EXCERPT: After - March
I know exactly what you'd say if you were sitting next to me.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Not your words - they're Lao Tzu's. You loved old wisdom - the way it held true, even hundreds of years later. And you would have loved this journey: the wide, open road ahead of us, the ever-changing landscape, your imagination sparking off in a hundred different directions. Poring excitedly over spread-out maps, you'd have made lists of places to check out, while I'd be thinking about getting my nails done and wondering how many outfits I could cram into a small suitcase.

But adventures were your lifeblood - you told me your boyhood tales of climbing and wild camping, gazing at seascapes and skyscapes, riding waves harnessing the wind. The beaten track wasn't for you. There are a million other paths, Cassidy, you'd say to me. The same old is never going to take you anywhere new. It was one of the hundred reasons I fell in love with you.

ABOUT 'THE LIFE YOU LEFT BEHIND': Two strangers.

One missed flight.

It only takes a moment to change a life.

One year ago Casey Cassidy was happy. She had great friends, a wonderful teaching job and a busy life - until with one missed flight, everything changes.

One year later Casey knows what it means to find that once-in-a-lifetime love people dream of. But when Ben leaves, her heart is shattered.

Left facing a year of firsts without him, piecing her life back together seems impossible. But then a friend offers her a home in rural France.

In the solitude and emptiness, Casey needs to comes to terms with what’s happened and find a way to move forward. She has no idea where that will take her one year later...

MY THOUGHTS: (may contain spoilers) What I read was totally not what I was expecting. I was looking forward to a bit of light relief from what I have been reading. That's not what happened. From the publicity blurb, The Life You Left Behind sounds like a light and fluffy read with a bit of heartbreak in it. Believe me, that's not what you're going to get. It's the absolute reverse.

Written over two alternating timelines a year apart, we follow Casey Cassidy as she meets, marries and loses the man she regards as her soulmate. It could still be light and fluffy, but it's not. There's a lot of darkness.

The Life You Left Behind deals with depression and suicide. And eco-something (stress caused by concern over the environment), a term I thought I must remember but then neglected to either highlight or write down.

I couldn't get invested in the story at all, nor the characters who simply did not seem real to me. I felt like I was being lectured on mental health and environmental issues, both extremely important I know, but if I want a lecture I'll buy textbooks rather than fiction, thanks.

Debbie Howells may have achieved what she set out to achieve, and kudos to her for even attempting this, but I didn't enjoy it at all, and didn't like the feeling that I had been hoodwinked by the book's description. I also didn't like the way the author initially tried to make a mystery out of where Ben had gone, saying he had left, or gone, when all the time . . .

⭐⭐

#TheLifeYouLeftBehind #NetGalley

I: @_debbiehowells @bookandtonic

T: @debbie_howells @BoldwoodBooks

#contemporaryfiction #deathanddying #mentalhealth #sliceoflife

THE AUTHOR: Having previously worked as cabin crew, a flying instructor and a wedding florist, Debbie started writing during her busiest summer of weddings.

Debbie now writes full time, inspired by the peacefulness of the countryside she lives in with her partner Martin and Bean the rescued cat.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Boldwood Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Life You Left Behind by Debbie Howells for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

My thoughts –
When I first started reading this book, it felt like the start of a romance novel, as it unfolded it became something much deeper - how Casey dealt with and tried to process and move on from what happened to Ben. There was much mystery in the book and it kept me guessing, I formulated my own theories, nevertheless shocked by what happened to Ben.
Male mental illness is something I don’t often come across in novels, good on the author for discussing it. How Casey and Ben dealt with what was happening to them was believable and emotive, even at times painful to read. Eco grief and solastalgia were terms I was largely unaware of and although not something I look to read about in novels, it was informative. I enjoyed snapshot of life in rural France provided some lightness to the story and an extra element of intrigue.
Overall, although I look for escapism in novels, this novel was something different to the norm and I did find myself invested in Casey’s story. With thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an emotional read, it broke me.

