Review: Please Don’t Go by E. Salvador

About the Book

He felt like he was drowning.

She was about to drown.

Josefine Resendiz, is struggling to figure out her life. Between her complicated relationship with grief and not having a single clue how to feel what she can't understand, she's sinking and isn't sure how to float back up to the surface.

Daniel Garcia, shortstop, a budding ray of sunshine, and potential first round pick for the MLB Draft, has life figured out. At least, that's what everyone assumes. On the surface, he's the embodiment of happiness and life. But beneath it all, guilt and grief have been consuming him since his brother passed away. Unsure how to deal with his feelings, he bottles them up and masks the pain of haunting reminders behind a mask of smiles.

That's until he stumbles upon Josefine on Christmas Day. That wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to be there but neither was she, at least not for long. The night evolves into something neither one of them expected and when morning comes, she's nowhere to be found.

He can't stop thinking about her. She wants to forget him. But fate seems to have plans for them.

Once the semester begins they find out they have a class together, and avoiding Daniel becomes hard when they're paired to be hiking buddies. Much to Josefine's chagrin, she likes him more than she cares to admit. And Daniel is struggling to keep everything he's bottled up around her.

Hesitantly and unknowingly, they're opening up old wounds they wanted to keep closed. Feeling grounded around each other. And unintentionally falling in love.

Review

Please Don’t Go is heavy. I don’t think I was prepared for how heavy it would be, and I would recommend that everyone consider the trigger warnings before reading. Within that first chapter, I knew this book was going to wreck me.

On Christmas Eve night, a chance encounter brought Josie and Daniel together, both drawn to the same place by their grief. The circumstances are not ideal, and fate brings them together. Josie’s a black cat fmc who has a rugged exterior. After her mother’s passing, she is alone—in life and in the house she inherited. She’s angry and feels guilty about her feelings towards her mom. Daniel puts on a brave and sunny face. He shows up for everyone; however, on the inside, he feels broken, lost, and empty. He and Josie are dealing with unimaginable grief and have been struggling silently for so long.

Their lives are changed for the better once they meet. They can recognize what the other is going through and be the light they each so desperately need. Their love doesn’t fix their struggles; however, it urges them to get better and gives them the strength and support they yearn for. It’s a beautiful, raw love story completed with an equally impressive group of friends.

I look forward to the next couple in this series and seeing a glimpse of Daniel and Josie. I want to give a special shout-out to Angel and Daniel's friendship. It was very sweet, and they had so many excellent moments.

Final Thoughts

Please Don’t Go was packed with heart and expertly crafted. It made me feel things. A lot of things. I was 100% invested in Daniel and Josie. Not on their romance, but them as people. This is by far one of my favorite reads of the year.