Wow what a strong powerful story that doesn't leave you. Claudia's life is fundamentally lonely and in that she is sad. That is very relatable for a lot of people and this book gives hope and promise that there is something better out there. I think anyone reading this will feel the motivation and emotions on every page and will also re-read again because when things get tough as sometimes as they do this will give the reminder that there something better out there and you will find it

Usually I never reread a book, but I will definitely be getting this as a physical copy to read again,

Claudia was to relatable and I found myself getting irritated by how she was treated,

This book had a lot of highs and lows and the overall story was fantastic

Reading Claudia felt like holding a letter from someone wrestling with grief, loneliness, and the weight of moving forward. The pacing matched Claudia’s emotional state: slow and tender in the moments of reflection, with sharper, more vivid beats when new connections emerged or reminders of life’s fragility surfaced. The writing is honest and grounded, it never feels overwritten, and yet it knows precisely how to land emotionally.

I was drawn into Claudia’s London life, going through the motions, haunted by what she's lost, and perched on that metaphorical and literal bridge where everything could slip away. The chance meeting with a stranger shifts something deep in her, but it isn’t easy or instantaneous. It grows, tremblingly, into a relationship that reminds her who she is and what it might mean to hope again. I felt her sadness deeply, but also her small, powerful reclaiming of life.

Claudia’s emotional journey, her grappling with grief, estranged relationships, and loneliness, felt raw and authentic. The stranger’s quiet presence, and the way their bond slowly evolves, felt beautifully believable. I appreciated that the story doesn’t handhold me through healing but lets it unfold quietly, organically. And I noticed that the prose was clean, no distracting grammar or spelling issues, so I stayed immersed, feeling everything Claudia was feeling.

Wow! What an emotional roller coaster.

‘Claudia’ by S. Sebastian is a lifetime of rawness, depth, wisdom, and genuine emotions, condensed in 250 pages.

This is a read that is so hard to forget, and one that is bound to leave an impact and change lives.

I believe I will re-visit ‘Claudia’ again and revel in the sentiments that it evoked in me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for the e-ARC of this gem of a novel.

i think i was crying before i even began this book. even the blurb had my heart. and the rest pulled the strings of it further. it was such a relatable and knowing read. the way Sebastian writes is like its a written letter to all those people struggling. a book of kindness. it could be a key book to certain people in the new adult category especially. but really its hits all ages beautifully.
i felt so much for Claudia. i wanted to run to the bridge. i wanted to give her hugs throughout and wrap her up in a its got to be ok bundle. i really felt what she seemed to be. her sense of being sad and lonely was like a weight for me too. the slog, the dark weighted motions of life when your just too sad for it. and then it just becoming too much and she decides enough. but then she meets someone. someone who meets her quietly where she is at. and then the two form this bond and wow. its a quiet,calm and kind bond but its so not. its the loudest brilliant bond ever.
and then the little moments that for someone like Claudia aren't ever little. the moments to hang on to. then reach for. and then just being and maybe being is an ok place to be. and maybe even better than ok.
i love following this book. it had my heart all the way through.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Claudia is so relatable as a character. Going through the daily motions of life, sad and lonely, then at the end of her rope, she meets a stranger and they form a bond. Everything is so well written and beautiful described in the relationship between the two. This plot is relatable because it shows us how someone finds hope and the motivation to keep going in life. I absolutely love every page! I felt many good emotions during this book and was so satisfied with it. I will be reading this again and again because sometimes we just need the reminder that life is worth it when you find things worth living for.