How is this a debut? Simply outstanding.

The plot twist IN THE FIRST CHAPTER? WHAT?!

Rothschild has written this in a really unique POV, one I don’t think I’ve come across before. We follow Tom as he navigates fatherhood and is conflicted by a real moral dilemma.

I would hate to ruin this book for anybody by giving away the plot so I’ll leave this review saying I thoroughly enjoyed this one, a real page turner and I’m excited for future novels from Loretta Rothschild.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

Finding Grace is a beautifully written and deeply moving story that will stay with you long after you turn the final page. Loretta Rothschild has a gift for weaving together heartfelt emotion, complex characters, and a storyline that feels both raw and hopeful.

This book has a shocking start that instantly pulled me in and kept me engrossed from the very first page. Tom’s journey felt authentic and messy, yet ultimately uplifting, with relationships that were layered and complex. The pacing was gentle but engaging, and the prose was so evocative I often found myself rereading sentences just to appreciate the writing.

The only reason I held back half a star is that I found Tom frustrating at times. His reluctance to admit the truth for so long left me impatient, even though I understood why it was important for the story.

A powerful, heartfelt read that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys character driven fiction full of heartbreak, hope and healing.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

I was sent a copy of Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild to read and review by NetGalley. I absolutely loved this novel. It was beautifully written, poignant, heartfelt, intriguing and utterly readable. There was only one small thing that I have to grumble about and that is that even though it is set in the UK and written by a British author there is a smattering of American spelling – e.g. color instead of colour, and there are quite a few Americanisms scattered throughout as well. A small niggle I know, but it is something that sets my teeth on edge! Anyway, regardless of my own personal irritations I wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is a triumph!

I've read just over 50 books so far this year and this is by far the best yet. The opening pages drew me straight in and literally took my breath away. Fantastic debut and I hope there's more to come from this talented author

I went into this book knowing very little about it, other than the blurb and I’m so pleased I did. The opening chapter is one of the most memorable I’ve ever read. It comes with a whiplash like twist that sets the story off on a totally unexpected trajectory.

Just as you are beginning to recover from the initial twist, the story then poses a moral dilemma. As the characters grapple with this dilemma and the consequences are realised, you find yourself questioning their decisions and asking whether we should be guided by our hearts or our heads.

For this reason this book would make an excellent choice for a book club pick. It explores many issues such as what it means to be a mother; the moral and legal implications surrounding egg donations and surrogacy as well as how we respond to grief. I can imagine it would lead to a lively book club discussion.

A really impressive debut, which I would definitely recommend.

I feel like this is the type of book that the synopsis doesn’t give anything away about the story and I love it for that!! So I’m not giving a synopsis 🙈

I was instantly hooked by this book (if you’ve read it then you’ll know why!!) and couldn’t put it down to the point I read it in one day! I felt it was a bit of a strange one but at the same time didn’t feel toooooo far fetched. I loved the characters and was rooting for everyone. The story is definitely something different but that’s partly why I loved it so much. Feel like it’s gonna be one that I’ll be recommending for a while!

I can’t believe I didn’t pick it up sooner! But thank you so much to @johnmurrays for this proof copy!

If I could give this book 6 stars then I definitely would!

The beginning of “Finding Grace” was mind-blowing in the best possible way - like a punch to the gut. I couldn’t believe what I’d just read. What a twist! Sadly, that twist turned out to be both the first and the last. After that, Finding Grace settles into what I can only categorise as “romantic women’s fiction.” A great summer pool read and not much more.

I feel the author, Loretta Rothschild, had the potential to do so much more with the unique narrative perspective ("Never thought I'd be happy to see my husband in bed with another woman." - are you intrigued?!). It was such a promising device! But ultimately, it felt like just another way to tell a not-very-exciting story. Most of the time, I forgot who the narrator even was, and in the end, it didn’t really matter.

The novel centres around one big lie, which grows and evolves before finally resolving. I won’t spoil the plot, but let’s just say: if there’s a gun on the mantle in the first act, it will certainly go off in the last (thank you, Chekhov, for the metaphor, though here it’s more a matter of inevitability than suspense).

As for the characters - they are slightly annoying, not particularly compelling and at times behave in ways that feel random and inconsistent. Some of their actions are justified in retrospect, but by then the emotional impact is lost, these post-factum explanations feel more like patches than deliberate development,

To avoid major spoilers, I won’t say whether the book ends in “happily ever after” or disaster, but I can say one thing: what a flat ending. Lacklustre, underwhelming, and just… another blah.

