What a wonderful book! In every way I adored this book. It was so easy to read, the word just flowed over me. The characters were so varied and real and the plot was perfect.

This book was so much more than expected. It not only deals with the topic of organ donation, but also with family. What does it mean to be a family? What happens when you are very different from your siblings? I loved the development of the sibling relationships throughout the book, learning how each sister has loved their life, and seeing how Daniel, even in his death, is bringing them to a new understanding of each other.

A heartwarming book, although sad at times, that explores what it means to live, to grow and how sometimes beauty comes out of pain.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Four sisters, gynae Allison, film director Bridie, nurse Clare and musician Emma, lost their only brother Daniel four years ago in a fatal shooting. With both of their parents deceased, Daniel was the glue that held the family together. Since his death the sisters hardly have any relationship, but when they meet for lunch on the fourth anniversary of his death, with his former partner Joel, Clare suggests contacting the people who benefited from Daniel’s organ donation.

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Firstly, I was offered the ARC of this story and wasn’t sure I could handle the story of a violent adult sibling death and the grieving that comes afterwards. The ARC has been waiting on my Kindle for months, and it’s a beautiful, if troubling read. The troubling part for me didn’t come from Daniel’s death, which is what I expected, but rather from the way the four sisters had no relationship. You would think that the death of their parents, when Emma was only 17, would draw out the caring nature (with one sister a doctor and the other a nurse?), but in fact here the opposite happened. It made me think about how support of your family can make all the difference when there is trauma. At some point, I was convinced that at least two of the sisters were close to a breakdown, which didn’t materialise, but some love and care would have made such a difference. Phew, it’s a deep read, with a story that hooked me right in. I see Sally Hepworth was an early reader of the story and I think if you like her stories, this would be a good read for you.

Read an eARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub date 3 August 2023

Such a lovely read. I finished this in less than a day.
Five siblings, four sisters and their murdered brother, whose lasting life legacy will transform theirs in ways they couldn’t have imagined.
An emotional read, with beautiful character development.

“The four of them were like planets in the solar system, occasionally hoving into view of one another, but always, always fixed in their own immovable orbits.”

Three years after the death of their beloved brother, all Daniel’s sisters have left of him are their memories. They know he’s helped others by donating his organs, but as miracles come true for the recipients, his own family are struggling with their devastating loss.
When Clare suggests that they find the people Daniel’s death saved, her sisters have their doubts. Will meeting them help to bring the sisters back together, or will old tensions and surfacing secrets splinter the fragile family ties forever?

A family drama that brings raw sentiment to the surface, this provokes you to rethink the meaning of life and death. It discusses exactly what real life is all about whether it is family, work-life balance, dealing with grief, infertility, palliative care, sexuality, or religion. It offers a viewpoint on what organ donation means to those who have gained from it and the families of those who have lost.

I loved how the author writes with a grounded sense of reality. The story may not jump out at you but it engulfs you in its simple, heartfelt emotion. The end is not a standout finale but it still leaves you a little teary-eyed with a smile preparing to escape from the corners of your lips.

A gripping story of hope and heartache, with an insight into human nature, this is a shot straight to your heart.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

This is the first book I have read by Kylie Ladd.

This was an emotional book in many ways.

The O’Shea sisters have drifted apart and losing both parents early but meet every year to remember their brother who was a victim of a street shooting and whose organs were donated.

Three years on and they decide to find the people who received Daniels organs.

This books covers death, organ donation and ivf in a sensitive way.

I enjoyed it

I'll Leave You With This by Kylie Ladd is a heart warming and inspiring book that moves through a huge range of emotions ranging from sadness and desolation to anger, hope, acceptance and of course love.
The book is the story of four very different sisters who are each coping in their own way with the sudden death of their brother three years before. From driven surgeon Allison and failing film maker Bridie, to emotionally fragile nurse Clare and lonely baby sister Emma who is heavily involved in her church, each is trying to deal with their loss differently , but each is struggling. When Clare finds herself at her lowest ebb following the break up of her relationship with girlfriend Sophie after another failed attempt at IVF, she realises that she needs to find a purpose to cling to, a reason to live, and she decides to try to contact the people who received organ donations from her brother. At first Emma is the only sister who supports her, but eventually the others come round and Bridie even feels it might be a way to re ignite her floundering career.
This is a book about family, and about hope even at the darkest possible time. I loved the characters and their relationships with each other, the family dynamics felt very real. Each of the sisters felt real, they all had flaws, and often were hiding their issues from each other, so it was really lovely to see them opening up to each other and coming together to support each other.
I was really impressed with how sensitively the author tackled may difficult subjects including death, miscarriage, infertility, bullying , self harm and suicidal ideation as well as organ donation of course , and while this could have been a very heavy and emotionally challenging read, overall I found it to be uplifting and hopeful.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

A family builds positives from their loss: inspiring😇

I loved this book for all its aspects but most especially the organ donor theme and the glimpse into the lives of four Australian siblings and the way each handles the grief brought by their brother's violent and unexpected passing.

