If You Stayed
by Brittainy Cherry
Released – 22 April 2025
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Blurb
There once was a man who loved me, until he forgot every memory we’ve ever shared…
Gabriel Sinclair would forever be my first. My first best friend, my first kiss, my first love…and my first heartbreak. The accident that nearly took his life ripped the memory of me from his grasp—and for the last decades, I’ve let the guilt of that one terrible night keep us apart.
It took me years to make peace with the fact that he would no longer be in my life, so when he shows up as the architect for my new home, my world’s tossed upside down. Now, I’m trapped in a loveless marriage, raising a child, while Gabriel stirs up feelings I thought long buried. It feels like my soul is waking up after years of being in a deep slumber—and my controlling husband will do whatever it takes to keep us apart.
I know I should push Gabriel away to protect him from the shadows surrounding me. Yet, I can’t deny the hope that blooms whenever he’s near—the chance that he might remember me, that we could reclaim the chapters of our story that we’ve lost.
Nothing good could come from us, but I can’t help but wonder what would happen if this time…he stayed.
There once was a man who loved me… And now he’s my only hope for tomorrow.
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Review
5 stars
If You Stayed is a new fave! I loved every single moment of this emotional love story, even the hard parts. It takes you on a rollercoaster of feels that will tear your heart apart and then piece it back together. Gabriel and Kierra have a love that isn’t easily forgotten so it’s no surprise that it’s stuck with me long after the last page was turned.
Gabriel and Kierra met as children when they became neighbors. When Gabriel’s mom forces him to befriend Kierra, they start out as enemies but as the years pass, they slowly turn into friends, then best friends, and finally so much more. They were each other’s everything until one tragic night changed it all.
Loving him wasn’t simply a choice; it was my destiny. I was born to love him, and for a short period of time, I thought he was born to love me, too.
Keirra hasn’t seen Gabriel for over twenty years. When he walks back into her life as the architect building a dream house with her husband, Gabriel has no memory of Kierra. She on the other hand remembers everything.
I love a good second chance romance and this one is fantastic. I felt the first love as we got snippets of the past and then I felt the rekindling when they started spending time together. Gabriel doesn’t remember anything before he was twenty. It’s just him and his mom and no one else has a piece of his heart. At least no one he knows of. Kierra never stopped loving Gabriel, but they could never be and so she tried to move on, marrying her husband and being the best mom she can be to her stepdaughter. She never thought she would see him again.
Gabriel doesn’t remember her but he feels connected to her in a way he doesn’t understand. I love being along for the ride as they fall in love all over again. He is there for her when she needs him and she tries so hard to not upend his life with secrets. However, their love is inevitable and I really enjoyed how the story progressed and watching them fall again. It’s intense at some points and hurts at others but all the pain is worth it for a love like theirs.
I also I have to mention that I adored Ava. She was a beautiful part of the story.
*ARC generously provided by the author and NetGalley*
About the Author
Amazon #1 Bestselling author, Brittainy Cherry, has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. She loves to take part in writing screenplays, acting, and dancing—poorly of course. Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three things that she thinks every person should partake in! Brittainy lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When she’s not running a million errands and crafting stories, she’s probably playing with her adorable pets.
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