Grief doesn't follow rules. It ambushes you at dinner. It quiets your joy. It rearranges your world—and leaves you wondering if it will ever feel okay again.

In I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This, bestselling novelist Clare Mackintosh writes with stunning honesty as she turns to memoir;, offering 18 gentle, deeply felt assurances for anyone living through loss. After the death of her infant son, she searched for true comfort and ended up creating the very book she needed: a steadying companion through the storm.

Whether your grief is fresh or decades old—whether it's a parent, a partner, a child, or a friend—you'll find comfort, clarity, and companionship in these pages.

Inspired by a viral Twitter thread Clare wrote on the anniversary of her son's death, this compassionate memoir brings solace and encouragement to anyone walking with grief. Mackintosh writes with emotional precision, offering brief chapters that validate, comfort, and remind us that love—not loss—defines our story.

If you're grieving, or loving someone who is, this book promises one thing: you don't have to go through it alone. And no, it won't always hurt like this.