The Things We Knew

Written by Catherine West

Narrated by Suzie Althens

A can’t-miss story of family and lies, secrets and repressed memories, set against the stunning backdrop of Nantucket.

“An exceptional and poignant escape to Nantucket.” —Kathi Macias

Lynette Carlisle witnessed her mother’s death twelve years ago. But her memory only speaks through nightmares. Her four older siblings each left their Nantucket home as soon as they were able, never speaking of that tragic day.

Lynette alone stays with their father on the island, and when it becomes clear they are losing him to Alzheimer’s, she calls her siblings home, each of them bringing along their own secrets. They aren’t the only ones returning to the island—their childhood neighbor, Nick, comes home to his own family drama, never expecting a Carlisle family reunion. As Lynette spends time with Nick, she suspects he knows more about their mother’s death than he lets on.

With summer storms raging around them and their father speaking more and more of their mother’s death, the Carlisle siblings must face the truths threatening to surface. And these truths will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever.

“A poignant, multi-faceted novel that pulled me in deeper with every turned page, The Things We Knew so adeptly explores the power of truth and its ability to set us all free. I can’t wait for readers to fall as hopelessly in love with Nick and the Carlisle family as I did. Well done, Catherine West!”—Katie Ganshert, award-winning author

“A beautiful exploration of the bonds that tie us together as family and the secrets that sometimes unravel those threads. Catherine West builds a world worth entering and characters that linger long after the last page is turned.” —Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author

“Smartly written and highly engaging, Catherine West's The Things We Knew dazzles, piercing the shadows of a family's tragedy with the light of love.” —Billy Coffey

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Release date: May 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9781400241200

Catherine West

Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she's not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border collie for long walks on the beach or tending to her roses and orchids. She and her husband have two grown children. Visit her online at CatherineJWest.com, Facebook: CatherineJWest, and Twitter: @CathWest.

Reviews for The Things We Knew

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars.

With a gentle undercurrent of faith, The Things We Knew by Catherine West is a heartwarming novel of family, forgiveness and redemption .

After her mother passed away twelve years earlier and her older siblings left home, youngest daughter Lynette Carlisle has shouldered the burden of caring for their aging father and the family estate. With her father's health worsening and the home falling into disrepair, Lynette is becoming desperate for help from her long absent siblings. Following the advice of close family friend and her longtime crush, Nick Cooper, Lynette knows it is time for her brothers and sister to return to Nantucket so they can discuss selling the family home.

Lynette is emotionally and physically exhausted as she tries to take care of her father when she realizes that their financial situation is at a crisis point. At the same time, she is haunted by nightmares about the accident that claimed her mother's life. Unable to remember the events of that day, Lynette's memories are slowly returning but the most important details surrounding her mother's death remain elusive. She is delighted when her siblings return to help out but she is troubled to learn they have all been keeping secrets from her. As the youngest, Lynette's siblings have always tried to protect her, but she finally finds the courage to stand up for herself as they try to come to an agreement about what to do about the family's financial problems.

With only four of the five Carlisle children present, they cannot finalize any plans about selling the family estate. Their concerns over the future of their home often take a backseat to the individual issues facing Lynette's siblings Gray, Liz and David. Gray is a rock star who is on the verge of success when his demons get the best of him. Coming home might be an answer to his prayers but will he revert to old habits when things get tough? David is married with two young children and he is currently going through a rough patch with his wife. He is quick to begin repairs on their home, but will a more than generous offer on the house persuade him to vote for selling? Liz is a workaholic lawyer who is hiding a terrible secret about her wealthy boyfriend. Although not a blood relative, the Carlisles have always treated Nick like family and his once close friendship with Gray is on very rocky ground. He is also burdened with a secret that could destroy the other family members if the truth were to be revealed. At the same time, Nick is working with his father but their relationship is strained.

The Things We Knew is a captivating novel that deals with difficult subject but Catherine West handles these delicate matters with sensitivity and ease. The various story arcs are seamlessly woven together into a heartfelt story of healing for each of the characters. Beautifully written with relevant issues that are realistically portrayed, this touching novel of faith is sure to be a hit with readers of contemporary fiction.

[cln1812 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lynette Carlisle is struggling to hold things together. Her old family home on Nantucket, Wyldewood, is falling apart around her. Her father is descending into the realms of dementia. Her job at a daycare and babysitting does little more than buy groceries and fuel for her car. The family fortune is gone, and things look dire. Lynette hates to think of selling her family home, but it might have to be done. However, her mother's will stipulates that all decisions about the house have to be made in person by Lynette and her siblings and that the decision must be unanimous. Lynette doesn't want to sell the house and would like to turn it into a B&B, but she must get her siblings, most of which want to sell the house, to agree with her. One by one, the other Carlisle siblings return home.Grayson Carlisle was doing well in the music industry until he descended into drugs, and his manager decided he could use a break. Liz Carlisle, the corporate lawyer, has it all together or at least it appears that way until one looks under the surface. David Carlisle recently lost his job and his marriage may be next. Ryan Carlisle is on a mission somewhere in Africa, and the family doesn't know if he is even receiving their mail.Lynette must watch her siblings struggle to find their own ways while she tries to find hers. She cannot remember the day her mother died, tragically falling down the stairs, but she is having dreams that are prompting her to remember and to paint the truth about that fateful day. Also, the boy she long had a crush on, her neighbor, Nicholas Cooper, is back home and working at the bank his father owns. Lynette and Nick find their feelings for one another growing, but can a romance survive against such upheaval? This book held my interest, but it was a little too predictable for my liking. I knew how all the storylines would play out. That being said, the book is well-written and a nice feel-good read.

