I really enjoyed this story. I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover (seriously, I want it on my shelf just to look at every day!), but stayed for the mystery.

I love when a story hooks me straight away, and this one did that. I was into it the whole way through, and wanted to keep reading. The setting was vivid and easy to picture. The main character was easy to root for. Most importantly for me, the ending wasn't too easy (which I felt it was in Flora Lea), but this one had more wrestling with what happened and its affects, which I appreciated. I could understand the characters' extremely mixed feelings.

My only struggle was that sometimes the writing style felt a little clunky when something big was happening- I found myself skimming over the setting descriptions to get to the dialogue- I am, perhaps, a little impatient!

I am guessing fans of Flora Lea will love this one! It gives the reader so much to think about. And, it's inspired by a real author mystery, which always adds another layer of intrigue for me!

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Atria Books for this lovely ARC!

"The Story She Left Behind" by Patti Callahan Henry is a nice combination of imaginative historical fiction, a literary mystery and romance. I really enjoyed this, especially building in the scenes of the London Fog in 1952 and the Lake District.

What a beautiful story! I am a huge historical fiction fan & especially love those that are solely focused on war. This book was full of family drama & multiple genres (mystery, romance, etc) Patti has a way with words like no other!

I love all of Patti’s book and this was no exception! I loved all the characters. Loved loved the scenery! Having been to Ireland twice,she made the place come alive! Highly highly recommend.

The Story She Left Behind - Patti Callahan

If Patti writes it, I will read it.

I’m not sure how she did it but this book was delightful, heartwarming, and cozy while tugging on the hear strings and walking us to the edge of disaster and back. It’s a quest and adventure but it’s also coming home and being found. I smiled and I gasped in equal measure.

It’s a love story. Mother-Daughter love. Romance. The love of art and story.

It is historical (and I appreciated so much of the specific details she included. Her author’s note brought so much depth) but it’s the kind of story that stands the test of time. What I mean is, it could have been set anywhere and been just as poignant.

I loved all the nods to story telling and illustration, especially the pieces about Beatrix Potter.

I don’t even care that there were connections that were beyond convenient. Forgiveness plays a huge part in the story and I’m willing to forgive having to suspend belief just a bit and lean into the magic for how the story wrapped up.

I was just swept away in the wholesome depth of the story and happy to go for the ride.

This is a rather complex novel. At times I wanted to shake the protagonist. And some other characters, as well... I'm glad it read it though. It is about family, the love and pain that can result from best intentions, acceptance, forgiveness and romance, too. Oh, and the freedom to live your life as you choose, to be the person you need to be. The story starts out in a small southern town and travels around a bit at a time when travel was nowhere near as fast ( I won't say easy-- travel is *not* easy nowadays) as it is today. ( Did you realize that the "pea soup" fogs of London lasted well into the twentieth century? I didn't. ) While it is set in the mid twentieth century, it often felt like an earlier time period to me. Or perhaps the story is simply timeless. It feels like all of the above and much more while at heart being quite a simple story. I'd recommend it to those who enjoy more complex "women's fiction." I think it is worth taking time to read. My thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and author Patti Callahan Henry for making a free copy available for me to read and enjoy. My apologies for this rather disordered review. My thoughts are still in a jumble from all the emotions this story evoked.

This was a historical literary mystery as well as a book about family, deep hurt, and love. This spanned two countries and multiple time periods. The atmosphere and scenery descriptions were stunning.

It's been quite a while since I finished a book and immediately wanted to start all over again... But "The Story She Left Behind" is one of those rare books. Beautiful, heartfelt, and thought provoking.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a digital review copy of this title.

I am such a sucker for complicated mother-daughter relationships. Henry did an incredible job here developing the characters of Bronwyn and Clara. The plot about the missing translation of Bronwyn's second novel was incredibly inventive, as well!

Well I wish when I got the eARC months back that I had started it back then. I really enjoyed Flora Lea when I read it last year and when I saw that the author wrote another book with another interesting plot, I wanted it instantly. Now I feel like Patti Callahan Henry has become an instant buy author for me. I really enjoyed the mystery that went along with this story and I like how the characters didn't just right up and leave. They made sure they were able to because that's how real life works. I am a big fan of historical fiction and its ties to real life historical events. I liked the mystery, the longing and the bits of a romance. I also was pleasantly shocked by the little surprise at the end. 4.5 stars

A lost novel written in a secret language was bait for anyone who loved a good mystery. My mother’s history is a blank book written in disappearing ink, an amalgam of who and what the world deemed Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham to be: a missing genius, a literary mystery, or a cocktail party anecdote. But for me, she was only one thing: my mother.

