Willa Bennett (not Jane as in the description of the book, name change?) lost her husband Ben 3 years ago. He had gone to get their beach cottage ready for the summer and died unexpectedly in his sleep. Willa has just been going thru the motions since. She has decided to return to the beach to get the cottage ready to sell. While there she sees Bens ghost.

Willa and her son Jamie are each grieving in their own way, but they aren’t connecting with each other. This is a story about grief and learning to move on. It has a ghost which is not my favorite genre. The book is fast paced and would be a good read for the beach. Because of the ghost I am giving the book 3 1/2 stars. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

I received an ARC of Every Time You Go Away by Beth Harbison from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I put off starting this book for a little bit because I expected it to be sadder than I thought I would be up to right now. While it definitely did tug at my emotions, and was sad in places, I did also find it to be uplifting. Willa lost her husband way too young and has lost herself in her grief, as well as not being as fully present with her son as she would like to have been. Yes, that is sad, but she is making an effort to get past that when she believes she sees Ben’s ghost. She has a good friend who is willing to help her in whatever way she can as they ready Willa’s Beach House for sale. My grandmother always told us salt air clears everything out and that old saying holds true for Willa. This was a good book with characters I cared enough about to cry a little, but not too much.

This was an interesting paranormal romance. When Willa returns to the beach house where her late/ex husband lived after their divorce, she finds that he still lives there as a ghost. Humorous to read and full of drama and suspense. I read this as a reader copy via Net Galley and voluntarily chose to write a review. An emotional roller coaster with lots of twists.

This is the first book I have read by Beth Harbison. It probably won't be the last. The only reason I did not give it 5 Stars was because of the slight use of profanity. Even though it seemed appropriate as part of the story it' still was a little offensive. The story centers around a recently widowed mother who has to close up and sell the family beach house. She has put this task off for 3 years because it is where her husband died. She has a young son who is also struggling with his dad's death. It sounds like a pretty cut-and-dried story until you realize that even though her husband is dead he still hasn't actually left the beach house! Even though Willa is the main character I really enjoyed the son's girlfriend, Roxie. She was well written and I think so accurate for a teenage girl going through a breakup. It was enjoyable every time I came to her part of the story. Although story does have a lot of discussion about recovering and moving on the main plot is still excellent. Plus after reading it now I want to go to the beach!
I voluntarily received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley.

Very emotional book. A wife, a son, and friends congregate at the lake house where the man died 3 years earlier. All in their own ways are trying to handle their loss and continue with "getting on.". So much of their feelings seem very believable and reasonable, but there are unexplainable happenings as well! A very good job at understanding of a sad situation.

I enjoyed this read, bittersweet as it was. Returning to sell the house she can’t bear to keep Willa finds that the ghost of Ben is still occupying the house making her question her sanity. Even with the complicated relationships this is a light beach read that I recommend

Enjoyed the read. Great beach read. Touching and sweet relationships. I am still windering what happened to Roxy. Psychology girlfriends don't just go away.

In the ARC that I received from Net Galley (thank you very much!) -Willa has lost her beloved husband Ben. He died 3 years before while opening their beach house for the summer.

The previous 3 years have been hard for Willa and their son Jamie (14 when dad died, now 17 and acting out - wrong friends, wrong girlfriend, disrespects his mom) and she is going to the beach house for the first time since Ben's death to sort out and put the house on the market.

The book was heartbreakingly and honestly real - if a little wordy at times - and I loved the interaction between Willa and Jamie, and their friends Kristin and her daughter Kelsey. And the way Willa and Ben converse. The ending was abrupt - and heartbreaking!! - would have LOVED an epilogue (or maybe a sequel?), but overall a satisfying read.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Net Galley for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest opinion. I liked this book, and would recommend it, especially as a beach read. I think my true rating would be 3.5 because I didn't really feel the characters like I had hoped I would. I am all about spirit visitations, but some of these felt a little strained, or off. What I liked was the interaction between the two friends as well as the main character and her son. It was interesting seeing his take, versus that of his mom. Again, I gave it a 3, but I'd really be happier if it was 3.5

A bittersweet summer beach read. Every time you go away is a well-crafted story where the beach house almost becomes a character in itself. It presents a unique light touch of a heavy topic and leaves the reader satisfied.

