This book is everything! All the stars. All the feels. I’m a thriller girlie so this is a different vibe for me and wow. This story is unforgettable and will linger for a long time, I just know it!

Truly can't believe this is my first Klune. What an absolute power house of a book and unfortunately way too timely for right now. To distill such a polarized time in our world in such a careful, empathetic, tragic. and serious way takes serious writing chops and this was a master class in writing beautiful, flawed characters in the back drop of the world ending.

TJ Klune is one of my always read authors. I was absolutely ecstatic to be approved for this ARC. The story follows Rodney and Don, an elderly gay couple, as they drive their RV from Maine to Washington state during the last weeks of the earth's existence before it's swallowed up by a black hole. As they make the drive they encounter a cast of interesting characters along the way. As time passes the reader is also given pieces of the back story of what inspired their cross-country trip. I truly enjoyed all aspects of the story, especially the sweet relationship between Don and Rodney. My only complaint is that at 144 pages it felt too short. I wanted their journey to last longer and to get to know them more.

From the first page to the last, Klune crafts a love-story so tender yet so vast that the impending black hole barely feels like science-fiction—it becomes a mirror to our own fragile lives. The two men at its heart, decades together, carry the weight of history, hope and grief in a way that pierces straight to the soul. While the journey is laced with heartache and bittersweet moments, it never forgets to celebrate joy, connection, and the simple extraordinary in the ordinary. This is not just a book about the end of the world—it’s a luminous reminder that how you burn matters more than how long you glow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book felt very much like a more wholesome version of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. A married couple finds themselves trying to fulfill a promise as the world is ending and we see the most beautiful as well as the ugliest parts of humanity on their journey.

There is not much I can say without spoiling the book and the journey of Don and Rodney but if you enjoy found family, apocalypse, stories of love and relationships and choosing people even when it’s hard - you’ll love this quick read.

Note: The only reason I selected no for purchase is I do not believe that my YA readers will connect as much with this book as I did as an adult

This book felt different, a little darker, than some of Klune's previous novels, but the emotion and character connection was still there. The relationship between Don and Rodney, along with their quest and the people they meet, felt authentic and almost hopeful in spite of the looming end of the world. This is one I would read again because it made think more deeply about the things we do for those we love and how precious time is. Definitely a book I would add to my collection.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This book is about Dan and Rodney and their family. It's about the end of the world and the 40 years that Dan and Rodney spent loving each other. It's about the various ways that humans deal with the end of everything (there is a black hole ripping apart the universe) and ultimately, it is about what it means to be human and to experience love and loss.
Dan and Rodney set out on a final roadtrip and along the way they meet people who are dealing with the end of the world in all the ways that humans deal with pain, both brilliantly and horribly. It is a bit of a meditation on the human condition and on human behavior and I would say that the picture that emerges is one of profound beauty. You'll want to be ready with plenty of tissues. I was sobbing at the end because who wouldn't sob about the loss of something so innordinately beautiful as the love of two ordinary humans spanning a lifetime coming to an end?

This is one of those rare books that leave you utterly speechless — the kind that makes you exhale a long, trembling sigh, your gut wrenched, your eyes burning with tears. You sit there, staring at the wall, unable to move or even find words because they’re all lodged somewhere deep in your throat. I truly loved this book as much as it hurt me. It’s devastating, poetic, and breathtaking all at once — an epic romance at the end of the world, where love becomes both a compass and a curse.

The story follows Don and Rodney, two men who have spent forty years together, surviving a lifetime of battles — from social stigma and political pressure to the loss of dear friends during the HIV crisis. Rodney, the tougher and more analytical one, and Don, the sentimental and outgoing half of their pair, have built a life defined by love and endurance. Now, in their mid-seventies, they face the one obstacle no one can overcome: the end of everything. A black hole is approaching Earth. Humanity has only weeks left.
Instead of waiting for the inevitable in the quiet safety of their home, Don and Rodney decide to hit the road in their battered old RV — a vehicle that’s seen better days but still carries decades of memories. Their mission? To fulfill one last promise. But what exactly are they searching for — a person, a destination, a final act of love? The answer unfolds slowly, and the mystery surrounding their journey makes every mile feel achingly precious.

