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The Things We Need to Say: An emotional, uplifting story of hope from bestselling author Rachel Burton Kindle Edition

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 585 ratings

‘Utterly spectacular. For me, The Things we Need to Say is a real-life love story and one that will stay with me for a long time.’ Laurie Ellingham, author of One Endless Summer

‘Devastatingly beautiful, inspiring and extremely thought provoking; Rachel Burton has written from the heart as she unintentionally becomes the voice of everything we need to say.’ The Writing Garnet

Sometimes the things we never say are the most important.

Fran loves Will with all her heart. They had a whirlwind romance, a perfect marriage and a wonderful life. Until everything changed. Now Fran needs to find her way again and teaching a yoga retreat in Spain offers her just that. Leaving behind a broken marriage she has some very important decisions to make.

Will needs his wife, he needs her to open up to him if they’re to ever return to the way things once were. But he may have damaged any possibility he had of mending their relationship and now Fran is in Spain and Will is alone.

As both Fran and Will begin to let go of a life that could have been, fate may just find a way of bringing them back together.

From the best-selling author of The Many Colours of Us comes an emotional story perfect for fans of Katie Marsh, Amanda Prowse and Sheila O’Flanagan.

Praise for The Things We Need to Say

The Things We Need to Say is a wonderfully well-written novel which covers the issues of infertility, infidelity and temptation in a heart-wrenchingly honest way.’ Victoria Cooke, author of The Holiday Cruise

‘If you love novels that have warmth, charm and heart I strongly recommend that you read this poignant and uplifting book.’ Kerry Postle, author of The Artist’s Muse

‘A true novel of the heart, Rachel's The Things We Need to Say is at once beautifully written and achingly honest. This is a story that carries you away, taking you on an incredibly poignant journey, and which stays with you long after you finish. Read it!’ Jenny Ashcroft, author of Beneath a Burning Sky

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B076PV3DZ7
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HQ Digital (May 11, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 11, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1113 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 247 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 585 ratings

About the author

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Rachel Burton
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Rachel Burton is the bestselling author of historical timeslip novels and has previously written romantic comedies.

Rachel was born in Cambridge and grew up in a house full of books and records. She has read obsessively since she first realised those black squiggles on the pages that lined her parents’ bookshelves were actually words and it has gone down in family history that any time something interesting happened, she missed it because she had her nose in a book.

After reading for a degree in Classics and another in English Literature she accidentally fell into a career in law but her love of books prevailed as she realised that she wanted to slip into imaginary worlds of her own making. She eventually managed to write her first novel on her lunch breaks.

She is obsessed with old houses and the secrets they keep, with abandoned gardens and locked gates, with family histories and surprising revelations, and with the outcomes of those surprises many generations later.

She lives in Yorkshire with her husband, a variety of cats and far too many books. By writing novels she now has an excuse for her head being forever in the clouds.

Find her on Instagram as @RachelBWriter

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
585 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022
    One of the best reads I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Storyline is jam packed full of powerful emotionals. Really got the adrenalin moving. Feel in love with both Fran and Will, although wavered for a bit on Will's actions. Book has helped me get in a better mind set, especially on my happiness is dependent on me. Only I can seek happiness or put happiness in my life. Rachel, will forever be a fan!
    Beautiful, emotional book; blessings always.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2019
    This story was about surviving grief and loss. It was,sensitive and nicely told. It was sad, but meaningful. I recommend it.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019
    The Things We Need To Say... An excellent lesson in life, love, acceptance and forgiveness. Words are life, and sharing our words, our feelings, with those we love is imperative to true happiness.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2018
    This is a story of love, loss, heartbreak, friendship, and hope. I know it got great reviews and the writing is great. I guess I just wasn't ready for this book. I couldn't get into it for some reason and skipped a lot.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2018
    This is definitely a 5 star read for me. This is more women’s fiction and so realistic. What Fran goes through and the strength she has is impressive.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2019
    Easy read ,,,,love conquers all is the message I got from this story. Knew how it would end not to much suspense,
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2018
    The Things We Need to Say, An emotional, uplifting story of grief and hope , Rachel Burton

    Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

    Genre: Romance, Women's Fiction

    Gah, there's just one thing I didn't like about this story – the category Women's Fiction! Why do that? Why exclude men who could love this story? I Really Hate seeing books categorised in that genre. Rant over.

    I wasn't sure about this book, but reviews looked good and it is, its a perfect read for those who want a novel that will make them think “what would I do?” Make them wonder about the characters, the morality of events, how people react in different situations.

    I loved both Will and Fran, and was desperately hoping they could find a way through the sticky morass they found themselves in. They've been through so much, look perfect from the outside but inside they are both a seething mass of grief, hurt, not knowing what to do, whether they could recover.
    Just when Fran feels she does want to try again she gets another awful shock. Can they get past it?

