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When Never Comes
Author Barbara Davis deftly explores an emotionally charged landscape of pain, loss, and despair—and the risk one woman will take in the hope of loving again.
As a teenage runaway and child of an addict, Christy-Lynn learned the hard way that no address was permanent, and no promise sacred. For a while, she found a safe haven in her marriage to bestselling crime novelist Stephen Ludlow—until his car skidded into Echo Bay. But Stephen’s wasn’t the only body pulled from the icy waters that night. When details about a mysterious violet-eyed blonde become public, a media circus ensues, and Christy-Lynn runs again.
Desperate for answers, she’s shattered to learn that Stephen and his mistress had a child—a little girl named Iris, who now lives in poverty with her ailing great-grandmother. The thought of Iris abandoned to the foster care system—as Christy-Lynn once was—is unbearable. But she’s spent her whole life running—determined never to be hurt again. Will she finally stand still long enough to open herself up to forgiveness and love?
As a teenage runaway and child of an addict, Christy-Lynn learned the hard way that no address was permanent, and no promise sacred. For a while, she found a safe haven in her marriage to bestselling crime novelist Stephen Ludlow—until his car skidded into Echo Bay. But Stephen’s wasn’t the only body pulled from the icy waters that night. When details about a mysterious violet-eyed blonde become public, a media circus ensues, and Christy-Lynn runs again.
Desperate for answers, she’s shattered to learn that Stephen and his mistress had a child—a little girl named Iris, who now lives in poverty with her ailing great-grandmother. The thought of Iris abandoned to the foster care system—as Christy-Lynn once was—is unbearable. But she’s spent her whole life running—determined never to be hurt again. Will she finally stand still long enough to open herself up to forgiveness and love?
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
About the author
Barbara Davis
8 books1,706 followersAuthor of The Secrets She Carried, The Wishing Tide, Summer at Hideaway Key, Love, Alice. (Penguin/Berkley) When Never Comes (Lake Union) The Last of the Moon Girls (Lake Union) The Keeper of Happy Endings (Lake Union) The Echo of Old Books
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,984 reviews
June 12, 2018
Sometimes learning to let yourself be happy is the hardest lesson of all…
See my review here!
Though the premise of this book may sounds like it veers towards thriller, it is anything but that—in a good way! Davis’s When Never Comes is a beautiful story of resilience, finding yourself, and learning to be open to happiness. It’s a story about a woman who ran away or hid her entire life, until she was forced out of hiding. This book is an incredible addition to Women’s Fiction in 2018. I think many readers will find this story to be a starting point to reflect on their own lives and identify the ghosts we all have following us around.
Christine lives an enviable life…
Married to handsome, charismatic, best-selling author Stephen Ludlow, book-editor Christine has the perfect marriage. They live in the very house one of Stephen’s books was filmed in for the movie-adaptation. They have no children (by choice), and Christine has plenty of the independence and solitude she craves.
Christine has worked hard to shed Christy-Lynn…
Despite the outward perfection of Christine’s life, she has a dark past she’d prefer to hide from the world—even from her own husband. Christine grew up as Christy-Lynn Parker—the child of an addict who spent her life taking care of the very mother who should be caring for her. Christy-Lynn was never able to make friends because of a string of evictions, a parade of strange men through her home, and finally a foster home that she was forced to run away from. Now, Christy-Lynn has found peace, but not happiness, in her life with Stephen. While he is off basking in his fame, Christine is left with the independence and solitude she found comfort in as a child.
And then Christine finds herself in the spotlight…
Christine awakens to a knock on the door from the police, and some shocking news. Stephen was in a car accident and she is being asked to come identify his body. But there’s more—Christine is also asked to identify a second body. The body of a young blond woman who was in the car with her husband. As Christine’s world unravels, and the press are hounding her for answers, Christine does the only thing she knows—she runs. But this time, the running leads her to a place where she may finally be able to create her own life, the one thing she has never had.
Reflection
This is truly a story of resilience. Christine has spent so much of her life trying to just survive, that she has never really lived. With a childhood marked by pain and struggle that no child should know, Christine has developed a fear of loving anyone. And in turn, Christine has never really experienced the security and safety of someone else loving her.
When Christine runs and ends up in the charming town of Sweetwater, she finds an opportunity to not only escape the shock of her husband’s secrets, but to create a new life separate from who she was. With her new life Christine is able to do things she was never able to in the past—make friends and choose a new career. And most importantly, Christine is able to learn that happiness is something she can choose. When she stops letting others dictate her life, Christine opens up a world of opportunities for herself that she never dared dream of.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, to Barbara Davis, and to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
See my review here!
Though the premise of this book may sounds like it veers towards thriller, it is anything but that—in a good way! Davis’s When Never Comes is a beautiful story of resilience, finding yourself, and learning to be open to happiness. It’s a story about a woman who ran away or hid her entire life, until she was forced out of hiding. This book is an incredible addition to Women’s Fiction in 2018. I think many readers will find this story to be a starting point to reflect on their own lives and identify the ghosts we all have following us around.
Christine lives an enviable life…
Married to handsome, charismatic, best-selling author Stephen Ludlow, book-editor Christine has the perfect marriage. They live in the very house one of Stephen’s books was filmed in for the movie-adaptation. They have no children (by choice), and Christine has plenty of the independence and solitude she craves.
Christine has worked hard to shed Christy-Lynn…
Despite the outward perfection of Christine’s life, she has a dark past she’d prefer to hide from the world—even from her own husband. Christine grew up as Christy-Lynn Parker—the child of an addict who spent her life taking care of the very mother who should be caring for her. Christy-Lynn was never able to make friends because of a string of evictions, a parade of strange men through her home, and finally a foster home that she was forced to run away from. Now, Christy-Lynn has found peace, but not happiness, in her life with Stephen. While he is off basking in his fame, Christine is left with the independence and solitude she found comfort in as a child.
