Thanks to netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC it was a fantastic read. Eliza Graham has done a beautiful job in writing this historical fiction set during WWII. . It’s about loss, grief, sacrifice and redemption. It sad, tragic, dark but has hope, guaranteed to make you cry. This is a must read for anyone who enjoys this genre. I thoroughly enjoyed it, I got so caught up in the story I read it in one day today! Highly deserving of five stars.

This book was a spectacular read up there with The Nightingale for my read of the year so far. Poignant and heartbreak the journey of Lucia takes you the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. Love and hope and the lengths people will go to for love really touched me with this read. Love and history all in one the tale of love and war will the ending be the happily ever after though?

Eliza Graham has a knack for pulling readers into the time and place, and the Weight of Silence is no different. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story follows Lucia Blake, a young woman who rebels against her domineering father and his fascist politics by running away to France on the eve of her debutante season in London. A young girl on her own in France is a frightening thought but in too short a time the start of WWII disrupts the life she had built and she returns to London and becomes an ambulance driver.

It's hard not to be captivated by a story so richly woven with historical accuracy and deep emotional threads. Lucia's time as an ambulance driver during the Blitz really brings home the harsh realities of wartime. The constant threat, the physical and emotional exhaustion, the relentless dedication despite it all—it's profound. Stories like hers remind us of the immense courage and resilience displayed by so many during those dark times.

The story is divided into two timelines and eight parts with writing of depth that makes Lucia's journey feel so real and poignant.

Overall, The Weight of Goodbye is a compelling read that explores the depths of human emotion and the strength found in overcoming adversity. It's a story that stays with you long after the final page is turned.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for this gifted e-book.

I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, and this book absolutely blew me away. It's a compelling story told across multiple timelines, from 1936 to 2000, following Lucia's journey as she escapes her oppressive father and flees to France. There, she teaches English to refugees and later becomes an ambulance driver upon returning to England. As her story unfolds, we discover that Lucia fled France due to heartbreak and tragedy. The way the timelines intersect and reveal the characters' connections is like piecing together an intricate puzzle.

The writing is absolutely stunning and evocative, drawing readers deep into Lucia's world. If you're a fan of historical fiction, mark your calendars for the release of this beautiful book on October 22nd.

Enjoyable story spanning several decades; I appreciated the interrelatedness of the characters and how the story was woven together between the 40s and 2000. The relationship between Lucia and her father was portrayed realistically and came to a believable conclusion. I liked that Lucia's mother was welcoming and allowed her to come back to the family home after the long absence. This was a good twist on a well-trod genre, the WWII era in London. I am actively looking for other books by Eliza Graham!

A heartbreakingly beautiful look into WWII! This is a very war-focused story and was heavy on the terminology, specific events, and details leading up to and during the Second World War. I very much prefer a character-driven story and for this reason, the first half of this book really dragged on for me. Once I could finally feel some growth and depth to the characters, I enjoyed the rest of the story a lot more.

I appreciated the timeline jumping back and forth and the fresh way it was narrated. The way the story was told felt very cozy and comforting considering how heavy the material was. Overall it was a great historical fiction read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an intriguing read. Clearly there are back stories. Set against the Blackshirts in Britain, prior to WW2, this is the awakening of a privileged girl, who realises not everything is as it seems. I would have liked more of Lucia’s interactions with her father post incarceration. However, I really enjoyed the unraveling of this story and its depths. The development of Lucia to the person she became was an enjoyable read, as was reading about the paths other women took. The portrayal of war time London was well done, especially the complete arbitrariness of who survived and who didn’t. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm publishing for an ARC to read and review.

What a beautiful book. I cried throughout it. It's not often a book brings me to tears like this did, but I absolutely loved this story.

The title of this book is a good one, the book is full of goodbyes as death and war claimed friends, family and strangers. Lucy escapes her father and his pro Nazi views age 17 and think she can never go back. The book follows Lucy in France in the early years of the war and then as an ambulance driver during the blitz. There is pain and suffering and sadness everywhere and Lucy has more than her fair share. a lovely tale of loss but also where snippets of joy can be found in the every day, in the mundane When all you can do is put 1 foot foot in front of the other. I had a good cry and a wry smile or two as I read.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing as well as the author Eliza Graham for providing me with an ARC of this book.

