A very poignant, real story. It is both heartbreaking and hopeful showing how relationships have the capacity to influence our lives
Mary has a journey of discovery throughout and I enjoyed the introduction of the other characters.
This is a moving story and the exploration of mental health brilliantly written.
Thank you for this copy to read and review.

I really enjoyed this book and the story and will be looking for more work by the author
with thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for my review

The Ends of the Earth by @abbiegreavesauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication date: 29/04/2021
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Mary has spent every evening holding up her sign outside the station. “Come home, Jim”. But when a phone call arrives at the support line where Mary volunteers it prompts new friend and journalist, Alice, to look for Jim and try to locate Mary’s true love. The book is told across a split of then and now with the two timelines seamlessly revealing what really happened to Jim. Cleverly written with relatable characters.
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Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC

As I begin to set out my thoughts in this review I read the blurb for the book first, as I never like to give anything more away than what is already told in the book description. I see it mentions for fans of JoJo Moyes and though I have only read two of Moyes’ books I know exactly what they mean. It did remind me of Me Before You even though it follows a completely different story line.

The themes running through are of loss, abandonment, depression, especially depression in men. We are all aware now, that men are so much more reluctant to talk of their hidden emotions and feelings of despair. This book highlights so well, and with such heartfelt compassion the effects of keeping feelings buried not just for the sufferer but for their loved ones too.

The narrative slips back and forth in time. Starting out with Mary standing at the station with her placard of “Jim Come Home” she waits there every evening after work, where she has waited for the last 7 years, eternally hopeful that one day Jim will see it and return. She just needs to know he is safe.

Gradually through the chapters that slip back to when Mary and James (Jim) first met, to those early years of the love and passion they both felt for each other, we get to learn what happened with their relationship. Meantime, in the present, we meet Alice. Alice in her early twenties has always wanted to be a journalist, so far she works for the local paper covering trivial stories. After a chance encounter with Mary at the station, Alice wants to know Mary’s story, but there’s more to it than just getting a scoop to try to save her job at the local rag, she recognises that desperate sense of loss in Mary that Alice knows only too well herself.

In spite of the great sadness that pervades the story, there are so many light hearted moments too. Without going into the story too much, Kit, a young city banker is also one of the main characters throughout the book and it is his relationship with Alice that brings a lightness and humour to the narrative.

They are all fantastic characters, each with their own life story to tell. It’s a very emotive book which has caused me to shed a tear or two on more than one occasion whilst reading. I really enjoyed it, and with such a beautiful ending too.

Having read and loved the Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves I was so excited for this book especially having read the brief description which I found really intriguing. This is such a moving book that explores mental illness, and the effect this has on men in particular. The characters were so well written and the book had me guessing till the end.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House and Abbie for the chance to read and review this amazing book.

I really loved this book - Abbie Greaves is such a brilliant writer, I have so enjoyed getting to know every key character in this book, and ended it feeling like I really KNEW them. The story was thorough; so observational, honest and told with sensitivity - but with such understanding, and there is a focus on life trials, including the undercurrent of mental health and how that intertwines through so many peoples lives.
Mary has spent every evening for the last 7 years standing at Ealing tube station, holding a sign that says 'Jim Come Home' - we follow Mary's journey from the very beginning when she met Jim, the relationship that followed, and the events that led to Jim disappearing from Mary's life.
I liked how the story flipped regularly between the time frames - from the relationship starting, to the current day where Mary is trying to come to terms with how she is having to live her life without Jim in it.
I will definitely be recommending to this to all!
Huge thanks to Penguin Random House & Abbie Greaves for sending me an advanced copy of the book to read, I am not obligated to review or recommend as a result of receiving this gift, but let me tell you - you won't regret getting your hands on a copy when it is released in April 2021.

Well, what can I say about this one? I was DESPERATE to read this after loving 'The Silent Treatment' when I read it in November and was thrilled to be accepted to read the ARC of @abbiegreavesauthor's upcoming novel 'The Ends of the Earth'. It was a poignant read and like Abbie's debut novel, one where characterisation was so strong these characters become living, breathing entities you root for and most importantly, empathise with.

