Evelyn and Joseph gather their three adult children together to tell them some grim news. They only have one year left to live. Evelyn has received a terminal diagnosis, and Joseph refuses to live without her.  As the family gathers together to celebrate their last year of life, we learn of their ups, downs, and epic love story through flashbacks from the time they met to the present day.

Thoughts 💭
I'm not even sure where to start except to say this book absolutely gutted me. It was so beautifully written, but the last quarter of the book was Earth-shattering. I felt how deeply this couple cared for each other as if it was leaping off the pages at me.  This was done in such a realistic and semi-relatable way.  This was not a perfect love story but rather a perfectly imperfect one.  It shows that love is something you choose every day, even when it's hard, something that seems like a foreign concept these days.  The flashbacks enriched the story, as did the thoughs and feelings of their children and even some of their grandchildren. I found myself stopping often so I could feel my feelings and reflect on her striking words.  If you're a fan of epic love stories similar to The Notebook, this isn't one you should miss.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff is a captivating and profoundly romantic novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it. This unique and intricate story is unlike anything I have ever read before.

“There isn’t enough time. There will never be enough time.”
This is a something we can all agree with.

This is a beautifully written love story spanning a couple’s entire relationship beginning to end. It touches on falling in love as young friends, wars, children, building a life, and death. After receiving her diagnosis, Evelyn decides she doesn’t want to be a burden and will end her life in one year. Her husband, Joseph, will join her on this journey because life without her isn’t worth living.

My favorite things about this book- multiple POVS, we get to see their relationship grow and blossom through both they eyes as well as the children’s POVs and feelings. The story also takes place through out time and I enjoyed reading about them falling in love and their lives intertwining from beginning to end. I loved that it took place in New England, and I could relate to all the sights, sounds, and flower blooms through out.
I know I said it already, but this story is beautifully done. If you loved “The Notebook” or any love story that will have to in tears, pick up this book.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc.

This is the beautiful life and love story of Evelyn and Joseph, from their teenage first kiss through Evelyn’s devastating diagnosis. The book eloquently portrays the challenges of early marriage, raising children, and the love found in everyday life. I cherished every word of this outstanding debut novel.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for the early read. This book will stay with me forever, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

From the description of the book, I definitely got The Notebook vibes and I already knew it was gonna be a tearjerker. And I was right - I was tearing up within the first 100 pages and full on sobbing by the end (Evelyn's final letter broke me). Evelyn and Joseph are a beautiful couple with a beautiful relationship. Evelyn gets diagnosed with rapidly progressing Parkinson's and is resolved to die on her own terms before the disease progresses even further. Joseph is her loving and dedicated husband who doesn't want to live in a world without her and decides to go when she does. And so together, they decide to live for a final year. The book switches between the current timeline and the past, giving us a look at how their relationship has developed over their lives. Even when they got old, I still imagined them as they were when they were young and in their teens, and I think that was also exactly how Evelyn and Joseph still saw each other no matter what age they were at. Their relationship was a "she fell first, but he fell harder" type. I think this quote from the book embodies their relationship perfectly: "She [Evelyn] has never belonged to anyone but herself, and I [Joseph] have never belonged to anyone but her." I loved them so much and was rooting for them through the portrayals of the ups and downs of their marriage. Even through their struggles, they kept choosing each other. And the ending of the book made me cry, but I thought it was perfect.

I also really appreciated getting a little bit of their children's POV and see what their reactions were to their parents telling them the news and their plans. There were also clear issues in the children's lives with their own spouses/partners, and it was nice to see how those conflicts played out over the year. I would have loved to read more from the children's POV, but I get it, this is about Evelyn and Joseph.

Overall, this was an amazing book, and I highly recommend the read. The book touches on grief and loss, love, and family - a reminder to us that time flies by - spend it with the people you love.

Reading the synopsis of this story I was expecting a love story that gripped me at the beginning and didn’t let me go. I was looking for that magical surreal story but sadly this book fell short of my expectations. I liked Joseph and Evelyn and their story, but I never felt the magic of their love. Maybe my expectations were too high but I felt something was missing from the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Days I Loved You Most is probably one of my most favorite and least favorite books that I have read in a long time. Evelyn and Joseph are a couple that have been together all their lives. Their story takes us back to their beginning and then leads us to their end. Having been married to the same man for 45 years, it was easy to picture myself in their shoes. Not so much the experiences that they had but the emotions that they felt. There are some days in a marriage, especially one that lasts so long, when you do love someone more. And there are days when you just need to step back and find out who you are. Quite a few reviews that I read compared this book to The Notebook. I agree in some ways. In other ways, I felt like it was completely different. The Notebook focused largely on the husband and wife. The Days I Loved You Most really involved the entire family, children and grandchildren. A life-changing decision, the entire purpose of the story, was made by Evelyn and Joseph and then shared with the family. To avoid spoilers, I'm not going to say what the decision was. Amy Neff leads us through the emotions and impact that the decision had on each generation. If I should ever have to make a decision like Evelyn's, I hope that I could do it with the grace that she did. Amy Neff touches your soul and your heart with The Days I Loved You Most. I voluntarily received a copy of this book from netgalley.