And then Christine finds herself in the spotlight…
Christine awakens to a knock on the door from the police, and some shocking news. Stephen was in a car accident and she is being asked to come identify his body. But there’s more—Christine is also asked to identify a second body. The body of a young blond woman who was in the car with her husband. As Christine’s world unravels, and the press are hounding her for answers, Christine does the only thing she knows—she runs. But this time, the running leads her to a place where she may finally be able to create her own life, the one thing she has never had.
Reflection
This is truly a story of resilience. Christine has spent so much of her life trying to just survive, that she has never really lived. With a childhood marked by pain and struggle that no child should know, Christine has developed a fear of loving anyone. And in turn, Christine has never really experienced the security and safety of someone else loving her.
When Christine runs and ends up in the charming town of Sweetwater, she finds an opportunity to not only escape the shock of her husband’s secrets, but to create a new life separate from who she was. With her new life Christine is able to do things she was never able to in the past—make friends and choose a new career. And most importantly, Christine is able to learn that happiness is something she can choose. When she stops letting others dictate her life, Christine opens up a world of opportunities for herself that she never dared dream of.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, to Barbara Davis, and to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2022
3.5 stars
The first 2 thirds of this book were interesting and engaging. I wanted to know more about what was going on with Christy-Lynn, what was her past hiding. What was the deal with the woman in the car.
My problem was the last third, everything was so extremely predictable. I was sure even the type of dialogues that we were going to have. And I completely understand that this wasn't a mystery book, but if you see coming the last 100 pages I'm not sure how can it make it interesting.
The first 2 thirds of this book were interesting and engaging. I wanted to know more about what was going on with Christy-Lynn, what was her past hiding. What was the deal with the woman in the car.
My problem was the last third, everything was so extremely predictable. I was sure even the type of dialogues that we were going to have. And I completely understand that this wasn't a mystery book, but if you see coming the last 100 pages I'm not sure how can it make it interesting.
April 9, 2018
I wouldn’t say that I hated this book, but it became a chore for me to get through. Just like Christy-Lynn’s critique of Wade’s manuscript, I wanted to put the book down halfway through because I just...stopped caring. It wasn’t the storyline itself so much as the fact that it was riddled with holes, particularly when it came to timelines. And it was a bit predictable overall. I managed to finish, but just barely.
May 1, 2018
From rags to riches. From running away as a child to running away as an adult.
Christy-Lynn had her share of bad times as she was growing up and thought when Stephen Ludlow, famed author, married her she was done with struggling and bad times.
But...Stephen Ludlow wasn't exactly who he appeared to be. When he was found in an icy river after a crash, details were not something Christy-Lynn wanted to know. Stephen wasn't the only person in his car when they pulled him out of the river, and the other person wasn't his wife.
Christy-Lynn couldn't handle the press and snuck away in the middle of the night just like she did when she ran away as a child.
Christy-Lynn was better off as an adult running away and found the perfect place to settle. She stopped and fell in love with Sweetwater,Virginia, and its residents. Missy and Dar became her friends and helped her through the days.
When Christy-Lynn decides to stay in Sweetwater, she buys a bookstore and is happy again. She is happy again until someone from Stephen's past appears and "spills the beans" about who she really is.
We follow Christy-Lynn through the good times and the bad as she recovers.
WHEN NEVER COMES touches on healing, friendships, being there for someone, love, and is filled with lovely and not so lovely surprises.
Another beautiful, touching book by Miss Davis. Her writing is warm and welcoming.
Has a NEVER ever come true for you?
Don’t miss reading WHEN NEVER COMES.
LOVED IT. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author and NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 3, 2018
I have volunteered at a Children's Home for 15 years, and know many children who have been traumatized by the actions of their parents. Barbara Davis brings these issues to life in When Never Comes. It is a heart-wrenching story that kept me guessing with it's unpredictable twists and turns. Barbara Davis is masterful in developing characters we care about and root for, and others we hate. While everything that happens to Christy-Lynn, from addict parents to a near-perfect marriage that crumbles before her eyes upon her husbands tragic death. And it only gets worse. But Christy-Lynn finds a surprising way to overcome the lack of stability in her life. Page-turning, gut-wrenching, but ultimately uplifting read!
February 5, 2019
This review contains SPOILERS. SPOILER ALERT! I liked the book because it goes pretty fast and it kept my interest, but I had a few unanswered questions.
1. Why was her husband driving around with his half-naked girlfriend in the car, when he was a successful writer and could afford a hotel room. How did he crash his car? Why did he die, but they had no scarring, they both looked beautiful upon death.
2. How could the main character just up and leave her home with only two important documents with
her? No momentos, nothing. Seemed a little weird.
3. If the main character lived on the street for two years after being brutally raped in foster care, how did she become a hot shot book editor and meet a hugely successful author? Nothing told about how that happened? How did she get into college? Where did she live, etc.
4. Nothing is mentioned about the fabulously successful author husband, no background except for the fact that he plagiarized something in college and he got a trailer trash groupie pregnant. Why didn't he care for his child he had with trailer trash girl? Nothing left in a will. Another thing is, he was so hugely successful, along the lines of Tom Clancy, why didn't he have a will?
Other than those huge questions, it was a good read. It had a happy ending. If that was what the author was aiming for, she succeeded. In the book she has the main character as a book editor who tells her author friend to dig deeper and do more character development. That's good advice, she needs to heed her own advice.
1. Why was her husband driving around with his half-naked girlfriend in the car, when he was a successful writer and could afford a hotel room. How did he crash his car? Why did he die, but they had no scarring, they both looked beautiful upon death.
2. How could the main character just up and leave her home with only two important documents with
her? No momentos, nothing. Seemed a little weird.