    Well, everyone reacts differently and for some that last hurt would be the one that breaks, but while away in Spain Fran gets a chance to think, to work out what went wrong, to wonder of they've just been papering over the cracks these last few years, desperate to do what others find effortless.
    I so felt for them both, and the title is perfect -they do need to talk, to clear the air, discuss how they feel, what went wrong before they can decide if they want to go forward together or if things have gone too far.

    Fran's yoga group and the people she met in Spain helped her gain perspective, while for Will its his brother, and unexpectedly his father who help, along with a couple of Fran's friends who know him.

    I loved their story, was moved to tears at parts and heart-broken for each of them. I thought I'd be angry at Will and yet...he was so lost, and so in love still with Fran and she with him that I just couldn't find it in me.
    Its a perfect five star read for me, but not one I think I'd re-read.

    Stars: five, a real solid story for readers who want more then the widely available fluff stories.
    ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019
    Many wonderful characters. So much growth and change. The importance of friendship and just being there for the people you care about.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Crookston @1bookreviewer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful story of love, loss, friendship, heartbreak and true love.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 3, 2018
    Having read The Colours of Us, I couldn't wait to read Rachel Burtons next novel. I wasn't disappointed. This is truly a story of love, loss, heartbreak, friendship, hope... need I go on? Fran and Will have been through so much, I loved getting to know their characters, how they met, their previous partners and relationships, I found it so well written, in being set in the present however going back to previous dates, which can often be off-putting and confusing - not in this case. The couple are struggling; hence the title, which becomes more and more of a theme as the story unfolds. Fran is shutting Will and the outside world out, not letting anyone in on her heartbreak, choosing to wallow in her grief and not realising the damage it is doing to her marriage. She doesn't realise that Will is struggling too, until he does the unthinkable and her worst fears come true. She has to face her demons and luckily her job as a yoga teacher takes her to Catalonia for a retreat, and away from all her problems and allows her time to reflect. During her time away, we learn the stories and backgrounds of some of the yoga class, how they too are struggling with life which makes Fran realize how important her relationships are; and then she meets an old flame, her one love before Will - is she tempted to stay and let go of everything she has at home?
    I liked this novel, I wasn't as hooked as I was to The Colours of US, however I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely say it's a fantastic read. I did wish we had been able to see the exchange between Fran and Will later in the book when things unfold and become clear for her, but all in all a beautifully written and heartfelt story. So desperately sad yet an uplifting message. I will be on the lookout for Rachels next book!
  • JK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Soaring highs & heartwrenching lows, a beautifully & thoughtfully crafted story.
    Reviewed in Australia on May 29, 2018
    This book was my favourite piece of fiction this year, the characters were relatably human, the scenarios heartbreaking, uplifting and multilayered and the scenery beautifully described. I love well written romance and easy to read fiction and although this wasn’t always easy due to the subject matters of loss and relationship troubles, I couldn’t put it down so I read it in the one day, then I was sad that I had finished it!
  • Amy H.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Potentially mawkish premise lifted to another level by highly-skilled writing and a deep sense of humanity.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 30, 2018
    I read Rachel Burton's debut novel 'The Many Colours of Us' when it came out last year, and was surprised at just how much I enjoyed reading it, given that I have always been put off at the idea of romantic fiction, with its unrealistic depiction of 'real' lives and relationships. I then pre-ordered this second novel of hers as soon as I could. I was concerned when I heard that most of the story takes place on a yoga retreat, because this premise in itself opens up the way to all sorts of clichés about 'finding yourself' and 'contemplating life'. In the hands of a lesser writer, this novel could easily have descended into schmaltz and mawkishness, which would have proven exceedingly tiresome reading. Fortunately, Rachel Burton's writing is what takes this premise away from that...

    The premise: Fran (a yoga teacher) and Will (a divorce lawyer) are a couple whose marriage has been strained and broken by tragic circumstances and the subsequent personal trauma that followed. Fran decides that she needs the space and contemplation of a planned yoga retreat (which she will be leading and teaching) to reflect on what has happened to her marriage, to rediscover herself, and to decide what to do next in order to move on with her life, including whether Will shall be a part of it. What follows is not a simple and biased story, nor one that feels tired and superficial, but a deeply personal and touching account of how deeply human lives are affected by personal grief, and the consequences of this. (I won't give any more specific plot details here, so as not to spoil the plot for other prospective readers!)

