The payoff wasn't there for me. I found Tessa to be shallow and 2-dimensional. I didn't root for them in the end

"My Goodbye Girl" by Anna Gomez is a moving and heartfelt romance that explores love and second chances. The characters' journey is emotionally charged, making it a touching and enjoyable read.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

The story of Simon and Tessa following a random encounter on a plane. I felt that the story was a bit disjointed between the final two parts of the book.

i really really enjoyed this book a lot more than i thought i would! it was so fun and enjoyable to read. the author really hit the nail on the head with everything they talked about. it was so fascinating!!!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

My Goodbye Girl is opposites attract love story. Tessa is an author who travels the world but won't allow herself to get close to anyone (other than her brother and best friend) due to losing her parents. Simon is a scientist who meets Tessa on a flight and there is an instant connection. They start a whirlwind romance over the years, meeting up at locations that Tessa is scheduled for her job. While they both feel their relationship is more than casual, Tessa struggles to commit. Simon seemed to be the one who was always catering to Tessa's whims. I'm glad he finally put his foot down! I enjoyed watching our couple overcome the obstacles and finally tearing down the final wall...and then "the event" happens. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled with the dramatic, tragic event that followed. The end part of the book reminded me of a "soap opera," a little over the top. I know trauma can affect people differently, but I still was questioning our characters actions. Thankfully, the book concludes with a happy ending.

3.5 stars

3.5 stars

Tessa Talman is a go with the flow famous author. Simon Fremon is a very organized, practical scientist. Total opposites but super attracted to each other. Although they live in different countries, they meet up all over the world, falling deeper and deeper. Yet, neither is ready to give everything up. Then there is a twist that felt out of the blue.

This book often felt repetitive and I found myself skimming the pages. Overall I liked the book.

When Tessa Talman and Simon Fremont first meet, there is an instant attraction. Tessa is not only attracted to him but finds his different lifestyle fascinating. He is a dedicated scientist who doesn’t take risks whilst she is a romance novelist who is fearful of love. Yet both, are determined to make a go of this budding romance. As their feelings deepen, Simon is determined that he sees more of Tessa rather than just flying into her latest book launch whilst Tessa struggles as she is enjoying her freedom. However, when Tessa decides to take a chance on this one-in-a-lifetime romance, the unthinkable happens, separating them in ways she never imagined.
A tender romance between two quite different characters. Simon was easy to love whilst Tessa’s lack of confidence, was challenging to deal with but understandable. The events that transpire to change their lives was such a twist that I wondered how this story would end. A very cleverly written book, that had me fixated from the first chapter.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm really sorry, I know a lot of work and heaetbreaking personal experiences were put into this book, but sadly it didn't work for me. :(

I couldn't connect to Tessa or the writing. It felt disjointed, like I was reading the cliffnotes of another story. It didn't flow naturally, I kept having this sense that it was missing pieces. The dialogue was cringe, the insta-love and main characters connection weren't believable and the ending was heartbreaking... It did make sense for the story and it send a great message, I can totally get that, but I was hoping for more for these characters after all they've been through in Part 2 of the book. More happily ever after vibes, you know?

The only things I did enjoy were Simon's POV- he is such a great guy wearing his heart on his sleeve (even though he came off as too desperate sometimes), the travels and the connections with the friends and family. They were such a breath of fresh air and everyone should have people like them in their lives!

But Tessa was too two dimensional, her character needed more development so it could be believable that she went from shallow "no plans girl" to "I love you are my home".

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc

They say opposites attract and with My Goodbye Girl's Tessa and Simon that is definitely the case. He's a smart, sensitive scientist and businessman, while she's best described as having her heads in the clouds. One is logical, the other is emotional. As an author, Tessa is afforded the ability to travel the world, giving in to the words in her head whenever she wants and keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been through a life of loss though, one that makes her unsure of permanence and plans. Simon is persistent in winning her over and as they meet up in various locations all over the world she begins to find comfort in the consistency. They say goodbye each time, there's no promise of the future, no plan, until one day finally Tessa gives in and offers Simon everything. Life though, like love, is unpredictable..

You spend so much of the novel hoping the goodbyes end, that Tessa will open up, hoping the pair would find a way to be together and yet still be their individual selves. I liked both main characters, connecting with Simon's clean way and formula style thinking and envying Tessa's ability to hop around the world embracing every new experience. We only get glimpses of their time together, often a glimpse of a sensual evening or touristy exploring, and we remain relatively unaware of what goes on when they are apart. We see Tessa with her walls built back up each time they meet, unable to shake the loss from her life. Simon continues to embrace his feelings, working Tessa's walls down and learning to embrace her adventurous side. He keeps secrets from her though and I struggled with how much he asked of her while still not giving all of himself. Finally, we see them embrace this unknown, this love, only to watch it shatter.

Their love faces an unimaginable trial, Gomez deals with the topic delicately, skimming the actual events, leaving us with the character's emotions and the aftermath. I found it really interesting how the timeline of the book skipped ahead after the event, revealing that the characters are still reeling from the event though their lives have moved forward. I appreciated how Gomez worked through the emotions with the characters, showing each having done something different. It was unpredictable and there were certainly some twists that I loved and some I hated, much like how I feel about real life sometimes. It's difficult, the struggles they continue to face are hard, but it is realistic. Gomez takes you on a journey of loss, love, and rediscovery.

