The Making of Us is an engaging and heartfelt read that drew me in from the start. Debbie captures human emotions with sensitivity, creating characters who feel authentic and whose journeys are both moving and relatable.

The writing flows effortlessly, blending moments of poignancy with hope, and the themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery are explored with real warmth. It’s the kind of book that makes you reflect while also leaving you uplifted.

A touching and satisfying read from an author I’ll be reading again.

this is a heartwarming story of stevie and ned who live in a village in france with their friends each friend as a story to tell of their own which eventually brings them all together there is ups and downs along with sadness and tears but in the end all is good

The Making of Us by Debbie Howells is a heartfelt and compelling story about love, loss, and the power of second chances. The characters are deeply relatable, and the emotional depth throughout the novel kept me fully engaged from start to finish. Howells’ writing beautifully balances moments of pain with hope and healing, creating a narrative that feels authentic and moving. The pacing was just right, and the twists kept me guessing without ever feeling forced. A truly touching read that I’d recommend to fans of emotional contemporary fiction.

This was another beautiful read from this author who has a knack of getting right to the heart of human emotions.

The making of us was a heartwarming and uplifting read that was also heartbreaking in equal measure at times and covers the themes of friendship, love and loss and grief and family ties and I was drawn in from the very first page and devoured it in almost one sitting.

It is also a poignant reminder that life is for loving and that we never know what’s round the corner so need to seize new opportunities when we can.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)

A heartfelt novel about the choices that shape us and the relationships that define who we become. Debbie Howells brings warmth and depth to her characters, exploring themes of motherhood, love, and the things we leave unsaid. With alternating perspectives and a quietly compelling plot, this is a story that gradually pulls you in and leaves you feeling both moved and hopeful.

A lovely moving romance is set in France and follows the lives of Stevie and Ned, who meet by chance at the airport and fate keeps playing a part in them crossing paths. We meet several characters along the way and I love how various connections, bonds and friendships develop and how each person has their own story to tell and I think a lot of readers will resonate with them. It will make you think what is important in life. Loved it !

Cute story, nice characters. Did drag a little in places.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this story to read and review.

this started off slow for me and i felt there was a bit of jumping around characters but once i settled into it i really enjoyed following their stories.
a fun easy read

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

The Making of us is a heartfelt story about unexpected friendships, personal growth, and finding one’s place in the world. The story begins with Stevie and Ned meeting on a plane to a small French town. Stevie, who has a deep fear of flying after losing her parents in a plane crash, is nervous and on edge. Ned, traveling for his mother’s birthday, offers a calming presence as they strike up a conversation. Their shared hometown of London gives them an instant connection, and the flight becomes the start of a unique bond.

Stevie’s story is both touching and relatable. She is learning to navigate life after loss and faces her fears head-on by boarding the plane. Ned, on the other hand, is struggling with his own challenges. As a musician, he is passionate about his career, but his parents disapprove, wishing he had chosen something more traditional. His trip to France is as much about celebrating his mother as it is about seeking acceptance from his family.

In the same French village, Fay, an empty nester from England, is working through her own struggles. Feeling unappreciated by her husband, she decides to focus her energy on a garden plot, taking a hands on approach. Under the guidance of Zeke, a wise older local with a gift for gardening and life advice, Fay rediscovers her confidence and sense of purpose. Her storyline adds a rich, reflective layer to the novel, reminding readers that it’s never too late to embrace change and take control of one’s happiness.

The author skillfully weaves the lives of these characters together, creating a story that is both warm and meaningful. The conversations between the characters—whether between Stevie and Ned, or Fay and Zeke—are heartfelt and often filled with wisdom.
Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy in exchanged for my honest review

An easy read with a powerful message

This book centres around several main characters that are all living in a French village and find themselves at a crossroads in their lives, these strangers end up impacting each others stories in big and small ways. This book is written in four different POV's however it is done very well and reads smoothly without any confusion.

This is a very easy read and even though it is on the shorter side, each character story is completely unique and has there own standout moment its a beautifully written well rounded book. Sometimes a book comes along that makes you sit back and think about life in general and that was this book for me, it was emotional and sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

overall this book covers several topics including fragility of life, death, community, kindness and unknowingly having an impact in somebody's life, family dynamics, love and how we can help give back. I look forward to reading more from this author

In this charming and new modern romance novel, readers join Stevie and Ned on the same flight as they prepare for journeys that will change both their lives in different ways. Stevie is returning to France to escape from and cope with a terrible loss, while Ned is flying home to see his dying mother. Expecting to never see each other again once they get off the plane, their paths keep crossing in the same small and beautiful community garden run by Zeke, a man of many secrets. As they continue to interact at different points in their life and cope with the challenges of existence, readers continue to follow Stevie and Ned’s interactions as their lives, stories, and the garden grow. With its beautiful location in the south of France and the charm of coincidences and a small village garden, readers will love the heartwarming narrative that Howells has brought to life in this charming romance novel. The characters are the star of the novel, and the interactions between Stevie, Ned, and Zeke really draw readers into the story and bring it to life. With its brilliant characters and fascinating narrative basis of strangers’ repeated interactions, fans of the romance genre will love Debbie Howells’ new book.

This book was such a wonderful read from an author I hadn’t come across before but will definitely keep an eye on from now on. The story is heartwarming, uplifting, and thoroughly engaging. Set in a picturesque and idyllic setting, it’s beautifully written with a smooth and natural style. The characters feel authentic and relatable, and their experiences are both believable and emotionally resonant. A book I can wholeheartedly recommend!

A lovely heartwarming read. It's written so beautifully and is all about friendships, close families, love, grief .

This book made me cry. Knowing that a loved one is going to die and being unable to do anything about it resonated so much with me. The characters were believable and I would thoroughly recommend this book.

This was a sweet and cozy book set in France which was a lovely setting. It follows several characters but each of them was interesting and I like how they were all woven together. The story is very gentle but tackles some trickier themes such as death. I enjoyed it but found it a bit too ‘perfect’ in places. It was a nice winter’s read.

A beautifully written story about friendship, grief and love. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I was only a few chapters in and I was fully immersed in the story. With thanks to Netgalley for my digital copy to read and review. Highly recommended.

Two people going on a journey….a journey that can change their lives.
Loss
Love
Grief
Second chances
A beautiful story about finding your way.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I did not enjoy this book as it had far too many POVs. I am not a big fan of books with more than 2 POVs but also I found the characters to be a bit dull, didn't see the spark in the romance and just felt it dragged on a bit.

I really enjoyed this with each character becoming linked to the next through friendships and relationships this deals with some heavy topics but does it in such a well written way highly recommend.