
Member Reviews

If the first 30 pages of this novel don't leave you shell-shocked and breathless, check your pulse.
The opening of Finding Grace hit me like cinematic shrapnel—raw, shattering, and impossible to forget. Imagine the harrowing realism of Saving Private Ryan’s beach landing colliding with the emotional gut punch of The Last of Us’s second season's the most unforgettable moments. I actually paused, rubbed my eyes, and reread it, hoping I’d misinterpreted. I hadn’t. What followed was an emotional journey I won’t soon recover from—and wouldn't want to.
In this heartbreaking yet profoundly hopeful debut, we meet Honor: a woman seemingly living a fairytale life in Paris's Ritz Hotel, wrapped in the glow of her daughter Chloe and her once-charming, always-distracted husband Tom. She's holding onto love, reading him French poetry in the middle of the night, while anxiously awaiting word from the surrogate mother they've placed their future hopes in. But just beneath the glittering surface of this perfect family is a quiet ache, a longing for something more—until one seismic tragedy splinters their world, changing everything in a single breath.
Years later, a seemingly small act—a misdirected letter—sets off a chain of revelations that unearth secrets buried deep in the past. Tom’s choice to intervene links Honor’s life with that of Grace, a woman whose presence unravels what was once hidden. As timelines converge and fates collide, the novel digs deep into questions of love, loss, parenthood, and what it means to start over when everything has been torn away.
What makes this debut so unforgettable is not just its gripping plot but its emotional clarity. Rothschild paints human fragility with unflinching honesty—grief, guilt, loneliness, and longing all course through these pages with stunning realism. Every character is deliciously imperfect, navigating moral gray zones where right and wrong blur, and redemption isn't handed out—it’s earned.
And yet, through the heartbreak, there’s hope. Finding Grace is ultimately a story about second chances—not just in love, but in life, in forgiveness, in rediscovering the parts of ourselves we buried out of fear or sorrow. It’s about confronting the darkest corners of the past in order to carve out a new future.
This isn’t just a novel—it’s an emotional reckoning wrapped in a literary page-turner. It surprised me, moved me, and left me thinking long after the final chapter.
Put this on your radar now. It’s a stunning, multilayered, genre-defying debut that will leave you wrecked and grateful in the best possible way. I cannot wait to see what this extraordinary new voice brings to the literary world next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital review copy.

I enjoyed this book. I felt like the plot of it was too far fetched at times, especially the whole Grace situation.

This is one of those books that seems to be getting polarizing reviews. Some people really love it and some people do not I fall in the love category. The start of the book is very explosive and then it kind of meanders into a story about love and a family and Decisions -the good and bad that we make. I really liked the themes of loss love fertility of course there were some frustrating parts and one of the characters was definitely very frustrating. There were a couple holes and I thought that it was gonna go in a different direction but at the end of the day I really enjoyed how it closed and I found there to be some very sweet moments throughout. I really liked the omniscient narrator as well

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild
Narrated by Fiona Button
Two women, never having met, are intertwined forever. One makes a decision that is wrapped up in an obsession and previous heartbreak. Another makes a decision that is wrapped up in heartbreak and wanting to get through grief. Really HE wasn't even a part of this at all, he was too busy for one and didn't know the other. So much guilt and anguish that will never let the living go and maybe won't even let the dead go.
I had been afraid to read this story but am so glad I read/listened to it. I think the way the story is presented to us, how it's told to us, is what helped me to feel so much about it and also helped me be able to handle the events. It's so very sad but luckily there were people for me to be angry at that helped me to handle the sad parts, it's always nice to turn your grief into something else, not healthy but so easy to do when you don't want to face the grief.
Tom, living with double grief, gets a letter not meant for him but he's already opened it, already read it. Now he can't let it go. Whenever he's on the verge of confessing his accident and later to confessing his continual avoidance of addressing what needs to be addressed, there is always an excuse not to do what needs to be done. There will be repercussions, Tom knows this, too many people know and see but he just can't stop what he's started.
There are a few people that I came to not like at all in this story. But there are more people that I came to adore, they became real, I could see what make them the way they seemed on the outside, I could understand their fears and how life had made them the way they were. These were just side characters and that is what can make such a good story for me, when I can get attached to even the side characters. I have both the ebook and the audiobook and Fiona Button did an excellent job with the narration of this book that is chock full of emotions of all types.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ebook and audiobook of this ARC.

