These Hands by Darcy Daniel is a gripping and emotionally layered story told from multiple points of view. At first, I wasn’t sure if the story would be for me, but I quickly found myself pulled in and completely absorbed. The plot was well-paced and engaging, and the alternating perspectives added depth to the characters and their experiences.

While I did have a strong feeling about how the story would end—and I turned out to be right—it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. The journey was still compelling and kept me invested until the end.

The audiobook narration was a perfect fit for this story. Sofia Lette and Antony Davis complemented each other well, and having both a male and female voice really helped bring the dual perspectives to life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.

Beautiful love story!
4.5⭐️

Someone's nightmare is someone else's dream. Everything happens for a reason and this book explains that beautifully.

I deeply enjoyed this book! I read and listened to the audio. The narrators did a fantastic job they were perfect for the characters. The duet narration was a big plus for me.

Lucas has a special gift and for this reason, his mom keeps him sheltered. Until a new neighbor Moves in.. we follow Kelsey and Luke when they were children and becoming friends to when they are adults.

I dont love the miscommunication trope . But the ending made up for it. Even though I seen it coming it was still heartbreaking , then happy again .


** Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC audio **
review posted on Goodreads and Amazon.
Goodreads is live now. Amazon was submitted said it would take a few days.

These Hands by Darcy Daniel had a lot of emotional depth and potential, and there were definitely parts that resonated with me. The exploration of grief, guilt, and forgiveness gave the book a tender, human touch. I appreciated how the author delved into the emotional toll of choices made in the past, especially as we slowly learned more about Lila's complicated relationship with her sister and the tragic loss that changed everything.

One of the most moving aspects for me was the way the story handled Lila’s struggle to reconnect with her niece after years of estrangement. Those moments felt real and raw, and the emotions were portrayed with honesty. I also thought the symbolism of “hands”, what we hold on to, what we let go of, and what we’re capable of, was beautifully done.

That said, the pacing felt uneven in places. Some scenes lingered a bit too long, while others I wished had been explored more deeply, especially the ending, which wrapped up a little too neatly, given all the emotional build-up. The narration was solid, but there were moments where the emotional delivery didn’t quite match the weight of what was happening.

Overall, These Hands was touching and had moments that truly landed for me, even if it didn’t fully come together in the end. I think readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven stories with themes of loss and redemption may find a lot to connect with here.

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

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC of this title!

This story was an emotional journey, and I’m still processing how I feel about it. Lucas was an absolute standout for me. His character was deeply compelling. His isolation and unwavering devotion were beautifully written. I found myself completely drawn to him and his emotional arc throughout the book. His longing and loyalty were heartbreaking and powerful, making him a solid five-star character in my eyes. Kelsey, on the other hand, was more difficult for me to connect with. Early on, I strongly felt that she only liked Lucas for his abilities instead of actually caring about him. I will say that she earned a measure of redemption, especially in the moment when Lucas couldn't "fix" her face and she accepted that.
Around the three fourths of the way into the book, I began to suspect where the story was heading. I was hoping for a different ending that would give Lucas the life he was denied in childhood. While I was ultimately satisfied with Kelsey’s choice to embrace life as it is, rather than chasing after what can’t be changed, I can’t help but wish for more for Lucas. Lastly, I have to highlight the audio narration. It was phenomenal. Both narrators were new to me, and they brought so much richness to the story. Their accents were wonderfully authentic! Thank you again for the opportunity to listen early!

These Hands by Darcy Daniel
Narrated in Duet by Antony Davis & Sofia Lette
ALC provided by NetGalley

The author and narrators are all new to me but I thoroughly enjoyed this narration from Antony and Sofia and the story was just beautiful, sad at times but beautiful.

This was a beautiful, moving and very emotional love story with an element of paranormal thrown in which I really loved.

The storyline deals with some tough topics and although difficult to read, these were really well written and dealt with sensitively and in a way that felt realistic and naturally flowed.

I loved the dual timeline within this story, getting to know how Lucas and Kelsey’s story began, those chapters were definitely needed.

I really loved Lucas so much and the story hooked me right from the start.

I will definitely check this author out again as I thought the writing was beautiful.

This book was a love story that grabbed my attention right away. The writing style was smooth and well-crafted, making it easy to get into the story and stay engaged. I really liked how the author developed the characters and showed their emotions in a natural way.

That said, there were some elements in the story that didn’t quite work for me personally. Maybe it was certain plot points or the way some relationships unfolded — I can’t put my finger on exactly what it was, but those parts didn’t fully connect with me. Despite that, it didn’t ruin the experience.

Overall, it was a nicely written book with heartfelt moments and believable characters. If you enjoy love stories with genuine emotion and good writing, this one is worth checking out.