This was heartfelt. A bit sad, a bit nostalgia for me but I absolutely loved the writing. It is my first read form this author and it won't be the last!

The pace at the beginning was slow but it was better in the second half
The characters were well developed.
The writing in the book was good

4/5*

This was a beautiful story about an incredibly difficult time in Canadian history, a moment in our past that is often brushed over or dismissed. The thousands of innocent Japanese Canadians who had their rights stolen are incredibly important to remember and this story does a wonderful job making the reader feel what this moment in history would have been like for Canadian citizens.

This is a historical fiction, but it's also a romance, and Graham does a good job bringing these characters to life and making the reader care about what happens to them. Highly recommend this for anyone interested in historical fiction.

This is a well- written book on a subject that is rarely the subject of a novel: Canadian Japanese being sent to interment camps during WWII. It is also a wonderful story about the relationship between two lifelong friends. The author obviously did her homework. The historical details are very believable. The only thing that I would change is that the story of one of the girls, Chidori, was told through journal entries. I didn't feel this was enough to know her well. Otherwise, a four-star read.
I voluntarily read this ARC and the opinions are my own.

My review is more of 3.5 star but I rounded down. I will explain why in a minute.

This is a sweet and endearing love story. Two kids who have fallen madly in love and ripped apart because of the war. Will they find their way back to each other? While the novel spans the time period of 1941 - 1945 during WW2, the author jumps back and forth not only within the time period but between the perspectives of Hayden and Chidori. Sometimes even within the same chapter. I have to give the author credit here, she pulls it off seamlessly. One would think jumping around like that would confuse the reader. On the contrary, I followed the timeline and span of events perfectly. That's a narrative style that is hard to write and Graham nails it!

The plotline itself was somewhat unique. There are a million historical fiction novels on WW2, but this is the first one I've read from the perspective of Japanese-Canadians. So, again, kudos to the author on that.

Here is where the story fell a little short for me and why I rounded down - first is the ending. I won't spoil the ending, let's just say I felt it was too abrupt and I wanted much more than there was. I feel it could have been expanded on and still maintained the same impact. The second area was I felt some of the perspectives to be a little on the immature side. That made it difficult to really connect with either of the main characters. After reading it I saw it also listed as young adult, which makes more sense. For those reasons I rounded my 3.5 star rating down to a 3.

This is a good story and it is a good book. I really enjoyed learning about another aspect of war I had not previously known.

My thanks to Danielle Graham, One More Chapter publishing and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Be kind. Be yourself. And never let anyone tell you who you should or shouldn’t love.”
Graham delves into the lives and loves of friends residing in Canada around World War II and the roles that their race and class played in their stories. Japanese internment during this time was an injustice that spread into Canada and affected the life of Chidori and her family, while her love went off to fight the war. The horrors and triumphs of their lives during this time come together eventually as Graham weaves this story of friendship and love while leaving a historical and humane nod to the inequities of the time.

Chidori and Hayden have known each other from childhood and they’ve been in love with the other for a long time but they don't tell the other their feelings before the beginning of the novel, so we can still say we follow their story from the start, and they're cute together.

The author chose to tell her story by alternating chapters taking place in 1941 - before and just after Pearl Harbor's attack - and chapters after 1942, all told by Hayden in first person, interspersed with excerpts from Chidori's diary in 1941. Most chapters aren't dated so mental gymnastics is needed to know when we are in the chronology. Because of this style we finally don't know Chidori much, except that she's a romantic dreamer, probably idealized in the hero's memories. I had troubles getting in the story for the same reason, and I read a good third before I began being hooked.