4,5/5

Novels set in London are something that will always attract me even more so when the prologue is this intriguing: reading about the protagonist’s worries, thoughts and predictions regarding a possibly approaching army. Who is this young woman? Or better who are these young women as the author introduces us to four unique and interesting personalities?

The author managed to write such relatable characters, telling the reader about them while at the same time depicting topics such as different kinds of intelligence. It is nice to see that both Wanda and Lucia are shown as intelligent in their own right just as Effie is shown as adaptable and strong and Della as sensitive but intelligent.

To read about English fascism during World War Two is novelty for me. The focus tends to be on the German side or the French. However, while initially I was expecting a novel focused solely on the war and its consequences, this story gave me so much more. It gave me delicate relationships, deep caring and highlighted what it means to survive even the most tragic situations.

Tissue, lots and lot of tissues. The Weight of Goodbye centers around Lucia Blake, a young girl in England. She sees her father, Sir Casssian Blake's true colors when the are caught up in a protest before WW2. Her father is a Blackshirt, and his anger is increasing. Her story is told using a dual timeline. The reader sits alongside Lucia as she recalls her time during WW2 to her sister and Effie.

When he turns violent and strkes Lucia, tensions grow. On a trip to Paris, Lucia flees in fear. She keeps running. The reader follows Lucia on the road to survival. The reader learns about the changes in Europe. Some of her secrets aren't revealed until the end of the story creating suspense and deep sorrow, knowing how she was struggling.

With the Nazi invasion, of Poland, Lucia must return to England. Instead of returning to luxury she joins Wanda, a friend since she rescued Lucia on the fateful day she saw her dad's true colors. Lucia's life is full of danger as she and Wanda work on Ambulance in London.

The reader is taken deep into the horrors of war. The bombings, the losses, the emotional toll fill the pages. Lucia exhibits many emotions. Her determination shines when she finds Effie, a seven year old in the rubble. She refuses to just dump her. My heart broke, the tears flowed as Lucia tried to do what she felt was best for Effie. What an eyeopener for those of us living today.

I never realized how silent my own family has been about living through the war. We need to learn all we can about what our families experienced and survived. We need to remember and do everything possible to make sure future families do not suffer.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e- copy of The Weight of Goodbye by Eliza Graham .This is a memorable work of historical fiction that revolves around Lucia Blake a young English girl who escapes her father and his radical pro Nazi ideals to go to France . While there she falls in love and has a child out of wedlock . When tragedy strikes , she returns to England during the beginning of WW2 where she becomes an ambulance driver and takes a young child under her wing and and tries to reconcile with her family but times have changed and her father has been imprisoned for his radical ideas. When he is released Lucie once again experiences tragedy . Can she come through the other side and protect her young charge. Read the book and find out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I picked this book because of the gorgeous cover, which absolutely conveys the tone of the book. It's a heartwrenching, beautifully written story that crosses multiple timelines, with a focus on Britain during WWII.

The first quarter of the book was a history lesson that I appreciated, getting into the politics of the time from a teenager's perspective. From there, Lucia, our protagonist, flees her abusive father and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, independence, and healing from family trauma. She finds fulfilling work as an ambulance driver, then rescues a young girl and helps her search for her missing father. However, Lucia's guilt from leaving behind her teenage sister and memories of her complicated past with her father begin to overtake her new life.

The storytelling was vivid and emotional, and I loved how women-driven the plot was. The structure of the varied locations, points of view, and timelines keeps you turning the pages to learn more about the characters, who I was so invested in. Overall, this was a beautiful historical fiction novel full of emotion.

This is an ARC review. Thank you to Storm Publishing for allowing me to read this before it is published. This is by far the best historical fiction book I have read so far. Eliza Graham knows how to write such a beautiful story and paint the picture so that readers can put themselves in the characters shoes and see what they are seeing. This is my first book by her and I will definitely continue to read her books.

Set during World War II a grieving mother and a young girl develop an unbreakable bond as they set out on a desperate hunt for the girl's father. But the FMC’s past haunts her. FMC wants her little sister to forgive her for the suffering she caused when she ran away all those years ago, even as bombs fall and people around her die.

This book is about grief, loss, love, sacrifice, and redemption. This book will definitely pull at your heart strings and may make you cry. I know I did.

