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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Find this review and others at Carlene Inspired. Giveaway to be posted 8/23.
Sometimes you finish a book and it stays with you in an uncomfortable way. It leaves you with heavy thoughts and feelings, it stirs you up a bit inside, it might even wake up a part of you that you were not aware was sleeping. The Year I Left is Christine Brae's final novel, a bit of a love story to the career-oriented business women who shine outwardly, but have ever dimming insides. It's a story of love, loss, depression, and finding oneself in the midst of it all. She writes about hope and perseverance and her lyrical words completely took over my world for the few days I lived in the pages. The Year I Left tells a story that I can relate to and in the characters I saw myself.
"When did I start wishing I was like her? I thought it was my cross to bear. I thought that life was just like this. You live, you love, you lose."
Carin Frost is a wife, a mother, a successful business executive. On the outside she seems to have it all, but on the inside she is feeling lost. Her dissatisfaction with life has created problems within her home and her marriage, she's contemplated what it would look like if it all just went away. When a new business partner lights a spark in her, she begins to wonder what life would look like if she could walk away. Mattias Torres gives her a taste of fresh love, but the decisions associated with that love present a challenge she never dreamed of facing. Told in three parts, The Year I Left follows Carin as she struggles with her desire to escape and to love herself and life again.
"I saw summer. Your upturned lips touched the corners of your eyes. You exuded self-confidence. You smelled good. Women like summer. I get why those women were falling all over themselves over you."
There is a common theme in reviews for this novel, a resounding "I can't imagine doing that," and while I too cannot I felt it in my soul when Carin did it herself. Christine Brae created characters that I could so easily see myself in that when they made choices my real-self would not ever make, I still felt like it was me standing there weighing my options. It's a type of suffering that no one wishes on anyone, but so many experience. It's a story that, for me, will open up a dialogue about the depression and despair associated with it that we are so afraid to speak up about. Carin does what, at the time, she feels is best to save herself. It is selfish, but it is also brave, to say she had so many doubts and fears, that she was willing to let go of everything to try, to bring emotion and love back into her life. It's heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. I also really love how she approached commitment and living again, she embraced a different type of love in her seasons of change and from it she healed herself. There was no time in reading that I saw Carin as weak and it was sort of empowering to have a fictional character that, despite it all, finds a way to fight for herself again.
"But take your time to think about it. It may be that you're looking for a change. It doesn't have to be love. It could be that you've outgrown this life and those you love just have to keep up with you."
This isn't the book that gives you the clean, perfect HEA, but it is the book that gives you a true perspective on love, life, and family. With The Year I Left, Christine Brae celebrates friendships, families, successes, and the unexpected nature of life. I cannot recommend this profound story enough, just go into it with an open mind and an open heart. Embrace the hurt, the hard, the beautiful part of falling down and figuring out how one can pick themselves up again.
"The first bridge I'd burned. The first of many, in following my heart. After this, there would be no turning back."
ARC provided.
Sometimes you finish a book and it stays with you in an uncomfortable way. It leaves you with heavy thoughts and feelings, it stirs you up a bit inside, it might even wake up a part of you that you were not aware was sleeping. The Year I Left is Christine Brae's final novel, a bit of a love story to the career-oriented business women who shine outwardly, but have ever dimming insides. It's a story of love, loss, depression, and finding oneself in the midst of it all. She writes about hope and perseverance and her lyrical words completely took over my world for the few days I lived in the pages. The Year I Left tells a story that I can relate to and in the characters I saw myself.
"When did I start wishing I was like her? I thought it was my cross to bear. I thought that life was just like this. You live, you love, you lose."
Carin Frost is a wife, a mother, a successful business executive. On the outside she seems to have it all, but on the inside she is feeling lost. Her dissatisfaction with life has created problems within her home and her marriage, she's contemplated what it would look like if it all just went away. When a new business partner lights a spark in her, she begins to wonder what life would look like if she could walk away. Mattias Torres gives her a taste of fresh love, but the decisions associated with that love present a challenge she never dreamed of facing. Told in three parts, The Year I Left follows Carin as she struggles with her desire to escape and to love herself and life again.
"I saw summer. Your upturned lips touched the corners of your eyes. You exuded self-confidence. You smelled good. Women like summer. I get why those women were falling all over themselves over you."