This isn’t a fast read — nor should it be. Every chapter deserves to be savored, every encounter lingered on. Don and Rodney meet strangers along their road to nowhere: a pregnant woman clinging to hope, a young girl who’s lost her first love in a massacre, a queer couple trying to survive in chaos, violent souls lashing out in despair. Each story adds another layer of heartbreak and humanity. And then there’s Jeremy — his part of the book completely shattered me. I screamed, I cried, I sat in silence. The encounter with Amelia filled me with unbearable tension and sorrow, amplifying the emotional gravity of their already haunting journey.

By the time I turned the last page, I knew — without hesitation — this book deserved five blazing, end-of-the-world stars.

It’s tragic yet tender, reflective yet raw — a meditation on love, mortality, and what it means to hold onto someone when the universe itself is falling apart. Get ready for a good, ugly cry. Keep a mountain of tissues nearby. This novel will break your heart open, but it will also remind you how beautifully fragile being human truly is.

Overall:

Powerful. Sentimental. Unforgettable. A masterpiece of love, loss, and the quiet bravery of choosing to live — even when the world is ending.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing this ARC of such a deeply emotional and soul-stirring novel by one of my favorite authors, in exchange for my honest review.

TJ Klune please stop making me cry challenge. God, this had me on the edge of my seat, this was so fascinating and thoughtful and emotional and tense. Unlike any of the other books by him I've read, in the best way. His range is incredible

TJ Klune is a master at relationships. He makes them so real and endearing. Another book I now love by him.

TJ Klune just has a way to make you feel like you are in the story, even if it is a situation you've never experienced before. I feel like they really understand the heart of relationships, for instance, I am an old(ish) married person and I can instantly recognize the companionship and compatibility between the two MC's on their journey. The suspense in some of the situations really had me worried for them, and unfortunately, one of the situations really bothered me so I put the book down for a while. I will come back to it, once I process the details better. I desperately want to know what happens at the end and if they are able to keep their promise.

TJ Klune has a new book?! How fast can I sign up to read it and what can I clear off my schedule so I can sit down and devour it in the way the universe intended? Turns out that yes, TJ Klune has a new book and "I'm gonna make time" were the answers! Started it Monday night, had to be an adult and do things on Tuesday before I could get back to it Tuesday evening. I hated that.

This was a relatively short read, and I wanted this book to be longer. I wanted to know more about their lives, I wanted to know everything I could so I could make things different for them. But much like in real life, we can't always make things different. The characters, even minor ones, were in my head so much and the weight of their situations was on my heart. I had to get back to it and finish it. Once I flipped the final page though, I didn't know how to talk about it without giving away parts of the story and it turns out that wanting the story to keep going might have been the whole point.

Don and Rodney are "elder gays" and have lived a life of love together. But they've also faced struggles, some because they are gay, but mostly because they're human and humans are faced with the highest triumphs of life as well as the deepest sorrows. With the ability to love comes the ability to lose, and sometimes we lose so deeply it alters how we love.

So how does one prepare for the end of the world? We can doomsday prep all we want, but emotional preparedness is never something you hear about. How would you face it? Would you be like one family Don and Rodney encountered? Would you take another path like Amelia? Or would you be like Don and Rodney and try to finish that one thing that you have to do?

Hear this loud and clear - this book is dark. Not a "what's jumping out at me?!" kind of dark. The kind of dark that lingers after life hurts us. This is the kind of emotional rollercoaster that life actually throws at us. And in true TJ Klune fashion, the ride was perfection.

Trigger warnings for mental illness, suicide, drug use, gun violence, murder.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly I’m kind of speechless. I don’t know what to say other than this book made me truly ponder life and its fragility and whether it has meaning or not- more than possibly anything else I’ve ever read or thought about. I also love how different this was than his Cerulean Sea books. So thankful to NetGalley for an ARC of this masterpiece.

A couple is on a mission right before the end of the world. They meet all kinds of interesting characters that are facing the end in different ways. It’s a tearjerker of a book! Beautifully written!

