Canadian Author!
This is my first time reading a book by Caroline Bishop. While the story started off slow, ‘When I Left You’ is a captivating read about the impact of the Cold War on both sides the Berlin Wall and how the divide between East and West Berlin impacted families and individual dreams for happiness and freedom.

My favourite parts of the novel included the spy story arc and the character of Henry. I really wanted to love Greta with the same fierceness, but Henry’s storyline broke my heart, and I was cheering for him throughout the novel, hoping he would find his happy ending. I was never fully convinced that Greta loved him with the same devotion, but that perhaps was the point being made by the author, that for her own protection and survival, Greta had to distance herself from the past and her genuine emotions.

This story resonates and made me think of current-day world events and how political divides can alter the trajectory of individual lives and relationships with family, friends, and even spouses during times of political unrest.

I look forward to future books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an advance e-copy of this book.

A terrific all-around read — combining a mystery, a love story and a whole lot of historical intrigue — all wrapped up in a multiple-POV, multiple-timeframe narrative that makes for a unique and mesmerizing experience.

Greta Schneider and her family are native East Germans, living in Berlin in 1982, behind the Iron Curtain. Having never known a different life, Greta, at twenty-two years old, longs for adventure and the freedom to explore a world which is largely unavailable to her, as travel outside of the communist colonies is expressly and entirely forbidden.

When Henry Henderson, a twenty-six year old British engineer is stationed for an eight week project in Berlin, Greta’s life is unexpectedly transformed. With instant attraction settling quickly into must-have-you-forever bonds that cannot be denied, Greta and Henry struggle to find a path that will allow them to build a life together.

Without giving the plot away (no spoilers here, beyond that implied by the title of the book) the story will unfold across dual time-lines — the love-story as it progresses, beginning in 1982, and their lives of Henry and Greta, as they appear, decades later, in 2018.

In between these timelines, what we do know is that in 1984 Greta and Henry love each other, and will find a way to marry, settling down in the UK to finally live out their dreams. Only suddenly, cataclysmically, there will come a day (out of the blue for Henry), when Greta will leave him, disappearing entirely without a trace. Understanding why, — unscrambling the secrets that twist their way through Greta’s hidden story leading to that day, will eventually bring us to an alignment of Henry and Greta’s narratives in 2018, with our long-awaited explanation.

With an ending that is neat, tricky and complete, (no loose ends here), the author manages to deliver a well-written and interesting story, engaging and suspenseful (a sort of story within a story) — and one which kept this reader firmly on the hook, right up to the very last page.

A great big thank you to #Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this story. All thoughts presented are my own.

Trump backers disposed to favor Putin over Zelenskyy and unfazed by Musk’s embrace of Germany's far right would do well to read Caroline Bishop’s “The Day I Left You,” with its resurrection of the Cold War days of Reagan’s “Evil Empire.”
Restrained enough, though, Bishop’s book is, with its depiction of the East as not being entirely bad and the West as not being entirely good, to allow for the female principal, who is desperate to flee East Germany and join her husband in England, to nevertheless feel some nostalgia for the old regime after she arrives in her husband’s land and bristle a bit at his family's characterization of the East as all bad and the West as all good.
Still, she’s content enough with her
new life in England, where she fully acknowledges that she’s overall freer than before, to make particularly baffling her decision to up and leave her husband one day, leaving behind only a cryptic note.
It’s a mystery which will be slowly unraveled for readers in sections devoted to her but which will remain an enigma throughout much of the novel for her husband, who will eventually come to some understanding of her behavior through perhaps the one false note struck for me in the novel, with the deux-ex-machina-ish introduction of a character through whom he will come to his illumination.

It took me a little while to fully settle into this story, but once I did, I was completely captivated until the very last page. At its core, this is a poignant tale of an unlikely and complicated love.

