Kate Hewitt has written another emotionally draining and heart wrenching story. A tale drenched in grief, guilt, and blame. How does a family survive when the person who held it all together is no longer around? How do you live another day, take another breath, when the worst possible thing has happened? This is the story of Nathan and his three daughters and how they try to pick up the pieces and learn to live again after Laura their wife/mother has been murdered. It was heartbreaking watching Nathan struggle to keep it together while his three daughters all at different ages dealt with their grief in very different ways. In an attempt to come to terms with what had happened to his wife Nathan visits the place where she was volunteering and the people that new of her secret longings. This leads to him meeting Maria. Maria is all too familiar with guilt and grief having gone through her own tragedy. She soon becomes a major source of support for the family and ultimately is hired as the children’s nanny, but Maria has some secrets that could possibly change everything.

This story really tugged at my heartstrings, especially the grief of the daughters. Alexa was so angry, Ella was so timid, and Ruby was just so young. And then there was Nathan, he was just so lost. Not only had he lost his wife, but he didn’t really know his daughters quite as well as he should have. I thought the subject of grief was handled very lovingly and realistically in the story. Maria was a great character and I’d love a story about her that delved more into her life leading up to the events of this book. There is a bit of a mystery in the story, who killed Laura and why? But if I’m being honest it really was so unimportant to the story that I am not even certain it was necessary. An emotional read that should come with a box of Kleenex.

This book in three emojis:

Nathan's wife Laura is dead and he is now alone to raise their three young daughters. Facing this challenge, and the fact that he doesn't know his daughters as well as he thinks he does, causes him to reach out. For starters, Nathan cannot believe the circumstances in which his wife died. When he meets a woman at Laura's funeral, she is the very person Nathan reaches out to.

This woman, Maria, said that she was a friend of Laura's. Before long, she pretty much steps right in and things begin to make sense to Nathan and the girls. With Nathan's intense workload, Maria seems to be a godsend. However, things simply cannot be this easy, this smooth. Eventually Nathan begins to be concerned - not just about Maria being part of his current situation, but also Nathan begins to wonder if even knew his wife at all.

As emotional as this story is, there is more than a bit of mystery and drama when it comes to Maria. She is holding a secret very close, and things slowly begin to reveal themselves. This story is delivered in a nice format. Not only do we have both Nathan's and Maria's points of view, but there is also then and now that goes back and forth.

This touching story was literally impossible to put down. Not only was it very sensitive and heartbreaking, it made me think about my own life, my own family. This book, as in life, however, offers hope, and therefore was very compelling.

This story, as well as the previous ones, always pull at my heartstrings. Every story I read by Kate Hewitt affects me the same way. I highly recommend this book and so look forward to reading much more by this fabulous author.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

What a riveting story. I'm sure Ms Hewitt will have done extensive research into the Bosnian war and that comes across in this saga. The tale of a devastated family being helped by a survivor of this controversy kept me enthralled from beginning to end.

Laura is murdered on the subway leaving behind her husband and three daughters. This story follows their healing process. How can you heal from losing someone? A fellow volunteer at the agency Laura volunteered at is sought out by Nathan, Laura’s husband, as he tries to understand his wife’s last days. She becomes a valuable part of the family helping deal with the grief. However she has her own past to deal with.

I enjoyed this book and trying to guess what was going to happen next.

3.5

If ever there was a story that reminds you how life can change in an instant, this is it.

Nathan and his daughters lives are turned upside down when his wife, Laura, dies suddenly. It was actually really interesting seeing things from a male perspective in this story. The bread winner, the one who needs to be strong, having to not only deal with his own loss but the grief of his children also. My heart went out to this heart broken family.

The story alternates between Nathan and Maria. Through the death of Laura, it brings both these characters into each others lives. Maria has her own past that she tries to live with every day. I was intrigued to find out more about her and when I did, wow, it’s some powerful stuff.

It was interesting to see how Nathan and his daughters all deal with the loss of a wife and mother. Each one of them going through different stages and emotions. This with the mixture of Maria’s own past, really makes for some emotional reading.

No Time To Say Goodbye is pretty much a wake up call. It makes you think about the ones you love, also making you realise what is important in life. Nathan and Maria’s story offers the reader so much. Whilst in parts it is heart breaking and tender, it also offers up hope and the want of a better life. A story that touched my heart and soul and makes me want to hug my loved ones that little bit tighter.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

The shock murder of Laura, an Upper East Side mother of three, on the subway brings to light lots of questions. Why was she in that part of town, what was she doing? For her husband Nathan his wife's murder forces him to take a look at his marriage and his relationship with his children.

Maria is a Bosniak (a Bosnian Muslim) who left Bosnia 20 years ago. She works as a hairdresser and volunteers at the same shelter as Laura. Deeply traumatised by her experiences during the siege of Sarajevo and her subsequent interment in a camp, Maria felt an odd affinity to this younger woman who wanted to give something back to society.

In the process of speaking to Laura's friends and fellow volunteers at the centre Nathan meets Maria. Maria tells Nathan of conversations she had with Laura which paint a whole new picture of his wife.
Can Nathan, Maria and the three children move on from Laura's murder and has the act changed them all?

This was fascinating and poignant and uplifting and so many other things. Difficult to describe without giving away some key aspects of the plot but really well worth the read.

I think I borrowed this on Amazon Prime.

Start by doing what’s necessary; then doing what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Kate Hewitt is quickly becoming one of my favourite author's. Her writing is heartfelt and feels true to real life. The characters are flawed and believable, the book is compelling and touches on many sensitive issues. The two narrators of this story, while not always likable, are authentic. It was interesting to see the dynamics develop between Maria and Nathan as they learn more about each other. I know there is a death in the story but it isn't the main focus, it's more about what happens after.

I had held hope in my hands, like a butterfly about to take wing.
Kate Hewitt's writing flows so effortlessly and easily. Her poetic prose gripped me right from the start and I found myself having to stop as the story really impacted me in so many different ways. Hewitt shows the human side to immigration and war, really hitting home that these are people who have struggles in their life, but they are still people with the same feelings as anyone else. There was a twist to this story as we try to figure out what happened to Laura and it is a real tearjerker. Near the end I was so emotional and teary eyed.

Thank you NetGalley, Kate Hewitt and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#NoTimeToSayGoodbye #NetGalley

Laura is shot dead on the subway by an unknown assailant for reasons unknown. She leaves behind her husband and three daughters.
This book for me highlighted the struggle her husband, Nathan, has in becoming the only parent to three daughters who he doesn't really know and taking up the tasks that Laura did for the family that he wasn't even aware of. You feel sorry for him as he is out of his depth with in-laws that are no help.
Enter Maria, a friend of Laura from a shelter she volunteered at - that her family didn't know she did. Maria knows about grief and loss but the Laura she knew is different to the one Nathan and the girls knew, that the life she was living was not the one she wanted for her family.
Central to this story are the feelings of grief and loss and the paralyzing effect of them. And even how in a seemingly happy marriage how out of touch one can become. How secrets keep you from moving on and living and loving your life.
But above all its a story about find hope again and healing.
A beautiful, touching read.