The Day He Went Away by Jennifer Millikin Published by JNM LLC on November 10th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 356
Source: Author
I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
GoodreadsIt took 20 years for perfectionist PR pro Kate Masters to fall for her best friend, Army scout Ethan Shepherd, but only seconds for their lives to shatter. When an ill-fated deployment cuts short Ethan’s life, Kate's perfectly planned future vanishes. Heart in pieces, Kate abandons who she is for a reckless and dangerous existence.
Army medic Nick Hunter made a promise to Ethan, his brother-in-arms, before tragedy ripped his friend away. Upon leaving the military, Nick moves to Ethan’s hometown, his determination to uphold his promise as strong as his need to heal his own broken heart. What he finds when he arrives isn’t at all what he thought he was getting into. Kate isn’t interested in healing, making it impossible for Nick to keep his promise.
To survive grief this profound, Kate must learn how to forge a new path, and open herself up to the possibility of an unplanned happiness.
A fictional retelling of a true story, The Day He Went Away explores the devastation of loss, the beauty in losing yourself, and the transcendent power of grief.
After twenty years of friendship, Kate Masters is finally ready to tell her best friend Ethan that she has feelings for him. Ethan has been waiting for this moment for over ten years. They spend nine days together before Ethan goes back for deployment. Neither of them know he’s not coming back. Ethan is killed and Kate loses control of her life. Ethan had made a promise with his brother in arms Nick that he was to take care of Kate if anything happens. Nick is finding it difficult to keep his promise.
In an Oyster Shell – A hauntingly beautiful story about loss and the process of grief. You will probably need tissues, I did.
The Pearls – This book was about love and loss. Even if you have found your forever doesn’t mean you get your ever after. This book was really sad but well-written. It showed the process of grief in all its messy glory. This book was more than thought-provoking, it was emotionally charged.
The characters were sharp. They were well developed and meaningful. Kate was a broken character. Used to being the master of all things she is ill-prepared for the loss that she suffers. Not that anything could ever prepare you for what she endures. She was easy to empathize and relate too. Her actions and reactions made this book raw and real.
The first romance in this book was really sweet. A a childhood friend that has loved you and waited for you for over a decade was heart-warming. When that love is lost you feel the impact.
The Sand – The second romance of the book felt a little forced. It was a bit cliche.
4.5 pearls!
About Jennifer Millikin
I operate in a waking dreamworld where I’m always crafting stories in my head. Strong female protagonists are my favorite to write, and I like to make them imperfect. To escape all the story ideas in my head, I practice both heated and traditional yoga. I love being physically active and find I write best when I’m fresh off a sweat session. I have two kiddos, 3 & 5, and they keep me on my toes. As does my 7 month old yellow lab! There’s no shortage of activity in my home, but the busyness is invigorating. Writing has been a lifelong passion and being a published author is a dream come true.
