Even After This

Shelter & Sky #1

by Deborah Clack

When you’re ready to live again, love often has a way of finding you.

Four years after tragedy, Meredith Harper is tired of hiding in her corner of Texas and living life like a game of dodgeball. She packs up her grief, awkward social graces, and sizable life insurance in search of a vacation and investment property in Colorado Springs. A botched dinner reservation throws her into the path of a bona fide movie star, and Meredith pushes through her comical celebrity neurosis to discover he is charming but a terrible dancer.

A viral video of a daring rescue makes Harlan Holcombe’s celebrity star stronger, with millions of his fans deeming him a real-life Hercules. But a minute of heroism doesn’t absolve his past mistakes. As Harlan and Meredith spend more time together, he helps her believe there might be more for her not just in life but in love. And she might be part of the solution to restore the legacy he fears is tarnished. But what happens when the path to redeem his mistakes collides with the path to redeem her loss?

Content consideration: This story explores themes of significant loss and grief. For more specific content information that may contain spoilers, visit this book’s page on the author's website.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Clean Romance, Chick Lit

384 pages, Paperback

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Deborah Clack is a native Texan who believes in the power of fiction, the lost art of lip synching, and that chocolate should be eaten without nuts. A high school AP history teacher for 10 years, Deborah earned a Master’s Degree in Education and was awarded Teacher of the Year for Arts in Education. Now she creates stories of her own filled with endearing characters and a hard-fought romance. She would love to connect with you at https://www.deborahclack.com/ where you can download her FREE novella.

Reviews

[Saranya · Rating 2 out of 5]

.✦ ݁˖ We spend so much time polishing the edges of the people we love, trying to fix their 'flaws' and 'mistakes.' But when they’re gone from this world, you realize the polish wasn't the point. You’d give anything to see that worn-out watch on their wrist again or to take that wrong turn just to have three more minutes of their voice in the car. It turns out, the things we thought were 'wrong' were actually the only things that were real. <- (this is not a quote btw)

ʚɞ 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟, 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 ʚɞ

⤷ ゛𝟐 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 ˎˊ˗

⛧𓂀 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞: 𓂀⛧ Four years after tragedy, widow Meredith Harper leaves Texas for Colorado Springs, hoping to rebuild her life. A chance encounter with Hollywood actor Harlan Holcombe, a man burdened by fame and past mistakes- sparks a story of healing, humour and unexpected love.

ᯓ★ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: When I was about 30% in, I was convinced this would be a solid 5 star read. The emotional pull was undeniable- two souls, both lost in their own grief, finding solace in each other’s company. I was giggling one minute, kicking my feet like a teenager and crying rivers the next. That kind of emotional whiplash is rare, and it’s why I’d still recommend this book to any contemporary romance lover.
But as the story progressed, my enthusiasm dimmed a little. I think this is more about me than the book itself, because among many contemporary romances, this one still stands out as a favorite.

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ The reasons why this didn't work out as I had expected:
☆ 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓪-𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮- In other words, 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. Yes, love at first sight is really possible but it just felt like a little bit too dreamy-like.
☆ 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓶𝓬'𝓼 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓯𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷- Yes, I judge people a lot. My humanly nature. The mmc is an 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫- which means, he'll be doing those romantic and erotic scenes in movies. 🇸 🇦 🇩

I loved its confessional tone. It felt like the author poured twelve years of lived experience into this book. This book is strongly emotional, heartfelt and beautifully written and I absolutely recommend it to fans of contemporary romance.
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update #2
GUYS, HOLD ON. LEMME FINISH GIGGLING 🤭🤭😩

update #1
In love with the writing style!
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⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:

I heard that this is a really emotional read.

Thankyou to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with this arc.
ــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـــــــــﮩ٨ـ

[BookLoverAmanda]

Even After This - Deborah Clack
DNF Review

*UPDATED REVIEW NOTE: After sharing my feedback with Haven, they have since added the content considerations to their ebook and the description of their retailer pages and goodreads page. I am so thankful. Thank you Haven for doing this to better set reader expectations.*

Content note: Please be aware this is a heavy read. It deals with grief and loss in detail. Meredith’s husband and two small children died in a car accident 4 years ago in a tragic way where she saw it while she was driving behind them. It's important I share this upfront. This is not a spoiler. But please be aware of the subject matter. Romance is clean with kisses only, 1 small curse word "p*ssed." Destructions of embryos and miscarriage also mentioned in IVF. I wish I knew about the death of children before I picked it for review.

I want to start gently here, because I know this story will absolutely work for some readers, but it did not work for me.

The grief is not just in the background, it is the entire emotional center of the book.

I went into this expecting a light, clean, slightly fluffy celebrity-meets-ordinary-girl romance, second chance at love after losing her husband type of thing.... I knew she was a widow from the description so I knew she probably had grief but her 1 and 3 year old children killed also, I just didn't expect this being so heavy throughout. I got to 50% and had to put it down. It was really affecting me. This book was marketed as a love story and the PR box felt more like it was for a fluffy rom-com, than a tragic grief story.

Because I wasn’t prepared for that level of emotional weight, it honestly blindsided me, and I chose to DNF for my own heart. Especially as a mother myself.

The book spends a lot of time asking how do you keep living after unimaginable loss, which is a powerful question. But for me, the answers felt vague and grounded mostly in moving forward, new experiences, and new love.

As a Christian reader, that left a noticeable gap. When a story goes this deep into grief and survival, I personally kept feeling the absence of faith in the Lord. I understand this isn’t a Christian novel, and I’m not saying every book must be, but when the story wrestles with suffering at this level, I struggled with the idea of healing without any sort of spiritual anchor, aka Jesus.

Honestly, the celebrity romance itself started to feel out of place to me too. While I loved seeing Harlan want to sit in her grief with her, I just feel like it was not what her heart truly needed in that season. From my perspective, she didn’t need a famous hero to help her move forward, she needed Jesus at the center of her healing. Even if this wasn't meant to be "Christian Fiction", I think it needed some brief mention of God. Even secular shows and books sometimes reference God briefly.

For me, it felt less like hope and more like a “keep busy and keep going” response, and I couldn’t emotionally connect to that. We also saw her going to their graves on her little girls birthday and grieving even more fervently. My heart kept asking: how do you survive something like this without the Lord being part of the healing?

I also think readers should be aware this is not a fluffy palate-cleanser romance. It reads much closer to women’s fiction about trauma and rebuilding life. If you are walking through grief or are sensitive to stories involving child loss, please know what you are getting into first.

This wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t the book I was expecting, and I wasn’t the right reader for it. I think this could have also been a contemporary healing story without any romance and it would have been different too. The romance was too instalove for me and just didn't make sense.

Quotes I did like:

"I'm still a mother. And I have something to give other moms. Even if my children aren't with me anymore." - Meredith

"None of my grumbling complaints matter now......None of it matters today. It shouldn't have mattered then. Our marriage wasn't perfect. It was perfectly normal. Two flawed people deciding to do life together. Ten years that weren't always easy but held a lot of wonderful times." - Meredith

"Your emotions don't scare me, Meredith. Neither does your story. I hate it for you, and I wished today at the zoo that I could take away some of your pain. But since I couldn't, I just decided to sit in it with you." - Harlan

While this wasn't for me, thank you to Haven for a gifted copy of this book to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

[Sarah]

Soft DNF @ 37%

Nothing wrong with the story or the characters, except maybe the humor being a little too much for my taste. It's just that I don't think I'm in the right headspace for this right now. But I am most definitely going to finish this in the future because I want to see Meredith find her purpose and be happy. ❤️‍🩹

Thank you to Haven and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own. The book is now available!

[Oceana Reads Co. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meredith has gone through a very traumatic situation that has caused her to deal deep grief.
She is lost and trying to find her new normal 4 years later.

In the first chapter, she runs into a celebrity named Harlan. She is awkward in front of him, but he finds it adorable and a connection begins.

This is a story of characters learning how to heal from grief, be open to new things, and finding love after heartbreak.

What I liked:
-It had zero language and zero spice unless you consider p*ssed a swear word
-A few lines were quite clever and witty ie, page 106 "Can it be 'later' again?"
-The deeper topic about grief and how it makes a person feel lost was well handled

What missed for me:
-The awkwardness of Meredith felt more cringey than endearing most of the time because of her age
-Harlan's character felt very unrealistic for being a celebrity, not having paparazzi moments all the time, and being interested in a random stranger at a restaurant right away especially considering his current life circumstances (that would be a spoiler for me to say what they are)
-The story progression felt choppy meaning that scenes didn't flow together in an interesting or realistic way. Some character interactions felt random because of this.
-The plot was not that interesting to me. I would have wanted more scenes like the one with Cade in the store. That was funny!

I would recommend it to people in a similar life stage as Meredith. She was married, had a child, is 36 and feeling lost on what her next step in life is and who she is after trauma.

Thank you to Haven publishing for sending me a lovely package with the book. This opinion is my own.

[Alissa J. Zavalianos]

I enjoyed parts of this story, though it took me a bit to gather my bearings.

