The Night We Lost Him
The Night We Lost Him ~ Laura Dave
Nora Noone is a successful architect living in New York, who has recently gone through the horrible loss of both of her parents, her mother from cancer, her father when he fell from a cliff side above the ocean in California. They divorced when she was young, and her father remarried, twice. Nora was extremely close with her mother, and is having a lot of trouble processing that loss. She loved her father, but they weren’t terribly close, and she was not close with her twin brothers, who he had with his second wife. She is struggling with her grief, which is threatening her relationship with her seemingly perfect restauranteur fiancé, when one of her brothers shows up to tell her that he doesn’t think that their father’s death was accidental.
From there, Nora and her brother, Sam, fly to California to see whether there is any clue as to what might have caused their father to slip and fall when he did. The book jumps back and forth in time, between Nora and Sam’s search for truth, and to understand their father a bit better, and their father Liam’s youth, when he falls in love with Cory and builds a successful hotel empire. Liam and Cory have a 50 year relationship, built on mutual affection, love, and friendship.
How did Liam die? Was he murdered? I found that I didn’t care a whole lot about that, I was more interested in the relationships in the book. Would Nora push her fiancé Jack away beyond all repair? What about her relationship with her brothers? And of course, Liam’s relationship with Cory, finding out her identity in present day, and why they never ended up together. I enjoyed this book and found it compelling, but I didn’t capital L love it. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Julia Whelan, which is always a plus.
15 Comments
Maya
You make the book sound so intriguing…
and I’m struck by how the protagonist’s name looks like “no one”
J
Maya, you’re so perceptive! I think it’s pronounced like ‘noon’, but they do mention at least once in the book about the ‘no one’ connection.
Lisa's Yarns
This book does sound really intriguing with all the familial dynamics. My MIL gave me her copy of this author’s previous book and then I never got around to reading it… I will have to see if I still have it (I will go on book purging sprees at times so it might have been put in our neighborhood little free library).
J
Oh, I really liked The Last Thing He Told Me, too. Similar to this story, there is a mystery, but the relationships are the heart of the story. There was a limited series made of it, with Jennifer Garner.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I totally agree with your assesment. I was more invested in the relationships.
It was our book club book and all of my pals hated it. I liked it actually. But I agree I didnt love it captil L.
J
Interesting that they all hated it. I liked it! Not Love, but like.
Margaret
It sounds like it has lots of twists and emotions. I’m finding many books lately that I like but don’t love.
J
I don’t mind not LOVING a book, as long as I get it for free from the library. If I’ve spent money on it, it bothers me a bit more.
Ernie
I’m blown away by how many books you read. You do make them alll sound so good. This one sounds really good. I do like the sound of the various family dynamics.
J
I listen to most of them while cooking or walking or going to the grocery store. My physical book reading is MUCH slower. And I’m at a different phase of life than you. 🙂
Sarah
I did not love this book in print, but I think I would have loved Julia Whelan reading it to me…
J
She makes everything better!
Alexndra
Oh, I have this one on my list to read, as I loved her first book. Maybe I should get it from the library instead.
J
Agreed! Get it from the library.
Alexandra
I’ve added it in my little notebook for the library!! 😀