“Finding Grace” isn’t a bad book. It’s just not one I’ll be raving about. I’m giving it an extra star solely for that brilliant twist at the beginning.

A note to the editors:
Please be consistent with spelling: the book is mostly edited in British English (colour, favour), but there are occasional Americanisms that feel out of place (neighbor, traveled).

Many thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

The arty cover drew me in and I must admit the narrative didn’t disappoint. Not my usual type of read and I’m glad I didn’t read any kind of synopsis.

Honor is desperate for a second child to the detriment of her relationship with her first child and husband. Tom and Honor have exhausted all fertility methods and are on a Christmas break at the Ritz in Paris. Beautiful surroundings, a wholesome and nurturing family unit but an undercurrent of discontent is taking the shine off the moment. The story takes a heart-breaking turn and the fallout affects her husband Tom in ways he can’t comprehend.

A gripping debut read, definitely TV drama material , the reader goes through a flux of emotions through the relationship struggles, grief and misconstrued hope for the future.

Thanks Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. A outstanding debt novel!
What a beautiful story and a story that stays with you for some time.
A gut wrenching start to the story, a devastating tragedy splinters Tom’s world.
The characters in this book come alive on the pages and I found myself rooting for Tom to be brave and live again.
Finding Grace is so much more than a love story, there is tragedy, loss, bereavement, infertility, heartache, guilt, loneliness, but through the story there is hope, longing, friendship bonds, loyalty, healing, courage and love.
This is an emotional compelling read, twisty and full of drama.
I didn’t want the story to end, be prepared to smile, laugh and cry.
A top read for 2025.
Many thanks to Net Galley and John Murray Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Well that opening chapter completely and utterly through me!

To be honest I didn’t really know what to expect from this story but after that final line in the opening chapter I knew I was in for something unique - what a twist!

The story follows Tom as he navigates through life (that’s all I’m saying) and each of the chapters are narrated from a rather unique person.

It was heart wrenching, messy but ultimately uplifting. A story about life, the struggles we face and how to carry on when we think it’s all too much.

I inhaled Finding Grace with my jaw on the floor, heart in my mouth, and brain quietly whispering, “Wait, what!?”

Honor has a beautiful daughter, a workaholic husband, and a desperate longing for another baby. But one shocking moment fractures everything. Years later, a single decision ripples through their lives, colliding with another woman’s story in ways I never saw coming.

It’s hard to review without spoilers, because what makes this novel work is also what I can’t really talk about. It hinges on one hell of a twist, so I’ll tread lightly.

This isn’t your average domestic drama. It’s genre-defying, emotionally thorny, and structurally bold. The narrative is layered, the moral dilemmas brutal. And while the characters are deeply flawed, that’s kind of the point.

Yes, the plot occasionally stretches believability, at times to the point of implausibility. But I didn’t care. I was in. I couldn’t look away. Unputdownable reading.

What stood out most was the structure: two narrators, both complicated, both holding more than they reveal. Rothschild writes with real emotional clarity about how love can curdle, the things we justify in the name of motherhood, marriage, and survival, and the cost of the secrets we keep.

It’s an ugly story, honestly. The characters are difficult, and their choices are often painful to witness. But there’s something compelling in that emotional wreckage — a raw, unsettling honesty that lingers.

Finding Grace is one for readers who don’t shy away from messy, morally complex fiction. If you enjoy taboo territory, emotional intensity, and ethical grey zones, this will hit hard.

Content warning: fertility struggles and loss are major themes.

Many thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley. As always, this is an honest review. Finding Grace is out now.

Can I start by mentioning THAT end of the first chapter?! I had to set the book down and take a moment to let what just happened sink in. I definitely wasn’t expecting that!

This is one of those stories best entered without too much forewarning, so I’ll keep it light on plot detail - but trust me when I say: it grips you from the start and doesn’t let go.

Told through an unusual but beautifully executed narrator structure, Finding Grace weaves together grief, healing, and human connection with real emotional clarity.

The truth is, it is an ugly story. The MMC’s behaviour is problematic. But anyone who has experienced raw grief can relate to the desperation you can feel to hold onto any chance of new happiness. The terror you can feel about losing more people you love. It’s intense. Maybe I was overly forgiving of what are otherwise huge red flags, because I can related.

