Underneath the Sycamore Tree is an emotional start to 2023

Picking books to start off your year with isn’t easy. In particular, Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste is the one if you’re looking to have a good cry.

While I’ve heard of the author before, I didn’t have this book on my radar until Bloom Books kindly sent me an ARC. The pitch of this story immediately had me feeling nervous as it was toted to be a “heart-wrencher.”

Of course with a claim such as that, there was no way I was waiting to pick this one. I knew that I needed to pick it up and see if it was as emotional as it was marketed. However, this book was much more than it was pitched and honestly, I’m surprised I only managed to read it in two sittings as the subject matter is extremely heavy.

If you’re looking for a republished story with an emotional impact for 2023, then Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste is exactly what you’re looking for.

If you need an emotional punch, Underneath the Sycamore Tree is a must-read.

Let me start off by saying that this book is not an easy read. If you aren’t in a good headspace and can’t deal with tough topics, then steer clear of this one. Before getting into the storyline, I want to include some content warnings: death, loss of a sibling, parental abandonment, loss of a parent, loss of a spouse, grief, chronic illness, and much more.

Those are just all the topics that come forefront of my mind, but Underneath the Sycamore Tree is a story about Emery who upon being diagnosed with a chronic illness decides to go stay with her father. Upon getting there, she meets her stepbrother, Kaiden, and the two strike up a friendship and an unlikely romance from there.

While the romance does take a while to develop, it’s clear that Kaiden and Emery are exactly what the other is looking for. Emery wants someone who won’t treat her like a paper doll and actually make her feel like a girl worthy of love. As for Kaiden, he wants someone who will make him feel everything he’s been hiding for years.

While the romance is a huge part of the story, it’s really about Emery growing and changing as a person. She deals with so much throughout the course of the story and by the end, you just want her to be happy. I will say that this book did put me through the wringer as promised and I do think that if you’re new to emotional stories, then this is a good one to start with.

The subject matter can be a bit tough, but the story is so engaging and the writing style was quick to get into. Maybe it’s just the way B. Celeste told the story, but I ended up reading this one in two sittings. Considering that it was close to 400 pages, that’s pretty good. All in all, if you think you can handle it and you love emotional storylines and an angsty and taboo romance, then Underneath the Sycamore Tree is a good way to start off your reading year.

Underneath the Sycamore Tree by B. Celeste is available now wherever books are sold.