I loved the drama that came out of the decisions that Kathryn, Andrew and Nick all made in their lives. Andrew, now married to Amy, looks like they have the perfect life, except she is trying to have a baby. They move back to his hometown in Florida, and he runs into Kathryn, a college girlfriend and now a single mom to Max who has made decisions that will haunt her for the rest of her life. The whole story was chaotic and complex in a good way. I loved the writing style, and it kept me engaged. The storyline was fun, and the characters were interesting. I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was fantastic.

Talk about an intense and messy ride!
Wow, did I mention this book is messy?
Family drama, lots of secrets and lies, complicated, gripping, intense and addictive; beleive me when I tell you, it was hard to put the book down.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 releases today November 19, 2024.

Andrew and his wife Amy have almost everything but cannot conceive a child. After moving back to his hometown in Florida, one day Andrew sees Kathryn, his ex girlfriend, and the love of his life who ran away without even a goodbye - and he realizes that the 20 year old son Max she’s FaceTiming with has his features. Kathryn has spent her life cleaning up Max’s messes and ignoring his drug and alcohol problems. Now that Andrew and Kathryn have reunited, Andrew wants to meet his son but is not ready to tell Amy about him (since she is trying so hard to have a child herself). There are many people who could be hurt from all of the lies that have been told in the past, and that are being told now.

There was a lot going on in this book but it still drew me in immediately. While I didn’t actually like any of the characters (they were all pretty flawed) I was still invested in their storylines (and there were quite a few of them). I had both the audio and the ebook and found the audio completely engrossing. While I may not remember this book in a few months I definitely enjoyed it while I was reading it.

3.75

Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the ARC to review

I devoured this audiobook. The character development was terrific and each of their stories was compelling. Kathryn kept such a huge secret for so long. Once the secret came out so many lives started to unravel. I could not stop listening to this once I started. It was the audio version of “unputdownable” and it consumed me. I was on the edge of my seat as the end approached. Really well done and the narrator was perfect for this emotional roller coaster.

No stranger to the book world, Author Robin Morris delivers a standout, captivating debut, THE DAYS BETWEEN — When the past converges with the present, a complex web of dark secrets threatens to unravel more than one family in this engaging multi-layered domestic suspense that will keep you glued to the pages until the explosive finale!

About...

Set in Delray Beach, a coastal town in South Florida (Palm Beach County), Andrew and Amy have great careers, a beautiful home on the beach in one of the finest neighborhoods, and a happy marriage (or is it)? However, they are missing one thing Amy desperately wants—a child.

Amy, age 40, knows her time is running out and wants a baby. They have been unable to conceive, and she wants to start with a fertility specialist/IVF and whatever she can do to speed up the process.

However, Andrew would prefer to adopt due to family problems with alcoholism. He is also up for a big promotion, and Amy wants him to turn it down due to travel.

Then Andrew's world is turned upside down one morning when he runs into Kathryn (a blast from the past) at Starbucks near his office. Her phone drops, and he sees someone like himself staring back at him. A son? His? It has been twenty years since she left him with no clue.

Kathryn was the love of Andrew's life in college, and they had plans to marry. They lived with his roommate Nick, who is now a cop in the same town. However, one day, Kathryn left with no word, leaving Andrew devastated and spiraling out of control, which changed the trajectory of his life.

Now an attorney, Kathryn is a single mom to a teen, Max. Max is quite rebellious and unaware he has a father. He has a trust fund and is out of control.

Andrew loves his wife but is pulled back into the past with Kathryn. He wants to know more about his son but cannot tell his wife because she would be devastated to learn he has a son. In the meantime, Amy has her own secrets, as does Andrew.

Things get further complicated when Kathryn's estranged friend (Harper from the past, who was married to Lucas previously) and their daughter (Emmy) are having problems at home (mother and rich, controlling grandmother, Nora). She reaches out to Kathryn (who formerly lived with them in their guest house) about staying with her until she goes to college in Seattle.

Kathryn agrees, but Emmy has no clue that she has a son at home, Max. The two develop a bond but keep it a secret. There is also a triangle with Nick, Kathryn, and Andrew and a history between Harper, Lucas, and Kathryn.

How will all the characters connect?

My thoughts...

Wow! THE DAYS BETWEEN does not read like a debut. I love books set in my backyard. (Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Worth Avenue, Palm Beach, Boca, and more) Character-driven, a gripping page-turner of domestic suspense, tension, and drama!

I read hundreds of books each year, and this was STANDOUT! I was glued to the pages and read it in two sittings. THE DAYS BETWEEN is packed with suspense, tension, dark secrets, betrayal, lies, scandal, family dysfunction, and drama.

From then to now (past and present), with alternating timelines and multiple POVs, the story unfolds like a wild and emotional roller coaster ride. The tension builds as all the characters connect, leading to an explosive ending that will leave you breathless and eager for more.

The characters in THE DAYS BETWEEN are not just names on a page, they are living, breathing individuals with their own struggles, tragedies, hopes, dreams, and triumphs. Their stories are well-written, lyrical, heartfelt, complex, compelling, and emotional.

The characters are deeply flawed and complicated. An ideal pick for book clubs, as it will surely spark further discussions and deepen your understanding of the human experience.

It's not your typical family drama. It's a multi-layered, generational, twisty, and intense journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The tension builds to an ending that you won't see coming.

Robin Morris masters tackling these highly charged emotional topics with finesse. From alcoholism, mental health, racial and substance abuse to infertility, she navigates these issues with compassion and sensitivity, making the characters' experiences feel real and relatable. Her ability to juggle multiple points of view and dual timelines while exploring messy and complex family dynamics is truly impressive.

THE DAYS BETWEEN is a cross between a coming-of-age, domestic suspense, family drama, mother/daughter and mother/son relationships, contemporary, modern marriage, parenthood, and friendship. It is also a cautionary tale of secrets and lies we keep in our youth that change and shape our lives and others.

The author brilliantly creates a cast of characters (and secondary ones) that is laid out and easy to follow (backgrounds) with then and now. She references trigger points at the novel's beginning and handles them with ease.

If you enjoy well-written, complex family dramas, this one is for you! An author to watch. I cannot wait to see what comes next! Where has this author been? Love her style...Sequel, please—these characters are too good to end.

Recs...

This is for fans of the hit show This is Us and those who enjoy works by Rochelle B. Weinstein, Suzanne Redfearn, Jessica Strawser, Terah Shelton Harris, Eileen Goudge, A.J. Banner, Claire Lombardo, Marybeth Whalen, Hannah Mary McKinnon, Rea Frey, and Elin Hilderbrand's (The Perfect Couple) and Netflix series (all favorites).

Audiobook...

I enjoyed reading the book and listening to the audiobook performed by Courtney Patterson for an engaging performance.

Interview...

Stay tuned for my November featured #AuthorElevatorSeries Q&A with talented Robin Morris. On pub day, November 19, we will go behind the scenes of the book and get to know this new voice in fiction. Sign up for my newsletter on my blog to receive it in your inbox.

Thanks...

Special thanks to Lake Union Publishing (ARC) and Brilliance Audio (ALC) for sharing gifted digital copies via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Nov 19, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Nov 2024 Must-Read Books
November Newsletter
#AuthorElevatorSeries QA

A random encounter with an old lover, Kathryn, leads to a problematic discovery for our protagonist Andrew, whose marriage to Amy is struggling due to their inability to conceive. Because it turns out that Andrew already has a son - of whom he knew nothing for nearly two decades.

This story raises issues that some people will find they can relate to, not least wrt the challenges of modern marriage,the sometimes bizarre decisions that people make, and the consequences that may result for them.