Told across dual timelines (1982 & 2013), the novel weaves together the contrasts of life in East and West Berlin during the early 1980s. It explores the clash of communist and capitalist ideals, and how one’s desire for genuine love and freedom can inadvertently lead to life-altering consequences.

Ultimately, this is a love story that didn’t unfold as planned—a husband still haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his wife decades ago.
Without revealing too much, I’ll just say that the storytelling was brilliant. The past unravels like a memoir, an explanation of sorts for decisions made.

At times, I was on edge; at others, deeply moved. A beautifully written love story with a mysterious twist—I loved it!

*A BIG thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book! I receive no compensation whatsoever, and I write this review willingly.*

The cover is so pretty and elegant, but I admit it was the title that got me. The Day I Left You, hmmmm, so intriguing, and clearly romantic. Curious, I went to read the blurb, and saw it was about an East German woman leaving her British husband abruptly in the time of the Berlin Wall and Cold War. Say no more! As a huge historical fiction lover, this sounded like my cup of tea! (yes, British… tea… I made a tiny pun, see?)

Honestly, it was my cup of tea!

And if you want to know more, it’s perfect because I’m here to spill the tea!

Just keep reading, loves!


The Positive Points:
This book is heavy on love and how to go through grief and abandon, as well as how to find yourself and happiness again. It’s sweet. I had the impression this story is a quest for answers and love, and for love. It’s not a coming-of-age story, but it’s one of coming into your own person as you grow older and try to find answers and deal with grief. An interesting take that I rarely see.

The Day I Left You felt much like life. A tale of life, it felt while reading it. It was as though Greta and Henry were at a coffee shop with me, telling me their stories. I loved it!

Something fun is that I love how we see two different ages: when they are young in their twenties; and then in their sixties or so. It’s a real change from only twenty or forty years old in most adult novels. I love this! Also, I love that the present is told in third person, and that the past with Greta is more personal in first person, like we must feel her and understand her more deeply to make sense of her decisions and actions. For it to have the right effect on us, and it does, I can assure you that. And awwwwww, Part 2 really surprised me with a new and modern POV! I wondered if we’d get to see that aspect of the story, and we do! But no more, because no spoilers ;).

I felt like the surprises kept coming and it’s all so much more intricate and entangled than I saw at first. And much deeper, too. Wow! Plus, Greta’s reasons for leaving are totally understandable in her situation. I feel for her. And it shows all the ramifications of the Cold War, too…

This story fits the expression “all in due time” in several ways. I hope you’ll see for yourself. In the end, it was a very rewarding read. It resolves pretty nicely for both of them in very different but plausible ways.

What impresses me is that the structure of the book is so well done; everything makes sense and flows properly. All the chapters fit like building blocks put together correctly. The overall structure follows the internal structure—I mean that while the characters gradually deal with what’s happened between them and the Berlin Wall falling, the overall structure of the chapters and the different POVs reflect that perfectly! It’s a work of art so neatly weaved together, bravo!

My first impression was that the prologue is very gripping and intriguing. Why does Greta have to leave if she doesn’t want to? What’s in her past? It’s emotional too, although the use of the “you” POV for her lover surprised me, but it’s good—it’s more immersive in a way. It is personal, the prologue and the Greta’s chapters in the past. And not because the first person POV in Greta’s past, although it helps, but because of the way she describes her lover and her actions. There is a proximity, a certain closeness in the way she describes things. Like it shows she cares and loves.

Moreover, it’s really fun that we get to see both POVs. One in the past Greta, and now modern Henry. Wait until for a surprise modern POV later… It all adds a little something of enjoyment to the story.

I noticed some language tricks. For example, there are psychological tricks, like how telling a lie or anything in another language feels less committing. I love such details about the complexity of the human mind and heart! In addition to this linguistic aspect, I enjoy that some affectionate words are in German, and product names like wine or celebrations, as well as a few swear words and expressions are in German. I think it’s fun to come across these words and it helps with immersion in Greta’s world and memories. And as a polyglot, I always love to see languages sprinkled in stories.

