I couldn't get this file to work so unfortunately I wasn't able to listen but the premise sounds very promising.

I enjoyed listening to the audio version of this novel, thanks in part to the narrator's clear and pleasant voice. This debut novel is impressive. The first chapter quickly engages the reader, and the story remains compelling throughout. The author's unique narrative approach elicited a strong emotional response from me. The book's distinct voice makes it stand out from others. I suggest picking it up.

“𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞.”

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 7/8/25

🎧Audiobook/📖 eBook Dual Read

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
Honor wants nothing more than to have another baby with her husband Tom. Using donor conception- they are attempting to use a surrogate to complete their family. During a Christmas holiday, tragedy strikes sending the family on a path they never imagined.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🎄Single POV
🍷Non linear timeline
🎄Infertility awareness
🍷Grief and loss

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
Nothing will prepare you for the first chapter of this book. From the opening line to the 🤯 ending. I recommend going into this blind (other than the blurb)- I did and it was insane. For a debut novel, the writing was great and flowed well. Little bits of snark among the serious topics was lovely. While the premise was interesting, I found the story to be a bit dull and honestly, creepy. While grief has no correct path, I do believe there are unhealthy ways of dealing with it, and Tom definitely chose that route. I kept trying to find the upside to all of it, hoping the ending would resolve some of my put off feelings. Unfortunately, the ending grossed me out even more.
I much preferred the audiobook of the two, the British narrator was fantastic and brought all the characters to life and made them easy to differentiate. Every book has an audience, this one was not for me but is very likely one many will enjoy.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

TW: infertility, donor conception, miscarriage, death of a spouse

*Thank you @NetGalley, @MacMillan.Audio, and @StMartinsPress for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Macmillan Audio ALC
This was everything I want in a debut: complicated characters, a messy plot, and yet the desire to only want the best for them, even when they make mistakes. I loved this book. I was immediately taken with how the first couple of chapters set up this story. This is a story about Honor, Tom, and Chloe and what happens to their family after a tragedy. But it's so much more. And it's hard to talk about because I think you should be just as surprised as I was with the setup of this story. It's propulsive and bingeable. I could not stop listening. This is an author that I will definitely be reading again.
Fiona Button was spectacular as Honor. The way she managed to capture this narrator and tone and emotions was spectacular. She added another layer to this story and gave such tension to the plot.

This was an interesting novel that started off with a bang. I liked how the narration was done and the style of writing was strong. I will definitely check out more from this author.

"Finding Grace" by Loretta Rothschild is a refreshing genre-bending story about life's unexpected turns and chance encounters.

Honor’s life looks picture-perfect with her ambitious husband, Tom, and their precious daughter but Honor wants more—more time, more connection, even a second child—but life doesn’t always unfold the way we plan. Years later, even with the best of intentions, Tom sets off a chain of events creating a tectonic shift for all involved. The question is: will love be enough?

The conclusion of the opening sequence is one of the most shocking twists I've read that flips the story on its head and it happens right out the gate. I truly had a moment where I thought somehow I had been plunged into a different book, a different story. I was left stunned but desperately needing to know what happens next—and the direction we head next is also a surprise. My advice: drop all expectations and let the story take you where it wants to go. You're just along for the ride. This story escaped my every expectation, dodging each prediction, shocking my psyche, and shattering my world. There are moments where you as the reader will feel completely gutted but will continue to root for these characters and relate to their human experience.

In the audiobook, with an undercurrent of melancholy, Fiona Button delivers an understated yet impactful performance breathing life into the story and the characters.

"Finding Grace" will detonate an explosion of emotions inside its reader—sadness, anger, despair, desire, grief, and surprise—but most of all, hope.

Thank you to Loretta Rothschild, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my authentic review.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild
✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📕 If you like ______, you’ll like this: Feeling a lot of feelings; Wild Dark Shore
📖/🎧 Read Type: ARC (thank you to @netgalley, Loretta Rothschild, and Macmillan Audio!)

Honor is a woman caught between her deep love for her daughter Chloe and husband Tom, and her overwhelming longing for another child. A shocking tragedy alters their lives irrevocably, leading to unforeseen consequences years later when Tom makes a decision that intertwines the paths of two women.

I only requested this ARC because I liked the cover but I absolutely ate it up. It’s definitely a story that sticks with you and I am SHOCKED it’s a debut. First, it’s the perfect blend of emotional depth and can’t-put-it-down thriller elements. The author’s choice of a narrator is unlike anything I’ve read before—totally unexpected and so well done. It’s best to go into this story knowing as little as possible and let it unfold. Check trigger warnings first, but I highly recommend because I’d do just about anything to experience it again for the first time.

Do not read reviews on this one. I unfortunately read one where the reviewer felt it important to write a book report rather than a book review and they spoiled it completely. Ugh. Why?

This debut has a unique premise, plot and narration. The author did a good job here and the narration by Fiona Button is excellent. I did have some questions, but it was an enjoyable listen. I won’t say more as I don’t want to spoil anything (looking at you, Karen H. on Goodreads).

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I went into this book pretty blind and so happy I did. It had me hooked from the 1st few pages. This is a must read and might be my favorite book of the year.

You should really go into this one as blind as you can.

Honor has her beautiful family, her young daughter and husband, but is not satisfied, she feels the deep need for a second child. While waiting to hear from her surrogate to learn if she’s pregnant, something tragic happens to set the rest of the novel into motion.

I am really torn as to how I feel about this novel; I thought the storyline and pacing were great and I was engrossed in the book; but there was a long game of miscommunication that made me uncomfortable. There is a lot in this book to unpack - grief, miscarriage, love, and parenthood. The writing was fantastic and I loved how the author set up the POV. In addition, the audio on this one was great, and to be honest, sometimes when I get really uncomfortable in a story I actually prefer the audio because I can passively listen while the story unfolds.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the AALC to review

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me a physical, digital and audio ARC of the debut novel by Loretta Rothschild, with the audio perfectly narrated by the wonderful Fiona Button. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Go into this one as blind as possible - so here's a very short synopsis. Honor seems to have everything. She adores her daughter Chloe and her husband Tom. But her longing for another baby threatens to eclipse all of it. Years later, Tom makes a decision that causes ripples in their lives..

This was a fabulous debut novel and the audiobook was wonderful as well. If you don't gasp at the end of the first chapter, check your pulse! Saying much of anything about the plot of this book would ruin it, but it is a creative, beautiful, quiet and contemplative novel about grief, loss, second chances, and moral dilemmas. I loved the characters in this book and felt all the emotions. Don't miss this one!

Ah, Finding Grace is a novel that opens with a bang, only to politely excuse itself halfway through and wander off into a fog of pacing issues and questionable character choices.

The first chapter? Riveting. Emotional! Raw! It makes you think you’re strapping in for a heart-wrenching ride through grief, healing, and the delicate intricacies of human connection. But then... you spend the next 200 pages watching Tom, the emotionally stunted equivalent of a soggy paper towel, bumble through life making choices that would make even a reality TV contestant wince.

Yes, the prose is pretty. Yes, the timeline-hopping structure adds a sprinkle of intrigue. But you’ll need a strong cup of coffee (or three) to get through the middle, where the plot paces back and forth like it lost its keys. And the secondary characters? Charming cardboard cutouts, if you’re into that sort of thing.

To be fair, Rothschild does write with heart. It’s just that sometimes that heart seems to be taking a nap. Still, if you enjoy beautifully written emotional spirals, slow-moving storylines, and yelling “WHY are you like this?!” at fictional characters, this book might just be your cup of chamomile.

Recommended if you're into grief-lit, don’t mind a meandering narrative, and are okay with “grace” being more of a concept than a fully realized character arc.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook.
This book was way beyond amazing.
Such an original storyline.
I have already recommended it to everyone I know that reads.
The narration was excellent.

I loved this book because it is messy and the characters are fallible as is so often the case in real life. I would have enjoyed this book if I had just read it but the audiobook really made the whole story and cast of characters come to life. By the end of the first chapter I was completely hooked! The flashbacks and the narration were unexpected and a breath of fresh air. I found myself feeling sad as the book came to its closure as I had grown deeply fond of these characters and desperately wanted to continue being a voyeur in their world. Deeply satisfying audiobook and highly recommended.

