They say time heals all wounds. But he was finding it a poor painkiller.
Tyler Collens has seen grief and loss in his years of experience as a paramedic—but he never expected it to touch his life in such a personal way. The death of his wife eighteen months ago shook his steady world and changed him in more ways than he can count. Time and routine have steadied his feet, and he looks toward the … toward the future as he raises his infant daughter—but the past has a tighter grip on him than he knows.
Alyvia Emmerson has never been certain of who she is or where she belongs. Her dad’s abandonment as a teen broke a fragile piece of her heart, but ten years later, she has moved on. Living on her own, she at last has a project to devote herself to: revitalizing a shabby bookstore. But she didn’t count on her dream job revealing the shattered pieces of herself she thought mended long ago.In this sophomore novel featuring beloved characters from Live Without You, Sarah Grace Grzy explores themes of grief and hope in a story that touches both the heart and spirit.
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(4.5 stars, rounded up to 5)
Gahhhh, ya’ll! This book is the sweetest thing!
I read Live Without You about a year ago and while it was good, the side character, Tyler, was my favorite. So when I heard that the author’s next book was going to be about him, I was so super excited! I had sliiiiightly high expectations for this baby, and it didn’t disappoint!
So, confession: I read this book and, while I try to take notes while I’m reading review books, I…put down about three during this one. There’s really not much to say about it, haha! The story flows great. Writing style is great. Plot is great. Emotions are great. Characters are great.
So after realizing that I got sucked into the story so much that I didn’t even really take notes, I, um, did something I don’t think I’ve ever done: I picked it back up and started rereading it within a week.
And that right there tells me why five stars instead of four. 😉 I’m almost done with it again, and y’all, this book is so good. The themes of hope, of forgiveness, of letting go . . .
(also Tyler’s a fellow control freak so I FEEL)
Alyvia and Tyler both have to learn how to let go of the past and step into the future, but in two very different ways: Alyvia has to let go of bitterness and fear. And Tyler has to let go of fear and lost loved ones.
The book didn’t make me cry like everyone said it would, but it was still emotional. And it was still fantastic.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Never Say Goodbye, by Sarah Grzy was the first book that I read by the author is a contemporary romance about loss and forgiveness. The perfect book to when you need to take a break from the craziness of life. Tyler a single dad who is grieving the loss of his wife. Alyvia, a young woman who is opening a bookstore and trying to avoid her father who is now back in her life. Will the distance between father and daughter drive them further apart?
I thought the book was just ok, the characters were likable and a quick read.
I received a copy from JustRead Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Sarah Grace Grzy pens her first full-length contemporary novel, following the publication of her novella last year.
In Never Say Goodby, paramedic Tyler Collens grieves the loss of his beloved wife eighteen months ago, leaving him a single father to his infant daughter. He struggles with caring for his daughter who was born prematurely. He loves her to the point of exhaustion. He already lost his wife, and is afraid he will lose his daughter too because he can’t protect her from everything.
Meanwhile Alyvia Emmerson tries to get a new business — a bookstore — off the ground and meets with obstacles that threaten to overwhelm her. She also struggles with a childhood past where her father abandoned her family when she was a young teen. Both have a past that affects their future. When they meet, a friendship slowly develops, but whether it will develop into more depends on whether they can work through the issues of the past.
This may be a debut novel for Sarah Grace Grzy but she provides the reader with likeable characters who aren’t perfect, endearing secondary characters, and a realistic storyline. Faith elements are present but not overwhelming. Both are believers on a journey to a deeper faith, despite their circumstances.
The relationship between Tyler and Alyvia is a friendship that doesn’t develop into anything more until later in the book. Theirs is a honest friendship as they navigate through the process of forgiving and moving forward without forgetting the past. Grzy’s inspirational novel is filled with the theme of forgiveness, second chances and hope, as well as an appearance by some characters from her novella.
Book reviews are written for books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, or authors. I voluntarily reviewed this book, and my review represents my honest opinion.
If you’re looking for a quick, heartfelt romance to read this summer, Never Say Goodbye is a great option to consider.Never Say Goodbye takes place after the author’s previous novel Live Without You. If you read the first one, you will love to see more from Ezra and Piper as they are side characters in this story as well. Still, if you have not read it, you won’t feel the slight bit lost as it reads just fine on its own as well.
Never Say Goodbye gives us a chance to better get to know Ezra’s friend Tyler, whom we were introduced to previously. Having lost his wife 18 months earlier, he wasn’t looking for romance… but when his job as a paramedic leads him to get closer to bookstore own Alyvia, it seems that perhaps God had other plans. Now, I must admit that while I love a good second chance at love type of romance story, I am always a little more hesitant when the loss of that previous love was more recent as was the case in this story… if a new romance is too rushed, it can feel like it detracts from that previous love. It can be a fine line, I think. This story however does so rather beautifully… not glossing over the loss or the baggage… and even moving at a slower pace than what is more typical in romance novels. It worked, and I rather enjoyed getting to see their relationship blossom. Throw in some adorable kid and father/daughter moments, and it worked together to create an adorable story that I really enjoyed… with a good dose of drama to keep me engaged too.
