Moving, pensive, and absorbing!

All Our Beautiful Goodbyes is set on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, between 1946 and 1995 and is told from two different perspectives. Emma, a young woman who, after being born and raised on this isolated piece of land, is ready to spread her wings and head to the mainland for University until a shipwrecked captain captures her heart and changes the course of her life forever, and Oliver Harris, a British captain who is struggling with an unhappy marriage, his love for the sea, and a woman he only spent a brief amount of time with but one he can’t seem to forget.

The prose is rich and sentimental. The characters are passionate, strong, and flawed. And the plot is a touching tale about life, loss, heartache, forgiveness, familial drama, friendship, courage, hope, resilience, and the unbreakable ties that bind us to those we love.

Overall, All Our Beautiful Goodbyes is an enchanting, heart-tugging, beautiful read by MacLean that reminds us that life is complicated, messy, challenging, short, and heartbreaking, as well as all those other wonderful things, lovely times, and special moments that happen in between.

Emma first meets Captain Harris when his ship capsizes on Sable Island. She tries to ignore her growing feelings for him but life has other plans.
This was such a good love story! It’s heartbreaking in spots, hopeful in others. It will have you reaching for some Kleenex as you race to the end. Just perfect!

I invite you to experience the magic of life on Sable Island. Amongst the raw beauty and shifting sands, you will find the strong bonds of family and community. You will experience the origins of love stories, the birth of dreams and the granting of miracles. You will fall in love with the characters as they navigate through all of their beautiful hellos and goodbyes.

Beloved characters treasured their second chances. Gratitude was woven throughout their lives and experiences. When gratitude and second chances are combined well, my heart is warmed. Truly a heartwarming story.

Sable Island played such an important role in this story, almost becoming a character itself. This once untouched island, touched so many lives.

I loved the scenes involving the wild horses of the island. An encounter between the horses and a special visitor was exceptional. I won’t soon forget it!

I really loved the ending! I read it with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. So very well done and so very much enjoyed!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lake Union Publishers through NetGalley. All thoughts expressed in this review are mine.

This beautiful book will be released on March 25, 2025.

I truly enjoyed this dual timeline historical romance. Emma was such an endearing, strong, intelligent character and my heart just kept breaking for her. She went through so much and had the rug jerked out from under her so many times but she never gave up, never stopped looking for happiness and her purpose in life. There were many twists and turns in Emma’s path and she maneuvered each one with grace. Yes, there were times she was angry or bitter, but most of us would be. Her father was simply amazing. He was supportive in ways, many fathers probably weren’t in that time period with the situations they faced. Oliver was the perfect love interest, except they couldn’t be together for a myriad of reasons. He embodies the idea of that one person that you can’t forget and can never fully get over. Sable Island was the perfect setting. I had never heard of it before, but this has been added to my bucket list of must see places. It’s described so beautifully and I love the idea of the wild horses just being allowed to roam. The dual timeline really worked well with Emma’s story. I love that we get to see her successful and happy, despite the trials she had endured. All in all, this is a story about true love and how some people are just meant to be together.

This book was beautifully written. I loved the descriptions of Sable Island. The love, both romantic and family, is so strong and wonderful. It was written in two timelines, which was fine, although I am not sure it really brought anything to the story. I enjoyed that it was a historical fiction, family drama with the main character being a woman who has experienced extreme heartbreak, yet still pushes through. I found it was well written and enjoyable, although parts of the book did drag on a little more than I would have liked. The romance part felt forced and not realistic, but it did not stop me from enjoying the book. Overall, a beautifully written story that will have you reaching for the tissues.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

A beautifully written story set on remote Sable Island, where Emma lives a sheltered life with an over protective father. Desperate to see more of the world, Emma plans to leave the island for university, against her father's wishes. When shipwrecked Captain Oliver Harris recovers on the island, he and Emma fall deeply in love, but complicated circumstances prevent them being together.

Almost 50 years later, Joanne is mourning the death of her grandmother and discovers secrets she had never known. As the two timelines collide, the two stories merge together perfectly.

I really liked Emma as a character. Her strength and resilience in her very difficult life was admirable and she knew more heartbreak than most people. Despite the challenges she faced, she never gave up and I found myself invested in her life and rooting for her all the way.

The writing is wholly immersive with well developed characters and stunning descriptions so vivid, that even the locations felt like real people!

