Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. The concept of this book was fantastic, but unfortunately, I didn't feel any connection between Jenn and Robbie so I struggled to root for their relationship. Although I was interested in Jenn, Robbie had little development. However, the final scenes were moving and well written.

I really enjoyed this. There are review out there drawing the more obvious comparison and that’s fine, but let’s not? Because this is a really original idea, well executed. If you already love a book any other book is going to struggle to catch up but I don’t think this needs to be compared. I’ve also read some suggestions the ending was predictable but I didn’t think so, I was hooked until the end and it had all the feels it needed. Despite their flaws, I liked the lead characters and I’d recommend this.

Spoiler alert


The only issue I had was overthinking the ending - not in a bad way but I did keep thinking that I wanted all the other players in Robbie’s life to sit down and have a good heart to heart with him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Robbie and Jenn had been together for five years when Jenn suddenly receives some disturbing news and runs away, travelling for eight months.

She comes home, at the wedding of their friends they meet and reconcile again, but on the way home a big lorry comes their way, and suddenly, Jenn's life flashes before Robbie's eyes, from the time she is ten years old. Apparently this is called a shared near-death experience.

Slowly we learn a lot about Jenn's difficult childhood, her first boyfriend, her meeting Robbie and their years together. Robbie learns things he didn't know and realises that he hadn't been the best of boyfriends. He swears to be better if he could only learn her secret and thus avoid the lorry!

This is a very confusing and frustrating concept. We're hopping back and forth in time and from POV to POV with head-swivelling speed. It's all about Jenn's secret that she was about to tell Robbie shortly before the accident, and Robbie has it in his head that if he just knows it, they will be saved.
"If I do, she’ll wake. And if she wakes, we’ll live."
I have to say, I didn't understand that at all.

But all in all I enjoyed this book. It's a well-written debut novel trying something new, and I salute the author for that. If you disregard for a moment that we tenseley await the secret to be revealed which requires a ghostly Robbie to shout at memory Jenn, then this is a multi-layered story about relationships - with partners, parents and friends, and that understanding is a question of perspective. We do not always understand in the moment why people react the way they do, because people keep things to themselves. Case in point was Robbie calling the Sagrada Familia "just another weird stone building". He really was often clueless what Jenn needed from him, and he didn't try to find out.

And that ending! What are you doing to me!

"But as time goes on, and things get harder, you need to work at it. Like that unfinished cathedral Jenn wanted me to see, the work love requires never really stops."

3.75 stars

I found the alternating timelines too confusing and was very slow start. Didn’t really feel connected to the characters or story unfortunately.

Really really loved this book! Such a cute book and loved the main characters! Highly recommend! Thanks Net galley

Emma Steele's "The Echoes of Us" is a complex dive into memory, secrets, and relationships, told through dual perspectives and timelines. At first glance, the story can feel disorientating due to its narrative structure, but as you sink deeper into the tale, the pieces start to come together, unveiling a poignant story of love and redemption.

The novel alternates between Jenn and Robbie's points of view, weaving between past and present. This storytelling choice can be both intriguing and challenging; it immerses you in the characters' minds but also requires careful attention to navigate the shifts in time and perspective. The intentional disorientation seems to be a stylistic decision aimed at mirroring the characters' emotional turbulence, successfully achieved albeit at the risk of confusing the reader.

The initial chapters might feel slow as you adjust to the alternating viewpoints and timelines. However, as the layers of Jenn's secret unfold, the tension mounts, driving Robbie's desperate attempt to understand and save their relationship in the face of imminent danger.

One of the book's strengths lies in its character development. Robbie, flawed and somewhat unlikable in the past, evolves into a more sympathetic figure in the present timeline, driven by a desire to rectify past mistakes. Jenn, on the other hand, is a relatable character whose vulnerabilities stem from a history of abandonment and yearning for affection.

The predictability of the ending could be a drawback for some readers, particularly those who enjoy more unexpected twists. Additionally, the story's length and occasional repetition may test the patience of readers seeking a more streamlined narrative.

