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aspiereads33's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
labalkana's review against another edition
4.0
Ein Mann, zwei Perspektiven.
Kurz vor seiner Hochzeit verschwand James Donato in Mexiko, am geplanten Hochzeitstag wurde er beerdigt.
Sechs Jahre später wacht der Witwer Carlos Dominguez auf und erinnert sich nicht mehr an seine Söhne. Dafür erinnert er sich an sein Leben als James Donato, an all das was er verloren hat...
Fünf Jahre lang hatte Carlos Angst vor dem Tag an dem er seine Söhne nicht wiedererkennen würde. Seine Verlobte Aimee hatte ihn gefunden, ihm ihre Geschichte erzählt und akzeptiert, dass es James nicht mehr gab.
Aber Carlos ist wieder James. Und James hat einflussreiche Feinde. Aimee hat aber Ian geheiratet und ein Kind, deshalb flieht er zu Natalya, der Schwester seiner verstorbenen Frau, ohne sich an ihre Beziehung zu erinnern.
Im ersten Band musste Aimee lernen ohne James zu leben. Zwei mal. Hier muss James lernen mit Carlos zu Leben, die verworrenen Verhältnisse und ein Leben verarbeiten, in dem ihm sechs Jahre fehlen.
Ich wollte wirklich gerne erfahren was James passiert ist, wie er zu Carlos wurde und wie es für ihn weitergeht. Aber ich wollte auch unbedingt, dass Ian und Aimee zusammen bleiben.
Da hat die Autorin alles richtig gemacht. Wieder mischt sie Mystery und Liebe. Und das auf so mitreißende Art, die Figuren mit ihren Schwierigkeiten so lebhaft, dass sie den Leser die Komplexität fühlen lässt.
Gemeinsam mit James, der auch erst herausfinden muss, wer er jetzt eigentlich ist, lernen wir ihn kennen.
Beim Hörbuch war es aber anfangs anstrengend zu verfolgen ob gerade Carlos aus der Vergangenheit oder James aus der Gegenwart erzählt. Auch wenn der Anschluss an den ersten Teil nahtlos ist und sich wieder alles um Familie, Liebe, Verrat und Verlust dreht, hatte ich bei diesem Buch ein ganz anderes Gefühl.
Es ist einfach weniger spektakulär, weil die plötzliche Entwicklung teils konstruiert wirkt. Die liebende, nachsichtige Großmutter hier, kann ich einfach nicht mit der unterkühlten Frau, die ein Kind mit ihrem Bruder hatte, verbinden. Auch wenn ihre Beweggründe thematisiert werden und ihre Geschichte sie etwas nahbarer macht. Phils Darstellung dagegen hat mir gefallen.
Trotzdem bleibt es eine tolle Geschichte und nach den drei Epilogen bin ich gespannt auf den nächsten Teil, auch wenn der in eine ganz andere Richtung gehen soll.
Kurz vor seiner Hochzeit verschwand James Donato in Mexiko, am geplanten Hochzeitstag wurde er beerdigt.
Sechs Jahre später wacht der Witwer Carlos Dominguez auf und erinnert sich nicht mehr an seine Söhne. Dafür erinnert er sich an sein Leben als James Donato, an all das was er verloren hat...
Fünf Jahre lang hatte Carlos Angst vor dem Tag an dem er seine Söhne nicht wiedererkennen würde. Seine Verlobte Aimee hatte ihn gefunden, ihm ihre Geschichte erzählt und akzeptiert, dass es James nicht mehr gab.
Aber Carlos ist wieder James. Und James hat einflussreiche Feinde. Aimee hat aber Ian geheiratet und ein Kind, deshalb flieht er zu Natalya, der Schwester seiner verstorbenen Frau, ohne sich an ihre Beziehung zu erinnern.
Im ersten Band musste Aimee lernen ohne James zu leben. Zwei mal. Hier muss James lernen mit Carlos zu Leben, die verworrenen Verhältnisse und ein Leben verarbeiten, in dem ihm sechs Jahre fehlen.
Ich wollte wirklich gerne erfahren was James passiert ist, wie er zu Carlos wurde und wie es für ihn weitergeht. Aber ich wollte auch unbedingt, dass Ian und Aimee zusammen bleiben.
Da hat die Autorin alles richtig gemacht. Wieder mischt sie Mystery und Liebe. Und das auf so mitreißende Art, die Figuren mit ihren Schwierigkeiten so lebhaft, dass sie den Leser die Komplexität fühlen lässt.
Gemeinsam mit James, der auch erst herausfinden muss, wer er jetzt eigentlich ist, lernen wir ihn kennen.
Beim Hörbuch war es aber anfangs anstrengend zu verfolgen ob gerade Carlos aus der Vergangenheit oder James aus der Gegenwart erzählt. Auch wenn der Anschluss an den ersten Teil nahtlos ist und sich wieder alles um Familie, Liebe, Verrat und Verlust dreht, hatte ich bei diesem Buch ein ganz anderes Gefühl.
Es ist einfach weniger spektakulär, weil die plötzliche Entwicklung teils konstruiert wirkt. Die liebende, nachsichtige Großmutter hier, kann ich einfach nicht mit der unterkühlten Frau, die ein Kind mit ihrem Bruder hatte, verbinden. Auch wenn ihre Beweggründe thematisiert werden und ihre Geschichte sie etwas nahbarer macht. Phils Darstellung dagegen hat mir gefallen.
Trotzdem bleibt es eine tolle Geschichte und nach den drei Epilogen bin ich gespannt auf den nächsten Teil, auch wenn der in eine ganz andere Richtung gehen soll.
loveapple's review against another edition
4.0
This was enjoyable and heart wrenching at the same time.
dolphingirl6's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Honestly there isn't a ton to say for this book from me. It felt like the story dragged. There was a lot of flipping back and forth between perspectives and time lines which was super confusing. We already knew the mystery from the end of the first book. I want to finish out the trilogy, but this book was pretty meh.
mcdawn73's review against another edition
5.0
Another 5 star read from Kerry Lonsdale for me! She is very quickly becoming a favorite of mine and I'm so impressed that this is her 3rd book published in less than a year. My plan was to get this one read over the holiday weekend and have my review in before it's publication yesterday, but as many of us know things don't always work out like we plan. So after all the celebrations with family for Independence day as well as my Mom's birthday, I finished it last night.
I love the rich characters she has brought to both Everything We Keep as well as this new installment, Everything We Left Behind. For me there wasn't as much mystery in this book as the first, more Carlos/Jamie piecing together the last several years of his life. I was pleasantly surprised that we didn't have more of Aimee in this one. It was centered around Jamie/Carlos and his relationship with Nat and his mom. I could see as we got to the ending with the multiple epilogues that the story is heading into another part. The next book in this series, Everything We Give, expected to come out next July appears to bring us back to Aimee and Ian with a story for Ian. I can't wait!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this opportunity. And of course to Kerry Lonsdale for writing such great work. I look forward to many more awesome reads in the future.
This review as well as my others can be found at:
https://mcdawnreviews.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/everything-we-left-behind
I love the rich characters she has brought to both Everything We Keep as well as this new installment, Everything We Left Behind. For me there wasn't as much mystery in this book as the first, more Carlos/Jamie piecing together the last several years of his life. I was pleasantly surprised that we didn't have more of Aimee in this one. It was centered around Jamie/Carlos and his relationship with Nat and his mom. I could see as we got to the ending with the multiple epilogues that the story is heading into another part. The next book in this series, Everything We Give, expected to come out next July appears to bring us back to Aimee and Ian with a story for Ian. I can't wait!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this opportunity. And of course to Kerry Lonsdale for writing such great work. I look forward to many more awesome reads in the future.
This review as well as my others can be found at:
https://mcdawnreviews.wordpress.com/2017/07/05/everything-we-left-behind
hecksh's review against another edition
2.0
I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway (thank you). I paid for an upgrade for the audio version. However, upon reading reviews I first read Everything We Keep, the first in the series. Very good advice! I enjoyed the first book and was disappointed in this second in the series. However, I will still likely read the third book just to find out how it all wraps up.
I did not like the format of the flash backs between James and Carlos. I struggled to stay connected with the story line. However, the detail provided by the author paints compelling characters. Therefore I keep reading to find out what happens to them.
I did not like the format of the flash backs between James and Carlos. I struggled to stay connected with the story line. However, the detail provided by the author paints compelling characters. Therefore I keep reading to find out what happens to them.
lsmoore43's review against another edition
5.0
As much as I enjoyed the first book, Everything We Keep, this one was maybe a bit better even. It's a great series and I can't wait for the next one.
After all Aimee and James went through and lost I think this story made it all worthwhile. In a sense anyway. Aimee moved on and James is trying too, after awaking from being a totally different person.
I loved that he, James, was so forgiving towards his brother and so trusting with Natalya. His love for his boys is wonderful and so touching. All the stress and fear and anger James and his son Julian went through was sad but in the end it all worked out. James/Carlos was a wonderful dad who would have risked anything to keep his boys and the woman/women he loved safe.
I was very angry that his mother let him and Thomas suffer at the hands of their father. My opinion is there is never an excuse to allow that kind of abuse. She was by far no angel. I understand Phil's anger towards them all also. But was happy he learned from his mistakes.
Wonderful heartfelt story that had me from the first book and now I will be looking forward to the next one.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book very much, thus the stars. Great job Ms Lonsdale. Truly a wonderful story.
After all Aimee and James went through and lost I think this story made it all worthwhile. In a sense anyway. Aimee moved on and James is trying too, after awaking from being a totally different person.
I loved that he, James, was so forgiving towards his brother and so trusting with Natalya. His love for his boys is wonderful and so touching. All the stress and fear and anger James and his son Julian went through was sad but in the end it all worked out. James/Carlos was a wonderful dad who would have risked anything to keep his boys and the woman/women he loved safe.
I was very angry that his mother let him and Thomas suffer at the hands of their father. My opinion is there is never an excuse to allow that kind of abuse. She was by far no angel. I understand Phil's anger towards them all also. But was happy he learned from his mistakes.
Wonderful heartfelt story that had me from the first book and now I will be looking forward to the next one.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I loved this book very much, thus the stars. Great job Ms Lonsdale. Truly a wonderful story.
erinhasbooks's review
4.0
I absolutely loved Everything We Keep, it had me holding my breath and broke my heart for all the characters. So I was so happy to know that a sequel was coming from James perspective. This book was just as good as the first. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering what would happen. Thanks kerry for such a good conclusion to this heartbreaking story.
teresat's review
4.0
Great second installment
***SPOILER ALERT*** (IF YOU HAVENT READ EVERRYTHING WE KEEP) I received Everything We Keep as a free book from amazon prime and read it in a day. It was quick and very intriguing. Everything We Left Behind continues the story but from James'/Carlos' perspective. The book goes back and forth between present day (James) and up to six years prior when he was Carlos and had learned he really was not.
***SPOILER ALERT*** (IF YOU HAVENT READ EVERRYTHING WE KEEP) I received Everything We Keep as a free book from amazon prime and read it in a day. It was quick and very intriguing. Everything We Left Behind continues the story but from James'/Carlos' perspective. The book goes back and forth between present day (James) and up to six years prior when he was Carlos and had learned he really was not.