As this isn’t my usual go-to genre nor cast of characters, it was an intriguing world to delve into. I still am not a fan of Hollywood actors as love interests, but Harlan was a sweet guy.

I am a bit surprised at the lack of faith content present, mostly because it was a contemporary novel dealing with heavy grief, but also, there wasn’t any negative content either, aside from a few innuendos.

BUT! I will say there was mention of IVF treatment and the intentional ending of life for 6 remaining eggs. It’s not really explained why this had to happen at all, but the character showed remorse over it. Regardless, it was a very disappointing part of the story that I wasn’t happy about.

I received a free copy of this from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Content:
This book deals with heavier topics of grief, mentions of su*cide ideation (in the past), loss of family including young children (the hardest part for me to cope with), remarrying, codependency, and healing. Nothing is gratuitous, but for those who are sensitive to any of these sorts of things, just know they are very prevalent.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this contemporary romance novel readers get a glimpse of what working through grief looks like. Meredith is four years beyond the tragedy that devastated her. Living is starting to feel like a possibility, but there are still things that trigger her emotions.

When she escapes Dallas for the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Meredith finds more healing than expected. Could there be a new life for her in Colorado? What's next after tragedy?

Although a heavy topic, there are light moments sprinkling throughout the novel including one that made me laugh out loud.

I look forward to the second in the series. Love the cover!

My gratitude to the author and publisher Haven for a complimentary copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Kyliegh · Rating 1 out of 5]

**update** another reader informed me that IVF is in the book as well. Page 297. She and her husband intentionally destroyed six embryos. 6 babies made in the image of God were thrown away like garbage because she felt like she couldn’t have anymore babies. I hate IVF, but there are other options besides throwing humans in the trash. I get that Haven is not technically a Christian publishing company, but they are an imprint of a Christian publishing company and this should not be in the book.


Had I known that she lost her kids and husband in the accident, I would not have accepted this ARC. My own anxiety cannot handle books like this well. Per the blurb I would have assumed she only lost her husband, but to lose her entire family was not told upfront.

She was too awkward around celebrities and it started to get old, especially since she’s a grown adult woman who has lost her entire family. I feel like I wouldn’t care about someone’s celebrity status after that, but I really don’t now anyway.

Harlan let Meredith, a woman he’s known for 2ish days, take his daughter to the zoo by themselves. What?! Speaking of the zoo, how convenient that Harlan showed up at the same time as Olivia to see the confrontation and be able to sit with Meredith as she broke down.

I feel like the relationship moved way too quickly and it just wasn’t believable. There was a lot of telling and not showing.

The writing was odd and jarring at time. Scenes ended and started abruptly. I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn’t bring myself to finish it.

*I was sent a gifted copy with no expectations for a favorable review.

[Meagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the #gifted book!*

Honestly, this is a review that I had a really hard time starting to write because I have such mixed feelings about the book. There were some things I really loved and some things I didn’t.

First of all, I had a chance to interview this author on my podcast after I read the book, and I absolutely loved talking to her and hearing her story behind the book and why she is publishing with Haven in the clean fiction market. Deborah is a delight!

As far as the story goes, this book felt like it was marketed to be a romcom and it definitely has some humorous moments, but the grief is extremely heavy. As a mom of little kids, the off-page death of Meredith’s family broke my heart and it was really challenging to hold these two parts (romcom and grief) together. It felt extreme, but I really appreciated the author sharing her inspiration for the story. It helped me understand Meredith better.

I loved the celebrity side of it and how fun all the characters were. They felt like real people! And without giving spoilers, I was really happy for their life-direction in the end.

One thing I didn’t love was the way some of the ethics/faith content were handled. Faith/purpose is referred to as fate, and there is also a surprising take on fertility. I can’t really share details on this because of spoilers, but I think this should be an important point of discussion if Haven’s books are to be written from a Christian worldview.

Overall, I think readers will resonate with holding grief and humor together. I love that this book points to hope even in the hard! I would recommend reading with discernment, knowing it has some very heavy content. I think this book will lead to some great conversations.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Deena Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meredith and Harlan broke my heart—shattered it, really—and then somehow put it back together again.

Note: I sobbed through most of the book and the grief is a huge part of the story.

The book was not what I was expecting. It’s definitely a love story, but not in the way we’re used to reading.

Instead, Even After This is a treatise on grief, loss beyond imagination, and losing one’s self along the way.

It’s a story of stepping one foot out and being afraid to the point of taking three steps back. It’s going out on a limb, terrified someone will come by and chop it down, only to discover that many more limbs are holding you up.

It’s a story about fame and the price that comes along with it. It’s about so many other things but the rest would spoil the story.

Mainly it’s about being seen, being loved, and even after such as this, finding home in the most unexpected of places with the most unlikely person.

I received an advance copy from the publisher. I’m under no obligation and my review has not been solicited. Very highly recommend!

4.5 stars

[Leah B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Haven for the arc!

This just wasn't for me, but I can see why most of the reviews thus far have been positive.

Meredith is just getting back on her feet after a tragic loss when she meets Harlan. They have an instant, sweet connection despite Meredith's awkwardness. There's an innocence and a charm to this story that would be perfect for people looking for a light read with a touching, emotional impact. This would be a good beach read or a nice palate-cleanser after a heavier or more difficult novel. Meredith is endearing, Harlan is debonair, and the meet-cute and subsequent romance is clean and adorable.

Ultimately, this was too Hallmark movie-esque for me. It required me to suspend too much disbelief. I generally find insta-love a little hard to swallow. I also wanted more vividness, more visceral explanations of backstories, more showing and less telling, and because that really wasn't present, I couldn't relate to the characters as much. Meredith tends to have deep, meaningful conversations with people she met 24-48 hours previous, and I couldn't wrap my head around some of those plot points.

I also thought that the reason behind her solo trip to the Broadmoor was a little weak. She's there to find an investment property (and something to do with all the insurance money), but she spends time in the restaurant, spa, zoo, etc., The relaxation/"finding herself" part of the trip seems odd because she doesn't seem to go there with that purpose. I didn't find the chemistry between Meredith and Harlan all that compelling, and I had to put it down at about 30%.

Not for me, but that doesn't mean it's not for thee! ;)

[Emily Conrad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend Even After This to romance readers looking for a no-spice, emotional read, which I think is important to start with because I went into it expecting a more lighthearted celebrity romance.

While there were goofy moments throughout and it does include a famous hero and friends, the story is told through the point-of-view of a woman who’s experienced truly heartbreaking loss, and a considerable part of the story focuses on her ongoing grief and healing. The emotional depth this adds to the story is heart-rending but ultimately hopeful.

I was invested in the story and read it quickly. I laughed, marked meaningful passages, and will be thinking about it for a long time, which, to my mind, balances out the aspects of the story that fell short for me. Overall, I recommend this, especially to readers looking for a novel that will come alongside them with understanding and encouragement on their journey with grief and loss.

***What follows includes some spoilers***

Content considerations: This book deals with the deaths of the FMC’s first husband and kids, miscarriage, and IVF. It contains no spice and one or two instances of mild language that some readers might consider swearing. Because I often post about Christian fiction, please note that this is a general market read that does not include faith beyond brief mentions of prayer and a chapel toward the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I possibly say about a book that had me grieving in one minute and smiling through my tears in the next? A book that made me want to squeeze my family tight and embrace new purpose? A book that ran me through the complete gamut of emotions?

I don't know. But I do know that this book is one that I will be thinking about for years to come.

And those are the only words I have.

~I was given a complimentary copy of this book. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.~

[Kaitlyn Pruitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a curl your toes, squeal in to your book, butterflies in your tummy romance book then add this book to you TBR immediately! This book is the perfect mix of romance/woman fiction I have ever read. It was so well written all the way through. Meredith’s story is so emotional it pulls you in and the relationship between Harlan and Meredith is TOO good! This book is highly emotional but such an amazing read. I will definitely be recommending this to anyone who asks me for book recs. I absolutely can not wait for the second book to be out! Thank you so much to Haven Fiction and Deborah Clack for sending me this ARC Book!♥️📖

[Jeanne Alfveby Crea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story, I absolutely loved it, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and humorous! I could tell right away that I would love Even After This by Author Deborah Clack. I loved her writing style and the humor, both are fantastic. I got so invested in this story and I am very glad it will be part of a series, I already can't wait for book #2 in the Shelter and Sky series.

The author in her newsletter, describes her new book as follows: "She's awkward around celebrities.
He's literally famous for being a hero. She's learning to live again. He's trying to fix his past. It's everything you want in a romance, but maybe a little bit of what you don't expect." I completely agree.

Meredith Harper experienced a terrible tragedy four years ago. It is a wife and mother's worse nightmare. She is slowly crawling out of grief and trying to live again. In the healing process, her life alternates between her signature humor, and unexpected bouts of grief while she is trying to figure out who she is now and find her purpose. Harlan Holcombe, grew up in a normal family on a ranch in Colorado. A commercial launched him into acting and he has hit it big, add a recent viral video of him saving a young girl, and he is all people are talking about. He's experienced grief, a failed first marriage and has an adorable little daughter Alex. And he absolutely cannot dance.

Meredith has a hilarious sense of humor, but she can babble when she's nervous. Her family has put her on "Famous People Probation" which makes meeting Harlan and his famous friends so funny.

The reader is reminded that sometimes the journey might be heartbreaking, but when we keep going and take the next step, we can find our people and our purpose.

I highly recommend Even After This by Deborah Clack for lovers of real stories, and second chances. It is excellently written, peppered with humor, and you will love it!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both beautifully heartbreaking and heartwarming. Both grief and laughter. Loss and love. New beginnings. Life lessons about yourself and others around you. This book had me in my feelings and tugged at my heart to how the author wrote about grief in such a way that doesn’t let you go. I was not sure how or I was gonna finish this book at first because I grief is a lot & thing that doesn’t care if you’re okay for one minute but then the next it sneaks up on you. Completely knocking you off your feet but simultaneously putting the pieces back together of your shattered life. As someone who’s lost a few people way too young and tragically, I felt this book deeply.
Thank you to the author for writing something so profound and powerful.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Because even after this, even after all of the loss… What’s left over is still my love for them.”

Let me just say upfront that I will probably babble incoherently at some point (or all points) during this review, and I’m gonna need y’all to be okay with that. Whew. I don’t remember the last time I boo-hooed so much from the beginning of a book to the end AND also snort-laughed and grinned and swooned equally as much as I ugly-cried. I’ve also never before (to my recollection) said that a book that made me sob was a delightful read, but there’s a first time for everything because Even After This is exactly all of the above.

The heroine of this novel, Meredith, is, in a word, adorable. And in another word, shattered. Soul-wrenchingly so. She has endured unimaginable loss and is only now beginning to take baby steps toward truly living again. But she also says (through the first person POV) completely hilarious things like, “Falling asleep while wearing Spanx was not one of my better decisions.” Deborah Clack does such a marvelous job of immediately making us not only love Meredith but also feel all of Meredith’s emotions as though they were our own. I truly experienced this story as I read it, which resulted in that hot mess of emotions I mentioned earlier. And I couldn’t have been happier about it. Because yeah, Meredith’s recent past is heartbreaking and her present circumstances certainly don’t ignore the tragedy or grief she’s lived through but watching her come to life again? Absolutely a thing of pure joy for this reader! And the swoonilicious celebrity romance that surprises her? Oh my goodness, pretty sure a grin is permanently attached to my face when I think about it.

Enter Harlan. Aka the celebrity movie star who just saved a girl from certain death and is now a YouTube sensation too. From the moment he stepped onto the page, I knew he was special. He radiates depth and utter kindness even as he can’t quite escape that star power that has made him a celebrity. He’s flirty but only with Meredith and you can tell he just genuinely likes her and is attracted to her. And – swoon! – he’s so incredibly gentle with her heart right from the start but all the more so as he learns more about the crushing losses she’s been navigating. Lest you think he’s perfect though (and I can see why you would think so, given my gushing over him just now), rest assured that he is realistically flawed and on a growth journey too. Clack expertly balances the highs of this unexpected romance with the lows that Meredith still encounters in her walk with grief, and watching Harlan hold her through both extremes is this perfect mix of deliciously swoonworthy and heart-tuggingly beautiful. As already stated, I cried (a lot) with Meredith… but I also cried with Harlan. And, in turn, I laughed out loud (often) thanks to each of these characters too.

Bottom Line: I’m not going to lie to you – Even After This will wreck you a little, especially if you find yourself in a season of deep grief or have recently been in one. But it will also lift your heart, keep you laughing, and leave you swooning in equal measure. Deborah Clack so beautifully allows sorrow to sit honestly on the page without letting it steal the last word, and she wisely writes so that while Meredith’s pain is never minimized (as my puffy eyes can attest) her capacity for laughter, connection, and love is just as big. That balance in both areas is a large reason this story shines so brightly. Clack’s engaging writing voice, manifested in Meredith’s hilarious and heartfelt first person narrative, immediately immerses you into every emotion and experience that Meredith encounters and makes it impossible to put this book down. I wasn’t ready to leave these characters – all of them, even the side characters – and I’m so excited that book two releases later this year.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower

[Linda Galella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meredith is desperate to move on from the tragedy that all but ended life as she knew it. She’s gone to her favorite place to spend time finding a vacation/investment property where she can leave the past, reassess her life and hopefully move on with a new, better defined purpose.

Due to a botched dinner reservation, Meredith runs into Harlan, a major Hollywood star who is dealing with a variety of problems. This character is larger than life and once you get to know him a little, you will want one of your own!