3. If the main character lived on the street for two years after being brutally raped in foster care, how did she become a hot shot book editor and meet a hugely successful author? Nothing told about how that happened? How did she get into college? Where did she live, etc.
4. Nothing is mentioned about the fabulously successful author husband, no background except for the fact that he plagiarized something in college and he got a trailer trash groupie pregnant. Why didn't he care for his child he had with trailer trash girl? Nothing left in a will. Another thing is, he was so hugely successful, along the lines of Tom Clancy, why didn't he have a will?
Other than those huge questions, it was a good read. It had a happy ending. If that was what the author was aiming for, she succeeded. In the book she has the main character as a book editor who tells her author friend to dig deeper and do more character development. That's good advice, she needs to heed her own advice.
May 26, 2019
I will start by simply saying that I LOVED this book! I was captivated by Christy-Lynn's story, a young woman so deep in the throes of despair, so torn with guilt and regret, that she won't let herself love anyone, or let anyone love her...she doesn't feel deserving of love. Her life is full of nevers, the doors she keeps closed to protect her heart. The emotions in this book leap off the page...I found myself holding my breath waiting to find out what decisions Christy-Lynn would make as she slowly, carefully, fearfully cracks open those doors just a little bit. I found myself getting angry with her at times, because I was so emotionally invested in her life, and the lives of those around her! This is such a heartfelt, poignant story, which reveals the best and the worst about people, but mostly shows us that we all have the capacity to love and forgive and to be happy.
March 19, 2019
When a young girl is put in the harrowing position of having to take care of her alcoholic/drug addicted mother, she as an adult, decides to live a somewhat guarded and disconnected life. After the sudden death of her husband, her whole monotonous, uneventful life starts to get the upheaval that maybe it needed. This story kept me wanting to get back to it. A very good contemporary with believable characters.
October 29, 2017
Once again, author Barbara Davis has pulled me out of everything I need to do and planted me right in the middle of her compelling characters and story. When Never Comes is the story of a woman trapping herself in her past, limited by all the ways she was hurt by others. But when love prevents itself in new and unexpected ways, she has to face all the doors she's closed...all the nevers she's clung to. This is a story of love, hope, redemption, and of rediscovering who you were meant to be and it will resonate with readers who love a tale full of heart and soul.
April 5, 2018
This is my first Barbara Davis book and let me just say- she has a new fan with me. For lovers of Elin Hilderbrand and Karen White- this one’s for you. And hey- I saw it’s a Kindle First. Seriously, pick up When Never Comes- now.
What do you do when you find out your dead husband didn’t die alone? When said husband is famous and the vultures are just waiting for the right moment to feed on you, armed with this tantalizing information? You run. Like any seasoned runaway will do, you act on that animal instinct and run as far and fast as you can.
Christy-Lynn had no idea her famous author husband was a philandering douchebag. When morgue photos are leaked of the topless blonde found in the car with said philanderer, she realizes she never knew him at all. She empties the safe and flees in the night, no longer willing to feel victimized by the incessant paparazzi.
She finds herself in a small town with no intentions to stay, but soon realizes maybe this is where she can start over. When she is then struck by the news of an innocent child between her husband and his mistress, it brings her past rushing to the present. With a support system in place for the very first time in her life, Christy-Lynn faces what she has avoided and kept hidden for all these years. Her mother, her past, and the fact that just maybe- she is open to what love, life, and forgiveness can bring her.
I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
What do you do when you find out your dead husband didn’t die alone? When said husband is famous and the vultures are just waiting for the right moment to feed on you, armed with this tantalizing information? You run. Like any seasoned runaway will do, you act on that animal instinct and run as far and fast as you can.
Christy-Lynn had no idea her famous author husband was a philandering douchebag. When morgue photos are leaked of the topless blonde found in the car with said philanderer, she realizes she never knew him at all. She empties the safe and flees in the night, no longer willing to feel victimized by the incessant paparazzi.
She finds herself in a small town with no intentions to stay, but soon realizes maybe this is where she can start over. When she is then struck by the news of an innocent child between her husband and his mistress, it brings her past rushing to the present. With a support system in place for the very first time in her life, Christy-Lynn faces what she has avoided and kept hidden for all these years. Her mother, her past, and the fact that just maybe- she is open to what love, life, and forgiveness can bring her.
I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
April 8, 2018
3.5 stars
I almost DNF'd this one in the very beginning - I thought it was a mystery/thriller type book. I read a few reviews and decided to continue anyway. Throughout the book I waffled on the rating. Christy-Lynn is the wife of a famous writer. He dies when his car goes off a bridge and a partially nude woman is with him. Christy-Lynn escapes the media circus and the unanswered questions in a small town miles from her home. Here she tries to begin again and reconcile her husband's death, her past with a negligent mother, foster care & as a runaway, and the knowledge that her husband the unknown woman had a child together.
This book is "slow" - it is not fast-paced or a thriller. It is an exploration of a woman who carefully buried her past until she had to face her past and present to move on. Christy-Lynn's journey to discover herself and move on is sad and painful but heartwarming as she begins to heal and reconcile her present and her past. This book does have a HEA and the reader is left with a happy feeling that all seems to work out for the best. Digging up the past is not always pleasant but sometimes the closure and healing are worthwhile.
I almost DNF'd this one in the very beginning - I thought it was a mystery/thriller type book. I read a few reviews and decided to continue anyway. Throughout the book I waffled on the rating. Christy-Lynn is the wife of a famous writer. He dies when his car goes off a bridge and a partially nude woman is with him. Christy-Lynn escapes the media circus and the unanswered questions in a small town miles from her home. Here she tries to begin again and reconcile her husband's death, her past with a negligent mother, foster care & as a runaway, and the knowledge that her husband the unknown woman had a child together.