In addition to a sweet romance though, it really offered a beautiful example of letting go and trusting God. Both characters found themselves having to trust God with difficult things in their life and giving it all to Him. Overall, it was a really good story. I cannot wait to see more from the author in the future!
**I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.
Never Say Goodbye was a very emotionally satisfying story. It had so many things to recommend it and some sweetly humorous moments sprinkled throughout this tender tale.
I liked both of these characters a lot. Tyler was a great dad who loved his little girl so much. He struggled with grief for his deceased wife and the life they had together for such a short time. Alyvia struggled with things from her past, as well, and there was some reconciliation and forgiveness that she had to work through with her father. I liked the way the relationship developed into a friendship for Tyler and Alyvia before it grew into more. If felt very natural.
This story comes a few years after the book Live Without You, however, it can definitely be read as a stand alone novel. It was fun to see Piper and Ezra in this book, as well, as side characters.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Since I first read Sarah Grace Grzy’s “Live Without You” I have been waiting for her next book. Waiting, and waiting, and waiting, it felt like.
Finally, a year or so later, I got my copy in the mail, I fell in love with “Never Say Goodbye” with every mention in Sarah Grace Grzy’s newsletter and social media. Murrae’s sweet attitude only increased in the whole book. The cover, oh my, is it beautiful! If I didn’t already love everything about “Never Say Goodbye” this would have been enough to make it a top favorite contemporary romance.
Honestly, I am so in love with this book. Tyler was a big plus in “Live Without You” and I love that he got his own book.
What I didn’t expect was all of the emotions this book gave off, it is crazy how sad, grief-filled, loving, and lonely Tyler was and how Alyvia was so uncertain, sweet, and somewhat lost and they met and just went together naturally, there was no force behind their romance. It was so sweet!
The bookstore. Ah. I want a bookstore just like Alyvia’s!
For a sophomore novel, this is an incredible piece of beauty, I hope that there will be another novel from Grzy as she has a way with words that pulls you in with every page. And I’d love to know more about a certain doctor, just sayin’, just sayin’. 😉
This journey to finding you don’t have to let go of the past to have a future is perfection! You need to check it out if only for the darlingness of Murrae and Toper, the two cuties make the book so adorable.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
Really enjoyed this story! The character interactions were so sweet (and feelsy at times); Tyler and Rae are so stinking cute, and Alyvia fits right in to the cuteness. 😛 Also, the next chapter in Ezra and Piper’s story (main characters from Live Without You) was definitely a fun thing to see in this book. The backstory bits were painful to read but so rewarding at the end, and the message of hope was wonderfully done. There will definitely be rereads in the future. <33
I waited so long to get my hands on this book . . . and finally, I was able to read an eARC. And my, oh my, was it ever good!
I loved the glimpse of Ms. Cecile — who was by far my favourite character in ‘Live Without You’ — and getting to catch up with Piper and Ezra again. And getting to know Ezra’s partner, Tyler, was fun.
Alyvia is a young lady who is struggling after her father deserted her, and Tyler is struggling to come to grips with the death of his wife years before. They meet in a most unconventional way, and it’s definitely friendship at first sight, but nothing more, for several chapters. Which was refreshing, since guy/girl friendships without romantic inclinations are rare in fiction.
And then there’s the sweet little Murrae, who captured my heart completely. She’s such an adorable child!
Tyler and Alyvia form a friendship centered around Murrae and the bookstore, and they have an honesty with each other that we honestly need more of today. That they can call each other out and give advice, get frustrated with each other, apologize, and still be friends, and still have feelings for each other was sweet to see. I’ll be honest: the whole relationship was sweet to watch unfold. And Tyler’s one liners . . . I’m gonna have to remember some of those! “Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip are why I have trust issues.” Yeah, me too.
Tyler’s devotion to his “Little Rae of Sunshine” was heart wrenching in the best of ways. Watching him navigate parenting by himself, and trying to not hover over her and panic over her bumps and scrapes endeared him even more to my heart. And him knowing when to seek help . . . I’ve been in that situation with a little one before, and it’s definitely hard.
Alyvia’s bookstore is one that I wish I could go visit in real life, it sounds that amazing. And what better heroine that one that curls up with a good book and appreciates classics? Watching her spruce the place up, and laughing over her and Tyler’s antics whilst doing repairs did my heart good. And Alyvia’s brothers are just plain fun. As a girl that has longed for older brothers, but is the oldest herself, I have always wanted that sort of relationship . . . and reading it in books is the next best option, right? They are easy going, they tease each other, they help each other, and the head rubbing — as annoying as it could be — is an affectionate act on their part 😀
And then there’s Alyvia’s father, who is so very broken, and trying so hard. . . and watching Alyvia navigate that challenge made her my new second favourite — ’cause Ms. Cecile will never leave first favourite, ever.
The romance in this book was nice and light. Nothing at all untoward, nothing at all cringeworthy. Just a sweet, rambling journey of two people meeting, becoming close friends, and then becoming more than friends. There are no kisses, there are no romantic hugs, just friendly ones, and there are no innuendos. Both the main characters are Christians, and seek God’s guidance throughout the story.
