Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh

16 reviews

readingwithmeredith's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Confinement, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Miscarriage, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, and Mental illness

Minor: Cursing and Sexual content

Not open door but sex is a part of the storyline/topics casually mentioned

what_heather_loves's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

"To be near my wife, to Emma is to return to source.
So when I learn, in the days following this morning - this in pc, commonplace morning, with dogs and frog and coffee and dead priests - that I know nothing of this woman, it will break me."

I adored this complex and emotional read, which is a character-driven thriller, for those who aren't usually drawn to mysteries and thrillers. It's not about a crime, but about love and the emotional impact of sometimes unforgivable, weighty decisions on two families, who become entangled as a result. Chapters alternate between charismatic protagonist Emma and her winsome husband Leo, as the secret she has carefully kept hidden begins to unravel.  The first part of scene setting is a little slower, but the rest of the novel feels brisk and engaging, one of those books you can't put down. I felt for Emma and also for Janice (the woman from the other family) because of how their roles as mothers was challenging and nuanced. Tightly written, there is skilful ambiguity in the early part, the author knowing the reader is likely to jump to a particular conclusion about why Emma is hiding her past that later turns out to be incorrect. 

Exploring challenging topics such as mental illness and deception in families, this is a heart-wrenching, nuanced and compelling mystery.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Mental illness

Moderate: Infertility, Pregnancy, and Stalking

bethanyearle's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Mental illness, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Stalking, and Infertility

Minor: Suicide attempt

wifeslife's review against another edition

emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, and Infertility

chelle22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cancer, Pregnancy, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Death of parent, Cursing, Self harm, Sexual content, Child abuse, and Infidelity

saricostanzo's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Mental illness, Suicide, Cancer, Child abuse, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Alcoholism

mkchickentender's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Mental illness, Cancer, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Infertility

Minor: Miscarriage, Cursing, Stalking, Child death, Death of parent, and Abortion

lisa00's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Blood, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Bullying, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny

Moderate: Miscarriage

megkrouse's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Terminal illness and Suicide attempt

Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Toxic relationship

meeklovestoread's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Honestly this story was not what I was expecting at all. And it took a direction that I didn't anticipate when I initially went into this book. The author's writing style was pretty foreign to me as well. And it was a slow in the beginning for me. I think around 60 pages is when the story started hitting off for me. It was pretty thrilling and heartbreaking. I understand why Emma felt the need to do what she did and same with Janice. It was a very entertaining read once the story picked up. But I felt like there are a few loose ends that needed more explaining. Like what was up with Jill? The author made it seem like there was a deeper meaning to her actions and then never went along to explain further.

Spoiler

Also them finding Janice was pretty anticlimactic to me. Not necessarily the part where they found her in the shed, but more so why she did it. Like the whole reason she abandoned her family over having a mental breakdown over what she did felt very underwhelming for me. I felt like that needed more explanation. And also I maybe have forgotten, but I don't recall this conversation Janice and Emma had that led to Emma finding her. And also the whole Robbie thing was made to seem like it was big but then was just explained away just like that.

Also the characters cutting each other off when they were trying to explain something was irrating and felt like a tool the authout used to further the suspense which is her prerogative of course. Overall I'm glad I ended up enjoying this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Cancer, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Moderate: Miscarriage and Stalking