Title: The Things We Leave Unfinished
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Published: November 29th 2022
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Pages: 448
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
RRP: $22.99
Rating: 3.5 stars
A TikTok sensation! This is an epic and emotional romance about the risks we take for love and the endings we don’t see coming
When Georgia Stanton discovers that her late grandmother, Scarlett, the infamous romance author, didn’t get the chance to finish her last book, she is determined to share her story. But first, it needs to be written.
Enter Noah Harrison, the bestselling and most charismatic romance author of his generation. When Georgia meets him, she is distraught – although he’s charming and handsome, there’s nothing beneath the surface. But as they start working together, Georgia begins to see that there might be more to Noah than meets the eye.
Together, they realize that Scarlett was saving the greatest love story of all until last – her own. While serving in World War Two, she fell in love with the handsome and enigmatic pilot, Jameson. But are Georgia and Noah about to discover that not all love stories have a happy ending…?
Review:
Classed as a global TikTok sensation, The Things We Leave Unfinished is a 2021 dual timeline novel from Colorado based author Rebecca Yarros. A tale of love, hope, passion, dedication, truth, perseverance and resilience, The Things We Leave Unfinished is an emotional work of historical romance branded with general fiction.
In this double timeline romance, we meet Georgia Stanton, a woman who is shocked to learn that her beloved late grandmother who was a well-known romance author left her final manuscript unfinished. Georgia makes it her mission to ensure that this story will finally be published, but she just needs to find a way to do it. With the help of a famous contemporary romance author named Noah Harrison, Georgia may just have the right person on board to tell her grandmother’s final story. But Noah and Georgia experience problems as soon as they begin to work together on the manuscript. Georgia wonders if Noah is the right person to tell her treasured grandmother’s story. As this opposing twosome get into the very heart of the story, they realise that this final masterpiece from the infamous romance author is one very special tale. Taking Georgia and Noah back to the Second World War, we discover how Scarlett fell deeply in love with a dashing pilot. Will these two love stories result in happiness for all?
Rebecca Yarros has ten published novels to her name, but The Things We Leave Unfinished is the first time I have tasted this bestselling author’s writing. I am an absolute sucker for dual narrative stories, especially if the past thread involves a wartime story. I had big hopes for this one and although I did read The Things We Leave Unfinished cover to cover, I didn’t feel overjoyed by this highly rated Booktok sensation.
In the present day storyline featured in The Things We Leave Unfinished, we have a kind of typical contemporary romance set-up between writer Noah and Georgia, who is determined to tell her grandmother’s last story. I did admire Georgia’s drive, perseverance, loyalty and love for her late grandmother. I also appreciated Georgia’s character transformation as the story progressed. In Noah, I wasn’t sure how to take him. Noah is presented as charming and good looking. Noah seemed to have everything going for him, including being a bestselling romance author. But we feel plenty of opposing chemistry between these two protagonists, along with some trust issues. However, as the romance and story itself progressed, this love war seemed to settle.
The past historical narrative featured in The Things We Leave Unfinished transports us back to the Second World War. Yarros depicts this time as full of uncertainty, peril and high emotion. Decisions and relationships were often formed on a whim, with the pressure of simply surviving another day the utmost concern for many at this time. Jameson, the love figure and dashing pilot of this tale, is presented well on the pages of this novel. Likewise, it is easy to warm to Scarlett, his love interest and the central female historical figure of this tale. The connection and links to the contemporary element of this story appeared to be fine, ensuring that the reader transitions in and out of both timeframes with ease. Yarros intersperses her main text with some varying letter fonts which did cause me a bit of a headache to be honest. I really had to peer closely at these to decipher what was being expressed by the characters in these notes. I think I gave up more than a few times on these towards the mid-section of the novel, so I hope I didn’t miss too much. I was still able to make it to the close of this one and connect the dots.
A book and romance writing themed dual love story that has proved to be very popular on the BookTok circuit, The Things We Leave Unfinished is a title that has all the feels.
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros was published on 29th November 2022 by Penguin Books Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Things We Leave Unfinished, Rebecca Yarros, visit here.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Mrs B's Book Reviews 