When You’re Gone by Brooke Harris @bookouture @Janelle_Brooke

Book Description:

Compelling and emotionally vivid, When You’re Gone will break your heart and fix it anew. A gripping and uplifting novel about family, love and sacrifice, for fans of Diane Chamberlain, Susan Lewis and Kathryn Hughes’ The Letter.

1958
In a small town like Athenry, people talk. Everyone’s noticed that the injury which stopped Annie Fagan’s father from working doesn’t prevent him from hitting his wife. But a man’s home is his castle, and no one is going to intervene.

Until Annie runs into Arthur ‘Sketch’ Talbot. Sketch is determined to help Annie, and the two soon fall in love. But Annie’s father won’t give his daughter up lightly, and Sketch’s attempts to save her will have devastating consequences…

Now
Holly’s world is falling apart. Her unborn baby is seriously ill, her relationship is fracturing before her eyes, and her Nana is dying. But Nana has one final wish before she leaves: to read, one last time, the handwritten story of her first – and last – love, Arthur ‘Sketch’ Talbot.

As Holly reads to Nana, could it help her find the strength to face her own future? Could fulfilling her grandmother’s final wish really be a gift for Holly?

Previously published as When It Rains. This edition contains significant editorial revisions.

My Thoughts:

When You’re Gone is a story that flicks between Holly in present day and Annie, her grandmother, in the past.

I knew from the moment I started this book it was going to be an emotional roller coaster and I certainly wasn’t wrong. Holly my heart went out to. Not only is she going through a rough time but her grandmother who she is extremely close to, is dying. I felt like one of the family going through all the emotions of trying to be strong but knowing that the inevitable was going to happen and my heart was breaking every bit as Holly’s.

I absolutely loved Annie’s chapters in the past and finding out about her family life as well as meeting the love of her life, Sketch. It reminded me a bit of Catherine Cookson’s books. Annie’s life certainly wasn’t easy living at home but the romance between Annie and Sketch totally melted my heart. I loved being taken back in time to how life was back then and I fell in love with the idea of the farmhouse where Sketch had grown up. I easily visualised it all in my head.

Through Annie and Holly’s story there is very much the meaning of family and making the most out of every tough situation life throws our way. It’s about letting people in and not shutting them out and making every minute count.

When You’re Gone is a bitter sweet read that takes you on an emotional journey. It will make you hug your loved ones that little bit tighter and have you saying ‘I love you’ a little more often. WARNING: If like me you are quite an emotional person, you may want to make sure you have some tissues to hand.

When You’re Gone is available to purchase from Amazon. (Please note that link used is an affiliate link).

About the authorUSA Today bestselling author Brooke Harris is a self diagnosed romance addict. Realising at the age of seven that being a real person and not a cartoon character may prove a hindrance when applying for a role as a Disney Princess, she decided to create her own stories. As a grown up Brooke tried swapping the heels and tiaras in her stories for sex and revenge and published her first book, Rules of Harte in 2014. The Harte Series went on to become a #1 international bestseller. 

Brooke lives in Kildare, Ireland with her young family. She daydreams about a climate where it doesn’t rain every day, but secretly she loves the green fields and heritage of Ireland.
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