Since You've Been Gone (Hqn)

The book manages to be both touching and uplifting, but I wonder what guided the pacing between these tones. Was it planned from the start or did it evolve during writing?

Her struggles with grief and moving forward felt very real, and I’d love to hear if others saw parts of their own experiences in her story.

The cozy, close-knit atmosphere added so much charm to the story. Was this based on a real place or purely fictional?