Thank you to Harper Audio for the gifted audiobook!

The description of for fans of Dani Shapiro, Ann Napolitano, and Jody Picoult really drew me in to pick this up, plus I usually love literary fiction!

While I did like parts of this, especially the alternating POVs, I did find myself rolling my eyes at the characters more than I'd like. It didn't move me in the way that literary fiction usually does, which is okay, but I just wanted a little more.

I think this book will still have a good audience though!

"What We Leave Behind" is a beautifully written domestic/family drama that alternates between two different storylines (two different FMCs) who are both going through their own grief journeys. Halpern's writing is really wonderful; I was able to listen on audio and the narrators were a perfect pick! This book would have been a solid 4 star for me but the ending was unsatisying for me (other reviews have indicated why, but I don't want to give it away). Still a really good read. For me, it is a 3.5 rounded up. *I received a complimentary audio ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars
Listened at 1.5X
Dual POV
Dual Narration

"Deliah Marcus would neither get old or get wrinkled" is how this story opens. I went in blind to this ALC on NETGALLEY as the author is coming to my local bookstore, and I wanted to read it before meeting them. Many, many times as I listened to this book, I thought I knew where it was going. I thought it was going a certain way and then it didn't. It kept me listening until the end.

This is two very different stories told by two very different people in alternating chapters. There were times while listening to this story, I thought I had missed something important because what would be the point of two separate books entwined in individual chapters.

Some serious philosophical thinking happened in mundane activities like using an elliptical machine "sometimes the combination of nature and nurture created its own mutation" the story itself revolves around what family is and why they are what they are.

I think the narrators did a good job keeping me entertained while the story itself was, at times, overly detailed.

Overall, this is a story I would recommend though it is not one I would have normally picked up.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC.

The narrator takes an already poignant story and adds several subtle layers to it, touching you in ways that you may never thought possible.

I’m really not enjoying this. The characters are kind of flat and annoying and overall there’s no depth to this I was hoping for.

Also hate the way the narrator over-pronounces S.

I am divided in this book. It follows 2 woman's stories, Collette and Melody. I liked Melody's story but couldn't connect with Collette's.

3 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and HarperAudio Adult for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What We Leave Behind explores compelling themes of identity, family, and the power of genetic inheritance. The story weaves together the lives of Melody, a high school senior grappling with her adoptive mother's death and the secrets hidden in her DNA, and Candace, a woman content with her independent life who is unexpectedly prompted to reconsider her past and future. Sue Halpern thoughtfully examines how much of who we are is shaped by biology versus environment. While the premise is intriguing and timely, especially given current interest in genetic testing, the novel occasionally feels slow-paced, with some character development that lacks depth. Melody's internal struggles and Candace's journey towards self-discovery are interesting but could have been more fully fleshed out to create a stronger emotional connection. The plot culminates in revelations that are satisfying but perhaps a bit predictable for seasoned readers of family dramas. Overall, it's an engaging read with meaningful insights into identity, but it doesn't quite reach the emotional resonance or narrative complexity I was hoping for. Still, fans of stories about family secrets and self-discovery will find much to enjoy here.