Life was roses. I was happy. I had my dream job. I’d finally fallen in love with the man who’d been waiting for me since he was a boy. Soon his four years in the Army would be over, and we’d be together forever. My perfect life was squarely in my palm.And then it was snatched from me.The harshest, cruelest truth became my reality.And I turned into a shell of my former self.Then a stranger … self.
Then a stranger arrived, wearing Army fatigues and closely cropped dark hair.
Fulfilling a promise to his comrade-in-arms brought him to my front door.
And the focus of his promise, it turned out, was me.
His mission was simple:
Care for me.
Heal me.
Bring me back to life.
But what started out as an uncomplicated mission is quickly turning personal.
He came here to take care of me.
But neither of us expected how much he’d need me, too.
And we definitely didn’t expect these feelings.
My broken heart knows how wrong it is.
We’ll fight it, harder than we’ve ever fought anything.
I’m afraid to win, and I’m even more terrified to lose.
Of all his missions, I may be his most dangerous.
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OMG. I’m a mess right now. I started this book as my usual bed-time reading at 12:30 a.m. and ended up devouring the entire story by 5:00 a.m. *sigh* Thankfully today was the last day of our Lunar New Year Holiday so I could sleep in sleep away my broken heart and wounded soul and puffy eyes (all thanks to the masterful Jennifer Millikin).
Being someone who’s read Jennifer’s Good On Paper and Beyond the Pale, I’m no stranger to her writing, to say the least. Both books broke my heart badly but they managed to piece it back by the end of the stories. Therefore, in order to better prepare myself (and reduce the possibility of being defeated by Jen’s words), as ridiculous as this sounds, I gave myself a pep talk–something to strengthen my emotional endurance–and did pretty much everything I could come up with just to make sure my heart’s well-protected this time.
Guess what happened? Oh wait, you don’t have to guess cuz I already told you I’m a mess right in the beginning and even after all these hours (almost a day), my heart’s still bleeding. *Apparently, my heart appears to be more fragile than I assume.*
Alright, enough with all those ramblings and grumbles, this book is, undeniably, one of the most heartbreaking stories I’ve ever read in my entire life. And THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. This poem right here pretty much sums up Ethan and Kate’s, the main characters’, story:
“There is a boy
And he loves a girl
She doesn’t love him back
He doesn’t care
One day she will love him
Until then, he waits.”
And then the rug called life/universe/everything-worth-living-for was swept away for Kate and she’s been lost ever since. Then came Nick Hunter, Ethan’s best friend in the Army, who promised Ethan that he’d take care of his Katie Girl if something bad happened, and the rest is history that was when Kate and Nick held onto each other in the life after.
Truthfully, this book was a tear-jerker. I could barely breathe when getting to some of the most gut-wrenching chapters and later on, I felt as if someone (whose name starts with a J, clearly displayed on the book cover) stabbed me square in my heart AND TWISTED THE KNIFE SEVERAL TIMES when I read those parts where Kate was the most self-destructive. I meant, my heart broke once when such tragedy occurred, and now this!? Seriously??!!
Much to my satisfaction, how Nick and Kate’s lives crossed path wasn’t perfect, which I totally appreciated, but to me, what mattered most was how they both found a way to cope with the harsh reality. As an old saying goes, “Everything happens for a reason,” and by the end of this book, I firmly believed there’s a silver lining behind every dark cloud. So, please always keep in mind that no matter how hard life becomes, you are and will always be strong enough to conquer the aftermath, and you always have the power to reign your own life.
(To be honest, this review isn’t what I had in mind when I first finished this book because I definitely didn’t get that vision while my soul’s wounded…) All in all, please go give this book a try and you can thank me later. Don’t forget to get a box of Kleenex, scratch that, you’d better read this somewhere private so you can freely wail all you want…like I did. 😉 Ugly cries guaranteed, witty comebacks welcomed, and WHEN you survive all this, you’ll feel stronger and more empowered than you’ve ever felt.
Good luck with Ethan, Nick, and Kate’s story! I’ll be there whenever you need a shoulder to cry on.
I’ve never heard of Jennifer Millikin or read any of her work until I picked up The Day He Went Away. I’m now following her on every form of social media and have all of her books on my TBR list. The Day He Went Away is the definition of an ugly cry romance. It made me fall in love then broke my heart, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
All of the characters in this angsty, friends-to-lovers romance were well written and really added to the story. I didn’t feel like they were half done and just there as filler. They each had a purpose and they completed it.
**Possible Spoiler below**
The only thing I wished had been different about Kate’s story was Nick. I enjoyed him as a character and was rooting for them, but I wanted to see more of a connection between them. More angst and irresistible passion. I saw the beginning of a connection spark, but not that all consuming I-can’t-resist-you passion I crave. But this is purely my personal preference.
The story was still something I will probably read again and have already recommended to a few friends.
I really enjoyed this book. This pulled at the heart and fit right tin with The Last Letter By Rebecca Yarros, to give you a reference. Totally different books but in the genre that hurt my heart.
I got this in the mail and had to wait for the perfect time to read it. This is the type of book that I had to be in the right mindset for. But it was amazing and I read it in one sitting once I started. This was a solid 4 star read for me.
It as a book that ripped you open while you read, and it brought the tears. It was a story about moving on and that hurts to read even when it is beautiful. It was a story of finding peace and finding love after your world has been shaken.
I can see where some people weren’t a big fans of the trope, but I was and I think the author did a beautiful job of it. I can’t wait to read more form her.
I received and Advanced Reader Copy. I am voluntarily leaving a review. I am leaving five stars. I only give this to books that really resonate with me emotionally. I f I could I would give it 100 stars. I started it this morning and did not stop. I felt every emotion that Kate felt. It is heartbreaking and full of hope all at the same time. All I can say is buy this book.
5 Stars From Sammy’s Book Obsession!
Wow! Just wow. This book was so full of emotions. I couldn’t put it down! It was a complete roller coaster that reeked havoc on my emotional stability lol!
The Day He Went Away was written well. The characters were great and the dialogue between them felt natural. I love that in a book. I don’t want to give anything away by saying too much, so I’ll keep this brief.
I will definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an emotion filled love story!
This poignant story will touch you on so many layers. Ethan and Kate have known each other since they were five years old. They were best friends but more than that they shared a love that was like no other. Ethan is home on leave and it is during this time that Kate realizes just how much Ethan means to her and she finally lets him know how about her love for him. Unfortunately, Ethan’s helicopter is taken down and none of the soldiers make it. Devastated Kate begins the struggle of life without Ethan. During her Journey Nick who is a close friend of Ethan is there to help but will it be enough?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An incredible story of young love, war, loss and surviving grief! Definite must read!