In all the parts taking place in 1941 we can see the mistrust and the racism of some people toward Japanese people, whether they be first or second generation, even before Japan joined the war. The hero gets some negative comments from other inhabitants - and even one from his own mother - because of his relationship with the heroine, and once he asks why nobody says the same about families with German or Italian origins. However they're both a bit naive and immature - on the other side they're quite young - and this tense atmosphere doesn't prevent them from thinking about their life together, in spite of the heroine's father having told his refusal frankly because the culture difference is an insurmountable obstacle. We see the situation deteriorate suddenly after Pearl Harbor's attack to the moment where citizens from Japanese origin, deprived of their nationality and their rights, are gathered and sent to work or detention camps. I found it too bad we don't have more of Chidori's vision about these events - we must wait almost until the end to know what she went through.

Because that's another problem with this book: lack of information. At the beginning we know the hero, who went to war, received a letter from his father that disturbed him, but we must wait half the book to know what it said. And that's almost when we learn part of what first happened to Chidori and her family and why Hayden enlisted.

Apart from that I found the hero's story really grabbing, even if the style is slow. His plane is shot and he's taken prisoner by Germans, so we follow him in his transfer to a camp then his life as a prisoner of war. Of course it's very somber, but we see him clinging to his memories of Chidori and the promise they made to resist for the other. We see hope disappear little by little, his mind sapped by lack of food, hard conditions of detention, and nightmares that plague him to the point of him attacking the others during his sleep, until the moment where he's ready to give up - but he doesn't because of an unexpected gesture done by a friend. The author tells us at the end of the book that she leaned on the journals of her grand-father, a RAF pilot who'd been a POW during WW2, and that’s probably why this part ring so true in its intensity.

When finally the camp is liberated, Hayden comes back home, and he's confronted to the difference with those who didn't go to war and think he can resume his life normally, as if he could forget what he lived just because it's finished. I liked how he clings to Chidori's memories and moves heaven and earth to find her, while fighting his traumas and the lack of understanding from his relatives. He finds help in an unusual ally, a young girl with a tragic past who's wiser than her age, which adds nonetheless some levity to this story.

I can reassure you everything ends well for the couple, even if we must wait the very last pages for that. And I can only recommend this novel if you want a little different.

Their lives we're supposed to be a peaceful life where nothing would reach them, especially nothing like WWII, but this is what happens. The war strikes fast and mercilessly.
The story begins on the island in Canda, were Japanese Canadians also live. After Japan joins the war, all hell breaks loose slowly. Chidori is that exact position, what will be her fate? Will she manage to survive what is to come; unfortunately we don't get to see that as Ms. Graham only allows us to see her via diary and letters that are not really concentrated on her, which is a shame as it would make this read even more dimensional.
Hayden is the main character of this story and we can see events from his per perspective, especially in the camp during his journey in Europe. It will give a good insight into powerful descriptions that made my skin crawl.
Those two characters fell in love before the war, but being separated due to it, will this love manage to survive or will that be the end of their story?
I rate this story as an ok one due to lack of Chidori's perspective that I was so needing.

Once I realized that this book was more romance than WWII historical fiction I was able to.enjoy it more. I loved Hayden and Chidori's love story and seeing how they found each other after so many years apart. At times I thought the writing was a little basic and it made it hard to get fully immersed in the story.

I was provided an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Harper Collins UK in returned for an honest review.

All We Could Not Leave Behind takes place during WWII. Even though this book is based mostly about the friendship and love of two characters Hayden and Chidori you see the struggles and what it really means to never give up hope. When Chidori family is kick out of there home for being Japanese Candian during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Chidori and her family is sent to an internment camp. Hayden decides to enlist and everyday he thinks about how Chidori and him will be together again.

I loved the point of view of the main character being from the male. I loved how you had snippets of Chidori's journal entries. I love to read historic fiction even though this was more about their love then the war. It was a fantastic read.

A multi-timeline and perspective story of a young couple torn apart by World War Two. There is a lot going for this novel, the story is relevant, the characters are endearing, their young love is moving, and many side characters that color and fill the story so that it feels much bigger than it is. The side characters composing of family members, friends, townspeople, army men, prisoners of war, they all played their part in showing the multifaceted opinions and behaviors of humans. There were large topics being handled both subtly and up front that forces the reader to acknowledge where they and their loved ones may fall.

