I loved this! I am a total sucker for books about complicated relationships between women but Aisha Muharrar has managed to create something that felt wholly unique and moving. With Gabe as a connecting presence throughout; Elizabeth and Julia’s slightly tense but intriguing relationship at the centre of the book was a joy to read. Julia should have been a difficult character to love, fundamentally in denial for most of the book, i nonetheless really felt her grieving process felt true even through bizarre coincidences. This book ambled through processing and memory and ended up as an exploration of lost possibilities and uncertainty and argues for grace for that confusion and for building forward.

The great Maggie Shipstead called this “the funniest book you’ll ever read about grief” and she was right!
“Loved One”, Aisha Muharrar’s debut novel, is one of those stories that has you holding back laughter in one page and tears in the next. The setup is this: when Julia’s first love turned best friend, Gabe, passes away in an accident, she offers to recover his belongings for his mother. Unfortunately, said belongings are in London, and the person best placed to help is Gabe’s ex, the artistic, effortlessly cool Elizabeth. As the two women embark on the quest to get back Gabe’s things, they’re made to confront who Gabe was to them, and the mark he’s left on their lives.
I found Julia to be such a sympathetic narrator. The depth of character and emotional intelligence evident in Muharrar’s screenwriting is fully on display here, as we see Julia grappling with a loss she’s completely unprepared for and trying to keep the life she’s built afloat. Elizabeth, too, is so layered — in the hands of a lesser writer, she could have easily been a manic pixie dream girl stereotype, but here you see her going through both the sadness and the anger of complex grief. It is impossible not to root for the two of them to find a way to reconcile their memories of Gabe and to be able to give each other some solace. And of course, I was desperate for them to succeed in recovering Gabe’s things — but I won’t spoil anything about their quest.
The writing in this is delicious too, witty and sharp in its characterisation of the people Julia and Elizabeth encounter along the way; piercing when it captures the enormity of unexpected loss. The building of the complex friendship between Julia and Gabe is so believable and made all the more touching by the knowledge, from the start, that their time together will be cut far too short. Muharrar’s eye for detail and for the tragicomic is enviable, and it made the story incredibly readable even through the heaviest moments.
When I finished this, I had tears in my eyes, and it’s one of those books that I had to have a bit of a cry about after I read the last page. But like all the best things in life, the things I loved about it made the sad moments worth it.

We learn of the death of musician Gabe before stepping back in time with the mother of his unborn child and another friend and learn how they deal with grief. At times humorous and at times harrowing but a lovely book well worth reading. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

"Loved One" is a well written book that didn't quite resonate with me. I was drawn to it because of its premise: finding the humour in grief. While I was intrigued by the concept, this book ultimately didn't quite land for me. Not every book is for every reader, and I just didn't fully connect with this story.

To its credit, the book is very well written. Muharrar has a clear and engaging voice, and the writing is easy to get lost in, making it a perfect companion for a lazy afternoon by the pool.

My main issue with this book was the frequent jumps in the timeline, which is a narrative device I generally find difficult to engage with. This, of course, is purely down to my own personal preferences.

Based on other reviews, this book seems to be a big hit with many readers. If you're interested in a character driven story exploring grief, which promises a comedic angle, then this book may very well be the one for you. It has clearly resonated very well with its intended audience to date, and despite it not fully being my cup of tea, I did find it enjoyable overall.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

First of all, I want to draw attention to what a beautiful work of art this book is. I’d read the blurb and thought it looked interesting. Honestly, it was so much more than I expected.

We meet Julia and Elizabeth who were both a part of Gabe’s (who has died) life and how they are dealing with the aftermath of the event. I was torn up over the whole story and seeing how these two women come to terms with who they were to Gabriel and the affect it had on their lives.

It opens your eyes to the fact that you will never truly know someone even if you think you do. How they will be the same, but still so different with others. We see Elizabeth and Julia learn who Gabe was to them. How there were differences and how they had to deal with that.

It was such an emotionally touching book. A work of beauty. It’s been a long time since I’ve shed tears over fiction characters. This is one that is going to stick with me for a long time.

This is a heartbreakingly realistic display of grief - sometimes ugly, sometimes cruel, always powerful, never linear.
I can imagine how having a quest, something to fully focus on, could be very helpful as you try to accept the death of one of the most important people in your life, and so this book had a massive hit of relatability for me. Wanting to re-gather items that reminded you of that person and your shared experiences is understandable; you don't have them to hold any more, so you find the next best thing.
I found it refreshing that this wasn't a cinematic depiction of how to behave after a sudden death. Julia, Elizabeth and Gabe's mum each dealt with it differently, and sometimes it made them not the easiest to be around, which felt very authentic.
The use of different countries/places was used as a complement to how the individual relationships were at the time, and each suited the mood perfectly - this was really clever and worked brilliantly.
This book is melancholic but also uplifting.

