This was good but very intense and sad - I have to admit I couldn’t finish it as it made me too upset. But I do love Jessie Cave!

sunset

When I saw Jessie Cave talk on TV about her experience writing this book, I immediately got it. For those who haven’t seen Jessie outside of her role in Harry Potter as Lavender Brown, picture a funny, quirky and eclectic personality, with a spark in her eye and a unique sense of humour.

Well. I was not prepared. I was far from imagining how intense and deeply moving it would be. Funny, raw, heartbreaking, Sunset is undeniably an exceptional debut novel, not for the faint of heart.

The writing is unique, honest and effortless. The emotions are intense, the outcome, stunning and impeccable. I really adored it! Looking forward to the next one!

I loved this audiobook. It was such a phenomenal debut and I really enjoyed the story. It really did make me cry but was also warm and witty. Such an emotional character driven novel.

Sunset is a stunningly written book following Ruth in the aftermath of her sister Hannah’s death. The narrative flips between how Ruth is affected by the grief, to memories of her beautiful relationship with her sister; a closeness and kinship that was incredible well written.
Although this book is obviously sad, Jessie Cave’s writing is just so perfect that I was absolutely enthralled and couldn’t stop reading. Cave’s ability to bring to life those real and raw feelings hit me hard, I felt so moved and haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book. I haven’t read anything that so deeply explores a persons feelings to such a heartbreakingly accurate degree ever and I can’t wait to read more work by Jessie Cave. What a debut!

I don't know who Jessie Cave is. I don't think I needed to know, though I can imagine that those who do know her may interact with the book differently. Since I don't know her, I also don't know her sister who narrates the audiobook but I can appreciate that a book about a relationship between sisters has a certain extra poignancy if it's read by the author's sister. I got that! In my mind, I pictured the reader as the woman who sees ghosts in the TV show 'Ghosts' because that's who she sounded like.

The book made me smile.
The book made me sad.
It also made me shake my head.
It made me feel very old since at no point in my life - regardless of who had died - could I ever imagine craving that amount of emotionally obliterating sex with people I didn't actually like. But, as I said, maybe that's a generational thing.

That said, despite the gap of age and attitude, I was deeply moved by this book and by the narrator's pain and experience. There's a raw sense of realism that drips through the book and I really wanted the world to get better for Ruth, and believed at the end that she was going to have a fighting chance of getting through her grief.

Thanks to the publishers (who so far let me have access to several of their adution books) and to Netgalley for my review copy.

This is a beautiful debut by Jessie Cave. A sorrowful story of the love between two sisters who go on a holiday together when one has a tragic accident and how the other sister comes to terms with her death. There were so many raw and emotional moments in this book but ultimately , despite the tragic accident , the bond between the two sisters remains even after death. Jessie Cave has written a beautiful book that will stay with you long after reading. I listened to the audio book which is narrated by her sister Bebe Cave which was wonderful! Many thanks to W F Howes Ltd and Netgalley for my gifted copy.

I enjoyed this audiobook. Jessie captured the feelings of loss and grief so poignantly. I really felt for Ruth as the story progressed and often found myself bewildered by where her grief took her.

I adored the relationship between her and Hannah. It felt real in so many ways. Jessie’s sister narrating the audiobook was also brilliant. You could really feel the depth of emotion that came through the narrative.

This was a good 4 star read for me!

Though Ruth and her sister have very different personalities, they have an unmoveable, invincible bond. Then, when tragedy strikes on their annual holiday, Ruth has to come to terms with living without her.

The sibling relationship between Ruth and Hannah is so, so lovely, and knowing that Sunset at least partially stems from Cave’s own loss of her brother makes Sunset hit all the harder. There were definitely times I wished we saw a bit more of the bickering side to their sibling relationship, but considering Ruth’s grief I do think it makes sense how much Hannah’s idolised.

I think the ‘mundane’ aspects of grief are written with the most skill – those extracts written a certain point past the date of Hannah’s death when Ruth gradually begins to return to something like normalcy, until memories of her sister rise at little, unsuspecting moments. There’s nothing overly floral about the way Sunset is written, and I’m glad – the result is a blunt, raw and often funny look at grief that doesn’t rely on unnecessary frills and ribbons to carry its emotional hits.

There are times where Sunset does feel like it’s starting to stagnate, but the subplot between Ruth and Hannah’s boyfriend Rowan does a great job of steering the book on. In many ways, I found their relationship even more interesting than that of Ruth and Hannah, and I feel like I had so many questions for them as a reader. Their combined grief brings them together, but I think there’s a lot of potential discussions to be had about whether they’re good for each other or whether they’re stopping each other from getting better. (If you’re interested in my two cents, I was very fond of Rowan, and I definitely wouldn’t be mad if we were given a ‘six months later’ reunion.)