Author, Deborah Clack, does a wonderful job creating characters; not just the mains but the entire cast. Everyone in this story reminded me of someone I know; uncanny. Honest, poignant, humorous, sorrowful, pensive, trusting, longing, hopeful - these and so many more nuanced emotions are eloquently expressed thru the dialogue and interactions of the participants.

As a reader, I was run thru a massive range of emotions in this story. Death of a spouse and children will be a TW for many. Difficult divorce and child custody issues will affect others. EVEN AFTER THIS is not an easy read, not a RomCom not an Hallmark HEA story. It is a love story - the sister and friends in Meredith’s life love her desperately and want the best for her future, whatever it takes. Harlan’s family, friends and secretary are doing everything possible to help him move on both professionally and personally.

Then there’s the relationship between Harlan and Meredith. It’s cautious, patient, supportive, tender and gently romantic within the boundaries of healing and moving forward. When a story is this much of a challenge regarding subject matter, it’s important to provide readers with relief along the way. Clack does that magnificently by employing humor.

One aspect of the storyline seems odd to me. Both Meredith and Harlan are dealing with serious issues. Both are grieving, albeit to different levels, but neither sought any help, questioned or railed against God. Based on the lives they each have, family, friends, etc., this seems highly unlikely. Even people with no religious affiliation will question God when faced with tragedy. I served as a hospice tech for years and observed this over all ages, ethnicities, faiths or atheists.

Recommended for readers who won’t be undone by the tragic events motivating the two main characters. The story is a very real look into how grief impacts people and how they move forward. An emotional read that runs the gamut from tears to cheers and everything in between📚

I received a copy for review purposes. All opinions are honest and mine alone.
Read and Reviewed from a NetGalley eARC, via Kindle with thanks to Publisher’s Weekly, the publisher and author.

[Misty Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars do not give this book justice! A beautifully written story that moves you to tears and has you laughing out loud. Wonderful characters who are enduring and relatable. After reading the first chapter, I knew Meredith was someone I would want to be friends with.

This story has difficult themes that are so well written that you feel the pain of the characters. While they will break your heart, they remind you that there is beauty from ashes.

I absolutely loved this book! It captured and moved me making it difficult to put down. I can’t wait to continue the story in book two!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

[E-Reader Addict · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should have quit on this one. I’m really not sure why I didn’t. But not much worked for me in this book:
👉🏻 The heroine is on “famous person probation” because when she met Rachel Ray she said something ridiculous, so her sister declared she’s not allowed to talk to famous people 🙄. This “probation” is referred to ad nauseam.
👉🏻 The heroine has been in therapy for four years, yet doesn’t seem to have made much progress on either her grief or the plan for the rest of her life. Girlfriend, find yourself a new therapist!
👉🏻 The hero is apparently a famous actor, but he’s completely able to keep his personal life out of the spotlight? I’m not buying it.
👉🏻 The heroine’s “dream big” project comes out of nowhere and doesn’t appear to have a connection to anything in her life.
👉🏻 A third-act breakup because, again, the heroine’s therapist doesn’t seem to have helped her heal at all. Oh, and because it’s always best when you make a decision for someone else.

I also didn’t connect with the author’s writing. Sometimes the humor seemed effortless, but more often it felt forced and contrived.

I really shouldn’t have stuck with this. It took me almost a month to read - I rarely finished more than a chapter at a time, and most often gave up after a few pages.

* thank you to NetGalley and Haven for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Moriah Chavis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to think of this book at first. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of the conflict, and in a sense I was. The farther I got into the story, the more I settled into the story. However, it did take me a minute to get my footing. By the end, though, I really enjoyed the story. It was deep and heartfelt, and it touched many difficult topics that are not discussed in any literature, particularly Christian fiction. I’m very excited to continue the series and see more of these characters.

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the stars for this amazing book! Even After This gutted me, then put me back together in such a beautiful way. I rarely cry while reading, but this book had me sobbing while experiencing all the emotions. The inexplicable grief & loss was expertly balanced with delightful humor, endearing characters you just want to hug, & an utterly swoon-worthy celebrity/second-chance romance. This tender story deals with some soul-wrenching, heavy subjects that may be difficult for some readers, but Deborah Clack’s gorgeous writing handles all of it with grace, humor, & sweet new beginnings.

