I'll Come to You features some very vivid, richly drawn characters entangled by family and various relationships, trying to move on from messy pasts and dealing with their strange circumstances as best they can. Multiple generations try to navigate connections and old wounds, while hiding and revealing as they see fit. A new baby and Christmas celebrations serve as catalysts to connect a woman to her ex-sister-in-law, force the issue of a father's dementia and his son's hidden trauma, get brothers-in-law out of silence appearing as goodwill, and bring a budding new relationship out in the open. Overall, it's a bit muddled all the connections and jumps between areas, especially as the narrator has many characters sounding quite similar. Nonetheless, a great character study on what is underneath the surface and what it makes us do or say.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books Media for gifting me an audio ARC of this wonderful novel by Rebecca Kauffman, perfectly narrated by Elisabeth Rodgers. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

A story of family, set in 1995, all touched by the impending arrival of a baby. We get glimpses into each of the family members' lives, thoughts, fears, joys.

I absolutely loved listening to this book. Beginning in January and going through the end of 1995, told in the POV of many different family members, we are privy to their emotions about all the happenings in the family and extended family. A couple struggling with infertility, an older couple divorced and struggling, an older son who defaults to lying rather than facing his emotions, an older couple facing a health crisis. The writing was just beautiful and pulled me into caring about this family. I appreciated that it was set in 1995, before cellphones were in everyone's pockets, so that communication required more effort. These characters felt real and relatable and I cared about them and their stories. Highly recommended!

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced audio edition of I'll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman.

This is one of those quiet yet powerful stories of lives that all intersect with each other, and how long lasting decisions and relationships can affect us. I've read many books like this and I always enjoy them. Was this the best of them? Probably not. Sometimes I lost the plot, the characters weren't quite as engaging, the plot wasn't as compelling, but it also had heart in it, and I enjoyed revisiting the 90's. Funny enough the story didn't really grab me until the last two chapters, then I was hooked!

I’ll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman takes readers through a year in the life of one family —spanning from post Christmas 1994 to Christmas in 1995. In this deeply emotional and insightful novel, Kauffman explores the complexities of familial relationships, following one couple and their extended family as they navigate the challenges of life.

Paul and Corinne are expecting a baby, which should be a joyful event. However, there’s tension in the air: Paul’s parents, Ellen and William, are newly divorced. Despite this, Ellen is determined that Christmas should remain a time for family, so she begins to secretly plan a celebration that would bring everyone together, avoiding the need to divide the day between separate family units.

On Corinne’s side, her mother is hiding her father’s cognitive decline from Corinne and her brother, Rob. Rob, who is also divorced, struggles with his own issues—chiefly, his difficulty accepting how easily his ex-wife has moved on, and what this means for his relationship with his sons.

What could have felt like a mundane family drama instead unfolds as a nuanced and sometimes painfully familiar dance—the delicate balancing act that takes place between parents and children, siblings, and spouses. At just 226 pages, Kauffman efficiently weaves together these complex dynamics with sensitivity and depth.

I had just received the audio book version of I’ll Come to You when I spotted a review of it in my hometown newspaper, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I decided to wait until I had finished the book before reading the review, but I was pleased to find that the reviewer shared my positive reaction to the story.

I wholly and completely recommend I’ll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman.

Kauffman has penned a character driven family drama which takes place over the course of a single year, 1995.

Featuring a couple with fertility trials, a woman whose husband left after decades of marriage, a different pair dealing with a health crisis and a divorced man who chronically lies, Kauffman made me love them all. I was invested. As a reader who dealt with infertility and had my son in 1995, I related to them. As the child of divorce, I related to that woman. And now, in the final act of my life with a much older husband, I completely connected to that couple. So much life, beginnings and endings….. my heart broke.

Read this.

And I absolutely know other readers understand that heart breaking, gut punching novels are to be shared.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the advance listening copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars. First off, I’m a sucker for a juicy family drama, so I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book- 12 months in the lives of a young couple and their families. However, what this book really lacked was actual drama. Conflict. Something shocking. What it did have were many quiet beautiful moments, some lovely vignettes that show the different perspectives that parents and their children might have on their family’s history.

