I remember years ago seeking out love stories that had more substance. Stories that truly felt like the author had put her heart into them. That’s when I discovered a Dani Atkins book and I’ve been a loyal fan ever since.

She pours so much of her heart into her books which makes
for such beautiful stories. Amelia and Lexi absolutely came alive on these pages. There was love and loss in this book and a perfect recipe for ugly cries. I just want to physically hug this book. It was so beautiful.

Thank you to netgalley and Aria and Aries for this ARC!

Dani Atkins is one of my go-to Authors so I was hugely excited to read this!

I finished it in one sitting! I was hooked from the first page and was unable to put it down. I loved the characters and the stunning way that Atkins brings them to life so realistically.

Heart-warming and life-affirming - a must read.

This novel is a hug in a book, and I loved it. It is so heartwarming to read about kind, good, loving people, who are willing to make sacrifices for the ones they love. Amelia and Lexi are devoted sisters, both trying to look out for and protect the other. Amelia’s memory loss is complicated when she develops clear but totally false memories of the husband who doesn’t exist. To make matters worse, Lexi, in trying to help her sister, falls in love with a man who is the spitting image of Amelia’s imaginary husband. This is a story of a caring family and of kindness. It is also a story about loss and about very real health conditions, heart disease and Alzheimer’s. I was gripped from the first page through to the final twist. Highly recommended.

This book created a lump in my throat and brought forth the ugliest cries, wrenching my heart! I haven't read something so sad and tear-jerking in a long time, and after reading this book all day, I found myself deeply affected, in my bluest mood, dabbing my tears whenever I remembered the events that took place in the story.

The supernatural part of the story is well-crafted, even though it wraps up with some kind of logical explanation that is open-ended, leaving room for interpretation.

I've read previous works by Dani Atkins, and I've always enjoyed how she seamlessly incorporates supernatural elements into her romance stories, adding to their charm.

In this book, the romance parts are slightly overshadowed by the unconditional bond of sisterhood, family drama, and health issues. At times, I felt like I could barely breathe after witnessing the challenges the characters were going through. During moments when I felt suffocated, I took short breaks to soothe my hyperventilations. I loved Lexi and Mimi's intense, honest bond and how far they would go for each other's happiness.

If you're in a depressive mood, I advise you to read this book at a later time when you're feeling better because the story of the sisters is guaranteed to make you cry for a long time.

Here's a quick summary: When her sister, Amelia, is found on a deserted beach where her heart stopped beating for a few moments, Lexi urgently flies from New York to take care of her sister. But Lexi realizes her sister keeps talking about Sam, the husband they never met, and memories they had shared. To help her sister, Lexi starts searching for the dream man she described, and her path crosses with the local veterinarian, Nick, who is a kind-hearted, caring man. He extends his helping hand to recreate the memories Amelia told Lexi about by going on dates with Lexi and taking photos just like Amelia described. The photos turn into a memory box to help her sister connect with her happy moments with the dream man. But as Lexi spends more time with Nick, she realizes she's falling for her sister's dream husband. She feels like she's betraying her sister by stealing her own chance at happiness. But what if, by sacrificing herself, she's sabotaging her last chance to find happiness forever?

The painful twist in the story left me deeply disturbed. This is a heart-wrenching, highly sentimental, and well-developed women's fiction novel! The ending also left me emotionally wrecked. It's still a beautifully written novel, but as I advised, keep your tissues close and brace your heart for an emotional journey.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I wanted to read this as it was compared to Colleen Hoover and I was pleasantly surprised as I ended up really enjoying this book.