ARC Review: When All Is Said by Anne Griffin

Who managed to score an ARC of 'When All Is Said' by Anne Griffin? THIS GIRL DID!

 I wasn't sure what to expect from this book at first and I was oh so pleasantly shocked and surprised to fall head over heels in love with this one. If it's not on your Want to Read list on Goodreads - do yourself a favor and add it now! - Click here to do so now!

I posted a blog post a few days ago about my top 5 books that have made me cry - this book would have made that list if I'd read it prior to that post!

Now let us continue on to my review!

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Let me start with, I am finally adding a new book to my favorites shelf! This book has the power to make you fall in love, break you heart and then sew you right back up as 84-year old Maurice sits at a bar in his home town retelling the story of his life. From heartbreak to love and back again we journey with him through the painful losses of people he loves the most to the victories over others who stood in his way. "Did he ever lay his hand on the earth to steady his body that heaved at the injustice of it all?"  I came to the end of this book feeling such a sense of sweetness and sadness. This may have been a work of fiction but I can honestly say it impacted my real world. Anne Griffin deserves every award coming her way for this book, I am sure they will be plentiful. "I never dreamt the day I met her that there would come a time when I'd find it hard to breathe because her toothbrush no longer sat beside mine in the green, sorry - avocado, I always got that wrong apparently - tumbler on the bathroom sink or because I can no longer hear her giving out when I set the fire wrong in the grate or that there is nothing - no breath, no heartbeat when I stretch my hand to her side of the bed in the morning. But I can't. I can't"  I wish I could sit next to Maurice at that bar and listen to more of his stories. The one thing I will mention about this book because I feel like it's important to do so, I am putting a trigger warning on this one for the mention of suicide. You never know what others are walking through and can never be too aware, so there's that.