Overall, "The Echoes of Us" is a compelling exploration of memory, forgiveness, and the complexities of human relationships. While it requires patience to unravel its intricate threads, the emotional depth and character evolution make it a worthwhile read for fans of contemporary fiction. Emma Steele adeptly captures the fragility of love and the power of redemption amidst the echoes of our past selves.

I rated this book 3.5 stars.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A brilliant book. Loved the relationship between the main characters. Absolutely amazing and highly recommended.

I really wanted to live this book but it just didn’t grab me and I found myself skipping paragraphs and the pages. The premise was good and had echoes of other books I’ve read but I just didn’t feel with Jenn enough to care what happened to her. The ending, although not entirely predictable, wasn’t satisfying and I felt a little deflated.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Fall in love with Jenn and Robbie. An accident. Flashbacks. &a lifetime of memories revisited. A 360degree experience. With an eye watering ending…

It’s like you’re always somewhere

Perfect read for those who enjoy:
- A story that stays with you
- Complexities of families and relationships
- Out of body experiences & time travelling
- Self reflection fiction

If you loved David Nicholls ‘One Day’ you will LOVE this one!

With thanks to Headline | Mountain Leopard Press and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Oh my goodness, I was not prepared for that ending.

When I first began the book, I didn’t think I would be able to get into it. The subject matter felt a bit stranger I was very wrong and now I will hold a special place in my heart for Robbie and Jenn.

I probably should not of finished it at bedtime because I know I will wake up with my eyes stuck together from all the ugly tears I have been crying.

Emma Steele, you’ve broken me. Five MASSIVE stars.

Such a beautiful , yet heart breaking love story about Robbie & Jenn. I still can't believe that this is the authors first book, hope she writes another soon. Loved it

If you’re going to compare a book to luminary comparisons such as David Nicholls’ One Day and Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife, then you really are raising the bar of reader expectations. To be honest, that’s probably why it took me a few chapters to get into The Echoes of Us. And then suddenly, it seemed, I was one third of the way in, realizing how very much I had been captivated by this story … and that yes, it does compare to Nicholls and Niffenegger.

With her debut, Emma Steele has come up with a super device (I’m not a jealous writer, honest!) that shows us how what we perceive to be true and real in a relationship is very much tainted by our character, our situation, and our level (or lack thereof) of empathy.

If Robbie shares a number of traits with Dex from One Day, then Jenn perhaps does too with Clare from The Time Traveler’s Wife, at least in terms of being with a partner increasingly long on issues and short on ability to invest in the relationship. So, no surprise then that as Robbie moves through Jenn’s memories of significant times in her life, he finds his memories and impressions don’t quite gel with what he’s seeing.

What’s clever is how The Echoes of Us this is more than a simple second-chance romance trope novel, as Robbie is navigating Jenn’s memories, watching primary moments of her life. Can he find a way to understand and communicate with Jenn before it’s too late? Will they get their second chance?

I was captivated all the way to the very last line. And beyond as I spent days, in fact, processing the story. I’ll be purchasing a copy of the book when it’s released this summer and re-reading because I think an awareness of certain issues and certain time points in Jenn’s remembered life will enhance the reading and takeaway.

The Echoes of Us is a near-masterpiece in its genre: clever, insightful, aware, and never shying away from the truth of its characters. I can’t wait to see what Emma Steele does next.

Thank you to the author, the publishers, and to NetGalley for this ARC.

An unusual love story, a life flashing before your eyes story which I really enjoyed but I was still rooting for Duncan the whole time. I did not like Robbie. Worth a read.

Wow, just wow! I cannot believe this is a debut for the author, Emma Steele, as this will not only be looked at as the love story of the year but in my view, it will become a love story to remember for many years to come once it is published. My heart is bursting with emotion having finished this book.

At the start of the story, we meet Jenn and Robbie, who are back together after eight months apart, but on their way home their car is involved in a collision with a truck. As the truck comes hurtling towards them, Robbie sees Jenn’s memories play out before him like a spectator. What is happening? Why are these memories important? Can he learn something from them he doesn’t yet know? And if he does learn from them, will that make a difference to him, to Jenn, to them as a couple?

