Loved this book, funny and sad. I laughed and I cried with Jess. Catherine’s writing style is very good, I could almost smell the French countryside. Of course I wished for a better ending for Jess but it wasn’t to be. Still I liked the ending, it was fitting to the story.
Would definitely recommend this book.

I loved this light, funny, sad, interesting read. It’s perfect for holiday or if you want to conjure that holiday feeling in the cold and rain! And, despite the lighthearted tone, there are heart wrenching moments (you will need tissues), but, it’s so beautifully written and not in the least schmaltzy.

It’s a tale set in France, which is where the lead character, Jess, a single mother, takes her ten year old son to stay with his father in the newly converted chateau. It’s not sickly, or, obvious and so funny that I laughed out loud a lot! Also, despite this not being my usual genre, I found myself immersed in the characters, as well as planning a French trip asap.

Alongside the humorous light romantic story is a darker theme involving Huntington’s disease and the devastating impact is described so poignantly.

I would highly recommend and am very grateful to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster and the author Catherine Isaac for the opportunity to preview this book.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*


I was over the moon, when this book landed on my doorstep and I have been excited to read it ever since. Let me tell you one thing: It will not disappoint.

We follow the story of Jess and her family. She had her son William in her early twenties and that's where we meet her in the prologue. William's father Adam doesn't make a good impression in that scene. So it's no surprise that 10 years later, he is not in the picture anymore and lives in France. Jess' mum doesn't like this idea and encourages Jess to make Adam a part of their lives. Jess dad is enjoying being being a grandfather. Well, Jess decides to visit Adam in France, where both her and William spend a lot of times with Adam. It's not always easy, but it's actually great to see them as a family.

I absolutely adored all the characters. They all have their own story to tell and Catherine Isaac found a great way to include them all in the storyline. They all seem very authentic and the author put a lot of detail behind them. William gives the story a fresh touch as well. I also really like the author's writing style. The scenes were so lively, engaging and full of emotions. A difficult and devastating mentioned as well and kind of leads things in the plot. I don’t want to tell you more here, just read the book!

The book includes so much: difficult topics, family, memorable scenes, wonderful characters, love and so much more. The way the story is told, makes the reader hooked and it's a place you never want to leave again.

An amazing story, full of fascinating details!! BRILLIANT and BEAUTIFUL!!!

A sweet book but a little bland in places.
I enjoyed the relationships between Jess and her parents and those of Jess with her friends. Sadly I found Adam lacking in depth and reality... and William was a little one dimensional for a ten year old boy.

I found the first part of the book rather slow. The scenes set in France were warm and friendly but I found them a little too detailed and then rather unrealistic in terms of pacing and progress.

Whilst this was a fun story in places, there were hidden depths and the insights into Huntingdon’s Disease were useful. Sadly there was something lacking in the book which meant it didn’t quite live up to its blurb or the praise which had appealed to me.

I can see this book becoming a successful film and on completion I discovered that the film rights have been sold.

3*

You, Me, Everything is a book that will make you laugh and cry.
This is a 4 star read for me and it was a book I flew through as it got under my skin. Jess is a single parent to William who is 10 years old they have embarked on a 5 week holiday to France so William can spend time with his dad, Adam, who split from Jess very soon after the birth (that he didn't attend) to move to France and set his business up free from the child he didn't want and to term as many young pretty girls as he can. Jess is going to France with the motive of getting Father and Son to bond as the future needs them to be solid.
This was at times an emotional read and covers a few hard topics and this is done well, I liked Jess from the start as she was realistic and for the most part had her head screwed on!! I liked her relationship with her parents and the couple of twists along the way that kept this book interesting and moving forward.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book on a rare hot April day in the garden and I couldn't put it down. It was the perfect day to be reading a book mainly set in France over the course of a few weeks in summer.

The book begins with Jess in the throes of labour but unable to get a hold of the baby's father, Adam. It seems he is unprepared for fatherhood and cannot be relied upon. Fast forward ten years and Jess and her son William are travelling to France to spend the summer with Adam. He moved there not long after William's birth and hasn't had much contact with him over the years. Jess's mum is very ill in a nursing home and has asked Jess to make sure William has a relationship with his father.

You, Me, Everything is a very emotional book to read. You can't help but feel for the main character Jess with everything she has to contend with. Not only has she been badly let down by her baby's father, who she thought was the love of her life, but she has had to cope with her father's problems and her beloved mother becoming seriously ill at a relatively young ago. It is heartbreaking to read about at times, especially as you begin to suspect exactly why she is prepared to give Adam a second chance to be a real father to William, a chance he doesn't seem that interested in taking. 