We leave Ruth at the end of the novel still missing her sister, but also taking the first steps to move on. Her final tribute to her sister makes perfect, poignant sense.

Thank you so much #NetGalley and @welbeckpublish for my audio copy!
A copy of this review can also be found at https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZLYeWAaEX/

Sunset is a moving and heartbreaking story of life, great challenges, loss and grief. Set in London and the Mediterranean, I really enjoyed this story of sisterly love and reconciliation with issues of self-esteem and mental health. Told from Ruth's point of view, in differing timescales dating back to 1999, 2018 and the present (2019), the main characters were extremely likeable and Ruth's desperation after her sister, Hannah's terrible accident was tremendously well portrayed. As Ruth attempts to come to terms with what happened, Jessie Cave's representation of Ruth's grief was so incredibly raw and powerful. Hannah's boyfriend, Rowan was also terribly well-drawn. Hannah was the perfect big sister and a parent figure to her little sister, as well as being popular, hardworking with a successful career, a volunteer worker, and a loving girlfriend. Ruth on the other hand was complex, wild and chaotic, an artist who hasn't reached her full potential, a uni dropout, had no love life to speak of and had some antisocial tendencies, yet she was still so lovable. Although there was melancholia to sections of the story, it was well-handled by the author without being overwhelming largely due to the sweeter moments and the humour injections.

The author's writing style was a good fit for me and the deep, multilayered, charming novel wasn't frothy or saccharine. The audiobook was narrated by Bebe Cave and I alternated between reading and listening to this novel; listening to the story was a good decision and I thought it was narrated well with Bebe's engaging voice bringing the necessary worth and verve to the proceedings.

Overall, Sunset is a super book that deals with big issues but is still an easy read. Very highly recommended and definitely one of my favourite stories, so far this year. 😊🤞🌞

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from W.F. Howes and Welbeck Publishing via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

This has quickly become a favourite audiobook ever for me. What a wonderful narrator. The story was brought to life, the raw emotions portrayed so perfectly, the humour delivered right. It was just great.

I loved the story, and found as someone who has a sister, a very emotional one, yet found myself chuckling at times. This aspect of the book I really appreciated as I find I’m not good with sad stories. The comedy didn’t take away from the sadness, but helped soften the delivery.

I’ve got so much love for this audiobook and the story! I will be looking out for more from Jessie Cave for sure.

Really enjoyed this audiobook. Fast pace of storyline. Clear and understandable narrator. I would recommend.

This book was both so brilliant and so beautiful. While this book has a casual, easy-to-read tone, it covers the topics of sibling complexities, grief and life after the death of a loved one so well. While the book was heartbreaking and emotional, it also perfectly encapsulates sibling love and the feeling of losing someone who, in a way, was half of your soul, the way that Hannah was to Ruth. Cave has written this book with such brilliance and such care, while also allowing her own grief to seep into the pages.

Bebe Cave's narration of this book makes it feel all the more special when it comes to a book about sibling love.

Wow, I just absolutely ADORED this novel. Massive thank you to NetGally & Wellbeck Publishers for approving my request to I listen to this on audio, all I can say is BeBe Cave did a phenomenal job of narrating this beautiful story.

I went into Sunset not having much knowledge of what the novel was about and for me that was the best surprise. Following sisters Ruth & Hannah, complete opposites but so extremely close and totally reliant on each other. Observing this sisterly bond was really something special and I haven't read a sibling relationship quite like this one. When a tragic even occurs, their lives are never the same and the story unfolds as we dip in and out of two timelines, past and present.

A narrative full of emotive prose, exploring grief and how it creeps into every inch of your life - from your thoughts, emotions, daily tasks etc - life is never quite the same. A truly visceral reflection on grief that genuinely was like nothing I have ever read, I could not get enough of this one and cannot recommend this one enough (TW's to be mindful of).

I do not want to go into too much detail with this one as I truly feel the element of surprise is what makes this story so unique, so beautiful and utterly moving! The fact that this is a debut still blows my mind and bravo to Jessie, I cannot wait to see what she does next - I loved this one so much that I will 100% be purchasing a physical copy when released in paperback.

Sunset
By Jessie Cave

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“She tucks her hair behind her ears and blows me a kiss. Then she jumps. She seems to float in the air for a second. I take the picture. She’s smiling. She’s flying.”

I was sent this book to review and all I knew was that the actress that played Lavender Brown in Harry Potter had written it as her debut novel - SOLD. I’m a huge Potter geek so that was all I needed to know. I judged it based purely on the beautiful bright and summery cover - ‘I’ll have that as a nice read for a hot day out in the garden’ I thought.. well I’m sorry but this book is not your average sunny day read - it’s breathtaking, intense and totally heart shattering. It’s addictive and relatable and honestly - I LOVED it!