This book is "slow" - it is not fast-paced or a thriller. It is an exploration of a woman who carefully buried her past until she had to face her past and present to move on. Christy-Lynn's journey to discover herself and move on is sad and painful but heartwarming as she begins to heal and reconcile her present and her past. This book does have a HEA and the reader is left with a happy feeling that all seems to work out for the best. Digging up the past is not always pleasant but sometimes the closure and healing are worthwhile.
April 1, 2018
My Review Of ” When Never Comes” by Barbara Davis
I was captivated and enthralled by “When Never Comes ” by Barbara Davis. The genres for this book are Fiction and Women’s Fiction. The story takes place in the past and present as it pertains to the characters and events in the story.
The author describes are characters as complex, complicated and confused. How can the past traumatic events in a character’s life effect the present and future? Christy -Lynn , was a teen-age runaway, believing there are no promises that are kept, and a life full of “nevers”. Christy-Lynn marries a prominent novelist, and settles for a marriage of what she feels is a safe place.
Unfortunately, her husband Stephen is in a fatal car crash, and dies. Christy-Lynn is shocked to find out that a mysterious woman is in the car with him. Who is this strange woman? What kind of dark secrets and betrayals will she discover? How is Christy-Lynn going to trust anyone again? Will Christy-Lynn be able to open the doors to happiness and living?
I love the way Barbara Davis discusses self discovery , self-worth, trust, love hope and forgiveness. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review. I highly recommend this entertaining, and intriguing novel for those readers that appreciate Women’s Fiction.
I was captivated and enthralled by “When Never Comes ” by Barbara Davis. The genres for this book are Fiction and Women’s Fiction. The story takes place in the past and present as it pertains to the characters and events in the story.
The author describes are characters as complex, complicated and confused. How can the past traumatic events in a character’s life effect the present and future? Christy -Lynn , was a teen-age runaway, believing there are no promises that are kept, and a life full of “nevers”. Christy-Lynn marries a prominent novelist, and settles for a marriage of what she feels is a safe place.
Unfortunately, her husband Stephen is in a fatal car crash, and dies. Christy-Lynn is shocked to find out that a mysterious woman is in the car with him. Who is this strange woman? What kind of dark secrets and betrayals will she discover? How is Christy-Lynn going to trust anyone again? Will Christy-Lynn be able to open the doors to happiness and living?
I love the way Barbara Davis discusses self discovery , self-worth, trust, love hope and forgiveness. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review. I highly recommend this entertaining, and intriguing novel for those readers that appreciate Women’s Fiction.
May 16, 2018
This story captivated me from start to finish. When Never Comes is an emotionally engaging, compelling, beautiful, uplifting, and simultaneously heart breaking and heart warming story. This is the story of Christy-Lynn, awoken in the middle of the night with the news that her husband has died in an accident. At the morgue to identify his body, she's given the news that he was not alone in the car and a mystery woman has also died. Hounded by the press, she escapes town and hides away in a small town in Virginia. Christy-Lynn begins to rebuild her life and put her past behind her. Told in alternating timelines, we get flashbacks to Christy-Lynn growing up with an addict mother and eventually making her way into the foster care system. As she begins to move forward in her new life, she is haunted by her past and by this mystery woman. She begins to investigate this woman and her connection to her husband. Will she be able to move forward and forgive the people who have hurt her the most? Will she be able to build a life she loves from the ashes of her past? This was a wonderful story of redemption, forgiveness, family, and how the events of our past do not define us. For me, this was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars (rounded up from 4.5). Thank you @amazonpublishing for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
February 17, 2018
When Never Comes is another wonderful book by Barbara Davis. It's about finding your future by letting go of your past. It's about love and family and starting over. This book is a must read and you don't want to miss it.
When Christy-Lynn is told by the police that her husband, a famous author, has died in a car accident, she also finds out that there was a half naked woman in the car with him who also died. She had no idea that he was having an affair but once the news becomes public, the media begins to harass her about it. With the unrelenting media scrutiny, Christy-Lynn escapes from her home and drives until she finds a small town to hide out in. As she learns to deal with her husband's death, she has to learn from the fact that she has hidden out her entire life to try to escape the memories from a horrific childhood. Will she be able to open herself up to happiness in her life despite all that has happened to her?
This is a wonderful book about love for other people but most importantly, love for yourself. Christy-Lynn is a wonderful, multi-dimensional character who readers will quickly care about and hope for her to find happiness in her life.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
When Christy-Lynn is told by the police that her husband, a famous author, has died in a car accident, she also finds out that there was a half naked woman in the car with him who also died. She had no idea that he was having an affair but once the news becomes public, the media begins to harass her about it. With the unrelenting media scrutiny, Christy-Lynn escapes from her home and drives until she finds a small town to hide out in. As she learns to deal with her husband's death, she has to learn from the fact that she has hidden out her entire life to try to escape the memories from a horrific childhood. Will she be able to open herself up to happiness in her life despite all that has happened to her?
This is a wonderful book about love for other people but most importantly, love for yourself. Christy-Lynn is a wonderful, multi-dimensional character who readers will quickly care about and hope for her to find happiness in her life.
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
January 3, 2020
Pirmiausiai norėčiau pagirti šios knygos viršelį. Jis toks paprastas, bet man asmeniškai labai dailus. Po viso šventinio šurmulio norėjosi kažkokio lengvo skaitinio, tai nusprendžiau, jog ši knyga bus pats tas.
Kristės Linos gyvenimas tikrai nelepino.. Vaikystėje teko augti su priklausomybių kamuojama motina. Ir tai buvo tik viso to pradžia, ką mergaitei teko iškęsti.. Globėjų šeimos, gyvenimas gatvėje, smurtas.. To neturėtų patirti nei vienas vaikas.
