Honor seems to have everything. She adores her daughter Chloe and her husband Tom (even if he does work one hundred hours a week). But her longing for another baby threatens to eclipse all of it―until a shocking event changes their lives forever.

Years later Tom makes a decision that ripples through their families’ lives in ways he could not have foreseen. As the consequences of that fateful choice unfold, two women’s paths become irrevocably intertwined. But when old love clashes with new, who will be left standing? And what happens when your secrets come back to haunt you?

I received an advance galley of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

The synopsis of this book is a little vague and I wasn’t sure what I was going to get, but I knew after finishing the first chapter that I was in for a hell of a story. I genuinely gasped — loudly enough that my dog gave me a look like, “Are you okay?” Honestly – I was shooketh.

The thing about this book is: I can’t — and won’t — say too much about the plot. I know that’s frustrating if you’re someone who likes to know what they’re getting into, but trust me on this one. Part of the power of this book is going into it a little blind. I want everyone to experience the rollercoaster the same way I did — raw, unprepared, and completely at the mercy of Loretta Rothschild’s storytelling.

On the surface, the synopsis might make you think you’re picking up a domestic thriller or a twisty mystery. And while there are twists and emotional gut punches, that’s not what this book is. This is much more of a slow-burn character study — a deep dive into grief, obsession, loss, and regret. It’s a story about the coulda, shoulda, woulda moments of life. About how a little honesty at the right time could have spared so much pain. About how sometimes we cling to things — to people, to memories, to guilt — long after it’s healthy.

I was surprised to learn that this is Rothschild’s debut. She writes with the confidence and emotional intelligence of someone several books deep into her career. She captures all the messy, complicated emotions of love and loss so authentically that you can’t help but see pieces of yourself — or someone you know — reflected in these characters.

Honor, the main character, is a fascinating case study all on her own. She seems to have it all at the beginning: a husband she loves (even if he’s married to his job), a daughter she adores, and lives a pretty privileged life. But there’s a yearning in her, a sense of incompleteness, that sets everything in motion. When tragedy strikes — and trust me, it strikes hard — the decisions that follow ripple outward in ways that no one could have foreseen. Years later, new characters are drawn into the mess left behind, and it’s so compelling to watch it all unfold.

The pacing is perfect. The author never rushes things, but the story never drags either. Rothschild knows exactly when to let moments breathe and when to tighten the screws. It’s beautifully written without being flowery — straightforward prose that still manages to be sharp and lyrical when it needs to be. And the ending? Satisfying. It’s not a fairytale bow-on-top ending (which would have felt wrong here anyway), but one that felt earned and right given everything the characters had been through.

I also want to talk a little about the narration style because it’s different, and I think it may throw some people off. I can’t say much (again) without spoiling things, but I will say that it took me a bit to settle in. The choice of narrator struck me as odd initially, but after a while I had settled in and it made sense as to why the author chose to go the route she did.

Also — a quick shoutout to the audiobook, which is narrated by Fiona Button. She nails it. Her voice captured every nuance: the longing, the anger, the aching sadness that simmers just beneath the surface. If you’re an audiobook fan, definitely consider listening to this one. Fiona’s performance elevated an already great book.

If you love quiet, character-driven stories that aren’t afraid to break your heart a little (or a lot), this book is absolutely worth picking up. Just… be prepared for that gasp moment early on. And maybe have tissues handy, just in case. This is an impressive debut. I will definitely be checking out this author’s future books.