When I started this book, I didn't really have any idea what it was about, so the jump scare at the end of the first chapter really took me by surprise.

I honestly loved the story, it was a beautiful reflection on grief and the characters were believable with the exception of Grace who came across as a bit too perfect. You would think with the narrator being who they were (avoiding giving a spoiler here), there would be at least some kind of faults written in, but maybe that's the point.

There were times when it felt a bit like a Richard Curtis film which I LOVED. Heart and laughs throughout. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

A shocking first few chapters, a husband struggling, and an interesting way to tell the story.

Honor really wants a second child. Even though she's started early menopause, she will go to any length - including a surrogate and an egg donor. Tom just wants Honor to count her blessings now, be happy with the husband and child she has.

The twist chapter was shocking. I did like we felt like observers and the POV we got. However, I think that POV kept me from feeling fully pulled into the story. Arms-length away kept me from really investing with any character so it felt more like a play than a character driven story. I did like the plot and the twists. The ending was sweet.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I still don't even know what to say about the insanity that is the twist at the end of the first chapter.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild isn’t a cookie cutter novel by any means. It’s a winding plot that shows how intertwined people are even if they are unaware of the connections. The story will keep you on your toes, unsure where the next page will lead.

“Finding Grace” is a deeply affecting debut that weaves love, loss, and moral complexity into a novel that lingers long after the final page. Debut author Loretta Rothschild explores the fragility of family and the unpredictable consequences of one life-altering decision with remarkable nuance and grace.

At its heart is Honor—a woman whose seemingly idyllic life is upended by a devastating event. Her longing for a second child is just the beginning of a story that spirals into unexpected territory, where past choices collide with present realities. Years later, her husband Tom makes a decision that reopens old wounds and sets two women on an emotional collision course.

Told through a dual narrative that blends the ethereal voice of Honor with the grounded tension of present-day events, the novel masterfully balances introspection with forward momentum. While some readers may find Honor’s sections quieter, they serve as a poignant counterpoint to the emotional urgency of the present-day narrative.

Rothschild's writing is both elegant and immersive, and the central moral dilemma is handled with empathy rather than judgment. Tom is portrayed not as a hero or villain, but as a man caught between loyalty, grief, and the terrifying possibility of starting over.

A powerful and beautifully written story about forgiveness, love, and the courage it takes to confront the past, “Finding Grace” is a standout debut that delivers emotional weight and moral resonance in equal measure. Highly recommended.

My Blog review August 11, 2025.

I loved this debut novel from Loretta Rothschild. The way the story is told, through the eyes of the deceased FMC, is so unique. Of course, with grief has a main storyline, I was bound to cry...and I did. Watching Tom walk through his story through Honor's lens was really heartbreaking...and heartwarming. I do wish we would have had more of a glimpse at Coco in the afterlife (maybe an Epilogue)? Overall, a really special, beautiful story.

Wow. What a wonderfully tragic and beautiful story that proves that lies of omission are still lies and have consequences. I won't reveal the narrative perspective, but it was a great way to tell this story. Well done and I'll be looking for more from this author.

Unfortunately this book two me over two weeks to finish. I wasn’t invested in it but I wanted to finish it.

Honor has it all. A beautiful daughter and husband named Tom who works too many hours but adores her. Honor wants another baby though and she’s becoming obsessed with that. An unfortunate event changes their lives forever.

Years later, Tom makes some decisions that affect more than one person and it’s not something you’re expecting.

I didn’t dislike this book but it just didn’t hold my interest. Thanks netgalley and publisher for a chance to read this book for free in return for my honest opinion.

I loved the way this book sucked me in from the start, and by the end of Chapter 2, I could not wait to find out what would happen next. When I wasn't reading Finding Grace, I was thinking about it. The plot is based on a premise that I have not read before and I couldn't wait to see where the author was going to take the book. I enjoyed this as a reading experience, and the more I thought about why I couldn't give it 5 stars, I came to the realization that the ending does not do the plot justice. This is a twisty plot and messed up group of people. and I felt the ending was just too tidy. However, this is a great debut novel that deals with love, loss, and surviving grief. I recommend it and gave it 4 stars.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

There is so much to unpack in Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild! It's perfectly suited for either a book club or a buddy read because you're gonna want to talk about it! There were so many times I was *gently* yelling, "Tom, WHAT are you doing?!"

I don't want to say more because I don't want to ruin the story. This one is best read as a leap into the unknown. I'm so glad I did it that way as my mind was blown from the beginning, and I was wholly committed to the somewhat unhinged journey to the end.

I will say I was so frustrated at the ending. I wasn't happy with how things played out, but that's what makes Finding Grace a good book. I love books that make you want to talk about them with everyone! Like, that overwhelming need to hash out what you just read!

Read if you like:
• Family drama
• Stories about marriage
• Infertility rep
• Secrets that come back to haunt you
• Books that will frustrate and entertain you!

Many thanks to @stmartinspress for the complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and provided voluntarily.

FINDING GRACE was a strange story for me. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I will say that I did not like the narrator, the main characters, or how the story unfolded. There was a lot of potential for a beautiful love story, but instead there was convoluted plot to make something happen. This is a hard pass from me.

Wow. Let me start by saying that the synopsis for this book does not do the story justice. The story that I thought I was going to get went right out the window in the first chapter, and trying to figure out what story I was going to get is what drove me to read chapter after chapter. Now that I’m done, I’m still not sure what to make of what I read.

First, let me say it’s almost impossible to write a review without any hints of spoilers, but I will try my best. This book takes place from Honor’s POV, a unique perspective that I thought made the storytelling unique. Seeing Tom’s story play out, I started very sympathetic to his story, even after Grace is introduced to us. That’s when the story started to lose me.

I could *maybe* understand Tom’s hesitations at the start of their relationship, but the longer their story played out, the more uncomfortable I felt with what was happening. For awhile, I thought maybe this storyline would play into learning more about Tom and his struggles with his past, but then we got the ending and it was…messy? Then a little too tied up in a bow considering everything we read in the pages before.

I’m left confused with what to think of this book because, there were parts of it I really liked. I also really liked that it was the opposite of what I expected and it’s so rare to be surprised with a book nowadays. However, I wish this book focused more on the character’s development than trying to find things to shock the reader. I think there was a lot of opportunity to tell Tom’s story without making it as messy as it was. As much as the writing entertained me, I’m left wishing I got a deeper story. 2.5 stars (rounded to 3 for GR).

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book for my honest opinion. I appreciate the opportunity!**

This book started out with a young couple Tom and Honor-their daughter visiting Paris at Christmas time. When a suicide bomber kills Honor and Chloe (the little girl), Tom is left to deal with friends who try to set him up with other women. The book goes 4 yrs forward, when Tom is a single parent raising Henry, the child born by surrogate and a donor egg(Honor was unable to conceive).
Although Honor is deceased, she has a role in the book which is interesting as she gives her viewpoint throughout the story.
I liked the book, although it was a little predictable- the author developed Grace nicely and brought Tom some resolution to his grief.
There were a few plot twists, which were unexpected and several unlikable characters. It did get a little slow in the middle, and I was upset with Honor's friends reactions to Tom's choices, but I liked the ending.

DNF @ 60% | The first half of this book had so much promise. I loved the unique perspective from which it was told, as well as the two big reveals in the beginning chapters. But there was one direction I didn't want it to go in, that I was afraid it would, and I was right. I honestly hate where this book went but am giving it an extra star because I was immediately hooked and really enjoyed the first half.



SPOILERS AHEAD
I absolutely hated that Tom basically stalked Grace and coerced her into dating him under false pretenses and that it WORKED. I'm sure at some point the fact that she is his egg donor, and therefore the father of his child, will be revealed. And that most of what attracted him to her in the first place is that she looked exactly like his wife (ick). It just felt both too easy and didn't sit well. I talked to a friend who finished it and she confirmed my fears, as well as revealed the ending, one that only made me even more made at this story.

Beautiful novel! Be ready to get hocked out of your chair righty on the first chapter!

The end was, of course, premeditated but the story is very entertained and hooked me completely. Finished the book in less than a week.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild is a stunning debut that begins with a gut punch and unfolds into a beautifully layered story of grief, memory, and second chances. Rothschild’s lyrical prose and morally complex characters keep you hooked, even when the story veers into uncomfortable emotional territory. A quiet yet powerful exploration of love and identity—this one lingers with you for a long time.

Tom and Honor are a young, loving couple with a four-year old daughter, Chloe. Honor is obsessed about having another child and has turned to IVF when all else has failed. Tragedy strikes when the family is in Paris over Christmas and both Honor and Chloe are killed by a suicide bomber. Shortly after, Tom finds out the surrogate is indeed pregnant and he is going to be a new father. Skip ahead four years and Tom is a single dad raising his son, Henry, when he mistakenly receives a letter that reveals the identity of the anonymous egg donor who helped conceive Henry, Against his better judgement, Tom seeks out Grace, the donor, who has a remarkable resemblance to Honor and is harboring a strong sense of loss of her own. Grace and Tom immediately hit it off but Tom continues to keep the reason for their meeting a secret, which is ultimately revealed and causes more grief and distrust amongst everyone involved.

A large portion of this book is narrated by Honor from the grave which puts an interesting spin on the story. Enter Honor's best friends and her untrustworthy mother along with Grace's group of loyal and somewhat eccentric friends and you have a very entertaining and thoughtful storyline that deals with grief, forgiveness and moving on.

Go into this blind! I knew nothing of what it was about and was hooked by the end of the first chapter. Highly recommend!

A unique book with an even more unique premise . This book explores family , morality and ultimately potential redemption .

This book knocked me off my feet and carried me along with it. I was advised and able to go in blind and I highly recommend it if you can. With the first sentence of chapter one, I knew I was reading something special. Honor's candor, wit, and raw emotion bleed through each page. When I got to the gut-punch of the final sentence of chapter one my jaw actually dropped. I usually read books in one or two sittings, but I found myself leaving and returning to this one, wanting to give the characters the time to process and develop in my head before diving back in. I loved everything about this book and I know I'll be thinking about it for a long time to come.