I deducted half a star (rounded down because I can’t do half stars on here) because I personally struggle with spiralling-secret plot lines that make you want to scream “just tell the truth!” As a driver for tension, I tend to find it really irritating and makes me lose interest. I also thought some of the friends were too intrusive and interfering for my liking. But those are small gripes in an otherwise phenomenal debut.

Emotional, tender, and powerful. Loretta Rothschild is one to watch.

Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for gifting me my copy.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. It was an emotional read, particularly at the beginning. The storyline was not quiet as I expected. I also anticipated a different ending but I was not disappointed by the one written. Tom is a very typical man. Honor, his wife was very single minded at the beginning of the story. Grace was a likeable woman. I found some of the friends very overbearing. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but I eould have liked a quicker pace to it.

This was unfortunately not for me. I found both the premise and romance unsettling. The husband creeped me out. That said, when I was telling my sister about it and why i didn’t like it, she was immediately both intrigued and keen to read it as she thinks it sounds fantastic - so this might be as simple as a taste issue where I’m just not the right audience. The first chapter was incredible.
Very grateful for the proof though, I really appreciate it despite it not landing for me this time.

Due to a family bereavement I have not read this book yet. I hope to be able to get to it soon.
Thank you

This is a tricky book which is out to impress with a surprising angle from the start. It made me very uncomfortable in its treatment of egg donation and surrogacy, and many of its characters are extremely unlikeable, the tone missing in certain places where the London setting is described with an American lifestyle which jarred on me, as did the seemingly effortless acquisition and use of money throughout the novel. The improbably plot came up against the stylistic expertise and made it an unpleasant read for me. Best avoided if fertility issues are a trigger, or if an unpleasant man in unfortunate circumstances manipulating those around him is a turnoff for you.

Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild surprised me. The beginning was absolutely jaw-dropping and had me hooked. As the story unfolded, I did feel the plot stretched believability a bit too far at times, but I still found myself enjoying the story. The writing is strong and the romance is tender and engaging, which made it easy to stay invested.

Even with its occasional leaps, I genuinely appreciated the story and the author’s voice. I’m pretty sure this is her debut, and if so, I’ll definitely be looking out for whatever she writes next.

Finding Grace
By Loretta Rothschild

Whiplash! That's what reading the end of the first chapter gave me. This book is genre defying. Unfortunately, when a novel is so reliant on a sensational plot device, it becomes difficult to review because we become so tied up in being spoiler free.

This story lost me when the letter arrived. Every plot point depends on this one error. As a reader, once I have been spliced from the story by a detail I don't buy, it's hard to recover. I couldn't see past the incongruency between the first chapter and the rest of the book.

The narrative voice, an unusual choice, at first was interesting, but then became irritating and felt devicey. Soon I was like the child at the puppet show noticing the strings.

I like Rothschild's writing, her turns of phrase, her dialogue, everything on a sentence level, however some things in this novel left a bad taste, particularly the use of deception and trickery as plot points, structure and literary device. It makes it difficult to market and difficult to talk about. I would like to have a conversation about all the ways I despise the tactics used by Tom to secure his romantic "win", but...spoilers.

This book was not a win for me. I love a good plot twist, but not when it's all that is remarkable about the story. It's the novel version of click bait.

Thanks to #Netgalley and #JohnMurrayPress for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

As a lot of people have said, it’s very hard to review this book without spoilers!
However the inciting incident is in the first 15 or so pages so I understand if it’s hard to blurb without. However I wouldn’t want to spoil it as I found it so shocking I thought I’d misread it!

The narrative approach is unique although apparent from the initial shock I’m not sure what it adds.

I enjoyed this a lot and found it a very pacey, intriguing read. However maybe it was the detached narrative style but I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable or realistic. I found Grace a bit too perfect and unbelievable as a character and Tom similarly boring and one-dimensional.

You spend the whole book waiting for revelations to come to life and for me, I really did not like the last 15% of the book. I especially did not like the ending as I found it a tad twee but I think this is due to my dislike of the characters.

Overall this is very original, intriguing and a page-turner. I suspect it will be a popular book to discuss this summer.

Different ... so very different, and an absolutely compelling read!

Normally I would give an idea of the synopsis of the book at this point, but I came to this one 'blind', so to speak, and I'm certainly not going to spoil that experience for anyone else. Suffice to say that this is beautifully written, full of surprises (to say the least) and a terrific debut. Once I began reading, I could hardly bear to put this story down, I was always so desperate to discover what happened next.

Exciting, unexpected and riveting; don't take my word for it - read it. For me, 4*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley.