“I’m so happy you’re here!” 💛💐🌟
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (yes 6)
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Strangers/friends to lovers
Grief & mental health reps
Slow burn
Tension
Angst, passion, yearning
Found family
BIPOC rep
For the Noah Kahan fans: Staying Still, All Them Horses
Josefine: A true black cat, angry, ex-swimmer, battling grief, loves in the ways that she can
Danny: Sad grieving boy golden retriever, baseball player, a man who yearns, love language is acts of service, he begs, he whimpers, he cooks, he cleans, he kneels, he speaks to her in Spanish and Italian….what doesn’t the man do????
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that so thoroughly spoke to my soul like this one did. All I want to do is sit and stare at the wall while I think about every word I just read. My emotions are all over the place. Please Don’t Go is absolutely a 6 star read for me. I loved everything about it, I’m actually struggling to even write a review because I fear I won’t do it justice.
Everything was SO well developed, from the main characters, the secondary characters, the chemistry, the plot, the music choices, the diversity, the Spanish and Italian language inclusions, the COVER, etc. I could truly feel and relate to both Josie’s and Danny’s grief and their experiences in losing a loved one. This book is utterly raw, passionate, devastating and beautiful. I need the second book in this series NEOW.
Thank you so much Netgalley and Atria for the ARC.
Reading "Please Don’t Go" felt like an emotional journey that truly resonated with my own experience of grief and healing. The dual perspectives of Josefine, a fiercely independent black cat personality battling her past as an ex-swimmer, and Danny, a tender-hearted golden retriever type who expresses love through acts of service, create an authentic dynamism that’s rarely captured so well in contemporary romance. The slow burn romance allowed the tension and yearning between these two characters to build realistically, reflecting how deep emotional wounds take time to mend. What I found compelling was how the book didn’t shy away from the rawness of grief — it’s messy, complicated, and pervasive. Their cultural backgrounds and the inclusion of Spanish and Italian language phrases added rich layers of identity that enhanced the story’s authenticity and representation. For readers who appreciate friends-to-lovers tropes, "Please Don’t Go" offers a heartfelt exploration of found family and belonging, weaving in mental health themes with sensitivity and depth. The secondary characters and music choices integrated into the plot help immerse you fully into the atmosphere. As someone who loves diverse romance novels that tackle mental health candidly, this book stands out as an unforgettable read that not only narrates love but also portrays the resilience needed to navigate loss and rediscover connection. If you enjoy emotionally complex stories with passionate, soulful characters, this one should be on your reading list. I eagerly await the next book in the series.
