melissa gould

  “In Widowish, Melissa Gould takes readers on her journey through grief in all of its complexity, reminding us, in the end, of our endless capacity for love.”

—Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling Author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone 

“Melissa’s courage and warmth will make the reader feel like they are hearing the story of a close friend. Intimate and hopeful, Widowish is a personal and heartfelt memoir.” 

— Gabby Reece, Professional Athlete, Model, and Host of The Gabby Reece Show Podcast 

“ Widowish is an unputdownable, modern love story, the kind you don’t ever want to end. Except when it does, Melissa Gould gives us a transformational tale of modern loss, and how grieving doesn’t always have to look the way we thought. One of my favorite grief memoirs to date.” 

— Claire Bidwell Smith, Author of Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief

“No one gets through this life without suffering some kind of loss and Melissa Gould shares her journey with honesty, humor and surprising insights.  Widowish is going to break your heart in the best way possible.”  

— Annabelle Gurwitch, Author of I See You Made an Effort and Wherever You Go, There They Are

"An impressively eloquent, deftly written, exceptionally candid personal story of love and loss and adaptation, Widowish: A Memoir is truly memorable from cover to cover."

— Midwest Book Review

"...the way Melissa turned her eye on her own loss and struggle with her husband’s illness—plus the love that came afterwards—was truly gripping and inspiring. Her book made me feel like I was one of her very closest friends.” 

— Zibby Owens, Author, Podcast Host, Publisher

“Gould's narrative is remarkable in how she skillfully dissects the day-to-day minutiae of grief, particularly the strange ways in which surrounding herself with community provided comfort but also reminded her of what she lost. Gould brings a unique vulnerability to this memoir that will encourage readers to hold their loved ones closer and celebrate life.” 

— Publishers Weekly

“The main strength of this memoir is Gould’s insight into the impact that spousal loss has on personal identity …Gould’s book will appeal to women seeking to understand the meaning of widowhood.” 

— Kirkus Review

 "People wanting to better understand the widow experience will learn a lot from Widowish, and people who are widowed will feel less alone after reading it."

—Jenny Lisk, Host of The Widowed Parent Podcast & Author of Future Widow

 "In her memoir, Gould explores the many dimensions of mourning, how help can come from unexpected places — whether it's an evangelical preacher or the Real Housewives — and how to rebuild your life when it falls apart."

—A Mighty Girl (The 2021 Mighty Women Reading List for Adults)