Before I Let You Go

A Novel

By: Kelly Rimmer

Narrated by: Vanessa Johansson, Amy Landon

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the author of The Things We Cannot Say, Before I Let You Go explores a hotly divisive topic and asks how far the ties of family love can be stretched before they finally break.

“Kelly Rimmer skillfully takes us deep inside a world where love must make choices that logic cannot. Ripped from the headlines and from the heart, Before I Let You Go is an unforgettable novel that will amaze and startle you with its impact and insight.” ( (Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times best-selling author of The Bookshop at Water’s End)

“Before I Let You Go is a heartbreaking book about an impossible decision. Kelly Rimmer writes with wisdom and compassion about the relationships between sisters, mother and daughter....She captures the anguish of addiction, the agonizing conflict between an addict’s best and worst selves. Above all, this is a novel about the deepest love possible.” (Luanne Rice, New York Times best-selling author)

The 2:00 a.m. call is the first time Lexie Vidler has heard her sister’s voice in years. Annie is a drug addict, a thief, a liar - and in trouble, again. Lexie has always bailed Annie out, given her money, a place to sleep, sent her to every kind of rehab. But this time, she’s not just strung out - she’s pregnant and in premature labor. If she goes to the hospital, she’ll lose custody of her baby - maybe even go to prison. But the alternative is unthinkable. 

As the weeks unfold, Lexie finds herself caring for her fragile newborn niece while her carefully ordered life is collapsing around her. She’s in danger of losing her job, and her fiancé only has so much patience for Annie’s drama. In court-ordered rehab, Annie attempts to halt her downward spiral by confronting long-buried secrets from the sisters’ childhoods, ghosts that Lexie doesn’t want to face. But will the journey heal Annie, or lead her down a darker path? 

©2018 Lantana Management Pty Ltd (P)2018 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

To much whining

I almost didn’t make it through the book (audio), Lexi’s character did nothing but whine and moan through the whole book. If I was her fiancé I would have dumped her butt along time ago! And, whom ever narrated Lexi....lets just say keep your day job because she has the MOST annoying voice and the whining and complaining almost made me throw the book across the room!!! I thought that the book was suppose to be about the sisters addiction, but instead the author made it all about selfish annoying Lexi. Would not recommend

Audiobook narrating is terrible

I feel like this may have been a good story, but I couldn’t get through the audiobook because the narrators sounded like robots. It was so distracting and annoying that I couldn’t focus on the storyline. Don’t waste your money or credits on the audiobook if the narrating makes a difference to you!

Very unrealistic depiction of drug rehab in AL

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The book would have to be re-written with a more true and realistic depiction of drug use and the court and rehab system in AL.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not sure

Did Vanessa Johansson and Amy Landon do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

No

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointed

Any additional comments?

Terrible waste of my money

one dimensional characters and terrible narrator

this narrator has the strangest inflections. so annoying to listen to and I NEVER got used to it. this story, smh, I see what she was trying to do but it fell flat to me. Lexi was so stereotypically blind. the sisterly relationship felt more codependent than driven by love. Sam was a one dimensional prince charming. boring. Annie wasn't fleshed out at all. again with the stereotypes. boring.

Narration...ugh

Why must Lexie’s voice sound like a robot...terrible. Good story But but I would recommend reading it and not listening.

Good Story. Abysmal voice performance.

The overall story is worth a good discussion if you can get past the voice of Lexi and the male characters.
Several times i almost stopped listening because of the annoying voice of the main character and the men of the story.

Voice of Lexie

The story would be so much more enjoyable if someone else were reading for Lexie. Every man sounds the same, whispers, and speaks so slowly it's maddening!

Didn’t love it

I enjoyed the narration for Annie. Didn’t love the character Lexi or her narration. Listening to lexi’s inner thoughts chapter after chapter got annoying

Slow

This book goes way to slow, the whole time making the audience frustrated with each character. As an addict that survived and thrived with therapy left me feeling empty and sad. This book is like a soap opera that you know you don’t need to watch but you do?

Narration made the story even worse

One of the narrators sounded like the automated robot that tells you which button to press for each option when calling a business, super annoying. Couldn’t finish the book