When I Leave You, J. Marie Rundquist
When I Leave You, J. Marie Rundquist
List: $12.99 | Sale: $9.10
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When I Leave You

Author: J. Marie Rundquist

Narrator: Jama Smith

Unabridged: 9 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Book, Ink

Published: 04/09/2026

Synopsis

Grief has a way of fooling us into thinking we’re alone.   When Ellie Trechsel dies of a brain aneurysm at age 36, she discovers the afterlife is not the calm and comforting plane she always thought it would be. Instead, it’s a painful rite of passage.   Welcoming her in the afterlife is her mother-in-law, Mari, who offers herself as a trusted guide. But Ellie isn't ready to release her hold on life—even if she’s only a spectator now. As she watches her daughter take pills to cope, her trans best friend seeking harbor in an abusive relationship, and her lifelong love sinking into a deep depression, all Ellie can see are her own mistakes.   As she swirls through the past, present, and future of the lives of her family members, Ellie needs to let go of the control she once had, but in the process, discovers how little control she ever really had in the first place.   From the multi-award winning author of As Though You Were Mine comes an emotional story of loss, grief, and compassion for fans of The Lovely Bones and What Dreams May Come.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sarah Johnson on March 07, 2026

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC. Really enjoyed this one. Such an interesting trope - but it worked really well and reminded me a little of the Midnight Library. I liked the idea of the transition between life and death, and when the author compared it to transition in labour between first and second......more

Goodreads review by Carolyn on March 01, 2026

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy of this book. Oh my heart! I love-love-loved this book! Triple love! I don’t even know if I can write a review that can do the book justice. There were so many layers to this novel and I think this book is going to stay with me a while. Rundquist continue......more

Goodreads review by Judy on March 09, 2026

When I Leave You by J. Marie Rundquist is the kind of book that stays with you long after you turn the final page. It’s an emotionally rich and deeply affecting novel, the fourth by this author. Rundquist is a writer of remarkable talent and heart. The characters are well-developed and relatable, ma......more

Goodreads review by Emily on March 22, 2026

When I Leave You absolutely broke me in the softest, most beautiful way. I received this as an ARC through NetGalley, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to experience this story early. This is not a plot-heavy book…it’s an emotional one. It explores grief, love, and what it truly means to let go, al......more

Goodreads review by Stephanie on March 19, 2026

Ellie Trechsel life seems to be in a great place. She has her best friend Corinne, has successfully navigated life as a single mom, is in a job she loves and has met and married the love of her life. Then she suddenly dies of a brain aneurysm at just 36 years old. When I Leave You is not your typica......more

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