Everything We Left Behind

Don’t Leave This Behind. Wow. If the first book in this series was a gut punch, this one was a roundhouse to the face. Picking up several years after the events of the first book, we continue the story of one of the first book’s characters and the impacted families. Amazing look into a phenomenon introduced in the first book, and some surprising twists to some of the plot lines introduced in the first book and greatly expanded upon in this one.

I am now hooked on Kerry Lonsdale’s books. This story is a follow up of “Everything we Keep”. It’s like the two stories were written together and then separated into 2 books, it flows so well and there is no gap between the stories! I loved being able to pick up with “James, Carlos” story. I can’t really say too much as not to giveaway to much info. It’s a must read for sure.

I was glad to find a new writer who’s stories are unique. I don’t find them predictable. Entertaining read.

Ready for some 4th of July Fireworks? Then this sequel to “Everything We Keep” by Kerry Lonsdale will give you the explosions you are looking for!

I was immediately captivated by the story about James Donato who has a gap in memory when he wakes from a fugue state 6 years later. He can only remember his life as James and his fiancé Aimee whom he loves with all his heart and he has to get back to her in California. He has no memory of being Carlos for 6 years who lives in Mexico and fell in love with his deceased wife Raquel’s sister Natalya. He has no memory of being a loving father to his children Julian and Marc.

Carlos was an excellent artist but mostly a worried father and wrote detailed journals daily after finding out about his true identity. He wrote about everything, his confusion, his fears and especially how much he loved his children and Natalya. He wrote about why he didn’t trust the Donato family or James when it came down to it. He begged Natalya to adopt his sons. She refused unless as a last resort. He wrote about his neighbor Senora Carla, another friend he trusted and spent a lot of time with. She was also an excellent artist and his children loved spending time with her.

Unravel the history of the last 6 years and feel the uncertainty, fierce love, passion and protection for family through the eyes of Carlos. Then travel through the past and future with James as he pieces together his life and and faces his past and learns what it takes to be a family. Find out about the treachery of brothers and suspense of how far people will go to protect family because this story will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and have a love/hate relationship with a few. This book is about forgiveness, love, acceptance, strength, family and redemption. “The Everything Series” in this day of digital editions is what I call a hard copy keeper! The Author really knows how to keep the reader guessing and engaged all the way to the epilogue! Looks like Kerry Lonsdale has another best seller! Well Done!!

That darn psychic again!

This second book had a different style than the first but was still a good read. Secrets, lies, betrayal and love made it hard to put down. I can’t wait to read the next book.

James/Carlos struggles to regain his life after waking up from a Dissociative Fugue state. Will James come to terms with losing the love of his life, Aimee, from the first book? Will he be able to let her go? Will he accept and love his sons even though he doesn’t remember being their father? Will he forgive his family for their past transgressions?

A year ago, I read and very much enjoyed the author’s debut and the first book in this series, Everything We Keep (4 stars). Since then, I have been impatiently waiting for the sequel, and I am happy to report that I enjoyed it just as much as the first! In fact, I think the author’s writing style has improved and this time, my interest did not wane at all like it did for a bit in the middle of the first book (for a while there, it felt a bit too “chick lit” for my tastes).

Everything We Left Behind follows James in the present as he adjusts to being himself again, while alternating with Carlos’ life over the last 6 years living in Mexico with his two sons, Julian and Marc, and his girlfriend, Natalya. At the beginning, I was a bit confused by this back and forth layout, but I imagine that is how James/Carlos felt as well while living in a fugue state hehe 😉 Overall, I enjoyed finding out more about James’ new life and, of course, more Donato family secrets were revealed in this suspenseful story!

The most prevalent themes in this book were love, loss, resilience, the true meaning of family, forgiveness of one self and others, and accepting what cannot be changed. I would definitely recommend reading this series in order, and back-to-back, so you don’t forget any of the details like I did.

Lastly, the author has announced that the third book in the series, Everything We Give will be released in July 2018 and focus on Aimee’s husband, Ian.

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

After finishing Everything We Keep, I immediately started reading the follow up. I didn’t know what to expect but I was excited to read about James and his reemergence.

