Wow definitely a top contender for my favorites of 2025 and an amazing debut. Starting with the shocking first chapter, this book delves into grief, heartache, family, friendship, secrets, and a lot of communication breakdowns! Despite the heavy, tear jerking subjects there were a lot of laugh out loud and poignant moments as well as well developed characters that made it propulsive.

I listened to this partially and read it and thought the audiobook narrator did an awesome job distinguishing different characters and keeping the forward momentum.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

This book started off well and literally shocked me not far in. As it continued it became a bit more of a love story than I usually like, but I loved the narrator and it was a good story.

Finding Grace was an unexpected, unique story starring Honor, her husband Tom, and Grace. The book started off with a bang, but I'll avoid a plot summary because it's best to go into this one blind and uncover the surprises for yourself.

I noticed a decent number of reviews commented how they disliked the characters, but I enjoyed them for all of their flaws. The biggest microscope was set on Tom, and yes, he made a lot of impulsive, dumb decisions, but I can more or less see why he took the path that he did. In addition to being a great look at character growth, this book focused a lot on grief and how it settles into your daily life. Even if years go by, the loss never really goes away, and I enjoyed following these characters as they all dealt with this in their own manner.

The narrator also did a great job with Honor's voice. It felt very believable and moved the story along.

Many thanks to NetGally and the publisher for an advanced audio version of this book.

Wow, what a debut novel! The author did such a great job crafting the characters and the story.

It's virtually impossible to say anything about the plot without giving spoilers, but suffice it to say that the POV is quite unique. The narrator, Honor, draws the reader in immediately. I loved all of the relationships, and watching them unfold over the multiple timelines was incredibly touching. The overarching theme of parental love is portrayed incredibly well, and I had to stop, breathe and wipe away tears several times. The romantic relationships played out really well too. And the friendships in the story were incredible - between couples, between women, between son in law and mother in law...phew! Honor, Tom and Grace are the main characters, but I actually loved the characters of Annie and Colette the most. They felt like real people to me. This book really had all the feels.

I have to say that when the "villain" of the story is revealed, I was truly shocked...maybe I am just too naive. Gasp!! And Tom makes some very questionable choices throughout the story, which make it really hard to sympathize with him. But that all contributes to the plot line and it really was done well.

As far as the audiobook goes, the narrator is excellent. I love listening to anyone with a British accent, but hers is particularly expressive and lovely.

I would definitely recommend this! 4.5 stars!

“Finding Grace” is a striking debut novel with one of the most intriguing narrators I’ve encountered in a while. The story unfolds in two timelines, both told by the same woman, one while she’s alive, and the other after she has passed away. That alone makes for a captivating narrative structure.
I picked this one up purely based on the cover through NetGalley, having no real idea what to expect. To my surprise, the book dives into much deeper and heavier subject matter than I anticipated.
At its core, this novel explores themes of love, fate, family, and redemption, and it does so with a unique voice and concept. The storyline is both original and thought-provoking, and the narrator’s perspective adds a haunting layer that stays with you.
While I found the premise brilliant and the structure refreshing, there were moments that didn’t quite land for me. I was hoping for a different ending, and the romantic scenes felt a bit out of place, they didn’t add much to the overall impact. On the other hand, the first chapter was a standout: completely unpredictable and gripping right from the start. It set the tone beautifully.
“Finding Grace” hits shelves on June 10th, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what Loretta Rothchild writes next. She’s clearly a fresh voice with bold ideas.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a copy of this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Is there someone you know?
You’re loving them so
But taking them all for granted?
You may lose them one day
Someone takes them away
And they don't hear the words you long to say
I would give anything I own
I'd give up my life, my heart, my home
I would give everything I own
Just to have you back again
Just to touch you once again ~ Everything I Own written by David Gates, performed by Bread.

The publisher kept the premise extremely vague, so I will do the same.

Tom, Honor and Chloe make the perfect little family, and Honor is focused on adding another baby to their family. If only they could have foreseen the future…

Simply put, this book is about love, loss, and renewal.

The book starts off with a big bang, then settles into a steady flow. I was deeply immersed in the storyline and thoroughly vested in seeing how this was going to work out.

This was a debut from Loretta Rothschild. I would definitely be interested in reading her future books.

🎧 the audio is narrated by Fiona Button who gave a brilliant performance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio

Addictive, memorable, and frustrating in the best way possible — I loved this book!

I was hooked from the very beginning and loved the emotional rollercoaster that this story took me on. I felt every emotion on the spectrum.

The fact that this is a debut is phenomenal. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

The audiobook was incredibly well-done and I loved the narrator! 10/10 recommend the audiobook!