First and foremost this book is about love. But not only Jenn and Robbie’s love for each other. Through their stories, together and their own, our eyes are opened to all the kinds of love we may know in life: parental love; the enduring love of friendships, whether it’s the everyday kind or the one where you can pick up the phone after years of not speaking and start where you left off; the steadfast love that goes the distance or the love which is like fireworks and consumes you with all its spark; the once in a lifetime kind of love and of course the love for ourselves, which we so often lack but it influences so much. I loved the view that not all of these loves are supposed to last forever because life moves us forward but their imprint remains and that imprint is often as important as the moment it was left on us.

I always love the sentiment that through the memories we share with the ones we love and have loved, they never truly leave us. This is also explored in Emma’s novel. For me personally this gives me comfort on the days I miss those who are no longer with us but in the story we also see the flipside of this: how sometimes these memories can make it hard to move forwards.

The story is also about living in the moment, about making the most of the time we are given in this life, about never giving up on our dreams, about not being scared to make that first move if that’s what it takes and trying while we still can but it also shows that in all that, what is important are all the tiny things we sometimes take for granted. Just like Robbie realises in one of the flashbacks, that often we don’t appreciate the small ordinary moments with the people we love and yet looking back on life, they are what makes us happy.

One other sentence also stood out to me in the book and that was when a stranger in Australia said to Jenn: “Remember, you’re exactly where you need to be right now.” This is also such a comforting thought. We often think of what ifs but I love the acceptance that comes with the idea that each decision we’ve made brought us to this moment and as long as learn from what brought us here and make the most of the now then the future will be ok and we are exactly where we need to be.

I always like to pick out favourite quotes from my reads and I can’t finish this review without mentioning one more quote: “Because some types of love are like that. They imprint on your soul and change you forever.”

So incredibly grateful to Netgalley, Mountainleopardpress and Headlinebooks for giving me the chance to read Emma’s book before it is published on 6 June 2024.

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚♡ — 𝖠𝖱𝖢 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐


3.5 ★


𖤐 𓈒࣪ ᭡ ˖ 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗌𝗊𝗎𝖾𝖾𝗓𝖾𝗌. 𝖲𝗁𝖾'𝗌 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗂𝗍.
𝖠𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝗇𝖾.
𝖧𝗂𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗌.
𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎.

꒰ ⊹ ˚ . The plot 𖧧 ७
୨♡୧ ִ° ⋆ ʚɞ ꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱

As they are about to have an accident, Robbie finds himself immersed in what appears to be Jenn's memories.

Just like him, we don't really understand what's going on since one moment we find Jenn during her life, then the next moment we find her when she had just met Robbie.

So we alternate between past and (more or less) present. And we try to understand what's going on, how it is that Robbie can see Jenn's past. And the further we go, the more interesting it becomes. Robbie must discover a secret.


꒰ ⊹ ˚ . My thoughts 𖧧 ७
୨♡୧ ִ° ⋆ ʚɞ ꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱

I'm unwell. I deserved a happy ending.
Robbie and Jenn deserved a haply ending. And like a fool, until the last page, i was hoping that i'll read a happy reading. But i knew. And even if i knew i needed to believe there was a happy ending.

𝖨 𝖼𝖺𝗇'𝗍 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗆 𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝗈 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀.
𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝗍 𝗆𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗌.
𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗁𝖾𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗂𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗌 𝗎𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗆𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖻𝗂𝗀 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝗌𝗌.
𝖬𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝖼𝗄, 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝖻𝗎𝗌 - 𝖨'𝗆 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾.
𝖡𝗎𝗍 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗎𝗌.
𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗁𝖾'𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝗈𝗈.

I'm so sad right now, the ending changed everything for me. I was hoping to read a beautiful love story with a beautiful happy ending. And here i am, heartbroken.

It was unexpected, but in the end i likes this reading. Thanks to end. Yeah, i know, i'm complaining about this sad ending, but it was so beautiful ? Beautifully sad. And i think i have a thing with this sort of ending. A sort of love/hate thing.