This story of Ben and Casey is told over two timelines, the year leading up to Ben leaving (before) and current time (after). The chapters are short and switches quickly between both times.

There are some uplifting moments in the book but there is a lot of focus on some serious issues like mental health. I don’t want to go into too much detail and give anything away.

I have previously read the secret by this author and loved it and this one didn’t disappoint either, although it is completely different. I highly recommend both and I will be reading more books by this author.

Primary school teacher Casey Cassidy misses going on holiday with her friend, Ellie, after forgetting her passport. This leads to a chance encounter at the airport with Ben Summer, which turns into an intense, loving relationship. But a year later, Ben has gone and Casey escapes to France to try to get her life, and her head, into some kind of order.
The book goes between the year Casey and Ben were together (from how they met onwards), interspersed with chapters following Casey in the present day. It’s easy to follow as the chapters are marked BEFORE and AFTER, plus the BEFORE ones are written in italics. You don’t find out the exact circumstances of the relationship ending until a long way into the book.
I liked the main character of Casey although she did annoy me at times. I liked her friends Ellie (in England) and Sylvie (in France) and felt the book was very good at writing about friendships and how important they are. Kevin is also another great character and I loved his back story. I loved the cats too!
The message about taking comfort from your surroundings is a good one and the importance of nature in recovery. I’m sure we’ve all had awful days only to be awakened by sunshine and birdsong the next morning and realised things can be better.
The book also has lots of messages about the environment and the awful state of things like factory farming. Being a vegetarian for 35 years, I am quite aware of all this, but I found I wasn’t too keen reading about it – especially with the News being so depressing at the moment, I would have preferred something lighter, a bit of escapism!
Overall, it’s well-written and full of important messages about depression, love and life.

The Life You Left Behind completely grabbed me at the first pages and didn’t let go until I had experienced every last bit. It was emotional reading – at times uncomfortable but it’s a story told so believably well that I couldn’t stop reading it.
I love dual timeline stories and that device worked really well for the plot. The past timeline was only about a year earlier and tells the story of how an insecure but lovely Casey, meets Ben in a seemingly ‘meant to be’ scenario at the airport. The present timeline shows Casey alone, in France working through no longer being with Ben. This isn’t initially obvious and is not revealed early in the book so it adds an air of mystery around the circumstances. Whilst Casey is in France she discovers a diary written about a woman called Julia and I enjoyed this plot as much as the main one to be honest.
Each chapter is really short and the time switches quickly between the two periods which was sometimes frustrating as I needed to see more of that particular story. However, it also kept the mysteries longer and made the story more intense.
Despite having some uplifting elements, this is an emotional story. It has a strong focus on mental illness and the effects it can have on people and those around them. It’s a hard plot to go into without spoilers.
The Life You Left Behind is a complex, well written story that provokes a lot of though and emotion. I haven’t come across this author before but I will certainly be looking at her other novels after reading this one.
Highly recommended however please be aware of the emotional content.

THE LIFE YOU LEFT BEHIND by DEBBIE HOWELLS.

When Casey forgets her passport and misses her flight, fate steps in and brings her Ben- A knight in shining armour.
They quickly fall in love and everything seems so perfect.
A year later, Casey is once again alone…..

The book tells Ben and Casey’s story in flashback chapters to a year ago. These run alongside present day chapters where Casey is adjusting to life without Ben.

Ben and Casey’s love story is very sweet and the depth of their love is breath taking.
Casey’s journey after Ben leaves is emotional and heartbreaking, but there are glimmers of hope for her future.

This is a beautiful, poignant and touching story.
It highlights a number of issues that are a difficult read, but so desperately in need of awareness and funding to save lives.

I was moved by this story, I loved Ben and Casey and ultimately I finished the book feeling that their story had been written with the sensitivity, care and understanding that it deserved.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out now in all formats.

With thanks to #Netgalley and #Boldwood for a digital copy of this outstanding book.