Dabar kuomet vaikystė liko giliai praeityje, Kristė Lina kuria savo gyvenimą kartu su savo sutuoktiniu Stivenu Ladlou. Jis garsus detektyvių autorius, parašęs jau ne vieną bestselerį. Atrodo gyvenimas puikus.. Tačiau vieną naktį moterį prižadina telefono skambutis, kuriuo jai yra pranešama, jog jos vyras mirė.. Jo automobilis nulėkė į Aidų įlanką, kurioje jis ir paskendo.. Tačiau iš mašinos yra ištraukiamas ne tik jo kūnas, bet ir žavios mėlynakės blondinės..
Žurnalistai greitai suuodžia pikantišką istoriją.. Kristė Lina nusprendžia, jog vienintelė išeitis jai yra sprukti į kokį nors Dievo pamirštą miestelį. Bei bandyti ten susikurti naują gyvenimą.. Pasirodytų, jog ši užduotis nėra tokia ir sudėtinga.. Bet likimas yra numatęs daug didesnių staigmenų, nei moteris kada būtų galėjusi pamanyti..
Skaitant šią istoriją mane vis aplankydavo jausmas, jog tai jau kažkur mačiau/skaičiau/girdėjau.. Bent man pasirodė, jog autorė pasirinko pačią paprasčiausią istoriją ir nuėjo pačiu lengviausiu keliu.. Po keletos pirmųjų skyrių numaniau, kaip įvykiai klostysis toliau ir kuo visa ši istorija baigsis.. Bet manyčiau, jei norisi knygos pailsinti galvai, tai tikrai puikiai persiskaitys ir ši. Rašoma, jog ši knyga jau pirmomis savaitėmis pateko į skaitomiausių bei perkamiausių "Amazon" knygų sąrašus. Bent aš tokio gėrio nepajutau ją skaitant 😊
Kristės Linos gyvenimas tikrai nelepino.. Vaikystėje teko augti su priklausomybių kamuojama motina. Ir tai buvo tik viso to pradžia, ką mergaitei teko iškęsti.. Globėjų šeimos, gyvenimas gatvėje, smurtas.. To neturėtų patirti nei vienas vaikas.
Dabar kuomet vaikystė liko giliai praeityje, Kristė Lina kuria savo gyvenimą kartu su savo sutuoktiniu Stivenu Ladlou. Jis garsus detektyvių autorius, parašęs jau ne vieną bestselerį. Atrodo gyvenimas puikus.. Tačiau vieną naktį moterį prižadina telefono skambutis, kuriuo jai yra pranešama, jog jos vyras mirė.. Jo automobilis nulėkė į Aidų įlanką, kurioje jis ir paskendo.. Tačiau iš mašinos yra ištraukiamas ne tik jo kūnas, bet ir žavios mėlynakės blondinės..
Žurnalistai greitai suuodžia pikantišką istoriją.. Kristė Lina nusprendžia, jog vienintelė išeitis jai yra sprukti į kokį nors Dievo pamirštą miestelį. Bei bandyti ten susikurti naują gyvenimą.. Pasirodytų, jog ši užduotis nėra tokia ir sudėtinga.. Bet likimas yra numatęs daug didesnių staigmenų, nei moteris kada būtų galėjusi pamanyti..
Skaitant šią istoriją mane vis aplankydavo jausmas, jog tai jau kažkur mačiau/skaičiau/girdėjau.. Bent man pasirodė, jog autorė pasirinko pačią paprasčiausią istoriją ir nuėjo pačiu lengviausiu keliu.. Po keletos pirmųjų skyrių numaniau, kaip įvykiai klostysis toliau ir kuo visa ši istorija baigsis.. Bet manyčiau, jei norisi knygos pailsinti galvai, tai tikrai puikiai persiskaitys ir ši. Rašoma, jog ši knyga jau pirmomis savaitėmis pateko į skaitomiausių bei perkamiausių "Amazon" knygų sąrašus. Bent aš tokio gėrio nepajutau ją skaitant 😊
August 23, 2018
The blurb of this book had me interested. I thought it was going to be this suspense, ah ha, I got you now kind of book you cheating husband. But it was so much different than that. This was a book about Christy-Lynn Parker (Christine Ludlow) who wakes up to the knock on the door from the local police to come identify her husband's body. But what she did not know is that he had been carrying on an affair with another woman, who was also to be identified. Thus, sets in motion the story of finding out who the mystery woman is, but more who Christy-Lynn Parker is.
Christy-Lynn Parker grew up in a less than ideal home, her mother was a drunk, druggie, couldn't hold down a job, couldn't provide a roof over their heads after so many months, and had numerous guys over. At 16 Christy-Lynne was forced into foster care, which after a traumatic event, ran away and lived on the streets for two years. She eventually met the novelist Stephen Ludlow and turned her into Christine Ludlow, woman of many secrets.
When Stephen dies, and the news crews are too much, she escapes to Sweetwater, Virginia, where she befriends the local bed and breakfast owner, Missy (love it when your name is a character in a book), and sets down roots. She buys the local bookstore and house, and sets up what she feels is the ideal escape from life as Christine Ludlow. Little did Christy-Lynn know her dead husband's college roommate also lives in Sweetwater, a former newspaper reporter. Eventually, Christy-Lynn requests his help in finding who this mystery woman was in her husband's car. What she finds, shakes her, but makes her realize you never know what is behind that door unless you open it, something Missy told her. Once that door opens, Christy-Lynn learns about life, love, and that being alone isn't always the best.
I certainly enjoyed this book, thank you to NetGalley and Barbara Davis for letting me preview this book and for my honest review. I would recommend this book to my fellow readers based on the fact that even though life is not always good in the beginning, you can make it better, just by opening a door.
Christy-Lynn Parker grew up in a less than ideal home, her mother was a drunk, druggie, couldn't hold down a job, couldn't provide a roof over their heads after so many months, and had numerous guys over. At 16 Christy-Lynne was forced into foster care, which after a traumatic event, ran away and lived on the streets for two years. She eventually met the novelist Stephen Ludlow and turned her into Christine Ludlow, woman of many secrets.
