If you loved the author previous novel Meredith Alone you are going to love this book, it tells the story of 3 generation of woman in a family and I adored this book and I loved all the characters and could not put this book down

Without giving any spoilers away I would highly recommend this book and I cried and laughter and I loved how this book touches on Alzheimer’s , I worked for 4 years looking after dementia patients so I could related to the book

Wishing the author all the best with this book

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book and I would recommend it

i could not wait to read this book. having read Meredith Alone i was on tenter hooks for Claire's next book. and im so glad that she has joined the author world because this one was just as good. by the way if you havent read her first novel, do so immediately.

this books is once again written with that same tender warmth and such woven knowledge of human nature and depth. its warm, its hard, its soft, it delightful. it has all the pieces of three generations of woman woven together into a wonderful plot. now dont get me wrong its not soft in the themes. no no, Claire once again tells the tale of three woman with very real sometimes heart wrenching things going on in their lives. but the way it is written means you feel it too, you care for the characters, and you feel seen yourself.
we have three generations of a family here. first is Minnie. who onset of Alzheimer's means she can no longer care for herself. and things are rapidly getting worse, and confusing, and often sad at times. she now lives with Cat and her grand Daughter.
Cat is a single mum. shes is juggling almost everything and every ones lives. as well as trying to keep on top of her own. life isnt anything but challenging when we meet her. and when sorting through some of her mums things she discovers things that turns her world upside down. but there isa bigger problem with that because how can she ever ask her mum for answers?
and then there is the youngest of them. Ruby, who at 16 has just found out she is pregnant.
what comes next from the telling of this story is words and pages of such brilliance i could not recommend it enough. Claire is a true talent in the author world and i feel lucky that ive got to read these books of hers. they will stay with me long after ive finished and stay permanently on my faves list.

I really enjoyed Meridith alone, which was Claire Alexander's debut novel. So I was interested to see if her next novel was as good. It certainly was!
Cat is a single Mum struggling to juggle everything going on in her life. With a teen daughter and her Mum Minnie, who has early onset dementia, life is challenging. Minnie has just moved in with Cat as she is no longer able to care for herself and while sorting through Minnie's belongings Cat discovers a shocking truth. Everything she knows is turned upside down and her Mum isn't able to help her. Meanwhile her daughter Ruby has her own life turned up side down.
This book really was a real page turner and I couldn't wait to pick it up as often as possible. I have a mother in law with dementia and the author captured the disease perfectly. Showing the sad truth of a loved one who is beginning to forget those who do so much for them .
A great read and highly recommended.

This is a story about three generations of women, who all go through life changing events. Minnie cannot understand why her mind is not working as well as it should be, the Alzheimer's has taken hold of her and won't let go. Minnie is Cat's mother and Cat is struggling with seeing how Minnie is declining very quickly. Cat knows there is little that can be done but it is still so hard to see Minnie like this. Ruby is Cat's daughter and with everything her mum is going through at the moment with her gran, can Ruby tell her mum about a big event that is going to change her life, but is this what Ruby wants? It was an interesting concept for a book but one that worked really well. You kind of get a different perspective for what all three women are going through. It was heart breaking reading about Minnie especially when it is a subject that is close to home. It is a relatable subject and I know one that many people are going through. It is a moving read.

This was a really good read which I will recommend to others.
Thanks for the opportunity to read and review it.

I absolutely adored this book. It’s beautifully written and tells a story full of love with sadness among the love. I cried reading this. Just beautiful and one of those books that will stay in my mind.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for this ARC.

This is the story of three women who are three generations of the same family: Minnie McAllister, 58, who has early onset dementia and has to move in with Cat, 36, her daughter, a florist who finds out that she was adopted after sorting through Minnie's belongings, and Ruby, 16, her granddaughter who finds out she is pregnant. Tensions often boil over in the cramped household, which is entirely understandable, especially after all the new revelations.

The storylines alternate between Glasgow in 2014 and Kilmarnock in 1976 and 1977, giving the story of Beth, the outcome of which was unfortunately, knowing men and that time, entirely predictable from the start, and I hated having to read it. I wanted to kill her parents, I really did.

It's a heartbreaking but uplifting story about family secrets, bonds and adapting to change with some romance thrown in, that will leave you wanting more. The characters are all likeable and the writing is beautiful. Unfortunately, I know all too well what dementia is like, having been a family carer for many years, and it's portrayed very realistically and sensitively here. Recommended.

"I don’t always remember who you are, but I remember that I love you."

