I finally got a chance to read and review this Advance Readers Copy and I am so glad that I did. It was a heartwarming story with a mystery thrown in.

Christy Lynn is shocked by the news that her husband, a best-selling novelist, has been killed in an automobile accident. Even more shocking, he was not alone - he was with a beautiful 25 year old woman who was also killed. She begins her own investigation of who this woman was to her husband,which opens up many more secrets. As important as this storyline is, there is also a parallel storyline about Christy Lynn's terrible childhood and her struggles with her druggie mother.

The story was beautifully written and very touching as Christy Lynn puts her childhood in perspective and learns that some of the "nevers" in her life needed to be re-evaluated.

I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading others by this author.

I had thought that "When Never Comes" by Barbara Davis might have a bit too much romance for my liking but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the book was more than I thought and what romance there was suited the story and was not over done in the least.
Christy-Lynn is living a comfortable life as the dutiful wife of a very successful novelist far away from her nightmare of a childhood with a parent who was a drug addict and her own years as a teenage runaway. She learned that nothing is permanent and to be wary of everyone. Christy-Lynn's life abruptly changes when her husband dies in a horrific accident... but he was not alone. There was a mystery woman who also lost her life. Christy-Lynn is trying to put the pieces of her shattered life back together when the media finds out about the mystery blonde and she is forced to run again; this time from the media. She finds a temporary place to stay and decides to try to uncover who the woman was and why she was in the car that fateful night. Her search will lead her on a twisted path of truth and lies and to a little girl who desperately needs her help. The path comes full circle when Christy-Lynn has the chance to learn to forgive and to also open her own heart.

I have volunteered at a Children's Home for 15 years, and know many children who have been traumatized by the actions of their parents. Barbara Davis brings these issues to life in When Never Comes. It is a heart-wrenching story that kept me guessing with it's unpredictable twists and turns. Barbara Davis is masterful in developing characters we care about and root for, and others we hate. While everything that happens to Christy-Lynn, from addict parents to a near-perfect marriage that crumbles before her eyes upon her husbands tragic death. And it only gets worse. But Christy-Lynn finds a surprising way to overcome the lack of stability in her life. Page-turning, gut-wrenching, but ultimately uplifting read!

I really enjoyed this book. So many secrets and pain for everyone involved but yet they all ended up finding their place. Such a good book.

I received a copy of When Never Comes by Barbara Davis on Netgalley and this is my honest review.
I finished this book in a couple of days, it definitely held my attention. Really loved the main character Christy-Lynn. Barbara Davis wrote a beautiful story with characters that grew and changed by the end of the story. I would definitely recommend reading this if you enjoy stories about overcoming difficulties, keeping secrets and family.

The blurb of this book had me interested. I thought it was going to be this suspense, ah ha, I got you now kind of book you cheating husband. But it was so much different than that. This was a book about Christy-Lynn Parker (Christine Ludlow) who wakes up to the knock on the door from the local police to come identify her husband's body. But what she did not know is that he had been carrying on an affair with another woman, who was also to be identified. Thus, sets in motion the story of finding out who the mystery woman is, but more who Christy-Lynn Parker is.

Christy-Lynn Parker grew up in a less than ideal home, her mother was a drunk, druggie, couldn't hold down a job, couldn't provide a roof over their heads after so many months, and had numerous guys over. At 16 Christy-Lynne was forced into foster care, which after a traumatic event, ran away and lived on the streets for two years. She eventually met the novelist Stephen Ludlow and turned her into Christine Ludlow, woman of many secrets.

When Stephen dies, and the news crews are too much, she escapes to Sweetwater, Virginia, where she befriends the local bed and breakfast owner, Missy (love it when your name is a character in a book), and sets down roots. She buys the local bookstore and house, and sets up what she feels is the ideal escape from life as Christine Ludlow. Little did Christy-Lynn know her dead husband's college roommate also lives in Sweetwater, a former newspaper reporter. Eventually, Christy-Lynn requests his help in finding who this mystery woman was in her husband's car. What she finds, shakes her, but makes her realize you never know what is behind that door unless you open it, something Missy told her. Once that door opens, Christy-Lynn learns about life, love, and that being alone isn't always the best.

I certainly enjoyed this book, thank you to NetGalley and Barbara Davis for letting me preview this book and for my honest review. I would recommend this book to my fellow readers based on the fact that even though life is not always good in the beginning, you can make it better, just by opening a door.

I unfortunately did not enjoy this book. The premise of the novel sounded fascinating, but only a few chapters put in and I was put off by the amount of what seemed unnecessary cursing and vulgarity.

I liked this book, I didnt love it. It is well written and the characters are well developed. It was rather emotional but not what I was looking for. I thought it was a good story but I so wanted to love it. Thanks to netgalley for the advanced copy the opinions in this review are my own

The author did an amazing job of capturing the pain that a woman who suffers an unstable childhood carries with them into adulthood and the damage it can cause to their future relationships. I love how the author wrote this, as it was realistic and shed light on why some have a hard time accepting happiness in their lives.

