Better by Far

Having just broken up, exes Kate and Finn alternate living in a Dublin apartment they lease together while they figure out their relationship. For Kate, that is easier said than done. Losing Finn, or the possibility of losing him, leaves Kate with time to think. As a writer, she does her thinking in a way familiar to her—she writes. This book is a long letter to Finn, as Kate reflects on the ups and downs of their relationship and the losses and missed opportunities in her own life. The death of Kate’s mother and the perceived inaccessibility of her father, at a time when she needed him most, are at the forefront of her thoughts and musings as she pours out her heart to Finn. The letter weaves back and forth between past and present as Kate pieces together the important moments of her life, tracing how she lost her path and considering a new way forward. Hayes (Out of Love) narrates her own book in her Irish accent, perfectly underscoring the feel of the story.