Pack Up The Moon by Kristan Higgins | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Every month, a letter. That's what Lauren decides to leave her husband when she finds out she's dying. Each month, she gives Josh a letter containing a task to help him face this first year without her, leading him on a heartrending, beautiful, often humorous journey to find happiness again in this new novel from the New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins. Joshua and Lauren are the perfect couple. Newly married, they're wildly in love, each on a successful and rewarding career path. Then Lauren is diagnosed with a terminal illness.
As Lauren's disease progresses, Joshua struggles to make the most of the time he has left with his wife and to come to terms with his future--a future without the only woman he's ever loved. He's so consumed with finding a way to avoid the inevitable ending that he never imagines his life after Lauren.
But Lauren has a plan to keep her husband moving forward. A plan hidden in the letters she leaves him. In those letters, one for every month in the year after her death, Lauren leads Joshua on a journey through pain, anger, and denial. It's a journey that will take Joshua from his attempt at a dinner party for family and friends to getting rid of their bed...from a visit with a psychic medium to a kiss with a woman who isn't Lauren. As his grief makes room for laughter and new relationships, Joshua learns Lauren's most valuable lesson: The path to happiness doesn't follow a straight line.
Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, this novel from New York Times bestselling author Kristan Higgins illuminates how life's greatest joys are often hiding in plain sight.

Why Did I Listen To Pack Up The Moon by Kristan Higgins?

I genuinely love reading books by Kristan Higgins — I’ve followed her pivot from contemporary romance with HQN to women’s fiction with Berkley. For the most part, what she writes I will read. Pack Up The Moon appealed to me because it has a premise that I’ve read before and liked. That premise being when a person dies and leaves behind letters for their spouse a la PS I Love You. I went with the audiobook because I’ve honestly really enjoyed experiencing Higgins’ women’s fiction books via audio. Turns out I also really enjoyed Pack Up The Moon via audio.

What’s The Story Here?

Pack Up The Moon is about Lauren and Josh, a young couple who might as well be perfect. They hardly fight. They work fabulous jobs and are very successful. Things are going so great, that is, until Lauren is diagnosed with a fatal lung disease. Lauren writes Josh a series of letters, one per month, to carry him through the year after she dies. Each letter comes with a task. The book is structured so we read about Josh receiving the letters, coping, and doing what the letters ask. This alternates with chapters providing perspective of Lauren writing the letters and coming to terms with her disease. Along the way Josh learns to lean into his friends and family and eventually find love again.

What Did I Think Of Pack Up The Moon by Kristan Higgins?

I really LOVED Pack Up The Moon. It hurt my heart, some scenes. I found myself really invested in Lauren and Josh — and even though I know certain things were inevitable, I just kept hoping for a miracle – even though we begin the book with Lauren dead pretty much. What a testament to love though and its transformative power. I wish that Lauren and Josh had gotten longer, but their relationship was beautiful and raw and real. Also, that ending. It was just perfect. I loved how all the threads wove together in the end. Also, loved Josh’s character development and just how much he has to grow and come out of his shell. I think that this just might be my favorite book by Higgins so far. I will absolutely be pursuing a copy for my shelves.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook of Pack Up The Moon has two narrators – Xe Sands and Dion Graham. Xe Sands narrates the chapters from Lauren’s perspective and Dion Graham narrates the chapters from Josh’s perspective. I loved this choice by the audiobook producer to have two narrators. Both Sands and Graham just absolutely nail it. I think because the audiobook was so good that also was such a big factor in my love for this book. If you haven’t read or listened to anything from Kristan Higgins, let this be where you start.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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