Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
The first few pages of this book grabbed my attention, getting to find out a bit about Scarlett and her relationship with Evie, her best friend (who has a chronic condition which is easily understood to be MS but this isn't confirmed til much later) and waiting for Scarlett's death. Within a few chapters we are told the funeral happens within a couple of weeks - certification of death from such an accident would involve the coroner and it is highly unlikely that a funeral could be planned and held so quickly. Thereafter I thought it progressed far too slowly, and Scarlett's thoughts and observations seemed superfluous to the story of Evie and Nate. My copy was littered with American spellings (although these may have been changed in final editing) which is unacceptable in a story set in England with British characters. I got so bored with the slow progress at 40% I skipped to the final chapter (which another reviewer said was excellent) and remain unimpressed. I DNF.

Such a lovely heartwarming story about a special friendship and the aftermath of one of them dying. Really lovely read

While not entirely with a plot that is unpredictable, this novel stuns with how moving it is. I couldn't stop reading until the very last page - I hope everyone has a chance to read this book if only to experience how deep thought provoking it is.

Hopeful, romantic, heart-breaking are three words which some up Becky Hunter's wonderful novel One Moment. A beautifully constructed prose, with relatable characters. It does not disappoint.

Oh my goodness, this beautiful book is like Humpty Dumpty: it completely broke me but also put me back together again. I'm going to say sorry now to all the other debut authors of 2023 as Becky Hunter has set an incredibly high bar; One Moment is THE debut of 2023 and I absolutely adored it.

Scarlett and Evie have been best friends forever so Evie is devastated when Scarlett goes to work one day and never returns. The accident that took Scarlett from Evie brings Nate into her life, but Evie can't forgive him for being the reason her friend is no longer here. Unbeknown to Evie, Scarlett is still here...watching life going on without her and reliving moments from her past.

Everything about this book is perfect: the writing is flawless, the plot is sublime and the characters are so well-developed they virtually pop out of the page. The range of emotions this book evokes is astonishing: I laughed, cried and everything in between.

I loved this book so much I could read it again and again; Becky Hunter is definitely one to watch and I'm already considering myself to be a fan so I can't wait to read whatever she writes next. One Moment is an unmissable, emotional and beautiful debut that's an easy 5 stars.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I absolutely adored this book. It was so fresh and unique and written so beautifully. Evie is a brilliant character and easy to relate to, her vulnerability makes her easy to love. And Scarlett is wonderfully funny. I truly loved their friendship. And the ending wow how poignant and perfect.

Such a perfect book. I can't wait to read the next by this author, she has an incredible talent.

Whilst the reader may well see the way in which the plot is headed this will in no way detract from the sheer reading pleasure of this sprightly tale….
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was an excellent page turner that I couldn’t put down.

A touching tale of living every day to the fullest because you never know what'll happen tomorrow. While I was glad that Evie got her closure, it felt to me that her relationship with Nate seemed rushed into and she forgave him way too quick. I also feel like Scarlett was not does as much justice as she could've at the end of the book.

General Thoughts 🤔

The concept and plot of this book was what drew me to it to begin with and after reading it, I can confirm that it was as interesting and as thought provoking as I thought it was going to be. I can also confirm that it’s a hard pass from me, I don’t think I’d like to hang around and watch my family and friends after my death, I don’t think I could cope with it. Unless I was able to skip to the part where they’re not upset anymore and can celebrate my life rather than mourn my absence.

Characters 👫👭👬

Scarlett and Evie had such a lovely friendship and I think they were the chalk to the other’s cheese. Whilst Scarlett was outgoing, bubbly and definitely a risk taker, Evie was more reserved, quiet and passive. I don’t think that Evie would have been the woman she grew into if it hadn’t been for Scarlett’s death. I think that Scarlett was a comfort blanket for Evie and it was easy for her to stay at home and sit with her illness rather than go out and push herself to enjoy her life within her own boundaries.