🧡 Sunset is the story of two sisters, Ruth and Hannah. Hannah is organised, committed and graceful. Ruth is chaotic, flakey and fragile. They go together on their annual summer holiday - usually filled with laughter, bickering and love. But this time it’s different. Something happens that will change everything. 🧡

I read/listened to this book in 3 sittings - i could’ve read it in one but you know - kids, life etc. I was so engrossed by the actions of the main character - frustrated and empathetic all at once. This is a book I will recommend widely and one that will always have a place in my heart.

This book has been compared to ‘Normal People’ by Sally Rooney but personally I cannot see any likeness - this book is filled with darkness but still somehow so welcoming and familiar. It reminded me more of an adult version of ‘The Illustrated Mum’ by Jaqueline Wilson - it’s like Dolphin and Star have grown up and had their hearts broken all over again.

Jessie Cave wrote this novel in memory of her brother who passed away in 2019. She has poured her whole heart into it and it shows. She makes mention of the rest of her family in the acknowledgements especially her baby sister, Bebe who narrates the audio book.

I can’t wait to read more by Jessie Cave, with such an amazing debut I can only imagine how awesome her next books will be too!

Thank you so so so much to Netgalley allowing me to read this.
I absolutely loved this book. Brilliantly written, amazing truly amazing.

The narrator reads it perfectly, she captures the pace and overall feel of it really well, I think it's amazing that the person reading it is her sister Bebe Cave.
Jessica Cave has captured siblings bond perfectly, she has taken aspects from her own relationship with her sister which you can tell due to how feel it feels. This was a beautiful story, I can't believe this was her debut novel , I it not hesitate to give it a 5*.
I requested this with no idea really what it was about, but it was full of love, loss and grief. Highly reccomend.

Sunset 🌅

Ad - pr.

Wow wow wow. I loved this book so much. A story on grief and sibling relationships this was incredibly emotional and I know it will stay with me for a long time.

I both read and listened to this (thank you to @netgalley @welbeckpublish for the advance e-book and audiobook) and that immersive reading experience was special, even more so given that it was narrated by Bebe Cave, Jessie’s sister.

The descriptions of life after loss were so raw and honest, it was painful to read in the very best way and it’s so hard to believe that this is a debut from @jessiecave given how beautifully this is captured.

Emotional and captivating, this will make you laugh and cry and I’ll be thinking about this forever - definitely pick up a copy to see for yourself!

4.5⭐️

I am a fan of the author but struggled to get into her writing. The narrator of the audiobook was compelling and brought the drama to life.

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK
Loved it. Love it. Can’t stop thinking about it. Just amazing, really bloody amazing.
I was lucky enough to read it on NetGalley, as an audiobook which was a really special reading experience as Jessie Cave’s sister narrated the book - which is all about the relationship between sisters. Truly stunning. I actually cannot believe that Sunset is a debut because this story is really something else, one of the easiest 5 stars I have ever given.

I went into Sunset having no idea what it was about, I requested it on a whim as it was an audiobook and I wanted something to listen to. I got accepted on Friday, and finished listening on Saturday. I listened non stop Saturday for 9 hours straight - I literally couldn’t stop listening.

Sunset perfectly describes the sisterly bond, sisterly love and what having a sister is like. A book full of love, loss and grief. Friendship and companionship, and love with the most unexpected people. We follow Ruth and Hannah, who are the closest of sisters but total opposites. They rely on each other so heavily that you couldn’t imagine one without the other.

The most visceral and compassionate story which speaks about grief so strongly and beautifully, with so much humour and empathy that I had to constantly remind myself this was a work of fiction. Truly amazing. I couldn’t get enough of this read and will 100% be purchasing once it is out in paperback - or hardback. I just need a physical copy in my life.

I actually didn’t really have an idea of what this book was about. After a few chapters I realised this isn’t my usual read but I kept going. Its a really well written thought out read that really portrays grief, loss and sibling relationships. The pace and flow of the book worked well. Some of the characters are very likeable and others not so much and in particular Ruths character I found I went through the motions of liking and disliking. I liked the narration and found her voice engaging. If I had of known more about the storyline I may not have picked it up but I’m glad I went into it blind as where it’s not my usual read it was still interesting.

3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟/🌟

Thanks to Netgalley and W.F Howes Ltd for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC that will be published on the 24th of June.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. Jessie Cave has written a fantastic debut!
The characters seem so real. At times I didn't like the main protagonist and her flaws and messy behaviour. But then she seems more realistic as she deals with her heartbreak and the truth of that can be very brutal very raw and very emotional. Jessie Cave also manages to inject humour in to the book , and I did laugh out loud on many occasions. This book will make you laugh and then break you! Bebe Cave does a great job as narrator of the story too.
I'd definitely recommend this to my fellow book lovers and I'd be interested to read more from Jessie Cave!