Didn't catch my interest, sadly. Starts in one place, sends us to another that seemed completely pointless, doesn't get us back to the how/why/who of that opening for a moment. The heroine herself felt dry and bland, and I couldn't evoke sympathy for her so wasn't rooting along.

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

I thought I was reading a thriller and delightfully found myself in a sweet and sexy romance! Liv quits her job and moves to a seaside Spanish village to spend a year finding herself. She soon meets a quirky cast of characters at the local coffee shop who become her closest friends. She also meets and falls in love with the hottest guy in town, Sebastian. This story is super steamy, and us thriller readers aren’t used to that, so I just closed my eyes and gave them a moment because this story was really rich, multi layered, and enjoyable to read during these last couple of rainy days. Thank you Netgalley, BooksGoSocial and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Available now!

I'm a sucker for an older-woman-younger-man romance and this one did not disappoint. I also loved the setting in Spain.

Sadly not quite the hopeful and funny romcom read I thought it would be. This felt uninspired and insipid at times, with a main character who I never felt like I knew. The peripheral characters seemed formulaic and the plot itself was thin. There weren’t any moments that made me laugh out loud or pulled on my heartstrings.

It wasn’t bad per se, just very bland and lacking in any distinction in a crowded genre that have more compelling and memorable story arcs and characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sigla Ehrlich, and the publisher for an E-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved the idea of someone being able to pick up their life and just move to another part of the world, especially since this was set in Barcelona (I love Spain!!) This was a sexy, and steamy read that would be a perfect summer read or a good read if you want to transport to somewhere new. I loved how much the author took me to Spain with her vivid writing and I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

A delightful book full of adventure, action, and thrills. Fun to read, engrossing world building, and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic. It's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. Would recommend.

This one was a quick read for me, with likable characters and a summery vibe. The story didn’t suck me in though and even if the writing was well done, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Overall, a nice read but nothing spectacular.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A unique and enjoyable read that's perfect for a long day at the beach. The characters were well-developed and likeable as well. A fun story all around!

🌅Slow bloomer but got there in the end💓

I'm glad I kept reading because the last half of this story was worth slow progress through the beginning. It's much more focused on the steamy side of the relationship between American expat Liv and the smoldering Spaniard she takes up with, particularly in the first half, than I had expected (or needed). I will admit to skimming most of the extended intimate scenes to get to the dialogue and the emotional journey Liv undertakes in her search for a satisfying life. Liv's deep-seated issues with her mom are hard to avoid, even with a continent between them, and added a layer of complexity to her unwillingness to let down her barriers even when romance comes banging on her door.

But her newfound clique of women friends anchors the women's fiction side of the story. Her regular confabs with cafe owner Vivian and the women in her cooking class were welcome intervals between the heated scenes with Sebastian.

I ended up liking Liv's story of growth and fulfillment; her persistent suitor/seducer Sebastian was a large part of the draw.😉

Thanks to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this! I love both the character and relationship development. Liv being so emotionally guarded is something both relatable and realistic, and it was so nice to see her open up to Sebastian, who just wants to support her as she gets further in her journey of self-discovery. I also love the ANGST of Liv being afraid of making herself vulnerable to Sebastian and trying to pretend there is nothing going on, when there obviously is! I liked that this story delved a bit deeper with messages about self-love in addition to the great relationship. This was a great summer read!

DNF
This was sadly not for me and I didn't finish the book either. I found the writing to be pretty bad, the pace slow and the story quite boring. Tnere were so many cliches and I just wasn't interested at all.

Sorry I didn't get to read it before the time ran out. I didnt know you couldnt renew once archived. I was looking forward to reading it aswell. I didn't know that books got archived then.

CW: fatphobic language, slut shaming, negative reaction to asking for consent

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Liv is starting over. She's leaving her job, going to Spain, and she's going to live her life. She quickly begins to soak in the culture and opportunities with cooking classes, nights out, and new friends. When she meets a sexy younger man, she is swept up in everything about him, and she doesn't even know his name! But could there be more going on than just a surface level attraction?

I was a bit turned off by the main character calling herself a "slut" for wanting to have sex, but tried to focus on other aspects of the story. The friendships being developed were cute, so those were a great driving force, but they weren't enough. At 53%, a supporting character was talking about a recent sexual experience of hers, and how her partner had been asking for consent (ie "can I kiss you? Can I touch you here?" etc), and all characters reacted as though it was so awful. At that point, I had to stop. The book is so sex driven, but many of the characters treat sex so strangely. I know that not everyone feels the same way about sex, and that's totally understandable, but these characters felt like painful stereotypes. This was not the one for me.

Great characters, and an amazing story. This was such a wild ride and I enjoyed every second of it! Fun and adventurous, Liv's life is fabulous.

I completely loved this book and will be recommending it to my friends.

Liv does something that I have thought about doing myself that I would love to do. She took a look at her life and thought ... what if I just jump on a plane and run away, never to look back? Just go start over someplace new. Find new adventures, new friends and passion. Live thinks about doing these things every day. She fights the desire to give up her wonderful job that has made her financially comfortable.

One day she finally decides to just do it. Give it all up and start over in a small town just outside of Barcelona. This is a story of self-renewal and self discovery. Liv's mommy issues is something that I could completely relate to. These issues made me like the book even more.

This is definitely a must read. One that will make you keep reading to find out what happens next.

Thank you to Netgally, BooksGoSocial and Sigal Ehrlich for advancing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was granted a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. This was a light and breezy book that will make for an easy summer read. Enjoyable, but not much substance to it.

Loved this one! It had everything I love in a romance! It was completely bvingeworthy and the characters were fun and delightful. The perfect summer read.

Thank you NetGalley, author Sigal Ehrlich, and AUTHOR SIGAL EHRLICH OÜ publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars
This book had a lot going for it! I loved the premise of Liv following her heart and starting a new life living aboard. Her new friends and the gorgeous Spanish male hero, Sebastian help Liv to build a solid foundation in her new home, Spain. The author really took the readers to the beautiful country that is Spain with the wonderful descriptions of the food, culture, and landscape. I enjoyed reading about Live finding the love she had always been searching for and in turn give that love back to a man worthy of her.
I would recommend this book to those who are loving for a swoony worthy romance!

I received a complimentary copy of Leaving Me Behind from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Delicious! I devoured this book in less than a day (and I will definitely be reading it again before beginning my next book!) Within the first 48 hours of Liv’s self-discovery year abroad in Spain, she samples and thoroughly enjoys some spicy local dishes—the best one being a sinfully sexy winery owner, Sebastian Noe Balle. His bold, unapologetic attraction demands Liv’s time and attention for the duration of her sabbatical. Steamy!