This is a follow on book from Everything we keep you need to read this first. I enjoyed the first book and it was nice to follow on the story. The first book was from Aimee's view and this one was James/Carlos's side. It was a love story with lots of different sides to it. It's hard to say too much without giving away spoilers but I definitely recommend both of these books.

I was excited to see this sequel released as I loved the original. This book did not disappoint! If you read the first book grab this one. If you missed it, get it now so you can read both!

Everything We Left Behind by Kerry Lonsdale is the sequel to her bestselling novel Everything We Keep. It picks up the story from the first book and tells James’ story from various perspectives and time periods. James has recently recovered from a state of temporary amnesia and he struggles to figure out who he is and how he got to where he is now. The author does an amazing job writing from so many perspectives; however, it was really hard to keep straight, especially if you have not read the first book. I enjoyed this book, even though it was hard to keep the plot straight and the main character was not very likeable. I only wish I had read the first book before this one. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

As soon as I finished Everything We Keep, I started reading this book. I loved the first one, but when I realized the second book would be featuring James/Carlos, I was all in. His story seemed so mysterious and after the first book had that crazy ending, I just had to know more about…what happened in Mexico.

You need to know that Everything We Left Behind by Kerry Lonsdale is a true sequel to Everything We Keep, which means that you shouldn’t read it without reading the previous book first. Otherwise: spoilers! Also, you if you haven’t read the first book and you proceed with this blog post, you may be spoiled a little. But I’ve tried to avoid that. You’ve been warned, okay?

Everything We Left Behind picks up with the epilogue of the first book and moves at a steady pace throughout. I really think the pacing is much better in this book than the first one, which is awesome. I never felt like I wanted to put the book down, not even once. It actually drove me crazy that I had to stop reading to go to sleep; as soon as I got up this morning, I picked it right back up and finished while I drank my coffee. I HAD TO KNOW THE ENDING. I just had to know.

I want to try to avoid discussing plot, because spoilers, but:

This book did a great job addressing many of the questions that I had after finishing the first book and it also answered a bunch of questions that I didn’t really know that I had. Some of it was a little bit painful to read because I know how I wanted things to be with these characters. But when I go back and think about it, I don’t really think my way would have worked! The way things ended up is so much better than I could have chosen.

I really felt torn at the ending of the first book [about how things were left], but I’m feeling really solid now.

In this book, there are dual perspectives: James and Carlos both tell the story. This helped me feel the confusion and anxiety that they both must have experienced along the way with their lost memories, with rebuilding their lives, when they found out about various betrayals, when they were trying to comfort the people they loved, etc etc etc. I think it made it easier to connect with them as characters and I love that. I felt a sense of being surrounded by the story, and I’m attributing this to having both James and Carlos tell it.

Also, sidenote, but I just want to say that I loved Natalya Hayes as a character. She shows up in both perspectives and is so seamlessly written that she never changes from the vantage point of the narrator. I’m not sure if that means a great deal here, since I’m trying not to spoil the plot for you all, but she is basically the only unchanging character in this book. The author excels at crafting and developing her characters, and it sticks out to me especially in the case of Natalya being written so well in this book.

Conversely, I really cannot stand Claire. I didn’t like her in the first book, and I like her so much less after finishing this second book. I never could find it in myself to connect with her in any way, and you know what? Sometimes it feels good to not like a character so much. So be it.

Now that I’ve read two of Ms. Londale’s books, I think I can safely say that I’m really into her writing style. She has this easy fiction with a slower, easier suspense and some mystery thrown in, and I love it. It kept me turning the pages until my eyes were burning and begging for me to stop.

So I think it’s fair to say that I’m definitely a fan of this author and I’m now DYING for more of this story. I was thrilled when I saw the note at the end of my copy of the book stating that there will be a third book, publishing in 2018. But oh the wait! I know it’ll be here before I know it, but right now it feels like forever.

5* Emotional Stars

After I read, “Everything We Keep” I was fortunate enough to dive straight into the sequel Everything We Left Behind. This is James’/Carlos’ story. It alternates between Carlos in the past and James in the present. It is full of feels and has you rooting for James to remember more of his life in Mexico (when he was Carlos) with his sons and his strong love for Natalya. I really loved Natalya and was glad to see her feature prominently in the book. It was also good to catch up with the other characters from the first book and the twist I did not see coming!

I cannot wait for the next installment, which is due in July 2018!

ARC provided by Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the continuation of the series "Everything We Keep". The first book dealt with Aimee who attended her fiance's funeral instead of her nuptials on her wedding day. This book tells us what really happened to James in Mexico. Well, eventually.

James is now Carlos and living in Mexico, has two sons, a deceased wife and owns an art gallery. He knows nothing of James. Freaky, but true.

