What We Leave Behind: a woman must face her past and answer the question what could have been

What We Leave Behind by Rochelle Weinstein is the story of Jessica Parker as she faces life and emotional growth confronting the past and moving forward in her future. At sixteen, she is dealing with the loss of her father as well as the loss of her first love. After an intense summer romance, Jonas Levy, a twenty two year old medical student, has abruptly walked out of her life and Jessica is left with deep wounds. As she grows up and moves on, she eventually becomes a successful music supervisor in Los Angeles. After she marries Marty Tauber, a film producer, she finally seems to have it all until her marriage begins to unravel. When a secret from her past comes to light, Jessica finds herself in a storm of trauma and memories as she faces the past. Will she be able to find peace in order to salvage her marriage and save everything she loves? 

For a story that describes itself that “our lives are a sum total of the choices we make, which inevitably leaves us to wonder: what if?” To ask the question: would we go back and make a different choice if we could? To live what could have been? However, What We Leave Behind fell short. The story dragged with lots happening but it didn’t really add to the benefit of the story. For me, different reveals felt out of place and were more for shock value than an emotional impact. I didn’t care for the main character, Jessica and the events that she has to experience which made the book very hard to pick up and get into. Overall, I did not enjoy What We Leave Behind. I just wasn’t drawn into a story I expected to be an emotional exploration of what if and what could have been. I do not recommend What We Leave Behind. 

What We Leave Behind is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Always You and Me: when a second chance at love explores what could have been

Always You and Me by Dani Atkins is a story of love, hope and second chances. On the eve of her wedding to Adam, Josh, Lily’s childhood best friend, walks back into her life with an unexpected declaration only to walk away once again. After six years of blissful happiness, Adam falls ill and his final wish is for Lily to find Josh and forgive them both. After a year of grief, Lily feels guilty that she has put off fulfilling Adam’s final wish and sets about tracking Josh down. However, finding him proves to be difficult and she forces herself to show up at his remote Scottish cabin unannounced and uninvited. When a fierce snowstorm forces them together, Lily and Josh must untangle their feelings, the past and why Adam sent her on this path in the first place. The reason behind Adam’s wish leaves Lily questioning where to turn next. Can Lily and Josh choose love and find the forgiveness needed for a happily ever after? 

Always You and Me is a love story which reminded me of Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook as Lily is caught between loving two men and must choose a path. Unlike The Notebook, Lily has a second chance to explore the road not taken. The story was interesting with flashbacks into Lily and Josh’s history as well as her relationship with Adam. Each character is heavily flawed and yet feels very real and relatable. I enjoyed Lily and Josh’s characters even though at times they acted in ways that were frustrating and had me thinking “You idiot!” Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Always You and Me. I had a chuckle at the book’s warning: “Caution: this book may cause you to reach out to exes thinking your life can be like this.” While I do not have exes, I can see how the story can have that effect on someone wondering and exploring “what could have been.” If you enjoy second chance romances, I highly recommend Always You and Me. 

Always You and Me is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook