Why The Good Parts by Evann Normandin Is a Debut You Won’t Forget: Book Review

The Good Parts is a moving story of love, memory, loss, and the hope of finding each other a second time.

Acknowledgments:

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Libro.fm for the ALC of this audiobook. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Summary of Synopsis:

After receiving a letter from his wife, Rose, informing him that she has undergone a memory-erasing procedure and no longer remembers their life together, Landon refuses to let go of the woman he still loves. When he finds her living in Edinburgh and starting over with no recollection of their shared past, he reenters her life as a stranger in the hope that they might fall in love again. As buried memories begin to resurface and mysterious symptoms emerge, Rose and Landon must confront whether revisiting their past is worth the emotional and potentially devastating consequences. Told through alternating timelines, The Good Parts is a moving exploration of love, loss, memory, and second chances.

My Thoughts:

I don’t think I’ve ever given a debut novel a 5-star rating before, but The Good Parts by Evann Normandin is deserving. This is an exceptional story that completely captivated me from beginning to end.

The novel unfolds through alternating timelines, with Rose’s story told in the “then” and Landon’s in the “now.” It reveals just enough of their past at exactly the right moments, creating an emotional mystery that kept me turning the pages. I absolutely loved the way the story was structured.

Landon and Rose share a beautifully written love story. They fall in love, marry, and build a wonderful life together before an unimaginable tragedy changes everything. In their world, a single pill can erase painful memories, and Landon is devastated when he learns that Rose has chosen to erase her past—including him. All she leaves behind is a letter explaining her decision.

Eventually, Landon finds Rose living in Edinburgh and building a new life with someone else. Unable to let go of the woman he still loves, he re-enters her life as a stranger, hoping she’ll fall in love with him all over again. As their friendship blossoms into romance once more, Rose begins experiencing unexpected side effects from the memory-erasing treatment, forcing them to face impossible choices about the past and the future.

Normandin does a remarkable job capturing the depth of Landon and Rose’s relationship, making it impossible not to cheer them on. Their journey is heartfelt, emotional, and incredibly moving. While this is a beautiful story, it also comes with several trigger warnings, including depression, grief, and the death of a child.

The Narration:

I listened to the audiobook, wonderfully narrated by Mhairi Morrison. Her warm, expressive performance perfectly complements the emotional weight of the story, adding even more depth to an already unforgettable novel.

Final Thoughts:

The Good Parts is a deeply moving exploration of love, loss, memory, and second chances. It’s a story that will stay with me for a long time, and one I wholeheartedly recommend.