Let the Light In

by Jenny Downham, Louis Hill

Leah and Charlie are handling their family's loss in very different ways. Their choices push them down difficult and perilous paths which eventually collide, sending shockwaves through their community. This astounding, compulsive novel explores love, power, money, art, and asks: what matters most in the end?

Genres: Young Adult, Family, Contemporary

384 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 2025

About the author

Jenny Downham (born 1964) is a British novelist and an ex-actor. In her first book, Before I Die, the fictional account of the last few months of a sixteen-year-old girl who has been dying of leukemia for 4 years. The book is told in the first person. The book was acclaimed and was short-listed for the 2007 Guardian Award and the 2008 Lancashire Children's Book of the Year, nominated for the 2008 Carnegie Medal and the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize, and won the 2008 Branford Boase Award.

Reviews

[Kia Westley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Christopher Walthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Downham has shown time and again that she is a brilliant writer, but it’s clear from this latest effort that her son and co-writer Louis Hill is equally brilliant. Together they create a tender, funny and quietly powerful story that starts gently before building to a terrific conclusion. A definite must-read!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘I think you’re allowed to not watch someone die if you don’t want to.’

[Eileen Vaughan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adored this book 💖😭

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent story of family trauma, first love/obsession, desperation and hope. Really enjoyed it!

[Vonprice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard-hitting, compelling and ultimately hopeful #YA novel, beautifully written and elegantly crafted. You can read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....

[whatbooknext · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leah stepped up when their dad passed away. At 17, she is the oldest of the three siblings and as their mother fell apart, Leah held them all together. Now, she is charge of their meagre finances, making sure they have something to eat, and the bills get paid. Once a good student, the pressures of keeping things afloat, making sure her little sister is picked up from school, and checking on her younger brother Charlie; are piling up. Schoolwork is taking a back seat.

She doesn’t resent their mother being holed up in her room all day. Leah knows it is pure grief at losing the love of her life, and she tries to protect her mum by being strong for them all. But there is one thing Leah has for herself – Alex.

He makes her feel like a goddess, and she can’t stop thinking about him. He’s handsome, owns an Art gallery, and makes her feel alive. So what if he is older than her? And married. With a baby.



Charlie wants to help Leah more at home. He can pick up their little sister from school, but whenever he tries to cook something, it’s a disaster. He’s worried what life will be like when Leah goes to university in Edinburgh. How will they cope without her? He marvels at the way Leah seems so strong and capable after their father’s death, when all he could do was hide in his wardrobe, or under his duvet.

Charlie’s escape from his own grief is in drawing. He’s a talented artist, and pours himself and his feelings into his sketchbook. But drawings aren’t helping anyone at home. He longs to feel more in control. When a stranger offers to help, Charlie is wary at first. Soon, it seems that this is all he needed. In fact, it was the worst possible solution.

Each with their secrets, things begin looking up for Leah and Charlie. Or so they think. The secrets find each other and the result is heartbreaking for all.


Written in two viewpoints by two separate authors, the essence of the characters is raw on the page. A brother and sister, still grieving for their father, and without the guidance of their devastated mother – try to navigate the world around them the best they can.

An inappropriate affair, and a deepening spiral of debt threaten to swallow them whole as they keep their secrets close their chests. There is so much heart in this novel as the characters try to do their best by their loved ones, and try to tackle their worries alone.

Let the Light in, refers to so many threads of this story. Mental heath, relationships, money worries, being young carers, and grief, consume these young characters, and it’s only when they let others around them know what is going on, that help can arrive.

Beautifully written and with a positive future for all, Let The Light In is a powerful read.

[Mandy Cleworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tackles a lot of heavy themes.
Leah and Charlie lost their dad 3 years ago. As a result their Mum had ceased to function, they have had to move home and between them take care of their younger sister.
Leah (17) is having an affair, he is 29, married with a young baby. Her brother has been taken in by a loan shark. Life imploding for Leah and Charlie is the catalyst for their Mum to re-engage with life and take control of her family.
There’s a lot to think about here.
A family still struggling with the weight of grief, struggling to make ends meet, struggling to communicate. The power of talking, of friends and community.
Even with such weighty subject matter I struggled to make an emotional connection with this book.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read anything by Jenny Downham before but I will definitely be reading more by them. This was such a beautifully written book, I couldn't put it down and I read it in less than 24 hours. It handles sensitive subjects with care and tells you what the most important thing in life is. I highly recommend it and will be reading more by the author.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stories within the one poverty line London family. Lea neglects her studies after falling for an Art Gallery owner. Charlie struggles with being a teenager living in tough times. The stories cleverly cross over as Charlie's situation worsens and Lea chooses to make different choices. Well narrated audiobook.

[Sharron Terrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was only just a 4 stars. For me the writing quality was 4 stars but it felt like the author started with a message that they wanted to convert and that, that message was clumsily told rather than been shown so that it came across as a bit preachy.

I did like the characters and cared about what happened to them but. the gauche way that the message was conveyed put me off at the end.

[Louise Cooper]

Beautiful story about a family pulling together and trying to survive the worst of circumstances. Told in 2 different perspectives - Leah who found love to try to help her through her grief and Charlie who wanted to be the man of the house and take care of his sisters and mum. When the secret worlds that they are both living in meet, they have to pull together and help each other through.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Fantastic young adult novel. A family in despair after the death of the father/husband. The eldest daughter Leah takes control of the family which is spiralling into disaster. A fantastic story of family, resilience and friendship.

[Laura Stanaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, easy to pick up and easy to follow read. Characters well portrayed and personality’s shown. For me, no big twists or turns but a humble ending with a little bit of a life lesson thrown in if you read more into it..

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Family loses their dad, son and daughter deal with it in different ways. One through art and borrowing money and one through a slightly dodgy relationship with an older art dealer. Paths cross as you would imagine.

[Claudia Farrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to a 4.

Very convincingly written from the pov of a 15 and 17 year old, to the point where reading their thoughts was at times excruciating. I stg if Charlie burned the jacket potatoes on more time

[Danay Βouzala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page-turner and full of soul. Loved every bit of this!

[Jake Morgan-Stead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. I was gripped by Charlie and Leah's interwoven stories throughout. Wonderfully written and paced. Highly recommended!

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this a lot.

Timely exploration of a couple of different issues. Well handled and beautifully resolved.

[Will Bish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great exploration into the troubles of grief while growing up in this modern world.

[Anima Rai · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would have been 5 stars if it wasn’t for Alex

Men always ruin shit

Joe is also a pos but Alex shouldn’t have been excused

[Eirene (eazyreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Joanne Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A far better story to listen to than a previous book.. this one had good story line and characters

[Felicity Waterford · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of two kids coping after the loss of their dad as their mum disappears into her grief. Quite enjoyed this

[Sophie Falshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, it has a really positive, uplifting message of hope running throughout. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could.

[Caitlin Carney · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up!

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The experience of this family made my heart ache for all of them in different ways. A brilliant story so well told