Robbie was a dick, but he deserved a chance to make up for it. to make Jenn happy like she deserved.

Regarding the secret, I didn't really expect that. I was expecting something more? even if in the end it was "a good secret"

No matter what I say about what I didn't like. I liked this book. I wouldn't say it was a favorite, but I enjoyed reading it.

I really enjoyed learning about Jenn and Robbie's story.


꒰ ⊹ ˚ . What i liked 𖧧 ७
୨♡୧ ִ° ⋆ ʚɞ ꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱

I loved Robbie ans Jenn's relationship. They were everything. It was great to discover the past of Jenn, to navigate trough her past.

𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾'𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗒 𝗈𝗋 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾𝖽𝗒 𝗇𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗈𝗋 𝗈𝖻𝗌𝖼𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖱𝗈𝖻𝖻𝗂𝖾'𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝖾𝖾; 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍, 𝗒𝖾𝗍 𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗆𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗁𝖾'𝗅𝗅 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 - 𝖨 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝖳𝖺𝖻𝖺𝗌𝖼𝗈 𝗌𝖺𝗎𝖼𝖾 𝗈𝗇 𝖾𝗀𝗀𝗌, 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝗈𝗋 𝖨 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝖳𝗈𝗉 𝖦𝗎𝗇 𝗈𝗇 𝖺 𝗁𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖲𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝖺𝗒.

I enjoyed reading this book even more around the 50/60% mark of the book. I was captivated and needed to know what Jenn's secret was. I loved even more seeing Robbie realize he acted like shit towards Jenn.
I liked seeing him try everything to find Jenn in order to change the predent and love her as she deserved it.

The ending is definitely what made me love this book. I find that it is in these last pages that there were the most emotions. It was super touching. My heart really hurts just thinking about it.



꒰ ⊹ ˚ . What i disliked 𖧧 ७
୨♡୧ ִ° ⋆ ʚɞ ꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱

There's not some particular things that i disliked. It's just that a moment i was "bored". I was losing interest even if the story was interesting. Like, i liked the concept and all but i lost interest.

It was long, maybe too long for me. It felt like nothing was moving on at a point. I had trouble getting back to reading for a while.

+ I read with the same emotion until the ending changed everything. No sentence really struck me except those I put above. It's a bit of a shame, but after all it only concerns me.

—

☆ 🖇️ 𖥻 ＜꒱ Trying to change the format of my reviews for something better but it feels like it's not me.

Oh my, this story was beautiful on so many levels yet heartbreaking as you follow the tale of Robbie and Jenn and flashback through their lives together

The Echoes of Us by Emma Steele is a beautifully written page turner that captures the evolution of a relationship using a unique and thought provoking narrative.

After 8 months apart Jenn and Robbie have found their way back to each other. The evening after their reunion, they are in the car together, thinking about their future - a future which could be taken away from them when they find themselves in the path of a truck. In this moment Jenn’s life starts flashing before her eyes, and it’s not just her that can see it.

Robbie finds himself jumping through Jenn’s memories, some are from her childhood others are from their time together and then their subsequent break up. Through these memories the author tells us a glorious story of love, family, friendship, growing up, heartbreak and healing.

The Echoes of Us is definitely one to read, it is a cleverly layered novel that answers one question then creates another on the following page - in a very pleasing way. Even when you think it’s all wrapped up, the author surprises you with more of her gratifying turns that make this book so readable. It will leave you broken but also hopeful.

I loved this book and will be recommending it to anyone who listens.

This book was cleverly written - I cared more with it showing both perspectives. It was interesting & intriguing, I found myself wanting to read on. It felt bittersweet & was emotional, I couldn't have guessed the ending until the last minute & the last page stopped me in my tracks!

What a fabulous love story! I really enjoyed it. Highly recommended by me.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

I loved this. I knew that it may be an unconventional romantic story but I was wholly unprepared for the layers within the plot and the characters. I finished the book within a day because I seriously couldn’t stop reading - I was hooked from the very beginning. I loved the characters, even the antihero and I was surprised by how much I was rooting for both of them individually. This novel is going to stay with me and I can’t wait to reread it.