[pomo58 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Things We Knew by Catherine West is as much a character study of a family as it is a work of mystery. While Lynette is the main character, I found that each member of the family was presented in enough detail, particularly within the dynamics of their family, that the family as a whole almost became the main character for me with each family member playing a different aspect of that "person." Part of the reason for this may be that I felt the mystery was a little too easy to figure out so I was no longer reading for mystery quite early.I don't generally read novels that fall into a Christian subdivision of any larger genre. The main reason is that I found far too many to be simply platforms for preaching and usually use Christianity as the only avenue to a morally and ethically lived life. Since that idea is patently false I have been turned off by a large number. This book certainly highlights Lynette's faith but the few places where I felt it begin to approach preachy it stopped short and trusted in the reader to make the logical next step. I found that respect for the reader a refreshing change within the Christian subgenre.I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family drama type of story. The characterizations are good and they vary substantially from person to person.Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was so captivated by this story, that I stayed up all night to finish it. The story is about a family that went through a very tragic event and the youngest child, Lynette , is starting to have dreams about that night. She is grown now and has a lot on her plate. Her dad is showing early signs of Alzheimer and it is taking a toll on Lynette. The story really hit home for me as my mother had Alzheimer. It is not an easy illness to watch as the person starts to regress and loses their memories. The author did an amazing job of describing the debilitating disease and how it affects everyone around them. Lynette has taken on more than she can handle when their beautiful family home is in dire need of renovations. There is little money coming in and it's time to call her siblings home to help. I loved the way Nantucket was described and I could feel myself there as the winds blew across the trees. The house made me think of a grand house nestled by the beach with loving memories of a happy family. Each character had so much depth and I really feel in love with Gray. He is a famous singer, but his bad choices have sent him into a journey where he realizes he needs help for his addiction. How will he tell his family that he has been living a lie? Will he finally surrender and get help? The friction between the siblings were very well written and I loved how the author allowed them to each share their hurts and feel compassion for each other. Nick is the next door neighbor that has loved Lynette since they were younger. He comes home to help his dad out when he discovers his dad is very ill. I loved the conflict between father and son that showed how secrets, lies and unforgiveness can destroy a relationship. The author did an amazing job of letting characters experience grace and learn to let go of the past. There is a big secret that will change everyone. Will they be able to become a close knit family again? Can Nick win Lynette's love? I cried at the end of the story because it was such a reminder of grace. Everyone wants grace and when you allow yourself to swallow your pride, it becomes easy to give grace to someone. The story will be one I won't easily forget as it was a beautiful story of a family that was lost, but through grace they were reunited. I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild for an honest review.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Five siblings, five separate paths, everyone has moved on. Everyone that is except, Lynette. As the youngest she stayed behind in Nantucket to help with the house and their father after their mother's untimely death. As her father slips farther and farther into Alzheimers and the house sinks further in to debt she knows she has to seek help. Her siblings have proven to be no help so she goes to the bank seeking a loan and instead finds her childhood crush. Nick was her older brother's best friend and just when she thought they might mutually like each other he was off to college and she hasn't seen him in 5 years. Nick is convinced that she needs to sell the huge home, but it's so full of memories that she doesn't think she can part with it. Also there is a pesky little thing in her mother's will stipulating that all 5 children have to be present and all agree on whatever happens to the estate. With no other options she resorts to assembling her far flung brothers and sister. Gray, the musician with addiction problems, the happily married dad, the too busy for family lawyer, and the missionary in Africa. With everyone together for the first time since their mother's death memories and truths start to surface. Will Lynette be able to handle it? Is it better to leave the truth buried? Who can she trust? Does Nick really care for her? While definitely classified as inspirational, it's not over the top zealous like some in the genre and will have a wide range of appeal to other audiences. I could have done with Lynette being a stronger character. She didn't want to be treated like the baby of the family but she definitely acted like it on occasion. I preferred some of the other characters a little better.I received this book for free from Litfuse Publicity in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.

[jenniferlynn-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the book and the author's style of writing. Lynette is left to take care of her father who refuses to go the doctor but shows sign's of Alzheimer's. The old house that belonged to her mother is in desperate need of repair. Her other siblings don't seem to want to help and some have problems of their own that they are dealing with. Lynette is unaware of her brother's drug and alcohol problems and only learns about it when he leaves rehab and shows up on her doorstep. Another brother is in Africa and cannot be reached. Her sister is in an abusive relationship and her other brother is dealing with losing his job and having problems with his wife. The other problem is Lynette cannot remember anything from the day her mom died. Throughout the book she keeps trying to remember while her siblings are trying to keep some secrets hidden from her. The siblings need to decide whether to sell the house or keep it. I enjoyed reading about the family, but would have liked to learn more about some of the siblings. Lynette and Gray were the only two you got to know their whole story.