“Fans of Jojo Moyes will love We Are All Made of Stars” (Good Housekeeping). “A beautiful web of a book” (Jodi Picoult), this life-affirming novel tells an unforgettable story about second chances, the power of words, and the resilience of the heart.A dedicated nurse, Stella finds comfort at the hospice where she works the late shift, especially since her husband returned from Afghanistan—cold, … returned from Afghanistan—cold, distant, and shattered by painful memories he refuses to share. The hospice at night is another world, where the dying receive closure by creating the letters that Stella helps them write. The pages are filled with love and humor, sometimes regret, and, occasionally, even instructions for a perplexed husband on how to run appliances. There’s one rule: The letters are mailed only after the patient has passed.
Suddenly Stella is faced with a dilemma: A woman under her care, Grace, has written a confession to the son she abandoned many years before. The letter clearly needs to be read before Grace dies. But if Stella mails it now, she breaks the rule—and risks tampering not only with Grace’s wishes but also with fate.
Navigating passion and grief, loyalty and loss, and a marriage threatened by silence and secrets, Stella discovers that letters hold a special power: granting solace, saving memories, nurturing relationships. As the words endure, love redeems.
Praise for We Are All Made of Stars
“A beautiful web of a book that reminds us of how we are all connected, and how to die—and live—without regrets. Is that a tear in my eye? No, that’s a tear in your eye.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time and The Storyteller
“We Are All Made of Stars will break your heart and put the pieces back together—fans of Jojo Moyes’s Me Before You, this one is right up your alley.”—Refinery29
“Coleman uses several voices and perspectives to turn a potentially dark story into one filled with light. Fans of Jojo Moyes will love this beautifully written, deeply engaging novel that understands death and celebrates life.” —Booklist (starred review)
“A powerful, emotional read.”—RT Reviews
“Fans of Jojo Moyes will love We Are All Made of Stars.”—Good Housekeeping
“Coleman has written a poignant story that examines the value of life, love, and forgiveness. . . . A tear-jerking but ultimately uplifting story.”—Kirkus Reviews
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Such a good book, but keep the tissues handy.
Centers around a hospice/rehabilitation center in London and told in different character voices. Lots of it features letters written by Stella (a nurse) for those saying their last goodbyes. Stella, Hugh and Hope (our voices) each have their own issues with death…Stella as a nurse cares for those staring it in the face, Hugh lost his beloved mom at age 10 and Hope feels she is living on borrowed time (at 21) with a life-shortening disease.
There are quite a few themes here…how people change throughout their lives (sometimes due to outside circumstances, sometimes just due to life), guilt and forgiveness, the strength to be vulnerable and being honest with ourselves/facing our demons. This story spoke to me on several levels, and I found myself highlighting so many of the insights. My only caveat is that I wish the author had also included characters with Christian faith/ideals of life after death. But overall a great story and one I recommend.
This is a book about endings and beginnings and the “life stuff” in between. It will gladden your heart.
Though a difficult and sad subject, this is beautifully written. The characters are quirky, fun and likable and humanized end-of-life care. You don’t feel sad at the end!
A bit too sentimental for my taste. But it is an easy read and I think many people will like it.
Poignant and beautiful!
Some of my favorite stories are those that have multiple, intersecting storylines with just as many POVs. They’re somewhat like the movie Love, Actually in written form. We Are All Made of Stars was such a story and I loved it. It was at times heartbreaking, but also witty and touching. A couple of light romantic threads were woven within larger messages regarding death, grief, and reconciliation. The author did a wonderful job in tying them altogether in a satisfying conclusion filled with hope and a mysteriously all-knowing cat, aka the Mayor of London.
So different. It makes you think, what would you say to your loved ones if you were in hospice!
Thought-provoking. We all have times when we wonder, “what is the right thing to do?” This book demonstrates how the puzzle is never clear and the outcome always unpredictable.
I found myself deeply moved by the stories of these characters and wanted them to be happy as if they were real.
Wonderful book!
Excellently written, believable characters, and beautiful story line.
I read this in a day. I just couldn’t put it down. Made me wonder what would I write in my own letter. Thought provoking. Really made me miss my nursing days.
I highly recommend this book! I lost sleep a couple of nights cause I couldn’t stop reading. Characters are so full of humanity- regrets, sorrows, fears and loss but overwhelmingly filled with love even if it’s been covered over. I was so inspired by this book I may borrow a passage from it for my kids to read at my funeral although I’m not heading that way currently. Has inspired me to say some things I haven’t been able to say out loud. Read it!
This book was well written and the author had a clear vision of the story line. I enjoyed how it was pulled together.
As a person who helped my father with home hospice care while dealing with my own life-changing chronic illness, I felt embraced by this book. A special thank you hug to the author!
I laughed, I cried, I commiserated, and I just HAD TO KNOW what happens to every character. The device of delivering a dying patients final thoughts was enthralling. The untold stories are as engaging and touching as the stories of the characters drawn fully by this author.
It’s ok, gives you a perspective from people close to death.
really different wonderful book about love, life, and what is important
I loved this book. Slightly predictable, yes, but so well written and filled with truths well told, that I have only good things to say about it. Loved, loved this story.
This book kept me reading but it was hard. Somewhat repetitious and began to get boring but I wanted to see how it ended.