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Julianne MacLean and Lake Union for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was moving, poignant and bittersweet. The events of the book stayed with me after finishing it. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

This is a beautiful historical fiction story, starting in 1946 after WWII. Emma lives on the isolated Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. She plans on leaving for university, but when she meets a British sea captain, rescued from a nearby shipwreck, her plans are forever changed. This story spans decades and multiple generations looking into Emma’s life on the island and beyond.

Julianne Maclean writes such sweeping historical fiction stories! This is my third book I’ve read by her and they are all enchanting and I love learning about a different period or place I wasn’t previously familiar with. During the 1940s, Sable island was inhabited by about 35 people and it served as a weather station and was a beacon for those shipwrecked in the North Atlantic

This story is quite atmospheric and I loved the island setting, including the wild horses! It was so cool to learn more about the wild horses that still live there wild without intervention, and their origin and influence on the story. The two timelines worked really well together as we followed Emma’s journey to see all she overcame. I just would have loved a little more of our two leads at the very end of the story after all they went through.

An interesting- and different- setting and a sympathetic character in Emma made this a good read. I'd never heard of Sable Island before picking this up and now I'm fascinated by this dot of land off the coast of Nova Scotia. Emma.. who feels trapped, falls for Captain Oliver Harris but their relationship is not to be. Or is it?? Emma's goals change over time and she matures throughout but will she find love? No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I love historical fiction with a deep emotional resonance and long-buried secrets! This one is set in beautiful Sable Island and spans from the aftermath of World War II to the 1990s. Focuses on two love stories across generations.

Emma Clarkson, a young woman torn between her dreams and a love that alters the course of her life. As Emma’s story unfolds in the past, her granddaughter Joanna unravels the mystery in the present time. This reveals unexpected twists and a powerful connection that bridges decades.

This was a book I thoroughly enjoyed! I’m a huge fan of deeply romantic, poignant, and immersive novels that stay with you long after the final page.

I usually like this author's books, so I was excited to read All Our Beautiful Goodbyes. The premise sounded perfect: post-war Canada, an isolated island, and a love story filled with longing. But sadly, the execution did not live up to my expectations.

The story had potential, but the plot felt overly dramatic at times. I was interested enough to finish it, but I couldn’t shake off the disappointment. One of the biggest issues for me was the time jump. It happened too suddenly, without easing into it. It felt confusing, and I did not feel like the past was fully resolved before we were thrown into the present. The ending also lacked the closure I was hoping for.

The great part of the book was learning about Sable Island. I had never heard of it before, and the historical details about this small, remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia were fascinating. The author did a great job weaving in real history.

A heart tugging story that makes you ask if you believe in soulmates. Emma grew up on a small island famous for helping shipwrecks. One shipwreck brings a captain whose life is forever changed when he meets Emma. Emma is beautiful and smart and wants to leave the island to study at college. When the captain returns home, Emma remains on the island to care for her father after he gets sick. Emma is a selfless person who puts everyone and everything else first. I enjoyed getting to get know her in this book. I read this book in one day and was lost in the world the author skillfully created. It is a perfect contemporary fiction story.

Patience is a virtue, and that all-too common phrase is not misplaced in this book both for the reader and for our heroine, Emma Clarkson. This story is not just about romantic love but love for life, for family and weathering even the worst of storms. In fact, I felt Emma's growth as a woman was at the forefront of this novel. All I wanted was for her to achieve the happiness she desperately deserved.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs, although I wish it had been more consistent. I think it threw off the pacing a little bit for me personally. Ultimately, I did enjoy the way the story unfolded and look forward to reading more from Julianne MacLean.

3.5 stars rounded up

Spanning the timeframe of 1946 to 1995, All our Beautiful Goodbyes by Julianne Maclean follows Emma, a young woman raised on remote Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. When a shipwreck brings Captain Harris to shore, Emma becomes infatuated. The story follows Emma and Captain Harris and their complex relationship over nearly 50 years.

I loved this book, I read it in one weekend and could not put it down. The beauty and atmosphere of Sable Island pulls you in from the start (I can visualize the wild horses!) and makes you feel like you are one of the few privileged people to get to visit and experience this remote rescue colony.

Emma is a young and ambitious woman who dreams of being a psychologist but feels trapped on the island, where she must care for her father and contribute to the efforts of the rescue community. We follow her evolution as life throws challenges her way.

Seeing Emma grow from a naïve to independent and self-aware woman is the greatest beauty of this book. The themes of resilience, trust, and family resonate through this book.