Luckily, I had this book on my TBR pile right after I finished the first in the series. I picked it up right after finishing the first book. I could not wait. This one continued the flow, with some overlapping - which is to be expected, and I was right back into the story again. I'm not sure whether there will be more in this series. I could see that there could be. Telling the story of Aimee's life after finding James would be my guess if there is another book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series. This was the first time that I had read this author and will definitely be adding her name to the list of authors to read.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I found this a very annoying read! The way it kept flipping from one time to another was too distracting. I would have much preferred a continuous timeline. I inadvertently read the second volume first, but I will not be reading volume one.

I need a third book...now!! Everything we left behind is the sequel to Everything we keep. This book is very well written and you will feel very invested in them characters. This book is told from the perspective of James/Carlos instead of the previous book which focused more on Aimee's story. This book focuses on a man trying to figure out his life, fight for his family and find his truth. We learn some very shocking family secrets and see how much you are willing to do for the people you love. Bravo Kerry Lonsdale!

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion. I did not read the first book so I was a little lost at times. It was just okay for me.

After reading the first book in this series, we know that while James had been announced dead, he had actually been found injured in Mexico. He was in a dissociative fugue state and doesn’t remember his family, Aimee, or anything. He is told that his name is Carlos and marries fairly quickly. He adopts her son, they have a son but he becomes a widower upon the birth. His sister-in-law, Natalya, visits often to help with the boys and they develop a relationship.

He’s been dreaming and realizes in the first book that the color of blue eyes he was working to paint are actually Aimee’s eyes. He wants nothing to do with the past but after years go by he realizes that he could remember the past at any time but forget his current life. This aspect made for a very moving and poignant part of the story especially how it affects his sons.

Carlos comes up with a unique way to be able to recall some of the memories that he won’t remember. I was interested to learn that someone can be in a fugue state, return to their lives and also return to a fugue state. It was a little frightening to think about various things that can affect your mind.

Again, this story is at times quite slow and I believe it could have been combined with the first story and been better paced. It was interesting to have time periods vary and the POV from either Carlos or James. I had to make sure I read the heading for each chapter to figure the time period and if it was the original time period, the fugue state, or the current return to his life.

There is suspense but at times unbelievable. His meeting with Aimee as Carlos and then as James was quite poignant and brought tears to my eyes. His relationship with Natalya is put on hold as he no longer remembers her or the children.

There were several aspects that weren’t believable and the family drama continued. I was beginning to think that his mother had changed somewhat from when he was a child, but I still didn’t like her or her actions. Reading about some of the physical, mental and emotional abuse that James and his brother Thomas endured when they were children was difficult to read.

The story is quite sad for James, Aimee and Natalya with love, loss, and grief and finding a way to move forward with their lives.

I want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing the ARC.

I was so very excited for this sequel, you MUST read Everything We Keep before you read this book to fully understand the book. Everything We Left behind picks up where Everything We keep left off, except it focuses on James/Carlos the missing (presumed dead) husband of Aimee and tells the story in present and past from his point of view. Kerry's characters are so rich and some of the emotions are so raw and real, my heart breaks for the the things that could have been but I love that there is always some hope. I loved this book however I miss Ian and Aimee from the first book....but GOOD NEWS there is going to be a third book and now I am just patiently (or not so patiently) waiting to find out more about these characters that I have come to love! Thank you Kerry for another wonderful story!!!!

As above. I loved this first one and am rating the novel based on my admiration for the first novel, even though I could not complete this book because of technical difficulties.

The is the long awaited sequel to Everything We Keep! After patiently or not so patiently waiting for the release of Everything We Left Behind....I was not disappointed. Kerry Longsdale is my new favorite Author.
This sequel focuses on James (Carlos) .and his life once he regains his memories. The character development is thorough, you fall in love with them. You cry for them, you laugh with them, and want the best for them.

Read the books in order to get the full experience and wait there's more......YES book 3. The sequel to come out next summer and I can't wait!!!!

I received this book "Everything We Left Behind" from Netgalley for my honest review.

I was so happy to have read the first book "Everything We Keep" and immediately after I read this one "Everything We Left Behind". The story picks right up and Aimee and James' story continues. This is a book you just can't put down! I do want to know what happens to all the characters - love the kids. I did not know this was going to continue to a third book - can't wait to read it!

I'll start off by saying that this is a sequel and It's important to read the 1st book. I'm also excited to know that there will be a 3rd book! Great series here.

I enjoyed the way the book picked up, from the climax of the last book, it was a nice transition that gave us insight into James/Carlos' character, that tells us why he was a certain way. The plot kept moving, never a dull moment in this one and the twists kept coming. Fast paced and enjoyable, it's definitely one I recommend. The theme is constant and things wrap up nicely. Seeing how this followed the first nicely, I am excited to see what is to come in the 3rd book.

A huge thank you to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley, and Kerry Lonsdale for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the wonderful book: Everything We Keep, by Kerry Lonsdale. A beautifully crafted blend of emotional turmoil mixed with mystery and suspense. A story about grief, unconditional love and and finding the strength for moving forward, while reconciling a past and present that are full of surprises! A real page turner, I'm excitedly about to start the 2nd book in this series!

