Carin Frost has a great career. She has ten-year-old son and her husband is basically a stay-at-home dad. For all intents and purposes, Carin is the bread-winner of her family. Carin works long hours to be successful and feels the pressure of knowing her family depends on her income. Carin seems to be on-the-fence about where her marital relationship is headed…and/or whether or not it fulfills her as a woman. On top of that, Carin’s mother has recently passed away. To add injury to insult, Carin’s beloved dog dies. And if you are an animal lover, you can probably understand how that might, quite literally, be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

At this point in her life, Carin seems to be emotionally adrift. Although there is no a financial issue, Carin simply stops paying the bills. She just keeps working and pretty much nothing else. It is now clear that Carin is breaking down mentally and feels alone and bereft. She is under extreme emotional pressure and is in trouble. Carin loves her son. But her feelings about her husband are mixed. I would say she loves him, but not in the way she should. And, to me, it does not appear that he even realizes how far gone Carin is at this point. He's not a bad guy...just probably not the right guy for Carin.

In the midst of all this, Matias comes into Carin’s life. Matias is a man who, much like Carin, is feeling family pressure. His prominent, wealthy family expects him to marry the woman to whom he is engaged. However, Matias is not in love with his fiancé. Matias is completely taken with Carin and begins to pursue her.

There is so much more to say about The Year I Left, but that is better left for the reader to discover. This story is full of emotion, sometimes overwhelming indeed. I can't say for sure what emotions you will feel, but I can promise you that you will feel. And a great story is one that makes the reader feel. The Year I Left storyline affected me deeply.

Oh I hope the rumors aren’t true that this is this author’s last book she is going to write! She definitely has a talent for writing. I loved this, so well done.

How does one begin to detail how a book of this magnitude has made such a deeply emotional impact on my life.

This story delves into the life of Carin. Successful business woman, mother of one, married ten years and with all the materialistic things money can buy. Just because things look great on the surface doesn't mean a person isn't hurting or broken. Carin knows she hasn't felt whole for a long time but how do you destroy those around you to find your own inner peace.

Matais feels like he is struck by lightning when he first encounters Carin. Neither one knowing they will be seeing a lot more of each other. The draw to her is so profound but they both know the line they tread can be a thing of destruction.

A catastrophic event occurs and Matais ask Carin to do something she never dreamed of doing but she must decide if her own life and peace of mind is what must take precedence over all else. Her decision has the ability to have a ripple effect on those who love her and in the end their love may end up being beautifully wrecked.

The Year I Left is a beautiful gem that I know will be lingering in my mind for a long time and is definitely in my top reads of 2019!!

**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

This book bored me to death, and I skimmed a lot. I could not connect with the characters, and the story lacked flow.
Even at the beginning of the book, I found it odd that he mentions he has been meaning to see her in Chicago for business, and then moments later asks her if she lives in California?
I seriously did not see the point of this book.

I absolutely loved this novel. The characters and the narrative were in sync. This is the first novel that Ms. Brae has written that I've thoroughly enjoyed. Flawless fiction.

This was a very heartfelt novel.
The characters were very likable and personable.
I experienced several different emotions: sadness, anger but most of all happiness.
This was an enjoyable read.
Thanks NetGalley and Vesuvius Books for the ARC.

The Year I Left is a story for anyone who's ever felt lost and adrift in a life that no longer gives them what they need to thrive and grow and feel alive. A story for anyone who's ever felt the need for something more out of life. A story for anyone who's ever yearned for something they can't define or grasp but know they need like their next breath. It would be easy to say this is a story for women . . . and I suppose it is. But truthfully, I think it applies to both men and women. It's a story for anyone who's ever asked themselves the question: Is it ever okay to put your own personal needs first . . . especially if they come at the expense of loved ones?

Carin Frost is a wife, mother, and successful career woman who appears to have it all - fabulous home, business, and lifestyle, gorgeous devoted husband and child. So why is she so unhappy and unsatisfied with her life? Carin is sleep-walking through life, going through the motions and playing her expected role while silently screaming for help. Until she meets her new business partner Mattias Torres - a man who gives her a taste of the life she can have if she's willing to give it and him a chance. A co-business trip to Southeast Asia results in a life or death situation where a split-second joint decision drastically changes both their lives. For the first time in forever, Carin feels alive. But can she live with the consequences of her actions?

