Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Seeing Julia

by Katherine Owen (Goodreads Author)

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 310 ratings · 76 reviews

I've been here before. I've done this before. At sixteen, I
buried my parents. At twenty-three, my fiancé Bobby. And now, almost four years later, my husband Evan. I'm here again in the after. Here's what I know: death abducts the dying, but grief steals from those left
behind.

Tragedy. Heartbreak. A decade of loss defines her, but an illicit connection to a stranger saves he...more

Paperback, 328 pages

Published May 20th 2011 by Writing Works Group (first published April 30th 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Best Cover Fall/Winter 2011

107th out of 402 books — 1,492 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 981)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 02, 2012 Amanda Panda *Book Drunk Stupor* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Seeing Julia has become a huge awakening for me! This novel will stay with me always as the most emotional read I have ever come across.

5+ STARS!!!!

To be perfectly and completely honest my first day into this book I had to put it down and step away from it for awhile. At the time I just was feeling so down and extremely irritable. My mood became dark and I just couldn't bear to lift my Nook and continue. BUT after a great nights rest (and an amazing husband who spent the day with our children)...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 14, 2011 Pat rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: friends

Recommended to Pat by: Goodreads/author

While I was reading this novel, and posting my progress, I had only one word."Compelling". This is a story about a woman who married a man one month after meeting him! She is very much in love, pregnant and on top of the world. Evan has a somewhat "unhealthy" attachment to his dead wife,whom she has an amazing resemblance to. She can live with that. One stormy night her life as she knew it is gone. It was so hard to read the chapters about her decline into grief, pain and despair. After the fune...more

like 2 likes · see review

May 02, 2013 Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There were echoes of 'When I See You' in 'Seeing Julia' for me, since that's the order in which I've read them, although 'Seeing Julia' was written first. Many many similarities in the two stories. I really liked this one, although to be honest, it felt like the hero Jake and the heroine Julia were on a merry go round in their budding relationship, going in circles for most of the first half of the story, having the same conversations and reactions to each other. And then Savannah enters the pic...more

like 1 like · see review

Sep 06, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favotite-books, could-not-put-it-down, highly-recomended, worth-reading, kindle-books-to-lend

I thought this was a great book! This book along with Katherine Owen's other book Not to Us, are the kind of stories that get my heart racing, the kind of books I can't put down, because they are written in a way that the reader can really feel the pain of the characters when they loose someone they love or are betrayed by a friend or lover, you also can feel their moments of joy and triumphs. I really like this authors writing style, her stories are interesting and heartfelt.I like that they de...more

like 1 like · see review

May 10, 2012 Booklover rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: baby-children, cheating-grovel, chicklit, divorce-separated-reunion-2nd-chanc, emotional-tear-jerker, engagement-marriage-on-rocks, hospital, love, lawyer-cop-doctor-soldier-dectectiv, obssessed-jealous-exes-ow, parents, office-romance, pregnancy-surrogacy, secrets-past-tragedy-abusive-childh, seduced-seduction, sibblings-best-friends

This was an intense emotional story,from pg 1 i got so gripped in the story,Julia's loss pain grief made me cry-the marriage which she thought was perfect is a sham then the accident,she is trying to collect herself from all of this then she gets to know of another most hurting thing Evan did,she is broken totally but yet again with help of Kimmy,Stephanie she picks herself again,plans out everything and starts to make decisions.

Jake:He was a good but hypocrite man.He was angry at Julia for goin...more

like 3 likes · see review

Dec 17, 2011 Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

For Julia there is the 'before' and the 'after'. In the before part she has her parents and the unbelievably handsome boy who gives her, her first kiss. In the ‘after’ she loses her parents, then her fiancée and then her husband. Now she is afraid to love and let anybody get too close, for fear of losing them too. All this sets her on a course of battling grief, self-discovery and unearthing of secrets which turns her entire way of thinking upside down.

A romance with a whole lot of depth, “Seein...more For Julia there is the 'before' and the 'after'. In the before part she has her parents and the unbelievably handsome boy who gives her, her first kiss. In the ‘after’ she loses her parents, then her fiancée and then her husband. Now she is afraid to love and let anybody get too close, for fear of losing them too. All this sets her on a course of battling grief, self-discovery and unearthing of secrets which turns her entire way of thinking upside down.

A romance with a whole lot of depth, “Seeing Julia” is not the kind of book you want to read in a hurry. To experience the depth of the emotional turmoil caused by the devastating losses Julia suffers in her life, you'll probably find yourself rereading large portions of the book. The in-depth descriptions of her heart-wrenching sense of loss, is balanced by the beautiful caring nature, and actions, of friends.

