When it comes to tomorrow…there are no guaranteesEmma, Eddie, and Zach. Best Friends. They were inseparable.U n t i l t h e y w e r e n ’ t.The three had grown up together, thick as thieves, friends until the end… well, with a minor exception. Emma had been in love with Zach for as long as she could remember. But it was one-sided.U n t i l i t w a s n ’ t.Then life changed. Emma started her first … Emma started her first year of college and Zach and Eddie signed up to serve their country together, heading off to war. Life wasn’t quite fair. Emma’s hopes for a life between her and Zach dwindled with the distance and the passage of time. But there was still hope.
U n t i l t h e r e w a s n ’ t.
The unthinkable happened. After all… there was a war. And the three became two. Zach and Emma were left broken, crushed into a million pieces.
Would they be able to help each other put the pieces of their lives back together or would the pain and loss be too much to overcome?
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A wonderful first effort for new author Linnea Valle. This story is first love, second chance, brothers best friend and falling for your best friend all rolled into one. There are laughs but there is a whole lot of pain. Just when I thought I could breath through one emotional hit, another came and knocked the breath out of me again. Emma, Eddie and Zach seemed to be the best of friends and in their world, nothing could tear them apart. Falling for your best friend is never easy but the circumstances in this story make it all more incredibly difficult. Will Zach and Emma find their way to each other despite the miles and the pain?
Linnea Valle was a new author to me. I had no idea what to expect beyond the tags and blurb. As the story started I found myself believing the story was going in one direction, but there was pleasant surprise after pleasant surprise. This is a tale of two siblings and their childhood friend and the trials they face when things go wrong. I loved it. It was tender and sweet with a dash of raw passion and a story that will have you hooked from the first chapter to the last page. If you love themes of lost innocent, growing up, the pains and trials of love and the heartache of loss you will enjoy this book. I wold recommend it for mature YA and up. Told from the point of view of Emma for most of the story I loved the switch to Zach and learning what happened from his perspective. The pacing was good. Just as I thought there was too much focus or the story was starting to lag in one point it would switch again and I was drawn back into it. This is a must read! Can’t wait for another story from Ms. Valle!
4 star Review of Like There’s No Tomorrow by Linnea Vale
For a debut novel Linnea Vale certainly packed a punch. What an emotional roller coaster read this was. The pain, suffering, loss and anguish was palpable whilst reading this book but it was also filled with hope and dreams.
Eddie, Emma and Zach have been inseparable since childhood. When tragedy strikes and rips the trio apart what will happen? What do you do when your life is shattered? Do you fight through the pain, or bow to it and give in to the darkness that surrounds you? That is the position both Emma and Zach find themselves in.
At times I was frustrated by Zach and wanted to smack him across the head, I really couldn’t decide if I liked him; Emma I liked but I loved Eddie and wanted more of him.
Like There’s No Tomorrow was well written and at times raw and gritty and I admit to shedding a few tears. It is a timely reminder to take life by the reins and live it to your full potential because you never know what fate has in store for you.
I look forward to reading more from Linnea Vale in the future.
This is a story, if nothing else, that will move you and make you think twice about second chances and the devastating effects of the traumatic stress servicemen and women the world over, encounter everyday.
There is plenty of angst and emotion in this debut novel by Linnea Valle which must be said is an admirable first offering.
The early lives and friendships of twins Eddie and Emily, and Zach is richly described as are their personalities and relationships with one another.
Eddie was a gorgeous character and as he was further described throughout the book, my heart broke a little more for the loss of him.
Emily or Emma, I had mixed feelings for, she in equal measure frustrated me and endeared herself to me at times during the telling of her story.
Zach could be one of those characters that turn you against him through his actions and responses to those around him, but I actually like that the author didn’t sugar coat him to be the perfect hero.
He’s much more realistic particularly in his youth, as the unfeeling player who doesn’t see or appreciate what’s right in front of him, which was really refreshing, since if we are honest, more accurately depicts young men we have all grown up with. And his transition to the good guy we want him to be, though painfully slow, is a respectful progress tainted by his experience in the war zone.
I enjoyed the twist in the latter part of the story, and though I saw it coming, it wasn’t glaringly obvious and complemented the story beautifully and the ending befitted the characters journeys and development.
