short, honest and sad.. I could see this happening in real life ( )

This review can also be found on my blog.

This takes place three days before Henry’s 18 days of therapy are up, and she’s decided to fly to California to surprise him. The sessions with his doctor seem to have helped him lose the dark edge that had been threatening their blissful bubble. Everything seems to be progressing smoothly – they’re still together, they’ve outed their relationship to their parents, and thoughts about the future seem like the next logical step. Until one night at their high-school reunion, and one question has Henry questioning his life and the woman he claims to have loved since forever ago.

Sometimes you have to let go of something you love to have something you need …

This was the most gut-wrenching installment of the series. Henry’s decision at the end of the story was a surprise (but not really if you’ve already read book #4). Despite the anger and sadness, I understood both sides – Elise being taken by surprise and Henry’s reasons for wanting to find himself. He gave her an honest reason, and the only thing that made sense to him. He didn’t make the decision likely, and that came through the writing, but he also couldn’t be selfish and string her along while he battled his demons. For some, he may have sounded like a selfish a** for saying that his entire life had been wrapped up in her; as if the current situation was somehow her fault. I didn’t feel that way though. Sometimes love is as beautiful as it is messy. But again this felt like a real life hurdle that would either make them or break them. His parting gift to Elsie are the tapes from his therapy sessions. I suppose he hoped that they would help her understand why he had to go, for now. I guess you can say this was an UHFN (unhappily for now).

And just then, when I was certain I had fallen in love with a complete stranger,

was the moment that I finally began to understand him.

( )