Thank you for the advanced copy.  Was ideal for a Sunday read. 
An emotional and moving story that kept me reading until the end, dealing with a difficult subject area.

Everyone needs a Tuesday in their life.

I was expecting a missing person story based on the title. This book isn't much of a mystery; it’s more about domestic drama and revealing secrets from the past. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the main character seemed determined to get what she wanted despite the feelings of others, and did some things that seemed a little crazy. The book is easy to read with some eye-rolling moments. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 rounded up! 

So.....I was definitely expecting a DIFFERENT story than the one I got, based on the gorgeous book cover with the broken crockery, the title “The Day My Husband Left” and the blurb...”When he died, he left a mystery but can she find the truth. 

The synopsis says that at the moment that Johnny Eagle is dying, he snaps a photograph of a busy street scene, and the photograph is a message, that if deciphered, holds all the answers...

That is....if his wife, Heidi, can piece together the clues. 

Was it a photo of a person who kills him? 
What is the mystery? 
That snippet made me request this! 
I WANTED to know! 

BUT, if I had continued reading the remainder of book cover...the teeny, tiny print below the author’s name, would’ve given me a clearer picture of the ACTUAL story written on the pages inside.

 It reads, “A totally, heartwarming page turner about love, loss and lifelong friendships.” 
That teeny, tiny print is the most ACCURATE part of the book cover. 

So,  DO pick this up if you are looking for an engaging family drama, with likable characters! 
I DID enjoy spending time with Eagle family, and learning ALL of their juicy secrets! 

But, DON’T pick it up thinking if you are looking for a mystery/suspense story, like I did. 
Because that is not what you will be getting.

I received a gifted copy from the Publisher and it was a pleasure to provide a candid review! 
Available SOON! January 21, 2021

Second Chances and Secrets

I usually don’t read this genre, a mixture of women’s fiction and romance.  The title is rather a misnomer, Heidi’s husband didn’t leave her, he died; he had a fatal heart attack and died on his way home.

Heidi is now a widow with two children, Scarlet and Zoe, college age approximately.  They loved their father, Johnny, and Heidi is bereft from the loss; Johnny was young, in is 50’s.  He worked with Heidi in an attached workhouse, serving as an upholstery shop.  Johnny and Heidi knew each other as teen-agers.  Heidi made a “mistake,” and became pregnant at sixteen.  Her mother, Rosalind, would not allow her to keep the baby, and sent her away to an aunt to give birth and give the baby boy up for adoption. A few years later, Johnny and Heidi reunite and marry.  They have a wonderful marriage and Johnny is a perfect father to his girls.  The baby boy, William, is never discussed and Heidi does not know what happened to him.

After his death, in the midst of Heidi’s mourning, she discovers the existence of her son, William, and Rosalind’s out-of-wedlock daughter, Tuesday (real name, not kidding). Heidi wants to the best mother and daughter possible while creating a new family.  It is not smooth sailing, there are ups and downs, and the reader is the audience to the machinations of every cast member.  Emotions run the gamut amidst issues with the new family, including unwanted pregnancy (again), alcoholism, gambling, anger and erratic behavior.  Heidi wants to be a saint to everyone and help them all and she often accomplishes her goals.  I did find Heidi’s addiction to swimming in very cold water to rejuvenate herself and gain equilibrium quite remarkable.

Nothing else in this novel is surprising, albeit the consistent additions of another person, tragedy or commotion in almost every chapter.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with the pre-published book for an honest review.

I find the title of this book a bit strange.
The narrator's husband didn't 'leave'. He didn't disappear off to Asia with a backpack to find himself. He didn't shack up with his Pilates instructor. He keeled over and died of a massive heart attack.

Do people say their husband 'left' under such circumstances? I'm unconvinced.

But that's just the title; what about the book?

This isn't my normal genre but I am drawn to the occasional bit of domestic drama when the protagonist is a 'woman of a certain age'. I've had it with Bridget Jonesian singletons and want characters with a bit more experience who aren't just hunting the next transactional fling.

Heidi and her husband had a baby when they were still at school and put him up for adoption. They didn't talk about it with their children who were born after they married quite a while later.  This book is about the nature of family and its challenges, about how new family members change the dynamic, and how you have to be careful what you wish for as it might not be what you expect.

There are some lovely characters in this book, especially the supporting cast of friends. The themes I most enjoyed were around upholstery (my mother used to run a small business doing that) and cold-water sea-swimming - fascinating stuff. Did I believe the family dynamics? Not always. Some relationships formed way more easily and with a lot less jeopardy than I would have expected whilst others looked doomed from the very start. And at the end....... well, it all got neatly and tidily tied up in ways that stretched my credibility.

It's an easy read, a good-news plot, a quick diversion from the current world problems about seeing family and friends. It's nice to think about a world without lockdown and social distancing for a few hours. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC.

The Day My Husband Left
Author: Amy Miller
Genre: Women's fiction

Heidi's husband Johnny dies suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. Without having had a chance to say goodbye, she is devastated at the loss of her soulmate of more than 25 years. His phone shows his last clicked photo as one taken just outside the cafe where he collapsed. Was this a fluke click, or was he trying to tell her something before he passed away? 