Thank you @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio & @netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This debut novel will hook you from the very first page! The story is told through the unique perspective of Honor, Tom’s dead first wife. Honor recounts the challenges in her marriage to Tom, discussing in particular how her desire for another child intensified the strain between them. At the time of Honor’s unexpected death, she and Tom had found an egg donor and soon they would have a baby.

Grief-stricken, Tom raises the baby boy and tries to move on until he accidentally discovers the identity of the egg donor (Grace). Curious he seeks her out, and soon becomes involved with her. But this causes a personal dilemma for Tom. Grace never planned on having children of her own. Should he tell her about his son?

The novel examines themes of love, loss, and redemption, and would be a perfect choice for book club discussions. I combined the audio and print versions for this and loved both formats. The narrator's performance truly brought the story to life, enhancing the emotional depth and contributing to the memorable listening experience. The production quality was outstanding, capturing every nuance of the narration and immersing me in the story seamlessly.

This is a love story—a study of grief—a novel about hope, loss, pain, joy, parenting, science, morality, and friendship. I would say go into it blind and enjoy the beautiful writing and the story itself. This is a unique novel.

3.25 🌟

I'll try to be vague to avoid spoilers. This was a solid 4 for me until the very end. I didn't like the way things were wrapped up, though I can't say I was surprised. I was pretty invested in the story throughout, even though the MMC sucks. Tom, the husband, is just utterly unlikable. He's manipulative, and all his decisions made me shake my head. JUST COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY ALREADY, GEEZE. Again, it's hard to articulate specifics without just spoiling the book. That said, I do recommend it, and plenty of readers will enjoy how it ends. I'm just not one of them.

Fiona Button narrated. Her voice was clear and easy to understand, and she conveyed emotion and differentiated characters well.

Recommended for fans of emotional, twisty love stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

How do you measure the weight of a lie? Where does it begin, and where does it end? How will it end? This book starts off with an absolutely stunning twist! 😯

There’s not much you can really share about this book without treading into spoiler territory. So just go in blind. It does include a very unusual narrative and an exploration of loss and grief. I feel like it causes one to consider the focus of our lives. 

One thing I wished while reading this book was a bit more of a lead in before the ‘big twist’.  The POV does switch back-and-forth so that helped some, but I still have questions. 

It highlights the fact that secrets have a way of coming out, and sometimes it felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I appreciated the themes of family, motherhood and relationships we cultivate.

‘There is no map to grief.’

While I often questioned a main character’s choices, this ended up being an interesting story that I feel would make for a great book club discussion. The ending was almost as dramatic as the beginning, but I thought that it was fitting. 

CW | Contains some strong profanity, but not a lot. And some steamy content, brief. Trigger warnings to be aware of as well.

Finding Grace will break your heart in pieces, warm it like winter cocoa, break it again, and heal it like warm sunshine. My emotions were in a roller coaster, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way! It definitely pulls on the heartstrings and makes us as readers dig deep to remember what truly matters… cherishing the smallest moments that end up to be the biggest memories with those who make us feel truly alive. The narrator did a wonderful job with inflection, voice and pacing to convey each individual character’s uniqueness. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ALC. This review is my own opinion.

Finding Grace is a stunning debut novel that poses the question...which is a heavier burden to carry: grief or guilt?

After reading the blurb, I was very intrigued and thought I kind of sort of knew what kind of book I was heading into. Maybe a love triangle. Or cheating. Perhaps a broken marriage all in the name of a much longed for second child. Nothing could have prepared me for the emotional journey Loretta Rothschild was about to take me on!! And that was only the first chapter!

This one is poignant, unique, and was hard to put down. My only gripe is the pacing. Somewhere in the middle it began to feel repetitive. I'm sure due in part to my lack of patience and need to know where this story was headed.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St Martin's Press and NetGalley for early copies in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the narration. Accents can sometimes trip me up while listening to audiobooks but I really felt like it added warmth and genuine feelings to the story.

4 stars.