When Stephen dies, and the news crews are too much, she escapes to Sweetwater, Virginia, where she befriends the local bed and breakfast owner, Missy (love it when your name is a character in a book), and sets down roots. She buys the local bookstore and house, and sets up what she feels is the ideal escape from life as Christine Ludlow. Little did Christy-Lynn know her dead husband's college roommate also lives in Sweetwater, a former newspaper reporter. Eventually, Christy-Lynn requests his help in finding who this mystery woman was in her husband's car. What she finds, shakes her, but makes her realize you never know what is behind that door unless you open it, something Missy told her. Once that door opens, Christy-Lynn learns about life, love, and that being alone isn't always the best.
I certainly enjoyed this book, thank you to NetGalley and Barbara Davis for letting me preview this book and for my honest review. I would recommend this book to my fellow readers based on the fact that even though life is not always good in the beginning, you can make it better, just by opening a door.
April 5, 2018
Barbara Davis is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I got this from Kindle First and I was thrilled. It's been on my wishlist since I found out it was coming out. I was so excited that I didn't have to wait a month until it comes out in the stores.
Christy-Lynn is a pretty damaged character. She's had a rough life and can't catch a break. I kind of knew what was going to happen but it still wrenched my heart wide open. The end for me was a complete tear jerker. I wish I hadn't whipped through it so quickly because now I have no idea when her next one is coming out and it will kill me to wait for it.
Christy-Lynn is a pretty damaged character. She's had a rough life and can't catch a break. I kind of knew what was going to happen but it still wrenched my heart wide open. The end for me was a complete tear jerker. I wish I hadn't whipped through it so quickly because now I have no idea when her next one is coming out and it will kill me to wait for it.
April 3, 2018
Quick Read
It’s a nice book to read in one sitting or while stuck on an airplane. There’s nothing spectacular about the book but it’s by no means a bad read. It was an enjoyable enough experience.
It’s a nice book to read in one sitting or while stuck on an airplane. There’s nothing spectacular about the book but it’s by no means a bad read. It was an enjoyable enough experience.
April 12, 2019
My rating is really closer to 2.5 stars, but since the writing was decent, I rounded it up to 3.
This book had an interesting premise but required one to many stretches of the imagination to be believable. It was also about 100 pages too long. I knew exactly what was going to happen very early into the book, but it took until the very end of the story to get the full resolution.
Issues with the book (spoiler alert!)
1) Hard to believe the main character Christy-Lynn didn't have a SINGLE friend/acquaintance who could be with her after the news of her husband's death came out. She was just hanging out completely alone in her huge house and not one person kept her company and not a single police officer thought to come by and keep the press away. It was ridiculous that she "couldn't" make it to the funeral.
2) Christy-Lynn leaves her house with only a small bag and never comes back for anything after her departure. Incredibly, the cop can't seem to get a hold of her...despite the fact that she has a cell phone. The cops and press *somehow* have no idea where she is, despite the fact that she is probably using credit cards, driving her own car and, you know, looks like Stephen Ludlow's wife.
3) In this day and age, there is no way the press wouldn't have seized on the second victim's identity within 24 hours or discovering her existence. As an extra in Stephen's movies, there is no way she wouldn't have been found out. Plus, WHERE exactly were her clothes left? They had to have been checked in somewhere. Also hard to believe that Stephen and Honey died within city limits of where the main character lived. Her husband would have been recognized if seen with another woman.
4) I've never heard of a small business "running smoothly" within a few weeks of opening. Really? you open a new bookstore and then it practically runs itself so now you're bored? Also, it was awfully convenient that she could buy a bookstore and a house with no problem. I don't understand why Christy-Lynn was able to finally make friends when she clearly hadn't been able to for decades. It all came a little too easy.
5) I never understood why Stephen really fell for Christy-Lynn except that she was vulnerable. No way do I think he would have fallen for someone who lives in a dilapidated shack like Honey did.
6) Still think it's funny that Christy-Lynn "accidentally" ended up in Sweetwater. Also hard to believe that her new author friend hadn't heard that Stephen died MONTHS after it happened.
This book had an interesting premise but required one to many stretches of the imagination to be believable. It was also about 100 pages too long. I knew exactly what was going to happen very early into the book, but it took until the very end of the story to get the full resolution.
Issues with the book (spoiler alert!)
1) Hard to believe the main character Christy-Lynn didn't have a SINGLE friend/acquaintance who could be with her after the news of her husband's death came out. She was just hanging out completely alone in her huge house and not one person kept her company and not a single police officer thought to come by and keep the press away. It was ridiculous that she "couldn't" make it to the funeral.
2) Christy-Lynn leaves her house with only a small bag and never comes back for anything after her departure. Incredibly, the cop can't seem to get a hold of her...despite the fact that she has a cell phone. The cops and press *somehow* have no idea where she is, despite the fact that she is probably using credit cards, driving her own car and, you know, looks like Stephen Ludlow's wife.
3) In this day and age, there is no way the press wouldn't have seized on the second victim's identity within 24 hours or discovering her existence. As an extra in Stephen's movies, there is no way she wouldn't have been found out. Plus, WHERE exactly were her clothes left? They had to have been checked in somewhere. Also hard to believe that Stephen and Honey died within city limits of where the main character lived. Her husband would have been recognized if seen with another woman.
4) I've never heard of a small business "running smoothly" within a few weeks of opening. Really? you open a new bookstore and then it practically runs itself so now you're bored? Also, it was awfully convenient that she could buy a bookstore and a house with no problem. I don't understand why Christy-Lynn was able to finally make friends when she clearly hadn't been able to for decades. It all came a little too easy.
5) I never understood why Stephen really fell for Christy-Lynn except that she was vulnerable. No way do I think he would have fallen for someone who lives in a dilapidated shack like Honey did.
