“An incredible romance and a love story that will test the capacity of your heart.”―Dandelions Inspired Book BlogOn the surface, Sophie led the perfect family life―until she learns she’s been living a lie when her marriage comes to a sudden end. With all the questions hanging unanswered, she must leave for a two-week work assignment in London. As she juggles her emotions at the airport terminal, … emotions at the airport terminal, Matt observes her, intrigued. When the opportunity to meet her again presents itself, the charming and enigmatic doctor doesn’t shy away and pursues her with everything he has.
Heartbroken and confused, Sophie lets herself dive into an intense affair, a relationship she believes is fated to end as soon as the moment for them to part ways arrives. After all, Matt is just too good to be true and she’s learned her lesson: no one is as they seem. What if behind his determination, he carries secrets that might break her, even more?
But when the unexpected happens and their feelings are put to the ultimate test, will Matt be ready to let her go? Will his hidden story drive them apart or bring them closer together?
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:
“One of those books that breaks you, and then puts you back together.”
“With this story, you must expect the unexpected.”
“Stunning. Felt so real.”
“Moving, realistic, eloquent.”
“This story will keep readers guessing as its characters navigate the roads they walk. I couldn’t put this book down.”
“Heartbreaking, tender, emotional. Brilliant writing.”
EDITORIAL REVIEWS:
“A reminder of the outstanding outcome that can come from taking risks with our deepest emotions, our hearts, and our entire lives.” Dandelions Inspired Book Blog
“An engaging storyline and engrossing read.” Readers’ Favorite
“A sensitive and touching debut about the silent signs we miss in life and love.” Liz Durano, bestselling author of Everything She Ever Wanted
“Poignant and soul-touching, this book is the one of those few that make me feel a vortex of elemental emotions while reading.” Veronica Thatcher, author of A Way Back Into Love
“Sophie’s journey moved me in a way I can’t begin to express. This romance is breathtakingly realistic and encompasses the full gamut of human emotions.” Darly Jamison, author of Strawberry Wine
For women’s fiction fans, an honest and thought-provoking story about life-defining moments, unexpected love and second chances.
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Ana Simons, ‘while I’m gone’.
“Would you tell a perfect stranger your deepest secrets?”. A novel.
As an Hidden Gems ARC reader I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily promised an honest review. Here it is.
Rating: 4 (of 5 stars).
In general: Love between two Strangers.
Main characters:
– Sophie Thompson (35).
Born and raised in Glasgow. Went for her ethnology study among others to Lisbon. There Sophie met a Spanish high bank official, Alex. She fell in love and married him. After a few years Alex returned for his job to Spain. Now they live in Madrid and have one child, Charlie (10). Her husband Alex loves their son, although he actually never really wanted to be a dad.
When the book starts Sophie has to fly to London for a working visit of two weeks to give a lecture and assisting in the organizing of a conference at an university.
Just before she leaves Madrid her husband informs her – without hardly any explanation – that he’s unhappy and wants a separation to ponder about his future. Sophie thinks he’s having a midlife crisis.
– Matthew O’Brian (39).
Managing Director of Wellington Child Care Centre in London. At first he lived in Boston but he and his wife developed different priorities in their careers and in life. So they divorced a year ago; he wanted a new start, left the US and went to live and work in London.
Sophie and Matthew met for the first time during her flight from Madrid to London. Matt has a strange habit: when he has nothing useful to do he observes strangers and tries to analyze their personalities. So waiting near the boarding gate for the flight to London, he observes some passengers and immediately is fascinated by Sophie, who struggles to overcome her anger, panic and devastation about her husband’s sudden and unexpected decision. Later they sit next to each other in the plane: he helps her with her luggage during the departure and also during the arrival in London. Sophie hardly notices him. She’s too deep in thought pondering over her husband, her son and her marriage. Leaving the plane she forgets her book, Matt finds it, discovers her name and visits her hotel so he can personally return the book to her.