There is a common theme in reviews for this novel, a resounding "I can't imagine doing that," and while I too cannot I felt it in my soul when Carin did it herself. Christine Brae created characters that I could so easily see myself in that when they made choices my real-self would not ever make, I still felt like it was me standing there weighing my options. It's a type of suffering that no one wishes on anyone, but so many experience. It's a story that, for me, will open up a dialogue about the depression and despair associated with it that we are so afraid to speak up about. Carin does what, at the time, she feels is best to save herself. It is selfish, but it is also brave, to say she had so many doubts and fears, that she was willing to let go of everything to try, to bring emotion and love back into her life. It's heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. I also really love how she approached commitment and living again, she embraced a different type of love in her seasons of change and from it she healed herself. There was no time in reading that I saw Carin as weak and it was sort of empowering to have a fictional character that, despite it all, finds a way to fight for herself again.
"But take your time to think about it. It may be that you're looking for a change. It doesn't have to be love. It could be that you've outgrown this life and those you love just have to keep up with you."
This isn't the book that gives you the clean, perfect HEA, but it is the book that gives you a true perspective on love, life, and family. With The Year I Left, Christine Brae celebrates friendships, families, successes, and the unexpected nature of life. I cannot recommend this profound story enough, just go into it with an open mind and an open heart. Embrace the hurt, the hard, the beautiful part of falling down and figuring out how one can pick themselves up again.
"The first bridge I'd burned. The first of many, in following my heart. After this, there would be no turning back."
ARC provided.
This was a highly anticipated book for me. I wanted to savor it, give it all my attention, and it did not disappoint.
Not often do I read a book that manages to bring forward so many emotions. I laughed. I got angry. I got frustrated. I wanted to cry. It was such a joirney. It was so relatable to me and I don't know how I feel about that. What do you do when your life has become stale and you crave more? Who has to pay the consequences of your actions? Your husband? Your Children? You?
"Most of us live our lives accepting what we have because we’re afraid to hurt those we love"
This book is about happiness, plain and simple.
Can I just use this opportunity to RAVE about the writing? It's beautiful. Christine Brae has grown as an author into such a wordsmith. Since this may be her last book, I'm grateful to have been part of her journey and to be able to watch her growth. I'm so proud of the author she has become and her words will be missed.
*ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Not often do I read a book that manages to bring forward so many emotions. I laughed. I got angry. I got frustrated. I wanted to cry. It was such a joirney. It was so relatable to me and I don't know how I feel about that. What do you do when your life has become stale and you crave more? Who has to pay the consequences of your actions? Your husband? Your Children? You?
"Most of us live our lives accepting what we have because we’re afraid to hurt those we love"
This book is about happiness, plain and simple.
Can I just use this opportunity to RAVE about the writing? It's beautiful. Christine Brae has grown as an author into such a wordsmith. Since this may be her last book, I'm grateful to have been part of her journey and to be able to watch her growth. I'm so proud of the author she has become and her words will be missed.
*ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Christine Brae is a fabulous writer. Eight Goodbyes was a top read of 2018 for me. Naturally, when the blurb for The Year I Left was released, I was so excited to pick it up.
The Year I Left opens with Carin, a very successful business woman with one son and her husband. However, despite having everything she could want, she wasn’t happy. It wasn’t easily explainable. She felt guilty about it. But she became indifferent. And I felt that. I felt Carin to her core. I was in love with this book.
But then the plot twist came and part two happened. And the love I had for the story was quickly lost. I couldn’t be convinced that the love between Carin and Matias would ever make Carin be as okay with things as she was. Matias did very little for me as a character. And the plot just fell flat. I just felt the plot twist was so unnecessary and maybe a little over the top for the situation Matias and Carin were in.
I did feel the ending had a touch of redemption. Especially for Carin. Where I didn’t so much love this particular story, I definitely feel many other people would. Without giving anything away, I would still suggest someone read it, and we could happily discuss this book.
Christine Brae is a super talented author. You really can’t go wrong with her books. I think this book would be enjoyable for so many people. It just missed the mark for me.
The Year I Left opens with Carin, a very successful business woman with one son and her husband. However, despite having everything she could want, she wasn’t happy. It wasn’t easily explainable. She felt guilty about it. But she became indifferent. And I felt that. I felt Carin to her core. I was in love with this book.
