Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe
- Judith D Collins
- Nov 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 10
Narrators: Michael Crouch, Coleen Marlo Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 9781662522345
Publisher: Lake Union
Publication Date: 11/11/1025
Format: e-book and audio
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC) (ALC)
Two disparate people—lost in their own way—find an unexpected healing connection in a poignant novel about redemption and chosen family by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
An army veteran with a career as a beat cop behind her, security guard Addie Finch is tough—on the outside. Internally, she’s in crisis mode. She’s lonely, introverted, struggling through AA, estranged from her son, and, at sixty-two years old, questioning her role as a protector. She also has a soft spot for the underdog that’s about to change her life.
Addie finds Jonathan, a homeless teenager abandoned by his mother, holed up in a warehouse and vulnerable to the elements and to predators. Touched by the boy’s gentle nature and a wisdom beyond his years, Addie offers him temporary shelter in her garden shed in exchange for maintaining the sprawling property. It’s an act of kindness and purpose that means the world to Jonathan. But when Addie faces a situation that sends her internal world tumbling, the emotional connection with Jonathan, once the unlikeliest of strangers, becomes her lifeline as well.
As both process past traumas, Addie and Jonathan forge a surrogate grandmother-grandson bond—a chosen family that could restore trust and heal hearts they thought were broken forever.
My Review
Bestselling author and beloved storyteller Catherine Ryan Hyde returns with another deeply moving narrative that brims with wisdom, purpose, heart, and the power of healing. In her signature thought-provoking style, FALLING APART AND OTHER GIFTS FROM THE UNIVERSE unfolds a tapestry of small acts of kindness that yield profound rewards.
Hyde understands the power of story and uses it to alter the souls and lives of both her memorable characters and her readers
This poignant tale weaves together intergenerational characters and relationships, creating a vibrant "chosen" family bond in which each person serves as a lifeline for the others. Through the trials and tribulations of life, these disparate souls—each grappling with their own struggles—discover an unexpected healing connection.
The narrative beautifully explores themes of redemption and the transformative nature of relationships, highlighting the essential truth that sometimes, we find our most profound support in those we choose as our family.
Highlights...
Addie Finch:
A 62-year-old woman, Abbie, ex-cop and security guard at a storage warehouse facility, a recovering alcoholic, attends AA regularly, fighting demons from her military past, estranged from her son and family. She has a tough exterior and shuts out people, struggles with loneliness and purpose. But she deeply cares and wants to protect others.
Jonathan:
Meet Jonathan, a resilient 17-year-old who has faced unimaginable challenges. After aging out of the foster care system, he found himself abandoned by his mother, who chose to marry another man, while his father’s struggles with alcoholism led to his eviction from home. Now, Jonathan navigates the harsh realities of life on the streets, vulnerable and exposed to danger. Yet, despite his circumstances, he possesses a gentle spirit and wisdom that belies his years.
When Addie discovers him seeking refuge in an empty storage space, she is struck by his plight—hurt, hungry, and shivering from the cold. Empathetic to his situation, she extends a compassionate offer: the chance to sleep in her car for a few nights. However, she is aware that allowing someone to stay in the storage units could lead to trouble with the owner. This small act of kindness underlines the profound impact of human connection, showcasing how even the simplest gestures can bring warmth and hope to those in need.
The arrangement:
As they build trust, Addie offers Jonathan temporary shelter in her garden shed in exchange for his help with the property, which provides him with safety and her with a sense of purpose.
The relationship:
Addie and Jonathan form a surrogate grandmother-grandson bond as they work through their past traumas. This connection becomes a lifeline for Addie, helping her through a personal crisis and a Godsend for Jonathan.
My Thoughts...
Inspiring. Relevant. Thought-provoking!
Catherine Ryan Hyde (a long-time favorite author, having devoured all her books & audio) is well known for writing heartfelt, intergenerational stories that focus on human connection, found family, and the transformative power of kindness. Her novels often explore the formation of unexpected relationships between people of different ages and backgrounds, leading to personal growth and emotional healing.
As always, Ryan's signature style shines brightly, delivering an uplifting narrative brimming with heart and depth. It revolves around an unexpected duo, two lost souls from starkly different backgrounds and age groups, who find solace, stability, acceptance, and protection in one another during their darkest times, when their own families have turned their backs.