This is my first book by Christine Brae, and I'm highly motivated to seek out more. Her lyrical, descriptive writing style enhances this emotionally charged story that I think will hit close to home for many. Brae tackles some tough issues like depression, responsibility to others as well as to ones self, resentment, guilt, and redemption - all part of life choices and lessons. Told in a unique voice that reads like a journal written by Carin, The Year I Left conveys a range of emotions from deep sadness to giddy joy and everything in between. The author delivers some life lessons through Carin and Mattias's story with reminders that you can't continuously live your life for everyone else at the expense of your own happiness; however, for every action, there is a reaction that includes living with the consequences. Every individual must decide if true personal happiness is worth any cost. What some will view as a selfish choice may feel like a lifeline to others. The Year I Left is a poignant, heartfelt romance that touched this reader's heart and soul, still resonating within me days after I read the final page. I'll add here (without spoilers) that I loved the way the author chose to end this story, leaving readers a little leeway to interpret the ending. This is a fantastic Must Read for anyone who's ever wondered if they're truly living life to the fullest!

On a macro level this is a great story. The struggle of the main character dealing with death and accepting the monotony of her life draws out sympathy for her. At some point we all question if what we have is enough and could things be different. The story moves along at a good pace. You are always wondering what the outcome is going to be and hope at the end of it all she finds peace with her life and with herself..
On a micro level, the main is selfish and needy. The love interest is like an overgrown baby. She takes for granted her relationship with her husband and her sister. It takes a man coming into her life for her to realize that there might be something wrong with her perfect life. He also has a perfect life and just can't seem to make up his mind. How does someone make such a big life decision without knowing anything about the man she is going to change everything for? That makes no sense to me. for someone so put together professionally how does she make such an irrational decision?
The struggles of metal hearth are real. If the story elaborated more on that and not so much how she was just being selfish and making decisions without understanding how it would affect all the people in her life one might be more sympathetic to her crisis.
The book is well written, you fell, taste, smell everything that is happening. It is a sweet story. I am thankful I was given the opportunity to read this, since this is the first book I have read by this author. I look forward to reading more in the future.

This book is definitely a conversation starter (or ender) and not for everyone. There will be people who think Carin was selfish in her quest to find herself, while others will praise her. I enjoyed this book, but also felt like I shouldn't have. I should have been outraged at the mere premise of this book, and should have felt that Carin's struggle, while real, was simply of her own doing. Unhappy in your marriage? Change it. Depressed? Get help.

That being said, I really did enjoy this book. I won't say I identify with Carin at all, however the writing was so beautiful and evocative, I felt every feeling Carin did, right along with her. Her feelings for Matias were real at the time; even if he served more as an escape for her. His character was not for me though, I thought he was written too over the top, almost comically so for my taste.

I enjoyed the writing and plot. There wasn't anything extra added to simply spice up the novel. What was hard for me to look pass were the two main characters. They both annoyed me and their actions were hard to look pass.
Thank you for the ARC

Excuse me as I mourn the loss of finishing this book.

UGH IT WAS SO GOOD! I didn’t want it to end and the love of Carin and Matias just I can’t. Carin is a strong women and my heart broke for her with all the losses she was going through and feeling like she’s the only responsible person in her marriage. Jake I felt should have done more and been more inclined to help his wife to go see a doctor, but I feel like she needed this blow up of a fight. All the feelings in this one and I’m so glad I got this ARC from NetGalley. I can’t wait to buy it!

When I read the blurb for The Year I Left, I was intrigued. A woman suffering from the loss of her mother meets a younger man who sweeps her off her feet. That meeting sets off a series of events that turn her world upside down. That made me go “Hrmmm” and decide to read the book.

I was disappointed by The Year I Left. The book did deliver on what the blurb promised. But, it was the characters that didn’t do it for me.

I did enjoy how The Year I Left was written. It was told in 2nd person and 1st person. I have read a few books where 2nd person was used successfully. The Year I Left was one of those books. Carin’s story was written as journal entries to Matias for the year they spent together. The 1st person part of the book was told from Matias’s point of view after that year had ended. It made The Year I Left a compelling read for me.

