The Atlas of Us is the debut novel by Tracy Buchanan and is a beautiful read, perfectly crafted, both harrowing and emotionally challenging so that it holds the reader enthralled.

A cleverly structured plot uses parallel storylines, starting in different years and at opposite sides of the world, blending fact and fiction to perfection with an authenticity I found totally engaging.

The first main character is Louise, whose story begins in the aftermath of the Boxing Day Tsunami, in Thailand 2004, desperately searching for her mother.

Next we meet Claire, whose story starts in Exmouth in 1997, writing a travel report on a hotel whilst facing difficult decisions about her own life.

These main characters drew me in, from the very first page to the last, I was on their side, desperate for them to find resolution; not just to survive, but to thrive. They are surrounded by a web of characters, so well formed that they walked straight off the pages into my mind. Tracy Buchanan has written about some very sensitive themes with both compassion and understanding.

I was fascinated, trying to figure out the secrets, wondering how the characters journeys would come together, reeling at the events they were facing. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Love all of Tracy's books. This was no exception. She has a way of writing that just draws me and then I find it hard to put the book down.

I really enjoy reading books Tracy Buchanan. She develops her stories and characters so well and with so much depth. I highly recommend her books.

Absolutely amazing. I expected nothing less from Tracy. Had me hooked from page 1!

Tracy is an amazing author who writes gripping books and I would recommend her to everyone.

This was my first book by this author and I was not disappointed at all. It was a very loving and touching story that pulls you in and keeps you wanting more. It made me feel the emotions that a good book makes me feel and I throughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

I love this author's work. Her characters always seem real and the stories riveting. This one is no different.

A great read that I would recommend to others.

Thank you for my freebie :)

Again another fantastic book from this author. I love her writing style. This story brings out so many emotions as it features a Boxing day Tsunami. Brilliantly written.

As a fan of Tracy’s book’s I thought it was long overdue to read her debut book and all I can say is that I should never have left it so long to read it. It has been a truly amazing read, so heartfelt in places and such a powerful read.

I thought the story was brilliantly well written and the characters are all so very well portrayed and believable, absolutely loved getting to know them all and trying to figure out how they fit in with the story itself. There were plenty of surprises along the way, some of them quite shocking too. I found this to be a highly intense and emotional read, especially come the last few chapters, which literally had me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting the outcome of it all.

I feel like I’ve traveled a fair bit whilst reading this book, as you visit and stay at so many different places, so it was certainly interesting and insightful throughout.

So if you haven’t given Tracy’s books a try yet, then I highly recommend that you do.

I read The Atlas of Us by Tracy Buchanan when it first came out and just fell in love with this book and how the author writes. This book is beautifully written and is a emotional story of families with their secrets and the lengths they go to protect those they love.

Excellent book and brilliant for a holiday read......It has so many pages, You only need to take 1 book! lol x

I was clued to this book from the moment I started the first chapter. My favourite books are the ones where I have no clue what will happen and the writer kept me gripped at every turn. Based on a real life disaster but with fictional characters I felt this was done sensitively and her detailed description truly painted the horror of the events of the Tsumani. Books with time changes are done a lot these days and I think it is something that can go terribly wrong or magnificently right. In this case it was magnificent and well crafted.This is a read for a long fight, a summers day, or hiding from the hayfever in bed, highly recomended!

I previously read this book in 2015 and I only gave it 2 stars on Goodreads. Having re-read it I enjoyed it a lot more this time. Still not my favourite Tracy Buchanan book but still a good read.

I downloaded this book because it was free and when I saw it was marked as a love story I thought it would not be my sort of book. BUT it is so much more than that! The backdrop for this book is the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004 which claimed so many lives and the descriptions of the devastation caused are well portrayed. Louise is there looking for her estranged Mum in the aftermath of the tsunami; Claire is there to support a troubled teen. Both women are searching for themselves - not as a wife/mother/daughter but as a person in their own right. The book also deals with how relationships are so easily fractured because of misunderstandings and lies. A well written book with well portrayed characters.

I got this as a free download from the author for joining her mailing list.

Not read any of her books before but I am sure I will enjoy it.