My Goodbye Girl is about embracing all that life has to offer, the beautiful and the painful. Gomez has a writing style that leaves you in the character's heads quite often and while it isn't for everyone I think it worked well for this type of story. I loved the various settings and the character growth Tessa and Simon go through as they discover what love is together.

I snagged this one from NetGalley with no idea what to expect. It contained a beautiful mix of chance meetings, romance, friendship, tragedy, growth and reconnection. I enjoyed Tessa and Simon and loved reading about them meeting in locations around the globe. I wished there was more snippets from Riley and Jacob, they were great and built up the main characters nicely.
The only downfall to this book was the secret keeping. Both characters harbored secrets that were unforgivable in my opinion. After the love and trust they built the entire book, I don’t like that they kept these things from each other and then moved on immediately (in the name of love) when they found out.
I think that everyone will enjoy this story. It is a truly unique HEA.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Get the tissues ready!

This is a book filled with emotions, the good, the great and the not so great. Tessa has lots of walls up after losing her parents too soon. Now she’s an accomplished author, traveling the world on a whim, living and loving freely without attachments other than her brother Jacob and best friend Riley.

Simon is a scientist, very logical and smart. He is close to his family and serious about just about everything. When he meets Tessa on a plane, they have instant attractions, but she doesn’t want to give him more than an occasional meet up in some country. Their relationship continues like this until one day, travel turns to tragedy.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I found Tessa to be selfish and didn’t care for the way she treated Simon. But, I suppose she had to be written this way for the story to evolve. I think the book was well written and would definitely look for other books by the same author.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Simon and Tessa meet unexpectedly and begin a fast whirlwind romance. Their love leads them in adventures around the world, Although the book had some heart warming moments, it was hard to find relatable or realistic. I found it difficult to connect with the characters.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This one was pretty good overall! It will definitely give you the wanderlust bug, wanting to visit all the places we’re taken to throughout this story.

The premise was an interesting one, it made me think of Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh a bit with the regular meetups while traveling. I don’t love an instalove trope and you definitely have to break from reality for this story but if you can do that then you can roll with this story.

This book definitely gave me One Night on the Island by Josie Silver vibes too.

I love the description of the character and places. There aren't mean books where I can put myself in the book, but it felt like I was watching a movie. I loved all the drama and how Simon was the romantic one. I liked the secret! These opposites attract story is a must-read!

I get really excited when I hear Anna Gomez is releasing a new book. She takes her time, and it shows in a quality story. I know I'm going to invest myself in her characters, and the places she takes them.

I enjoyed following Simon and Tessa's path. They had chemistry, and formed a bond...but when you are damaged, is that really enough to carry you thru? Some people can't find their way out of the sadness, the trama, or the unpredicability life throws at you. Real life can be hard. It can also be wonderful if you are able to work thru your past.

One of my favorite moments in My Goodbye Girl was being introduced to Millie who reminds us "It's the journey that will mold you, build your character. Never regret anything you do from the heart."

And kudos to Anna Gomez on her best writing to date! I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

2.25/5 stars! The premise of the book sounded great. However, the payoff wasn't there for me. I found Tessa to be shallow and 2-dimensional so I was rooting for Simon to break up with her for the majority of the tale. Not being able to connect with one of the two main characters, made it impossible for me to enjoy the story. But I'm hopeful other readers may enjoy it.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Buckle your seat belts this flight could get bumpy! Talk about turbulence and emotions!

Guy and Girl meet on airplane - instant connection. They agree to meet in places around the world - but each goodbye gets harder and harder. Can they take the next leap and find their happily ever after?

*** Potential SPOILERS ***
After she suffers an unimaginable loss, we time hope to present time and we have to piece together what happened and go through all the feels trying to see if guy and girl will reconnect and get that happily ever after.

I will say this type of angst is not my favorite trope. The ending also has a bit of room for interpretation (not tied up in a pretty little bow) which I also am not a 100% fan of. I don't like when characters have a kid and keep it from the other parent. I also don't like where they finally reunite but then one of them is dying.

All in all. It held my interest and made me feel all the emotions so 3.6 out of 5. While it's a love story, I'd say the spice is like a 1.5 out of 5.

*Received a copy for review.*

I am not sure why but this book did not work for me. The heroine seemed thoughtless and selfish.

My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez is a touching multicultural love story about a chance meeting that is predestined for Simon and Tessa. Anna Gomez has a wonderful way of bringing the two main character's story full circle and left me wanting the story not to end. Simon and Tessa have very different philosophies about life which creates tension between them. One is very practical and loves to make plans, while the other is more of a fly by the seat of your pants kinda person. This creates tension in their relationship. Both characters have their own set of challenges and issues that they must work through. The question is can Tessa and Simon move past these problems so they can be together? They are both very different people but as the old saying goes, "Opposites attract." This is an accurate description of Simon and Tessa. Each is holding on to secrets from their past that they must deal with. But will they be successful?

I highly recommend that you read My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez. even if romance is not your usual read. Anna describes the places that the two main characters travel so exquisitely that I felt like I was there in these exotic locations. It is a must-read romance novel!