This story explores a spectrum of human emotions and experiences. It begins with a serendipitous meeting and ends with positivity, but it is the journey that keeps the reader turning the pages. Casey meets Ben by chance, and their physical attraction quickly followed by emotional commitment seems like the perfect relationship. Told in dual timelines of past(before) and present(after), we experience a beautiful love affair and a tragedy. Mental health issues are at the root of this story, and at times it is heartbreaking to read.

Not an escapist uplit read, the author sensitively highlights how mental health issues are devastating as a severe physical illness to the sufferer and those who care for them. It is an emotional and resonating read.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The life you left behind was emotional and heartbreaking but uplifting as well. I had a little trouble getting into the book but after a few chapters I was ok. I wasn't expecting just how emotional this book would be. So that took me by surprise but it really is part of what makes this a great read! There's a dual timeline so the reader can see Casey's life with Ben but also her life in France. The timelines move well together and really do give you a complete picture. Overall it's an emotional ride but a great read!

Thank you Rachel's Random Resources and Debbie Howells for sharing this book with me!

The Life You Left Behind
by: Debbie Howells
Boldwood Books
Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Women's Fiction
Publication date: 02/23/2022

One single event and moment in time changed main character Casey Cassidy's life forever, leading her on a powerful journey of love, grief, and understanding.
Author Debbie Howells takes us very deep into Casey's story, sharing her most intimate feelings and emotions. When Casey retreats to a quiet, peaceful home in the countryside of France, readers are immersed in the both the atmosphere of setting and in Casey's struggle to overcome loss and make sense of that loss.

Howells' writing style is appealing, as she beautifully gives us interesting characters and lovely sense of place. Her pacing is not rushed, allowing readers to fully experience the sequence of happenings and understand the depth of her story. In this book, serious topics are addressed, including depression, mental illness, and the grief process. Howell covers these topics with sensitivity and compassion. This is quite an original and thought provoking book, with many rich layers.

Thank you to the author and Net Galley for an advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

A chance meeting at an airport introduces Casey Cassidy to the love of her life and a magical year with Ben but then something happens which means that Casey has to take a long look at her life to discover what's really important.

In many ways this is quite a sad story as it covers an emotional subject but it is all handled with sensitivity and compassion. I especially warmed to Casey she is an interesting character who has had her confidence shattered by the circumstances of her life but she is determined to carry on in her own inimitable style. I liked how the story moved between before and after so that we get a rounded picture of Casey's life with Ben, and then what happened later. I enjoyed the part of the story which took us into Casey's time in rural France and her tentative steps towards making new friends and forging a new sort of normal life for herself.

The Life You left Behind covers depression, grief and loss in a sensitive and thought provoking way and shows that life can change in a heartbeat.

The Life You Left Behind by Debbie Howells is a women’s fiction title that deals with mental health issues. The story in The Life You Left Behind is one that is told in two timelines alternating between about a year in the past and the current time.

The year before Casey Cassidy had been carefree and headed out to a vacation with her friend when she discovered she had left her passport at home. Of course for Casey this meant missing her much anticipated flight and having to fly out later but as she was leaving the airport she met Ben, the love of her life.

Now Casey is picking up the pieces to her life by taking off to another country and staying in the home of a friend. Casey doesn’t know how she came to be where she is today after things had been so good the year before.

I have to say first that I picked up The Life You Left Behind by Debbie Howells because I have read several books by the author and really enjoyed them so I was surprised to find myself rating this one at two stars. The thing is that this one deals heavily with a form of depression caused over worry about the environment and goes repeatedly over the state of the world which to be honest I read to escape so I really didn’t enjoy it feeling preachy about the state of things. Also, I personally enjoy a story of growth and strength which I thought I might find with the main character but instead I found myself questioning her state of being and wasn’t satisfied at the direction it went. Some may enjoy this one but it just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

this book dealt with heavy topics (such as depression and suicide) and i felt like i wasn't mentally ready enough to go into it and i realised that i was not the kind of book that i thought it would be. it is written in a double timeline and it is about casey and ben's story, how they meet in the "before" chapters and then the "after" chapters set in france. i do have to confess that as much as the book dealt with important topics i didn't manage to forma a connection with the characters.

