From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
It was the summer of my life.
I’d met the guy of my dreams.
Unfortunately, he was the son of my uppity employer¿and very much off-limits.
But Gavin was a rebel. He knew his mother would disown him if she found out about us; in his eyes, we just had to be careful.
He never treated me as his mother did-like hired … did-like hired help.
Instead, Gavin put me on a pedestal and loved me harder than I’d ever been loved in my life.
What a summer it was.
Until it all ended-badly.
I was never supposed to see Gavin again.
That didn’t stop me from thinking about him every day for ten years.
I knew little about his life now, just that he was an entrepreneur living an ocean away.
When a twist of fate had me working again in the very place our love affair started a decade earlier, I knew it was only a matter of time before I might see him again.
But I wasn’t prepared.
What if he hated me?
What if he loved someone else now?
I wasn’t prepared for all the unknowns.
And most of all, I wasn¿t prepared for today to be the day he came back.
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WOW!!!! This book is truly amazing !!! Beautiful, breathtaking…. and written at the finest. Second chance romance with right dose of drama – there’s no better combination for me as a reader. This author knows how to keep her readers in the right place, where YOU CAN’T STOP READING…..One I’ve started, I couldn’t put this book down.
Absolutely must read !!!!
Rich boy and daughter of the house keeper second chance romance book that will grab you and won’t let you go until the end. This book is way more than what the blurb. I found myself on an emotional turmoil, Gavin and Raven story is one that will touch you deep. The audiobook narrated by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York couldn’t be more perfect. I know it’s a guaranteed audio with this couple but seems this story had them reach another level, the emotions where perfectly portrayed by both narrators, you could feel the characters hearts as your own, I think it wouldn’t have been easy to act the raw emotions this books has without having your own touched, so I can only say this book should be a contender for an audiobook award.
Omg!! Ravin!!
I absolutely loved this sweet, second chance romance!! This book had everything, a little humor, a bit of sadness and so much love! I absolutely loved Gavin and Raven’s story!! They had to endure so much to finally get back to each other!! This story definitely had a more serious vibe than some of Penelope’s previous stories and I loved it!! 5+ stars all the way!! Can’t wait to see what Penelope has in store for us next!!
I love second chance/first love romances and this one hit the spot. While I still have to get used to how Penelope has her characters talk sometimes, its still always an enjoyable and emotional read. Strong characters that are still able to hold their own even while things are crap. Situations arise while love grows and the story just continues to gain strength along with the characters. Gavin and Raven’s love story is sweet, heartbreaking and absolutely wonderful!
If you love second chance romance you really need to one click The Day He Came Back this is a must read for lovers of second chances. This book certainly has all the feels you want and expect in a great read, it’s beautifully written, it has the perfect mix of love and angst and It will draw you in and captivate from the very first page to the very last line.
Raven is a nurse assigned to look after Gunther who is suffering from dementia, he believes she is actually her mother Renata and Raven let’s him believe it rather than upset him. Both Raven and her mother used to work for the Masterson family and it didn’t end well so what will happen when the man she walked away from to help her mother walks back into her life……
Gavin can’t believe the girl who dumped him all those years ago is looking after his grandfather so will he leave the past behind or will he insist on knowing what really happened back then…
This is a romance at its best, I fell extremely hard for Gavin but I also loved Raven and her unfiltered mouth, first love is always hard to get over and it’s even worse when you fall for the hired help will this time around be any different for this couple….I guess you need to read the book to find out what happens when Gavin and Raven spend time together. Once again we get another great story from this very talented author, just when you think you have seen her best she throws us another romance we won’t forget for a very long time.
The day he came back was surprising…overwhelming…emotional, but before there was a need for him to come back, there was a time in the past that they first got together…that their feelings grew for each other before the moment it all fell apart.
And this is the story that Penelope Ward gives her readers, and by going back to Raven Donatacci and Gavin Masterson’s beginning in order to understand all facets of their relationship, we get lost in the emotional upheaval that takes place
due to their different paths in life, familial obligations, and an overbearing parent who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants.
Through the course of the book, readers get to see Raven and Gavin in the present-day, when they unexpectantly find themselves back where they started and figure out how to coexist without addressing what happened all those years ago. But before they can be reunited, readers need the hero and heroine’s backstory, which is exactly what Ward gives us, but, in my opinion, the past stayed the focus for a bit too long, making the time in the present rushed and not as fleshed out as I wanted it to be.