Personally, I thought the pacing was a bit off in the beginning, it wasn't until about 30% of the way through that I felt the pacing really hit its stride where each chapter just made me want to keep going more and more. I found myself quite emotional for the latter 15-20% of the novel, I felt so deeply what these characters were going through.

This book was everything I had hoped it would be. A story of forbidden love that proves the heart sees no race, color or religion. This is a love story of a young man Hayden and a young Japanese girl Chidori who have a friendship from childhood and then it grows into a love that anyone would envy, but separated by a war and prejudices that threatens to tear society apart at the seams. This is a fictional story but talks about the Japanese internment camps in Canada after the bombing of Pearl Harbor that really did happen. The characters are bold, strong and captivating. I felt the pain of Chidori, the anxiety, fear and hurt of Hayden, I laughed and cried and wished and hoped right along with these characters as their story unfolds. This is easily a 5 star book for me. Beautifully done!

I enjoyed the story but felt it was presented in a bit of a choppy way. The story kept going between now and then and here and there and I was sometimes left needing to think about how it was fitting together. And maybe this sort of device was necessary to tell a story that took place over just a few years and in several locations. As I said, I found the story quite enjoyable and yet so very sad at the same time. I knew there had been attitudes toward Japanese here in the US during the war and mistreatment, but I hadn’t realized that all that reached up into Canada too. I am not much of one to give away spoilers, so I will simply say that I found myself caring very much about what was happening to both Hayden and Chidori and felt very warmed by their devotion to each other and very concerned for each of them.

*Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Hayden and Chidori are very much in love, but are separated during the Second World War. Hayden joins the Canadian Air Force, whilst Chidori is forcibly removed from Mayne Island, due to her Japanese heritage. This book follows their lives as teenagers, and then their lives as in the military and as prisoners.

This is a new adult book, full of surprises, suspense and touching moments. But most of all, it is a brutal look at the Canadian war effort and the inhumane treatment of Japanese Canadians by their own government. This historical instance is not something that I was aware of, but Danielle Graham did a fantastic job of conveying the events, feelings and consequences for Japanese Canadians and their neighbours.

I would love to read more by Danielle Graham, her writing style is fluid and engaging throughout. I loved her use of time jumps and letters to illustrate character emotions and the impact of war on everyone living on Mayne Island.

First, I love the cover of this book! Second, I did not realize that there were Japanese internment camps in Canada. All We Left Behind is the story of Hayden and Chidori. Hayden is called to fight in WWII. He asks his Japanese Canadian girlfriend to wait for him. Hayden finds himself in a POW Camp and Chi and her family are interned. When Hayden returns Chi and her family are not there. I thought this was a good premise for a story but the execution was lacking. Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK/ One More Chapter for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set on British Columbia's Mayne Island in the 1940s, a fishing community where two childhood friends find love. Despite parental objections, Hayden and Chidori begin to plan their future. But as rumors swirl from the mainland and the bombing of Pearl Harbor takes place, the Canadian government begins rounding up their Japanese-Canadian citizens, including Chidori and her family. Frustrated, but determined to see this war end, Hayden enlists and becomes a pilot who participates in the Italian campaign. The thought of their eventual reunion is what will keep Hayden alive.

A solid historical romance that had a bit of a rough beginning, but eventually engulfed me as I became transfixed by Hayden's perspective. Not too many times are my WWII books from the perspective of the male character. Although the narrative is also infused with Chidori's journal writings which balanced out the storyline, it really is Hayden's tale.

Author Danielle R. Graham brings a tale of friendship and love while shedding light on a painful part of Canadian history.