The total shock this book gave after its first chapter! I typically try not to read too much of the summary, since I think sometimes too much is given away. So I thought I just didn’t see the huge surprise in the summary. After reading the summary once I finished the book, I see the author kept this big surprise a secret! So I am not going to give anything away about the plot, since it all unfolds after that very first chapter. Chapter one was more impactful having zero clue what was going to happen.
Finding Grace was nothing like I thought it would be, but was twisting and captivating in a good way. The book really explores what certain choices can have on the people that are involved in the main character’s lives. That first chapter completely sucked me into this book, and I finished it in 2 days. I had to know how things were going to work out for the main characters! This was a fantastic debut, and I hope to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Loretta Rothschild, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be upfront: this book was a struggle for me. The concept of a dead narrator was incredibly intriguing and grabbed my attention immediately. However, the execution fell short. The main issue was the narration. Tom's voice and emotions are told through his wife, Honor, which created a strange distance, especially for emotional depth and inner thoughts. It was hard to believe Honor truly knew his feelings, consistently pulling me out of the story.
Adding to the confusion were the frequent, jarring shifts in perspective, sometimes within the same chapter. The narration jumped between Honor, Tom, and what felt like the author's direct voice. By Chapter 9, I was completely lost, often rereading to track who was speaking.
Beneath the narrative issues, this is a love story, but it wasn't unique or emotionally moving for me. I couldn't connect with the characters, and finishing the book felt like a chore. While this style might appeal to some, it wasn't for me personally.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the kind of book that sneaks up on you. Finding Grace blends domestic suspense with emotional depth in a way that kept me turning pages and thinking about the characters long after I finished. If you like your stories twisty but grounded in real emotional stakes, this is one to pick up.
The story follows Honor, who seems to have it all—until a devastating event fractures her seemingly perfect life. Years later, a single decision by her husband sets off a ripple effect that intertwines the lives of two women in unexpected, heartbreaking ways. The narrative jumps between timelines and perspectives, which works well here, slowly revealing the bigger picture and keeping the tension high.
Rothschild writes flawed, human characters really well. Honor is both sympathetic and frustrating at times, which made her feel real. And the emotional messiness of all the characters—what they want, what they hide, what they can’t forgive—adds so much to the story’s weight.
My only minor gripe is that a few of the plot twists in the final third stretched believability a bit. Not enough to take me out of the story, but just enough to notice. Still, the emotional payoff made it worth it.
If you enjoy books by authors like Jodi Picoult, Lisa Jewell, or even early Liane Moriarty, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.
Devour or Nibble? Devour. Emotional, messy, and hard to put down.
**I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.** ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was the kind of book that sneaks up on you. Finding Grace blends domestic suspense with emotional depth in a way that kept me turning pages and thinking about the characters long after I finished. If you like your stories twisty but grounded in real emotional stakes, this is one to pick up.
The story follows Honor, who seems to have it all—until a devastating event fractures her seemingly perfect life. Years later, a single decision by her husband sets off a ripple effect that intertwines the lives of two women in unexpected, heartbreaking ways. The narrative jumps between timelines and perspectives, which works well here, slowly revealing the bigger picture and keeping the tension high.
Rothschild writes flawed, human characters really well. Honor is both sympathetic and frustrating at times, which made her feel real. And the emotional messiness of all the characters—what they want, what they hide, what they can’t forgive—adds so much to the story’s weight.
My only minor gripe is that a few of the plot twists in the final third stretched believability a bit. Not enough to take me out of the story, but just enough to notice. Still, the emotional payoff made it worth it.
If you enjoy books by authors like Jodi Picoult, Lisa Jewell, or even early Liane Moriarty, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.
Devour or Nibble? Devour. Emotional, messy, and hard to put down.
**I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

A well paced story of grief, family and rebuilding I couldn't get enough of Finding Grace. This story has a first chapter that left me utterly reeling and as it went on I kept feeling a sense of anxiety as I wait to see how it would all play out. I cared a lot about all of the characters and absolutely loved the journey.
For a more in depth spoiler review please check out my youtube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdsw2HPD05o

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR SECRETS COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU?
I love that the Publisher only teased us with a vague synopsis (when so many others have given away too much) and that fellow reviewers have honored that as well-as this story is so much more impactful when you go in blind!
So what can I say that might make you interested in picking this book up, without saying too much?
The opening sentence: “The last time we were at the Ritz in Paris, I had my fifth miscarriage at breakfast.” *
*subject to change by publication date
The title, “Finding Grace” is a double entendre.
The start of the book is SHOCKING and immediately GRIPPING.
A letter is sent to the wrong recipient.
This letter will put in play a MORAL DILEMMA.
Intrigued yet? I hope so!
You can pick up this IMPRESSIVE DEBUT on June 10, 2025.
Listing Trigger Warnings would spoil this story. If you are sensitive to something specific, feel free to ask me in comments and I will respond privately by DM. No animal deaths.
This was an immersive read as I had both written and audiobook copies, provided through NetGalley. Thank You to St. Martin’s Press for the gifted written ARC. As always these are my candid thoughts!