This was a beautiful debut novel spanning decades. Evelyn and Joseph are a lovely couple with three adult children and multiple grandchildren who share with their kids that in one years time, they will end their lives. The novel goes back and forth from 2001- to their beginning. Very heartfelt, very sad.

The Days I Loved You Most
Amy Neff
Pub: 7/30/24
4.5☆

“Dying isn’t the only thing that kills us” 😭

I was in the mood to feel ALL the feels, and to be emotionally wrecked. Amy Neff absolutely delivered.

The Days I loved You Most was an epically beautiful and deeply touching love story that asks, How much would you sacrifice for the one you loved?

Oh my gosh this book. “Have tissues ready” they said. They did not lie! Neff’s debut was a well written, perfectly paced, slow burn story that I absolutely could not put down. Evelyn and Joseph’s immersive love story is one that will stay with you long beyond the last page. I finished reading sitting next to my garden, with tears streaming down my face, and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

What I loved;
✨ Childhood Friends to Lovers
✨ Timeless Romance
✨ Family Drama
✨ Multiple POV
✨ Dual Timelines
✨ ALL The Feels
✨ The Notebook Vibes

Highly would recommend! Add to your TBR and pre-order now because you won’t want to miss this one.

A huge thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed every single moment of this heartbreaking and heartwarming story and cannot wait to get my hands on a finished copy.

My Rating - ✨✨✨✨✨

I knew this book would have me on a feels trip based off the name alone. I felt the heart wrenching feelings so deep in this. This shows all the feelings you go through when you love someone so deeply for a lifetime of love. It was a heartfelt, sobbing, unimaginable challenging joyful book that I would happily read a million times knowing it will tell me apart.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book before publication! The review will be live on my blog on 7/8/24. I will also feature the review on Instagram that same day and post my review to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable, and retail sites.

Review:
I snagged a copy of this book from NetGalley on a whim after seeing an Instagram post by the author. I like a book that tugs at your heartstrings, and that's precisely what I got with this one. While it wasn't a total sobfest for me, it definitely made me tear up several times.

The book beautifully portrays the enduring love of Evelyn and Joseph, a married couple who fell in love on the shores of New England back in the 1940s. They eventually married, and though not without its challenges, their relationship remained steadfast through the years as they ran a bed and breakfast while raising three very capable children. Now in their 70s, the couple face a heartbreaking reality - Evelyn has received a tragic diagnosis and refuses to become a prisoner to her body. When the doctors share the news that there's nothing they can do, Evelyn decides to take control of the situation and end her life in one year. Joseph, unable to imagine a life without her, decides that he will join her.

The book alternates between the present (2001-2002) and the past (beginning in 1941) giving us a glimpse at their final year of life together while also flashing back to the life they built. Throughout their journey, they must confront the reality of their decision and make peace with the legacy they will leave behind. We mostly hear from Evelyn and Joseph, but there are a handful of chapters from the points of view of their kids - Jane, Thomas, and Violet - as they grapple with facing a life without their parents.

Spanning decades from Joseph's time in World War II to the devastating aftermath of 9/11, Neff beautifully captures the essence of enduring love and the complexities of family dynamics. The characters of Evelyn and Joseph are beautifully crafted, and readers will find themselves emotionally invested in their journey. Their love is portrayed in a way that feels real and raw, making the reader truly understand the depth of their bond. Their life wasn't always easy, and Evelyn gave up many of her dreams to raise a family, but in their final months, Joseph vows to help her make as many of her dreams come true as he can while she still has the strength.

The interactions between the couple and their children are equally moving, showing the complexities and dynamics of family relationships. Not only do we get to witness the weight of the couple's decision on their kids now, but we also get a look at the complex relationships that developed while raising their kids. Life isn't always easy, but families who can navigate the struggles that this family does can overcome almost anything.

