After You’d Gone is dark, intense, and beautifully written—Maggie O’Farrell really knows how to pull readers into complicated emotions. This one follows Alice and John’s all-consuming love story, with John giving up his family to be with her. After he dies in a London terror attack, Alice is completely lost, and as her grief unfolds, so do long-buried family secrets.

I loved the writing and was fully invested in Alice and John’s relationship, though I did wonder at times if Alice’s attachment to him was a little too much—it’s always unsettling to see a character who can’t imagine happiness without someone else. Also, I wasn’t expecting the twists about Alice’s mother, and they totally caught me off guard. On a lighter note, John having a pet axolotl was a fun little surprise.

Overall, this was a great read, even if I could have done without the spicy bits. Looking forward to reading more of O’Farrell’s backlist.