But then the plot twist came and part two happened. And the love I had for the story was quickly lost. I couldn’t be convinced that the love between Carin and Matias would ever make Carin be as okay with things as she was. Matias did very little for me as a character. And the plot just fell flat. I just felt the plot twist was so unnecessary and maybe a little over the top for the situation Matias and Carin were in.
I did feel the ending had a touch of redemption. Especially for Carin. Where I didn’t so much love this particular story, I definitely feel many other people would. Without giving anything away, I would still suggest someone read it, and we could happily discuss this book.
Christine Brae is a super talented author. You really can’t go wrong with her books. I think this book would be enjoyable for so many people. It just missed the mark for me.
Profoundly saddening and heart wrenching this is a novel full of hope—getting lost and finding oneself again. It made me cry, be devastated and yet try to make peace with everything. This was my first Christina Brae novel and I was deeply moved with it.
Don’t forget to get yourselves a copy on Aug 20th.
Special thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this review copy.
Don’t forget to get yourselves a copy on Aug 20th.
Special thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for this review copy.
I'm on the blog tour stop for Xpresso Book Tours. I'll be posting my review on August 22nd so stay tuned for it on my blog Sometimes Leelynn Reads
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Carin Frost seems to want something different for her life. Matias Torres seems to catch her eye. This story seems to be about a woman looking to make some changes to her life. When first meeting Carin, I felt like she kept herself and us at arms length. I didn’t feel as if there was anything to engage the reader.
She’s a woman who seems to have it all but it just seems that she’s looking for something more. She didn’t appear to be getting it from her family or her job. The author shows how easy it is for women to hide their true feelings. It was very easy to see that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”.
When I first opened the book, I was happy to see that the story was being told in parts. I thought that would help me to find just the perfect place to stop. Once I started to get into the story I found it easier to stop after each chapter. I just couldn’t seem to connect with Carin. At the beginning, she’s the one we rely on to tell us her story but it felt like she was keeping us on the outside – like we were a ghost watching her walk through life. I did like how it seemed as if she was talking to the reader – as if we become Matias. Was impressed when she turns things around on the reader – it was a good attempt to get the reader reengaged into what was going on.
It was hard to connect with Matias. He seemed to be a smooth talker going after someone he wanted and it didn’t matter that she was already in a committed relationship. Every time he was around Carin, I could almost see him rubbing his chin/beard. But I wanted to see more about Carin’s family dynamic. Usually it’s the man that’s never home and always working. This time it seems to be the woman’s turn. But since there’s a hole where the family seems to reside, they only make an appearance when needed. The story seems more about her life away from home but then the story is based on Carin and Matias’ interactions. Even though this story wasn’t for me, the author did give her readers a nice Epilogue. The last sentence leaves me wondering if their story will continue. This won’t stop me from checking out some of the author’s other work.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Carin Frost seems to want something different for her life. Matias Torres seems to catch her eye. This story seems to be about a woman looking to make some changes to her life. When first meeting Carin, I felt like she kept herself and us at arms length. I didn’t feel as if there was anything to engage the reader.
She’s a woman who seems to have it all but it just seems that she’s looking for something more. She didn’t appear to be getting it from her family or her job. The author shows how easy it is for women to hide their true feelings. It was very easy to see that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”.
When I first opened the book, I was happy to see that the story was being told in parts. I thought that would help me to find just the perfect place to stop. Once I started to get into the story I found it easier to stop after each chapter. I just couldn’t seem to connect with Carin. At the beginning, she’s the one we rely on to tell us her story but it felt like she was keeping us on the outside – like we were a ghost watching her walk through life. I did like how it seemed as if she was talking to the reader – as if we become Matias. Was impressed when she turns things around on the reader – it was a good attempt to get the reader reengaged into what was going on.
