I’ve had some recent losses, and I really enjoyed the perspective of this book. The author was believable and really showed vulnerability, which I appreciated.

I found this book very heartfelt, with a lot of personal, first-hand experience from the author. I think this is important, as it's hard to relate to grief without real stories.

Having lost both my parents now, I'm at a stage of life where my reality feels very different, and all the feelings still come and go, in various strengths.

I found it supporting to read of other experiences, and tips for handling certain emotions, especially guilt.

A very emotional and important book.

Title: Love & Grief: Finding Healing, Meaning, and Purpose in Life After Loss
Author: Emily P Bingham
Genre: Self-help
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: February 12, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC from Quatro Publishing Group, a division of Wellfleet Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Practical • Supportive • Concise

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Every grief journey is different, but we all need reminders, comfort, and inspiration to come to terms with making necessary changes after a loss, recognizing what we can and can’t control, and taking back the power when life creates circumstances where we feel powerless.

There is no right or wrong way to ride grief, but having gone through the process of grief herself after losing her husband at a young age, Emily P. Bingham’s writing provides an extra layer of comfort and solidarity. Love & Grief teaches you to own your journey and become your own guide.

💭 T H O U G H T S

Over the past four years, I have continually been on the lookout for books related to grief as I have navigated the life-alternating death of my partner and best friend. Therefore it was easy to request an advanced copy of Love & Grief without really knowing much more about it.

Emily P Bingham shares about her own grief after the loss of her partner and how it shifted her life completely. The writing is accessible, making it easily digestible. Divided into four distinct parts, there is practical advice, helpful reminders and nuggets of advice sprinkled throughout. However, parts do get a little preachy in the later parts - it felt like a marketing campaign for her own business. There is also some language that could be hurtful to grievers. Additionally, I found the writing to be contradictory from one section to the next.

I particularly appreciated the section detailing the dichotomy of life, how love and pain coexist. She also recommends a variety of movement activities for moving through certain emotions when they arise. As a griever, I know I don't always know what I need, so having this list to reference could definitely be helpful. However, I don't necessarily think the author took into consideration her privilege and how life circumstances may inhibit the reader from being able to do some of these things.

Love & Grief doesn't necessarily provide anything groundbreaking, yet it does provide a reminder that grief is a personal journey and that each griever should take control of their own journey. One main takeaway for me is the concept of honouring the legacy of the person who has died. This isn't a book I would recommend for early grief, rather it is one I'd suggest to people who are further along in their journey.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• grievers further along in their journey

⚠️ CW: death, partner death, grief, ableism, classism

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Grief looks different for everyone, and whatever you are feeling is right!"

First, I’d like to thank @netgalley for allowing the opportunity to read Love & Grief. While grief is a tough topic, I did enjoy the positive vibe of this read. I definitely took away a few nuggets of knowledge in regards to navigating my own grief. Despite a few grammatical errors and (I know this is silly) the overuse of the exclamation point, I enjoyed this read and will recommend to those I feel it will be of good use.

I have followed Emily navigating her journey through her grief on TikTok for a number of years & I am thrilled to have read her book.
Emily weaves her personal story of grief into her writing, giving examples of her human experience of loss and linking it to her personal and, latterly, professional understanding of grief & loss.
Having worked closely for many years with those experiencing anticipatory grief and following the death of a loved one, and as a bereavement counsellor I feel that Emily’s munificent sharing of her personal grief has shaped how this book has evolved into being. It is written in a deeply compassionate manner rather than a preachy or overly academic way that this subject often inspires. Although there are some American concepts that I didn’t gel with, on the whole Emily’s story & development of her grief work is a valuable read.

How auspicious that this book became available for review within days of my husband's unexpected passing. So many of my feelings were validated in my first read through, but I am sure I will be revisiting this valuable resource time and again. The author has turned her own experience into an opportunity to help others in the same situation. Her explanation of grief and love being one and the same especially resonated with me. I also appreciated her advice to slow down and not rush the healing process. Thanks to NetGalley, Wellfleet Press and the author for an advance copy to read and review.

The author, who lost her husband at a tender age, offers warm support and helpful strategies for those experiencing grief. Recommended!

5/5 Stars! Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Wellfleet Press for Love & Grief by Emily P Bingham for this eARC for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written book and I am so glad I got the chance to read this. THIS: "You can suffer tremendous loss and become more grateful " GOT ME. I lost my son at 21 weeks back in 2022 and I spent the last year facing my grief, letting me feel my grief, and figuring out what type of grieving worked for me. I am in a much better place now and this book spoke to me. That line also spoke to me because it has made me realize that life does go by quickly and while I am working on healing, I still have 2 boys that I am living for. After our loss, I have learned how to slow down and be present for my family. Also, my two living sons are 'kids with special needs' and it slightly goes together because of the grief of the future you had for your kids and hoped for them to have. I do like that she mentions therapy too, I wish everyone was doing this - I'm pretty sure the world would be in a better place haha.

Although I enjoyed this book, I think it also depends on the stage of grief you are currently in. I can't say for sure if this would be the first book I'd read after dealing with my loss. I would most likely recommend this book a few months to a year (or two) after handling the loss.

Very well done and enjoyed the beautiful quick easy read.

This is a very practical, helpful book for processing grief. Emily P. Bingham shares her firsthand experience of losing her husband in her 30s to cancer and suddenly becoming a widow and single mother. She used social media to process her own grief, met many other women struggling with the same thing, and founded a business, moveTHRU, to help other women heal from grief. In this book, Bingham walks through her moveTHRU model and offers concrete ways to process grief.

I chose this book because I’m going through my own grief journey. I found Bingham’s suggestions and resources very helpful. Her words encouraged me to have a memorial service for loved ones I lost years ago and couldn’t grieve at the time, and it was a very healing experience for me.

