Twelve Months and a Day, Louisa Young
Twelve Months and a Day, Louisa Young
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Twelve Months and a Day

Author: Louisa Young

Narrator: Isabel Adomakoh Young

Unabridged: 10 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 01/31/2023


Synopsis

A poignant, modern love story about a young widow and widower and the two ghosts that bring them together because although love changes form, it never dies.

“Heart-stoppingly romantic.”—The Express (UK)

Two couples. Four unfinished lives. A love that transcends space and time.

Rasmus and Jay, Róisín and Nico: two couples, strangers to each other. Two beautiful, ordinary love stories, cut short. Both in their thirties and too young to be widowed, Róisín swears she still feels Nico beside her in bed and Rasmus hears Jay as he writes songs at the piano.

Jay and Nico don’t even believe in ghosts, yet here they still are. Still in love with Rasmus and Róisín. And maddeningly powerless. Until Jay has an idea that Nico wants no part of—bringing Róisín and Rasmus together. It’s crazy enough that it just might work, but playing matchmaker to the living is no easy feat and one that will require all four of them to discover the meaning of love after loss, and the importance of fighting for happiness against all odds.

Moving and thought-provoking, playful and bittersweet, Twelve Months and a Day asks what is love? And what are we to do with it?

About The Author

Louisa Young was born in London and studied history at Cambridge. She co-wrote the Lionboy series with her daughter and is the author of nine further books including, the bestselling My Dear I Wanted to Tell You, which was short-listed for the Costa Novel Award and was a Richard and Judy Book Club choice, and Baby Love, long-listed for the Orange Prize. Her work is published in thirty-six languages. She lives in London.


Reviews

This was a really touching story focusing on grief. But what made it especially unique was the magical element. It's told through four characters: a widow, a widower ... and their ghost partners! With that said, I spent some time overwhelmed trying to keep these characters straight. I was constantly......more

The thought of even writing this review is making me nervous … I absolutely loved this book… talking about life and death is very hard for me… I’m a very anxious person… and this story hit moments where I had to set it down and revisit, even though I was truly captivated, it offered so much… love aft......more

Goodreads review by Shannon

This was such a different kind of story and I really enjoyed it! I love books with magical realism elements and the premise of this love after loss romance in which two widows are matched up by the ghosts of their dead partners was fantastic! Great on audio narrated by the author's daughter and fille......more

Thanks to Putnam for the copy of this ARC. What a unique and lovely story from Louisa Young. Two couples, Rasmus & Jay and Róisín & Nico, are brought together when both Jay and Nico pass away. Rasmus and Róisín are left in their grief after losing their partners, and Jay and Nico are both left hangin......more


Quotes

People’s Book of the Week

“One of the freshest love stories I’ve read in years.”—Colleen Oakley, author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island

“A heartfelt valentine to hope.” —People

“A haunting love story—literally.”—Best magazine (UK)

“Equal parts tender, sparkling, and authentic, Louisa Young’s prose is like watching a flower open, each moment beautiful, mesmerizing, and better than the last. Twelve Months and a Day will have readers captivated from beginning to end.” —Amy E. Reichert, author of Once Upon a December

“Deeply emotional...An impressive and poignant romance.” —Publishers Weekly

“Readers of this novel full of wisdom, joy, and sorrow should have their tissues handy as they read.”—Booklist (starred review)

“A tale of two love stories with a supernatural twist…[Caused] a bitter-sweet pang in my heart as it ended.” —Monique Roffey, author of Archipelago and The White Woman on the Green Bicycle

"The words “emotional roller coaster” seem coined for Louisa Young’s beautiful, bittersweet novel, as heart-stoppingly romantic as it’s heartbreakingly sad...A lovely, moving, ultimately hopeful read."—The Express (UK)

"A wonderful and inventive novel, sorrowful and hopeful in equal measure. It was a true pleasure to read." —Miranda Cowley Heller, author of The Paper Palace