TJ Klune does it again! He has a lovely ability to take readers through the spectrum of emotions in 1 story. I appreciate this so much about him. I know, despite the content of any TJ Klune book, I will have humor, feelings and some adventure. He is my go to author for comfort and this book is no different. Will def recommend to others!

TJ Klune really packs a lot into this novella! We Burned So Bright is filled with relatable characters and nail-biting situations.  The prediction of the end of the world sparks terror in many and brings out either the best or the worst in people. In this book, we see both. Though the pages are few, the words they contain will stay with you for a long while. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed.  All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review! TJ Klune just loves throwing a lovable gay couple in my face and making me suffer… this was a lovely contemplative novella. The development of the plot was well paced, and I felt like the characters were three dimensional. Each of the situations they experienced felt realistic to what would actually happen in an end of the world scenario. Klune explored a decent amount of the vastness of humanity in very few pages.

This book might have just wrecked all other books for me. It’s short and I love TJ Klune so I thought I knew what I was getting into but I absolutely was not prepared.

The story follows a married couple who have been together for decades as they prepare for the end of the world. I love Don and Rodney so, so much. Don is such a sweet, caring man and Rodney is so gruff on the outside but so lovely on the inside.

The story is about the end of the world and touches on heavy topics like grief, mental illness, grief, discrimination against the LGBTQIA community, and obviously the apocalypse. That being said, though, it also was so unexpectedly beautiful and moving. It’s got me reflecting on who we love and how we love them and how we can ever convince ourselves that it’s enough. It was darker than the other TJ Klune books I’ve read in the past, but in spite of that darkness, there were flashes of the humor and wit I expect from him.

I ugly cried a lot while reading this and if you also would like to ugly cry while you think about every relationship in your life as well as what it means to be a complex, complicated human, I can’t recommend this enough.

Thank you SO much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. I’m obsessed with this book and it’s a rare one that I can’t wait to read again.

This book. OMG this book. By far one of my top reads of the year. What a beautiful, achingly heartbreaking story. I loved every word.

Beautiful, haunting, expected and unexpected all at the same time. I hate using analogies with books, but this felt like “The Road” meets “Grumpy Old Men” but with a looming cataclysmic event instead of being post-apocalyptic. I could feel the characters’ sense of suspicion and anxiety with every new person they met on their journey. There was a philosophical darkness that I did not expect from T.J. Klune. Full disclosure: “The House in the Cerulean Sea”, but from what I know about it, this is a stark contrast to his other works. I absolutely LOVED “We Burned So Bright” despite its heaviness. I highly recommend this for anyone who has emotions and is not afraid to feel them.

- we burned so bright will leave a bright mark on my heart and i hope many others
- a story about love, passion, promise, compassion and commitment
- this is one of klune's shorter books, and i felt as though i wanted more, just because i'm so used to him going deep with his characters and more adventure throughout
- our main characters set out on a mission before the world is to end, determined to not let anything get in their way, but to also give grace to others that they meet
- klune always manages to pull on heartstrings and make a lasting impact with each word he writes

thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Klune's newest novel!

Much shorter than his other books, but I still loved it! Klune is an expert at creating characters, and both the main and side characters are fantastic. The mystery around their final mission before the end of the world adds just enough tension. This is one that will stay with you and have you thinking about it for a long time! Thank you Netgalley and Tor Books for the ARC.

This is a fascinating character study not only of our two main characters but also of humanity writ large. I have to say this book left me feeling kind of icky and I'm not sure I liked the ending but it definitely has stuck with me and made me think. The discussion about how humans react when the worst is happening is fascinating. And the varied reactions (from violence to acceptance to welcome to joy in the little things) really made me wonder how I would react to the end of the world. I loved Don and Rodney and their love for each other. They're not perfect and they have a lot of baggage that they're carrying, but they choose to love each other every day, even when the world is ending. I think that's something to celebrate.

4 stars

My enjoyment of TJ Klune continues to baffle me. I don’t really enjoy much fantasy and I don’t like overly sentimental stories. Klune’s are generally both but, for me, he gets that mixture EXACTLY right, I guess, and this new book, out in April, is no exception (I only read Klune at all as part of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge and if I remember correctly I ended up reading two different books, two consecutive years. Challenges are fun!).