This book proceeds month by month starting in January and culminating on Christmas Eve. We get a glimpse into the lives of Corinne and Paul as they anticipate their first child and then navigate early parenthood. Paul’s recently divorced mother Ellen is another character whose perspective is shared with the reader as she starts dating a man named Gary and begins planning her first Christmas as a grandmother. Corinne’s family is also introduced- her high strung mother Janet, her father Bruce who is showing signs of dementia, and Rob, her divorced brother who has a history of compulsive lying. Each of these characters is endearing and flawed in their own ways, but the reader doesn’t get a chance to really dig into their stories before the perspective changes repeatedly. In my opinion, this book could have been 100 pages longer with a lot more family drama and a lot more exploration of each character’s motivations and desires.

The author lovingly rendered a cast of characters, let me spend a year peeking into their lives, and then abruptly left me wanting quite a lot more. The audio narration was excellent and I would recommend this book with this caveat- don’t get too attached.

I liked the character driven content writing style and vignette detail. I found the hardcover easier to follow than the audio version.. The male narrators voice was devoid of what would have made the audio a better production for me.

Family: can't live with them, can't live without... amirite?!? I really enjoyed this quiet character-driven story about a family and its nuanced dynamics for an entire year. I will admit, it took me a minute to figure out who was who, but once I got on track, the story flowed smoothly. The characters are masterfully drawn; they are layered and emotional and I love the connection between them. The narrator had a nice soothing voice that fit the story quite well. Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for access to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read. The author has taken a cast of people who are all dealing with life issues and weaving together. Physical health, mental health, fertility issues, love, divorce, secrets, expectations, aging and more. It’s like peephole into peoples lives. An emotional and at times tough listen, but worth it. The narration was spot on. My first by this author, but not my last. If you’re looking for light and fluffy, this is not for you. fIf you’re looking for something deep, emotional, honest and real dig in. Truly a compelling read.

I really enjoy family dramas, and seeing 𝑰'𝑳𝑳 𝑪𝑶𝑴𝑬 𝑻𝑶 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝒃𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒄𝒂 𝑲𝒂𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒎𝒂𝒏 offered through @netgalley by @recordedbooks, I couldn't resist!

This is a shorter novel of a group of couples during the calendar year of 1995. One couple is trying to get pregnant, one couple is older and dealing with health issues and a difficult son, and then a woman who has been left by her husband after 40 years for "no reason". These are all difficult scenarios that converge in a way that had me wishing I had taken a few notes earlier, but it did all come together in the end! A solid ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

I did enjoy this story, and the audio by Elisabeth Rogers was so smooth. Her voice lulled in me in so much, I admit I did get a bit lost a couple times just enjoying the sound of her voice. I enjoyed that soothing today, even in the midst of a slightly more stressful family drama!

This story came out January 7th and will be a good story for fans of the family drama genre. Grab the audio, as it is just like a cashmere sweater for your ears.

I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this audiobook through NetGalley, the publisher and the author. I really liked the concept of following a family and its nuanced dynamics for a year but I feel like this fell short for me. I didn’t find it terribly engaging and the characters weren’t likable across the board. In some instances the timeline and characters were even hard to follow which is a shame because it touched on some really deep and important topics. This wasn’t my favorite but I am glad I took a chance on it.

This story was real hard to follow and keep engaged. At times it pulls you in but quickly lose focus. It follows a year in a family and could have been so interesting but fell flat for me

Rebecca Kaufman’s I’ll Come to You is a novel that’s as much about its language and characters as it is about its story—or, rather, lack of one.

The characters are masterfully drawn. They feel lived-in, like real people with all their contradictions, tenderness, and flaws. Each relationship is layered, and the emotional depth Kaufman brings to them is what keeps the book engaging. You feel as if you truly know these people by the time you turn the final page.

But for all its strengths, the plot is where the book falters. The novel meanders, lacking a sense of urgency or momentum. While some might appreciate the slow burn and focus on introspection, others will find themselves waiting for something—anything—to happen. There’s no dramatic arc, no satisfying climax, just a series of beautifully rendered vignettes that ultimately feel like they lead nowhere.

In the end, I’ll Come to You is a novel for those who read for the beauty of the journey rather than the excitement of the destination. If you’re the type of reader who craves a strong plot, you might find it a bit of a slog. But if you can appreciate the artistry in the writing and the depth of the characters, you’ll find plenty to admire, even if the story itself leaves you wanting more.

4.25 stars!

