All I can say is that when you read this book you need to protect your heart. It will be crushed. But it will be the most exquisite heartbreak you will ever experience. Reading this book is a complete joy and a pleasure even if you do end up in the corner of your bedroom rocking back and forth in the foetal position.

This is my first Chris Cleave and he is such a beautiful, generous writer. The way he crafts dialogue is a dream and he should be writing screenplays. Mary, Tom, Alistair, Hilda, Zachary, Simonson - so many amazing characters and you will love every one of them. I ship myself with Alistair though, so back off.

A WWII epic & sweeping love story -this is the ATONEMENT of this decade. Please do your reading life a favour and pick up this book in May. It's THE book of 2016.

If you find a heart on a floor somewhere it's mine. This book damaged it quite a bit so please be gentle.