6) Still think it's funny that Christy-Lynn "accidentally" ended up in Sweetwater. Also hard to believe that her new author friend hadn't heard that Stephen died MONTHS after it happened.
August 19, 2021
Noriu pagirti nuostabų viršelį. Ir pavadinimą. Tai tikrai viena iš tų knygų, kurias nusikelčiau nuo lentynos tiek knygyne, tiek bibliotekoje ar svečiuose, nes viršelis tiesiog kviečia skaityti. Pagyros leidyklai, kaip visada.
Žymus rašytojas automobilyje randamas su jauna pusnuoge moterimi, tad jo žmonai Kristei-Linai nelieka nieko, kaip tik bėgti nuo žiniasklaidos. Moteris susikrauna daiktus ir atvyksta į mažą miestelį, kuriame kažkada lankėsi per medaus mėnesį. Labai greitai paaiškėja, jog ji čia liks, tad nusiperka seną knygyną ir suvokia, jog miestelyje gyvena ir labai senas jos vyro draugas – žurnalistas, o Kristei-Linai imant aiškintis tiesą apie savo santuoką, paaiškėja, jog ji gerokai skaudesnė, nei ji būtų numaniusi...
Elementarus romanas, nedaug veikėjų, visi aiškūs, drįsčiau teigti, be didesnio cinkelio. Siužetas sudėliotas į dabar ir tada (mano mylimiausia struktūra, juokauju, aišku), kuomet dabartyje Kristė-Lina aiškinasi savo vyro paslaptis ir kita dalis, kur mes nusikeliame į jos vaikystę ir taip sužinome daug faktų apie pagrindinę veikėją.
Skaitydama šią knygą baisėjausi motina, kraupau nuo pasakojimų apie alkoholizmą, daug analizavau, bet taip dariau ko gero todėl, jog tą savaitę gyvenau ir dirbau ties tekstais apie Froidą ir psichoterapiją... skaitant viskas dėliojosi į stalčiukus gerokai lengviau, kai prieš tai buvau paskaičiusi apie žmonių bendravimo ypatumus skirtingose situacijose ir kontekstuose.
Kas labai patiko skaitant šį romaną? Pavadinimai. Miesteliai, kavinės, katinas Tolstojus. Skaičiau, šypsojausi ir džiaugiausi tiek autorės išmone, tiek vertėjų talentais.
Kas patiko mažiau? Visiškai nuspėjamas siužetas, kas ir sugadino visą įspūdį. Praktiškai nuo romano vidurio žinojau, buvau tikra, kaip jis pasibaigs. Kita vertus, kartais reikia ir tokių – pailsinti smegenis ir tiesiog pabėgti nuo visų darbų ir rūpesčių.
Susitikime instagrame:
www.instagram.com/gretabrigita.lt
Visas apžvalgas rasite čia:
www.gretabrigita.lt
Leidyklos dovana.
Žymus rašytojas automobilyje randamas su jauna pusnuoge moterimi, tad jo žmonai Kristei-Linai nelieka nieko, kaip tik bėgti nuo žiniasklaidos. Moteris susikrauna daiktus ir atvyksta į mažą miestelį, kuriame kažkada lankėsi per medaus mėnesį. Labai greitai paaiškėja, jog ji čia liks, tad nusiperka seną knygyną ir suvokia, jog miestelyje gyvena ir labai senas jos vyro draugas – žurnalistas, o Kristei-Linai imant aiškintis tiesą apie savo santuoką, paaiškėja, jog ji gerokai skaudesnė, nei ji būtų numaniusi...
Elementarus romanas, nedaug veikėjų, visi aiškūs, drįsčiau teigti, be didesnio cinkelio. Siužetas sudėliotas į dabar ir tada (mano mylimiausia struktūra, juokauju, aišku), kuomet dabartyje Kristė-Lina aiškinasi savo vyro paslaptis ir kita dalis, kur mes nusikeliame į jos vaikystę ir taip sužinome daug faktų apie pagrindinę veikėją.
Skaitydama šią knygą baisėjausi motina, kraupau nuo pasakojimų apie alkoholizmą, daug analizavau, bet taip dariau ko gero todėl, jog tą savaitę gyvenau ir dirbau ties tekstais apie Froidą ir psichoterapiją... skaitant viskas dėliojosi į stalčiukus gerokai lengviau, kai prieš tai buvau paskaičiusi apie žmonių bendravimo ypatumus skirtingose situacijose ir kontekstuose.
Kas labai patiko skaitant šį romaną? Pavadinimai. Miesteliai, kavinės, katinas Tolstojus. Skaičiau, šypsojausi ir džiaugiausi tiek autorės išmone, tiek vertėjų talentais.
Kas patiko mažiau? Visiškai nuspėjamas siužetas, kas ir sugadino visą įspūdį. Praktiškai nuo romano vidurio žinojau, buvau tikra, kaip jis pasibaigs. Kita vertus, kartais reikia ir tokių – pailsinti smegenis ir tiesiog pabėgti nuo visų darbų ir rūpesčių.
Susitikime instagrame:
www.instagram.com/gretabrigita.lt
Visas apžvalgas rasite čia:
www.gretabrigita.lt
Leidyklos dovana.
September 10, 2018
This had the potential to be a really amazing book, but the story got really lazy at the end. I liked it in the beginning when Christy was trying to understand what her husband last moments was before he died. It seemed like she was more concerned with the woman he was was with than anything else. I did not think it was a character flaw but it did not make that much sense to me. As far as the story, it was really good in the beginning but then it became to inconsistent.
I tend to disagree with the majority when it come down to overall community rating. Nevertheless, I do not regret that I read it, it was a fascinating on some parts but I did not like how it felt rushed at the end. However, I do plan on reading more books by Davis so that is a good thing.
Lastly, I will not recommend the book due to the inconsistency but it was a decent read.
