Fans of the hit Paramount series Younger were ecstatic when the show’s fictional novel, Marriage Vacation, the story behind why Charles Brooks’ wife disappeared, published for real. Those who devoured Marriage Vacation will be enthralled by Christine Brae’s newest, soul-searching novel, THE YEAR I LEFT (Vesuvian Books; August 20, 2019). Every woman will recognize the existential crisis that drives her to question who she is and whether the life she’s leading is truly making her happy. An honest look at love, marriage and the frailties of the human heart, THE YEAR I LEFT will leave readers realizing things about themselves that they’ve never admitted out loud.

Carin Frost is a confident businesswoman, wife, and mother. She appears to have a near-perfect life, so she doesn’t understand why she begins to resent everything about it. Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes her feel. It might be the tragic and sudden loss of her mother, or she may just be losing her mind. Then she meets Matias Torres, her new business partner. As their professional relationship grows, so does their friendship—and his interest in her. Determined to keep her distance, things get complicated when a work assignment in Southeast Asia leaves them stranded in the middle of a storm. Amidst the chaos, Matias asks her to do something unimaginable, exhilarating and bold. The consequences of their actions could be dire, but Carin knows that it may be the only way to save herself.

Release Date August 20th 

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The Year I Left is the first book I have ever read by Christine Brae. This book came on my radar when I saw she was going to be a signing author at an event that I was attending the blurb hooked me immediately. I was one of the lucky readers attending that signing that won an advance copy of the book.

Without life and its fierce protection, death always seeps in.

This book alone makes me want to go back and read the other books that Christine has written. However, her other books have quite a lot to live up to. The Year I Left is a book that will speak to so many on different levels; it is so real and relatable that I would recommend this anyone to read.

Christine hits so many poignant elements in this book with Carin’s story and it’s what makes it so relatable in so many different aspects. You can feel every emotion that Carin goes; how she carries so much on her back and shoulders – loss, despair, hopelessness. Carin has found herself living in this constant circle of being broken, that she lacked the vision on how to find herself again.

I don’t want to go too much into the details on this book as it is best to go through everything as you read. While this book does have romantic piece in it, this book is definitely more about the stages in Carin’s life that she struggles to handle and move forward from.

“I need to find myself. And then I’ll look for you.”

Christine has written a very powerful and moving story. There are bits and pieces that anyone can easily relate to and understand exactly what Carin is going through. While I may not understand her decisions, I completely understand her desire to find the answers she seeks.

The Year I Left will definitely be one of those books that not everyone will like.  But I do hope it is one that everyone will try.  A few of my friends enjoyed this book immensely like myself and others just couldn’t overlook certain aspects of that book and I totally understand that.

What made me love this book was the risks that Christine took in writing this book and the tough decisions her characters make.  I love that this book pushes the envelope but also makes you look at life in a realistic way; it makes you take a step back and give thought to life in general.

This book is thought-provoking, poignant and passionate. While it is written in third person (something that I find difficult to pull off) it is very well articulated and allows you to understand Carin even more. This book touched my soul in so many ways and will definitely be one that I remember for years.

Love was about staying. Seeing things through. Most all, the voice in my head told me that courage and bravery were a product of unconditional love.

About Christine Brae