The story is masterfully written in a first person present tense perspective. It brings the reader in very close contact with the thoughts and feelings of the main character. I effortlessly identified with Julia's desire to be a normal person, doing normal things, in a normal life. All she wants is to be seen for who she is and not as the widow of the highly successful businessman, Evan Hamilton. Above all, she wants to spend her life caring for her son and securing a future for him. But getting to that point, she has to undergo a journey of self-discovery.

Realistic characters always impress me and in this book they are plentiful. The way in which Julia's friends supported her throughout the ups and downs of her life, was heartwarming and enduring. No matter what happened in Julia’s life, her inner circle of friends were always there to not only support her emotionally, but to also take an active role in her business affairs, and also in her love life.

I recommend this novel to all who enjoy a highly emotional story that tugs at your heart strings with a main character who shows remarkable growth throughout the book. “Seeing Julia” rightly deserves its 5 stars! (Ellen Fritz)(less)

like 1 like · see review

Sep 04, 2011 Romancing the Book rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit

Reviewed by Ursula
Book provided by author

Seeing Julia by Katherine Clare Owen is a moving, emotional and turbulent ride through the eyes of a young widow. Julia has had a lot of tragedy in her nearly 30 years of life, starting with the loss of her parents at 16. The scenes described, such as the funeral scene, is a no holds barred description of what Julia is going through. You really feel her pain and desolation at the loss of her husband.

While the story details the sorrow and devastation Julia...more Reviewed by Ursula
Book provided by author

Seeing Julia by Katherine Clare Owen is a moving, emotional and turbulent ride through the eyes of a young widow. Julia has had a lot of tragedy in her nearly 30 years of life, starting with the loss of her parents at 16. The scenes described, such as the funeral scene, is a no holds barred description of what Julia is going through. You really feel her pain and desolation at the loss of her husband.

While the story details the sorrow and devastation Julia is going through, and the infallible support from her inner circle, it drags it out and makes you feel depressed. The story is well written, but you almost feel like you are in mourning yourself. Almost the entire book is about Julia's coping, or lack of coping, with the loss of her husband. She is refusing to move on and, even though she is a new mom, she neglects her child. There are token mentions of him here and there but it seems that when he doesn't 'fit' into the flow of the story, a nanny or friend is there to just take over his care.

The story gets better for a while when she finds out things about her husband and revelations are made about him that Julia didn't know. But she makes these 'grand plans' to get her life back on track and winds up back into the not coping, black hole life she'd been living in since the death of her husband. There is also the intrigue of Jake's fiancee that stirs up some interest and it's the highlight of Julia coming back from the abyss of unbearable grief.

Jake is someone Julia meet once when she was 15. She doesn't realize who he is, but he's known for a long time and is just waiting for her to realize who he is. The relationship between them at times is well written and believable, but at other times, it's not realistic. At the end of the story, Julia manages to get her entire life in order in a matter of a few pages. Julia and Jake manage to come to terms with all the 'secrets' and insecurities, and in the end, declare their undying love for each other. It doesn't come as much of a surprise that Jake declares his love, but for Julia to do a complete turnaround and declare her undying love so fast is. Normally, a happy ending is exactly what a reader wants, but this seemed to be too neatly tied up, too fast to be in line with the rest of the book.

I wouldn't re-read this book, but it was interesting enough to want to see how it ended. It isn't something I would recommend to everyone, but those that like stories that tug at the heartstrings and evoke strong feelings would enjoy this story. It is more of a true to life story of grief and sorrow, well written, but hard to feel happy when reading.(less)

like · see review

Aug 24, 2011 Dana Burgess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

There was before. And, there was after.
Before was magical, embraced promise,
and bequeathed good things.
Before was for the innocent.
After was the haunted, and relinquished all promise. (pg 5)

'Seeing Julia' has one chapter of before; the rest is after. The after starts with Julia at her husband's funeral. And this is where I began to cry. Katherine Owen is able to write Julia's story with so much emotion that I was almost overwhelmed. Reading it is a truely emotional ride! Julia tells us her story...more There was before. And, there was after.
Before was magical, embraced promise,
and bequeathed good things.
Before was for the innocent.
After was the haunted, and relinquished all promise. (pg 5)

'Seeing Julia' has one chapter of before; the rest is after. The after starts with Julia at her husband's funeral. And this is where I began to cry. Katherine Owen is able to write Julia's story with so much emotion that I was almost overwhelmed. Reading it is a truely emotional ride! Julia tells us her story in first person present so each feeling, each action is immediate and real to the reader. We follow Julia through loss and grief and through the agonizing process of trying to redefine herself as a 27 year old widow and mother to seven month old Reid. Julia's 'inner circle' of close friends becomes her strength when she can find none in herself. They hold her up and pull her through.