""You were my heart stopping moment."

Sigh. I definitely have a book hangover from the intense emotional themes heightened in The Life You Left Behind by bestselling author Debbie Howells. I don't want to spoil anything for the reader but awareness is necessary before settling into Cassidy and Ben's story.

The writer knows how to play with our hearts. Our couple meet by chance. A miss flight. An all night talk. Found soulmates. This is the "before" chapters. The "after" chapters are a year later and Ben is gone. Cassidy is left lost, hurt, angry and very confused. As the before and after eventually merge we get the full gut wrenching story of what should have been a happily ever after.

Fair warning that serious mental health issues play a huge part in this story. As a caregiver for both a mother and child who suffered from this life altering disease I must acknowledge the remarkable understanding the author showed for those suffering from forms of depression and their loved ones. The last part of this book was beautifully crafted to make sense of the unthinkable and to hopefully give understanding to those fortunate to have no idea about living with mental health issues. Though, as it is realistically written in our lovers story, we may not know everything others in our life are feeling.

This isn't a complete downer. There is light and life affirming realizations and, thankfully, hope written in a honest manner that left me smiling at the end. I loved the inclusion of a found diary from an anonymous source that helps Cassidy and just wish it could all be that simple for the rest of in this struggle.

You Are Not Alone💓
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-8255

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

After reading The Secret by Debbie Howells and making it my first 5* book of the year, the author reached out and asked if I’d like to read and review her new book, and of course I said yes!

This is Debbie’s first women’s fiction novel, and it was packed full of emotion, love and heartbreak.

The writing was INCREDIBLE! I’ve never highlighted so many sections of a book before, but there were just so many beautifully written passages that I knew I needed to save to come back to!

There are some really tough topics discussed in this book, but it’s done so in a very sensitive and delicate way, and they were so impactful to the story.

It was such an emotional rollercoaster, and managed to make me feel heartbroken but uplifted all at the same time!

I will definitely be reading more of Debbie’s thriller books, and I hope to see more women’s fiction from her in future too!

#BookTour

There are a lot of subjects in this book that are hugely triggering. Topics in this book include suicide, death, depression, bipolar, medication and other topics surrounding mental illness, eco grief and climate change, repeat and graphic discussions of the negative side of meat and dairy farming and road traffic accidents. I may have forgotten to include some topics so if you're unsure about the content, be sure to check other reviews.

Each chapter of this book had such an emotional undercurrent. I felt a lingering sadness for what had happened before we even find out the details. There is the lingering heaviness of grief and the changes that come with that and a lot of the topics that are talked about and dealt with in this book are harrowing. It isn't what I'd call a light read by any means. It's definitely a tragic romance.

I enjoyed parts of this story but I did have one big issue. At times, I felt like the author wanted me to feel guilty for the death of the character because I'm not eco-conscious enough. It may be the intention to make the reader feel uncomfortable and question their choices, I don't know, but I found it to be a little preachy and off putting.

After nearly forty years of marriage, the day-to-day lives of Meena and Oscar have settled into a pattern which suits them both nicely. After a difficult upbringing, she has an understandable obsession with running the home to her own exacting standards – but generally enjoys her job as an indispensable medical secretary, and fills her spare time with a whole range of voluntary activities that make her feel needed. When Oscar’s not working, he spends his time on the golf course.

They’re both content with the way things are, their lives barely crossing – but everything changes when he’s forced to take early retirement, reluctantly taking over the running of the home, needing to fill his time. And their marriage begins to come under pressure – there’s little doubt they still love each other, but they need to find common ground again and work out a new pattern of life that they can both live with.

This book promised an uplifting and feel-good read, and in many ways it was as they drew closer to a solution that suited them both, but I will admit that there was a lot that I found distinctly uncomfortable too. It’s a very real portrait of a marriage hitting the skids, filled with domestic detail, and I did find it quite difficult at times to identify or sympathise with either of its exceptionally well drawn but essentially selfish characters – I rather wanted to bang their heads together, to make them see the good things about their marriage rather than the niggles driving them apart.