Despite my need for a few more key scenes in the present, I enjoyed Raven and Gavin’s story. I give Raven credit for handling everything she had to with grace, putting herself and her mother first when it was necessary and then taking care of a man whose family didn’t treat her well due to where she came from proves just how strong and selfless she is. I will admit that my feelings for Gavin ebbed and flowed, but I think that’s only because I saw Raven’s heartbreak as well as her love for him, so I probably blamed him when it wasn’t his felt either. In the end, though, Gavin does what he feels is right and finally follows his heart, which is what I was waiting for since fate brought Raven and Gavin back together.
The Day He Came Back was an angsty, dramatic, heartbreaking, as well as frustrating second chance romance. And while I expected all of these emotions, and thought I was prepared to experience them, it still hurt when things went wrong and two people who truly loved each other were forced apart for a decade. And while the epilogue truly warmed my heart, I was still caught up in all that had gone wrong because of one person’s vindictive nature.
4 Poison Apples
This was one of the best stories I have read in quite awhile. This epic love story was beautifully told in a unique way. It totally pulled me in and it consumed me. The angst was palpable. Several pages I read and then re-read as it had so much feeling. An absolute great story that I didn’t want to end. “You can’t give your heart to someone when it belongs to someone else.” – RAVEN
ALL. THE. FEELS.
OMG! Raven and Gavin’s story was so bittersweet. It makes my heart so happy when they eventually found their way back to each other and happiness.
This is what my angst-loving heart CRAVES!!!! I’m not spoiling anything because it would be a crime, but don’t wait to read this one. It hurts so, so good.
A second chance romance that will melt your heart. Queue the swoons!
This is yet another fantastic stand alone by Penelope Ward. She is on my must read author list, so I never miss a release.
I love how this book is in two parts. I love how we got the complete story on how Raven and Gavin’s love started. And sadly, why and how it ended.
Raven was so selfless. She gave up her happiness. If Gavin had been given a choice, he would have given everything away for her also.
I don’t wat to stay too much about what happens in the second part. I would hate to give anything away. But I was on the edge of my seat wondering how this was going to turn out.
This book has melted my heart. Gavin is unbelievable. I loved him from the first page and how he always treated Raven with such respect, kindness and later love throughout everything. Gavin has such a good kind heart you can tell and I love that he knew what he wanted and he pursued it!! Their romance is everything I love and want – angst, slow burn, sweet moments, so intense & hot! After all of those years when they finally see each other again, you immediately know you get that second chance romance with all the feels! I absolutely loved the item that he kept from their past together that he showed her. *swoon* This couple will touch you with their love story! I know I should would love a Gavin! Must read that I highly recommend to everyone!
The Day He Came Back was a wonderful story about first loves, first heartbreaks, and how true love never really dies.
Penelope Ward wrote a beautiful story that tugged at my heart strings and made me want to keep reading to see what would happen next.
Excellent read from start to finish!
True love and a pinch of second chances, can’t get any better than this.
Raven and Gavin see has a ring to it! You can fall in love at an early age and call it true love. When hearts are broken and you tend to heal those cracks. That’s a second chance.
These two might have come from different sides of the tracks, but they were on the same level.
There was a wee bit of drama which I love, and once all truths were revealed, life went on. Gavin did the most manly thing and Raven had to wait and see. Let’s not forget about Weldon!! He was a butthole however I believe he made up for that towards the end of the book.
Love can survive time, just as long as you catch each other in the middle!!
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
It was the summer of my life.
I’d met the guy of my dreams.
Unfortunately, he was the son of my uppity employer—and very much off-limits.
But Gavin was a rebel. He knew his mother would disown him if she found out about us; in his eyes, we just had to be careful.
He never treated me as his mother did—like hired help.
Instead, Gavin put me on a pedestal and loved me harder than I’d ever been loved in my life.
What a summer it was.
Until it all ended—badly.
I was never supposed to see Gavin again.
That didn’t stop me from thinking about him every day for ten years.
I knew little about his life now, just that he was an entrepreneur living an ocean away.
When a twist of fate had me working again in the very place our love affair started a decade earlier, I knew it was only a matter of time before I might see him again.
But I wasn’t prepared.
What if he hated me?
What if he loved someone else now?
I wasn’t prepared for all the unknowns.
And most of all, I wasn’t prepared for today to be the day he came back.