I'm a big fan of Barbara's previous books, but didn't like the overly melodrama tone in this one. From the very beginning with the detective, showing the grieving widow the body of the other woman, everything just seemed over the top.

This story was a tear jerker, the scars from childhood that we try to cover up and hide, are so real. This is a quick summer read, if that is what you’re looking for. This book sucked me in and fast. This is the first book that I’ve read by this author and I will be readin many more.
This story was a all around great read, nice story line, great characters.
Thank you #netgalley

When Never Comes was just ok, I thought us was going to be a mystery, but it was more of a romance/finding myself book. The book started out interesting and then half way I found myself skimming through just to finish it.

This book was a very nice read. Good character development and a story that kept me guessing. Very nice I had trouble setting it aside when I needed to. Look forward to more by this author!

This book was a heart wrenching story of love, loss, redemption, family dynamics, hope, etc. a wonderful story that has you anticipating what will happen in the end. You'll learn a lot about Christy-Lynn/Christine and her past life. As she begins to open the door to relationships with the people around her, she'll start to reveal more of what makes her so reserved and hold back on developing deep friendships. But you'll also begin to see what a wonderful person is hidden behind the facade she shares with the world.

Lots of family issues that will tug at your heartstrings. The characters are well developed and you will find yourself personally involved in their lives. You will either love or hate them, but no matter which emotion is most prevalent, you will feel it strongly...there's no holding back!

I am looking forward to reading another book by this author. She does a great job of making you invested in the story and anxious to discover the outcome.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Having never read a Barbara Davis novel before, I wasn't sure what to expect. But, after reading this one, I will definitely be checking out other titles she has written or will write.

I rooted for Christy-Lynn, the friendships she forges in her new life, and for Iris--the child who changes everything she's ever known or considered.

This is for any reader who wants a solid story about creating a family with the people around you, for a spot of intrigue, and for getting it right in the end.

I received an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

This book pulls you in and takes you places you never expect to go. It’s filled with ups and downs. Escape then happiness. Betrayal but forgiveness, eventually. How one woman can overcome fears to love a child. Great characters. Great story. Lots of emotion. I honestly loved this book and look forward to reading more. All I’ve read have been very good.

Thank you #NetGally #Lake Union.
A 5 star book again.

I loved the writing of this book. It kept me turning pages one after the other. I'm glad I was able to read this book.

"'How can you not believe in never? It's just a word.' 'No,' Missy said firmly. It isn't. It's all the doors we keep shut. It's the places we won't let ourselves go, the things we won't let ourselves have or be, because we don't think we're good enough or strong enough for more.'"

The only thing keeping me from giving this hope-filled book 5 stars is how long it took me to get into the story. I crawled through those first 40 pages. And the thing is, the beginning is really interesting, so at first I didn't know why I wasn't snatching the book back up. Later I realized that I didn't connect with Christine in the beginning. At all. In fact, I found her detached and pretty devoid of emotion. Which of course, was true.

But once Christine transformed herself to Christy-Lynn, I began to understand her and connect with her. In fact, I really liked her. She discounts herself at every turn, as most of us do. So we, as the reader, continue to hope that she will learn to see herself the way we see her, the way Wade sees her. Finding this in a character makes her feel like a friend that I'm pulling for.

There were a few things that didn't add up. (Why wouldn't Wade pull out his original work instead of leaving it up to word against word? Why does Christy-Lynn think no one has done anything kind for her in a long time when he's been cooking her dinners?) And most of the surprising revelations I saw coming. But in a book like this, predictability doesn't even matter.

I'm drawn to books that feel important, that speak a message. It's the kind of books I write, and it's the kind of books I love the most. This book spoke a deep message to never give up on ourselves and to never let the past define us.

5* “Two Pieces of the Same Heart” Stars

I loved this book from the first page until the last page was read and will pull at your heartstrings.

The story was realistic and flowed well. I felt for Christy-Lynn and how she struggled to let go of her guilt and regret thus punishing herself from moving forward and being deserving of love and to love. The mental and physical scars from her childhood had closed doors she never thought would open again. With the support and love from her new friends, a selfless grandmother and an unexpected little girl named Iris the doors are slowly opened.

The secondary characters in the book, except for “Reverend Ray” were very likable and believable. I enjoyed that the story also had romance to it.

I highly recommend this wonderful story of friendship, love, hope and forgiveness.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, and to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars for this great read. This is a captivating contemporary story. This was a book to read cover to cover.
This is the story of a book editor married to a famous author. Their life seems idyllic until his car goes off a bridge and he dies. However that is just the beginning of the nightmare for his widow.. As the mystery comes to light the book masterfully delves into the human conscience and emotions.
AI hesitate to give to much away as this is so delicious, so well crafted and such a good read. I think every reader should experience for themselves. I highly recommend this book for your reading enjoyment.
I look forward to further work by the author. This is one of my favorite books of the year and I can understand why it was one of Amazon's top digital downloads. A excellent read that is part mystery,, part thriller and part heartwarming story of starting over amid difficulties.
Thank you with gratitude for the ARC which did not influence my review.