This was not what I expected. I went into this blind except for seeing a five star review from someone I follow on Instagram. I think what I really struggled with was which character I actually liked. The main person we follow in the beginning seems so privileged (spends every Christmas at the Ritz in Paris?!) and all the characters seem that way. Something big happens in the first few chapters and I don’t want to spoil it but it really threw me and the rest of the book I just kept trying to figure out which character I was rooting for. Tom’s life is told through Honor’s perspective most of the time and I just found the romance through her eyes to be so gross. On top of that the plot was pretty boring most of the time and other than the bombshell at the beginning it was very predictable.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

The way this book kicks off is absolutely shocking. I couldn't believe my eyes and reread it several times. Finding Grace is a bold novel about family, love, loss and healing. I found Tom, Honor and her mother Colette's story compelling. In fact, Honor and Colette were my favorite part of the novel. I could have read THEIR story indefinitely. And while the novel is titled Finding Grace, it's Grace's story that I could have completely done without. As a Romance, this book was simply not for me. I detest when a MMC is deceitful to the FMC and that was the case for the majority of this book. I couldn't root for the HEA.
And SPOILER WARNING...I really, strongly dislike it when a central part of a book's plot involves infertility and then there is an easy, unexpected pregnancy at the end. That's a big nope for me.
So while this book was extraordinarily well written and easily captivated my attention, there were too many things that I just didn't enjoy.

I don’t think I can properly review this book, as there are some essential details I wouldn’t want to spoil, even unintentionally. You’ll notice that even the synopsis is vague, ensuring that every revelatory moment is experienced without prior knowledge. So instead of my traditional type of review, here are a few things I absolutely loved about the book:
- The first chapter left me speechless. I was completely caught off guard and instantly hooked.
- It took me a while to adjust to the unique narrator, but I ultimately found the perspective truly captivating.
- The themes explored in this book are deep and thought-provoking. I would love to discuss them, but even touching on them might give away parts of the plot.
- The human connections felt raw and real. Whether good or bad, the relationships between parents, spouses, children, and friends were portrayed with striking authenticity.
- The moral dilemmas were profound. The characters often found themselves doing the right things for the wrong reasons and the wrong things for the right reasons.
- Colette, the mother-in-law, was a standout character for me. Her small but transformative arc made quite an impression.
- A minor but key lesson in the book was about assumptions. Our perceptions of people and their actions can be wildly inaccurate, and this novel explored that idea in a powerful way.
- The title is perfect.
- The ending was quite moving, bringing me to tears.
I truly can’t recommend this DEBUT novel enough! If you love books that feature emotional storytelling, morally complex characters and situations, and deep human connections, Finding Grace is a must read!
Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I really wanted to like Finding Grace because the story sounded meaningful. The idea of someone going through a personal journey and trying to find peace is something I usually enjoy.
The beginning definitely caught my attention, but I didn't care for Honor right from the start. I then found it hard to stay focused and the book was really getting hard to get into. The story moved slowly, and I didn’t feel very connected to the characters. Some parts felt a bit repetitive, and I found myself losing interest as I read.
I can see how others might find comfort or inspiration in this story, but it just didn’t click with me. I appreciate the message, but the way it was told didn’t hold my attention.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for the free electronic copy. All opinions are mine.
I loved Finding Grace. I recommend it with the caveat not to read spoilers and go into this book blind. Finding Grace packs an emotional punch. And kudos to author Loretta Rothschild for this debut novel that captured my heart and mind almost immediately.
At its core, it's a love story. Many love stories. Romantic, familial, maternal, friendship, and maybe obsessive love, too. All the love one reader can handle.

This is a book you have to go in completely blind. There were a few unexpected twists that kept me hooked the entire time. The characters are so well written. This was a stunning and beautiful debut novel and I look forward to reading more work from Loretta Rothschild.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of Finding Grace.
I really enjoyed how this author explored grief throughout the novel. It was an interesting perspective to hear Hope's opinion of what was going on in Tom's life even after she had died in the suicide bombing at the Ritz. I found myself less interested in the story as it went on, but I do feel that a lot of people will enjoy this book when it is published.

I am so thankful to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of Finding Grace. I don’t like to give spoilers so I won’t provide a description. This was such a thought provoking book. I was in a constant battle of not being able to put it down and having to stop reading for a few minutes to process the emotions I had. Finding Grace was the perfect combination of suspense, romance and drama. This was a wonderful debut novel and I’m definitely a huge fan of Loretta Rothschild. Highly recommend!!!

ROLLERCOASTER!!! OMG! I see this book being on every booktok, Instagram and Facebook reel. Tore my heart apart and I couldn’t put it down!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book was very emotional . Interesting perspective and I didn’t like the characters very much.
Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was very well written. It’s a moving story of love, loss, grief, and moving on. The beginning shocked me, and I feel going into the story blind is the best way to read it. It’s literary fiction at its most nuanced and definitely left me with a great deal to think about.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.