This book was a surprisingly wild ride--I was expecting a "they-meet-up-every-few-years" -type romcom like One Day or A Lot Like Love. Instead, their global meetups are relatively close in time--and then there's a huge shake-up more than 60% of the way through the book that changes everything. The first part of the book was focused on the relationship conflict--she doesn't want commitment, he does; she's a traveler/pantser, he's a planner. The author skillfully evokes each global setting (Chicago, NYC, Hong Kong, Boracay, Santorini, etc.) in a short amount of time, sending the characters to local restaurants and reminiscing about their histories with each place. However, for me, the story truly acquired depth and stakes at that 60% point, and created a need for the characters to find a poignant and nuanced way back to each other. Normally, how I feel about a book 50 pages in is how I'll feel at the end, but this one was a gamechanger where the second half's higher stakes made it more compelling. Although I wish there had been more external rising action, this is a solid internationally-set, open-door romcom with some thoughtful insight into how global events affect individual lives. ( )

This book is what I love about the Romance genre. I enjoy reading about people falling and existing in love despite outside circumstances. This book reminded why I love reading and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

A love story, easy to read. A fair way in I thought nothing bad has happened as in most love stories! Is this it? A book with a happy narrative? Then the something bad happened! The writing had me invested in the characters and their relationship. The ending…. Fairly satisfying. ( )

When Tessa Talman first meets Simon Fremont, not only is she attracted to him, she is intrigued by how different his life is from hers. He's a dedicated scientist, practical and grounded. She's a “live-in-the-moment” romance author. Simon is in a hurry to settle down, but Tessa is enjoying her freedom and her success. Neither is willing to give in, but as each goodbye gets harder, Tessa begins to wonder whether fame is the path to happiness, or if she has everything she needs in Simon.

My Goodbye Girl by Anna Gomez is a cute romance with an “opposites attract” couple in the creative Tessa and the analytical Simon. They encounter bumps along the way during their long-distance romance, among them different lifestyles and backgrounds. For the most part, the book is well-written and engaging. I will admit that I raced through the middle chapters to find out what happened next.

I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, I found Tessa a slightly unlikeable character. I wanted to root for her, but I found it maddening how many obstacles to happiness she created for herself. Her refusal to commit to Simon over and over became repetitive to me. I understand that there was trauma in her background that made Tessa rather flighty, but she just came across as shallow as a character. In addition, after Tessa and Simon experience a tragedy that could drive them apart, I felt that the book kind of rushed through those events. Once again, we don’t get to experience Tessa as a full character and her story comes across as a bit thin, and not fully flushed out.

I still found the book enjoyable and would recommend it to anyone that loves to read romance novels. Thanks to LibraryThing, Anna Gomez, and Rosewind Books for providing a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. ( )

Easy read- kept my attention. Enjoyed the author’s process of telling the story back and forth between the two main characters. This book takes you on a journey that brings the chapters of life a couple faces to light and how they will endure them or let them tear them apart. Well done. ( )