I have to admit, I wasn't entirely sure what Women's Fiction meant as a genre, but I did think the book description sounded interesting( how many excellent psychological thrillers can you read without choosing a dud) and I thought it was time to read something different. I am glad I gave Every Time You Go Away a chance since I know so few people(myself included) who haven't struggled to recover and move on after a sudden and tragic loss. I was curious to see how the author would tell this tale and I wasn't disappointed by her writing ability and style.
Willa's husband Ben went to their beach house to get it ready for the coming season. Sadly, Ben suddenly dies and not only is Willa unprepared to cope with the loss of Ben, she also doesn't know how to move beyond her own grief and assist their son Jamie with the loss of his father. Willa avoided going back to the beach house for three years, until financial pressures finally push her to return, prepare to sell and say goodbye to all the memories(both good and bad).
There were many sad moments, but ultimately this is a story of loss, love, friendship and finding a way to live when life doesn't turn out as planned. Willa 'sees' Ben at the beach house and doesn't know if she is losing her mind or if there is life after death(no spoilers here). Once Jamie joins her, they work on strengthening their strained relationship and personally, I liked Jamie's voice the most(chapters alternate between Jamie and Willa's POV). I actually got to read this on a sunny spring day and can see this as being an entertaining beach read.
Thank you, Beth Harbison, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the complimentary digital ARC. I am definitely going to see what else the author has written.

Don't go by the synopsis in Goodreads. story and character name is all wrong.
Willa has never fully recovered from the sudden death of her husband, Ben. She became an absent mother to her young son, Jamie, unable to comfort him while reeling from her own grief.

Now, years after Ben’s death, Willa finally decides to return to the beach house where he passed. It’s time to move on and put the Ocean City, Maryland house on the market.

While cleaning up and remodeling the ghost of Ben appears. It seems he is there to help her move on.
I really enjoyed this story and the characters. They seemed to have loved each other a lot.

Once I stopped crying, I was so happy I read this book! Such a beautiful heartwarming family story. It wasn't only sad, it was life affirming and I suspect it will stay with me long past the summer.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. Not the first book I have read, but Harbison and won’t be my last as I just can’t help but enjoy her writing.

That said, this time out in the ARC I received, the main character known as Willa (not Jane as in the finalized copy) was dealing with the aftermath of her husband’s (Ben) death a few years ago. See Ben passed away while working to get their summer beach house in order. That was three years ago and Willa has yet to return. But she finally decides to go back to at least fix the house up to sell it as there are just too many memories to hold onto it in her eyes. Also in the three years since Ben passed on, Willa and her son Jamie have had a complicated mother-son relationship. While they aren’t really at odds with each other, they still don’t seem to be able to deal with all that has happened with his passing. Nor are they able to explain their own feelings to the other.

But all that is about to change with Willa returning to their family beach house. See Ben’s ghost appears to her. And as much as this appearance seems to help her in some ways, it also makes her question her own sanity. So, she gets her son, her best friend and best friend’s daughter to join her at the beach house to help with the renovations.

This is definitely a lighter read and perfect for the summer beach reading. See it really had many different levels of emotions for all the characters, especially Willa and Jamie. And yet the beach setting really does make this a summer contender. - Originally on Goodreads

This is just the book that makes you believe that those who have moved on to the next world, can stop in to peek on us. It is a reminder that our loved one are around us.
When Ben suddenly dies, Willa has no idea how to live.
She returns to the beach house to clean and sell it and Ben is there. Even Dolly the family dog feels it!
"I never thought about how to live. But he'd come to tell me."
A novel of love, hope, resilience, tears and laughter. I loved it!

I got sent an invite to read -sounded memorable. I have read 2 others of Beth Harbison's and I enjoyed those.
I started reading and I could not stop. I got wrapped up in the story and I had to keep reading. I will be looking for more of Beth's books to read. She is an enjoyable read!

Willa is feeling dead after husband's death.
She must sell beach house, which is the place of his death.
The cottage needs to get ready to go on market. Then a surprise visitor also comes to help Willa.

The story switches between mother and son.
I loved that dynamic! As a mother with a son, I treasured it.
I recommend this book!!

This wonderful, heartfelt story centers around a grieving widow named Willa who is struggling to overcome the death of her husband Ben who passed away three years prior. While in their old beach house packing up and preparing to sell the home, Willa starts seeing and hearing something strange...Ben! Is she seriously seeing a ghost, or just losing her mind?! Beth Harbison is a great author and I’ve read several of her books. Like the others, this one did not disappoint. A truly great story of family and friends coming together and enjoying a new life after death!

This was a very well written and emotional read about loss and love and ultimately figuring out how to live again. I very much enjoyed Willa’s heartbreaking yet uplifting journey with a ghostly twist on it.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

#3.5 out of 5.. rounded up
Not so much into the supernatural stuff, and this was mostly what the book was about. That said
it is a easy read that you can just breeze through. Kept me interested enough but i found it just ended..done.. no more. Would have liked to have a little more.




Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early release of this book

Unfortunately, this book could not keep my interest. I tried hard to get into it, and love it, but it just seemed to be so slowly paced and dragging. I was not able to completely finish, but will try at a different time and update accordingly.