After four years as a young widow, Meredith Harper’s ready for a fresh start. Armed with a sizable life insurance payout, she leaves Dallas for the mountains of Colorado Springs seeking both a getaway & an investment property. She doesn’t expect to be surrounded by celebrities staying at her luxury hotel during a movie shoot. And she definitely doesn’t expect gorgeously handsome Harlan Holcombe to ask her to dance. Meredith’s past (comical) run-ins with famous people have gotten her banned by her family from meeting anyone who’s remotely a celebrity, but Harlan’s endearing lack of dance skills & the spark between them make him feel refreshingly human. Getting to know the man behind the Hercules moniker, she discovers someone caring, thoughtful, & looking for a new beginning too.

I loved this book! Meredith felt so real. Her emotions, humor, & the ways she carries her immense sorrow is relatable & admirable. She’s been through the worst & is slowly emerging on the other side. Her struggles with birthdays, holidays, thoughtless comments, & even well-meaning family & friends felt honest & revealing. I loved seeing her experience love & happiness again.

Harlan is the whole package: movie-star good looks, a local hero after rescuing a young woman, but also shaped by his own heartache & mistakes. He knows just how to love Meredith. It’s not easy & she puts up plenty of roadblocks, but I loved how thoughtful & caring he was even when Meredith pushes him away.

I listened to the audiobook version & absolutely loved the narrator! She did such a brilliant job bringing these characters to life. I appreciated the emotion she infused into her performance. It was the perfect amount.

Highly recommend this refreshingly original, touching story! Can’t wait for the next book in the series. I received an advanced copy from the publisher but also purchased the audiobook version. All opinions are completely my own & provided voluntarily.

CW: loss of spouse & children, IVF, miscarriage

[Alicia (aliciasbooksanctuary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

OVERALL STAR RATING: 5/5
CLEAN RATING: 5/5

They say never judge a book by its cover, but well…I did with this one. I love this cover art and am happy to report that I loved the story that lived within the pages as well. This beautifully penned novel tackles the reality of grief. Our FMC, Meredith, has lost her entire family in a tragic accident. While there are times that will have you grabbing for tissue, there are also lighthearted moments of humor woven throughout – and isn’t that just the way grief often presents itself? There are highs and there are lows. This story is about picking up the pieces of a broken life and finding hope that they can be put back together again. Sure, those broken pieces may never fit together the exact same way, but beauty can certainly come from ashes and Deborah Clack has gifted us with a novel that portrays just that.

Meredith Harper has spent four dark years wading in the grief of her loss, but she’s ready to step out and make a change. During a vacation to scope out investment property, she runs into a mega movie star by the name of Harlan Holcombe. Meredith is already out of touch with her social graces when it comes to celebrities, so coming face-to-face with Harlan leaves her about as awkward as one could be. Harlan finds her fascinating and pursues a friendship which she simply can’t comprehend. Harlan is not your typical celebrity and while successful in the industry, he’s not overly passionate about his work and enjoys staying out of the limelight. He’s so much more than just a pretty face and his empathetic heart could be just what Meredith needs in her life right now.

A thought-provoking story that really focuses on the journey of healing as one is coming out of a turbulent storm. The growth that comes with each chapter felt very realistic and inspiring. Nobody is meant to heal overnight – it’s a process full of baby steps and this book was a great representation of that. The ending…oh goodness…the ending…can’t spoil what happens of course but talk about a full circle moment that will grip at your heartstrings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

*For more reviews and bookish content, be sure to follow me on Instagram @aliciasbooksanctuary

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This story was incredible!

Even After This deals with some extremely heavy topics and a woman who has been clawing her way through grief for the past four years.

The author did a wonderful job of creating a storyline that fully acknowledged a continual type of grief while also adding hope, love, support, and strength in there, as well. There was so much that I loved about this tale.

I loved that Meredith found love again after all that she had endured. She didn’t go looking for it and didn’t even know if it was possible for her to open her heart again, but she ended up with a man who did all that he could to understand what she needed and never belittled the emotions that she had to work through on a constant basis. Oh…and that man happened to be a major movie star! I love those celebrity romances and this one was its own extra kind of wonderful.

Harlan and Meredith had to work through a lot in this story and I savored every minute of it, even though many of those minutes were painful, because it helped to build a beautiful relationship between them that would be stronger for all of the tears that were shed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

TW: death of family members, infertility, miscarriages

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in the last few years. I hope it wins awards. I started this book on a long flight and then realized it was a mistake because I wanted to laugh out loud and cry noisily all within the first few chapters, but I kept my giggles to a minimum and quietly wiped the tears from my face. Thank goodness I had Kleenex with me. This book encompasses so much about family, friends, love at first sight (it does exist), connection, grief, humor, depression, co-dependency, IVF, love, and just life. I could relate to the humor because that is how my family is/was and to the grief because I have lost family. The story includes faith but is not preachy. It is not spicy, but I could still sense the intimacy between Meredith and Harlan. I thought the title was odd until I read the book and now, I totally get it. I voluntarily read an advance copy from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Hannah Connors · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlan is the book boyfriend you have been waiting for. When something unthinkable happens it feels impossible to move onto living freely and fully. But sometimes one person can make all the difference. Loss isn't a measurable pain but it is there in every Fibre of your being.