Then Nate came along and I loved that he entered Evie’s life. He shook things up for her, took her out of her comfort zone and made her realise that she was capable of so much more. I think Scarlett watching on would have felt a pang of jealousy that she wasn’t able to do this for Evie, but ultimately was appreciative of the impact Nate had.

Writing Style ✍️

This was a beautiful book to read and I loved the writing from this debut author. Stories about friendship always seem to hit a bit of an emotional place for me and so this story played right into that. I liked the way that Becky Hunter gave such an honest telling of grief and what it can look like. I also liked that she was able to write in a character that was dead, but still grew and developed.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖

Such a gorgeous story about grief, loss, love, friendship and personal growth. Becky Hunter’s debut hit that magical sweet spot between devastatingly sad and hilariously funny that made me want to cry and laugh all at the same time. If you fancy an emotional read that will pull on all of your heartstrings but also leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, then I definitely recommend this book.

One Moment is as stunning as it is devastating; it is one of those rare books that manages to toe that fine line between utterly heartbreaking and yet still hopeful and uplifting by its end. Oh and what an end, everyone is right it’s quite the twist. I will say though this is a book that deserves to be read blind, yet I must offer the warning that this is a story of grief following a sudden and very tragic death. There are other CW warnings to bare in mind, please do ask if you’d like to know.

One Moment begins on what should be the most important day of Scarlett’s life, and yet it’s the day she dies. Despite her death, she’s still here, bearing witness to the ripple effects of her own death. Meanwhile her best friend Evie cannot fathom how to go on without Scarlett, and she certainly cannot forgive Nate, the man she blames for her her friends death. Yet Nate keeps popping up in Evie’s life and helps to transform it in ways even those closest to get hadn’t been able to.

But if you could go back, knowing everything that happens after, everything that happens because of that one moment in time, would you change the course of history or would you do it all again?

One Moment is so cleverly written. To be granted an insight into Scarlett’s perspective on the events following her death was incredibly unique. Her chapters are balanced against those of Evie’s, where we follow her life after Scarlett’s passing.

Evie goes on such a journey throughout this book, not only through her grief but in pushing her limits following her MS diagnosis. She is helped along the way not only by Nate, but by Astrid, her teenage neighbour who stood out every time she came to the story. Meanwhile Scarlett comes to learn that things were not always as she had thought, and gains a deeper insight into her life, only once it’s ended.

What is abundantly clear throughout the entire book is just how much these women meant to one another and the impact that such a friendship can have on your life. This is a story of love, but not just in the traditional sense; rather we have a kind of love bound by years of friendship and shared memories. 

This is a stunning debut, one that explores the way that a single moment can have such profound ripples across many individuals lives. It’s a beautiful story, but do have the tissues to hand!

I was really depressed the day I started reading this. Honestly, I was contemplating whether my life was worth going on. But I stopped for a moment, got back into bed, curled up under my very age-appropriate Percy Pig duvet, and started reading this. To say it’s a lifesaver may sound extreme, but I’ve got no other way to give it the credit it deserves.

To see death from the other side is something we have often thought of – or I have – but rarely explored, or not in fiction. But there’s this natural sense to it. It’s obvious. Why haven’t we read this before? We all think about death, and life after death, and whether you still exist after death, and I love that this book is predominately narrated by someone after they’ve died.

The diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Evie hit me. As I’ve said in previous reviews I’ve written, I’ve spent the last six years in and out or neurologists offices trying to figure out what was wrong with me, and MS was put on the table. Okay, it ended up that it wasn’t that, but it’s still an incurable condition I have. And I just felt every single word she says about her diagnosis. About the not knowing, the worry, the grief for the future. I felt it all deep within me and I think it was marvelously handled.

I like that it explores how grief affects different people. The parents, the friends, the friends’ parents, the colleagues, the strangers. No-one has a monopoly on grief, and by giving us the POV of the deceased character, we get to see the natural progression of grief through these different groups of people. It’s very natural and free flowing and just beautiful.

