Today I am reviewing After the End, the stunning new novel from Clare Mackintosh, the number one bestselling author of I Let You Go, I See You and Let Me Lie.

Title: After the End 

Author: Clare Mackintosh

Published: June 25th 2019 by Sphere

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Max and Pip are the strongest couple you know. They're best friends, lovers—unshakable. But then their son gets sick and the doctors put the question of his survival into their hands. For the first time, Max and Pip can't agree. They each want a different future for their son. 

What if they could have both?

A gripping and propulsive exploration of love, marriage, parenthood, and the road not taken, After the End brings one unforgettable family from unimaginable loss to a surprising, satisfying, and redemptive ending and the life they are fated to find. With the emotional power of Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper, Mackintosh helps us to see that sometimes the end is just another beginning.

Review: This story is completely different from Clare Mackintosh's previous books, which all fell in the psychological thriller category. After the End is all about a family and how their son being terminally ill changes their lives forever, especially when they cannot agree what the best course of action is. 

This is a very emotional story, I cannot even imagine what these character must have felt going through such a hard time, but the author makes an exquisite job of describing their thoughts, their feelings, their fears and their hopes. You become one hundred per cent invested in their story and wonder, in every single page, what you would do in their shoes. 

The book is divided in two parts, the first one centers its action in the hospital, during the months leading to the decision on their son's future and the second expands a few years after it. I had already fell in love with this story during the first part but it was the second one that left me completely in awe. It was so cleverly written and although it was hard to read sometimes, I loved following the characters' lives. 

In After the End, Clare Mackintosh managed to break my heart and put it all back together. This story surprised me until the very last page and it will stay with me for a long time. 

Rating: 5 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Today I am sharing my review for Cathy Bramley's new book, A Vintage Summer, a sparkling summer story that's FULL of surprises!

Title: A Vintage Summer

Author: Cathy Bramley

Published: March 21st 2019 by Corgi

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: London has not been kind to Lottie Allbright. Realising it’s time to cut and run, she packs up and moves back home – but finds her family in disarray. In need of a new place to stay, Lottie takes up the offer of a live-in job managing a local vineyard. There’s a lot to learn – she didn’t even know grapes could grow so far north!

Butterworth Wines in the rolling Derbyshire hills has always been run on love and passion but a tragic death has left everyone at a loss. Widowed Betsy is trying to keep the place afloat but is harbouring a debilitating secret. Meanwhile her handsome but interfering grandson, Jensen, is trying to convince her to sell up and move into a home.

Lottie’s determined to save Butterworth Wines, but with all this and an unpredictable English summer to deal with, it’ll be a challenge.

And that’s before she discovers something that will turn her summer – and her world – upside down...

Review: A book by Cathy Bramley is always a highlight of my reading year, I absolutely adore her style and her heart-warming stories, and A Vintage Summer is no exception. Set in a vineyard in Derbyshire, this is a novel about friendship, family and love. 

You can't help but fall in love with this setting but also with Lottie's bright personality and enthusiasm. She has had a rough time in London, so she is ready to go back home and find a new purpose in life. And she soon finds it in Butterworth Wines, a vineyard with a very unclear future. 

In the vineyard, Lottie doesn't only find a job tough, she discovers a whole new passion and makes a whole bunch of very passionate friends. These characters were a joy to read. I loved finding out more about them and how they all had their part to make this story special. 

But it was not all sunshine and laughs at the vineyard, the story also handled some more serious issues, which really touched my heart. I really cared for this characters and rooted for them. 

A Vintage Summer is a beatiful story that will warm your heart. With a delightful cast of characters and a stunning setting, it is the perfect read to enjoy outside now that the warmer months are coming.