Book Review: Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson
[ID: A blue book with paper cut out illustrations of a blonde girl in a wheelchair and boy with long brown hair sitting looking up to her. Other paper cut flowers and an orange cat are intertwined with the words “EVERY TIME YOU GO AWAY” in black capital letters. The book sits on a gray wooden floor with a piece of lace draped on one side. Light and dark pink carnations circle the book with an old-fashioned fountain pen at the base of the book. A key and silver and black jewelry are placed around the flowers.]
Happy release day to EVERY TIME YOU GO AWAY! Thank you to Inkyard Press for an early look at one of my most anticipated reads of the year!
“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to be happy”
[ID: A teal blue book cover with illustrations in the style of paper cut art. a blonde girl in a wheelchair and boy with long brown hair sitting looking up to her. Other paper cut flowers and an orange cat are intertwined with the words “EVERY TIME YOU GO” in purple capital letters.]
Plot Summary:
Eight years ago, Ethan and Rebecca met, two troublemaking kids sharing secrets and first kisses in a tree house, until Ethan’s mom returned to take him away. Each and every visit, his only goodbye was a flower on Rebecca’s windowsill.
Four years ago, Ethan left for the last time to take care of his mother, who has struggled with addiction his whole life. Two years ago, Rebecca was in a car accident that killed her father. She’s been learning to navigate life as a wheelchair user ever since. Now, they discover if their hardships have torn them apart…or will bring them closer than ever.
Trigger warnings: child abuse, child neglect, grief, substance abuse, addiction, death of a parent.
My thoughts: There are so many raw emotions wrapped up in this book I hardly know how to review it! The writing is incredibly immersive and by the last page I had come to fiercely, fiercely love both Ethan and Rebecca.
They’re both messy and unlikeable at times but they felt like real people stuck in quagmires of trauma and hurt. I really loved that their romance was primarily about learning to communicate with each other and dealing with their own issues. Their history felt believable and understandable.
This is my first book by Abigail Johnson but I appreciated how easy and seamless her writing is. It’s easy to get lost in this book and forget you’re even reading.
My one issue with the book is regarding one of the side characters, Neel. I think the author attempted to make him a fully fleshed, human character but unfortunately I felt like certain aspects of his character and identity as an Indian-American man were a bit stereotypical. Of course, I’m not an authority on this so I will defer to other own voice reviewers and share any thoughts I see, but it didn’t sit quite right to me.
It’s obvious that the disability rep comes from a very personal place for the author. I feel like it blended grief, frustration, and hope in a powerful way. The end made me a little teary, but it felt realistic and hopeful at the same time.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will be thinking about it for a long time. I highly recommend you check it out if you’re looking for an emotional story about healing and recovery!