just. stunning. Prose so beautiful, so intricate. so emotive that it made me gasp. The most wonderful characterisation in Janet - such a flawed, tormented, soulful creature that I could not help but root for. I was wondering how Charlotte would follow her triumph of a debut, and my gosh, she has somehow delivered. Exquisite.

What a beautifully written book! I was gripped from the start, it was compulsively readable! I really felt like I was there. Very atmospheric

Beautifully written with a storyline that gripped me and didn't let go. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want to. A great read.

4 - 5 stars

Janet Brown works as a cleaner and she’s a very good one too as she finds gleaming surfaces calming. She’s married to Colin, who seems to punish her for any minor infraction as he sees it. One evening, she’s had as much as she can take and she makes a break for it channelling her inner Thelma or Louise. What follows on has far-reaching consequences she could not have foreseen as things utterly spiral out of control.

Wow, this is such a powerful and beautifully written character driven novel with a portrait of Janet so sympathetically and carefully portrayed. It’s a poignant and very moving novel as via the short focused chapters we get clarity on how the couple arrive at the destination which kicks off the events and view the stasis of a life. The characterisation is superbly incisive as we get a portrait of fractured lives and relationship.

I love Janet, she is brave, gutsy and caring she does not get everything right but she has the courage to put the one foot in front of the other. You feel the anxiety that situations induce in her yet she also has humour even if it’s the self deprecating kind. For a while events really transform her in a chrysalis to a butterfly way but then things change and become a bit mysterious. She’s in a big hole with nothing to dig herself out with and then there’s the building dread of Colin. As for him, well, you’ll just have to meet him and decide for yourself!

This is an immersive novel and I enjoy how the author matches the weather to moods to highlight situations. I love the ending, it feels absolutely right.

If you like character driven novels then I recommend you meet Janet.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan McMillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

The descriptions at the very start immersed me into the story immediately.
Janet is a complicated character, and the story follows her closely with lots of intrigue.
Full of atmosphere and tension which is maintained throughout.

Suspenseful.

Although Charlotte Levin has only published two books she is one of my favourite authors. Her debut novel is one of my all time favourite books and so when I heard she had written a second book, I knew I had to read it. If I Let You Go does not disappoint. Just like If I Can't Have You this is a page-turning, I can't put it down sort of book. The characters are written so well and are so rounded you feel like you are there and you feel everything the characters do. The writing is on another level, the descriptions of feelings are exquisite. It's so good. I don't know what else to say. So clever, so brilliant, just read it!

Poor Janet. This seems such a trite thing to say given the huge events of the story but I just felt so sad for her. She was so relatable, I could completely see how she got herself in such a pickle at the beginning. And as we find out more about her history she is such a tragic character, but she still keeps putting one foot in front of the other and tries to keep going. Colin is despicable, and very well drawn. For such a sad story there are little glimmers of hope and love and friendship which were welcomed.

I really enjoy Charlotte Levin’s writing style, she has such an effortless flow that it’s easy to read for far longer than I planned each night. I look forward to more of her books in future.

I loved Charlotte's first book and was keen to read this one. I constantly felt sorry for the character of Janet, trapped in a downtrodden life, bearing guilt for something that was not her fault. Like all of us would, she saw an opportunity and took it, spiralling into a lie that became almost impossible to bear. Great characters, even the ones I didn't like! Excellent plot and I could really feel Janet's crushing guilt throughout.

Another amazing book by this Author! I absolutely loved this one. Janet was such a likeable character. Lots of serious topics mixed with some humour. I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next

I LOVED If I Can't Have You, so I was delighted to get approved for this one on netgalley. Once again I was not disappointed.
This story so cleverly pieces together, and I loved Janet's character and her bravery. I really felt for her throughout, as we gradually learnt more about her, her past and her trauma. Equally, I detested Colin, the other has done a brilliant job of making such realistic characters.

Janet Brown's life is small and quiet, and that's just how she likes it. After experiencing a terrible tragedy eleven years ago, Janet is living only in the most literal sense of the word. She cleans offices, visits her elderly father, and caters to her dominating husband, and she sees this as her penance for what happened all those years before.

But when Janet is involved in a train crash and saves the life of a little girl, it seems like fate has come full circle to offer Janet another chance at both life and redemption. As news of Janet's heroism spreads, things begin to spiral out of control, with TV appearances, crowdfunders, and celebrity friends. But all isn't as it seems: can Janet stop come clean and salvage the situation before it's out of her control for good?

