I'm going to start off by stating that I do not think I was the intended audience for this novel. I tend to not read books such as these because I do not consider them enjoyable. I did like it but at some points it got hard to remember who was who since there’s like 10 different characters with their own life stories. I found Evelyn quite unlikeable and struggled to relate to her. I found her to be completely selfish and not truly in love with Joseph as much as he was in her. It made me feel bad for Joseph. This is a book about family angst and drama, relationships, grief, loss and enduring love. It is a poignant read at times and the author eloquently captures her characters feelings, thoughts and emotions through her writing.

I gave this novel 3.5 stars. Again, I just don't think I was the right reader for this novel. It was beautifully written but definitely a slower story. For those who are fans of historical fiction, this one would be for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row Publishing for the advanced copy of a timeless tale of unwavering devotion.

I can’t remember the last time a book brought me to tears, and this one did multiple times! This debut novel was beautiful, tender, thoughtful, and at many times heartbreaking. The love story of Evelyn and Joseph is one that will stay with me for a long time. This is a story that will make you appreciate and evaluate so many things about life, love, and in the end, what will matter most. This is an incredible story of life and love and is one that’s not to be missed.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade for my free review copy.

This book wrecked me in the best way. The writing was really beautiful. Through flashbacks, we accompany Evelyn and Joseph and revisit the highs and lows of their lives, witnessing their love, marriage, and family life against the backdrop of some major historical events of the 20th and 21st centuries. I was utterly swept up in their six-decade love story.

Emotional and layered with elements of romance, family drama, and historical fiction, this story about the power of love is both slow-burning and hard to put down. Scenes from the ups and downs of this relationship are vividly depicted in an honest and raw way. Evelyn and Joseph were very well-developed and felt genuine. The way these relatable characters and moments from their marriage were presented elicited a lot of emotion. It was thought-provoking and affecting to contemplate their incredibly weighty decision and then see how their kids came to terms with it. And these secondary characters, too, were very compelling. This has left me with a huge book-hangover.

There's a vulnerability that goes beyond the pages and a sense of hope that shines through the challenging subject matter, which Neff handles with respect. Poignant and heartbreaking, this gem is an exceptional debut novel, and I cannot wait to read what Neff writes next. 

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row Books for the free book!

10/10

I'm speechless.

This story was beautiful. I thought it would be a romance but it was much more than that. It was a story about parenthood, family love, loss, life and death and so much more. So many moments left me speechless in utter awe. So many characters are fleshed out and I loved how we got to see parts of their entire life. The writing style is so gorgeous - the way the words flowed made me want to read it multiple times just to feel something. I normally am a speed reader but I could not here.

I don't even think my review will be enough to describe how much I loved this book. I will definitely be buying a physical copy when it releases in July. I have not connected with any book as strongly until now. I read it slow compared to my other books because didn't want it to end. It was so, so beautiful that I just wanted to savour it.

Everyone must read it. It will change your life.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher who gave me an early copy of this book.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 Evelyn and Joseph have a love that is beyond comprehension for most of us, truly beautiful, inspiring, and eternal. The Days I Loved You Most is a heartbreakingly beautiful book, poignant and truly unforgettable. A couple that many of us aspire to be, they are committed and loving, sharing in their family’s joys and sorrows over the decades, from a world war to the September 11th attacks. When a devastating diagnosis comes their way, they decide that they will live one final year together. This book spans the decades of their life together and showcases the intimate highs and loves of their partnership. Amy Neff wrote a heartfelt tale for the ages, a book that is so moving it will resonate deep with readers.

5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy. This was a heartbreaking family story. At a time when so many around me have lost their loved one especially a mom, it was a hard read for me at some points. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was well-written, I would definitely recommend to others.

Beautiful book. Enjoyed the past and present views. The older children, especially at the beginning were very funny.

This is a well-written and heartfelt story that touches on subjects of love and loss and everything in between.

Now I’m not the biggest fan of love stories as I find them quite repetitive and just overall boring.

So you guessed it, this was too long, too slow, too dramatic, and just too boring for my liking.

BUT,

If you’re into romance tales, you’ll enjoy this one!

What a gorgeous story from start to finish! It touches on all the good and not soo good aspects of life - from family to marriage to illness.

After falling in love at a young age, Joseph & Evelyn start a life together. Evelyn is diagnosed with a life-altering illness. Together, they make a pact to live on perfect year and then end their lives together.

Beautifully told from both Joseph's and Evelyn's points of view. The story is stunning and will leave you in tears.

The Days I Loved You Most is a debut novel by Amy Neff
This is one of those books you read and never forget! It’s just that profound. TDILYM took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions! I’d be in tears one minute and laughing out loud the next. The author did an amazing job of taking hard, real-life issues and molding them into a beautiful story of love, loss and great devotion.

In the summer of 1941, on the New England shores where they were raised, Evelyn and Joseph fell in love. Now, more than sixty years later, with a lifetime between them, they have gathered their three grown children to share the staggering news: she has received a tragic diagnosis, and he cannot live without her. So in one year’s time, they will end their lives on their own terms.

As the couple comes to grips with their fate, they retrace their past—the joys and regrets, the laughter and the sorrow—that brought them to this moment. They embark on a journey to live out their greatest dreams and to comfort and connect with each of their children before they’re gone. But as their final days draw closer, they must confront the stark reality of what they are about to do, and make peace with the legacy they will leave behind for their family.

Spanning the twentieth century from World War II to 9/11 and beyond, The Days I Loved You Most is a timeless tale of unwavering devotion — a moving tribute to the enduring power of love and a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always hope and beauty to be found.

