Every Time We Say Goodbye

by Liz Flaherty

He had her at "hello again…"

After the prom night accident that had stolen the innocence of his small lakeside hometown, Jack Llewellyn had run. The guilt—especially facing his high school sweetheart, Arlie Gallagher—had been too much. Now he had no choice. He was back in town, and on Arlie's radar.

Arlie couldn't believe that after all these years, she still had him under her skin. He was such a changed man…a responsible business owner, a single parent. Would he understand the changes she'd gone through, the secrets she lived with? She was ready to forgive him but was he ready to forgive himself? And did they have to say goodbye this time?

252 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2016

About the author

Retired from the post office, Liz Flaherty spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and doing whatever else she wants to. She and her husband Duane live in the old farmhouse in North Central Indiana they moved to in 1977. They’ve talked about moving, but really…40-plus years’ worth of stuff? It’s not happening. It would require removing old baseball trophies from the attic and dusting the pictures of the Magnificent Seven, their grandchildren.
Liz thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself.

Reviews

[Margie Senechal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This morning I woke up around sixish--on my day off, mind you--and couldn't go back to sleep. So, I thought, "I'll read for a little bit." I'd started Liz's book a couple of days ago but hadn't had a chance to really dive in.

I should be mad because her words did not lull me back to sleep. Nope, three hours later and I'm done. And wide awake--despite the chuckles and tears that were shed in the reading.

As with all of Liz's books, I want to live amongst her characters--I want to be friends with Arlie and Holly and even though I don't quilt, I want to join their craft circle. I know, I can teach them to make coasters!

And I loved the name drop of McGuffey's--my favorite Liz Flaherty book.

Read this, you won't be disappointed!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads. Really loved this book. Way too short though...read it so quickly. Just could not put it down. Some really good laughs too.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cole Porter's song, Every Time We Say Goodbye, provides the name for Liz Flaherty's Harlequin heartwarming book. And his songs are used for business names in her small lakeside town of Miniagua. Many peoples' lives in Miniagua were changed forever by a car accident on prom night many years ago. Now Jack Llewellyn's grandmother's funeral brings him back to town and to his high school girl friend--Arlie Gallagher. Jack, Arlie, and their families were dealt a horrible blow that night and even though the pain is still there, at least the level of pain has diminished over the years. This is a "heartwarming" romance story. I enjoyed the main and secondary characters and the plot had a good flow to it.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Children are not to be blamed for the faults of their parents." -- Aesop. Jack and his half brother, Tucker, had a loser father, one who made a terrible mistake, causing an accident that affected not only their lives, but the lives of close friends and the entire small lakeside community. Thirteen years later, Jack still can't get over it and after years of running from his heritage, he's back. It was hard for me to understand how a smart, "jack-of-all-trades" kind of guy, couldn't move on and realize that he is not his dad and that no one blames him.

Arlie has a dead-beat mom and is much closer to her stepmom. Afraid that her genes will cause her to be like her biological mother, she's in no rush to have a family. When Jack left, she was crushed and can't believe that some things are so different after so many years, while other things remain unchanged, such as her feelings for him.

These characters both have secrets, deeply rooted issues involving their parents, and fears that make it very difficult to move forward in life. I enjoyed the process of growth and watching the transformations. Dreams are meant to be reached for and not just thought about. Of course, my favorite moments were the interactions between the two and I loved watching them rediscover one another. I love good, strong, family relationships and this story has those in abundance. Conflicts and love set the pace for this fine contemporary romance. I always know I'm going to get a great story with a Harlequin Heartwarming and this one is no exception.

Content: mild romance (kissing, talk of teen pregnancy, mention of past indiscretions); mild language (taking the Lord's name in vain a few times); mild violence (mention of drunk driving, deaths). Clean.

*I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Liz Flaherty has a great sense of humor, which adds a little more flavor to the novel. Arlie has a good attitude about life, even if she does (like all romance heroines) need to be reminded of one or two important lessons. I especially appreciate that the novel doesn't depend on some huge misunderstanding for conflict. The two main characters are mature, responsible people who have real issues they need to work out. The characters are great, the setting is one I'd love to visit.

The only complaint I could make about this book is that it's not preceded by a whole series that I can now go and read. This author is definitely one to watch for, and I hope she will be writing a whole lot more of these wonderful books.

[Tammy Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free from Goodreads Giveaways. Jack comes back to his hometown after leaving due to feeling guilty about an accident which left two people dead and several more injured. This was caused by his dad driving drunk. He reconnects with his half brother and his former girlfriend. He finally realizes he needs his family and friends to be the man he wants to be. I really enjoyed this book.

[Nadine Keels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author has quite a knack for balancing serious depth along with the lighter aspects of a story, and I'd recommend this novel to other fans of wholesome romance.

Reviewed at Online Book Club. I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[Harlequin Books]

"Flaherty writes amazing characters who seek forgiveness from others. A great read!" (4 stars @ RT Book Reviews)