Then the author, Ana Simons, describes with feeling and insight how Sophie gradually – in spite of her initial reluctance – falls in love with the stranger she met on the plane. The author created wonderful main characters: Sophie isn’t only a good looking woman, she’s also strong, conscientious, intelligent and caring for what’s important to her. Matthew too is clever, empathetic and (most of the time) resourceful in figuring out what his loved one likes. The result is many sassy, clever and often sweet dialogues. Their physical love is mentioned, not described in detail.
After closing the book I had a few questions:
– why no capital letters in the title of the book?
– why so little info about the interesting jobs of the main characters?
– especially at the end of the book: how did the friends and family of the main characters respond to their relationship?
– I didn’t fully understand the situation described in the italics at the start and the end of the book: how real? or so sad as I fear?
All in all: a sweet, well written novel about wonderful characters that caused me some thinking after closing it.
R.J. Huiszoon
This is a well written book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters are well developed and engaging Andy he storyline flowed.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Incredibly powerful. This book isn’t a simple tale of romance. It is about heartache, emotions reeling, deceit, betrayal, disillusionment, confusion. Yet it is also about realising another opportunity for happiness. Sophie and Matt’s emotional and physical connection is undeniable, yet Sophie doubts the possibilities that might lie ahead. I was absolutely hooked on every word and rarely have I seen such an in-depth description of the unconscious mind at the point of its last moments trying to rationalise the distorted and confusing reality, still connecting it to this existence. Riveting!!! After all that, could there still be a happy ending? I highly recommend you read the book to find out. I am so grateful that I came across this author and I will definitely be looking out for her future endeavors and read about feelings I might have had but wasn’t able to verbalise quite so eloquently.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow! I was hooked on this story from page one. Sophie was thrown for a loop by her husband and if it was me I think I would have handled things a bit differently especially after everything came out about what he was doing. Meeting Matthew was one of the best things that could happen to her considering everything going on in her life. Their relationship was intriguing being one where they had to travel to be with each other but will it sustain them in the long run? This touching story will have you in Sophie’s corner and pulling for Matthew to come to the conclusion that they were meant to be!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sophie leads a seemingly idyllic life with her husband Alex and their son Charlie in Madrid until she suddenly and shockingly learns that her husband no longer appreciates their marriage as much as Sophie. Days after learning that her world is falling apart, Sophie boards a plane to London for a two-week work trip. After accidentally leaving her book behind on the plane, which also included her trip information, she meets a handsome and charismatic Matt – and they just seem to click. But what will happen when it’s time for her to return home to Madrid, and what else will she learn about her husband, whom she thought she knew?
Do not be fooled by the description and assume that this novel is about a cheating main character. I do not want to give spoilers, but this simply isn’t the case. Instead, when Sophie arrives in London after being told that Alex was ready to end her marriage, she meets the absolutely wonderful and fabulous Matt. Good timing? No, but meeting Matt allows Sophie to rediscover herself and be herself as Matt tears down emotional walls that Alex never bothered wondering about.
Have you ever seen or known a couple that seems to be extensions of one another? Their humor, playfulness, obvious love and passion just radiates off of them? This is Matta and Sophie. Despite her initial attempts to ignore him, send him away, etc., they easily fall into an incredible romance and a love story that will test the capacity of your heart. Each had issues and of course, their major issue was the distance between them (London to Spain), yet every time I thought that one or the other had given up, I was proved wrong.
While I’m Gone embodies detailed characterization, so prepare to be 100% invested in Sophie and Matt and for a back and forth of rooting for them and then cursing one of their actions. However, this is not simply a romance novel, but instead, a woman’s journey from the life she thought she loved to discovering what true happiness looks and feels like. This story and the characters serve as a reminder of the outstanding outcome that can come from taking risks with our deepest emotions, our hearts, and our entire lives. This is an amazing story that I highly, highly recommend.