Oh my word, I adored this book! Lovely Cat and poor old Minnie had my full attention for this adorable read - I'm not ashamed to admit a couple of times I gasped and a few tears were shed - I'll definitely be recommending it to others!

"The Pieces of Us" is such a moving read! Even though after reading the description I expected to follow 3 distinctive point of views of 3 women, which would be interesting in itself, I still very much enjoyed how the story was structured and written.

I think Claire Alexander represents Cat's internal and external struggles well. Her character's actions and motivations are believable, and she's written with a certain agelessness, because she appears to be very quite life-experienced with her different burdens, and yet her metric age would suggest otherwise.

Beth's point of view, which takes the story back to the past nad is interwoven with Cat's present days, is so well-executed. She has her distinctive voice that is on par with the time and place she lives in, as well as her age.

The only thing that stopped me from rating "The Pieces of Us" 5 stars was the romance plot. It was cute, but so far-fetched, considering Cat's attitude and actions, that I was not able to suspend my disbelief. I'm aware it was maybe supposed to be uplifting and hope-promoting, but it was such a contrast to the realness of other storylines that it almost felt forced.

What a lovely read! This is not my usual type of book, but I definitely want to read more by this author.

I absolutely loved the whole feel of this book. Three generations of women, each with their own issues. Cat lives with her 16 year old daughter Ruby, who discovers she is pregnant. Cat’s mum Minnie has early onset Alzheimer’s and has to move in with Cat and Ruby. The story follows how the family adapt to these changes. Cat also makes a shocking discovery.

The characters in this books are well developed and likeable. I loved the main characters, along with their family and friends. The plot is rich. I really enjoyed the interweaving of time and characters and enjoyed the setting in Scotland and Ireland.

Both Alzheimer’s and teenage pregnancy are handled sensitively.

Thank you to the author., publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Cat lives with her teenage daughter Ruby. Her mother Minnie has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers and cannot live alone any longer. The story covers the three women learning how to be together and how to handle all that comes with an Alzheimers diagnosis, alongside teenage pregnancy.

I thought the characterisation in this book was wonderful - Cat in particular has a lot to deal with but copes well. Alzheimers was sensitively handled, and from personal experience, I could relate to, and understand, both Cat and Minnie.

A lovely story of familial relationships.

8.5/10 ! (4.5 ⭐)

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Cat, Ruby and Minnie. I loved their story as well as the side plot points with Beth etc, it was so warm and lovely !! 🥹

I haven't read that depth of characterisation in a longgg time ! Aww such a beautiful read and definitely recommend this one !!

I found it ALMOST perfect, except for towards the last few chapters when the time jumps were quite heavy and didn't let us know how much time had passed, would of loved a bit of clarification. But other than that, what a stellar read. 👌🏻

There are some dark themes depicted in this book, so do take care if you're planning to read it and have triggers to these themes. 🩷

I just want to thank Claire Alexander and Met Galley for letting me read this ARC before the release date of 27th February 2025 ! 📚

This is a very emotive read primarily about Cat who is the primary carer for her mum Minnie who has early onset Alzheimer’s and as she now needs a high level of support Minnie has now moved in with Cat. As if caring for her mum isn’t enough she discovers some documents that raise a lot of questions that her mum could have answered if her health was not what it was leaving her very confused and then Cat’s 16 year old daughter Ruby reveals she’s pregnant. Cat is a wonderful character who is having to cope with such a lot and this is written with warmth and relatability whilst still reflecting brilliantly on how difficult her life is. She has some fantastic support in her best friend and employer as well as being fortunate enough for Minnie to have a good supportive carer but that doesn’t undermine the challenges in her life. This covers some difficult topics but is very engaging with characters you really care about and some very uplifting moments thrown in too.

This book is incredible- how do I rate higher than 5 stars?

The book tells the story of three generations of woman all trying to be strong in the midst of life changing circumstances. Cat lives it her teenager daughter, Ruby and now must care for her mother, Minnie who has early onset Alzheimer’s. As all three women try to navigate this new journey there is also a mystery woven throughout the story.

This is beautifully written and so engrossing, I couldn’t put it down. The relationships of the three main characters are truly remarkable and the side characters all lend an added layer. This book was incredibly moving at times, but ultimately hopeful. The writing is so good, the subject matter handled carefully and the dialogue sharp. It is a book I cannot stop thinking about but for all the right reasons.

I loved this authors first novel but this is even better, I cannot recommend this beautiful and interesting book enough. I can’t wait for her next novel.

What a gorgeous read abt three different woman who are going through different things in life and become interconnected. It’s a beautiful story of love, hope, and the bond of female friendship and I loved every moment.