    A key device employed by Burton, as in her debut novel, namely that of mixing up different perspectives and time periods, is once again employed extremely effectively here. For such a story it would be easy to tell it all in first-person narrative, to indulge in the perspective of Fran and so make the novel very one-sided in its telling. No one is entirely blameless - grief manifests itself in so many different ways for different people, sometimes causing them to act in a way that unintentionally causes harm to others. The novel is told predominantly in the third person narrative, in the style 'in medias res' (starting the narrative in the middle of the story, not in a linear fashion) following the personal stories of BOTH Fran and Will after Fran's departure for Spain, also of a couple of the women on Fran's yoga retreat. Intermittently this is punctuated by excerpts in first-person from Fran's perspective, the only linear part of the narrative, so that her own personal journey underscores the narrative without controlling it. The reader can therefore get deep inside the heads of the different characters and understand them. All of this makes Rachel Burton all the more reliable as a writer, since she has defiantly chosen to show life in all its complexities and with all its complications, thus creating something that is real and credible.

    For these reasons, it is easy for the reader to invest in the stories of all the novel's characters - both the two principals and also the other more incidental characters met along the way - which leads me to the novel's greatest strength: a sense of true humanity. All voices are heard and given value. The characters are real people going through real trials, facing circumstances and inner conflicts that will be recognisable to a wide audience of readers, and as such do not conform to unrealistic romantic stereotypes. Rachel Burton's skill lies in her deeply personal understanding of each and every one of her characters, which underpins the whole of this novel. For instance, Fran is a yoga teacher who has spent time in both London and Cambridge; the detail in relation to both of these aspects comes from a writer who has experienced them in her own life and career, so is intimately connected with the story of her main protagonist. There is also a great amount of detail given in the description of Salou, and the other parts of that region where the yoga retreat is based - both in terms of the place and of the language and characters of the local people. This is a novelist who has put great dedication into her research, creating a story that is recognisable and without frills or unnecessary fantasies.. The novel therefore comes from a place of truth and wisdom, grounded in reality.

    The novel's title, 'The Things We Need To Say', highlights its key message: when life is at its bleakest it is very common that we react by retreating into ourselves, denying both our own feelings and those of those close to us, rather than go through the further pain of confronting and dealing with those feelings. As mentioned in the acknowledgments at the end, Rachel Burton has been through the same tragic loss of her mother as Fran. She describes the immense emotional challenge she went through in writing this novel, since she had to confront the same personal loss, but the process has in fact been cathartic, allowing her to accept herself and be at peace with her past, to move forward in the present. This is no easy path, but it is the only one.

    I will say no more here, other than to strongly encourage anyone who knows what it is to experience grief and the struggle with personal emotions and circumstance to read this novel, especially if they have also enjoyed Rachel Burton's previous work. I applaud her for the courage she has shown in telling what is evidently a deeply personal story, and her generosity in using this to reach out to her readers to inspire and encourage them. As yoga retreat attendee molly observes: "I've realised that happiness doesn't come from external things or people or experiences...It comes from inside, as though there's a light shining inside us all, guiding us home."
  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars 3.5 Stars awarded.
    Reviewed in Australia on February 5, 2022
    Emotional read
  • LJ Nelson
    5.0 out of 5 stars 5 ‘live in the moment’ stars!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2018
    I’ve never read Rachel Burton before, but I think I have a new hero.

    I admit to feeling slightly raw at the moment. The best way I can describe it is - you know that shiny veneer we put on to mask our emotions from the outside world? Yeah *nods head* well, I feel as if that has been rubbed away and all my thoughts and feelings have been exposed for the world to see. Trust me, not a pretty look *snorts*

    Fran and Will’s story just got to me, especially Fran. She burrowed her way in under my skin. I lived this book with her. Every hope, dream, loss, or hurt, I experienced as if it was happening to me. I can’t tell you why *shrugs* Maybe it’s because we are of similar ages. Or, maybe it’s because of what I’ve went through the last few months (btw, nothing at all like Fran’s story). Who knows, I just did.

    I know every reader takes away something different from a book, but one of the ‘messages’ (for want of a better word) that I took away from TTWNTS was that happiness comes from within. If we can’t be happy within ourselves, nothing and no one if going to change that.

    As the story flips from past to present, and is told in different POV, I was able to get in the head of each character and understand them better. Everyone knows I’m an impatient reader, lol. I always want my questions answered there and then. The author did not leave me wanting.

    As I read, I like to highlight passages or character quotes from the book which speak to me. I was chuckling to myself at the end when I had a look at my notes section. All but one was from Jake *bites lips* He might not have been in the story much, but me thinks that man has left an impression *winks*

    Enough of my waffling. I do hope you take a chance and read Fran and Will’s story. I’m going to be a rebel and give the final word to Jake:

    “None of us know how things are going to turn out. There are no certainties. We just have to make the best life we can.”

    For me, that’s all any of us can hope for.

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