4.25/5

A hard-hitting literary fiction about grieving a loved one, finding closure, and discovering how some people just aren’t who you expect them to be. The whole mood of this story is incredibly bittersweet as it starts with the death of a loved one, but I also like that it’s peppered with some sweet, happy memories and compelling personal secrets as well. I really liked following our protagonist, it’s not everyday you come across a self-aware and open-minded main character.

This book, Loved One by Aisha Muharrar, felt like a warm hug—but a slightly confusing one. It's funny and genuinely heart-wrenching, following Julia's mission to retrieve her late best friend Gabe's belongings. The author's writing is a total breath of fresh air, exploring grief and love with a real emotional depth. However, like other reviewers I have to admit, the entire premise felt a little strange to me. Julia's desperate quest to get a guitar and a few other trinkets felt a bit dramatic, and a mother's communications drove me a bit crazy. But I guess grief makes people do wild things. Despite that oddness, the plot and character growth were beautiful, and the way everything came together in the end was really satisfying. It's a rewarding debut, and I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

#LovedOne #NetGalley

A beautifully written novel about the complex emotions surrounding love, friendship and grief. Aisha Muharrar’s writing is simply like silk dripping off the page. It is very difficult to put down.

The plot opens at the funeral of Julia, the narrator's childhood friend Gabe. The two met while she was studying in Barcelona and he was tagging along with his mother, a poet. Despite Gabe going on to become a successful rock star and her a jeweler, the two remained close friends until they crossed the line by sleeping together. Following the event Julia is ghosted by him until one night when he suddenly calls and asks her to join him at a hotel. It would have been the last time she saw him as later that night at the age of 29 he was found dead after an accident in a hotel room.

Grief stricken, his mother asks Julia to return to London and find items belonging to her dead son. As she carries out this quest she is forced to meet with his ex-girlfriend, Elizabeth. What follows is a heart wrenching tale as the two learn to work together as they follow his footsteps retrieving items. Through their own grief they will bond and form a friendship. There are some lovely descriptions of London and Barcelona with a final touch of LA. This is a captivating story which will appeal to many and as such I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and 4th Estate and William Collins for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication

Loved One is definitely a new loved one of mine, that's for sure.

Beautiful but flawed characters, Love, loss, grief and friendships. A stunning story that flits between LA, London and Barcelona, as Julia tries to come to terms with the loss of her best friend, Gabe. We hear about their meeting, their brief romance and then their re-connections over the years as she revisits their past. But we hear about post-Gabe too; the people in her life, and his, as they are processing their own loss.

It's sad, but funny too. Julia is a brilliant lead, her tone and pace work perfectly for the story. I loved Elizabeth too although I wanted to hate her.

I've been in a rut for a while, I think this has broken it. Truly a remarkable piece of fiction.

This was an emotional read which was at times lightened by humour. It is about love, loss, friendship, memory and grief. The characters are very well depicted and relatable. An unusual choice for me but a book that kept me engrossed. Thank you Netgalley.

A beautifully written story about how messy and complicated grief can be. I enjoyed this a lot!

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

When Julia’s first-love-turned-best-friend Gabe, a successful indie musician, dies unexpectedly aged 29, Julia launches herself into an intercontinental quest to recover the possessions he left with friends and acquaintances across the world. The search for these items leads Julia to Elizabeth, the last woman Gabe loved, in an interaction that leaves Julia with more questions than answers about Gabe and their shared history. And now, Julia can’t stop talking to, thinking about and googling Elizabeth.

Messy, complicated, emotional. Such a beautiful portrayal of love and loss, and a journey towards healing. The bond that forms between Julia and Elizabeth was such an highlight for me. It's such a bittersweet read, so honest and raw, with funny moments that perfectly balance out all the emotional ones. The pacing was a little weird, definitely a little slow at first and it took me a while to get into it, but once I did and found my footing, I couldn't put it down.

When Indie musician Gabe dies tragically aged just twenty-nine, first love and best friend Julia, embarks on a trip to reunite his mother with his scattered belongings. Telling their story from when they met as teenagers in Barcelona to present day, Julia meets Gabe’s ex-girlfriend Elizabeth. In their grief, they work together, keeping secrets and learning about each other’s experiences loving the same man.

I love the complication and tenderness of Julia and Elizabeth’s relationship. Through the women’s testimony, Gabe’s character develops through their stories of him. I would have loved to have a bit more about him, though I appreciate this would have changed the elusive tone driven by questions around his intentions towards both of them.

I particularly loved the description of Barcelona and London and thought it set the scenes well as the story moved and progressed.

This is a beautifully written, nostalgic novel about the messiness of grief.

I was drawn to this book by the premise and reviews suggesting it was a witty take on grief, and thought it would be a different and unusual story. I realise Im obviously in the minority, but sadly I was very disappointed as I didnt find any wit or humour in the writing, if anything I found it slightly tedious and lost interest in the characters.
Thank you to netgalley, 4th Estate and William collins for an advance copy of this book

This is a story of two halves, two loves, a non rockstar death and a mission to retrace the steps to the things and people he left behind, travelling from LA to London, Norwich and Barcelona, Julia and Elizabeth start to size each other up and discover more about the man they loved.