Wow. A mixture of romance, love, hate and war intertwined throughout this story. Lucia Blake and her parents and sister live a strange life as their Father is a supporter of Mosley so Lucia one night leaves suddenly in Paris and becomes estranged for several years The storyline moves to 2020 a few times where Lucia her sister Della and a friend Effie get together to reminisce. Thanks to Eliza and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

Wow, where do I begin! First, this book was a riveting read. It exceptionally taps into the heart in a big way. I felt like an emotional train wreck by the time I was done reading The Weight of Goodbye. It is painful, poignant and expressive and provoked quite a range of thoughts and emotions in me. I went into Eliza Graham’s novel eager and expectant of another good story (as I enjoyed her previous) but I received even more than I anticipated. The longer I read, the more I fell into its well of trauma and heartache. Time frittered away as I followed these characters through some harrowing circumstances.

This story is about family member ties and hurts, lost loves and children and the closeness and connection between friends. It is set in two time lines and divided into eight parts. It opens with the Prologue in 1940 with our main character Lucia nervous and worrying that a German invasion of London (and the potential capture of the Parliament) could happen any day. All sense of calm is broken once the Germans land in Channel Isles: a place where folks went for ‘seaside holidays, shrimping and bicycle rides.’ The stark contrast hits hard. Lucia is also thinking about the fact she will officially be an adult at twenty-one tomorrow and she will have a new name. Immediately we wonder, why has she changed her name?

Part One and the first chapter thrusts us forward to the year 2000 where we see Lucia in the future, but we also meet Della her younger sister and friend, Effie. It is obvious from the start there is going to be a big story circling these three and yes, there certainly is: one that spans and unfolds across the rest of novel that will pierce and shake your heart.

Throughout the novel we move back and forth in time (comfortably) to understand why Lucia disappeared from her family’s lives. The hurt this caused particularly with her sister is monumental but her parents, too. Her father is a key catalyst in this part of the plot and his character arc goes through some forced dramatic changes. Yet the story is focused more on what becomes of Lucia as a result, the difficult journey she takes and the various decisions she makes, the people she meets and how they affect her life. And her effects on them, too. A lot of growing up happens away from her home and the high society she once knew— a world she never wore well. Her fresh start, takes her down many unusual roads that include a job as an ambulance driver. It is here she makes her contribution when war erupts. She sees and experiences a lot with the bombings of London. Rescuing lives and picking up those who died as a result changes her for sure. The descriptions offered by the author during these events are quite shattering. Her flatmate, workmate and friend, a Jewish girl named Wanda is also quite a moving part of this story, along with the little girl she rescues. I will say no more but be prepared for plenty of tears!

This is without question a deeply moving, insightful story where we see characters go through some very traumatic events. Hearts are transformed and some see the error of their ways and beliefs and require and seek forgiveness. But the solutions and outcomes for some are not pretty. Yet second chances happen and forms of healing do come when stories are shared between those who need to communicate to move forward. I highly recommend The Weight of Goodbye (and yes there are plenty of goodbyes in this novel). But have your box of tissues close as you cannot read this book without shedding some tears and having your heart break or change. 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for a review copy.

Wow..I loved this book.it went from current day to the past but it was easy to follow
The story is mostly based on one particular family and it's a really great read..
Full of emotion and with a few twists towards to end of the book..
This author , Eliza Graham is one to look out for ..
I am off to find some more of her books right now !

I was able to receive the Weight of Goodbye as an ARC. It was my first Eliza Graham novel. The plot and the characters were absorbing. It felt like the plot twists unfolded a little peak at a time. Would recommend for any fans of WWII home front fiction.

Set on the backdrop of pre-war Europe and Blitz-torn London is Lucia Blake’s journey of love, loss, and redemption.

In 1937, Lucia rebels against her father’s fascist views and flees, where she experiences unexpected passion with a French archaeologist.
But tragedy strikes, forcing her back to London as war breaks out.
Then as an ambulance driver in the Blitz, Lucia risks her life daily, but it’s when she rescues a frightened young girl from the rubble that her past resurfaces.

The author captures the emotional toll of war, and both the devastation and the strength of human connections.

This novel is a heartfelt and gripping story about the power of sisterhood and second chances.

Another excellent novel by Eliza Graham I thoroughly enjoyed The weight of Goodbye. I loved the clever weaving of the character's lives enabled by setting the chapters in different times. None of the characters were perfect. They were open to acknowledging their faults and trying to change which was a pleasant change. The theme of the Blackshirts in Britain was also interesting and not something one often reads about. A very enjoyable read and one I'm happy to recommend
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.