It’s also an interesting look at blame, and the idea of fate and destiny and accidents. It was a genuine accident. Scarlett was in the wrong place at the wrong time, helping someone in need, and was killed. Nothing was deliberate. The man in need didn’t conspire to be in that place at that moment, the driver didn’t deliberately drive into her to kill her. It’s nobody’s fault. That’s why it’s called an accident. But it gets you thinking about things like fate, and about whether we all have an expiry date on our lives, that no matter what we choose to do, this doesn’t change. I know that sounds a bit morbid, but I find it fascinating. I’m very much a believer in “it’s your time” and spirits and whatnot, so it was interesting to see this explored in a mainstream, traditionally published novel.

It is so desperately sad, but there’s also hope. Amongst all the grief and the sadness and despair, there is hope. There is life. There is a bit of romance, a bit (a load) of drama, laughter, sadness, happiness. It’s all very real and very raw. Which is what life and death can be like. And it’s important that she’s captured the ugly times along with the beauty.

I honestly can’t put into words just how special this book is without sounding corny, but I’m prepared to be corny on this occasion. On the surface, it’s a very well written book, great characters, character development, interesting plot, entertaining etc etc. And I’m not taking away from all of that, it’s great. But for me, there’s a soul to it, something that speaks to me when I read it. It really got to me and held me. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the feeling it had. It felt like MY book. It is possibly one of the most important novels I’ve ever read. I got an early digital copy but I plan to buy myself a physical copy, and copies for my loved ones.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Corvus Books for approving me for an ARC of this book.

🚗 We have all read those books about sudden death and the lasting effects it has on those left behind. What Becky hunter has done is taken this moment and given it a unique twist. Getting Scarlett’s thoughts as she watched her loved ones navigate their new reality was interesting and I liked how she visited moments from her past too. It very much had a Christmas Carol ring to it (minus the festive season).

🩺Evie was, at times, a frustrating character. I wanted to reach in and help her find her feet. It was clear that her MS diagnosis had played a huge part in her outlook on life, which was understandable. She was hiding her fun and electric personality under a cloud of fear and grief but the moments when it did break through were golden.

🎻Being a musician myself I could completely relate to the music side of Evie’s story. How it soothed and shaped her resonates with me deeply. I loved that she and Scarlett had a song and some of my favourite quotes from this story are from a musical perspective.

💫This was without a doubt a quick listen with fun and engaging characters. Whilst the undertone of grief was there we also had moments of pure joy. The only downside for me was that I didn’t cry! Don’t get me wrong, I welled up and had a lump in my throat on a few occasions (I’m not that cold-hearted) but I didn’t feel the tears flowing as I had expected.

Firstly thank you to the tour organiser for inviting me to be part of the tour

This book was simply exquisite. It was a truly unique debut, and reading it, I found it hard to believe that this was a debut. This author is going to be one to watch.

I really did love Scarlet from the moment we were introduced to her. I knew she was going to be a character that I was going to fall in love with and want her to be my friend. I was quite upset when she died but I am so glad that the author carried her character on and it was a perfect original idea.

I loved learning about Evie. The author educated me on the disability that Evie suffered

I found the book so hard to put down. I became so engrossed in the story and the writing flew so effortlessly. The author really engage me. This book is going to be huge.

Sometimes the right book comes along at just the right moment, and this was that book. A story of great love of a different kind…. Of deep friendship that is ripped apart by one tragic event. But what if that devastating moment could be the one thing that also turns your life around for the better…
A wonderful debut from Becky Hunter that left me warm and smiley. What more do you need!

I'm reading so many books that leave me a blubbing wreck of late that I'll be needing shares in Kleenex soon!

Evie doesn't know how she can go on without best friend Scarlett by her side. She's recently been given a chronic illness diagnosis and needs her best friend by her side...

Enter Nate the cyclist Scarlett was helping after he'd been knocked from his bike. Will Evie forever blame him for the loss of her friend or can their grief reunite them?

One Moment is narrated in first person by both Evie and recently deceased Scarlett. It's beautifully written, has some fabulous characters and one of the best stories EVER is hiding beneath that gorgeous cover.