Don and Rodney are a gay, married couple who have been together forty years. They are charming, if a tiny bit stereotypical. They are making a cross-country trip in their old RV from their home in Maine to Washington state to do something Very Important regarding their son, but we, the readers, don’t know what that is.

Oh, and did I mention the world is ending? Soon. Within a few weeks. We’ve known for about a year that a black hole will be coming to take everything in our solar system. The book tells of Rodney and Don’s final journey and it’s both sad, scary, sweet (a little too much? Yes, of course.) and ultimately triumphant. Really enjoyed getting to know these gentlemen, their fellow travelers and the book.

Really excellent with great characters and a strong story! TJ Klune does it again in what is sure to be one of the better books of 2026

A novella about the end of the world—but it’s also so much more than that. Beneath the looming apocalypse is a deeply human story about love, grief, connection, and what it means to truly live while time is slipping away.

Klune has a gift for making small moments feel enormous. I loved following these characters on their journey—their humor, their tenderness, their pain. This story pulled me in completely: it made me laugh out loud, broke my heart, and stitched it back together again in the span of just a few pages.

This story is a reminder that even at the end, love matters, people matter, and the way we show up for one another is everything.

This novel tells the story of loving husbands Don and Rodney, who have shared a long and storied life together. Now they are crossing the country at the end of the world on a mission of unfinished business.

The mystery of what that unfinished business is hangs over the story in a way that was a bit distracting for me but did it's job of keeping me hooked.

To me the real magic here lies, as it often does, in the journey more than the destination. I love a "lets go on a trip and share meals and time with others along the way" kind of tale. This trip has higher stakes than most and the people you meet run the gambit of reactions to those high stakes. I found these varying reactions to be very interesting and it, of course, invites you to consider how you would face the end of the world.

*Remind me to put a quote here once it's published*

This hit close to home in a way I didn't expect as I've heard my share of end of the world tales. However this one left me with more hope than most. That is completely due to the relationship between Don and Rodney. We are mostly in Don's perspective but you can feel the long and loving life that these two have shared together. We hear them look back on their lives together, from their joy in falling in love, to their heartbreak in their most tragic moments. Their love and humor brings you through the rather bleak outcome this book promises at the start, and leaves you feeling hopeful and appreciative for those you love.

In true TJ Klune fashion, the characters were flawed but lovable, and their journey felt deeply earned across every page of this substantial, immersive story. It is definitely not a short book; instead, it is an epic exploration of the human spirit that demands your time and your heart. It’s the kind of story that is perfect for spicing up the holidays with its intense emotional stakes and simmering chemistry, reminding us that even though it may be the end of the world, the love we choose to cultivate is the only thing that truly matters. Klune takes us to the edge of oblivion and shows us that even when the sun is setting for the final time, we can still burn bright together

I’m continually surprised by how much I enjoy TJ Klune. I don’t usually like fantasy or overly sentimental stories, yet he gets that balance exactly right for me. This new book, out in April, is no exception.

Don and Rodney are a gay, married couple of forty years who set off in their aging RV on a cross-country trip from Maine to Washington State to do something Very Important for their son—though readers don’t initially know what that is. Meanwhile, the world is ending: a black hole is expected to consume our solar system within weeks.

The novel follows their final journey together and is sad, scary, sweet (perhaps a bit too sweet), and ultimately triumphant. I really enjoyed spending time with these characters and their fellow travelers.

So very different than his previous titles that I read and I loved it. It's so beautifully written. The main characters and some of the supporting characters are so rich in personality and feelings. "It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine." Well, some people feel fine, others want to kill their loved ones, or get married, or make sure they keep their promises.

If you take a black hole devouring the universe as a stand in for climate change destroying earth, it really makes you wonder how you would handle the situation we may be headed for ourselves. What would be your priorities if you were on the clock till the end of the world as you know it?

TJ TJ TJ…. Im not one to cry often but damn you got me with this one. Two reasons. 1. I had my own experience loving an addict. 2. I would give anything to have parents who loved me that much. This was a beautiful story. I have been a fan of your work for a while now, but this one will stay with me forever. I can’t wait to own a copy and recommend the hell out of it. Xo.

