The Pieces of Us
Published on 28. August 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-1-4059-5123-4 (ISBN)
Description
Three Women. One Family. A Lifetime of Secrets.
From the author of Meredith, Alone comes an unforgettable exploration of identity, resilience, and the bonds we can't break.
'Beautifully written, a story of womanhood in all its facets. I loved it!' AMANDA PROWSE
'Claire Alexander writes about our deepest emotional truths with acuity and a sense of hope' JO LEEVERS
'This book really was a real page turner, and I couldn't wait to pick it up as often as possible' 5* Reader Review
'A gorgeous, moving novel that I loved and would highly recommend' 5* Reader Review
'I cried reading this. Just beautiful and one of those books that will stay in my mind' 5* Reader Review
--
Three generations of women. Three life altering events. As they discover the truth of their heritage, they'll discover what makes the pieces of us...
At fifty-eight Minnie McAllister isn't an old woman. But as Alzheimer's ravages her mind, her brain says otherwise.
Cat McAllister is tackling everything life can throw at her. And just when she thinks it can't get any worse, she's faced with the discovery that Minnie might not be the mother she once knew.
Meanwhile, Cat's daughter, Ruby McAllister, who is staring at a two very blue lines, faces a decision that will change the course of her life.
As three generations of women are pulled in three different directions, each are forced to learn lessons about themselves that they never could have imagined.
Praise for Meredith, Alone:
'Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful' MARIAN KEYES
'Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel' HEAT, 'BOOK OF THE WEEK'
'Beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely' DAISY BUCHANAN
'Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I loved Meredith, Alone so much!' JANE FALLON
'If you like a book that makes you feel all the feels, this is the one to go for' MIRANDA DICKINSON
'I bowed down to the brilliant author of this brilliant book' GILLIAN McALLISTER
'Sweet, moving, funny and hopeful, with a courageous heroine who sweeps you up' JENNIFER SAINT
From the author of Meredith, Alone comes an unforgettable exploration of identity, resilience, and the bonds we can't break.
'Beautifully written, a story of womanhood in all its facets. I loved it!' AMANDA PROWSE
'Claire Alexander writes about our deepest emotional truths with acuity and a sense of hope' JO LEEVERS
'This book really was a real page turner, and I couldn't wait to pick it up as often as possible' 5* Reader Review
'A gorgeous, moving novel that I loved and would highly recommend' 5* Reader Review
'I cried reading this. Just beautiful and one of those books that will stay in my mind' 5* Reader Review
--
Three generations of women. Three life altering events. As they discover the truth of their heritage, they'll discover what makes the pieces of us...
At fifty-eight Minnie McAllister isn't an old woman. But as Alzheimer's ravages her mind, her brain says otherwise.
Cat McAllister is tackling everything life can throw at her. And just when she thinks it can't get any worse, she's faced with the discovery that Minnie might not be the mother she once knew.
Meanwhile, Cat's daughter, Ruby McAllister, who is staring at a two very blue lines, faces a decision that will change the course of her life.
As three generations of women are pulled in three different directions, each are forced to learn lessons about themselves that they never could have imagined.
Praise for Meredith, Alone:
'Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful' MARIAN KEYES
'Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel' HEAT, 'BOOK OF THE WEEK'
'Beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely' DAISY BUCHANAN
'Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I loved Meredith, Alone so much!' JANE FALLON
'If you like a book that makes you feel all the feels, this is the one to go for' MIRANDA DICKINSON
'I bowed down to the brilliant author of this brilliant book' GILLIAN McALLISTER
'Sweet, moving, funny and hopeful, with a courageous heroine who sweeps you up' JENNIFER SAINT
Reviews / Votes
I cried and laughed and utterly loved THE PIECES OF US - this book has all the feels - I ADORED it! -- FAITH HOGAN With themes of resilience, memory and the complexities of womanhood, this novel offers a heartfelt exploration of familial bonds and personal growth * Woman's Weekly * Raw, heartbreaking, and oh so beautiful! I wanted to climb inside the pages and never leave. -- CLAIRE FRANCIS, author of To Hell With It I loved this moving story about mothers, daughters and secrets from the past that can no longer be contained. Claire Alexander writes about our deepest emotional truths with acuity and a sense of hope. -- Jo Leevers Praise for Meredith, Alone * : * Gorgeous. I shed tears. Very, very touching, sweet and hopeful -- Marian Keyes Heartbreaking and glorious . . . [An] absolute joy of a novel * Heat, Book of the Week * Beautiful, moving and unexpectedly timely -- Daisy Buchanan Touching and funny and sad and hopeful. I loved Meredith, Alone so much! -- Jane Fallon Beautifully written, a story of womanhood in all its facets. I loved it! -- Amanda ProwseMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 200 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
283 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4059-5123-4 (9781405951234)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Claire Alexander
The Pieces of Us
An emotional novel about family, memory and motherhood from the author of Meredith, Alone
E-Book
08/2025
Penguin Books Ltd
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Claire Alexander lives with her young family on the west coast of Scotland. A freelance journalist, she has written about parenting, sobriety, mental health and wellbeing for publications including The Washington Post, The Independent, The Huffington Post and Glamour. When she's not writing or parenting, she's on her paddle board, thinking about her next book. Claire is the author of Meredith, Alone and The Pieces of Us is her second novel.