This book is not all sadness and gloom though, far from it. It is also a very romantic read as the French sunshine and relaxed holiday atmosphere mean that many of the characters take a chance on love. Despite the sad parts, particularly those about Jess's mum, it is actually a very optimistic and hopeful look at dealing with the difficulties life can throw at a family. You, Me, Everything is a lovely book about finding - and taking - second chances when they are least expected, about living for the moment and making the most of every day.

The gorgeous setting of this book in the beautiful Dordogne took me miles away from all this snow we’ve been having as Jess and her son William head over to spend the summer with absentee dad, Adam at Château de Roussignol, a grand castle that he has restored into a glamorous holiday resort. Adam has never been a dad to William, sending him baby toys when he’s far too old for them and seeming much more interested in his latest girlfriend than being involved in his son’s life. Jess travels to France determined to nurture the father son relationship without falling for handsome, carefree Adam herself – as she knows how that one ended last time…This novel is perfect for readers who enjoy characters we can really connect with in emotional dilemmas that have us rooting for them. Jess is such a credible creation and we definitely feel for her as she struggles with conflicting emotions as William grows closer to his dad after having him all to herself for all these years. Their long summer in France is sure to send you reaching for Tripadvisor to browse your next holiday destination as it sounds so lovely, but beware - there’s more to this trip than meets the eye and you’ll be up late turning the pages as soon as you realise that this trip to France might have more complex motives than Jess is initially prepared to admit. You Me Everything is a moving and emotional story about how far we will go for love. Rights have sold in over twenty-two countries so make sure you read this one before the movie is released!

This novel was just what I needed this week: page-turning, heartwarming and touching. It’s about family and love and serious illness and second chances, and Isaac has woven these elements together to create something very satisfying. The characters are likeable, on the whole, and although I guessed how it would end from the outset, there were a few surprises along the way. Very enjoyable.

3.5 Stars...

I REALLY love second chance Romance and I always mention that. So anyway, when I saw this on Netgalley.uk., I was excited to read it. But I wasn't expecting Adam to have a current girlfriend and FOR ME that was a big turn off.

But to the good stuffs first. I love almost everything about this novel. I love Laura and how she managed to take care of her son, William, all these years and how her parents included in his son's life. Her parents are my favorite characters, seriously. Of course just next to William. :) :) I find the story heartbreaking and funny at the same time. I can say this is a story with a heart. It was also incredibly well-written. I know I mentioned a little complain about something in this book, still the author's talent in writing is apparent. Not everyone can create such heartfelt story.

Now my only complain is Adam. I hate it that he has a jealous girlfriend and that said situation played a big part on Adam's development as a character. Oh wait. There was no development on Adam's character. None at all. He was as immature as he was ten years ago.
Just a question, what if Laura and William didn't come to Paris? would he even have the guts to be a father to his son. I hate him. And the fact that Laura accepted him easily at the end doesn't help. Though I enjoyed reading this because of the other characters, I felt like I've tasted some bitter fruit when I reached the end.

This book simply isn't for me. Having a third wheel, a jealous freaking third wheel, and an immature hero, are big no for me. Yeah I gave it 3.5 stars because I'm trying to be professional. Though my review is my own, still I can't review a book mainly because of my emotion. There are other aspects to be considered.

I'm not quite sure exactly what I expected from this novel, but I got so much more than I ever thought. It will leave you worn out, exhausted - and desperately sorry that you've reached the final page.

This is usually where I give a brief outline of the book - without giving away more than the synopsis alludes to, but this time I don't want to expand on the blurb one little bit. This is a book about happiness, friendship, children, relationships, family, secrets and love. It begins as such a light read and along the way morphs into something very emotional and heart-wrenching. I've laughed, smiled and had tears in my eyes reading this one. Do I regret reading it? Not at all .. I'm only sorry that I'm not just beginning it right now. You Me Everything is one AWESOME read, and a story which will stay with me for a long, long time. I was delighted to read in the acknowledgements that the film rights have been optioned. This is one movie I definitely want to watch!

My grateful thanks to publishers Simon & Schuster UK for providing my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

The one thing that definitely deserves to be mentioned first is how there are so many hard topics tackled in this novel. From illness to alcoholism to being a single parent to the pressure kids can have on a relationship - it's all there!
And all those topics made this book that more amazing to read because they are incorporated in a real, genuine way that made my skin crawl at times. You can feel the hardships all characters are dealing with - purposely not mentioning names because spoilers, doh!

I also really loved the short chapters - or at least they felt really short to me. I even jotted down that I was at chapter 37 when I was 33% in and that felt, to me, like I didn't even read that much but seeing the chapter number was... enlightening?
And maybe I should mention how I totally did not know this novel is quite lengthy but I didn't even notice that at all while reading. I only found out about that afterwards!

One thing that kind of annoyed me a bit, was Laura's naivety. She's a single parent, she brought William up all on her own - well, together with her parents - and yet she can still be so naive when it comes to certain things.. It did my head in at times. That's totally me and someone else reading You, Me, Everything might not be bothered by it at all though!