There’s perhaps a tad less of the humour that I’ve grown used to and enjoyed in the author’s other books – although there was certainly plenty of joy and lightness in the holiday they take in an attempt to recover their closeness, and I did very much enjoy the solution Oscar finally found for filling his empty hours. I liked too the gentleness of the story’s telling, and the way their problems were seen from both their perspectives. The story essentially focuses on acceptance, dealing with change, and the need for communication – and it does that very well indeed, with the emotional content particularly well-handled, its conclusion particularly uplifting and heart-warming.

Nicely done, and a book I’m sure many readers will enjoy – but it just wasn’t quite what I was expecting it to be, and I suspect I just might not have been the right reader this time (it happens…). But I really do enjoy Liz Davies’ writing, and I’ll look forward – as I always do – to seeing what she does next.

The Life You Left Behind is the seventh novel by best-selling British author, Debbie Howells. Fifteen months after she first met Ben Summer, the love of her life, twenty-nine-year-old Casey Cassidy is driving to rural France. Her destination is a remote cottage, the sort of stay Ben would have loved, but she’s going alone. All she has of Ben is his commentary in her head, countering any negative thoughts.

Casey met Ben in an airport where her forgotten passport led to Ben’s Good Samaritan move. His genuineness and sensitivity overrode her usual caution. Mutual attraction did the rest: she was, almost instantly, in love. Within a few months they were living together, and their relationship progressed quickly from there.

At her somewhat-isolated French retreat, Casey tries to work out what direction her life will take now. She can’t live in the house she and Ben had together, too many memories to deal with. But does she want to stay in France?

Searching for distraction, she comes upon an anonymous diary: someone who has lived in this house, has suffered a great loss, bears a burden of guilt, has to reassess his direction. Casey sees parallels to her own situation.

It is difficult to say much more about this rom-trag (as opposed to rom-com) without spoilers. The story is told through a dual time, one describing Casey’s relationship with Ben, the other, her life in France. In tandem with these are the diary entries. Featuring bipolar disorder, solastalgia, depression and eco-grief, the story is quite dark, and is heavy on the message of climate change, environmental damage and factory farms.

Howells gives the reader a complex protagonist who is supported by caring, loyal friends. However, the pace leading up to the reveal is almost glacial and impedes any meaningful connection with Casey. The synopsis given indicates a much lighter read than what is delivered, until the hopeful ending. May appeal to fans of tragic romance stories.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Boldwood Books.

Wow, what a read! Definitely not of the light, and fluffy type, like you'd imagine from the cover. This was a very well written read, with a dual timeline in a then, and now format.

I found the characters, especially Casey, flawed, realistic, and relatable, myself having a partner who struggles with his mental health.

Mental health, suicide, and grief were dealt with in a realistic manner.

Beautiful, emotive, and heartbreaking. Its certainly a book that will stay with me long after I've finished reading it.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ben and Casey meet at the airport when she forgets her passport. They soon fall in-love, marry, but within the year Ben has left. Casey goes to France for quiet time, to contemplate where her life leads from there, and to understand what lead up to Ben leaving. The book is written in before and after context in reference to the day Ben leaves which I very much liked. I thought the book was a bit slow and redundant. I feel the author did a good job when she touches on depression.

Thanks to NetGallery and for the advanced reader’s copy.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Please have a box of tissues handy.

Casey and Ben meet at a airport and fall for each other.

But a year in, and Ben’s not in Casey’s life, leaving her shattered. She goes to France, away from the house they shared together. Staying in a house, that’s belongs to someone her friend knows,

Casey tries to come to terms with what happened and decide on what to do next.

An emotional read, one I wasn’t prepared for but I’m so glad that I’ve read it.

It’s looks into big issues like mental health and reading it, I’ve felt every emotion you could.

The story was so different and Debbie has done a fabulous job of writing this book.

I highly recommend this book.