Title: Finding Grace
Author: Loretta Rothschild (Debut Author)
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Fiona Button
Genre: Family Drama
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Audiobook Pub Date: June 10, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages 332

Story from the PIOV of Honor – before and after Paris

We first meet the happy family in Paris. Honor, Tom, and their four year-old daughter, Chloe, are at the Ritz to celebrate Christmas. Honor and Tom appear to be the perfect couple- wealthy and beautiful. Only Honor is obsessed with having another child. She has had five miscarriages and the last results in the removal of her ovaries. Now she is consumed with finding an egg-donor. Finding a surrogate wasn’t difficult but Honor wants their child to look like both she and Tom. So she has been searching for someone who looks like her. She finds Grace who indeed looks like Honor and is fine with being a donor. She was adopted so understand a couples desire to be parent.
Their first morning in Paris Tom and Honor have a disagreement regarding Honor’s obsession and just wants to enjoy Christmas and not worry about their second baby. Their disagreement lead to nasty words and Honor takes Chloe out for breakfast without Tom. However Honor and Chloe end up in the wrong place as a suicide bomber attacks the Lobby and Honor, Chloe and so many others are instantly killed.

Tom, of course, is consumed with grief and is upset that he and Honor were arguing the last minutes of her life.
Tom has considered suicide. But his life changes when he gets notification that the surrogate has just given birth. Tom has a beautiful baby boy he names Henry.

Four years later Henry is in Preschool and questions who and where his mother is. Although Tom has been an amazing father – always putting Henry first, he has not told him what happen to his mother and sister.
One day Tom mistakenly receives a letter that should have gone to the anonymous egg donor.
He cannot resist opening it and discovers where Grace the donor lives.

When Tom meet Grace he is immediately attracted- but is he attracted to Grace or Honor’s doppelganger?
The middle of the story seems to go on too long as Tom continues to tell lies
But I was consumed and feared I kept shouting at him to stop ~ Tell the Truth!!!
I knew the truth would be revealed- However, I had no idea it would be revealed in such a dramatic way!

I was glued. Although slow at time the audiobook narrator Fiona Button was perfect in performing the characters and she made me feel I was there – part of the story.

Although there were things I did not like about this story – there were more things I liked – they far outweighed my dislikes thus my rounding up.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this early audiobook.
Publishing Date is scheduled for June 10, 2025.

Whew this book started off with a bang that I really didn’t see coming. I feel like the first half of this book had me on my toes trying to see how it would pan out… but the second half? Well it didn’t really go as well as I was hoping.

The way the story was told was interesting, but I just didn’t believe in the romance. It felt a little too instant love and I was hoping for more pining, more depth in the relationship.

I think that the ending is what I was expecting, but the best part of the book was the author exploring grief.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

This was an easy to binge book. There was a twist at the start that came out of the blue. After initial wondering what just happened, it set up the rest of the story and sucked me in. I wasn’t expecting the perspective that was shown throughout the book. I was surprised and delighted that I saw this story through different eyes.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but by the second half, I was ready for the plot to resolve and to see some maturity. The pace slowed down, and I became bored the more frustrated I got from choices being made. Although, one of the main characters was frustrating, I liked many of the secondary characters. There was an unusual friend group that was a highlight to the story. I love a great friend group, and this one was fully present.

The story revolves around grief, but it felt like a plot device instead of a natural part of the story development. I realize that everyone grieves differently, but for me, this felt like grief was an excuse for poor choices.

This book will be very emotional for some people, and they’ll love the messiness of it. Mixing grief with romance can be a draw. I usually love these types of books, but the last half of this story was a miss for me.

I enjoyed the audio of this book. It kept me listening even when the plot slowed down. It wasn’t a standout audio but was good.

This book contains scattered strong profanity and has some descriptive intimate scenes.

The narrator was great and brought the proper tone to the story.

The story itself, however.. While it started out intriguing and with a horrible twist, what follows just sort of drags. I will admit general fiction is not my favorite genre but I DNF’d at 10%

This was not the book for me. I DNF’d at 15%. I was not able to connect with the characters. I will likely give this book another try in the future.

4.5-5⭐️ I am purposefully omitting a synopsis here as there is virtually no way to share one without spoiling this book. If you notice the publisher’s synopsis - there is next to nothing about the overall plot. I am therefore going to keep my review short, sweet, and to the point.

I really had to parse out my feelings towards this book versus my feelings towards the MMC. I struggled very hard to connect with him and his decisions throughout the entirety of the book. I think the narration itself really amped up my dislike of him, and I would be so curious as to why the author used the narrator she did.

