Sweet romance story that kept my interest! I found this to be a quick read and enjoyed the plot with the mystery theme included!

This was an interesting and sweet story that kept me reading. The main plot is about Leonie’s search for Nathan and Helena so she can try and reunite the couple and also give back the letters she finds. With twists and turns in the development of the story, even if it was going a bit slow, and vivid descriptions of San Francisco places, I thoroughly enjoyed reading till the end which I liked. This is my first book by Melissa Hill and it won't be my last.

The First Day Without You by Melissa Hill is a romance, but much more complicated than commercial romances usually are and is really two romances. Leonie Hall has run from a failed engagement, all the way from Dublin to San Francisco. She had the savings to survive for a while so she immediately looked for an apartment. A job would come later. She found the ideal apartment in a renovated Victorian home. She would have the top floor. But, she had to wait because the previous tenants had not yet completely moved. When she finally got in and was cleaning, in the back of a wardrobe shelf, she found a small wooden box fun of unopened letters. She put it aside and kept cleaning. One day while she was wandering the streets of her neighborhood she saw a “Help Wanted” sign in a florist shop, entered, inquired, and was hired. She knew nothing about flowers but she could learn. It was nearly Valentine’s Day so they were busy. One order came in for delivery that was in her building so she offered to deliver it when she left. That was how she met Alex, who it turned out, was the producer of a daily segment shown on the news. It was something not normally covered and was very popular. She had severe hay fever and so was not thrilled with the flowers, but she was happy to meet Leonie. As the women got to know one another, they shared stories. And what stories they were!

Leonie and Alex were both in their thirties, career women, but women who wanted loved. Both had been hurt. Their deepening friendship and their bonding over finding the truth behind the letters Leonie had found, strengthened their belief in love, but didn’t help at all in finding it, until they found her and heard her story. Then everything fell into place. Alex had used the letters as a topic for one of her newscasts and finally someone who was real stepped forward. This was a sweet and very consuming story of two young women and their woes. Both ended up finding what they were looking for, although not where they thought they would. It was carefully plotted and wonderfully written with intriguing characters, as well as the two main ones. I totally enjoyed it!

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The First Day Without You by Sourcebooks Landmark, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SourcebooksLandmark #MelissaHill #TheFirstDayWithoutYou

This was my first Melissa Hill novel and wow I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed the character development, banter, and breadcrumbs of tension laced throughout the novel. Also as a northern California native her description of San Francisco was spot on!
It begins with Leonie leaving Dublin to create some space from her fiance. She finds an apartment to rent in an old Victorian home where she meets Alex and forges a close friendship while she also finds unopened letters from Nathan to Helena. Both Alex and Leonie search high and low for the parted lovers while also dealing with their own love lives. The tension amongst the couples and solving the mystery kept me reading until the very last page.
I highly enjoyed it!

Melissa Hill's THE FIRST DAY WITHOUT YOU was a marvelous read for me, up too late delving through the questions raised when a young woman discovers old letters and is captivated by them. The character's insights and perspective were spot on and the love story was lovely. Such a luscious read! I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

A little backstory: I requested this arc thinking how good the plot sounded only to realize that this book had been on my tbr for years, and this was a new edition re-release of it. Talk about killing 2 birds with one stone!

Honestly, this book was so wholesome & emotional. I'm glad I finally read it. Leonie is set on unveiling the mystery about the letters with her new friend/neighbor, Alex, while dealing with traumas of her own.

I loved how the stories were connected & woven together. The writing was very clever & at times you don't realize what scene is going to be next.
There were 3 different plots going on side by side, which made me confused at times, and the only reason I'm taking away a star. But the ending was perfection with 3 HEAs! It was so heartfelt and satisfying.

Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful and heart wrenching. I will definitely be recommending this to my students! It gripped me from the beginning and kept me reading without wanting to take breaks. Just overall a really beautiful story.

This is a story that’ll take you on multiple little detours! Following three couples and a box of unopened love letters, initially I was questioning exactly how it all would connect. The story was a tad long-winded at times, but oh my! My heart was left so satisfied and full after finishing.

Forgiveness (and in turn second chances) was the theme of this one. I was so invested in the flashbacks and mystery surrounding Leonie and Adam, piecing together what exactly caused Leonie to flee from Dublin to San Francisco. And it did not disappoint. I absolutely relished in their drama!

As Leonie meets Alex, a neighbour also dealing with relationship troubles, I loved the adventure the box of letters takes them on—but especially how the letters somewhat act as a reflection for each of their own complicated relationships. A super clever unfolding of three love stories with an ending that hit me in all the feels! I adored it.

The First Day Without You by Melissa Hill seems to be a re-release formerly titled Please Forgive Me. Having not read the former book I can’t say if it has been updated or revised. This women’s fiction story centers around a bundle of letters found by the main character, Leonie Hayes when she moves to California. Alex Fletcher, a new friend and she are intrigued enough to search out the writer and the one to whom the unopened letters were written.

Leonie is running from her problems that need to be dealt with so that she can move forward in her life. Alex has problems of her own too. These two are not quite as interesting as the mystery surrounding the letters. Finding them, searching out what happened nd the key players of those letters is what kept me reading.

A romantic mystery that is interesting especially with the letters end with the writer asking for forgiveness. What forgiveness is needed?

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The First Day Without You by Melissa Hill is a romance with a mystery that revolves around a romance element.

Set in mainly San Francisco and references to Dublin, this novel revolves around Leonie, Alex, their partners, and a mystery couple. Without revealing the spoilers, I want to say that all three stories are different but at the same time are very similar. The locale of San Francisco is charming.

I enjoyed reading this book. A little shorter would be ideal, but I still enjoyed it. I still wonder why Leonie could not handle her issues by staying in Dublin, but when are couple dynamics straightforward? This novel will be published on November 7th, 2023.

CW: References to infidelity, not parent expected

Thank you, Sourcebooks Landmark @bookmarked and Netgalley, for this book.

What a great story about friendship, love and forgiveness. Add to that an interesting mystery and you have a compelling read! Thanks #NetGalley

I wasn’t a fan. I enjoyed the finding of the love letters and love story being told through their history. But I found the characters to be very frustrating especially the fmc. Running doesn’t do anything.

This was a sweet romance involving finding the owners of some discovered love letters from the past.

Description:
Leonie has left behind everything and everyone she loves for a fresh start in California. Desperate to outrun the mess she's come from, she hopes the change of scenery can mend her broken heart and bury her secrets forever. But when she discovers a bundle of unread love letters hidden in the back of a wardrobe in her new apartment, she is intrigued by the mystery behind them...and can't help but notice the similarities between them and her own story.

With the help of her new friend Alex, a news reporter toting around baggage of her own, Leonie embarks on a quest down the West Coast to find the ill-fated lovers from the letters and reunite them, whatever it takes. Even if it means confronting the hurt she's buried deep within herself. Because if the couple behind the love letters can find a happy ending, then perhaps she just might too.

My Thoughts:
This is a sweet mystery involving finding the people involved with the old love letters Leonie found in her apartment. I thought it was awfully nice that she was so determined to find the owners of the letters. I enjoyed the friendship between Leonie and Alex. The setting of San Franciso was nice with all the landmarks appearing and the feel of the city was prevalent. I liked the way the story ended as well. The story is mostly told my Leonie and Alex. The story is told mostly in the present, in San Francisco, with some from Leonie's past in Dublin, Ireland.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 7, 2023.

I thought the settings of San Fran And Dublin. But I did find it a little slow and confusing at times. I think wished that the ending wasn’t so predictable

One that might be hit or miss, depending on how you feel about Leonie. Leonie has fled her fiance and Dublin for reasons that won't be revealed until deep in the novel. Now in San Francisco, she's determined to find out what happened between Nathan and Helene after she finds a packet of letters in her apartment in which Nathan begs for forgiveness. She enlists Alex, her neighbor, in the quiet. Alex has an issue of her own which, again, won't be revealed for a long time. It's got good San Francisco atmospherics and an emotional tone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for a rainy day.

3.5 ⭐

The unraveling of the mystery is wonderful, as is the message about healing and reconciliation. The two main female characters became fast friends and filled a necessary gap in each other’s lives. The friendship fostered personal growth and allowed them to navigate their past. I can see this as a Hallmark movie.

Readers get introduced to three couples and soon discover that they’re interconnected by a box of unopened letters.

Leonie Hayes arrives in San Francisco heartbroken and while cleaning out her new rental before moving in, finds a box of letters. After snooping, she’s determined to find out more about the couple in the letters. Someone is begging for forgiveness, yet the mail remains unopened.

Alex Fletcher lives downstairs from Leonie and the two soon become focussed on Leonie’s quest. Alex needs something to take her mind off her difficult relationship challenges.

Helena Abbott is the recipient of the letters and it becomes obvious that someone named Nathan is pining after her.

This story wasn’t as instantly heartwarming as Hill’s latest book. I’m not sure if it was because it was a rewrite of a 2009 book or if I had high expectations. Don’t get me wrong, it was enjoyable, but it lacked something in comparison to Something From Tiffany’s. I felt the plot lagged a little, the closure of the modern relationships a little unbelievable, and I became frustrated with the lack of context clues and timeline hopping. I think this can be helped by the names of the different POVs on the titles, or at the least, time clues provided for each chapter title. I kept reading because I needed to discover if Alex and Leonie (1) located Helena and (2) if they were able to fix their own relationships in the process.

I was gifted this copy by Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Thank you for the opportunity ton read the arc for my honest review. I liked the book but I didn't love it. I felt it was longer than necessary. The characters were ok but a tad over the top with drama. I enjoyed Leonie and Alex's friendship. And I loved the story of the long lost letters. The pace was good, th characters just meh.

I love a love story and I love one that involves OLD SCHOOL LETTERS! The mystery element here was so well done and beautiful. I loved the SF setting and truly just found this to be a comfort read in all the right ways.

The First Day Without You was a heartfelt story about second chance at love and friendships. Leonie runs away from her fiancé to San Francisco. While hiding from her past, she discovers love letters written by Nathan to his love, Helena. She meets Alex and they form a friendship while trying to solve the mystery of the letters. Along the way, the two girls realize the meaning of forgiveness which helps them move forward with their lives. I enjoyed reading about all three different relationships and loved the ending. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was super long winded but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. I loved reading about the friendship of Leonie and Alex. When I got to the part about the true story of Nathan and Helena I was absolutely shocked! If you want a cute story about long lost love and recovering from heartbreak then this story is for you!