Now, what about the characters? Honestly, I enjoyed my time with them! I’ll start with Henry because he’s the one I felt for the most. He is so romantic and cute in his feelings for Greta. A lovesick puppy; I want one like him! Henry is lovable and endearing because he thinks about others and injustices, and also, he is calm, intelligent. He is a kind and good soul, it’s lovely. I also find interesting that Henry is a furniture restorer. It’s very different and little heard of in stories.

Lucy Kenny! Ah, my favorite character of the story. I really like Lucy and her rambling and her energy. I really love Lucy Kenny, she reminds me of myself, haha! She’s so proactive, helpful, and kind. And most of all: she’s a real chatterbox with a lot of energy! Can you see that in my writing? I hope you can! Plus, I like that Henry and she develop a sort of friendship, it’s rather cute!

I also really like Ros, Lucy’s mother. She’s funny and down-to-earth and lively as well. I also enjoy her views and opinions on the children and her ex-husband who’s her best friend.

And Greta? I like her; however, sometimes she made me feel sour with her. She is intriguing and interesting, and her dreams and hopes are perfectly valid. Greta, I think, did the best she could with what she had to deal with, honestly. I can’t say any more—I don’t want to spoil the story for you! But know she had her reasons and tried her best in her situation.

As per the story, I love how Greta’s homesickness is tackled and described because it must really feel like that. And also, how everything is not perfect or necessarily greener in Britain than in the GDR (German Democratic Republic). It’s interesting to see that and natural for a young woman raised in East Berlin with the wall to see positives to her old life and be homesick while feeling lost and lonely in Britain and not liking everything like capitalism and always being short on money. The character also said that you’re as free in the West as your wallet allows, and it couldn’t be truer (unfortunately). She feels disconnected from life in Britain and in the West in general. Understandably so what with her background of different experiences under communism.

Henry and Greta both evolve as individuals. For Henry, it shows through his gradual openness with Lucy and her family and his realization that his repair work must not be perfect and still show some scratches and scuffles of life and love. He’s grown into his own after so long, poor guy. And Greta is finally confiding in someone and finding her own happy ending. I’m glad that in the end, Henry somehow gets a family he longed to have, albeit a bit differently than how he’d thought he’d have one. It’s funny that it’s through his search for Greta though, but I am glad. Henry deserves the peace and happiness, and a family of his own in a way. It’s cute. And he also needs a dear friend like Lucy.

I am rather pleased that the author, through Greta, explains how and why there is the Berlin Wall and how they got it with state socialism. It is very interesting and informative. And yes, she also explains what the Stasi are and their dangerous (if not deadly) surveillance. I had deducted it, but it’s good to have a better definition in Greta’s words.

I’m so into it. My emotions are gripped. It’s so poignant and I keep being outraged at what happened to Greta and the threats, and I keep telling my mom all about it in a flurry of emotions and indignation. It’s really good when I’m so gripped emotionally.

While I had an inkling of what Greta’d become, it became freakier as I kept reading! It was very gripping emotionally and felt like a whirlwind of intrigue and difficult choices. I am glad I got to read this book before publication-I had quite the adventure with it!


The Negative Points:
The biggest point is that I found it so slow. For a book with such a huge question to answer (why did she leave so abruptly?), it’s really slow-paced, which makes it less thrilling than I thought it’d be (at least for the first half of the book). It’s still interesting, but it seems to take forever to receive a new “hint” at what might have happened. Ah, those hints trickled down every 4-5 chapters or so! They had me rolling my eyes a few times because they’re so few for a long while. (They’re exciting, but still!) After 50% of the book, it the pace picked up admirably and the intrigue took me in like a whirlwind, I’ve got to say!

