I hate Valentine’s Day for one reason and one reason only: Wes Paulsen.He came into my life like a wrecking ball one year ago today. After an incredible night together, we were inseparable for months. I’d never been happier in a relationship—neither had he. We were just starting to build a life together when everything changed…Turns out Wes was hiding things from me—big things. I wanted to work … work through it, but he walked out, never giving me—never giving us a chance. I didn’t know how I’d be able to get over him, but I threw myself into my art. After months of working nonstop to escape the memories of Wes, my career’s finally taking off and what do you know—Wes walked back into my life. Once again on Valentine’s Day.One year to the day that we met.I’ve spent six months hardening my heart. It should be easy to reject him, to tell him I’ve moved on. But he’s doing everything—and more—to win me back. He’s being the boyfriend I’ve always wanted. It’ll take everything in me to resist him—I’m not even sure if I can. But I’ll sure as hell try.
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Shay meets Wes on Valentine’s Day and immediately sparks fly. The meet cute between these two was so adorable and it had a grin on my face!
A lot of time in novellas it’s hard to create a connection between the main characters because everything moves a long so fast. I feel that in If You Never Come Back Sarah Smith did a great job of really letting us connect with both Shay and Wes. I felt excitement, angst, anger and sadness on behalf of these characters.
If You Never Come Back was such a great novella that honestly didn’t feel like one. I feel like I really got to know both Shay and Wes and their respective struggles. I ended up reading the book in less than a day! I can’t wait to read Simmer Down when it’s released in the fall!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
Sarah Smith’s If You Never Come Back is one of those rare novels that simultaneously captivates you and also hits you right in the feels. It’s a poignant second chance romance that is brilliantly plotted and beautifully written.
When Shay and Wes meet on Valentine’s Day, their connection is instant and palpable. They throw caution to the wind and decide to take a chance on their fledgling relationship, to pursue the strong tie they feel towards each other. Then Wes abruptly walks away, and Shay has to stitch back the pieces of her shattered heart. And when he suddenly reemerges one year to the day of their first fateful meeting? Shay is determined to guard her heart at all costs.
I felt all of the feelings reading this book. The chemistry and the connection that Shay and Wes share is nothing short of electric. As a reader, you feel like you’re also inhabiting the story, and that these characters are real, living, breathing beings. You feel the depth of Shay’s sorrow, and the breadth of Wes’s regret. And the way that Smith crafts the narrative arc is as unexpected as it is beautiful.
This is, by far, one of my favorite reads (of any genre) this year.
I am a huge Sarah Smith fan. She is one of those authors who just nail it every. Single. Time. And If You Never Come Back is no exception. It’s a rollercoaster of fun, emotion-fueled bliss. Kind of like its author, who is one of the sweetest and most beautiful humans you’ll ever meet—inside and out.
Wes and Shay’s journey, as portrayed in this perfect blend of steamy and romantic entertainment, is a difficult one. They had an almost perfect relationship until… they didn’t. But when Wes shows back up one year to the day from their very first meeting, ready to make amends and try to fix his mega-mistake of leaving Shay in the first place… he’s got his work rightfully cut out for him. I don’t blame Shay one bit for protecting her shattered heart from a potential round two.
I’m not a fan of giving spoilers away in my reviews, so I’ll leave it there. This is one of those stories that might seem like it’ll have a predictable plot, but Smith has an uncanny knack for taking the expected and turning it on its head. In the best possible way.
I would recommend this engrossing and delightful love story to any and all lovers of the romance genre. I would also highly recommend you put Sarah Smith on your watch list. This may only be her second published novel, but she’s got two more in the works—Simmer Down (out 10/13/2020) and On Location (out 2021) from Berkley Romance—and she’s undoubtedly going places. Big, bright, beautiful places.
Be sure to keep reading… Smith was kind enough to not only respond to a Q&A by yours truly, but she’s also provided a titillating sneak peek of Wes and Shay you absolutely cannot miss!