The book is quite catchy at the start and its easy-going flow helps you keep your steady pace. Until about 40%, I could not keep the book down. But then it began getting repetitive. I couldn't connect with a couple of decisions made by the lead character, Heidi. She comes off as insecure and unfocussed, not being able to look at the long run. Considering that the entire story is from her narrative standpoint, all the flaws in the book are mainly Heidi's flaws. 

There are many memorable characters in the book, with Zoe, Max, and Tuesday being my favourites. They come off as the most practical and believable of the entire lot. In fact, most of the supporting characters are good. The inconsistencies lie mainly in the portrayal of Heidi and William.
 
I had picked up this ARC mainly for its attractive cover and catchy title. No complaints about the former, the cover is gorgeous. But the title gives a wrong idea about the book and misrepresents the content of the book. I think readers will end up disappointed with the story if they take the title as literally indicative of the content. 

Overall, it's not a bad book, but it could have been better.

My rating: 3.5

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

We all should have a Tuesday in our lives! She resonated such positively and joy. What struck me was despite the great love that the family had for each other that Heidi, Zoe and Scarlet hid behind such secrets. No wonder the deception caused such chaos. Johnny may have left behind a lot including his search for William but what was evident was his great love for his family.

Great book Keeps you interested all the way though. Great family drama that continues to build to a fantastic ending.
 All the feels at the end.  


Thanks to the Author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release if this book.

An enjoyable and interesting read about families, adoption and death / grief.  I found the main character a little annoying though and I also found it too corny at times.  I did like some of the side characters such as Tuesday and the daughters.  It also doesn’t end as expected so it’s not predictable. I would read more by this author. 

Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy.

This novel focused on the aftermath of the protagonist’s spouse passing and leaving her shrouded in grief and many unanswered questions. Her quest for the truth is the driving force behind this book. Highly enjoyable!

3.5 Stars 

Heidi and Johnny are a 50-something couple with two daughters, an upholstery restoration business and a dark secret neither of them talks about. Johnny suffers his second heart attract a year after his first one and passes away. 
The family is grieving, trying hard to cope up with the loss when Heidi finds a picture in Johnny’s phone. Her instincts tell her that she needs to find out about the picture. After much hesitation, she does and finds out something that could change her family forever. 
The book starts with Johnny’s death and continues to tell us what and how things change. Will the family bonds survive, or will everything fall apart forever? 
The cover picture drew me in, and the premise sounded like a wonderful read. The book started out well, and then, sigh! I just couldn’t connect with it. The characters individually were cool. They had their identities, quirks, vulnerabilities, and strengths. Zoe was an absolute favorite. They did well together too. So what’s the issue? 
For me, it was the limited third-person POV that rested on Heidi’s shoulders. She was grieving, trying to handle her present and past while keeping her business afloat. She was supposed to have all of my attention. But she didn’t. 
The story had too much 'tell'. The setting was 'showed' to the reader, but the emotions were told. Yes, there were a lot of gut-wrenching scenes and heartbreaking emotions. Yet, none of them reached me. In short, it was like having a transparent screen between me and the overwhelming experiences of the characters. The writing did not break through this barrier and come to me. 
Maybe if the viewpoints altered between the main characters, I would have been able to see things from their side and know them for who they are. Despite being a third-person narration, I only see what Heidi sees. And it looked like she couldn’t connect with any of the other characters. Sure, they shared a good bond. It just wasn’t enough for me. 
Some of the dialogues were powerful. All of them belonged to other characters. Another issue with the book was that too much happened in succession, and when we come towards the end, it’s more or less sorted out. Again, without Heidi’s involvement. She is probably the weakest character of the book. I understand the reason to show her vulnerable side, she was grieving after all, and she had to be real. People make mistakes. Wrong decisions are a part of our lives. That’s always acceptable. But here, in the book, it didn’t feel real. 
However, that’s just me. I know readers who would love and devour the book. I hope they read and enjoy it (especially the ending). 
Overall, not everyone is going to love this book, but they will remember some of the characters. 
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for a arc copy for a honest review.    

I thought the book The Day My Wife left me I thought it was just okay.  It was a heartwarming story I just wish I could of connected more  to the  characters. I was a 3 star read. 


Happy Reading 
Lisa

This was a sweet, heartwarming story that's perfect in these times of stress.   I really enjoyed this story - however, for some reason I didn't feel that connection to the characters- they didn't come alive for me.  I am not sure why - the writing was excellent, the story was truly interesting,  and the story was unique - not that same book we al have read 100 times.  But I didn't get that "magic" I look for in a book.   I am probably too harsh of a critic, but I look for that something extra and just didn't find it.  

All that being said, I do think most people will enjoy it.  

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which (obviously) did not impact my review.