Also, it annoys me that the person being left is always the one who suffers the most, huh? It shows in this book as well, I noticed… It’s not that I dislike Greta, it’s just unfair for Henry who’s been stuck on her since she left, and because of how she left. While Greta has her nomadic life and a new love… It makes me sour a bit towards Greta, oh well. However, towards the end, I understood more how it’s also been cruel and hard on her. It’s just she seems to move on so easily… But I guess she didn’t have much choice, did she? And that’s a problem: she never really did have a choice in the end.

Lastly, the necklace a certain Lucy wears from her mother is quite an intriguing and effective way to deepen and twist the plot a bit. It would have been more effective, however, if we’d known before that that Greta loved to make jewellery or at least more than implied. Because it’s a good moment, but it lacks a bit of the shocking effect as a reader.


In Conclusion:
All in all, I give The Day I Left You a feelsy rating of 4 stars out of 5. Despite its slow start, I ended up loving the book and enjoying my time with the characters while learning more about the intricacies and ramifications of the Berlin Wall and the Cold War. Plus, if you enjoy slow-paced books, it’ll be a perfect read! I strongly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in the Berlin Wall and the Cold War, as well as historical fiction lovers. To those who love their books with a good dose of intrigue, mystery, and surprises. Also, I recommend it to those who love a good book that gives you feels and grips your emotions tightly, and feels just like you were out for coffee with friends to hear their life stories.

An epic story packed into just 341 pages, this book is compelling in its complexity and depth.

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall this book reads like a character based saga that is told across two timelines from 1982-1984 and 2018 where we learn the story of Greta and Henry: how they met behind the wall in Berlin, fall in love, find a way to be together (he is from London, she lives behind the wall), and later how they were torn apart when Greta vanishes without a trace.

From the beginning, this story captured my attention and my heart, holding on tightly until the end - to be honest, it still has a hold and I’ll be thinking about Henry and Greta long after the story has ended. This is a mystery within a love story that spans over thirty years where a meant-to-be couple is separated by time and circumstance as a result of the Berlin Wall, political intrigue, and the inevitable unexpected collateral damage.

Captivating, intriguing, and beautifully written, “The Day I Left You” is a compelling novel about protecting those you love and how a single decision can have the power to shape our entire lives. I thoroughly enjoyed Caroline Bishop’s “The Day I Left You!”

The Day I Left You is told in dual timelines- early 1980s and 2018. Initially, it may seem a little jarring, but each timeline is told through a different character’s POV and switches from first person to third person. As you read the book, you understand the switches between first and third-person POVs. The parts of the story from the 1980s are all told in first person, from Greta’s view. The parts of the story from 2018 are told in the third person, mainly from Henry’s view but later in the book, as well as Greta’s. Each chapter is labeled with a year and person, so you know who’s POV and when you get the story.

There are so many emotions written in the book and trust me, you will feel them all. I found myself drawn to the book over and over again. It was difficult to put it down and to do the things I needed to do.

According to the author’s notes at the end of the book, several events in the book are based on actual facts. But Bishop admits that she may have changed some of the details to fit in the story.

My heart hurts for Greta and Henry. No one ever thinks they’ll be put in a difficult situation and have to make difficult decisions, especially after having made so many difficult ones already.

Overall, The Day I Left You is a story of love, loss, and holding onto memories and dreams. You don’t have to be a historical fiction fan to appreciate Henry and Greta’s story. Nor do you have to be a fan of romance. There is enough drama to hold everyone’s attention until the very end.

The Day I Left You by Caroline Bishop is a captivating historical fiction about the Cold War and the spies that were a part of life during that time. It shows the impact on families, the spying going on, all the hurt it caused, and how it split loved ones apart. A chance meeting, a love story, intrigue and suspense fill the pages of this book. A beautifully written story that I would highly recommend.