The lost words of my mother and the translation of her sequel were never going to answer the questions at the heart of me. The answer was in me—who I am in the world, who I love, and how I forgive and live and create. A pile of pages had never the answer. The way this place and these people feel is what I yearn for when I yearn. They are what I want when I want. They are what I attempt to create when I create. This wild world holds more than you can see…Invisible, not imaginary…The eternal mystery–how do we believe in make-believe?

The Story She Left Behind is an intention of love to the only place she’d ever believed, understood or heard her–the unseen places where imagination lived and beat a drum for her attention, and her character [who] waited for a new story…tales that sustain us and brought my family to the right moment and place. Stories are made of unseen things, of imagination, of old tales and edges of lakes.

The novel is about the invisible world and fairies and fantasy…But also, it's about finding home. It's about knowing where you belong and then doing something about that truth. It's about that sometimes awful and sometimes wonderful journey that can take you in wrong directions, but then being willing to begin again and find your way.

To new stories. To our stories. All mystery. All beauty. Patti Callahan Henry’s The Story She Left Behind is an object of wonder, a miraculum.

Wow! Just wow! Henry tells the story of one you do not want to end. The development of the plot through the characters and writing kept me captivated and wanting more. I will definitely recommend this book and read Henry's other pieces of work.

Patti Callaghan Henry hits it out of the park - AGAIN!

In 1927, Clara's world changes forever when her beloved mother, disappears into the night off the coast of South Carolina. Years later, in 1952, Clara and her father still live in the same home, but now Clara's daughter, Wynnie is now a member of the household. Clara is surprised by a telephone call from London - Charlie's father has just passed away and he finds a portfolio with papers and a letter addressed to Clara. Charlie has no idea why his father was in possession of the portfolio, but calls Clara following the instructions on the letter - which states that the letter and the portfolio must be given to Clara in person.

Clara and Wynnie travel to London to pick up the papers, which Clara is sure is the key to her mother's second book, which was left behind when she left her so many years ago. Clara and Wynnie arrive in London just as the "Great Smog" covers all of London. Fearing for Clara and Wynnie's safety, Charlie takes them to his mother's country home. There, the mystery continues to evolve, as Clara's Mother's book has been turned into a play by the local playhouse. Why did Charlie's father have Clara's mother's transcript, and why does the countryside seem so familiar?

This is a great story set over multi-generations, and a great read, which is available now! Special thanks to the Publisher and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy!

Very much enjoyed this story. Yes, it is historical fiction, but the time really takes a backseat, a small enough role that for most of the story I forgot that it was happening in the past. Living in Charleston, it is always fun to read a story where South Carolina lowcountry plays a role and the descriptions of Bluffton, the marsh, oyster beds, etc was magical. When the story shifts to England, I was immersed in the descriptions of the Lake District, and the cameos of famous residents was delightful. I will say, I was pretty well clued in to the reveal of the mystery of Clara's missing mother, but I still enjoyed the way she wrapped up the story. Very descriptive language to illustrate physical place, I found that I did begin to gloss over some of the description towards the end in favor of moving the plot along, it didnt resonate as much and felt a bit redundant. She does illuminate some deep realities of the constraints placed on women/mothers, and certainly being a woman in the post-war era, the roles allowed, the behaviors expected and if one strayed from them the judgement/labels. I am always hoping for redemption in the end of these stories, and I feel like each character in this story walked through the process of loss and redemption. So, well done.

SYNOPSIS
- In the 1920s, a famous author disappears, leaving behind her young daughter and a mysterious book written in a made-up language.
- Flash forward to the 1950s. Her daughter Clara is now a single mom when she gets a random call from Charlie, a guy in London who says he found a dictionary of that lost language.
- Clara and her daughter hop on a boat to England to check it out and end up stuck in the middle of the Great Smog.
- Cue the digging into old family secrets and trying to figure out what really happened to her mom.
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MY THOUGHTS
- The idea behind this was super cool, especially since it was inspired by a real author who went missing.
- Patti Callahan Henry’s writing is gorgeous. Her descriptions of South Carolina, London, and the Lake District were so vivid, I could picture everything.
- The cover? So pretty. Definitely the kind of book you’d want on your shelf.
- There’s a little bit of magical realism, but it’s barely there. Like… a whisper of it.
- Most of the story is in the present (1950s), with a few flashbacks. It’s told from Clara’s & Charlie’s POV.
- Learning about the Great Smog of 1952 was fascinating. I’d never heard of it before, and it made for a really eerie setting.
- But honestly? This book dragged. The second half felt especially slow.
- The ending didn’t land for me at all. After all that buildup, it kind of fizzled out.
- The romance? Total insta-love. It felt super forced and unnecessary.
- I wanted to feel something while reading, but I never truly connected with the characters. I felt more like a bystander.
- This didn’t really feel historical outside of the smog and transportation stuff—it could’ve easily been a modern story.
- There were a lot of heavy themes like abandonment, grief, and divorce, but most of them were just skimmed over. Nothing really got explored in depth. That said, I loved the mother-daughter dynamics and the idea of how family secrets echo through generations. That part stuck with me.
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TL;DR:⭐️⭐️⭐️A beautifully written book with a really cool premise, but the pacing dragged, the ending fell flat, and I couldn’t connect with the characters. I wanted to love it, but it just didn’t hit.
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THANKS: Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out now.