The protagonist of the novel is Belfast-born Mary O'Connor and mysteriously she has kept vigil at Ealing Station, on the bustling platform holding the sign saying 'Come Home Jim' for seven years. And thus, the mystery of Mary and Jim begins. The novel shifts between the beginning of Mary and Jim's relationship at the Stormont in Belfast, the whirlwind meetings in London and on the Antrim Coast through to the present day and Mary's situation as a shop worker in London, desperately emotionally still so connected to Jim that she wants him home with her.

We have another narrative thread running through the novel, tying both stories together with the introduction of journalist Alice, who wants to (despite Mary's insistence not to involve herself) find the elusive Jim. Alice is emotionally troubled by her past too, making these unlikely friends, bonded through their experiences with significant males.

The portrayal of characters was stunning: the strong matriarch, Mrs O'Connor, the budget spaghetti-slurping Kit, with his sofa littered with crumbs, the vague "quiet little wisp of a woman" Juliette Whitnell and tortured Ted, carrying on with his wife's legacy in the face of his own depression.

Very importantly, depression is a key motif linking many of the characters and this needs writing large as a subject that Abbie has not shied away from. It is brave, confident and altogether necessary for more writers to broach and really unpack mental health.

This is another one I will recommend to EVERYONE. Pre-order now for release on 29.4. Thank you to @abbiegreavesauthor, @netgalley and Random House Cornerstone for the advance copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinions.

The Ends of the Earth is a beautiful book, tugging at heartstrings in one breath, and enticing you want to sit some of the characters down with more than a cup of tea in others.The characters weave in and out together beautifully. At first I was sceptical of the motives of some of them. Those characters won me around by the end of the book. I wonder if they'll do this to you too?
There is no time like the times that we are currently living in, to fully appreciate the struggles we can all experience at times, of mental health issues.
Mary, with her own struggles, is not the only one with issues in this beautiful book. Many of the characters have their own mental health challenges - whether they demonstrate this openly or keep it hidden (again like many do in real life). You might think that this is a depressing book and will take you to dark places but I argue that it is in fact the opposite. Teaching us to get help when we need it. To share with others and to embrace honesty.
A lovely book - if you get chance, give it a go.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I love reading about people and their relationships and this book is an excellent example. The characters are so well developed and I enjoyed hearing about different stages of the relationships.

The book is warm and relatable and emotional due to the subject matter.

This story was beautifully written dealing with what happens when someone disappears without warning. Mary O’Connor meets the love of her life as she works and moves very quickly from Belfast to Jim’s London where he practices as an ENT Consultant. The romantic story then changes to Mary holding a vigil every night for 7 years at Ealing Broadway Station with a sign asking Jim to come back. Two incidents change this when she is filmed when she is caught in a crowd and she gets a phone call to the Charity where she volunteers. Into her life come Kit and Alice who are determined to help Mary move on in her life. So beautifully and poignantly written,

Mary’s husband Jim disappeared seven years ago, they had a very loving and happy marriage and his disappearance has greatly affected Mary who has not given up hope that he will return.

Every day for the last seven years Mary goes to Ealing Train Station and stands on the bustling platform with a sign that says “Come Home Jim” hoping he will see it!

We go back to when Jim and Mary meet and had a whirlwind romance, with Mary leaving Wales to be with Jim in London, we trace her path to the present day.

I really felt for Mary who never gave up hope, even when others doubted her. I loved how the past and present timelines emerge together so effortlessly.

A very moving story that covers loss but also incorporates hope and friendship where you would least expect it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

The premise of this book was very interesting and I felt it had real potential. The story is of loss, loss of love, a person and a reason to go forward. There were elements which were really interesting, however, for me, it really needed to be edited further. It was long and at times I lost interest in it and found myself skimming through sections to get on with the story.

Mary is looking for Jim, waiting for him to return and in limbo waiting. She doesn't know where he is or why he left her. I liked Mary's character but at times wanted for her to just get on with things. The other characters are interesting but they wasn't any real depth to them and I never felt a great connection with them.


