How the Story Goes, Andrew Forrester (Review by Darlene Smoliak)

Whit, an author, loses his wife Helen—herself a famous children’s author—to cancer. He is left raising his eight-year-old daughter, who is grieving, while also facing what he calls the monumental task of finishing the final book in his wife’s beloved fantasy series. Whit is deep in his grief and unable to write his own books, let alone hers. As the deadline looms, he becomes increasingly desperate. When he meets Merritt, things begin to shift. Merritt has returned home after a difficult breakup and works at a local bookstore, where Whit discovers she is a devoted superfan of Helen’s books. As luck would have it, she’s also a writer, and she agrees to help him complete the final installment. What follows is a story of two people, both carrying their own pain, slowly beginning to open up through writing and through each other. Of course, things don’t stay simple, and when Whit learns something about Helen’s wishes, everything is thrown into turmoil.

This story really touched me. Anyone who has experienced grief and loss will likely connect with Whit. He’s such a likeable character, just trying to do his best. Watching him slowly come out of his shell and begin to navigate life—and love—again was genuinely heartwarming. I’ll admit there were moments I wanted to shake him a little when he kept second-guessing himself with Merritt, but it also felt very real. Merritt was just as easy to like. After a damaging relationship that upended her life, it was nice to see her begin to trust again and open herself to the possibility of something new.

I also really appreciated the side characters in this novel. They stood out in a way that doesn’t always happen for me. Whit’s sister was quite funny, and his writing friend was a really supportive presence as he worked through his grief.

At its heart, How the Story Goes is a story about hope. From the first page, I was pulled in, and I genuinely felt a sense of sadness when I reached the end and had to leave these characters behind. It’s the kind of novel you want to sink into your favorite chair with and truly savor.