This poignant yet uplifting tale delves into the intricate journey of recovery, trauma, abuse, and tragedy—traversing the haunting landscapes of addiction and emotional turmoil. It powerfully illustrates how healing can arise from the most unlikely of places, showcasing the beauty of "chosen" families that form in the absence of traditional support.
Told through the deeply personal perspectives of Addie and Jonathan, we are drawn into their heartbreaking pasts, feeling their struggles and understanding their complex relationships with their biological families.
Their stories are not just defined by loss but also by survival and resilience. The narrative is enriched by supporting characters like Wendy, Addie’s wise and compassionate sponsor, and Jeannie, another homeless teen grappling with addiction, and Addie's family, all of whom play pivotal roles in this emotional tapestry.
The story is a moving exploration of the extreme vulnerability faced by countless young people who have slipped through the cracks of family and social services, even today, more apparent, fighting against homelessness while desperately seeking a place to belong.
In a genuine act of kindness, an elderly woman wrestling with her own demons opens her heart and home to a homeless young man, providing him with a sanctuary of safety and security while rejuvenating her own hope and sense of purpose.
With grace and compassion, the novel confronts heavy themes of addiction, recovery, abuse, and trauma, as it charts a path toward redemption and healing through the power of human kindness. The narrative beautifully concludes with the profound realization that family extends far beyond blood ties; it encompasses those we embrace with our hearts.
The title itself encapsulates the central message —that even in the bleakest of moments, life can surprise us with unexpected and meaningful "gifts" from the universe.
Hyde covers the following themes in her books:
~Intergenerational
~Found Family
~Heartfelt and Emotional
~Redemption and Second Chances
The Audiobook Experience...
I had the joy of immersing myself in both the book and its audiobook—a delightful bonus that accompanies any of Hyde's works. The listening experience is brought to vivid life by the talented performances of Michael Crouch, a long-time favorite, alongside Coleen Marlo. Their emotionally charged portrayals capture the essence of each character and the deeply felt emotions, making the journey even more engaging and satisfying. I wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook for its ability to deliver an enriching and moving auditory experience.
Recs..
Highly recommend! If you enjoy books like Catherine Ryan Hyde's "Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe," you might appreciate stories with themes of unlikely, cross-generational friendship, healing from trauma, finding purpose later in life, and acts of profound kindness. Here are some books by Hyde and other authors with similar heartwarming and emotionally resonant themes.
~Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde
(my favorite of all time- cried like a baby)
~Have You Seen Luis Velez? (another all-time favorite)
~So Long Chester Wheeler by Catherine Ryan Hyde
~Allie and Bea by Catherine Ryan Hyde
~Heaven Adjacent by Catherine Ryan Hyde
~Dreaming of Flight by Catherine Ryan Hyde
~A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
~The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
~When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
~Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin
Special thanks to Lake Union Publishing, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for graciously sharing a digital advanced reading and listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Nov 11, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
About the Author
Photos Credit: Douglas Somders
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Catherine Ryan Hyde is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of fifty books and counting. An avid traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she shares her astrophotography with readers on her website.
Her novel Pay It Forward was adapted into a major motion picture, chosen by the American Library Association (ALA) for its Best Books for Young Adults list and translated into more than twenty-three languages for distribution in over thirty countries. Both Becoming Chloe and Jumpstart the World were included on the ALA’s Rainbow Book List, and Jumpstart the World was a finalist for two Lambda Literary Awards. Where We Belong won two Rainbow Awards in 2013, and The Language of Hoofbeats won a Rainbow Award in 2015.
More than fifty of her short stories have been published in the Antioch Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, and many other journals; in the anthologies Santa Barbara Stories and California Shorts; and in the bestselling anthology Dog Is My Co-Pilot. Her stories have been honored by the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest and the Tobias Wolff Award and have been nominated for The Best American Short Stories, the O. Henry Award, and the Pushcart Prize. Three have been cited in the annual Best American Short Stories anthology.
As a professional public speaker, she has addressed the National Conference on Education, twice spoken at Cornell University, met with AmeriCorps members at the White House, and shared a dais with Bill Clinton.
For more information, please visit www.catherineryanhyde.com.