Overall, this is a beautiful story about the importance of family and I really enjoyed it.

4 / 5!

I had never read anything by Catherine Issac before, I'm not even sure if she's written anything else. I'm always a little hesitant with new authors (new to me) because I'm not sure if I'll like their style of writing. No worries here. I really enjoyed You, Me, and Everything and would definitely read more by this author.

Full Review: http://readingruby.co.uk/book-review-you-me-everything-by-catherine-issac/

You, Me, Everything' is the first novel under the pseudonym Catherine Issac, however, although I have seen this book marketed as a 'debut' novel, the author has previously written as Jane Costello, therefore, I personally wouldn't read this as a debut. However, this novel is starkly different to Issac's previous work and therefore, the name change is understandable. This book was beautiful!

'You, Me, Everything' opens by introducing us to a host of main characters from this story, including Laura and her ten-year-old son William, along with his estranged father Adam. Laura's mother, Susan, is extremely ill with a debilitating disease, and explains to Laura that one of her wishes was for William to have his father in his life, and that this bond was something he needed. Convinced by her mother's wisdom, Laura sets off to France for the summer, along with William, where Laura intends to find Adam, and finally allow William to have a real father.

Firstly, this book is absolutely beautiful, the writing is emotional, raw and yet still humorous at times, making it an easy read, but still allowing the reader to connect with the characters and feel a deeper emotional impact from the story. The characterisation was phenomenal, in fact a major plus of this read was the focus on character development throughout, especially in Adam and Laura.

This story did involve romance, although not at the centre focus of the plot, and if I was categorising this as a romance novel, it would have to be very widely categorised. Moreover, this book is about parenthood, loss, hope, love and about relationships - including relationships between lovers, parents, children and families also. This is the kind of book that can make you both laugh out loud and shed many tears. I would highly reccomend this one to people looking for a new deeper, emotional read, and especially to readers who love a focus on characterisation over plot.

I am really looking forward to Catherine Issac's next release and am excited and intrigued about the new direction of the author.

Plus, the final cover of 'You, Me, Everything' is just beautiful!

Unfortunately i Wasnt able to download in time due to health problems.

Wow... this was so much more emotional than I thought it would be. It was about Jess and her son visiting her ex-partner, and William's father, in France for the summer in the holiday chateau and cottages he now owns and runs, along with some of Jess's friends who stay for part of the holiday.

Adam, William's father, didn't really see a lot of William and was a bit of a ladies man who I really wasn't keen on, to start with. By the end of the book however he had completely redeemed himself in my eyes and stepped up to his responsibilities and then some.

Jess was persuaded to try and reconnect with Adam, for William's sake, by her Mother who is sick and in a home, slowly deteriorating with Huntington's Disease. So they reluctantly went to France for the summer after being persuaded by her Mother, leaving her Father at her Mother's side looking after her.

This was such a lovely book, with a laid-back summery holiday feel, chilling outside in the evenings with barbecues and a few drinks with friends, the children running around enjoying themselves, after lovely hot sunny days. But equally so emotional with Huntington's Disease and it's effects on the family running throughout the story.

Definitely a book that you'll need a big box of tissues for, a real tear-jerker. It definitely makes you want to enjoy every minute of your life and to appreciate even the little things as you never know what's around the next corner. One of those books that I'll remember for a long time.

I really wanted to like this book. It's the story of Jess, Adam and their son, William. Adam and Jess had a passionate relationship which resulted in the birth of their son. Adam was too immature to cope with family life and now lives in France with his girlfriend in the hotel that he has renovated. When Jess and William go there for a summer holiday it's a chance for father and son to bond. Although Adam has been a good but absent father Jess hopes that they will become close.
There is a problem in the shape of inherited illness in Jess's family to complicate matters.
As I said, I really wanted to like this book but I didn't feel the empathy with the characters that I need to truly like it.
I felt like shaking Jess at times, there is a lot of skirting round important subjects.
It may be me but I just didn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted to.

I’ve heard so much about this book that I was almost too scared to read it in case it disappointed, it did not. I couldn’t put it down once I’d started and finished it in one go. You, me, everything is going to be this years hit such a heartbreaking and poignant read it also has warmth and humour. I will be recommending this to everyone who wants to listen.

I enjoyed this book. I thought it was going to be a run of the mill, romantic, light read but, although it was a book that I read quickly, the subject was thought provoking and gripping. I enjoyed the French setting. I would say it is a holiday read but with a bit more depth, Enjoy!

A nice read but was expecting a lot more. Definitely warmed to Jessica, William and Adam and their story however there was nothing unpredictable along the way and wrapped up all a bit too easily.

A lovely moving tale, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, just lovely