This story was heartfelt and open in all the best ways. I loved this book and all the characters. Strongly recommend.

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly unique read. This no spice contemporary celebrity romance is a heavy, emotional read, but it also has light-hearted moments with humor. An incredible blend that balances the grief of a widow who lost her husband and young kids with the humor of her foot-in-the-mouth issues around famous people. This book had both gut-wrenching scenes and ones that had me chuckling out loud. The celebrity movie star aspect of this romance was done really well. Harlan has such a sweet heart for taking care of Meredith. This book had a few a minor things with some innuendo, a reference to a movie sex scene, and a scene using the word “booty” a bunch, but, those things aside, this book was clean and low on the intimacy scale. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am greatly looking forward to reading more from this author. The romance is just kisses, intimacy level 1.5.

Content warnings: death of spouse and young children, grief, miscarriage, IVF

I received an ARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Amie Hutchinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even After This was a heart aching story about finding meaning and love after a tremendous loss. I say it was heart aching because my heart literally ached reading this story.

Harlan is a famous actor who can’t dance or as Meredith called him a handsome man with two left feet and a broken metronome in his head. Which I thought was hilarious. The way I imagined this scene was so entertaining. Meredith was such a badass, four years after losing her beloved husband and two kids very traumatically she is learning to live after her loss and living through her grief. It was inspiring, I have taken away some reminders for my own journey with loss.

“Grief is stealthy. I don’t choose when it rears its ugly head. My only options are in my response.” Didn’t I feel that one. Sometimes it feels like grief kicks you down out of no where and it takes you out of the present moments with your loved ones. It’s important to feel them but also as important to pull yourself out, get out of that hole and keep going. I need to remind myself to do that more often. To live again.

I’m always thankful when authors share stories like this with us. Something that is sweet but also deals with real issues and feelings.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL THE STARS! This story gets all my stars. I don’t have adequate words to describe how much I loved this story, the depth of emotion, the beauty of the grief in its pages, the laugh out loud moments, everything. This without a doubt will top my 2026 reads and is quite literally one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read-and if you know me and the amount I read-you know that is saying something! I’m also usually a quick reader-I couldn’t do that with this book-I had to slow down and savor it and was worth every minute. Do not miss this book. This is one of those where you need it in every format and I’ll be doing just that!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but also pre-ordered my own Audible copy. I was not required to post a positive review and all thoughts are my own.

[Migdalia Jimenez]

Meredith is a grieving widow taking tiny steps to restart her life.

After having lost her two young children and her husband in a tragic accident 4 years ago, she decides to take a trip to a Colorado resort to heal and relax. There she meets Harlan, a dashing and larger than life Hollywood star. Harlan, a divorced father of a little girl, is immediately drawn to Meredith. After spending a few magical days together, they realize they have a connection, and decide to pursue a long-distance relationship when she goes back home to Texas.

But their fledgling relationship is complicated by her judgemental and overprotective family and friends, and his unpredictable and vindictive ex-wife, in addition to his relentless work schedule. But the major obstacle is Meredith’s enduring trauma and her trouble with moving on and accepting that she deserves to find love again.

This sweet story is book one in the upcoming Shelter and Sky series and the first book in Haven, a new imprint. It will appeal to readers who enjoy family-oriented, wholesome romances set in the Southwest and featuring elements of cowboy culture.

Thank you to Haven for providing me with a complimentary advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Berly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a kisses only contemporary romance with some elements of women's fiction. It is the first book in the Shelter and Sky series.

Grief and dealing with its many aspects is heavily featured in this book, but somehow it doesn't come off as overly heavy and mournful. There is humor throughout and the way the author deals with the grief of the main female character in particular is beautiful.

Meredith has endured tremendous loss and is just now learning to live again. The reader is taken along on her journey. It's an overall pleasant ride. Harlan is helping her heal.

This was my first book by this author. I'm definitely open to reading other books by her. The ups and downs were there, but neither of them were too extreme for me. I tend to shy away from books that are going to break me before putting me back together. I didn't feel that this was that kind of book. But I did experience a full range of emotion.

I thank the author and publisher, Haven, for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book via Netgalley. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review.