In 1982 Greta and Henry meet in East Berlin and fall in love. Henry who is British, must return to England after his 6 week work visa expires. Their love story is complicated and they must find a way to be together. He proposes and eventually Greta is allowed to leave to live in England. Everything seems perfect until one day she up and leaves. Greta was naive about how life would be away from family and everything she knew. With no real answers Henry is devastated, and searches for the truth for 30 plus years. Why did his wife who seemed to love him leave? He can’t move on with his life until he has some closure.

I learned a lot about life behind the Berlin Wall and the far reach of the Stasi spies even after the wall came down. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an advanced copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Day I Left You by Caroline Bishop grabbed my heart and didn't let go the entire time. The story is so gripping, so compelling and so beautiful that I was present in both timelines, 1980s East Berlin and then three decades later. It was easy to get completely engrossed in the story and lose all track of time This is one of the rare occasions it was impossible to choose my favourite timeline as both are equally clever and emotive. Not only that but they are pieced together masterfully. The characters are wonderfully developed and likeable, the history is enthralling and elements of tension and suspense are ever present. Originality is a big plus. This is a special book with that je ne sais quois which is irresistible. The romance and ending brought me tears.

In 1982, Henry and Greta met and felt an instant physical and mental connection. Henry was British, Greta German. But for the time they spent together, cultural differences were charming and surmountable. Others on the outside liked them individually...and together...but they were from completely different worlds. Greta's movements were restricted and the DDR, Stasi and KGB were very real. There were spies, double agents, Amnesty International and surveillance. The Berlin Wall was both a physical and mental barrier for Germans. I like that the author described what they had and didn't have compared with the West from food to clothes. Details such as these elevate a very good book to a great one. But after they became husband and wife, Greta left Henry with no warning. By 2018, Henry has gone on some dates in the interim but he still loves Greta who he presumed may be dead. Henry's sister Charlotte tries to buoy his spirits and injects realism into his days. He lovingly repairs special objects which have stories, especially wood. Meanwhile, his heart mends little by little.

After finishing the book, wee bits of my heart and mind are still in it. It is almost as though the author wrote it for me! I just loved it in every way.

My sincere thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this stunning novel.

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @simonschusterca & @netgalley for sending me this book for review. Opinions are mine.
I didn’t quite know what to expect from this one, but I love historical fiction and I hadn’t read any books set in East Germany during the Cold War and it sounded intriguing. This book pulled me right in.
When Greta, a young woman from East Berlin meets Henry, a British engineer in East Berlin on a work visa in 1982, they have an instant connection. But their time together is limited. Henry can’t stay once his visa expires, and Greta is forbidden from going beyond the Berlin Wall. It’s only been a few weeks, but when Henry proposes, Greta accepts – and is given permission to start a new life with Henry in England. Less than a year later, Greta walks out of their life, leaving a simple note behind.
Over thirty years later, Henry has unanswered questions. Why did Greta leave and where is she now? When a young mother visits Henry’s shop, she unknowingly brings with her a clue that sends Henry on a journey to find out what happened to the love of his life all those years ago.
I was fascinated by Greta’s description of life behind the Iron Curtain in 1982. While she wants to leave and see the world, her new life in Britain isn’t necessarily what she dreamed of either. Through her eyes, we see, of course, all the challenges and dangers of life trapped behind the Iron Curtain, but we also learn why some of the residents believe their way of life was not all flawed.
I was also pulled in by the mystery of Greta’s disappearance. I didn’t want to put it down until I knew why she left.
Without giving anything away, the writing style for certain chapters reminded me of Jill Santopolo’s writing in The Light We Lost.
This was my first book by Caroline Bishop but I look forward to reading her two previous releases as well.
Favourite quote: “How complicated the world was! How many different opinions existed on how to live life, when surely all most of us wanted was to live in peace and harmony, safety and comfort.”

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC of The Day I Left you by Caroline Bishop.. What a great story set in Berlin 1982.. A chance meeting, a complicated love story, and a little bit of intrigue. Greta and Henry try to make it work, but there are too many obstacles to overcome. A lot of imperfect characters in a perfect novel.