Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

Goodreads Summary:

Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max–same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose–he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.

As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem–how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up? – Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down–if it is really Max– and along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to.

My Review:

I really had to sit and think about what I wanted to write before starting my post. Even after reflecting, I'm still not 100% sure what to say. I took my time reading this book, partially because I felt as though I had to in order to fully capture the emotions of the story and partially because at times I struggled, just a little, to keep up with all of the people in the stories of the past.

Before Ever After is a story journey of love and heartbreak. You grow to know and understand the characters and Samantha Sotto writes in such a way to make the reader feel the joy, fear, love, and earth shattering heartbreak right along with them. Along with powerfully written scenes, Samantha has a knack for the philosophical. She makes you think about how you look at life and the moments in it.

I laughed, teared up, and had to pick my jaw off the floor. If you're looking for an emotional, intriguing, and thought provoking read this is the book for you.

**I won this ARC in a giveaway on Goodreads.com but that did not affect my review in any way