⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)
Loretta Rothschild’s debut, Finding Grace, starts with a shocking twist that pulled me right in. Honor Wharton, her husband Tom, and their daughter Chloe are living an enviable life until tragedy strikes. Tom, left shattered, makes a decision that changes everything, connecting his future with Grace Stone, a widow who bears an uncanny resemblance to his late wife.
Narrated by Honor from a limbo state, the story tackles themes of motherhood, grief, and the haunting pull of secrets.
The premise is powerful, but the pacing lags after the strong opening, and the romantic angle between Tom and Grace felt unsettling rather than moving. Honestly, I couldn’t stand Tom—his selfishness and constant poor choices made him nearly unbearable. Worse, the women around him looked like fools as they repeatedly fell for his lies and manipulations, which made parts of the story frustrating to read.
Still, the novel explores some thought-provoking ideas about parenthood, second chances, and how tragedy can ripple through lives. A mixed read for me, but one that fans of women’s fiction with a suspenseful edge might find worth exploring.
** Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for comps. Opinions are my own.