When an author is compared to Ann Patchett and Celeste Ng, it's a must-read for me. Penitence is a quiet, slow burn type of novel that is part family drama and part suspenseful mystery. Each character seems to be fighting an inner battle and each of the individual stories shone for me. If you enjoy a family saga with lots of family secrets, give Penitence a read. "Each of us is more than the worst thing we've ever done..."

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.

When a shocking murder occurs in Angie and David Sheehan household, they turn to an old family friend for help. Still, Martine is the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian - a successful criminal attorney in New York. As Julian, Martin, Angie and David work on the current case shattering the Sheehan household, they are also working on unresolved feelings of guilt from their past and secrets that come to light.

Interesting, I think this book has dealt with some really heavy topics, some of which I wasn't sure I enjoyed how it was handled, especially the big reveal in the end did not sit particularly well with me.

I enjoyed the storytelling, and I enjoyed the authors writing enough that I would read more of her work in the future. I liked the back-and-forth between the past and present as the author unveiled some of the history between Angie and Julian, I just did not enjoy Angie's choices...

I took 1 star off because I didn't feel like the animal death in this book was warranted, but this is my personal belief.

Thank you publisher for allowing me to review this book for free in exchange of a review.

I really enjoyed this book! I'll link to the review later once I put it up, but I thought it was a magnificent debut. good character work, strong relationship building, & ethical dilemmas. there was a tad bit of predictability and the ending felt a little too rushed for me in the confrontation with Julian and Angie, but otherwise I recommend it! reminded me of Jodi Picoult.

The audiobook narrator "acted" a little too much for me.

PENITIENCE is an ideal companion to this seemingly endless winter season: set in snowy rural Colorado, this mystery is propulsive while still filled with depth.

The story opens when thirteen year-old Nora kills her fourteen year-old brother, Nico. Nora’s parents, David and Angie, seek legal counsel from the rural town’s best known lawyer, Martine, who is on the brink of retirement and not well versed in murder trials. Martine calls her son, a famed NYC defense attorney, Julian, for back-up. To make things even juicier, Julian and Angie have a deep romantic history.

PENITENCE reminded me of old school Jodi Picoult, the courtroom drama mystery novels I devoured on summery holidays in middle and high school. I similarly devoured this one; I looked forward to picking it up each night and to my commutes with the audiobook.

Kristin Koval executes a dual timeline brilliantly in this novel, with one timeline focusing on Angie and Julian’s history and the other focusing on the present day murder of Nico. The structure develops the key players, keeps the story propulsive, and strengthens the emotions behind the mystery.

I love nothing more than a mystery that goes beyond the blueprint set for the genre, and PENITENCE certainly does that. Though the pacing is propulsive, it is largely a character-driven novel. There are captivating family dynamics, the relatably powerful emotions of first love, discussion of the power of forgiveness, and commentary on the American legal system.

This is not, however, a perfect novel. The plot is scattered at times, the character development is inconsistent throughout, and there are elements left unresolved. It is, though, a strong and solid debut that kept me highly entertained. I’ll be on the lookout for whatever Kristin Koval writes next. The audiobook is very well done!

This one starts out with a shocking murder, and there’s really no dispute on who did it, but the question is why did this happen? And how did we get here?

Throughout the course of the novel we spend time in the events of the past, looking at decisions each character made, see them move through life, and discover the outcome of the seeds planted with each decision.

This book is a study in forgiveness - both for those we love but also forgiveness of ourselves. And the consequences when we choose to bury secrets instead of face them head on.

I was thinking about the characters long after I finished. I listened to this one (narration is fantastic) and also followed along at times in a physical copy. Highly recommend.

Many thanks to @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for letting me read and listen to this one. Excellent storytelling!

I was very invested in this audiobook and really enjoyed the storyline(s). However I do love an ending that is clearcut and this one left so much open to interpretation. Therefore I was left feeling a little unresolved.

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"She doesn't look like a girl who just shot her brother."

“God doesn’t attach conditions to forgiveness...and neither should you.”

At the end of the emotionally draining Penitence, by phenomenal debut author Kristin Koval, I was left a blubbering mess. From the first shocking chapter where 13 year old Nora kills her 14 year old brother Nico, to the last page between a conflicted mother and a mentally distraught daughter, I was held captive by this family drama that held nothing back about the consequences for our self preservation decisions and the road to forgiveness.

There are a lot of entwining relationships that get entangled, and sometimes break a part in this made for book club selection novel. Angie is Nora and Nico's mother, and "she feels strangled in the absurd paradox of how she can keep loving Nora without betraying Nico." However, as the past comes back to haunt Angie, it's obvious she has her own sins that need atonement.

I was stunned by the intricate acting choices from voice actress @plummertherese. Her ability to give distinguishing tones to the many characters from Julian, Angie's former lover whom she shares a deadly secret and is now Nora's lawyer, to David, Angie's husband, who has his own life altering secret, made for an award-worthy narration.

No one comes out of this story unscathed, and many would argue that they deserve it; except maybe Nico.
The selfish lies, the justification for all of it, is truly startling, as are some of the revealing twisty secrets. Ultimately it's about penitence, the act of forgiveness, if there are times it shouldn't be given, and what it often costs to give it.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers for a fair & honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was HEAVY

…but it was so good! I listened to the audio and was immediately sucked in to the story. It felt so real. I felt all the feels with this one and will definitely think about this for awhile. Need to check triggers for this one because it might be hard for some to read.

Angie’s daughter Nora is 13 when one night, she shoots and kills her older brother Nico. Nobody knows why. The lawyer they hire is the mother of Angie’s ex-boyfriend — and eventually requires the help of her son Julian, who is also a lawyer. There is dual timeline of right after the murder. And back years prior during Angie and Julian’s relationship.

4⭐️

thanks to MacMillan Audio for my ALC

I can't believe this is a debut novel. This was such an emotional read, and I highly recommend not going into this blind like I did.
The story was incredibly heavy. While there were pieces of the story that I had predicted, it didn't make the weight of the reveal any less heavy. This story kind of dances around the 'fairness' of the judicial system. There was some light shed on this with specific cases, but I was hoping for more on this because this topic is important.
It however does take a strong step into how people change as they age, which I really appreciate. I feel like this is missed a lot in stories, and there are too many emphasizing on high school sweethearts together for the long run rather than meeting your person in your late 20's, 30's, even 40's. With that being said, this felt so much more REAL emotionally.
The trauma of the shooting in this story and the emotional impact felt incredibly realistic. The stages of grief, the coping mechanisms, etc. I cannot fathom the back and fourth emotional rollercoaster, but I definitely felt it through the narrator's tone. I feel like I need a hug after listening to this.
Incredible & gutting. 4.5/5

This is the year of debuts! I feel like 2025 has started off with some strong ones including Penitence.

This book started off really strong for me and I immediately felt invested in the plot. The dual timelines worked really well with the story and I was equally invested in each timeline and curious how one led to the other.

Around halfway the pacing slowed for me. Some parts felt a little too drawn out and I guessed some of the twists. I was reading a very similar book while listening to Penitence and I might have enjoyed Penitence more had this not been the case. The ending felt a little lackluster to me, I was left feeling a bit disappointed. I would have liked more of an explanation about the motive. I wanted another 30 min to really warp things up.

Overall, a strong debut and I will look for lore from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

So when @celadonbooks gave me the chance to do a buddy read for Penitence with @secretreadinglife @so.many.books_so.little.time @booked.and.loving.it and @whatkarinareads , I jumped on it. A few hiccups (i.e. the book was at my house during the fire before I finished it) but alas, thanks to audiobooks and some patience, I read the book. It is a sweeping novel about a couple defending their daughter after their son is murdered. But the lawyer is the mother of the wife’s first love and these families become intertwined again at such a heartbreaking time of their lives. It spanned decades to tell the story of the first love, of tragedies, of complex relationships. And this is all while the themes of resilience, redemption and forgiveness permeate throughout. I love these kind of books and this was no exception. It was intense while also being a slow burn and I loved the family drama and deep character dives. So compelling and so emotional from beginning to end.

Can one small decision change the world?

A must read if you like Crime stories, Social Commentary, Contemporary Fiction, Complex family dynamics.

This eloquently written social commentary digs into the micro level impacts of our judicial system.

When 13 year old Nora shoots her brother, her family's world falls apart. But is this action a ripple effect of previous decisions or the impetus that impacts not only her family, but their whole community?

Content warning: Death, grief, alzheimer's, serious medical diagnosis, mental illness.

This book is a beautiful exploration of our judicial system from the personal level. It really made me think and shown a light on many issues. However, it is written in such a deep, vulnerable way that it was a hard read.

The narrator was amazing. There were moments you could hear her crying as she was reading.

Penitence
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A heartbreaking sad story with so much hurt & lies. Lives that are shattered. I wish there would have been more answers in the end. I also felt that at times it really dragged. It was a deep sadddd story. I need to read something happy & light now.
Thank you NetGalley

I alternated between the audio and the e-book and thoroughly enjoyed both. I was immediately caught up in the story, and the narrator captures the mood of the novel. Themes of loss, and forgiveness -- the kind we offer to others and often deny to ourselves, are explored in a nuanced and well written debut. I will definitely look for more from this author

I've seen many reviews comparing this novel to Jodi Picoult and Celeste Ing's work, I'll add one more for you, Mary Beth Keane. This is a very heart wrenching family drama set in Colorado and New York. Dual timelines of tragic events that force two families to be intertwined not once but twice. In the recent timeline, parents Angie and David are woken in the night to discover their 13 year old daughter Nora, has just shot their 14 year old son, Nico. Thousands of questions are spiraling in their minds, the biggest being how could this have happened and why. When the lawyer they hire recruits her son, Julian to assist on the case, memories start to flood of the life changing event that happened between Angie and Julian all those years before. The narration of this novel was engaging and beautiful done by Thérèse Plummer. She voiced many different characters seamlessly. There are a few reasons why this wasn't a 5 star for me. I needed more Nora, especially in the end. There were a few other plot points I also wished had more closure as well. I also discovered that these family dramas really bum me out and I prefer a little more joy in my stories, especially right now. So that's no fault to the author, just personal preference. I'm still very impressed this was a debut and would definitely read her work again if it was a little lighter subject matter. Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A heartbreaking, powerful read!
Angie and David are raising their two teenage kids, Nico 14 and Nora 13. This family was recently dealt a devastating blow. A bombshell! One child dead...the other arrested for murder.

Needing the best representation, but not having the resources to do so, David takes a bold leap in asking Martine to help. A big ask. Martine’s son Julian and Angie were not only childhood sweethearts, but were involved in an earlier tragedy that tore the families apart, eventually separating the two young lovers as well.

This is a wrenching tale of love, loss, grief and rebuilding.

It’s a slow burn, taking you back to when Angie and Julian were teens themselves. Their paths through life crossing once again when the stakes are the highest.

🎧 Therese Plummer provided the narration and did an amazing job as always. I never felt the need for an additional narrator.

💻 I also occasionally switched to an available digital copy.

My personal preference was definitely the audio! This is one of those books/audios that you can lose yourself in as the story unfolds. I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to Celadon Books and MacMillan Audio

Thanks to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for the #gifted copy of this book.

Rating: 4.5/5⭐️

Summary: When a shocking murder happens at the Sheehan house, Angie and David turn to Martine to help with defending their daughter. But Martine knows her limits and calls her son, Julian for help.... But there's history and heartbreak between Angie and Julian. Can they put it aside to proceed with the case?

My Thoughts: I was blown away with how I got sucked into this audiobook. I had so much trouble pausing this book and being with my family because I just needed to see what happened next. The dual timelines brought this story to life to see how Angie and Julian's experiences shaped their futures. This book was full of drama in relationships, families, and friendships. Though I had figured out some of the pieces before they were revealed, I still liked a few of the twists I didn't see coming. Overall, it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel. If you enjoy reading family dramas, this is definitely the book for you.

🎧I enjoyed the audio of this book. Thérèse Plummer did an amazing job of bringing all the characters to life. If you decide to read this one, definitely check out the audio.

Read if you love:
🔹Family Drama
🔹Dual Timelines
🔹Small Towns
🔹Difficult/Tragic Topics
🔹Mutliple POVs

Audiobook Review: Penitence by Kristin Koval (debut, publishes Jan 28) - thank you @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for the free e-book and audiobook for this one. Therese Plummer's narration absolutely propelled this intriguing story forward and I couldn't put it down.

This book is a tough one to read - when I described the premise to my daughter she was gobsmacked (see next slide for synopsis which doesn't include what I told her). I realized when describing it that I wasn't quite as emotionally invested as I could have been in this book, but I was certainly enamoured with the plot and it was a very well-done debut work. This one is NOT a thriller even though there's a mystery component - it's much more about the past (and there is some dual timeline components for that) as well as some family drama. There's also the small-town element that we all love where everyone knows everything about everyone else.

The title for this one is perfect too - the dictionary defines Penitence as the action of feeling sorrow or showing regret for having done wrong and I think that sums up this story so perfectly by the end.

There was one final plot-point to it that I just wanted to see resolved a bit more completely (and you'll know if you read it) but I think that was excluded intentionally for the sake of the story. This is a heavy and sad one, but it did resolve on a hopeful note as best it could.

Definitely recommend this one when it comes out but there are some trigger warnings to be aware of (infidelity, murder within a family, neurodegenerative disease - these all come up pretty early on in the book).

This book had a great plot and I was definitely invested in how everything would play out. This is a book full of extremely flawed characters, and the author did not shy away from that fact. As the title suggests, this is a story about redemption, forgiveness, and accountability. What keeps this from being a five star read for me was the ending, which was lacking the closure I really needed from this book. While I understand that was likely very purposeful, as a reader, it left me feeling empty and a bit let down.

Thank you so much to the author, MacMillan Audio, and NetGalley for the gifted audiobook! This was a great one to listen to on audio!

Koval shared a wonderfully suspenseful novel full of twists and turns that hooked you. Likeable characters that lead you wanting more with an ending that is satisfying.