Brother Daniel is the victim of a rogue shooter and his four siblings (Allison, Bridie, Clare and Emma) and former partner Joel grieve. In a time of personal crisis over a broken relationship and her inability to bring a pregnancy to term, Clare decides she wants to cling to Daniel through his legacy and the numerous recipients of his donated organs. Her efforts to establish contact with the recipients initially divide the family but eventually bring them closer as they find a way to turn his death into a sort of triumph that gave so much to so many.

The characters felt genuine and I was really caught up in their lives, especially Emma, the youngest, who suffered bullying as an adolescent. I was really delighted that, after all she went through, the story's conclusion shines a ray of hope for lonely Emma.

This is one story I will not easily forget. Definitely recommended.

TW: miscarriage, history of self harm and bullying

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

A heart warming story of 4 sisters reacting in different ways to their brothers tragic death and subsequent organ donation. All sisters are totally immersed in their own lives to the extent of alienating themselves from each other. And when Claire announces she wants to contact recipients of Daniels organs the others are appalled, but slowly each sister comes round resulting in some really poignant moments.
There are difficult issues raised in this novel by Kylie Ladd has dealt with them empathetically and with understanding. Organ donation particularly can be a hard topic to talk about but this novel helps see things from all perspectives

When Daniel O’Shea is tragically killed, his sisters decide to donate his organs and they gather every year to celebrate his life. The four sisters are dissimilar, Allison is the eldest and followed by Bridie, Clare and lastly Emma.

Clare has an idea, she wants to try and contact the donor recipients, this isn’t an easy thing to do, some people want to remain anonymous, it can make them feel guilty and each of the sister's reacts differently.

Allison is an obstetrician, she’s married and has twin sons. She feels like she juggling too many things, leaving no time for herself and her family. Clare is in a relationship with Sophie, it’s just ended due to Clare’s obsession with wanting to have a baby and it’s made her feel like a failure. Bridie is a film director, she had one hit a decade ago and since then her career has stalled. She's married to Tom, he’s an actor and is on the brink of making it big. Emma is the youngest, she’s was bullied at school she found solace and safety in the bible class and at church.

The sisters have drifted apart, due to being busy and both their parents have passed way and Daniel. Maybe finding out who received Daniel's organs might reunite them, they love each other and they need to reconnect.

I received a digital copy of I’ll Leave You With This from Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book I have read by Kylie Ladd, she handles the subjects of death, organ donation, miscarriage, infertility and IVF in understanding and tactful way.

The story focuses on relationships, between the sisters, their partners, children and friends. It’s an honest, sympathetic, at times amusing narrative, full of interesting and real characters. My favorites were, Allison, Bridie, Clare, Emma, Jason, Joel and John Thomas. Five stars from me, I’m listed as an organ donor, it’s truly a gift and improves the recipient’s lives in ways you can’t image and you discover this between the pages of this outstanding novel.

This is a well written and thought provoking story involving organ donation. Sad but a lovely story. .

Thanks netgalley for my early review Copy.

I really enjoyed how the characters and the book was set out.

I’ll Leave You With This is a tender and moving book, telling the story of grief and loss, seen through the eyes of four very different sisters.
Daniel, the only brother, and the fourth child of five, dies tragically and very unexpectedly. This family loss could, should, have united the remaining siblings; sadly, the lines of division which were drawn before their parents’ deaths, deepen and strengthen.

The narration switches between each of the sisters, to expand their own stories, and to see their own unique perspective. Mutual support and understanding of each other’s lives, and challenges, is absent. Each of the sisters are struggling within their own lives. Feeling that they are quietly drowning, without anyone to throw them a life belt, or even a shoulder to help ease the burden. Each sister assumes the other’s lives are golden and easy, as so many of us assume of others.

Kylie Ladd has written an emotive, but not overly sentimental book. Sibling rivalries, and simmering family tensions, cut through any possibility of the story becoming mawkish. I found the characterisation to be excellent. Each are distinct, fully formed and imperfect, they feel very real. There is no margin for confusion between the cast. The sibling rivalries, family dynamic and tension feels authentic. The order of birth is a strong theme, with each sister assuming a role, a personality, based on their own placement. As ever, the addition of a 4 footed character, is a bonus. The marvellously named John Thomas, is a joy, a bringer of smiles.

