IF ONLY I COULD TELL YOU Paperback – 22 August 2019

Can a broken family make their way back after what happened almost three decades back..... Genuinely broke my heart.... (4.5/5)

Good book

What a beautifully written work this one is. I’m still choking back sobs as I write this. A book hasn’t moved me this much in a long time. It’s a tale of regrets, bitterness, secrets, healing and letting go. An unfortunate diagnosis used as a catalyst to encourage people to live every day as if it’s their last and try to get others around them to heal from hurts of the past. A mothers heart is holding strong at the center of this story. It’s now one of the most treasured stories I’ve read.

A second Hannah Beckerman book for me, again a book I read in a few days.Found it relatively easy to connect to characters, and what could possibly be the buried trauma that could so divide sisters.A slow reveal as to the complexity of the families grief and the ongoing impact on them and the next generation.Chapters divided into Audrey ( mum) Lily and Jess ( daughters) but also subdivided into past (1988) and present.An interesting way to understand how children view loss and the sad misunderstandings / barriers/ secrets that are carried with each character.* Contains difficult subjects including detailed account of family loss and the processes of death from different perspectives. Sensitively done but very real and potential triggers for those who have experienced this level of involvement and trauma dealing with a family members final days.

O que mais gostei são os capítulos curtinhos, e ao contrário de algumas reviews eu amei esse livro, muito triste sim, mas os relacionamentos em famílias muitas vezes são assim. E as vezes basta um mal entendinddo para as pessoas se separarem. Li muito rápido. No começo pensei que segredo era uma coisa mas da metade pro final da pra ter uma boa ideia. Leiam

I enjoyed this book immensely. It shows just how so many actions and decisions taken years before can be carried with great burden and repercussions for future generations. Tough but important read because it can relate to many family situations.