The writing flows beautifully and each chapter leaves you wanting to continue to the next. Historical fiction lovers will love this book, especially those interested in reading a story set in eastern Canada (with some Saskatchewan ties).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Julianne MacLean has done it again with All Our Beautiful Goodbyes. I immediately fell in love with the lead character Emma and felt as though I was with her throughout her entire journey. This historical fiction novel takes place on Sable Island, just off the coast of Nova Scotia, and the descriptive writing is so beautifully done. The ocean sounds, the horses, the tall grasses, and the sifting sand dunes. I could clearly hear and see it all. We first meet Emma in the early 1940's and follow her life through 1995. She has a life filled with love, loss, heartbreak, and second chances. The father-daughter relationship was relatable and Emma's relationship with Captain Oliver Harris pulled at my heartstrings. There is nothing quite like a first love. In true Julianne MacLean fashion there are twists and turns that make you gasp, cry and smile.

I would love to say more, but I don't like giving away spoilers. I highly recommend this book and will definitely be buying a copy and adding it to my collection of Julianne MacLean books.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Julianne MacLean for providing an ARC in exchange for honest thoughts.

I gave this book 5 Stars

I loved this book. Julianne MacLean is an awesome writer.
While I don't normally like books that are in the 40 and further back. This book was great because it starts in the 40's but then comes all the way to the present. It was a true joy to follow the characters through all this time. The trials and tribulations they went through and how that shaped their whole life.
Another cool thing is that Julianne MacLean used a real island in the middle of nowhere that actually does have wild horses just like in this book. At the end she shares how her research took her to the island and what she encountered.

A fabulous book that you won't want to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

When Captain Oliver Harris`s British naval ship Belvedere capsized on the shores of Sable Island, twenty-one-year-old aspiring psychologist Emma falls in love. Still, life takes many twists and turns as life's road is unknown until travelled.  Being from Nova Scotia, I enjoyed the descriptions of Sable Island, Halifax and the people. The writing was great as the characters seem developed and realistic, though I became annoyed with Emma occasionally throughout the novel due to her life choices and naivete. The scenery was well described and character interactions were realistic responses for the most part. This a book about accepting the choices we make when we come to a fork in the road of life and how we deal with the consequences of our choices. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. This is my honest review.

A woman who is unlucky in love. How many times can her heart be broken and by the same man?
From the description of the secluded Sable Island, its inhabitants, the wild horses and the yearning for something more than life on the island, Emma fiercely fights for her independence through heartache, loss and determination. Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this tragic story. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Life on Sable Island was all Emma Clarkson knew, but she longed for more. Accepted into Dalhousie University to study psychology, she was looking forward to many new things. It’s 1946, the war is over, and things are changing on Sable Island. The Belvedere, a British merchant ship, is the latest shipwreck but it brings Emma’s first love.

Life has a way of throwing curves and University falls on one of those. Love happens, babies come and accidents occur but that first love never seems to go away. 1953 and then 1995 are times in her life that just flow together. Will the happy ever after really come?

A copy was received through Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley. These thoughts are my own and were in no way solicited.

All Our Beautiful Goodbyes is a stand-alone historical novel by Julianne MacLean set on Sable Island, Nova Scotia spanning from the late 1940s to 1995. The overarching theme is love: romantic, for your children and family, for yourself, and for your home.

Summary: In the post-WWII era, 21-year old Emma Clarkson lives a unique life with her father on remote Sable Island. Just a few dozen other people and many wild horses and seals also live on the small island. A shipwreck brings Captain Oliver Harris and his crew to Sable Island, and Emma instantly falls in love with the captain. Her love is not returned in kind, and after a week, Captain Harris leaves the island. While nursing her heartache, Emma meets a veterinarian named Logan, and moves on to marry and have a family with him. However, Logan is not who he claims to be. Years later, Emma's path crosses again with Captain Oliver Harris and complicated emotions resurface. Will she be able to find love with Oliver, or is their chance at love lost forever?

My Impressions: My favorite part of this book was learning about Sable Island. I didn't know it existed before I read this book, and I was intrigued to learn the history about it. I appreciated the historical facts the author placed into the book. The author also did a great job of plotting out the novel, and the pacing for each of the book sub-sections is excellent. However, I found large parts of the book to be written in a telling-not-showing format, and the dialogue used was very amateur (boring, simplistic, repetitive words, i.e. lots of he said, she said.) I also did not like some of the immoral choices made by the main characters. I did enjoy the ending and how the author wrapped up the last section of the book.

Content Considerations: Mild language. Romantically, nothing beyond kissing is on-page. Sex is mentioned as having taken place, but it is completely fade to black. Pre-marital sex and martial infidelity.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review contains my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.