Let me start with the mechanics of the book. The switching of POVs didn’t bother me. I liked hearing from Carlos and James, but the change from past tense to present tense was very, very jarring. THAT I didn’t like. I don’t think it was done well and I feel like it would have been a better book without the switching. I’m not totally sure I liked switching from first person to third person either. Between the tense switch and the first/third switching it was TOO MUCH! Maybe the author was trying to give James and Carlos a different voice and she thought this would help, but it didn’t. They had a different voice without all the extras. Every time the story switched from James to Carlos, I had to reset and think about what was happening. That brought me out of the story, which is a killer when reading. I also think the author had trouble maintaining the present tense when she was writing from James’ perspective so that made this hard to read at times. Honestly, I think the author got in a little over her head with it and if she would have just kept it simple, it would have been a better book and easier to read. Of course, this is something an editor should catch so…maybe she just needs a better editor.
Another thing that absolutely annoyed me was all the damned similes. These were so overused when in Carlos’ perspective that I almost stopped reading. IT WAS TOO MUCH!

**some spoilers ahead**
Now for the story. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the way Carlos was portrayed in the beginning of the book. Why would Carlos be upset about his family abandoning him? In the first book, he makes it very clear that he’s happy with his life. He’s even moved on from his dead wife and living life to the fullest. He loves being a father and he loves where he lives. So…I ask again, why would he be upset with his family for abandoning him? I totally understand why James would be upset, James has lost everything, but Carlos should feel a little gratitude, even if that gratitude is misplaced. Maybe there was a purpose for these feelings and I just didn’t get it. That’s possible.
I was expecting Carlos to be more concerned with the fact that he wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for a mental illness. This is where he should be worried and upset. He should be upset with the fact that he shouldn’t exist, not that James’ family abandoned him. His concern for his kids is well placed. As a parent, this should be a huge worry—but not about the family he doesn’t know and doesn’t love. Since this is how the book started, I was a little put off and worried that the rest of the book would be off the mark. Fortunately, it got better.

James’ emotions, I felt, were pretty on target. His anger at the situation, his anger at his family, including his mother, feeling lost and not wanting to paint. I felt that was all very realistic. His feelings about Aimee were also well portrayed. The only thing I felt was missing here was that he and Aimee, while engaged, were also best friends for most of their lives. During James’ funeral in the first book, Aimee mentions the loss of her best friend. She felt that loss keenly for most of the first book not just because she loved him, but also because she’d lost that total trust and connection with someone she’d been close to for most of her life. They were only engaged for a year or so, but they were friends for much, much longer. James, however, in this book doesn’t mention the friendship aspect. He’s missing the love of his life, but he never reflects on the part about losing his best friend. About how he doesn’t have anyone to confide in because he’s lost her. The same about her parents. He was really close to her family, yet they never cross his mind. These are small details that I felt were left out. Of course, a book can only be so long and an author must keep moving the story forward so I understand why the author didn’t make a big deal about it, but I feel these little things would have made the story richer and more emotional if they were touched on. Not only that, but the author could have taken it full circle when Natalya replaces Aimee as the best friend and confidant.

I loved the movement of James and Natalya’s relationship. This was very well done. The tension and the emotions in the scenes with them together are strong and fell very realistic. The best part about it is that the scenes between James and Nat are very different than the scenes between Carlos and Nat but you’re constantly reminded that James and Carlos are the same person. James’ body and heart have a connection with her but his mind doesn’t and that is very well show in these scenes.

The real meat of this story comes in the last 30% or so. This is where you find out why James goes into the fugue state, and why his mind needs to heal…and it’s not just about the events that happened in Mexico. This is where the two books intertwine and help you understand why James is who he is. Why he’s done what he’s done and how his life and family have affected his mind the way it has. At times it’s hard to digest but it’s worth it. The story is heart wrenching but reading about James coming to the understanding and finding his way through the fog to realize what he needs to do to move on is heartwarming and gratifying.

The ending was a surprise, I won’t give it away here, but I will say, I didn’t see that coming. When I read the epilogues I had to laugh out loud at Carla’s duplicity. Because, after everything I’d read about her, oooof course she did that. Lol

What’s left? Nothing except to say that overall, I loved this book just as much as I loved Everything We Keep. It kept me reading and kept me entertained. I laughed, I cried, and I finished the book completely satisfied.

I am seriously loving this series. The characters, the plot and plot twists. It’s exciting and emotional. So excited to get some questions answered and the next book read. I received an ARC e-copy of this book through NetGalley.

I loved this book and it’s prequel. The premise is different than many of the books available now, and it was refreshing to read and imagine if something like this really could happen.