It was hard to connect with Matias. He seemed to be a smooth talker going after someone he wanted and it didn’t matter that she was already in a committed relationship. Every time he was around Carin, I could almost see him rubbing his chin/beard. But I wanted to see more about Carin’s family dynamic. Usually it’s the man that’s never home and always working. This time it seems to be the woman’s turn. But since there’s a hole where the family seems to reside, they only make an appearance when needed. The story seems more about her life away from home but then the story is based on Carin and Matias’ interactions. Even though this story wasn’t for me, the author did give her readers a nice Epilogue. The last sentence leaves me wondering if their story will continue. This won’t stop me from checking out some of the author’s other work.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Brief summary: Carin Frost is a wife, mother and successful business woman who is suffering severe depression following the death of her mother. She meets a man who she drops everything to be with.
I found the writing and style to be awkward. I felt that there were parts of the character development that was missing, where at times the reader was given too much and not enough info about the characters at the same time. This same problem happens with the plot of the story. A portion of the book reads as soft erotica. I did appreciate how the author ended the novel.
I understand that the author wanted to write about the symptoms and issues surrounding those that have severe depression, however I did not feel that how those in the life of the main character acted and reacted was believable..
I found the writing and style to be awkward. I felt that there were parts of the character development that was missing, where at times the reader was given too much and not enough info about the characters at the same time. This same problem happens with the plot of the story. A portion of the book reads as soft erotica. I did appreciate how the author ended the novel.
I understand that the author wanted to write about the symptoms and issues surrounding those that have severe depression, however I did not feel that how those in the life of the main character acted and reacted was believable..
1.5 stars.
I found the synopsis for THE YEAR I LEFT appealing. I like books with married couples, mid life troubles and the worries and stresses that evolve in a relationship; it’s real. That said, this book was way out of what I thought when I read that blurb and I’m going to try to pinpoint why it didn’t work for me. There might be some mild spoilers.
The protagonist, Carin is a workaholic, driven and hugely successful business person with a husband and son. They’re financially loaded as a family and pretty materialistic. Carin was unlikeable from the off despite her circumstances and her grief. I could see her mental health problem immediately but that didn’t mitigate who she was and how she behaved. I’m sorry to say that I disliked her from start to finish and therefore, I didn’t really connect with her.
I did however, understand her feelings about Jack, her husband but I could not reconcile her parenting or connection with her son, Charlie. As for Matias, again I made no connection with him as a character or them as an evolving work colleague, friendship and more. To me, this was a story about unrelatable selfish people. The storyline took a ridiculous turn that sealed my difficulty with this book.
Added to these difficulties, the narrative was largely in the first person which I don’t normally mind. However, in this book it was written as a letter to Matias and I found it awkward to read and it continually took me out of the story. You find out later why this is, but it doesn’t help with processing the story for the rest of the book.
Whilst this book wasn’t for me, I do think some people will find the format and story appealing as it has emotional and angsty content. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog here.
I found the synopsis for THE YEAR I LEFT appealing. I like books with married couples, mid life troubles and the worries and stresses that evolve in a relationship; it’s real. That said, this book was way out of what I thought when I read that blurb and I’m going to try to pinpoint why it didn’t work for me. There might be some mild spoilers.
The protagonist, Carin is a workaholic, driven and hugely successful business person with a husband and son. They’re financially loaded as a family and pretty materialistic. Carin was unlikeable from the off despite her circumstances and her grief. I could see her mental health problem immediately but that didn’t mitigate who she was and how she behaved. I’m sorry to say that I disliked her from start to finish and therefore, I didn’t really connect with her.
I did however, understand her feelings about Jack, her husband but I could not reconcile her parenting or connection with her son, Charlie. As for Matias, again I made no connection with him as a character or them as an evolving work colleague, friendship and more. To me, this was a story about unrelatable selfish people. The storyline took a ridiculous turn that sealed my difficulty with this book.
Added to these difficulties, the narrative was largely in the first person which I don’t normally mind. However, in this book it was written as a letter to Matias and I found it awkward to read and it continually took me out of the story. You find out later why this is, but it doesn’t help with processing the story for the rest of the book.
Whilst this book wasn’t for me, I do think some people will find the format and story appealing as it has emotional and angsty content. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog here.
I haven't read any other books by Christine Brae but she has such a beautiful writing style. This book in particular made me sad a lot - and I don't say that as a negative! Books that actually make you feel and react are my favorite! Overall, I truly understood how depression took hold of Carin and why she made some of the choices she did. But, I really didn't like the other main character and it sometimes clouded my view of Carin. All in all, this is a fast summer read that will definitely have you feeling feelings.