Postscript

Ahern's long awaited sequel to P.S. I Love You will not disappoint listeners who were first charmed by Jerry's letters of love from beyond the grave nearly two decades ago. Seven years after the death of her husband, Jerry, Holly has made a pretty good effort at moving on. When her sister bullies her into recounting her "PS, I Love You" letters on a podcast, Holly is floored at the response. Her story has really resonated with people. Terminally ill strangers are reaching out, wanting her help as they navigate how to leave behind meaningful messages for their loved ones. Holly swore she left that life of illness and death behind, but she begins to see the larger picture and the help she could provide. Amy Huberman deftly navigates Holly's humorous, heartfelt, and introspective moods. VERDICT Ahern brings beauty, dignity, and humility to this wonderful followup that will have listeners once again crying, but loving every minute of it.--Erin Cataldi, Johnson Cty. P.L., Franklin, IN

Seven years after Holly's husband's death, fate brings her a strange opportunity to retrace her early days of grief. But will she discover that she hasn't moved on after all?Ahern (Lyrebird, 2016, etc.) returns to the story of her debut novel, P.S., I Love You (which inspired a movie, as well), in which Gerry Kennedy left 10 letters for Holly to find after his death10 letters that eased her passage out of emotional paralysis. This sequel finds Holly building a new life, working at her sister's vintage clothing store, biking the streets of Dublin after work each night, selling the house Gerry and she bought, and sharing the story of Gerry's letters on her sister's podcast. She's found love with Gabriel, a burly yet sensitive tree surgeon. They are even ready to move in together. When the podcast goes public, however, a group of terminally ill listeners asks her to teach them how to write letters to their soon-to-be-bereaved loved ones, too. As Holly struggles with whether to lead the P.S. I Love You Club, fearing that she will slip back toward her grief-stricken days, she has to confront whether she has really committed to Gabriel. But Ginika, an illiterate teen mom dying of cervical cancer, tugs hard at Holly's heartstrings with her plea to teach her to write just one letter to her daughter, and Holly capitulates. As Holly encounters each of her newfound companionsranging from a young man in remission to an elderly man in swift, emphysema-wracked declineAhern opens more doors to Holly's lingering grief, pushing her to expand her social connections. But with Holly mentoring the writers rather than reacting to letters meant for her, Ahern's tale pulls its emotional punch.This well-intentioned but disappointingly sentimental sequel will delight only die-hard fans. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.