And although I unfortunately didn’t love her style, in that I often found the paragraphs didn’t flow or connect to an outcome within the chapters, this is a worthy debut and worth the chance!
3.5 stars.
What a wonderful debut book from this author! I loved the characters, though Zach does show his immaturity with how he initially acts towards Emma. There’s a real rollercoaster of emotions, and at one point I was really sobbing. I enjoyed the story and the directions it took, as we learnt about the twins Emma and Eddie, and their close friend Zach, from childhood through growing up into young adults.
A great book dealing with love, and loss, and the affects of PTSD.
Like There’s No Tomorrow has a whole lot of hurt packed into it. Loss, pain, and mourning aren’t just for those who have died. Emma was living the dream and then she wasn’t. All her hopes crash down around her in a blaze. It’s hard to even think of tomorrow.
I definitely cried like a baby in this book. It’s inevitable. I enjoyed the story but I thought the focus on certain aspects seemed to wane a bit. Watch your six, there’s at least one surprise on the horizon.
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
This was a heartbreaking,deeply emotional read.
Emma and Eddie are twins,they have an incredible connection.When they are still young they add to their duo Zach, a nice kid who almost instantly becomes family.Their journey is not easy,full of hardles and heartbreaks but the love for each other will help them surviving whatever life throws at them.
The characters seemed so real that I felt like I was right there with them.I turned the page as fast as I could to see how it all would end.
Linnea Valle delivered a great debut novel,packed of love,growth and redemption.
I highly recommend to read Like There’s No Tomorrow and to keep some tissues at hands.
Emily “Emma” Jenkins has received some devastating news that will change her life forever. She has a blow that most of us can sympathize with but not truly understand. Zach Peters has grown up with the Jenkins kids. But as the story progresses you see him change – especially his attitude.
The author was very smart in how she set up her story. It starts off from Emma’s point of view. We see all her happiness, her disappointment, and her pain. At times it was hard to believe that she was so young. If you’ve lost someone or had some recent trauma in your life, this may hit a raw spot so keeping tissue at hand would be a good idea. It’s a story that seems so real and having it told in the first person just makes it even more so.
When we first see Zach it’s through Emma’s eyes. He makes her happy. He makes her sad. He makes her angry. Our author keeps us in suspense as to whether we’ll actually hear from Zach. But then she surprises us by giving us what we want. To get the feeling of reality, our author must have done a lot of research – or she has personal experience to draw on. Having not been a vet myself, I rely on the author to inform me what they may have experienced.
I’m not going to lie; Zach was a hard character to like. He always seemed to end up doing the wrong thing. I didn’t like how he treated Emma – directly or indirectly. But on the flip side, he was the driving force as to why I kept turning the page. I wanted to see Emma happy and that meant I had to see if he ever redeemed himself.
When I saw the page count I was surprised because the author packs so much in and she certainly doesn’t rush anything. She takes the time to develop her characters and her story. Nothing seems to slow down either. The only tough part was reading what both Emma and Zach went through. We then get to the point where we start to feel happy about where this story is going. This means finding out how each one feels – a great way to draw us toward the end. It’s a good reminder that nothing in life is simple. Tragedy happens to everyone. Getting a helping hand is not a bad thing – you just have to be willing. Love helps to make things bearable. And sometimes it takes a while before someone realizes they can have it too.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
2 Stars
Review by Kris
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Like There’s No Tomorrow by Linnea Vale is a military romance. When I read the blurb, I thought what the heck I will read it. My husband is a veteran and I have several friends who are veterans. Also, who does not love a man in uniform. I was intrigued to read this story.
The prologue started off great, but as my reading continued, I kept saying nope. I get it, stories are a work a fiction. I am not trying to be mean but I cannot stress enough to research and research. So much of this story could have been better if a little more research had been involved. The idea was touching but realistically not realistic.
I loved Emma’s twin brother Eddie. He and Sarah were the story I really wanted to read. Emma drove me crazy. She had a lot of pity me moments and Zach was an arrogant jerk. I had such a hard time connecting with these characters. However, I did finish the book and I was happy for their happy ending.
I feel really bad about giving this review. As an author/reviewer to another author, I know the challenges it is writing a book but this book lacked originality. In my opinion, this story has been written over and over. I do believe Linnea Valle has potential to be a talented writer. I commend her for publishing her work. That is very hard to do.