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From This Day Forward
Newlyweds Jay and Emmaline Ellis are the picture-perfect couple, excitedly charting the course of their lives together. Their dreams are big, their plans carefully crafted, and their love unwavering—until a devastating accident turns their world upside down.
When Jay sustains a traumatic brain injury, the couple is thrust into an emotional and physical battle they never anticipated. As their future takes a drastically different shape, they must confront questions they never thought they’d face: Is love enough when the life you planned doesn’t seem possible? Can hope mend what feels broken?
From this day forward, they’ll have to decide whether to hold on to the promises they made or let tragedy break the future they once planned together. A story of heartbreak, resilience, and the transformative power of love, this story asks: From this day forward, for better or worse, can you hold onto love when everything else feels lost?
When Jay sustains a traumatic brain injury, the couple is thrust into an emotional and physical battle they never anticipated. As their future takes a drastically different shape, they must confront questions they never thought they’d face: Is love enough when the life you planned doesn’t seem possible? Can hope mend what feels broken?
From this day forward, they’ll have to decide whether to hold on to the promises they made or let tragedy break the future they once planned together. A story of heartbreak, resilience, and the transformative power of love, this story asks: From this day forward, for better or worse, can you hold onto love when everything else feels lost?
262 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2025
13 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Haller
10 books22 followersWendy Haller believes in the power of stories—the ones we tell, the ones we live, and the ones that change us along the way.
After nearly two decades as a special education preschool teacher, she traded lesson plans for plotlines and now writes stories that tug at the heart.
Her children’s books are playful and full of purpose, helping parents and kids share laughter and learning together. Her novels offer tender escapes—emotionally rich, coming-of-age tales that are raw, real, and deeply human.
When she’s not writing, Wendy can be found exploring nature, practicing yoga, or cozied up with a cup of tea, a good book, and two very spoiled cats. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.
Visit her at www.wendyhallerauthor.com
After nearly two decades as a special education preschool teacher, she traded lesson plans for plotlines and now writes stories that tug at the heart.
Her children’s books are playful and full of purpose, helping parents and kids share laughter and learning together. Her novels offer tender escapes—emotionally rich, coming-of-age tales that are raw, real, and deeply human.
When she’s not writing, Wendy can be found exploring nature, practicing yoga, or cozied up with a cup of tea, a good book, and two very spoiled cats. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.
Visit her at www.wendyhallerauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 8, 2025
From This Day Forward is a poignant testament to a couple’s love and dedication to one another and their marriage. After Jay sustains a traumatic brain injury, his wife Emmaline struggles to help her independent husband accept assistance while witnessing him buckle under the effects of his injury. Jay desperately wants to be the man he once was, but his injury prevents him from recognizing who he has become. Emmaline doesn’t recognize Jay either and longs for the man she married to return. Only when the couple realizes they may lose their relationship do they fight to forge a new and better bond.
Haller weaves a story featuring relatable characters who fight for each other and their love despite their confusion and pain. The book has an entertaining cast of secondary characters that enrich the story. From the descriptions, it is easy to see how a TBI can change a person and throw a marriage into a tailspin. Luckily, Haller saves the day with love.
Annette Nauraine, author of The Marriage Survivors Club Series
Haller weaves a story featuring relatable characters who fight for each other and their love despite their confusion and pain. The book has an entertaining cast of secondary characters that enrich the story. From the descriptions, it is easy to see how a TBI can change a person and throw a marriage into a tailspin. Luckily, Haller saves the day with love.
Annette Nauraine, author of The Marriage Survivors Club Series
June 20, 2025
Book #117 2025
"From This Day Forward" ~ Wendy Haller
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ Audiobook
"A Heartfelt Journey of Love, Loss & the Ties That Bind Us"
Wendy Haller delivers an emotionally immersive and beautifully written tale in "From This Day Forward". Newlyweds Jay and Emmaline begin their marriage with dreams full of promise, they were perfectly in sync. Only to have their world utterly shattered when Jay suffers a severe traumatic brain injury, after a car accident. What follows is a nuanced and tender exploration of how love transforms when faced with unthinkable adversity.
Haller’s gift lies in her authentic and deeply empathetic portrayal of both spouses. Jay’s struggle; his physical limitations and identity shift, filled with raw honesty. Emmaline’s resilience, punctuated by moments of heartbreak, hope, and quiet strength, feeling painfully real. Their evolving relationship shows not just how trauma tests love, but how it can also deepen and redefine love.