This was a great snapshot of intersecting family members during the year 1995. The family is drawn together by a pregnancy and birth. There are strong themes of parent-child relationships, romantic relationships, memory, and the power of truth/lies.

Overall I really enjoyed this work. I had never read Rebecca Kauffman before but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for future works. She writes engaging, believable characters struggling with the toll of living. This book was beautiful and meaningful. Highly recommend for fans of family dramas and literary fiction. Felt similar to works by Dani Shapiro, Ethan Joella, and Ann Napolitano.

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a nice book to enjoy and listen to, during a cold and blustery weekend. It is a very tender story of 2 families and their journey throughout a single year. It really focused on the mundane day to day things that make up family life. This could have been boring but in this case were extremely compelling. The book covers the entire year from various family members’ perspectives. The central focus is the greatly anticipated new arrival of a much sought after baby. The story is told from the perspectives of the new parents - Corinne and Paul and their families- Paul’s newly divorced mother, Ellen, who is bewildered by her husband’s abrupt departure and divorce without a reason. We also meet Corinne’s parents, Janet and Bruce, who are struggling with the scary realities of aging. The final characters and the most interesting, in my opinion were Rob, Corinne’s brother and Gary, Elle ‘s new male admirer. Rob is a pathological liar, who wants connection and intimacy, but struggles with his own insecurity. Gary is a divorced friend of Ellen, who is still struggling with bitterness from his own divorce. The story is quite simple- no thriller twists in this one, but I think that is why I enjoyed it. It was calm and comforting. My biggest complaints are that I wish we had gotten to delve into Janet’s character a bit more and I would have like a more satisfying ending. However, I think that was the point- life is never happy ever after with a nice bow. There really is no ending to our stories- we just continue to live and carry on as best we can.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audio copy of this book I exchange for an honest opinion.

This book is my cup of tea. Like drinking a strong cup of tea at the exact right temperature, really. It warmed me up from the inside and put a contented smile on my face while I sat back in pure comfort to read. Bliss.

I'll Come to You is a true family saga, though perhaps a little short for such a label. This novel encapsulates the space of a year for one extended family, beginning with the news of a new baby near Christmas in the mid-nineties. We hear from the mother, the father, grandparents, and siblings as they come at the recent events through their own lenses. Each of them has a history and their own troubles.

The vignettes that make up the book were each a captivating and intriguing piece of the story. Most are only a snapshot in time, perhaps lasting a few hours, but with thoughts and implications that are outside of time, existing mostly within the character's personal history and reflections upon their own wisdom.

It is one deeply human moment after another, and I'm sad it wasn't longer. I hope you'll read it. I know this won't be the last time I do.

This audiobook was a realistic family drama set in the 1990's. It was difficult at times to follow all the characters. The story keeps you engaged. The narration was very good. Thanks to RBmedia and netgalley for a copy of this audiobook.

This was such a sweet and big hearted shorty. I love when a book can encapsulate a slice of life so perfectly it makes me nostalgic. Set in the midwest in 1995, I'll Come to You follows one family over the course of a year. It's such a beautiful statement actually of how much can happen within a year's time--new life, loss, new love, heartbreak, and hope. Thank you to Catapult & MacMillan audio for the early copies.

I’ll Come to You is a series of interconnected stories chronicling the lives of a very average family over the course of a year (1995).

I love books like this that show all of the small moments that seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things but somehow add up to be everything. Kauffman’s writing reminded me a bit of Claire Lombardo (The Most Fun We’ve Ever Had & Same As It Ever Was) in the best way, with bits of humor and lots of very realistic family drama - I honestly never wanted this to end and wish I knew what was next for every character.

This is my first book by Kauffman, and I’m excited to read/listen to her earlier work!

I loved this even more than Chorus, Kauffman has such a knack for writing about families in a real and personal way.

I’ll Come To You is a short snap shot style story told over the course of one year, 1995, about two families tied together by the marriage of their children. There are alternating POVs as we get glimpses into everyone’s lives, there ups and downs, the anxieties of the every day and the future as well as the joyful moments that hold families together.

For such a short book it packs a lot in, the writing is sharp and Kauffman can pack a lot of emotion into simple sentences by drawing on the realism of these characters, there is something to take from each of them.

I am shocked this has under 100 reviews and isn’t being talked about more. Fans of family dramas like Signal Fires, Tom Lake or Same As It Ever Was I think would really enjoy this.