For some reason, I expected 'Seeing Julia' to be a fluffy, unreal romance novel. I don't know where I got this idea but I couldn't have been more wrong, 'Seeing Julia' is so much more. It is deep and real and full of emotion and pain and friendship and love. I can't say enough good about it. The main characters in the novel are very well developed and the story is easy to follow and read. I could feel Julia's pain from the beginning and I could also see the inner strength that she was struggling to reach. At first I wondered at her relationship with Jake, husband Evan's best friend. The intensity of her feelings for Jake seemed out of place considering the circumstances, but as we become privy to what is really going on in Julia's mind and how her grief is affecting her, understanding dawns. The reader begins to accept this relationship for what it is as secrets are revealed and Julia's past is explored.

If there is a negative about this book it is the lack of development of the relationship between Julia and her nanny, Lianne. For playing such an important role in Julia's life, Lianne remains a shadow in the story. She just seems to be a convenient plot ploy so that Julia has more freedom to grieve without having to think of Reid. I would have liked her to have more substance.

Julia's story will stay with me for a long time. I'm a little sad that this is a stand alone book, I would like to spend more time with all of the characters involved. As it is, I look forward to reading more by Katherine Owen. (less)

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 28, 2012 Trisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Check out my other reviews for this book at my blog called Devouring Words
http://escapesrealitylivingbetweenpag...

Review
Seeing Julia has me right from the first chapter. I loved the characters (all of them) they were all so realistic, there is no farce, they weren't perfect but they were amazing. Julia has been through so much ever since she was young and she lost so many people. She a very young widow with she young child battling with her grief and what she finds out after. Will she find lov...more

like 1 like · see review

Jul 30, 2012 Rachelle Ayala rated it 4 of 5 stars

A very introspective book. I get that Julia is full of grief and confused and had bad things happen to her, but she was way too self-absorbed and not nearly as proactive as she could have been. I actually liked the story somewhat, enjoyed the writing style, and sympathized with Julia, loved Kimmy, and thought Dr. Brad was hilarious. But what peeved me was that the baby, Reid, was a prop who was shunted off to the nanny and other friends. He was always conveniently asleep when the Julia wanted to...more A very introspective book. I get that Julia is full of grief and confused and had bad things happen to her, but she was way too self-absorbed and not nearly as proactive as she could have been. I actually liked the story somewhat, enjoyed the writing style, and sympathized with Julia, loved Kimmy, and thought Dr. Brad was hilarious. But what peeved me was that the baby, Reid, was a prop who was shunted off to the nanny and other friends. He was always conveniently asleep when the Julia wanted to get hot and heavy with Jake, her dead husband's best friend, and never caused any trouble as far as waking up and interrupting a kiss, or throwing a tantrum when mother dearest wanted to leave him with yet another caregiver.

The repetition of several mannerisms and sayings got tiresome. Yes, I get it's a code word, but it is used over and over again. The same with the blackjack dealer standdown move. Yes, people use the same gestures, but Julia was fluttering those hands all the time. Jake's drawl and hangdog look also got old fast, and I didn't even think he was so hot or anything, just plain pathetic. The author can TELL us that he's handsome and GQ and all that and describe all his cool clothes, but I couldn't feel any attraction myself. I mean, I'm told that Julia gets this unexplained electric feel, but my emotions were not dragged in where I felt it.

The story was too predictable and the ending went on forever. I didn't feel Jake's dialogues were real. They were too long and full of psycho jargon and not how normal guys talk. And of course, the repeated "I've always loved you." at the end was too eyerolling, especially since we spent most of the book with Julia grieving over her two lost loves, Bobby and Evan.

The book could use a line edit and proofreading. Superfluous commas littered the manuscript to the point of visual distraction and auditory stumbling. I didn't bother to mark, but I think there was a mistaken name or some other obvious swapped word and repeated words that could have been easily caught. Paragraph breaks and action beats did not correlate with the dialogue in places, and sometimes I could not tell who was speaking.