I really enjoyed this novel, the second I've read from Charlotte Levin, who seems to have a real knack for writing flawed protagonists so that we are both horrified by their actions and rooting for them to come good. This one had my anxiety levels up for the whole ride, wondering how Janet was ever going to get the life she deserved after miring herself so terribly in untruths and discomfort. I loved the ending too (for a while I thought we were going in a different direction, and Janet deserved so much more than that - I'm glad she got it).

I can't wait to read what Charlotte Levin writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley, and to the publisher, for providing me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Janet Brown lives a quiet life. A cleaner who takes pride in her work and pleasure in small things. What leads her to make a break from her life?

It's evident fairly early in the story that there is a traumatic backstory to Janet but I really enjoyed the pacing of this and the way the full story was allowed to gently unfold.

Janet is such a great and relatable character - flawed & struggling but so much more than she initially believes herself to be.

As the story develops and we learn the full extent of the circumstances surrounding Janets past, I felt even more for her and boy did I want to slap her husband Colin! Though he is dealing with his own grief, his treatment of Janet and his emotional control of her was hard to read in places.

A really well written, believable story and you really could feel the weight of Janets grief and her guilt as she is pulled further into her rather unwitting deception.

I thought the ending was really fitting too. Will defintely be recommending this book.

Thanks to Pan McMillan for the chance to read an early copy

If I Let You Go by Charlotte Levin.

Beautifully written with a storyline that gripped me and didn't let go. I couldn't put it down and I didn't want to get to the last page.
I was really rooting for Janet , such a great character and enjoyed following her story.
This would make a great film or tv series.

I'm probably one of the last readers who hasn't read If I Can't Have You yet. Everyone tells me it's a great book so I couldn't resist the chance to jump in and read this one.

Janet lives in a loveless marriage with an unpleasant husband, her life lived in the shadow of grief from loosing her daughter eleven year ago.

Her actions following a train crash cast her into the spotlight, but how will this unloved and downtrodden character cope with the adulation and pressure?

It hooks immediately and weaves a strong and involving plot.

This is a rich and deep character driven story. The character writing is exquisite, Janet's grief, self doubt and anxious overthinking are enchantingly real and believable.

From early on I was thinking 'This is what I want to read! Real, believable and emotionally involving characters'.

I really can't fault it for what it is, definitely recommended and really quite different.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan MacMillan

I loved Charlotte Levin's first book and have been waiting for a second - this did not disappoint!

Janet plods through life carrying the pain of unimaginable loss. She goes to work, visits her dad and returns home to her husband day after day, living a sad and predictable life.
The death of her daughter 11 years earlier has left Janet with an unbearable amount of grief and guilt, which is fuelled by her husband Colin who makes very clear he blames Janet for Claires death. Janet's relationship with Colin is nothing short of abusive, controlling her and coercing her into doing whatever he wants. She has nothing and nobody but him, which is just how he likes it.
Until the anniversary of Claires death when Janet rebels against Colin with tragic consequences when Janet is involved in an accident that has her hailed a hero. Janet believes she has been redeemed for Claires death, but as she becomes well known for her heroic act, she starts to remember what really happened that night.

Amazing, emotional, heart-rending character driven, fantastic.

If I Let You Go by Charlotte Levin
Published by Pan MacMillan
Publication Date 2nd March 2023

No Spoilers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I raced through this, desperate to find out how it would be resolved and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Dark, and compelling with a central character you will be willing onwards and upwards - I loved it.

I also enjoyed Charlotte Levins “ If I Can’t Have You” which was also darkly original and can only say I think this is even better.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance digital copy to read and review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This was an enjoyable read. I was invested in Janet's story and the novel explored difficult themes sensitively.

If I Let You Go - Charlotte Levin

I'm in awe of Charlotte Levin's writing - such beautiful prose - and a story that grabs you and doesn't let you go all the way through. A tragedy, a comedy, a mystery.... a masterpiece. I found myself rooting for Janet all the way through and think this would make an excellent TV/film adaptation. Lucky me I haven't read the author's first book so that's now on my list! Very VERY highly recommended!

Janet Brown spends her time cleaning offices, the cleanliness and neatness keeps her calm after suffering a terrible loss eleven years ago. When Janet finds herself involved in a train crash she makes a decision to be a hero and soon inspires everyone around her. But as events spiral out of control and confessing not an option she has to figure out what she's going to do and the truths she needs to face.
This was gripping its more of a character driven story than plot driven but that didn't make me like this any less. I felt so heartbroken for poor Janet for everything she'd dealt with and all the things she was still dealing with and I needed to see her make her life better. I love Charlotte Levins writing as she draws you in to the story and she's definitely made a fan out of me.