What an amazing, heartwarming tale of the ending of the world as we know it! Would give it 10 stars if I could!!
Klune’s ability to make you feel ALL emotions and question so many things we do and don’t understand is superb! As humans, we will always wonder if we are enough. After finishing this, I kissed my daughter’s forehead and squeezed my husband’s hand. You’ll understand when you read it!

Currently writing this with tears in my eyes. This is pure magic, and TJ Klune has done it again.

Such a fantastic use of pages and word count. Only 150 pages, and every single word meant something and was important to the story and characters.

I am usually a short novel hater because there just isn't enough time to build up the world or the characters, but Klune did it masterfully here. The setting was, of course, our own world, so that was easier, but even just describing the way the world was ending was done so expertly and efficiently, but also not overindulgent, and used as a way to draw emotions. It was very matter-of-fact, and I loved that.

As for the characters, phenomenal. I was worried I wasn't going to care for the characters as much, since sometimes it is hard to believe in a relationship that formed off-page. But every conversation and mental note really made you believe in this effortless romance. It was so touching and meaningfully done. There are a few side characters and side storylines that you come across as our couple travels, and it is interesting how each person brings something new to the storyline. Some of them are absolutely gut-wrenching, others funny, and others make you think about the best kind of human existence.

Beyond characters and setting, this book truly prompts thought. Klune uses these characters expertly as devices to prompt reflection on the themes he is trying to convey, and boy, does this book make you think.

The ending was absolutely everything. You don't know why these two are traveling until the last chapter, and the way that it is explained and the backstory given there is so perfectly timed and brought everything together at the exact right moment. I finished the book crying, which is very rare. The last few lines were perfect, and I wouldn't change a single thing about this book.

5/5 stars. Incredible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune was a complete and utter gut punch — and somehow, I still wasn’t prepared for it.

Going in, I knew that because it’s TJ Klune, I was going to feel something. His stories always carry emotional weight. But I didn’t expect the overwhelming mix of joy and grief that hit me chapter after chapter.

The story follows Don and Rodney, a gay couple in their late seventies, who set out on a road trip from Maine to Washington while the world is quite literally ending. A black hole is on the verge of tearing everything apart, and humanity only has a few weeks left. What begins as a final adventure becomes something much deeper.. an examination of life, love, chosen family, and what it means to face the inevitable with both fear and grace.

Klune beautifully captures the terror of the unknown while also embracing the quiet acceptance of endings. There are moments that feel almost like horror, steeped in dread and cosmic inevitability. Other sections lean into science fiction. But at its heart, this is a love story.... tender, raw, and deeply human.

Don and Rodney feel achingly real. Their history, their banter, their regrets, their devotion, it all unfolds against the ticking clock of the universe itself. The contrast between the ordinary (roadside stops, shared memories, familiar arguments) and the extraordinary (the literal end of everything) makes the emotional impact hit even harder.

This book tugged relentlessly at my heartstrings. It made me reflect on the people I love and reminded me not to take a single moment for granted. When I finished, all I wanted to do was hug my wife and daughter a little tighter.

TJ Klune once again proves that even at the end of the world, love is what makes it worth staying until the very last page.

This book is a deep sigh, shuddering breath, with a tear rolling down your cheek. It’s the sad chuckle you make as you shake your head before leaning into an encompassing hug.

“We Burned So Bright” follows Don and Rodney, a married couple in their 70s who have faced life’s obstacles together. The world is ending and they have one last journey to make. Along the way, they meet others and we have a front row seat to how the end of the world impacts people differently.
Klune has an exceptional ability to convey the spectrum of human emotions. While the scenario is fictional, the actions and emotions feel true.

This is a short book (what are the parameters to be a novella?) but I don’t think it should be considered a “quick read”. You will want to sit and ruminate on their experience; and you will be better for it. (Do as I say, not as I do, because I devoured this… but I’m already looking forward to reading it again)

I have loved all books I’ve read by Klune and was jumping-up-and-down excited when I was approved to read this ARC. He is an unbelievably gifted author and I’m honored to share my (mere mortal) opinion.
Thank you, to NetGalley and Tor for this eARC. All opinions are my own.