Despite the editorial issues, I still give it a 4 star because I love damaged and flawed characters who overcome their depression and grief. I just wish I could have felt it more in the actions and viscerals and not been told by having the emotions named and identified for me.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Jul 23, 2011 Chelesbells rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Here’s what I know: death abducts the dying, but grief steals from those left behind."

Julia is no stranger to loss. She has had more than her share of grieving over lost loved ones. Her life seemed to have taken a better turn after marrying Evan Hamilton and especially since the birth of their beautiful son, Reid. But in a strange twist of fate, Julia finds herself grieving once again when her husband, Evan, dies a tragic death. Can Julia start over? Will she start over? Jake Winston believes...more

like 7 likes · see review

May 01, 2012 Vickie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit

I read "Not To Us" and I was captivated by the story. So, I decided to read all of Katherine Owen's novels. I don't know about this one. Were my expectations way too high because Not To Us was exceptional and I was engrossed in the story? I'm not sure. I found this story to be a little hard to get through. I'm not a quitter and I wanted to see how the story ended but it was just very difficult for me. I was really upset with Julia for most of the story. First she's going to succomb to her grief...more

like · see review

Dec 30, 2011 Angieleigh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bc11-12

I have a really hard time saying that I liked this book - really it was more okay then good. I liked the characters, but really thought Julia needed a swift kick in the butt.

Though it seemed all too wordy at times, the premise of this book wasn't bad at all; woman loses husband, slips into a near disastrous depression at his funeral, survives near suicide, clings to best friends...excuse me, inner circle...finds love in the end after learning of dead husband's betrayal.

There were a few unexpec...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 22, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great book. It is fairly emotional but the characters are likeable and human. I like her other books also.

like 1 like · see review

Mar 28, 2012 Dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

There were parts of this book I found very emotional and very compelling and there were other times I wanted to roll my eyes and just say, get on with it. I almost needed to give it 2.5 stars because I'm not sure I liked it, but it was more than OK.

I really liked the story, for one women to suffer so much loss really appealed to me, but some of the twists were just so unrealistic... either the whole book needed to go up on level on the sap meter, or the twists needed to root a little more firmly...more

like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-on-kindle, books-i-loved, contemporary-romance, tear-jerkers, recommended-for-kim

Grab a box of tissues to read this absolute heart/gut wrenching love story that can only be told by Katherine Owens, a truly gifted writer.

Julia has know more heartache in her 27 years than most people have experienced in a lifetime; having to deal with the death of both her parents, her fiancé and now her beloved husband Evan. At the very lowest point in her existence, she meets Jake, her husband’s best friend, who until this point, she’s never met before. Jake helps her through her darkest hou...more

like 1 like · see review

Jan 29, 2013 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am def a fan, thanks

like 1 like · see review

May 19, 2012 Kim (Wistfulskimmies Book Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the story of Julia. A woman broken by tragedy. She has lost her parents, her first true love and now her husband has heartbreakingly died as well. All this to the backdrop of a never forgotten first kiss in Athens just before her parents were killed. After a shocking accident/suicide attempt after her husbands funeral her life seems to go downhill and she must sort out her priorities and get things back together for the sake of her baby son. With the help of her close friends and therapi...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 27, 2011 Sue Owen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I did enjoy reading this book, in fact had a hard time putting it down but I think that’s more because of the ‘train wreck’ syndrome feeling for the main character. Julia is a mess. Makes me feel so much better about my life. I think her attitude towards her life and sometime outright whining kind of got to me after a while. I would have like to of seen more dimensions to her other than her massive effort, failed, at the end to bring things together.

I don’t like her disregard for motherhood and...more

like · see review

Feb 15, 2013 Jeanie Jackson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit

The writing is beautiful. Focuses on the experiences of a widow, with a baby, who has previously lost both parents and a fiance. The amazing friendships that help her keep it together, some, and the discoveries she makes over the year keep the story going, but the flow of the writing is the star of this one.

I will have to wait a while to try another books by this author because I try to stay away from highly emotional books now days. I will be back though, she is a wonderful author.

like 1 like · see review

Jan 28, 2013 Gayla Nelson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I liked the story but it drug out a bit long. I was also a bit alarmed by the number of grammatical errors, missing words and typos in an book by this author. Any good editor should have caught those and apparently she had 3 different people edit this book,but it had mistakes it should not have in it. Also, for such a young age for the principle characters (around 27) they all seemed to have accomplished a great deal for already having graduate degrees and/or being doctors. It made the story a b...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 07, 2012 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is a sad tragedy about losing loved ones to death. I enjoyed the read, but think the author had the character Julia spend too much time in the sadness of death and not enough time learning to cope and move forward, looking for positives. It made it difficult to get through some of the chapters because they were such a downer. Overall, I liked it. One other point: I downloaded the Kindle version and it's in great need of a professional editor.