Patti Callahan Henry has become a go-to for me when it comes to beautifully written books, especially the way she seamlessly weaves the setting into the story, which leaves you feeling you are there. Clara has spent her life trying to understand why her mother left her. When she unexpectedly receives a call from Charlie, who found her mother’s dictionary of made-up words thought lost, and a letter addressed to Clara, she packs up her young daughter and heads for London. Sadly, their arrival in London coincides with the Great Fog, which is horrible for anyone to be out in, much less her asthmatic child. Feeling responsible for the two, Charlie offers to get them out of town, and they head to the family home in the Lake District, both hoping to unravel how and why Charlie’s father had Clara’s mother’s papers.
I enjoyed this novel immensely. I hated to walk away at any point, always disappointed when real life intruded. The writing, the characters, the search for answers were, for me, woven together beautifully. I enjoyed the historical aspects touched by a bit of magic and the ending was a happy surprise.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

In The Story She Left Behind, we find Clara, an illustrator who has recently been named a Caldecott recipient, but is still troubled by her mother's absence and mysterious disappearance years ago. Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham was a child prodigy who penned her first book at an early age, but was never able to repeat that early success in her later work. After a tragic fire happened at her home, she left her young daughter Clara behind and took the dictionary of her own created language with her, never to be seen or heard from again. Until Clara receives a phone call that her mother's satchel and dictionary have been found in England with a note for Clara. Is Clara's mother still alive? How did that the dictionary and satchel find their way into someone's safe in England? Clara embarks on a journey that will change her life in unimaginable ways.

I honestly couldn't ask for more from this book. I loved the way I felt like I was experiencing the coastal South Carolina area, then I was transported to London and almost could taste the smog myself, and then fell in love with the English countryside. The multi-layered story was so spellbinding and then knowing that it was partially based on a true story made it all the more interesting. I love how Patti Callahan Henry finds these little treasures of stories and then weaves an amazing novel around them.

If you are looking for a richly descriptive novel with a mystery at its core, The Story She Left Behind is exactly that book.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A deep sweeping literary mystery and personal journey all wrapped into one. It was a beautiful story of daughters, mothers, art and family.

This book takes us from the south of the United States to the quaint country of England. It was a portrait of love for family, community, books and the moments that change us.

It wasn’t a perfect book, I found it to be a bit long winded. I had a difficult time giving it my whole attention. Some of the major plot points were built up so much, their resolutions felt anticlimactic.

But the setting was so stunning. Having visited Hill Top Farm, I could imagine it all so vividly. I enjoyed the full cast of characters and the importance each had to the story. It was a lovely journey

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Personally, I greatly struggled through this book. I felt the story dragged, I had very different opinions and views from the characters, and just wasn't pulled in and kept in. *NOTE* my opinions will most assuredly differ for many, so if you disagree that is ok, but please no rude comments, just keep scrolling, Thanks* I will say I gave it two stars since I was able to finish the book. It is very hard to write this review without giving any spoilers as there is a mystery aspect to it, and I don't want to give away any steps that solved this mystery. If you are a person who is emotionally driven, and allow your feelings and emotions to choose your fate, and paths in life, then I suspect you would enjoy this novel. I personally believe things DO happen for a reason (as God has ordained), and don't rely on my feelings, emotions, or gut to determine my outcomes in life. I think this story does give a good representation of what happens when you do allow those feelings and emotions to guide you through life in that you will find a lot of self-meaning, self-centered mindsets, self-victories, and life becomes mostly about you and the world you create and build with these emotions and feelings. I personally believe that my main purpose in life is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, that takes all self out, and finds meaning and reason through Christ and His purposes. I unfortunately had a hard time getting through this book additionally due to some language (*God-taken in vain). All that to say, this author has put out some great novels in the past, so I still hold hope that some of her novels I may enjoy. Thank you to NetGalley for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

If you are a lover of words and language, this book is for you. I also liked the author's book about Flora Lea. The descriptive writing of the Lake District and South Carolina was wonderfully done. I was surprised that is was based on a true story which is very interesting. Overall, it's a inspiring mysterious tale about a "lost" mother and daughter.