Hannah Richell’s memoir offers a profound exploration of love and loss following the sudden death of her husband, Matt, in a surfing accident. The narrative traces their relationship from its beginnings in London, through their move to Australia, and into the difficult years of grief and healing that followed his passing.

Richell and Matt, both British, met while working at the same London publishing house. Their connection deepened in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings, as the city grappled with shock and uncertainty. Their love story unfolds against the backdrop of London’s streets and canals, capturing moments of intimacy and joy amid broader turmoil. Describing Matt, Richell highlights his “quiet poise,” striking facial features, and “thoughtfulness in his amber-green eyes.” After emigrating to Australia, the couple settled in Sydney, married, and had two children.

The memoir’s emotional core centers on Richell’s experience of grief after Matt’s death. Overwhelmed and feeling trapped by her responsibilities as a mother, she turns to a counsellor named Louise for support. Louise encourages her to adopt a calming mantra: “This is a moment of pain; pain is a part of life; I wish myself peace.” This mantra helps Richell begin to confront the depth of her loss. She describes a turning point eight months later when she wakes without immediately having to remind herself that Matt has died, realizing that his absence has become a part of her existence. Acceptance, she writes, involves “a letting go of the need for things to be different” and feels like developing “the muscle to carry the grief.”

During this period, Richell struggled to write her novel. In the midst of her sorrow, she published a blog post titled “Life and Death,” which resonated widely and helped her channel her pain into a creative project. The book that emerged from these reflections is both an elegy to her late husband and a testament to resilience.

Richell’s story does not end with grief. She later finds love again with a camera operator, describing their meeting as an “eyes-across-a-crowded-room” moment. They married and now live as a blended family in Britain. Her memoir ultimately conveys not only the enduring impact of loss but also the possibility of new beginnings and hope beyond tragedy.