Along with how the book was written, I did like the plotline. It was simple and to the point. The author didn’t add drama to spice the plotline up. What Carin and Matias did was enough.

The author was able to keep the plotline’s pace for the entire book. There was no lag or slowing down of plotline. There were a few minor plotlines that were merged into the main plotline throughout the book.

As much as I saw promise and like the plotline, I couldn’t stand the main characters. Unfortunately, that colored my perspective of the book.

Let’s start with Carin. I could not stand her. I understand that her mother’s death and then her dog’s death a few months later scarred her mentally. I could understand her falling into a deep depression. Heck, I could even understand her not paying her bills and ruining her credit. But what I couldn’t understand is how she checked out on her son and husband. The scenes she had with them, she barely interacted with them. When Matias came into the scene, she was all about him. When he showed up on Carin’s mother/son trip to England, she ignored her son and showered Matias with her attention. When she decided to disappear with Matias, she didn’t think about how it would affect her son. As a mother, it made me sick.

I couldn’t stand Matias either. He knew that Carin was married and he still pursued her. If it were only that, I would have been OK with him. But he border lined stalked her. He texted and called her nonstop. Even after she asked him to stop. But it was when they decided to disappear that my annoyance with him morphed into dislike. He could see how much Carin missed her son. Instead of being compassionate and urging her to contact him, he threw a fit like a toddler. I also forgot to mention that he cheated on his fiancee with Carin. All that stuff together made me not like him.

The end of the book was interesting. But, because of what I thought about Matias and Carin, I couldn’t enjoy it. Matias also started acting like he did at the beginning of the book. Again, strong stalker vibes going on. Also, the epilogue didn’t do it for me. I didn’t believe it.

I would give The Year I Left an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I don’t know if I would reread The Year I Left. I do not know if I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

I started this book with sincere enthusiasm. But it went fading away before getting into the first half of it. In a way, I wasn't able to discover the characters perspective. Some books are for certain readers, and others are not. This one was not my cup of tea. However, the writing was good and I hope it will bring pleasure to other readers.

5* Very Real Stars

This was a beautifully well-written book which will affect you in every emotionally way possible.

The story of Carin Frost’s life is very real and heartfelt. She is overwhelmed in her roles as wife, mother and successful CEO. You could feel her depression in her everyday activities and how broken she was becoming and added to this how she was struggling to come to terms with loosing her beloved mother.

When she meets Matias her darkness starts to lift and light begins to filter in. Rash decisions are made with huge sacrifices. The characters in the book were very likeable and real. I especially loved Carin's friendship with Diana, and how it grew.

The epilogue was a bonus and very welcomed.

The cover of the book is beautiful and I highly recommend this wonderful deeply emotional read.

Many thanks to Vesuvian Books and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

A lovely book, a woman's midlife crisis, resenting everything and everyone. She goes to rock bottom and is pulled back from the brink.

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

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I struggled with this book but I couldn't put it down. As I was reading it, I kept thinking what is it about this book and I wanted to stop reading it because it just wasn't making any sense to me. But after reading it, came an understanding that this is what grief and depression are, it makes no sense, it is hard to understand and we don't know what we or someone going through this will do. I think I kept reading this book because having lost so many family members that I always just felt like I was in a fog but by reading this book, it gave me a better understanding of what I had gone through. Instead of just remembering the fog, the book shed light on grief and depression.

Christine Brae never fails to craft a satisfying story, and in this one, she's surpassed her previous works. Brae does a fine job of conveying the pain and loss of being broken for so long, the need to come back to life, that point you get to where fear doesn't close the door all the way, and you can be bold. The narrative is especially stellar with its tiny sensory details that give the reader the sense of really being there, and that allows us to connect with the characters to a much greater degree. I love it when an author earns all of the raves he or she gets from a fandom, and if this were my first Brae book, I'd have to seek out and read all the others.

Christine Brae is a new to me author and I found her voice very pleasing. The Year I Left is very well written and packed with emotion. I'm hoping to read more by this author soon.