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kelly_e 's review for:
I'll Be Right Here
by Amy Bloom
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Title: I'll Be Right Here
Author: Amy Bloom
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 1.75
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
I received a complimentary eARC from Random House Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intimate • Complex • Messy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Immigrating alone from Paris to New York after the crucible of World War II, young Gazala becomes friends with two spirited sisters, Anne and Alma. When Gazala’s lost, beloved brother, Samir, joins her in Manhattan, this contentious, inseparable foursome makes their way into the twenty-first century, becoming the beating heart of a multigenerational found family.
The decades are marked by the business of everyday life and the inevitable surprises of erupting passions, of great and small waves of joy and despair, from the beginning of life, to its end. Gazala and Samir make a home together, Anne leaves her husband for his sister, and Anne’s restless daughter grows up to raise a child on her own and join a throuple, becoming who she wants to be. Through it all, and the tumult of these decades, the four friends, and their best beloveds, stand by one another, protecting, annoying and celebrating each other, steadfastly unapologetic about their desires and the unorthodox family they have created. As the next generation falls in and out of love, experiencing life's triumphs, mistakes and disappointments, the central pillars of their lives are the indomitable people they call "the Greats".
💭 T H O U G H T S
Every now and then I request an ARC based solely on the cover and I'll Be Right Here is one of those times. Sometimes it works out, while others it doesn't. This was my first time reading Amy Bloom and it was one of those times where it just didn't work for me.
This felt like one long and confusing tangent, where I didn't necessarily care for or about any of the main characters. While it explores a wide variety of relationships and the theme of found family, there's no real story here. I was often lost in both time and place as it spans 80 years and various continents.
I appreciated the exploration of love in many forms, however, it seemed like the author was eager to include every type of relationship possible. Instead of representing variations in couples, it ended up feeling like checking the boxes on a list. I was expecting more of a historical fiction book but got more of an exploration of passion, attraction, and sex in all of its forms.
At the end of the day, I'll Be Right Here was a long, drawn out saga that I wish I had DNFed as I didn't gain much from having read it. It's quite possible if I'd actually taken the time to read the synopsis ahead of time I'd have foregone picking it up altogether. Live and learn right? Honestly, the cover really was the best part.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• found family
• learning about relationship types
⚠️ CW: infidelity, sexual content, polyamory, grief, adoption, war, death
Author: Amy Bloom
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 1.75
Pub Date: June 24, 2025
I received a complimentary eARC from Random House Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intimate • Complex • Messy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Immigrating alone from Paris to New York after the crucible of World War II, young Gazala becomes friends with two spirited sisters, Anne and Alma. When Gazala’s lost, beloved brother, Samir, joins her in Manhattan, this contentious, inseparable foursome makes their way into the twenty-first century, becoming the beating heart of a multigenerational found family.
The decades are marked by the business of everyday life and the inevitable surprises of erupting passions, of great and small waves of joy and despair, from the beginning of life, to its end. Gazala and Samir make a home together, Anne leaves her husband for his sister, and Anne’s restless daughter grows up to raise a child on her own and join a throuple, becoming who she wants to be. Through it all, and the tumult of these decades, the four friends, and their best beloveds, stand by one another, protecting, annoying and celebrating each other, steadfastly unapologetic about their desires and the unorthodox family they have created. As the next generation falls in and out of love, experiencing life's triumphs, mistakes and disappointments, the central pillars of their lives are the indomitable people they call "the Greats".
💭 T H O U G H T S
Every now and then I request an ARC based solely on the cover and I'll Be Right Here is one of those times. Sometimes it works out, while others it doesn't. This was my first time reading Amy Bloom and it was one of those times where it just didn't work for me.
This felt like one long and confusing tangent, where I didn't necessarily care for or about any of the main characters. While it explores a wide variety of relationships and the theme of found family, there's no real story here. I was often lost in both time and place as it spans 80 years and various continents.
I appreciated the exploration of love in many forms, however, it seemed like the author was eager to include every type of relationship possible. Instead of representing variations in couples, it ended up feeling like checking the boxes on a list. I was expecting more of a historical fiction book but got more of an exploration of passion, attraction, and sex in all of its forms.
At the end of the day, I'll Be Right Here was a long, drawn out saga that I wish I had DNFed as I didn't gain much from having read it. It's quite possible if I'd actually taken the time to read the synopsis ahead of time I'd have foregone picking it up altogether. Live and learn right? Honestly, the cover really was the best part.
📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• found family
• learning about relationship types
⚠️ CW: infidelity, sexual content, polyamory, grief, adoption, war, death
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, Grief
Moderate: Death, War
polyamory, adoption