The book is really well written, the pages flow. It is so easy to lose time within this story. I found the book to be thought provoking, honest and tender. There are many weighty issues covered, so prevalent in modern society. But I feel I should mention a trigger warning for organ donation, as it is an ongoing, prominent theme in the book.
I’ll Leave You With This is my first read from Kylie Ladd, but it won’t be my last. It’s definitely 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

This is a good story about a group of siblings who are all different and what happens when one of them dies unexpectedly. It also explores the family dynamics of sibling rivalry. The story is basically what happens when someone dies, how we grieve differently and what happens if they are an organ donor.

In short the story is uplifting and should be read by anyone who is thinking about becoming an organ donor.

Well written and very thought provoking. A family who at times I did not like but even so pulled together when needed. An interesting story line and one which will hopefully encourage readers to consider organ donation. Recommend.

I’d like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘I’ll Leave You With This’ by Kylie Ladd in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Every year the O’Shea sisters, Allison, Bridie, Emma and Clare, meet for lunch to remember their brother Daniel who was the victim of a street shooting. On the third anniversary Clare surprises them by saying she wants to look for those people whose lives Daniel changed by donating his organs.

‘I’ll Leave You With This’ is the perfect title for this inspiring novel, the reasoning behind it becoming clear in the last chapters. It’s a lovely story about the four sisters who lead totally different lives and also Joel, Daniel’s friend and lover. They all have their memories of Daniel and mourn him in their own particular way but it isn’t until they decide to track the recipients of Daniel’s organs that their lives gradually change as they meet those people who have a living part of him. This has been a lovely story to read that brought to the forefront the subject of organ donation and I’m now going to look for other novels by this author.

Four sisters are left grieving when their brother Daniel dies after being caught up in a random shooting. Daniel is a registered donor, so as many of his organs as possible are harvested for patient transplants. The story follows the sister's journey as they deal with their loss along with his partner Joel. Every anniversary of their loss, the sister's and Joel meet up, the story focuses on the 3rd anniversary when one of the sister's Clare suggests the trace the recipients of Daniels organs and the changes it makes to their lives. Beautifully written.

Keep the tissues handy as this book will break your heart but it’s a beautiful read about the gift of organ donation and how even after someone dies their life can live on in the families they help. As a family the four sisters have never really been close and after their brother Daniel is cruelly killed they fall even further apart but after three years a random suggestion of finding the recipients of Daniels organs changes all of their lives in ways they never expected and finally helps them to bond as a family.?

I really loved this book. Right from the beginning I missed Daniel and mourned the loss of such a vital person even though it begins with his end. The story weaves through a family whose conceptions were perfectly timed, planned by the parents to create special bonds. Their parents can’t control everything however, and when the heart of their family is destroyed the sisters realise how little they know each other, and have to learn how to become a real family.

‘I’ll Leave You With This’ has a thought-provoking and timely premise; how organ donation of body parts of a loved one can affect family members in very different ways. The four sisters of Daniel, killed in a random shooting, and a registered organ donator, are a chaotic lot with plenty of family dramas of their own. Add to this their different attitudes to organ donation and the struggles with themselves and each other on dealing with this, and a complex family drama is the result. This is a novel perfect for a book club and rich discussion of organ donation, and perhaps for readers who are not comfortable with it to think about it in a different and more positive way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Coming to terms with the loss of a loved one.

Daniel, an only son with four sisters, dies after being caught up in a random shooting. His dying thoughts focus on his family, sisters, Allison, Bridie, Clare and Emma and his parents. Daniel is a registered donor, so as many of his organs as possible are harvested for patient transplants.

Each sister takes his death in diverse ways. Each must go through the agony of losing their only brother. Joel, his lover, and best friend, remains part of the family after Daniel's death.

Each year on his anniversary, the sisters and Joel meet for lunch at the restaurant Daniel was heading to that fateful day. On this the third anniversary of his death, Clare suggests that they track down all the recipients of Daniel's organs. It's met with shock. Alison finds the idea offensive. However, the others, especially Joel, think it would be an excellent idea. Little does each of them know how this task will change their lives.

Kylie Ladd's writing is beautiful. She paints pictures with her words, making it easy to imagine each character and she had me rooting for organ donors when I read how much Daniel's organs helped countless people. Discovering the donors change the grieving sisters' dynamics and healing processes—a uniquely beautiful storyline.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review