Loved and Missed

By: Susie Boyt

Narrated by: Polly Lee

Ruth is a woman who believes in and despairs of the curative power of love. Her daughter, Eleanor, who is addicted to drugs, has just had a baby, Lily. Ruth adjusts herself in ways large and small to give to Eleanor what she thinks she may need—nourishment, distance, affection—but all her gifts fall short. After someone dies of an overdose in Eleanor's apartment, Ruth hands her daughter an envelope of cash and takes Lily home with her, and Lily, as she grows, proves a compensation for all of Ruth's past defeats and disappointment. Love without fear is a new feeling for her, almost unrecognizable. Will it last?

Love and Missed is a whip-smart, incisive, and mordantly witty novel about love's gains and missteps. British writer Susie Boyt's seventh novel, and the first to be published in the United States, is a triumph.

©2021 Susie Boyt (P)2024 Tantor

Beautiful and poignant

Such a beautiful story of a heroic woman who loved so deeply. I enjoyed it immensely.

Heartbreaking accurate story about addiction, mothers and daughters and loss.

Brilliant imagery and amazing realistic emotionally accurate story. The narrator was incredible! A must read!

Powerful narrative, felt so personal!

Love that the author is the granddaughter of Sigmund Freud and daughter of painter Lucien Freud. The tragedy of her drug addicted daughter is ameliorated any the life altering choice she made to step in and raise her granddaughter. The empathy in the writing triumphs over the tragic scenario.

Profound and beautiful

This is a wondrous book about the “and” in life, about the way we must simultaneously grieve the loss of and delight in the presence of people we love.

Must read

Do yourself a favor and just read this — I didn’t know writing could be like this!