I appreciate the structure Bingham puts on the grief process, which can often feel tumultuous and ambiguous. My only struggle with this book is that, as a Christian, grief and spiritually are closely connected for me. Bingham brings in spiritual elements but they are not tied to a specific religious belief. Deeply spiritual readers may find that element lacking. However, Bingham’s practical advice and personal connection make the book a helpful read, and I appreciated her voice in my grief journey.

This book was full of raw emotion. It was thought-provoking, actively inspiring thought. Not only a book but a lesson book to turn to when in need.

When experiencing a devastating loss, it is helpful to seek ways to cope. As a member of the club no one wants to be a member of, it has been less than a year since I lost my husband to cancer. I find reading books like Love & Grief helpful. So much of what author Emily P. Bingham observes in her book is very accurate. It offers some welcome words of solidarity and some good tools in dealing with grief and starting the process of finding a way to move forward. I will keep these in mind as I continue on my own journey.

4.25 stars.

I will rescind my review as I did not finish. As a clinician working closely with grief, based on the 17% I read, I would not be able to recommend this to my patients. I felt that much of the content would be very difficult for someone deep in grief to receive, as there were several times that I was triggered by language used ("grateful" for grief/loss, "crazy" things we do in response to grief.)

This book will be a useful resource for anyone trying to process grief. It explains a lot about the wide variety of emotions that a person can experience in the aftermath of losing someone, and recognises that the grief journey is a highly individual one.

The author offers a wide range of tools for addressing life after loss. What is particularly appealing about it is how very practical it is. They should be something in here for everyone, no matter what it is that you are looking for, or can actually handle, at this point.

The book is divided into four parts and covers a lot of ground in a short volume. And that too, will be appealing to many people who are already struggling. All in all, a worthwhile investment of your time.

A nice book to help you cope with grief. Is this normal? What about the guilt and the loneliness? Can I move forward? This book addresses many common feelings and questions after the loss of a loved one. "You can't heal what you don't feel." A beautiful book.

Emily does a great job mixing real life experience with application of concepts that will help anyone grieving. She offers many “toolkits” throughout the book. This leaves a reader who craves ways to find healing many options to find something that will take their healing to the next level. The author also uses many references from some of the top grief counselors which shows she did her homework. This is a book that is easy to read and will draw in anyone who is truly needing help in tough moments. This book is worth the read for anyone seeking help to be able to move forward with their grief.

While this book wasn't for me in my stage of grief, I felt like this would have been perfect for me when I first lost my best friend in 2022.
Emily goes through the "stages" and gives actual suggestions on how to move through grieving, instead of just saying what grieving is. I loved the practicality mixed with the realness of it all.
It's a short book, which I think is also nice for someone who is grieving, so it's manageable to read.
Like I said, for someone who is years out, I don't know if a lot of the words aligned with where I am at, but for someone who is fresh in the pain, it would be just right I think.
Thank you, Emily, for being vulnerable in talking about your loss in a grief-averse society! We need more of this in the world for sure.

‘Grief looks different to everyone and nothing prepares you for it.’ I am thankful to have read this book at this stage in my life and not in the turmoil of grief. Perhaps I can be more understanding when it comes. I understand it is your own journey, in your own time and here are practical, comforting strategies to take at your own pace. The explanation that there are some situations you can control, but some you cannot.

LOVE & GRIEF: FIND HEALING, MEANING, AND PURPOSE IN LIFE AFTER LOSS
BY: EMILY P. BINGHAM

This book is very helpful which is 144 pages long which the author Emily P. Bingham offers a guide to loss as she has lost her husband.

Christmas is a difficult time for me as I lost my only sister on December 27, 2012.

The last day I spoke to her over the telephone was December 25, 2012 on Christmas day. I miss her on and throughout the whole Christmas season.

It's not the same without her,

This little booklet is a helpful resource that I'll be buying the physical hard copy when it's published, because I can only access it on my phone. I will want to refer back to it.

This book will be helpful to anybody who is facing a sudden, unexpected loss.

Publication Date: 2-13-2024

Thank you to Net Galley, Emily P. Bingham and Quarto Publishing Group-Wellfleet Press for making this available as a "Read Now."

#Love&Grief #EmilyPBingham #QuartoPublishingGroupWellfleetPress #NetGalley

I earnestly need to recommend this book as an essential keep for every home and institution. Because most will need this book to cope with grief and I know that this book will give more to the one picking it up.

Perfect in every way as it offers the very purpose of the concept of what one needs in times of loss and grieving.

The book has four main parts. Each part offers different sections on all aspects of grief/loss, what we experience or expect and how we can deal with it.

I am really impressed with all the details, the different types of big emotions we all have to deal with and the difficulties we generally face during these times which are all penned in such an accurate and accurate manner.

I am sure this book will help many in the years to come.

Thank you, Wellfleet Press, for the advance reading copy.

‘You can suffer tremendous loss AND become more grateful. You can endure profound pain AND become more resilient. You can walk through darkness AND become a beacon of light.’

I found this book to be very warm and helpful. I wanted to read this because I lost my dad 6 years ago and as it was during Christmas time, it is always difficult at this time of year for me.

‘There is absolutely nothing that can prepare you for a loved one’s death.’ Oh how true this is, and I knew my dad was dying.

It was nice learning about the authors personal life and grieve, it felt like a connection was being made between us.

This is a very moving read and one I highly recommend I’d you are grieving or have suffered badly.

So many beautiful quotes, tools and insights to learn about.

Thank you Emily for writing this book. It has helped me and I know it is a book I will want to own once it is released and a books I will want to revisit time and time again.