A story of love, loss, grief and friendship.

Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a rather poignant, character-driven debut story that follows two friends, aged 29 years old dealing with adulthood:
- Evie, who studied music, and is floundering career wise has been diagnosed with MS. She’s been dumped by her boyfriend, Will, and lives with her bff, Scarlet. However Scarlet, who is the more prettier one and ambitious one is doing well and Evie is afraid that Scarlet will leave her and she’ll fall behind. Until her bff suddenly dies and her life crashes.
- Scarlet’s career is on the rise. She has a big launch party planned and she’s not sure what her relationship status is with her boss but that can be figured out later. For now she has errands to run and on her way she sees a cyclist fall over who she helps. While fetching his cycle, a car speeds and she gets hit. She dies on impact. However her soul doesn’t quite pass over. Instead she’s in some sort of limbo state and can see her friends and family but can’t interact with them ala The Lovely Bones style. We see Scarlet comes to terms with her short life and through her flashback what her life was like with Evie.
This is a the sort of story that sneaks up on you. Utterly moving and beautiful. It explores the impact we leave on people’s lives and in the end how arbitrary these narratives are that we tell ourselves. In the end life about the small moments. We meet Nate, the cyclist who caused the accident, and inevitably he falls in love with Evie. I did find that the story did meander at times and wished it had a tighter structure however the characters are so emotionally engaging and realistic that I was immersed in their lives and completely bereft by the end. The last lines of this book had me weeping in the middle of the night.

What a gem of novel this is about the beauty and complex of female friendship and grieving.
This opens with a prologue that sets the scene. Scarlett and Evie are in Crete on holiday after finishing A-levels. Best friends forever. Cut ten years later and the two share a flat. Scarlet’s career is on the rise but Evie, who studied music has stagnated and works a terrible corporate job. Scarlet has a party planned but on her way out she gets hit by a car and dies just shy of turning 30. The story follows the aftermath of her death.
We follow Scarlet’s perspective as she lingers on earth watching her family and friends, full of bitterness and sadness at the unfairness of her life cutting short and we also see things from Evie’s perspective too, who struggles to cope with the death of her best friend.
This was such a tender and at times heart-wrenching read. I loved the way it wrapped up and came together with a life affirming ending. A moving, gentle story of friendship and grief.

A gripping and emotional novel that explores the aftermath of a tragic accident that changes the lives of everyone involved. The story follows the perspectives of four characters, each with their own unique connection to the accident, and delves into their struggles with guilt, grief, and the search for redemption.

Thank you for my eARC of this book. I have mixed feelings about this one, and not because I didn’t like it, but because it’s going to take a bit of time to process. I can’t quite figure out how I feel about the ending but it was a really thought provoking read and I loved that it was almost an ode to friendship, which I loved.

I wasn’t expecting this to be my kind of book, but the cover and blurb pulled me in. It turns out I was wrong, I could not put the book down. I cried… a lot, but I also smiled and laughed as the book swept me along. The relationships that were built along the way between Evie and Nate, her mum and Astrid were so heartwarming to watch, reminding us that it’s never too late to rebuild the life you once had/ or wanted and that love comes in all sorts of forms.

The chapters narrated by Scarlett are where I thought I would struggle with this book but it never happened. I always love listening to people’s stories and theories of what happens to us when die and this was a really great perspective. Flicking between Scarlett reminiscing on memories, to watching the world carry on with her no longer in it, enabled us to see her growth even after death of appreciating her high’s and coming to terms with and accepting her mistakes.

The book focuses heavily on the concept of the butterfly effect and looking back all the way to our childhood’s to see how we ended up where we are. I have read a few books that examine this effect but one moment took it down a new path, and I really enjoyed that.

Initially when I read the end of the book I was slightly thrown off because I thought I had at least a few more pages left to close out the story. However, now looking back a few days after finishing the book, I do agree that the ending was exactly how it needed to be.

I loved this book and I’m even more shocked to discover that this is the author's debut fiction book. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books from Becky Hunter.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atlantic books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review