If you’re looking for a sweet contemporary romance, this is the one for you!
I am very thankful to the author for a copy of this book to read and review!
Looking at Tyler Collens, you might see the dream guy. A strong, dedicated paramedic by day and then, at night, a sweet Daddy consumed with loving and protecting his baby girl. But even dream guys have their issues and he can’t seem to get past losing his wife. And then, he meets Alivia Emmerson, who’s my type of gal! She’s carrying her own personal baggage but she now seems to be on the right track—she’s the new owner of the Happy Haven Bookstore and enjoying a great support system in her brothers. It is when Ty and Alivia get to know each other that their inner hurts are exposed. Ty admits that he still can’t let go of the wife who died eighteen months ago. “I never wanted to say goodbye. I never thought I would have to.” Alivia is estranged from her father until she finally realizes that “She had to forgive him. The bitterness would only eat away at her own heart until there was no light left.”
Never Say Goodbye has some heavy topics along the way. Death, depression, single parenting, feeling abandoned by a parent, and letting go of the past are all a part of this very believable story. Author Sarah Grace Grzy incorporates all of these but I’m still very glad to have read it because, above all, it is an encouraging story that reminds us that second chances are possible and forgiveness is the key to finding true happiness! Not to mention the characters: it’s hard to resist Ty, Alivia, and baby Murrae and I was able to catch up with Piper and Ezra, two friends from Live Without You.
I recommend Never Say Goodbye to anyone who is looking for a sweet, contemporary Christian romance.
I received a digital copy of this book to review but I was under no obligation to post a positive review. These are my own thoughts.
This was my first story by Sarah Grace Grzy and it was such good story. I mean how can you go wrong with a story where the main character has a bookstore?! And the love interest is a hunky paramedic with a little kid? If that’s your favorite trope this is the book for you! Also can we talk about how amazing the cover is? Although you should never judge a book by its cover, this one is definitely captivating and inviting!
From the first chapter this book definitely grabs your attention. Sarah’s writing style is very relatable and enjoyable to read. The characters are definitely very relatable as well. The story of Tyler and Alyvia is a sweet one. Both characters are trying to let go of some hurts, so the story is not just solely on their love story which I enjoyed. Tyler is trying to come to terms that God is telling him that it is finally time to open his heart up again to love. On that respect I think the romance between him and Alyvia was perfect but the reader in me who wants the ultimate romance felt like at times it could of sped up a little bit. Alyvia is also letting go of some past hurts. Hers deals with her father and letting go of the resentment she has of him leaving when she was
younger.
Although this is a stand along novel you do see characters from the authors previous novel. Piper and Ezra are inter-weaved into the story so now I must get my hands on the first book to learn their story!
This book definitely made me chuckle and tear up in some parts and I completely recommend it! If you are looking for a sweet Christian contemporary romance, this is definitely for you!
FTC Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book all views and opinions are my own.
3.5 stars.
This book was sweet…I loved Tyler’s relationship with his family and little Murrae…so sweet! The bookshop was a nice aesthetic touch and of course her medical sequences were compelling and realistic. I wished for more about Tyler and Sabrina, but it was enough for the story.
The reasons it didn’t get a higher rating were because of the touching prior to marriage (or even engagement!) Multiple uses of “sanitized” cuss words (twice in addressing God in prayer!), it wasn’t King James and the dad just irked me. I think his plot needed more development. He seemed like he was trying to guilt Alyvia into forgiving him. I feel like we missed something between him and her somewhere…but her journey to forgiveness was beautiful. Also would have loved for the Christian themes to be stronger. It was understood that they were saved, but it didn’t have a strong Christian message like I prefer in books.
I loved how the book wasn’t focused on the sensual, but on seeking paternal/trusted friends advice. And of course Topher was awesome.
While I love the first book more, this was a solid story that follows up LWY very well.
~I received a free copy of the book for promotional purposes. A positive review was not require and all thoughts and opinions are my own~
In the middle of life’s storms, it can be easy to forget that God is right there with us. This book brings home the reminder that God is both willing and able to carry us through those storms, if we let Him…
Grzy has done it again in creating characters whose stories make me smile, break my heart, and leave me wanting more. She has taken such care in making her stories, and the characters in them, real and I love how she begins almost immediately with heart dropping action!
Having read the previous book, Live Without You, this story felt as though I were visiting with old friends. I loved getting to see how Ezra and Piper’s lives had grown as well as getting to know Tyler better and I adored little Murrae!
I appreciate the author’s attention to detail in the research she did and that she didn’t overwhelm with technical jargon in the process. Also, the spiritual message was spot on and strong, but not what I would call in-your-face. It flowed realistically and well and provided a strong foundation.
Writing is hard. Self-publishing is hard. But writing a good, clean, and wholesome story that can meet someone where they may be at in their own struggles and showing them the direction to freedom? Priceless.
*I received a complementary copy from the author in hopes of any honest review. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.