like · see review

Apr 03, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sad, sad, sad, and wonderful. The author of this romantic novel (which I don't normally read) kept me captivated from beginning to end.
This is a compelling book of love, losing loved ones, and finally rebuilding a life filled with love.
If you have ever loved or lusted after a man at an inappropriate time, this book will verify, you are not the only one.
Thank you Katherine Owens for a lovely, tear-jerking, romantic novel.

like 1 like · see review

Oct 22, 2012 Barbara Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

Seeing Julia is not my normal read but I enjoyed it immensely. I read it very quickly. I thought the characters were a little Sex in the City but this didn't detract from the experience for me and I could see where it would be very attractive for many. I think Katherine Owen writes well and her sex scenes certainly turned me on! I would recommend it to chic lit readers and romance fans. As to the critics who may complain about it's realism - hello it's a story and a very good one too!

like 1 like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Kirsten Micknicz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book - It was captiving to see how poor Julia would handle everything that's bee thrown at her and still seem to come out the other side.

The description of her loss, seeing the accident and then while in therapy going through each of those losses again was heartbreaking.

Sometimes, even in fiction, seeing what others have/are going through helps you deal with your own problems.

like 1 like · see review

Mar 18, 2012 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, chick-lit, 2012

I absolutely loved this book. This was the first book by Katherine Owen that I have read and I can't wait to read her other books. The story held my attention and I felt what the main character was feeling. I hoped that Julia would truly find herself again and find the love that she deserved.

like 1 like · see review

Mar 11, 2013 Agueda Pizarro rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

I loved it!!!!!

Seeing Julia is a story about a women who is battered by death through her life. But above all this is a story about the importance of love and friendship.

With so many books on the market I always look for a story that stands alone, different from everything else, with characters you really want to get to know. This one has all those elements.

Read it!!!

like 1 like · see review

Oct 19, 2012 Vikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

LOVED it! Very thought provoking and emotional. Just when I thought I have it figured out....WHAM! Wrong. LOL!

Get ready to ride an emotional roller coaster! "Watching" Julia going through her grief after the death of her husband and having to deal with life was just that. Her ups and downs had me cheering and crying for her the whole way through the book.
So grab a kleenex and settle in for a great book!

like 1 like · see review

Oct 07, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was very emotional, heart felt and very sexy @ times. It was a good love story as well. It is not often that you can find a believable book with all of these qualities, but the author did a fantastic job @ making the characters and storyline relatable and convincing.

I will be reading more by Katherine Owen, for sure.

like 1 like · see review

Sep 17, 2012 Judy Wise rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting book. This woman has many tragities in her life. She sees a doctor and then works her way toward facing them all. She is the one telling the story so it is interesting reading her part instead of it being told about her. Not sure I would read it again but I did find myself sticking to the end and for me that is the sign of a good book

like 1 like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 32 33 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Q&A with Auth...: * Welcome thread about "Seeing Julia"	1	4	7 de Ene 10:14

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Romance

15 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

7 users

Contemporary

4 users

Romance > Contemporary Romance

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Maggie's Dad
by Diana Palmer
Liquid Lies
by Lois Lavrisa
A Secret Wish
by Barbara Freethy
The Secret of Lies
by Barbara Forte Abate
My Temporary Life
by Martin Crosbie

About Katherine Owen

Katherine Owen has written three novels, Seeing Julia, Not To Us, and When I See You. Owen is also featured in the anthology, Indie Chicks 25 Women Writers 25 Stories, which features an excerpt of Seeing Julia. Owen's writing delves into the complexities of relationships, often from both love and loss perspectives, because, as an author, she enjoys the unpredictability and uniqueness she finds th...more

More about Katherine Owen...

Books by Katherine Owen

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Seeing Julia

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Seeing Julia

“Here’s what I know: death abducts the dying, but grief steals from those left behind.” — 45 people liked it

“The pain is too much, the loss too great. There is no more before, and the after is too devastating. There isn’t enough of me left to go on. Grief has stolen too much of me now.” — 3 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Seeing Julia
avg rating	preview: Seeing Julia Goodreads rating: 3.87 (310 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11490624-seeing-julia?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356562840l/11490624.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11490624-seeing-julia?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Seeing Julia by Katherine Owen[/url]

Seeing Julia

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website