4 Stars

One Liner: Sweet and hopeful

 Luke has been struggling with just about everything since the death of his wife, Helen. Handling their six-year-old daughter, Amy has been another uphill task. If only, he could have Helen near him again. 

Connie’s relationship with her mum was one of the best. Her mum was her friend, housemate, and a cheerleader. Connie is devastated by the death of her mother and would do anything to speak to her once again. 

Teen twins, Lucy and Alex, miss their dad terribly but cannot express it. 

As their paths cross at a Bereavement Café, a cozy little place in Dublin, they meet a person who might make their dreams come true. 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Connie, Luke, and Lucasta. 

Though the book deals with the grief of losing a loved one, it has many lighthearted moments that balance out the heaviness. 

The pacing is steady almost throughout. Moreover, the narrative shifts between the three tracks with ease. The limited third-person POV helps as it is easier to go with the change (compared to first-person POV). 

The impact of losing a loved one comes across clearly in Luke and Connie’s tracks. Little Amy made me sad and happy. Luke’s work-life balance and Connie’s frustration about her job are realistic and thought-provoking. 

Of course, I happily disliked the characters I was supposed to hate. The other characters like Stella, Phoebe, and Will were good and did their bit to support the plotline. 

Since the official blurb mentions Lucy and Alex, I thought their track would be just as detailed as the others. Turns out, that’s not the case. They get some attention but not enough to be mentioned in the blurb. 

Lucasta is a key character – eccentric, straightforward successful, and kindhearted. While I could see her side, I could also feel for her assistant. The resolution of their track is well done. 

Though there are hints of love, there is no romance. The focus firmly stays on the central theme. I appreciate it a lot. Even the epilogue is just right – hopeful for a happy future but at their own pace. After all, we cannot rush through the grieving process.  

To summarize, Remember, I Love You is a story that’ll make you a wee bit sad but also feel happy and hopeful for the characters. The concept of Bereavement Café is beautiful (there are quite a few branches in and around the UK). 

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

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