealt with Simon. The book wasn't all doom and gloom thought. The trip to Florence was fun. I really felt like I was there with the wonderful descriptions of food, drinks and activities. This was where there was some humor in the book, showing the wonderful friendship and sisterhood of the friends. The ending was satisfactory with Stella and her children moving forward into a new beginning. If you enjoy a story about family, strong female friendships, and new beginnings, then I recommend you pick up This is Us.

Good book, wasn't quite my cup of tea but was enjoyable enough. A solid 3 star read. Felt the ending was a bit rushed and I didn't really care much for the characters

I was disappointed with this book and I don’t think it matched my expectations. It felt quite muddled and I think this was heightened by the three contrasting locations, making it read like a book of three parts.

The sadness I felt at the start of the story haunted me throughout. Despite Stella believing they are happily married with their three children, her husband clearly feels differently. One evening, he abruptly tells her that he cannot live this life anymore and simply leaves. No explanation, no reasoning and not even a goodbye to his children. Naturally, Stella is devastated and I felt the same on her behalf. I was angry towards Simon and my heart broke at how their children became innocent victims to his actions. I’m completely aware that this scenario is something that is seen in real life but it does not make it any easier to digest. For the rest of the story, my hatred towards his character intensified and I think I grew frustrated about Stella trying to hold on to something positive.

On the other hand, this is what you would expect from a woman who dearly loves her husband. Yet, this silence was unnerving and I thought that Stella deserved better. Her friends become her support network and I liked seeing how caring they were towards Stella, recognising when she needed their emotional support. When her friends suggest a short break away, Stella uses this as an opportunity to herald a fresh start. This led the story into the next part of the novel and I liked McGinn’s descriptions of Florence. They were certainly vivid but I failed to see how this progressed the plot. After a while, I felt a bit bored with all the gushing descriptions, counteracting Stella’s thoughts on Simon; I wanted to see more of a resolution towards her dissolved marriage, rather than a girlie weekend away.

Returning home then sees Stella head to Scotland. She combines a work trip with an opportunity to find possible explanations about Simon’s unexpected behaviour. Still I was smarting over Simon, simmering as the story moved north. I thought the pace continued to slow from the Italian trip and this did not do much to redevelop my interest in the story. As it is, the discoveries that Stella makes were not what I anticipated but I think this helped justify in my head why I disliked Simon so much. It marked a shift in Stella’s attitude for which I was grateful; she begins to show signs of moving on – best for her and her children.

McGinn portrays the agony that is experienced when a marriage breaks down. It was a heart-felt story and I really sympathised with Stella but wanted her to show more determination and not allow her husband to treat her so poorly. In my opinion, not much happens for the rest of the story, despite its impactful opening and I thought this made the Florence section feel less impressive. It made the plot more disjointed and that laid the foundations of my frustration when Stella travelled to Scotland. I think it would have been better if the story remained in London and reflected Stella’s healing process.

This was a sobering read and not my favourite from McGinn. I missed the light-heartedness and fun that I have seen in her previous books. For some reason, Simon abandoning his children really struck me and I couldn’t shake this injustice for the rest of the read.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Through amazingly fluid writing and a great story line, you get engulfed in the storytelling until the end! A steady pace, nothing slow and nothing rushed. Perfect!
I loved this book – I lost my whole day reading – just couldn't bare to put it down!

This is a book full of emotion. First you feel anger, then sadness and then happiness. This is a story about a woman who learns to become stronger after her husband walked out on her for apparently no reason. I disliked Simon from the outset and didn’t trust him. The book just flowed along and I throughly enjoyed it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review..

I really enjoyed this book, strong female friendships and characters, mixed with a weak man full of lies and deception!
I felt that Simon was too good to be true from the start, very opinionated and secretive!
Stella wanted to believe that Simon loved her, their relationship should have been perfect but she didn’t know Simon at all!
This story is a mix of emotions and a wonderful journey of discovery for Stella.
The truth is revealed and Simon is made to face Stella’s ultimatums, perfect execution!
A wonderful example of true friendship and accountability for one’s actions!

Thanks so much to the publisher, NetGalley and author for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a curious one, to say the least, but it just goes to show you how we really only know so much about a person...even those we love. For all intents and purposes, Simon and Stella were it. The perfect match for one another, three kids, a business, lovely home, and all the trappings of a wonderful life...until one day, it wasn't. Until one day, the simple notice of a detail that was just a hair off, served as a catalyst for a separation that would end up revealing more than scandal, love lost, or advantages taken...but the truth within their hearts, and for one of them, it's not something they are prepared to face.

I was livid with Simon from the word GO. HOW could he do that to Stella and their children? Just up and leave? NO explanation, no words shared, no deviation from their seemingly great life until THAT MOMENT. I was livid. Stella...well, she was understandably confused, lost for a bit, and yet when push came to shove, the strongest version of herself possible. She knew that she had to be there for her kids. She knew that just because their dad up and POOFED, she needed to take care of business...both the actual business, and her family. The kids were perceptive...honestly not that surprisingly so...and while they didn't know just what was going on, they could see the differences, notice the absence, but loved their mom so much that they tried to do the best they could as well to make the days run smooth. It wasn't until she dug deep...REALLY deep...that she started to find answers, and while they weren't necessarily the ones she had hoped for, they left her with a sense of peace rather than in pieces. From there, she could build again...something stronger, brighter, and more formidable than what once was, and for that alone, you can't help but root for the woman she is.

We may never truly know what's in another's heart, but it shouldn't make us any less willing to take a chance. You never know when you'll stumble upon the one, or the right moment, or the big idea, but if we live in fear, if we constantly second guess...is it truly living? Stella had some regrets, but none more so than the fact that Simon wouldn't live up to be the dad their kids deserved....but even that, given time, was less an open wound than something of a stepping stone towards a brighter future.

Woman has to remake her life when her husband disappears out of nowhere. Part romance, part mystery and part strong women supporting each other, I enjoyed this novel.

There are some marvellous characters to get to know in this novel. Principal among these is Stella, who finds her life turned upside down with the disappearance of her partner, Simon. With the help of her friends, and family, Stella has to rebuild her life and make some difficult decisions. I loved the trips Stella made with her book club friends to Italy, such an interlude in her life.

There is a real hopeful tone to the story and you always have a belief in Stella's ability to keep going, even if she sometimes doubts this herself. Friendship and family are key to Stella and to your enjoyment of the story. It is an entertaining and comfortable read which you can really relax into. As a reader, you feel you are in good hands with Helen McGinn.

In short: warm, uplifting tale of starting over

Having previously read ‘In Just One day’ and ‘This Changes Everything’, I was eagerly anticipating this latest offering from Helen McGinn.

The author’s writing style allows you to fly through the books with ease and the characters are always relatable and authentic.

In ‘This is Us’, the beauty of the story is in the passionate and loyal friendships portrayed between Stella and her ‘book club’ friends. After she is left devastated when her husband Simon suddenly walks out without warning, the women do everything they can to make Stella feel better, including whisking her away for a weekend in Florence.

This was by far my favourite part of the book as the author conjured up images of Florence’s famous landmarks, paintings and sculptures whilst tantalising the tastebuds with exquisite descriptions of the food and wine on offer.

Another interesting aspect of the plot is the way in which Stella’s relationship with her sister Caroline alters over the course of the novel.

Ironically, Simon becomes almost a periphery character, although details of his former life and actions are drip fed into the narrative, eventually providing an insight into his behaviour.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

This is us a heartwarming and uplifting read. I liked the way Helen Mcginn writes this story and the characters where very likeable. The story about Stella where her husbsnd leaves her and has to find her strength to start again. This is us is great read and easy to get into from the start. I recommend this book lovely read. 5 stars