The pacing is heartfelt and introspective. While some scenes slow to allow emotions room to breathe, they never drag. Haller balances emotional weight with hope and occasional lightness. The story, gentle yet vivid, evokes the day to day reality of caregiving and grief, but never veering into melodrama.
Haller’s restrained and sensitive narrative delivers a quietly powerful resonance through the final chapters. This isn’t just a story of tragedy: it’s a testament to the resilience of partnership and the transformative power of love when everything else seems lost.
♥️ Emotionally honest characters you’ll root for
🌱 A heartfelt and nuanced exploration of love after trauma
✍️ Evocative journey and pacing that honors the human journey
"From This Day Forward" is a beautiful, quietly powerful story about commitment, identity, and what it means when we utter “for better or worse.”
#books #book #bookrecommendations #booksbooksbooks #BookWorm #bookreviewer #bookish #booktoker #bookblogger #reading #reader #read #BookLifestyle #goodreads #audible #bookstoread
"From This Day Forward" ~ Wendy Haller
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️ Audiobook
"A Heartfelt Journey of Love, Loss & the Ties That Bind Us"
Wendy Haller delivers an emotionally immersive and beautifully written tale in "From This Day Forward". Newlyweds Jay and Emmaline begin their marriage with dreams full of promise, they were perfectly in sync. Only to have their world utterly shattered when Jay suffers a severe traumatic brain injury, after a car accident. What follows is a nuanced and tender exploration of how love transforms when faced with unthinkable adversity.
Haller’s gift lies in her authentic and deeply empathetic portrayal of both spouses. Jay’s struggle; his physical limitations and identity shift, filled with raw honesty. Emmaline’s resilience, punctuated by moments of heartbreak, hope, and quiet strength, feeling painfully real. Their evolving relationship shows not just how trauma tests love, but how it can also deepen and redefine love.
The pacing is heartfelt and introspective. While some scenes slow to allow emotions room to breathe, they never drag. Haller balances emotional weight with hope and occasional lightness. The story, gentle yet vivid, evokes the day to day reality of caregiving and grief, but never veering into melodrama.
Haller’s restrained and sensitive narrative delivers a quietly powerful resonance through the final chapters. This isn’t just a story of tragedy: it’s a testament to the resilience of partnership and the transformative power of love when everything else seems lost.
♥️ Emotionally honest characters you’ll root for
🌱 A heartfelt and nuanced exploration of love after trauma
✍️ Evocative journey and pacing that honors the human journey
"From This Day Forward" is a beautiful, quietly powerful story about commitment, identity, and what it means when we utter “for better or worse.”
#books #book #bookrecommendations #booksbooksbooks #BookWorm #bookreviewer #bookish #booktoker #bookblogger #reading #reader #read #BookLifestyle #goodreads #audible #bookstoread
June 2, 2025
This book drew me in right away and kept me turning pages throughout! When Jay, a police officer, sustains a traumatic brain injury, it throws not only his life, but his wife’s life, and their relationship, into turmoil. Everything the happy newlyweds hold dear - jobs, friends, a weekly trivia night, and their marriage - is threatened as Jay struggles with the physical, emotional, and mental health effects of his injury. Author Wendy Haller takes the reader on a heartwarming journey to understand the definition of love, the meaning of commitment, and the difficulty of adapting to unforeseen challenges. If you enjoy an insightful family drama, a love story, or a tale about people overcoming a life crisis, you will love From This Day Forward!
The author was kind enough to provide me with an advance copy of the book, and it is now available for purchase on Amazon.
The author was kind enough to provide me with an advance copy of the book, and it is now available for purchase on Amazon.
May 6, 2025
This was my first book by Wendy Haller and I loved it so much! The characters were easy to relate to and fall in love with. I had so many emotions while reading this book but overall it is a beautiful story about strength and love. I will definitely be reading more books by this author!
August 2, 2025
A Soul-Stirring Journey of Love and Resilience
The Restless Sea is one of those rare books that doesn’t just tell a story—it feels like you’re living inside it. From the very first chapter, I was completely drawn into Jay and Emmaline’s world, swept up by their love, and then gutted by the tragic twist that tests everything they thought they knew.
