Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye

by Shari A Brady

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Original review posted here: Reading with ABC

I love this book! It’s filled with the pain of loss, but also with the light of re-discovery and first love.

Carmella (Mello) unexpectedly lost her sister and best friend Francesca to a drug/alcohol overdose. She feels guilty because she knew that Francesca needed help and she didn’t know how to help her. Deep down Carmella is a good person, loyal, artsy, and with a lot to give; the problem is that she is afraid: Afraid of disappointing her parents and ‘rocking the boat’; afraid of first love and heartache; afraid of trusting anyone. This leads to her making less than good choices, like lying and hiding.

Howie is a great character. He hasn’t had an easy life either, but he has learned to cope with it and make lemonade with all the lemons thrown his way. He is upbeat, positive, a great friend, considerate, romantic and much more. I simply adored him and the fact that he was (and is) able to rise above it all and know when he needs help and how to help others.

Carmella’s parents are infuriating. I know that for some people religion (and the support of the church community) is enough to overcome most problems/issues; but obviously this approach doesn’t work for everyone. Even though many people try to tell Carmella and her parents that she needed to talk to someone, they kept insisting that everything was dandy. Her parents were trying to keep her safe, but at the same time they kept comparing Mello to Francesca, taking away her freedom, and pushing their choices at her; in short, they were making her life miserable.

I liked Anna and Jeremy fine enough and I love Ms. Sparacini (I love baking too and she is a lady after my own heart :) The characters were well developed and easy to associate with.

The plot is somewhat similar to The Sky is Everywhere, which is one of my all-time favorite books. However, Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is distinctive enough and I really enjoy the use of lists such as this one:
“What loves means

1. Risk.
2. Being honest with yourself and the person you love.
3. Accepting someone for who they are.
4. Courage to reveal your true self to people.
5. Total truth.”

The writing is beautiful and able to convey such strong feelings, like despair, guilt, love, fear, and denial. I wish that the book was longer and I feel like there were some loose ends, I want to know what happens next!! Can we get another book? Or maybe Anna and Jeremy’s story? (*hint*)

About the cover: I don’t particularly like the cover and it doesn’t do any justice to this great book.