If you loved The Notebook, you will love The Days I Loved You Most. Both are beautiful testaments to the power of unconditional, enduring love and the ripple effects it brings into our lives.

My Rating: 4.75⭐️

Add this to your TBR and preorder your copy today!

Thanks so much to Netgally, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Author Amy Neff for allowing me to read this book before its July 30, 2024 release.

this book had me a sobbing, ugly-crying mess!!!!! it tells the story of true love and dedication. omg i cannot rave about this book enough!!!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bittersweet novel about a lifelong love. I love the ending.

Joseph and Evelyn have spent a lifetime together and can’t imagine ever spending time apart. So when Evelyn is diagnosed with rapidly progressing Parkinson’s they make a pact to give themselves one more year to live, then die together on their own terms. The novel switches back and forth between Joseph and Evelyn’s viewpoints and covers multiple decades from their teenage years during the 1940s when they initially fell in love to the early 2000’s and the year they’ve designated their last. This is a beautifully written story of love and how it’s not always wine and roses but true love endures even during the toughest of times. I laughed, I cried. I loved getting to know Joseph, Evelyn, and their offspring, the difficulties they endured and the times they were ready to give up but in the end how love held the family together. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Days I Loved You Most is about an elderly couple, Evelyn and Joseph, who've been married for over 60 years. Sadly, Evelyn finds out she's very sick and doesn't have much time left. Unable to imagine life without each other, they decide to pass away together in a year. Along the way, they remember their happy moments and deal with their regrets. Their grown kids join them as they try to do things they've always wanted to do. But as their deadline approaches, they have to face the tough reality of their choice and think about the mark they'll leave on their family.

This book made me sob more than I'd like to admit! "The Days I Loved You Most" blew me away and left me a total mess. It's not my usual cup of tea, but man, did it hit me hard. I laughed, I cried, and then I cried some more. It's all about love, real and raw. Even if you're not into this kind of stuff, trust me, you'll be hooked. This book is just something else. I can't even find the right words to describe how much it affected me. Just read it. Seriously, it's a game-changer for everyone, no matter what you usually read.

5 STARS!!!!!

Evelyn and Joe fell in love in 1941, and now, 60 years later, Evelyn gets a diagnosis that will mean an ugly end. Before that happens, she is going to enjoy the last year of her life and end things on her terms. Joseph doesn’t want to live without her, so they make a pact to do it together. Their three children aren’t thrilled by their plans. The novels goes back and forth in time to the challenges they faced but how it was all OK because they had love.

I didn’t identify with any of the characters and found myself speed reading out of boredom.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES JULY 20, 2024.

How many times have you said "I can't live without __?" It could be a person, a pet, anything we love with our heart and soul and never want to lose. It's human nature to cling to what we love, even when we know nothing lasts forever. But for Evelyn and Joseph the thought of being separated by death is unfathomable, so when Evelyn is diagnosed with a debilitating illness the devoted couple decide they will leave this world together. The Days I Loved You Most is a poignant look at Joseph's and Evelyn's decades long marriage, but their story will resonate if you've been married fifty days or fifty years. Evelyn and Joseph have experienced devastating losses before -the death of her beloved brother Tommy along with their parents, but nothing prepared them for a life without each other. The Days I Loved You Most chronicles Joseph & Evelyn's relationship from the early days frolicking on the beach, through Joseph's time serving his country, to marriage, parenthood, and finally as grandparents. Their love and commitment spills off the pages-it is the kind of marriage everyone dreams of. The writing is eloquent and sublime, perfectly fitting for such a beautiful story. And the message...that the days we need to love the most is when life gives us the least is something that will last forever.

First, make sure your tissues are within easy reach. Get comfy, you are going to want to read straight through.

Evelyn and Joseph have been deeply in love for over sixty years. They have three grown children. In one year, they will end their lives.

After a cruel diagnosis which will leave one of them dead, they decide to end life the way they want to. Joseph can’t imagine life without his love and doesn’t want to.

When they tell the children, the reactions are about what one would expect. Shock. Disapproval. Anger.

For the remaining year, they relive all the moments of their lives and as the time grows closer, the reality of what they are planning is becoming real.

When their plans are upended, what will happen?

One of the most beautiful and heartbreaking stories I have read. Honest, and painful and so real.



NetGalley/ Harlequin Trade/ Park Row July 30, 2024

Whew I bawled my eyes OUT. What a powerful, poignant family novel. I felt like I could relate to everyone's perspective, which I think is a sign of great writing. I hope there are other books by this author. I can't wait to press this book into people's hands!

As someone who has been with my husband since the age of 15, I was intrigued by the idea of a couple who could not imagine life without each other. I could understand their feelings, but also the horror their children felt upon hearing their plan to end their lives together. I was very anxious to finish this book to see how it ended. Sad but interesting story.

Emotionally gripping from start to finish. This is a sweet and poignant story that encapsulates all the good but also all the not so good aspects of love, marriage, family and illness.

Joseph and Evelyn have known each other their whole lives and fell in love at a young age. After years of a life well lived, Evelyn is diagnosed with a life changing illness and Joseph knows he cannot live without her. They make a pact to live one perfect year, enjoy their family, do what they love, and then end their lives together.

Seeing the story from both Joseph’s point of view and Evelyn’s point of view, you can understand how a decision like this could be made. Their love is beautiful and everlasting, even through hardship.

This made me cry both tears of sadness and tears of joy. It’s an amazing 5-star book that I recommend highly. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced reader copy.