Kerry Lonsdale is one of my new favorite authors. A very insightful and thoughtful read,
This follow-up to "Everything We Keep" really concluded the story well. Although maybe
not the ending I expected, it was a comfort to see the resolution.

Like all the other reviews said...it is essential you do not read thing book without reading the first one, Everything We Keep. It will not make sense, you'll be lost and you won't like it. That being said...I didn't like it as much as Everything We Keep. It jumped around time wise so much that I got confused a lot, despite having read and loved the first one. It took me awhile to get into it, and I eventually did, but it just didn't hit the spot like the first one did. Perhaps I was anticipating it too much? Either way I liked it, was glad I read it, but...didn't love it.

Everything We Left Behind is the heart wrenching 2nd book in the Everything We Keep series. This book focuses on James/Carlos and his recovery from the dissociative fugue state (click here for a full explanation)that he had been in for 6 1/2 years. The reader is taken on a journey from Mexico to California to Hawaii as James struggles to come to term with what happened to him and trying to remember exactly what happened on that boat, 6 1/2 years ago.

My heart broke for James. I couldn’t even imagine waking up one day and having no memories of the past 6 1/2 years. No memories of Marcus’s birth or Julian’s adoption. No memories of his dead wife and no memories of Natalya. The only memories that he had were of Aimee and that was 6 years earlier. Thankfully, Carlos (James’s other identity while he was in the fugue) kept a diary and wrote everything down for 6 years. So when James started reading that diary, he was filled in on everything but still, it was a shock.

As much as Aimee annoyed me in Everything We Keep, I couldn’t help but feel bad for her. She resolved her feelings for James after finding him in Mexico while in the fugue. Then he comes back, 6 1/2 years later, with no memories and still madly in love with her. The scene where she shows up at James’s childhood home made me cry and then the scene at the graveyard where she showed James his headstone and told him that they could never be friends, that she was happily married with a child….again made me cry.

Normally, I hate it when the author chooses to go back and forth in time in a book. It drives me nuts because I can never follow along. But, in Everything We Left Behind, the author chose to change from 3rd person to 1st person….on top of heading the chapter with Carlos–three years ago or James—-present day. I was never confused about who I was reading about or what time period. Which was wonderful.

The whole Phil and Thomas storylines were also heartbreaking (a word I am using a lot in this book). Thomas is doing everything in his power to keep James safe and Phil, well let’s just say that what I thought about him totally changed at the end of the book and I looked at him in a different light.

The romance between Natalya and Carlos was breathtaking and all-consuming. I could understand where she was coming from when she kept turning him down every time he asked her to marry him. When/if he came out of the fugue, he wouldn’t know who she was. Even though they were completely in love with each other, she kept him at arm’s length. So when James and the boys came to stay with her, after finding out that Phil was out of jail, I could totally get how hard it was for her. How her heart was breaking and it was hurting to be near him. Totally get it.

I will say that the end of the book was pretty interesting. Mainly the part about how James came out of his fugue. Again, while some of the storylines were wrapped up, a few weren’t. I am hoping for book 3!!

How many stars will I give Everything We Left Behind: 4

Why: Great storyline with great characters.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes, but with a warning to read Everything We Keep first

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

If you read Everything We Keep, you may be curious about James. And if you didn't read it, you might want to save this review for later because it will contain spoilers. 

James has been living, as Carlos Dominguez, in Mexico in the grips of a dissociative fugue state for nearly seven years, presumed dead by most of the people he left behind (GET IT?) back in Los Gatos, California. A widower, he has two sons and a close relationship with his former sister-in-law Natalya. He's been told that his life as James can come back to him at any moment, so to help himself out, should that happen, he has been keeping diaries. Carlos is terrified that he will forget his sons and Natalya should James return.

And OF COURSE James returns. 

Fortunately for those diaries, which intercut throughout the book, James can learn about his Mexican life. The whole reason why his dastardly older brother left him in Mexico - his other dastardly, and also psychotic, older brother Phil - is about to be released from prison. So James's life is in no small amount of danger. 

As she did with Everything We Keep, Kerry Lonsdale presents James as a bit of a mystery himself, not to mention the mystery of what will happen when his true self returns. But this book is both smarmier (the Donato family is MESSED UP, almost to a soap operatic extreme) and flimsier than its predecessor. Lonsdale takes some shortcuts, particularly those involving Natalya. I think we're supposed to understand that True Love Never Dies. The message is certainly delivered with a heavy hand. 

I think that's my biggest issue with this book: it is written without the subtlety of Everything We Keep. I didn't love that book because the holes were so gaping, but Lonsdale fills those up with this one. You understand why James made Aimee keep those paintings hung on the wall, and you have a much stronger understanding of why Thomas did what he did. That particular character, though, remains undeveloped, and Phil remains a bizarre caricature. 

The thing about this book is that you do keep reading. You want to know what happens with James. Will he connect with his sons as James? Will he connect with Natalya? There are a couple of scenes involving Aimee intended to satisfy her fans. Will they? I don't know. I do know that Ian is my favorite character out of the whole bunch, and he deserves much better than what he gets.