book review before I let you go

An emotional page-turner leaving the reader plenty to think about. Before I Let You Go will hit a nerve with anyone dealing with addiction or trauma in their family, leaving you pondering a dilemma many of us face. How much are you willing to sacrifice for family?

Your sister needs you. But her child needs you more… A moving page-turner with a heart-pounding dilemma: Your sister or her baby. Who do you choose? Fans of Jodi Picoult and Jojo Moyes will love Australia’s Kelly Rimmer.

As children, Lexie and Annie were incredibly close. Bonded by the death of their beloved father, they weathered the storms of life together. When Lexie leaves home to follow her dream, Annie is forced to turn to her leather-bound journal as the only place she can confide her deepest secrets and fears…

As adults, sisters Lexie and Annie could not be more different. Lexie is a successful doctor and happily engaged. Annie is an addict – a thief, a liar and unable to remain clean. When Annie’s newborn baby is in danger of being placed in foster care, Annie picks up the phone to beg her sister for help. Will Lexie agree to take in her young niece? And how will Annie survive, losing the only thing in her life worth living for?

Duffy’s Review Of Before I Let You Go

I’m a big fan of JoJo Moyes, less so of Jodie Picoult, so was intrigued by the marketing PR stating that fans of both will love this book, and wondered if I would enjoy Before I Let You Go.  This book starts off pretty run of the mill and I thought I knew what I was in for, until, without warning, I was sucked into the worlds of Lexie and Annie.

The chapters flip back in time and we piece together the tragic and troubled childhoods of Lexie and Annie via Annie’s journal entries. The secrets slowly unfurl and you go through waves of utter frustration to empathy and heartbreak, then a prayer for them to catch a break.

Rimmer writes from the heart and shows the flaws of all of her characters, in particular, those of Annie and Lexie. The older sister Lexie may seem to have it all together,  but only just clings on to the life she wants and needs to ensure the safety and survival of her little sister and her tiny newborn niece.

Nerves will be pricked and memories will surface for anyone dealing with addiction in the family or have close sibling relationships. We all go through periods of frustration, exasperation, love and guilt and this book will have you facing them all. Before I Let You Go caught me off guard and had me crying on occasion, so be prepared to experience a wide range of emotions as you peek into the lives of two sisters trying to escape the past and ultimately shine a mirror on your own family.

4stars from me available now in all good bookstores

Readers of Before I Let You Go will love Love Your Sister and Tom Houghton

before I let you go book review