What an extraordinarily satisfying read!

Charlotte Levin not only confirms that she has more than one book in her, she also shows that she can produce an equally good one that has a different emphasis, not obsessive love but grief. However, both stories are nuanced and multi-layered, allowing the reader to join the dots on the wonderfully character-led novels.

In If I Let You Go we meet Janet, a cleaner, a wife and mourning the loss of her daughter eleven years previously. We peek behind the outward face of Janet to see how she navigates life as the day that would have been her daughter's eighteenth birthday.

The writer's ability to bring Janet to life when she is exactly the sort of woman that stumbles through life mostly unnoticed, is a real gift. As a result I found myself sharing Janet's anxieties when she is forced out of the shadows. As in her previous book the author creates a superb back-up of equally believable secondary characters to support the plot.

My favourite read of 2023 and I seriously hope that the author has other books ready for publication as I have found a new 'favourite author'

Another dark, complex read from Levin, who keeps coming up with unusual, twisty plots with hardcore tragedy at their heart. Outstanding.

If I Let You Go follows Janet, a woman who lost her daughter in an accident years ago and has been left living in unbearable guilt ever since. She lives with her husband Colin who blames her solely for their daughters death and is incredibly emotionally abusive and controlling (big trigger warning for this topic!)

One day Janet finds herself thrust into the spotlight after saving a celebrity chefs daughter from the wreckage of a train crash - she sees this as her chance to start over and finally be forgiven.

This is a really sad book, my heart hurt for Janet. I can only imagine the horrendous pain of losing a child and then blaming yourself.

It’s fast paced and reads like a thriller, I was desperate to find out what really happened to Janet’s daughter and what would happen in the end and it didn’t disappoint.

A genuine and honest story about love and loss, with a darkly funny streak that reminds us just how strange life really is.

Janet was both the hero and villain in her own story - she was flawed, troubled and damaged, she made terrible choices but underneath it al was a kind hearted woman who just wanted to feel love and safety in a world that had none of those things. She found herself crushed under the pressure of not only her life but her newfound fame and infamy. The way she is written made me connect with her instantly, down to the way she thinks and the way she sees the world through such an intensely anxious lens. I found catharsis and companionship with her along her journey.

She acts as our narrator, walking us thoughtfully through everything that happens with occasional glimpses into the darkest moments of the past, showing us little pieces of a much larger puzzle. But eventually this slow, steady pace spirals out of control into unpredictable and erratic chaos, in a way that seems outlandish but really is such an accurate show of just how absurd life can become in a moments notice.

Levin masterfully creates a suffocating, claustrophobic atmosphere that follows us from page to page, weaving little details into the settings and the people around us that make the walls feel like they're closing in. It's clear Janet is trapped not just in her own mind, but her relationship, in her grief, in her lies - and we feel that caged anxious energy from the first page.

This is a painfully authentic reflection about the dark side of grief and loss that can seep into every aspect of life - it takes us to difficult places, but Levin offers a comforting hand to try and guide us through this journey and hope for a little bit of a light at the end. We look at the real depths that our sadness can take us to, and how it manifests so differently in all of us, but also how we don't only mourn for the dead.

An empowering shining story about finding life after letting everything go, and how difficult that really can be.

Rating: 4.25⭐️

If I let you go follows Janet, a cleaner who has followed the same routine for years going to work and cleaning offices. Her and her husband Colin have been affected by something in the past regarding their daughter Claire. Janet is etched with guilt regarding whatever happened with their daughter. When a train crash happens and Janet is seen as the local hero for saving a little girl, her life begins to change.

I really enjoyed this book and really struggled to put it down. The short chapters made it such a fast pace read and I was constantly wanting to read more. This book had a slow paced thriller style to it which I really enjoyed and kept me on the edge of my seat at times. We find out something has happened to Janet’s daughter but we’re not made aware until quite a few chapters into the book which kept me hooked.

The characterisation in this book was absolutely fabulous, every character was so well developed and well rounded. I loved that there was such a wide range of characters in there too, Mary was such an annoying nosy neighbour. I adored Janet and she just seemed like such a lovely woman. She is a character I will think about for a long time. I really disliked Colin throughout and hated the fact that he was constantly punishing her for what had happened to their daughter.

There is a huge focus of trauma in this book and how it affects you on a day to day basis, the way it was explored was just fabulous. I really liked the ending and I’m glad it ended how it did because Janet deserved so much more. I also loved that it was set in Manchester/Salford🙌🏼