And yet, and yet, I think the quality of the story, the writing, the character development is outstanding, particularly for a debut novel. Hence my very complicated feelings towards this story, and another reason it is becoming a standout to me - it’s clearly lingering in my psyche even days later.

🎧 I chose to do this as an immersive read, utilizing both the physical/ebook and the audiobook, to fully immerse myself in the story. Fiona Button does an outstanding job of bringing this emotionally wrought story to life.

Read if you like:
▪️unique narrators
▪️complex family dramas
▪️thought-provoking stories
▪️dual timelines
▪️emotional reads

‼️ There are quite a few triggers. Please research or DM me prior to reading if you are sensitive to them.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copies.

Loretta certainly knows how to write a beginning i felt it in my bones, tears streaming in my eyes. I feel like i need to take a few days to actually sit here in silence to think about what i have just read.

Heartwrenching but surprisingly interesting story just ended up not caring much for Honors husband near the end sadly.

Loretta Rothschild crafts a moving story about loss, healing, and the journey toward self-discovery through the eyes of a woman whose life is turned upside down. Rothschild’s writing is gentle yet emotionally resonant, painting vivid portraits of grief, love, and forgiveness.

This is a quiet, reflective read that lingers long after the final page—perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories about second chances and the strength that comes from vulnerability.

To be honest, I went in mostly blind. When the blurb mentioned a life-changing event and Honor kept going on about wanting another child, I thought, Oh, this is going to be another IVF mommy drama à la Rebecca from The Whispers by Ashley Audrain. But wow—I was not expecting this!

I almost gave up on the book because the twist was such a curveball, but I’m glad I stuck with it. It ended up being surprisingly reflective, emotional, and definitely an interesting story.

Tom, his wife Honor, and their young daughter Chloe look like the perfect family. No one but Honor’s closest friends know how much Honor longs to have another baby, and the possibility of using an egg donor. When tragedy strikes, Tom is left to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. Luckily, there is some hope on the horizon.

My synopsis is intentionally vague as I feel the shock value of the first chapter helped grip me and held my attention for this story. This story was very well written. I enjoyed the past and present timeline, and thought the narrator was extremely unique. However, the main storylines gave me the icks and made me feel creeped out. The audiobook was very well narrated and despite not loving the plot, I still was captivated and needed to see how the story would play out.

4.5 Stars rounded up

I really liked this book that, to me, was more of a story about living with grief and moving on from a tragedy—with a touch of romance. Finding Grace follows Honor, who seems to have it all until a devastating event changes everything. Years later, one decision sets off a ripple effect that intertwines two women’s lives in unexpected ways.

Blending emotional depth with a gripping moral dilemma, this debut novel is both moving and thought-provoking. My only critique is that the ending felt a bit rushed, but overall, it’s a beautiful, compelling story about love, loss, and second chances.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild is an engrossing literary fiction novel of love, loss, grief and healing. I don’t want to give too much away in my review, because it’s best to go into it blindly. Suffice to say, the story grabbed me from the surprising, explosive beginning and held my attention until the very end. I couldn’t put it down; I just had to know how this story would end.
It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, told from an original and surprising point of view. I enjoyed the cast of both sympathetic and morally ambiguous characters, as well as the often hilarious side characters. I rooted for MMC Tom’s happiness, but it was such a struggle to forgive his abundance of lies and increasingly deceptive behavior.
Overall this is such an impressive debut novel that I highly recommend! I was able to listen to the audio version and follow along with the print version, and would highly recommend either format. 4/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies of this novel. Consider pre-ordering, it’s available 6/10/25

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild has all the ingredients of a deeply moving novel—grief, redemption, and second chances—but somehow, it never fully delivers on its promise.

The story follows Tom, a man reeling from loss, and Grace, a woman with a complicated past. Their paths intertwine in ways that should feel profound but often come across as contrived. Rothschild’s writing is undeniably poetic, and there are moments of genuine emotional depth, but the pacing is uneven, and the character development feels incomplete. Tom's internal struggles are well-explored, but Grace remains frustratingly opaque for much of the book, making it difficult to truly connect with her journey.

Thematically, the novel tackles heavy topics, but it sometimes leans too much on sentimentality rather than letting the characters' actions and decisions speak for themselves. Certain plot twists feel more convenient than earned, and while the book aims for an uplifting resolution, it wraps up a little too neatly given the weight of its subject matter.

Overall, Finding Grace is a decent read with flashes of brilliance, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. If you love introspective, slow-burn literary fiction, you might find more to appreciate, but for me, it was just okay.