Neff's writing perfectly paints a vivid picture of the different eras the couple lived through. Her storytelling is heart-wrenching yet beautiful, leaving readers with an appreciation for life's fleeting moments. I couldn't help but reflect on the relationship that my parents have. As a family, we've gone through many ups and downs (as most families do), and now that my parents are in their 70s, I see how much they mean to one another. I can't imagine how they will fare when the other passes on. I thought of that often while reading this book, which made it all the more poignant.

This book and its lead characters reminded me a lot of "The Notebook" but still managed to feel fresh. It's a heartfelt read that will make you reflect on the importance of love, family, and the legacy we leave behind. It's a story that will linger with me for a while. If you're a fan of emotional reads that tug at the heartstrings, then you should definitely check this one out. Just be sure to have the tissues handy.

Readers who like love stories will enjoy this book. The theme was quite different which will intrigue many. Quite emotional at times as Evelyn and Joseph tell their love story from the past as well as the present. Hard decisions to face. What decision will be made?

This book started strong and ended strong. I was captivated IMMEDIATELY and sucked in. Couldn’t put it down! I was devouring the pages just waiting to see how Joseph and Evelyn’s story would unfold. The plot was good and I loved the portrait of the marriage but the pacing in the middle was a bit slow. However, it picks up again for the end with language that is descriptive that left me in tears.

Advance reader copy provided by Park Row and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This review has been posted on my Goodreads and Instagram

ARC Review
Publishing Date- 7/30/2024
My Rating- 5 Stars

Screaming. Crying. Throwing up.

“Dying isn’t the only thing that kills us” 😭

What To Expect/Warnings-
💜Childhood Friends To Lovers
💜Dual Timelines
💜Multiple POV
💜Health Issues
💜Suicide

You follow an elderly couple.Evelyn and Joseph who have decided to end their lives together in one year. Evelyn is diagnosed with a terminal illness and she doesn’t want to burden her children with her decline. Joseph has been with Evelyn since they were children and he can’t see his life without her.

My Thoughts:
This booked wrecked me. This was such a beautiful, timeless & heartwarming love story. The dual timelines of past and present really Brough this story to life. Throughout this book you are taking back in time where you get to witness Evelyn and Josephs life together, and all of life’s trials and tribulations. The POV between Evelyn and Joseph was beautiful written. I loved how we got to read their children’s POV as well. This book shows you, young love maturing into a lifetime. You get to fall in love with the characters on an intimate level.

I recommend this story to all my sad book lovers. If you liked The Notebook, I’m confident you will like this.

“I will never stop wishing for more time with you” 😭
“I can’t say goodbye & I love you in the same breath” 😭

✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Harlequin Trade Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I had never heard of this author before, but I saw the cover and the description and knew that I needed to request it.

This book was fantastic.It was a beautiful love story of a couple over the years. I am not normally a person that likes flashbacks it books, but in this one it definitely worked. This book was wonderful and will stay with me for a long time.

This book shattered me and I absolutely loved it. It was well written and done so beautifully, I truly enjoyed the alternate timelines which is something I don’t lean towards.

Truly loved this, so easy to read and a very refreshing voice. A fun beach read for the summer! Looking forward to another by Amy Neff

This story is a beautiful trip down memory lane, taking us through the lives of Evelyn and Joseph. Meeting them both as teenagers and living with them through the good and the bad and the ugly. It was a touching story to read. Very moving and emotional. Joseph broke my heart!! I loved all the children’s stories as well, getting to see a glimpse into their lives and how they’re processing everything. Oh the ending ….be prepared, that’s all I’ll say!

I really, really wanted to love this book. It's an intriguing premise -- a woman decides that she will end her life in a year, before Parkinson's takes its toll on her, and her husband, not wanting to live without her, has decided he will go with her. Their adult children, understandably, are not on board with this. What made this fall flat for me was that the first person present tense narration, combined with a lack of scene structure, gave the book a stream-of-consciousness feel that made it hard to read after a while. Some readers have mentioned a lack of plot. There is a plot -- what's missing is some plot structure. Other readers may not be bothered by this, however.

Despite the sometimes difficult and sad subject matter, this is a really lovely book. The different timelines were handled beautifully, giving a full pictures of the many decades of Evelyn and Joseph's love story. The writing is often stunning, especially in the 1940's chapters, which were my favorites. It is perfectly poetic in places, though never over the top--the kind of writing that makes you go back and reread a sentence with appreciation--just beautiful! So amazing that this is a debut novel; I look forward to Amy Neff's next book. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an e-ARC of this wonderful novel.