What makes this a 5-star read for me isn’t just the emotional depth (which is incredible)—it’s how raw, real, and human the story feels. The author doesn’t shy away from the hard questions: What happens when “forever” suddenly looks different? Can love survive when everything else shatters?
Every page aches with vulnerability and yet somehow pulses with hope. The writing is tender, honest, and deeply moving. It left me teary-eyed, inspired, and reminded of the quiet strength love can carry—even when life doesn’t go according to plan.
If you’ve ever loved deeply or lost something precious, The Restless Sea will stay with you long after the final page.
The Restless Sea is one of those rare books that doesn’t just tell a story—it feels like you’re living inside it. From the very first chapter, I was completely drawn into Jay and Emmaline’s world, swept up by their love, and then gutted by the tragic twist that tests everything they thought they knew.
What makes this a 5-star read for me isn’t just the emotional depth (which is incredible)—it’s how raw, real, and human the story feels. The author doesn’t shy away from the hard questions: What happens when “forever” suddenly looks different? Can love survive when everything else shatters?
Every page aches with vulnerability and yet somehow pulses with hope. The writing is tender, honest, and deeply moving. It left me teary-eyed, inspired, and reminded of the quiet strength love can carry—even when life doesn’t go according to plan.
If you’ve ever loved deeply or lost something precious, The Restless Sea will stay with you long after the final page.
May 6, 2025
I couldn’t put this book down! Wendy Haller wrote a beautiful story about a young couple that had to overcome major challenges. A perfect beach read!
Spoiler alert- love overcomes all!
Spoiler alert- love overcomes all!
March 26, 2025
I received this book as an Adance Reviewer. This is my first book by Wendy Haller; it will NOT be my last. I am looking forward to reading more by this author. I don't believe I will be spoiling this book by saying it is a story about a life changing accident, which not only changes the lives of Jay Ellis, the police officer involved in a tragic accident and his physical and mental injuries, but also those of his wife, Emmaline, who tries to support Jay in his healing process and her fears as she faces a changed husband. Their lives changed in the blink of an eye. This story will bring out every emotion - sadness, joy, humor. Wish I could reread it for the first time again!!
September 5, 2025
This is a moving and realistic story about two newlyweds whose lives are upended by a traumatic brain injury. I sympathized with both Jay and Emmaline as they tried to keep their love alive in the face of unexpected obstacles. Jay struggles to manage the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes that go along with a TBI, and Emmaline must navigate caregiver fatigue along with the knowledge that the man she married may never be the same. Haller did an excellent job portraying the honest, day-to-day struggles of a couple living with this type of injury, and I was rooting for them to find happiness again!
October 19, 2025
I cant decide about this book. Another book where the heroine is a hot mess and if she would just talk to people things would not be so bad. Jay is a police officer who suffers an accident in which a teenage girl is killed. After this things got out of control. A police officer involved in an accident would immediately be placed on leave, but not this one, he continues work in great pain until finally he is forced to take time off. Then his wife leaves him becuase he wont get help while secretly hiding her pregnancy from him. The whole book was one big leap after another.
September 1, 2025
Great story idea
This is a relevant and scary story topic, written with care and sensitivity. However, it lacked the in-depth research necessary to be accurate. For example, and Associate Degree in Nursing prepares the student as an RN, not an LPN. That was an unnecessary error. Also, word usage is important. Intersect and intercept are not the same word and can't be used interchangeably. A little time and care could have gone a long way.
This is a relevant and scary story topic, written with care and sensitivity. However, it lacked the in-depth research necessary to be accurate. For example, and Associate Degree in Nursing prepares the student as an RN, not an LPN. That was an unnecessary error. Also, word usage is important. Intersect and intercept are not the same word and can't be used interchangeably. A little time and care could have gone a long way.
April 6, 2025
The book, "From this Day Forward", was very well written and easy to read as the characters come alive throughout the book. I was unable to put the book down and read it in one day while shedding many happy and sad tears. From the opening moment to the perfect ending, the author leaves the reader wanting to read more about the couple.
April 29, 2025
What can love survive? Wendy Haller sure puts love to the test in From This Day Forward. From the first page, she captured my heart with this tale of how one careless moment can shatter dreams and how true love is revealed in the hard work of dealing with the mess. Great story with all the feels! I highly recommend it. (And I am putting her other books in my TBR.)
January 8, 2026
Great quick read. I feel like it needed more.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews