4 ⭐
The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff

As an End-of-Life Doula, I was instantly drawn to the description of The Days I Loved You Most. I mean, a love story so deep that one can't possibly live without the other? I had to know more and so begins my deep dive into the love story of Joseph and Evelyn through decades of happiness and sorrow (this is where the author gets real, it's not always sunshine and laughter).

Be prepared for a story that bounces back and forth in time as well as POV's. Relationships between spouses, mothers and daughters, siblings and events such as 9/11 are discussed with raw emotion. The setting is mostly on a CT shoreline, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about familiar landmarks. While tempting to read the ending quickly, I'd advise to relish this slowly to better process what happens to our lead characters.

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row and Netgalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are authentically my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I. Am. Not. Crying.

Okay, I’m crying. This is a beautiful love story and a testament to how a relationship changes over time. It’s about Evelyn and Joseph and their family. After Evelyn gets a devastating diagnosis, she and her husband tell their children not only about it but their intention to live one final year together before ending their lives together. Thus begins a family saga from their teenage years during WWII, through childbirths, raising children, and growing old. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once. But reader beware of heavy themes in this book.

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I had no idea what this was about when I started, and once I realized, it immediately ruined the writing and characters. I couldn't finish this because 1) how selfish and 2) it was so repetitive.

Unfortunately I just could not get into this book.. the beginning caught my attention and then it was downhill from there. I really wanted to love it because I’ve seen such great reviews but sadly it just wasn’t it for me

Take a deep breath as you begin this title. The story opens with a husband and wife telling their adult children that they plan to end their lives in exactly one year. They have their reasons although Jane, Violet and Thomas are in no way accepting when they hear this. The novel takes off from there.

In these pages readers get to know Joseph and Evelyn over the course of their lives, beginning when they were kids. They move together through the significant events in their lives, their children’s lives and those around them.

The story is told by different characters and in different time lines. This allows readers to experience past events as they were happening.

Will Evelyn and Joseph move ahead with their plans? Read this emotional title, get to know the characters, see what they decide and see what you think.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

Get swept up in the love story in Amy Neff's The Days I Loved You Most. Evelyn and Joseph, both in their 70s, have made the decision to end their lives together after some devastating health news. They agree to live out one more year with their children and grandchildren, and then that's it. They can't imagine living without each other.

What a love, huh? But as we learn through chapters that take us back into the past, there were times when that love was tested... and almost never got started.

In these past chapters, we see how a marriage falters and gets back on its feet. We see how Joseph and Evelyn's relationship influenced their children - for good or bad.

And we see how we can never predict the future.

This was a lovely love story that would be a great book club read.

The Days I Loved You Most is published by Park Row and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC for this review.

This book was so lovely. I absolutely loved the story and all of the characters. It was heartfelt, yet it discussed important topics and made me think about my own life and relationships. I enjoyed the timeline jumps and learning more about Evelyn and Joseph throughout the years and the different personalities/stories of their children. And finally, I was pleased with the ending and the resolution to the story. This book really made me think and feel which is what I'm looking for in a great novel. One of the best books I read this year!

This book is a love story, an end of life story, a family story, a best friend story.

As a wife that deeply loves her husband. As a mom that fiercely loves her children. As a daughter that devastatingly lost her mom to a terminal illness - there was so much I could relate to. But not everything. I strongly disagreed with the main characters plan to end their lives together. But I loved it as a premise and launching point for this book. The alternating timeline from past to present worked perfectly allowing me to see how they became the couple and family they are now. The multiple points of view allowed me to see how they arrived at this plan as the only possible option. This family has faults and problems like every family. Their love for each other runs deep.

The tears just fell at many points throughout the book. I’ll never tell how many tissues I required.

This reminded me of a version of The Notebook, So sweet and touching- fans of the romance genre will enjoy!

Wow! This has my heart aching! This wasn’t a book to me, it was a family’s story! This story is now a part of me! I’m left feeling for these people, not characters! I know in my head they’re not real! Oh but my heart wonders how this family is coping! Only a true reader will understand how I’m feeling right now! My heart is aching but in the best way possible

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this. I recently read a debut novel set in a generational seaside inn, where a couple faces a devastating diagnosis. Despite some moral reservations about the storyline, I found the author's portrayal of the complexities of marriage and family life to be authentic. The ending was perfect, but I don't want to give spoilers!

“The choice to leave is not one you can take back. You need to be sure there isn’t a more important reason to stay.”

The days I spent with this book swept me away. It’s romantic but real. Heartbreaking but redemptive. This family and their love story will be on my mind for a long time. 🤍

I’ll also be sharing about this book on my upcoming Meg’s Reading Room podcast episode on 8/28/24.

Perfect portrait of an imperfect family where each flawed character is loved. This novel tells two stories. The first is the story of a family and how they grew and changed over decades. The second is the story of a family dealing with a rapidly degenerative health diagnosis for their spouse/mother/grandmother.

Evelyn and Joseph are the perfect loving couple. They have been married for more than 60 years and have overcome the many obstacles life have thrown a them. Life has not always been kind or easy for them. In the present (2001), Evelyn is diagnosed with stage 4 Parkinson's. She is declining quickly and has made the decision to die with dignity instead of allowing her family to watch her lose herself. She informs her family that she has chosen her death day to take place in a year’s time and Joseph has decided he will be joining her. The novel weaves time as the origin story of the family is unfolded and how each member deals with the current situation. Each member has to come to terms with what is happening and what will come.

I greatly enjoyed this story. The characters were real and flawed. Mistakes were made. No one was perfect. The character arcs and growth were beautiful to see. Each of Evelyn and Joseph's children believed they had a fairy tale romance, but as their history is revealed we see things were not always what they seemed and how you have to fight for the ones you love.

A cozy, feel good read with a very dramatic and heart wrenching twist overlayed throughout the story made this novel hard to put down. A life long story in a flashback and real time mix. Highly recommend if you like family dramas.

Marriage is hard work and absolutely worth it! The Days I Loved You Most is an incredible story showing the journey of one couple's life, the good, the bad, the happy, the sad, the joy and heartbreak. This story is written beautifully and Amy Neff portrays this couple and their children in a realistic way. The family is relatable and one I'd like to know. Be warned - tissues will be needed. Thanks #NetGalley

I was not prepared for The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff . I read the blurb, so I had an idea of what the story would entail and even so, I was unprepared for all I would feel reading Joseph and Evelyn’s story. We find out about a tragic diagnosis and realizing they shared an amazing life and marriage together, they wanted to end it their way and together. So, they plan what they want to do. We are then taken through their journey over decades and fall in love with them every step of the way. It was honest, realistic and had me turning the pages. I devoured this story and am excited to listen to the audiobook as well. I look forward to reading more from this new to me author

Happy reading!

Really moving love story and emotional book. Being a spousal caregiver myself, it really made me think about the alternative to caring versus ending it all. I loved the past and present timeline of the story! I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A beautiful and heartwarming story that I am sure will be a big hit with many of the readers at our library. I enjoyed the old-fashioned feel of it and the storytelling.

What a beautiful heartfelt story including tough subjects.

This story starts out on a sad note near the end of a couple's lives. Then backs up to fill in the details of their lives and those of their parents and children. Families are so complicated and this one is no different. The majority of the book takes place on the Connecticut shore and in Boston between 1940 and 2002. So the history included in this book cover World War II, Vietnam War, Civil Rights, drugs, assignation of JFK, 9/11. etc..

This story details life, love, family and marriage - its ups and downs. Marriage is not easy and it takes work. There are highs and lows, but most of life is spent in between. If marriage lasts a lifetime, we are fortunate, and love can grow as we grow older. The story also shows us relationships between parents and children and between siblings, these are also complex relationships.

This family also experiences opportunities to heal and start over after difficult times, which happen in every life. Ultimately, it is how we handle these difficult times that make the difference in a life well lived. And death, at the end of a long life, is another opportunity to show character.

What an achingly beautiful debut novel! This story packs a bunch right from the start. Joseph and Evelyn don’t remember a time when they didn’t know each other. They’ve just always been in each other’s lives. This story goes back and forth between two time lines — Evelyn and Joseph’s last year together and Evelyn and Joseph’s life together leading up to their last year together.

Evelyn has been diagnosed with an advanced form of Parkinson’s. She doesn’t want to live like a shell of herself and Joseph doesn’t want to spend a day without Evelyn, so they decide to end their lives together in a year. The story that unfolds after they tell their children and grandchildren their plans is that of a beautiful life two people built together — childhood friends to more, the fallout of war, immense grief, the ups and downs of marriage, the joys and sorrows of parenthood and so much more.

Getting to go through a couple’s whole life together was such a unique experience and it’s hard to sum up this whole story into words. It’s hopeful, but heartbreaking. It’s utterly romantic and there are so many beautiful lessons contained within the pages of this book. Despite all that happens, I finished this book with happy tears.

Thank you to Park Row for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.