I really wanted to know what happened to Jim and what would happen to Mary.. There was so much potential in this story but sadly, it just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I couldn't put this down, I needed to know what happened to Jim. In the end it wasn't just about him though, it was about all the characters and their lives, their secrets and their pain.
On the surface its about a woman holding a vigil for a man she hopes will return. What it's really digging into though is the longing for someone who has gone. Mary, Alice and Ted are all missing people. It also explores men's mental health and themes of friendship.

I absolutely loved this book. Abbie Greaves has done it again! I was a huge fan of The Silent Treatment and had high hopes for this and it definitely lives up to my hype!

I couldn’t put this down - the first few chapters are a bit of a slow burn but never enough to even make me consider putting it down. I had to know what had happened between Mary and Jim. On the surface, this seems like an unrequited love story but it is so much more and explores male mental health, grief, love, and loss in Greaves own personal style. At one point I had to stop reading because it was so well written I was feeling exactly what Mary was so I needed a break - you’ll know what I mean if you read this (you should)!

It took me a few days to write this review as like with The Silent Treatment, The Ends of The Earth gave me an emotional hangover. The focus on issues such as grief and male mental health from different perspectives really resonated with me and I think this is an excellent way of understanding male mental health implications without reading a non-fiction/preachy book.

In case you can’t tell I would highly recommend this book.

Mary and Jim are the perfect devoted couple until he walks out and disappears seven years ago. She holds a vigil at the train station asking him to come home. Her friends try to find out what happened to him. There is no big mystery or twist to this. It is fifty shades of mental illness and depression wrapped up in anguish and heart break.

For the past seven years Mary has held a vigil everyday on Ealing Station platform with a sign saying 'Come Home Jim'. What is the story behind it and who is Jim? This is the basis of the book and we find the answers in flashbacks from the time they first met and events in their six year relationship.
We also find out about Mary's life and emotions in the present day and meet the people who want to help Mary find closure.
The book demonstrates effectively how our experiences and relationships affect our everyday lives and responses. it also touches on the effects of mental health issues in a sensitive way.
I'm not sure how I would categorise this book, it covers love and loss, pain and hope, friendships and emotions. For a book that has the breakup of a relationship as its main theme its is not a uncomfortable or down beat read, quite the opposite in fact.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Following on from her debut novel, The Silent Treatment, Abbie Greaves' second novel has a very different take on themes of disappearance, loss and letting go. Whilst the premise on which the story is based is interesting and ultimately redemptive, I think felt it could have benefitted from some judicious editing as it was over long, and I found myself speed reading to get to the end, rather than being drawn in, and involved with the characters.

The Ends of the Earth by Abbie Greaves a slow starting three-star read. If the whole story was as good as the 2nd half then it would have been five-stars, but I have struggled with this, I have picked it up and put it down three times as I just couldn’t get stuck in, and I hate not finishing a story so I kept going, but honestly it could have easily still been waiting on me to finish it. It has a good story, but it just didn’t keep me going. I do plan on trying something else by this author, to see if it’s just my slump that caused me to not enjoy this as much.

📖 Book Review 📖
The Ends Of The Earth by @abbiegreavesauthor
Publication date - 29th April 2021

My thoughts (some spoilers)

Well she does it again, I loved ‘The Silent Treatment’ and I adored this just as much.

Abbie writes in such a way that you feel for all of her characters, I was immediately drawn to Mary, picturing her standing with her sign and feeling her pain.

When we met Jim, I immediately disliked him, thinking that he was selfish, but this soon changed when we learned that it wasn’t a simple case of him just walking out.

I like that they all had a happy ending and that Mary was able to accept and move on in the end.

This is a heart warming read, which I highly recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for my advanced readers copy, in exchange for an honest review.
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WOW I loved reading this and couldn't put it down!
I was totally immersed in the story and the way the chapters changed from past to present was perfect..
In ways the story was unbelievable but its a true vision of people who suffer from depression, although Mary was the main character the others featured had their own stories too..
It was both a love story and also a story of how depression can take over your life and the author made a sad story into a very understanding and realistic read and shows that there can be a happy ending even if it's not what your expecting it to be !