Early Departures

by Justin A Reynolds

[Sam@WLABB]

Me:



Jamal shut out his lifelong best friend, Q, after losing his parents in a car accident, but when he saw his former friend in danger, he didn't hesitate to help. Unfortunately, he was too late. However, Q was chosen for a new program, which would bring him back to life, temporarily. Given this second chance, Jamal was determined to mend their friendship, but he was also racing the clock as he tried to repair the two years of damage.

If you could, would you opt to come back to life? To take that opportunity to say goodbye? I am not sure how I would answer that question, but in theory, I think there is something really beautiful about it, and that beauty permeated this story. As with Opposite of Always, I alternated between laughter and tears as I read this book. I was filled with pain and sadness, but also a lot warmth, hope, and happiness.

It had been two years since his parents' deaths, yet Jamal was still grieving their loss, even if he didn't acknowledge it. It kept him from planning for his future and from fully committing to any relationships. He had this deep fear of losing more people who mattered to him, so he decided not to get too attached. This broke my heart at first, but at least he eventually was pushed forward in this story. I found it really special that the catalyst for this change was his best friend. That he was able to work through his pain and loss by fixing his broken friendship with Q.

I am actually ugly crying as I write this, but I swear, there is a lot of humor in this book. I smiled a lot as I spent time with Jamal, Q, and the rest of their "family". The flashbacks were especially heartwarming. I shared memories of younger Jamal and Q as they worked on their comedy show, as well as some precious recollections of his parents.

I must say, Jamal was one lucky man. He was surrounded by people who cared deeply for him. Besides Q, he had a phenomenal group of women, who pushed him, challenged him, and supported him. The relationship between him and his sister was simply extraordinary, and I could not have picked a better girlfriend for Jamal. Q's mother also played a huge role in his healing journey, and it eased my pain knowing they had each other.

This book was really emotional but so beautiful. It's about loving out loud and treasuring every moment. It's easy to think you always have more time. More time to tell or show the people who are important to you that they are, in fact, important to you. This book was a really heartfelt reminder to not put those moments off. It was about love, "family", second chances, and seizing the day. Maybe I am a bit sappy, but I was I was extremely touched by this story.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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