This is story about grief, love, sentimentality and riding those waves of grief, coming together and having that impromptu memorial or singsong when needed.

I really enjoyed this read. Thank you NetGalley and Fourth Estate for this early release copy. Loved one is out 14th August

An engrossing and well told story of friendship, love, loss and grief. The characters were relatable and the sentiment of the story rang true. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

a captivating book with brilliant characters to meet and follow and a wonderful plot those characters take you on. Aisha gave me a wonderful time sat with this book. the writing style was just lovely, it seemed to flow off the pages and through me. some authors have that knack, to make their words feel almost like a song. and Aisha nailed it for me. she managed to give that emotional depth, the grief, the pain, but also make it feel hopeful.
the story bring us to Julia who has lost her best friend, and lost him suddenly. and as they say "we all deal with grief in our own way"and for this story we find Julia using her to spur on on to retrieve some missing items of Gabe's. she has suspicions these are with his ex.
i could understand what was happening. how you could want all your lost loved ones things here, now, ours, together. and you can feel the desperation through the pain. and this pain and desperation even make Julia travel across countries to get his things back. but also ask questions. she has so many things she needs to know about the Gabe she thought she new and also the one she didn't.
there also more to this than we thought going in, a few surprising reveal and revelations to come. there is clearly more going on here for both Elizabeth the ex and Julia,
i really enjoyed this book. it had me in its own special grip from start to finish. i had all the feels for and throughout this book. i really liked how i got to see actual complex humans. things arent always fixable or done, seen , happen in ways we plan or think they should. and people show themselves for different people in different ways. it doesn't mean you or they are less genuine or feel lesser for you. it just means we are us, and that is human.

Loved One - Aisha Muharrar | ARC review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have to admit I did pick this up purely because of the beautiful cover but I was not disappointed in the slightest!!

I don’t say this often but this book would be such a good movie. I could literally see the whole story coming together in my head, making it such an immersive experience. I found myself relating and connecting at so many points, particularly to the fans of the band Gabe was in. I’m not going to lie, I have the ability to link everything to one direction and certain parts of this felt very reminiscent of a certain event last year including Liam. The hotel?? The band?? Literal chills!!

The grief representation felt so realistic and captured multiple different experiences coping with the same pain. I love books that are similar to character studies and dive into human relationships and dynamics so this one was right up my alley. I will say some of the drama particularly between Julia and Elizabeth did seem a bit unnecessary and frustrating at times but I understand they are dealing with a very difficult situation and are stuck in a MESSY love triangle. I found myself gasping out loud and highlighting so many lines, especially as I flew through the second half of the book.
I did find the first half a little tricky to get into and I struggled with the back and forth timeline but once I was hooked I was SAT.

If nothing else this book maybe me THINK. I found myself constantly reflecting and relating this story to my own life which is my favourite thing ever that fiction has the power to do. Loved One covers infinite layers of grief and how loss affects every aspect of your life. Clearly there were some extremely heavy themes but something about the way the author writes scratched my brain and I had a wonderful time.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and 4th Estate and William Collins for allowing me to read a review copy 🩷🩷

After the last few months, experiencing loss, I was really looking for a book that could serve as an outlet, something to help me make sense of everything I was feeling. Loved One came to me exactly when I needed it most.

The story follows Julia as she navigates the loss of her best friend, Gabriel. Gabe was 29 when he passed away suddenly. He and Julia met in their late teens while studying abroad in Barcelona. As the story unfolds, Aisha Muharrar takes us through their first and last encounters…how they became friends, fell into “puppy love,” broke up, and how fate eventually brought them back together as lifelong friends. The book explores their bond with so much ease, but it also introduces us into this new relationship with Gabe’s latest girlfriend, Elizabeth. Julia travels to London on a mission to recover a few of Gabe’s lost belongings: his first guitar, a baseball hat, sheet music, and a medical bracelet Julia made for him during their brief romance in Barcelona.

Julia and Elizabeth’s relationship was my favorite part of the story. They’re brought together by their shared love (and frustrations) with Gabe, and they hold each other through an incredibly painful moment in both their lives. It feels really honest!!

When I read a book, I’m always looking for something that ties me to the story or the characters, a mutual understanding. I found so many in this one. I truly felt seen and understood while reading it. It was charming and personable, and even though its tone is often lighthearted and even funny at times, it unexpectedly hit me hard in the second half. As Julia begins to confront the reality of Gabe’s sudden death, the emotional weight really hit me. A loss like this feels wrong…like a show getting canceled mid-season, leaving you with no closure. This felt like an interruption, dislocating. With every turn of the page, you find yourself wishing the ending would never come.

Ultimately, I really loved this one, and I’m so grateful I picked it up when I did.