Review: Every Time I Think of You by Tracey Garvis Graves

My Thoughts

A touching story about loss and love with a suspenseful twist.

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Synopsis

Thirty-year-old Daisy DiStefano has two people she holds dear: the grandmother who raised her, and her three-year-old son, Elliott. But when Daisy’s grandmother is killed in a seemingly random act of violence, Daisy must take steps to protect herself and her child. 

Despite a thriving career in San Francisco, thirty-six-year-old Brooks McClain has returned home to spend what little time his mother has left before she succumbs to the deadly disease that is ravaging her. The seasoned investigative reporter has taken a position with the local newspaper and been on the job less than twenty-four hours when he’s summoned to cover the death of Pauline Thorpe. 

Brooks is all business, but the more time he spends with Daisy DiStefano, the more invested he becomes; there’s something about a single mother, a defenseless child, and an unsolved crime that has stirred Brooks’s protective instincts like nothing ever has before. 

And when the unthinkable happens, Brooks will do whatever it takes to clear the name of the woman he’s fallen for and the child he’ll protect at any cost. 

Romantic and suspenseful, Every Time I Think of You shows how far two people will go to fight for the ones they love, and the life they’ve always imagined.

My Review

Rock-solid writing and storytelling. Every time I pick up a Tracey Garvis Graves book, there is no fumbling, no tripping over incomplete thoughts or tangents. The light shines clearly on the story she wants to impart and in her latest release, she proves what an expert and consistent author she is. This is a quieter, more measured approach in terms of pacing, and more fiction/romance than suspense in my opinion. The story is really one of loss and love, past and future, split-second choices and decisions that could changes lives forever.

“I was getting really tired at what the universe kept throwing at me, but I held out hope that one day, what the universe sent would be everything I needed.”

Daisy DiStefano had gone through so much in her thirty years. She had lost her sister and her parents early on. And then, the person she had fallen in love with, who had given her a son, had chosen his meth addiction over his family. Her ex-husband had taken everything from them… money, hopes, unfinished dreams for their future. Thankfully, Daisy had her grandmother, who welcomed her and her son, Elliott, with open arms and an infinite amount of love. But the universe had just taken her too—brutally—in a mysterious murder that had left Daisy terrified and wondering who could have possibly done such a horrible thing to an elderly woman. Was it a random act of violence? Were they looking for her? Was she still in danger?

“Anger replaced some of the helplessness I felt at the injustice of it all, and I swore I wouldn’t rest until the case was solved.”

Brooks McClain had come back to Fenton, the small town where he’d been raised, to care for his ailing mother who was dying as a result of her battles with ALS. Coming from San Francisco and temporarily working for a small-town newspaper as a reporter didn’t seem exciting in the least bit, but his first day on the job leads him to Daisy’s grandmother’s case. Daisy and Brooks meet under unlikely and tragic circumstances, and as Brooks looks further into the case, he can’t help but be more drawn to Daisy. As days and weeks tick by with nothing but questions, Brooks becomes more concerned for Daisy and her 3-year-old son.

“… when a total stranger warns you to be careful, it really drives home just how alone you are. What I wouldn’t give to have a partner, someone to navigate these rough waters with me.”

Both Daisy and Brooks are in very vulnerable places in their lives. Daisy is grieving the loss of her grandmother, consumed by worry over their future and their safety. Brooks has to witness his mother deteriorate physically day by day, as his father’s spirit dwindles as well. I think that they find a sense of comfort and companionship with each other that becomes more closely bound together by an attraction that continues to intensify. We see them fall in love slowly and much of the story really focuses on how they are affected individually as a result of what’s occurred, and together, as a result of how they feel. We also get to experience other point-of-views that help inch the mystery of what happened closer to resolution. And with each day that passes, Brooks can’t help but entrench himself deeper in the case… and further into Daisy and Elliott’s life.

“… it was hard not to lose myself in the fantasy where Brooks charged in on his white horse, kissed me senseless, and slayed all the dragons that might be lurking nearby.”

As I mentioned initially, the story focuses on the characters, and how and why they come together, as the suspense of what’s happened and what could happen swirls around them. The story definitely tilts more heavily on the romance/fiction side than the suspense, and I would have liked to have seen more quickening action midway through the story, but we definitely do see it all unfold at the end. Nonetheless, Tracey Garvis Graves’ solid writing captivates you enough to keep reading, hoping that these two people that have been through so much find their happy ever after. There are so many touching moments… moments of sweet levity, especially from three-year-old Elliott. This is a great book for those that love the slow burn and skillful character exploration that allows you to really get to know your protagonists and how they fall in love.

“I think about you all the time. No matter how much I try not to, you’re always in my thoughts.”

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