I tend to disagree with the majority when it come down to overall community rating. Nevertheless, I do not regret that I read it, it was a fascinating on some parts but I did not like how it felt rushed at the end. However, I do plan on reading more books by Davis so that is a good thing.
Lastly, I will not recommend the book due to the inconsistency but it was a decent read.
April 17, 2018
When Never Comes was my Kindle First Selection and I am so glad I picked it!
Barbara Davis wrote such a beautiful, heart-warming novel that sent my emotions soaring. It was the first book I have ever read by her and I definitely don’t plan on it being my last.
Christine (Christy-Lynn) is dealing with the loss of her husband and boy does that open the door to all kinds of emotional turmoil. This book deals with the pain of loss, the fear of new relationships, the hardship of starting over, and the struggles of growing up parentless/in foster care. I seriously feel like I was right beside Christy-Lynn in this book... that’s how well Barbara displayed her character. I can’t say enough good things about this book. All I can say is... you won’t be disappointed after reading it.
Barbara Davis wrote such a beautiful, heart-warming novel that sent my emotions soaring. It was the first book I have ever read by her and I definitely don’t plan on it being my last.
Christine (Christy-Lynn) is dealing with the loss of her husband and boy does that open the door to all kinds of emotional turmoil. This book deals with the pain of loss, the fear of new relationships, the hardship of starting over, and the struggles of growing up parentless/in foster care. I seriously feel like I was right beside Christy-Lynn in this book... that’s how well Barbara displayed her character. I can’t say enough good things about this book. All I can say is... you won’t be disappointed after reading it.
July 16, 2018
Although I'm nearly a grandmother now, I was a teenage runaway. So when I read the description in the "First Reads Books" email that I received from Amazon, it piqued my interest, and I selected it. Not disappointed in the least, the story in the pages of this captivating book lives up to the well over a thousand positive reviews it's received. I highly recommend this engaging read!
April 12, 2018
I picked this as a first read from my amazon choices!
This is a sweet story from not so sweet circumstances!
Liked it more than I thought I would
This is a sweet story from not so sweet circumstances!
Liked it more than I thought I would
May 17, 2018
I felt this was a compelling story although I figured out the ending about halfway thru. At some point I really got annoyed with the main character and her self pity though. I get that she had a horrible childhood and is understandably bitter and angry about that as well as about the circumstances of her husband's death. But she also has so much money she can just buy a house and a business on a whim and still have so much left that she doesn't know what to do with it. And said new business is immediately successful, allowing her free time to go off at any time to explore her past or run away from her present. And although she has never had friends, suddenly everyone she meets now is falling all over themselves wanting to hang out with her and be her BFF even though the main thing she does is whine and complain about how sad and empty her life is. I understand that the point of the book is that she had to overcome her childhood traumas and let down her defenses. But it just went on and on far too long with her "poor me, I'm so sad and alone and nobody loves me - I mean everybody loves me but they shouldn't - but I want them to love me but as soon
as they do I will be a jerk to them, but they will still love me and I am just so sad about it all." Sorry but after a while i began to be more annoyed than sympathetic to her character.
as they do I will be a jerk to them, but they will still love me and I am just so sad about it all." Sorry but after a while i began to be more annoyed than sympathetic to her character.
February 21, 2019
Ugh. Lifetime movie without the plot twist. Just like she tells Wade, I stopped reading halfway through because I just didn’t care anymore. Foreshadowing at its finest. Except that I actually finished it. Who are these people who gave it four and five stars? I’d like to see their ratings list, so I can avoid other titles they loved.
April 21, 2018
Great read, kept me interested the entire book! Read it in 5 days, which is rare for me. My insomnia helped , but I finished it between 3-5 am- passing on the gym to find out what happens.
July 25, 2018
Topic and content were good. The process was a little tedious but still a good read.
August 18, 2022
What a wonderful book. The author is a relatively new favorite of mine. I loved both the story and her gentle writing style.
April 22, 2022
“Niekada - ne tik žodis. Tai durys, kurias laikome uždarytas, vietos, kur neleidžiame sau patekti, ir dalykai, kurių neleidžiame sau turėti.”
Ši frazė tobulai apibūna tai, ką ir randi šioje knygoje. Ši knyga apie praeities vaiduoklius, kurie velkasi iš paskos, o tu nežinai kaip jų atsikratyti, kad galėtum gyventi toliau. Bet būdą juos palikti ten, kur jie ir turi likti, privalai rasti. Knyga apie ribas, apie rėmus, kuriuose įkaliname patys save, atsisakydami net paprasčiausių troškimų, kuriuos kažkodėl laikome mums nepasiekiamais. Tai kūrinys apie tą išankstinį “tai ne man”, “aš negaliu, “man nepavyks”, “juk jau bandžiau, ir kas iš to išėjo”. Nauji dalykai kartais kelia baimę, bet kas jeigu ne pokyčiai suteiks gyvenimui naujų ir ryškesnių spalvų?
💯rekomenduoju!
Ši frazė tobulai apibūna tai, ką ir randi šioje knygoje. Ši knyga apie praeities vaiduoklius, kurie velkasi iš paskos, o tu nežinai kaip jų atsikratyti, kad galėtum gyventi toliau. Bet būdą juos palikti ten, kur jie ir turi likti, privalai rasti. Knyga apie ribas, apie rėmus, kuriuose įkaliname patys save, atsisakydami net paprasčiausių troškimų, kuriuos kažkodėl laikome mums nepasiekiamais. Tai kūrinys apie tą išankstinį “tai ne man”, “aš negaliu, “man nepavyks”, “juk jau bandžiau, ir kas iš to išėjo”. Nauji dalykai kartais kelia baimę, bet kas jeigu ne pokyčiai suteiks gyvenimui naujų ir ryškesnių spalvų?
💯rekomenduoju!
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