After the Fall by Julie Cohen ~ My Thoughts

After the Fall

After the Fall by Julie Cohen
Paperback, 400 pages
Published May 2nd 2017 by St. Martin's Griffin

From the author who brought you Dear Thing, Julie Cohen, comes After the Fall―a poignant, beautifully heartbreaking novel about what it means to be family, the ties that bind us, and the secrets that threaten to tear us apart.

When an unfortunate accident forces Honor back into the lives of her widowed daughter-in-law, Jo, and her only granddaughter, Lydia, she cannot wait to be well enough to get back to her own home. However, the longer she stays with Jo and Lydia, the more they start to feel like a real family. But each of the three women is keeping secrets from the others that threaten to destroy the lives they’ve come to know.

Honor’s secret threatens to rob her of the independence she’s guarded ferociously for eighty years.

Jo’s secret could destroy the “normal” family life she’s fought so hard to build and maintain.

Lydia’s secret could bring her love―or the loss of everything that matters most to her.

One summer’s day, grandmother, mother and daughter’s secrets will be forced out in the open in a single dramatic moment that leaves them all asking: is there such a thing as second chances?

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"The last stage of Honor Levinson's life began at the top of the stairs in her home in North London."

This story starts with Honor Levinson's fall down her stairs. And then everything after that is 'after the fall' which makes this the perfect title for this book. Three generations of women are forced to live together, as they come to depend on each other for comfort and support. It isn't an easy road to go down since they are all keeping their own little secrets, from each other and from everyone else around them.

Can their relationships handle the lies? Can they learn to be there for each other? Or will life just go back the way it was 'before the fall'?

I enjoyed this story immensely. This is exactly the kind of story I love. I love reading about female characters who have to work through issues as they learn to lean on the other strong women around them. I love taking their journeys with them. Honor, Jo, and Lydia are all great characters and I loved watching them change as they come to realize what's important in life.

I received a copy of After the Fall from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

About the author

Julie Cohen grew up in the western mountains of Maine. Her house was just up the hill from the library and she spent many hours walking back and forth, her nose in a book. She studied English Literature at Brown University and Cambridge University and is a popular speaker and teacher of creative writing, including classes for the Guardian and Literature Wales.

Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and have sold nearly a million copies; Dear Thing was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. Julie lives in Berkshire, UK with her husband, son and a terrier of dubious origin.

Connect with Julie

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

**********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!