Thanks to the publisher and the author for providing this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

“What We Remember” is a story of loss, trauma and learning to handle grief. The story has been told in first person by the principal character, Isabel Myles, who is a hospital chaplain. Ever since a tragedy occurred in her life two years earlier, Isabel had shut off from her best friend and family completely. The only person she is willing to communicate with is her sister Chantel, with whom she has always had a close relationship.

When circumstances force her to take a leave of absence from work for two months, she volunteers to look after an elderly dementia patient named Opal for that period, which sets her on the path of healing and helps her learn to live again. Has she healed enough to face the tragedy head-on? Read the book to know it.

This story initially started off very slowly and I couldn’t get invested with the characters at all, primarily with Isabel. We are immersed into her inertia and stark life, so much so that, it starts getting uncomfortable almost immediately. But as the story progressed gradually, I could almost feel the verve for life being awakened in Isabel and I felt that very intensely within me. The last few paragraphs were so very raw and emotional that a person like me, who doesn’t get emotional for even the best tear-jerkers, found myself struggling not to break out in tears.

In spite of the extremely emotional response the story brought in me or perhaps because of it, I had the most profound experience reading the book; I particularly loved the way Echavarre used the characters to immerse us into that experience.

This book is for you if you are someone who likes to read emotionally charged stories.

This book gets 5 out 5 stars.