Goodreads review published 07/01/20
Expected Publication Date 10/01/20

I'm not crying.. you're crying!
This book was fantastic. You can tell that Graham spent a lot of time studying the time period and the premise of the novel. The book was heart wrenching and everything I wanted and more. I fell in love with the characters immediately and read every second possible because I needed to see what happened.
Historical Fiction fans, this is a must to be added to your To Be Read pile. Push it right to the top.
Three cheers for Danielle R. Graham on her first Historical Fiction novel. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

All We Left Behind follows the story of Hayden and Chidori as they explore their feelings for each other amidst the implications of World War II. Chidori faces the hardships of Japanese Canadians as they are looked down upon and eventually interned. Hayden is desperate to do whatever it takes to hold on to Chidori, which includes volunteering to fight in hopes of ending the war.

This novel spans the time period of 1941-1945 and is told mainly from Hayden's perspective as he goes off to war and eventually becomes a POW, with snippets of Chidori's perspective via her diary entries. The novel jumps back and forth between the time around the Japanese evacuation of 1941 and 1944-45. I think I would've much preferred to hear more of Chidori's perspective, but ultimately found both perspectives quite immature and at times overly dramatic. As a result, I didn't necessarily found myself attached to either character, which took away from the enjoyment of the overall plot.

WWII Historical Fiction is my go to genre and maybe that has made me a bit critical about each new book I read within the genre. I definitely enjoyed the plot here and found it rather unique in a world where many WWII novels feel the same; however, the narrative style puts this at three stars in my mind.

Note: I received an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book.
I liked the story between Chi and Hayden, their young love and how it blossomed into something much more.
I knew a little bit about how the Japanese were treated in the US, but not in Canada.
It goes to show how easily hate is spread and the damage caused by it.

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review it.

This was a real mixed bag for me, so I'll start with the positives first. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, especially that which is based around WW2, so I was always going to request this as soon as I saw the synopsis! I was also really excited to learn about an aspect of the war that I'd not previously known. As a citizen of the UK, my understanding of WW2 is focused largely on what happened in Britain and Europe. Recently, I have read some books about how America viewed the war, but never Canada, and so that was something I was really excited by, and I wasn't let down in the slightest. In this novel, Graham gives us a fantastic insight into the complexities of how the war played out in Canada, with particular focus on the appealing treatment faced by Japanese Canadians as perceived retribution for Pearl Harbour.

I also found that Graham's writing was fantastic when focusing on Hayden's experiences in the POW camp. Her writing was brutal and realistic and very moving, and I also found that it seemed very accurate - she didn't sugar coat things, or exaggerate for the sake of the novel, but instead gave a very frank and eyeopening insight into the complexities of Hayden's experience and the effect it had on his mental health.

Now, onto the aspects I felt were a bit weaker. Firstly, the balance between the two characters was a bit off to me. Chidori was such a central character, but instead of reading about her experiences firsthand, we just get journal entries which mainly focus on her love of Hayden. They are beautiful, but it doesn't really let you know her as a person, and so I never really grew to feel any attachment to her - she was very one dimensional, existing only to be the subject of Hayden's adoration. This is a real shame, as the struggles she experienced as a Japanese Canadian woman in that time would have made for a fascinating read.

I also felt like the language was quite odd at times. It would alternate between very relaxed and casual, to at times being overly formal and quite bizarre. There were also some odd jumps between segments, which might not have been noticeable if read over a few days but when you read it in one sitting it makes for a bit of an odd experience.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, if only for offering an insight into a previously unknown (to me) aspect of WW2 - the unjust way in which Japanese Canadians were treated after Pearl Harbour. However, it could've gone into more depth on this aspect of the plot, and due to the narrative focus being on Hayden this did lead to some elements of the plot feeling quite detached from the reader. However, while there were some issues with the novel, these were minor, and although I've read better I've also definitely read far worse. If you're a fan of historical fiction focusing on WW2, it might be worth a read, but I'm not sure I'd pay for it.

Disclaimer - I was provided with an advance reading copy by NetGalley. This has not affected my review in any way, and all opinions are my own.