An emotional moving story.A book that drew me in from the beginning.So well written strong female characters family secrets. So involving so much revealed, Looking forward to reading more by this author.#netgalley #bookouture

Thanks so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.  I enjoyed this book about grief and coming to terms with past decisions.  What we do can change the path of our lives. When Heidi loses her beloved husband she is intrigued by a photo he took on his phone just before his death. The photo links to their past and a decision they made years ago. Heidi has never fully forgotten that decision and this might have been her husband's last gift. A book about what family means, the effect of our choices and the harm they can cause.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author in this genre.  The other books I’ve read have been wartime sagas, namely the Wartime Bakery series.  I loved those books though so was really interested to read this one.  The book has a very sad beginning with Heidi’s husband, Johnny dying unexpectedly from a heart attack whilst he was out on his own.  Obviously, it was completely devastating for Heidi and her two daughters, but when Heidi checks Johnny’s phone, she finds a blurred picture which he took as he was dying.  Heidi believes he was trying to leave her a message, but isn’t prepared for the secret that her husband was keeping from her.

I thought this was a fabulous read, and really empathised and connected with Heidi’s character.  To lose a husband unexpectedly, and then find herself caught up in several family secrets must have been just too much to bear.  It’s really difficult to describe the story too much without revealing any major spoilers, but I think it’s safe to say that decisions made many years before have a big impact on not just Heidi’s life, but the lives of her whole family.  

I loved Heidi’s character and felt that considering she had just lost her husband, she did seem to bear the brunt of other people’s grief, problems and guilt.  There were times when I felt like she’d taken on too much and it was obvious she was finding things difficult.  The basis of the storyline was emotional and reduced me to tears on several occasions, particularly the end of the story!  It’s a book which is full of secrets, with everyone having something to hide.  It also has a lot of life lessons and teaches us to accept the past as it can’t be changed, move on and learn from your mistakes.  The characters, I felt, were all realistic, and whilst I didn’t agree with how some of them behaved, I connected with all of them.  They were all suffering in one way or another, and their actions and decisions showed this.  

This was a wonderful, heart-warming, emotional and captivating read of how family relationships and secrets can change so many lives.  Once started, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down until I’d finished it!  I would highly recommend it, just don’t forget to keep the tissues handy!

Amy Miller, in ‘The Day My Husband Left,’ to be published January 21, 2021, explores the idea that everyone deserves a second chance. 

Johnny and Heidi Eagle certainly know about giving second chances. After all, they own Eagles Workshop where they give cherished old furniture another opportunity. They are also familiar with keeping secrets. In fact, they have kept a life-changing secret for 37 years. Will this part of their life be beyond repair or will acknowledging it offer second chances? Heidi comes face to face with an opportunity that tests her ability to forgive and move forward. A photo attachment in an unsent text ignites the conflict in this novel. It appears that the moment Johnny knew he was going to die, he took a photo and was in the process of sending it to his wife. In the days following his death, Heidi looks for clues in the photo. Amid putting the broken pieces of her life together, she discovers what Johnny was trying to tell her. She knows exactly what the photo means. Acting on this new information will change her life forever. Will she be courageous enough to tell someone? 

What an amazing read about resilience in the midst of grief! Her writing evokes strong and raw emotions, her characters deal with heavy burdens and grow as a result, and her storyline is unpredictable and moving. It is a difficult book to put down because we need resolution, and our emotions demand it. Miller’s novel about love, loss and lifelong friendships will have you questioning your ability to allow another to experience your forgiveness and take your extended hand up to reconcile and forge forward. Miller’s novel also warns us that in an effort to make things right for ourselves, we sometimes forget how others will be affected by our choices. This emotional and unique look at forgiving oneself and addressing the past will ruminate in your thoughts for days. Max’s words resonated with me today: “How are you this week? Are you swimming or sinking?” This has been a tough year for all of us in so many ways. With change due to the pandemic upsetting our regular routines and celebrations, are we taking the time to self assess and allowing ourselves a time-out to heal? How we deal with it now will influence how we interact and move forward in the days to come. So I ask again: Are you sinking or swimming? Please reach out. 

Thank you to Amy Miller, Bookouture and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review

I received this book "The Day My Husband Left" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. I thought this book was good but kinda predictable at times. I like the part where there were secrets, although like I said before, some were predictable. Not sure how I felt about the characters, I liked Zoe the best. Overall I enjoyed reading this book.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I found it quite hard to engage with the characters in this book, it was an enjoyable enough story but it didn't really grab me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Day My Husband Left.

I thought this was going to be more of a domestic or typical standard thriller, but its really more about family, embracing your mistakes and moving on with your life.

Heidi is devastated when the love of her life, her husband, dies from a heart attack. After his death, she discovers an odd photograph in his phone, which leads to a startling discovery and a secret she and her husband has kept secret until now.

On one hand, I liked the theme of family and the fact that many people make up a family, not just blood relatives.

On the other hand, I thought that Heidi and her mother both having children out of wedlock pretty corny, even a bit hard to suspend disbelief for.

I didn't like any of the characters, least of all Heidi's daughters, and didn't feel invested in the story.

I think some readers would enjoy this but this wasn't for me.