Absolutely stunning! This book is so emotional and such a captivating read. I could not put this story down and these characters definitely pulled at my heartstrings. I enjoyed this so much. Penelope never disappoints and this was one of my favorites so far from her. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
4 Stars!
The Review:
This was a wonderful read! The Day He Came Back was a simple, yet sweet, flirtatious, emotional romance that I devoured in one sitting. I absolutely adored the characters. I savored the story. And I was completely hooked by the sexy chemistry between the mains.
A wonderful summer read!
Story/Characters…
This book is broken up into two timelines. Ten years ago. And present. Ten years ago, Raven Donatacci took a summer job at the Masterton’s, the wealthy family, her mom has worked many years for. The last thing she ever expected was to fall in love with a man she couldn’t have.
Home from England for the summer and preparing to transfer to law school in the states, Gavin Masterton never expected to find the daughter of the woman he’s known most of his life so intriguing. But the moment he sees Raven, sees how different she is from all the other girls, how interesting and how heartfelt she is, he’s completely taken.
They spend a secret but enchanting summer together. Their love was quick but deep.
She’s from the wrong side of town. He’s got the world at his fingertips. And they were never meant to be. So their summer love came to a screeching halt.
Ten years later and a twist of fate, they are reunited. Their attraction is instant, but a lot of time has passed and rekindling their love looks even more impossible.
This story was beautifully told. Tragic. Emotional. Sexy. And had such a romantic feel. I loved both Raven and Gavin. They were lovely characters I couldn’t help but adore. Their maturity and honesty (for the most part) was refreshing and easy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed their get-to-know-you moments, their real conversations, their secret time away from prying eyes and their personalities. They were fun and delightful and their love was intense and consuming.
Ten years later, it’s even more intense and the chemistry is smokin’ hot. There’s a slow burn between these two the author did perfectly. And even though this plot has been used many times in the past, the author wrote it with such conviction and passion, it felt fresh and revived.
The Wrap Up:
There’s romance. A little bit of angsts. A story that was easy to love. Plenty of swoons and feels. And an ending that was fulfilling and exceptionally well done.
As always, Penelope Ward delivers an exceptional story I know I’ll reread time and again.
Read: 8/20/19
The Day He Came Back was a stand-alone by Penelope Ward.
Gavin and Raven were complete opposites in social circles. Gavin was rich and had all the expected privileges. Raven’s mother worked in housekeeping for Gavin’s family. They didn’t match in any way but their pull was unstoppable.
Ward began the story at present day but then immediately took us back ten years to the summer they met when Raven was twenty and Gavin was twenty one. She set the stage for their relationship, heartbreak and ten year absence. For some parts of the saga, it was a unique perspective while others had the expected twist.
I’m a sucker for second chances so I loved the sweet story. I fell in love with both Gavin and Raven and I loved the ending. It was the perfect story for my current mood. I couldn’t get enough and didn’t want it to end. Now we just need Weldon’s story!
Let us take a moment to appreciate one of the finest male species I’ve ever seen on Instagram—Christian Hogue, who’s on the cover of this awesome book. Great job on choosing that one by the way.
I’ve always been a fan of Penelope’s. I didn’t read all pf her books but I’ve enjoyed and loved all of the books I’ve read that was from her.
I devoured this book in one day. It’s divided into two parts, the past and the present… I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like this one is more emotional than the other books she wrote… There are some parts that will definitely pull on your heartstrings.
It’s like a modern day cinderella story with a twist. It’s tragic, it’s wonderful, it’s swoon-worthy and it’s sweet—all you could ask for in a contemporary romantic novel.
This is a story I could re-read time and time again… and I’m definitely getting myself a signed paperback copy in the future.
I never go 2 days without reading, let alone an entire week. I was in a book funk and a little down. But The Day He Came Back from Penelope Ward brought me back. An amazing 6 star story that sucked me in and had me reading it none stop.
Raven doesn’t come from money, she works hard for what she has. Gavin is the rich kid that her mother works for. A summer romance that doesn’t end well for either of them. Now 10 years later they come face to face again.
I started reading this amazing story as soon as it showed up on my kindle and didn’t stop until the end. A solid page turner that made me fall in love with these amazing characters. It’s a tale of first love that is strictly forbidden. A first love that never died.
This is an highly addicting story that made me forget everything else around me. Made me live in my imagery world, this story did the trick. Beautifully written story that flowed well into the past and resumed back 10 years later. Bottomline this is a 2019 must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story. I think Weldon would make an amazing story.