Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson (Review by Aura Johnson)

Rating: 3/5

Ethan comes and goes to his grandparent’s home, which provides him shelter, love, and stability – something that his addict mother was not able to give, despite her best efforts. In the neighbor’s home, Rebecca, who grows up in a loving home, meets Ethan by accident and having been the same age, they form a seemingly unbreakable bond, that only lasts while Ethan stays with his grandparents, until his mother gets better and picks him up, tearing up their friendship each time.

The book time hops between ‘Before’ and ‘Now’, the division line being an accident that shattered her family and left Rebecca paralyzed from the waist down. Her mother, who was already distant, but her coldness was balanced out by a loving father, closed off to her daughter even more and their communication reduced to necessities only.

Throughout the book, we see two points of view – Rebecca trying to survive in her new reality, switching back and forth between her accident and the current state, and Ethan – who is perpetually looking out for his mother, especially now that she is missing from the rehabilitation center. Even though each of the teen is struggling with challenges of their own, they both help each other, invariably find their way back to each other as the story goes on.

I enjoyed the story, especially the fact that it was a realistic broken love story. Most of it seemed just back and forth between Rebecca and Ethan being upset with each other (normal relationship), especially Ethan leaving constantly while he was unsuccessfully attempting to find his mother. I will say that unlike many books out there, this one is more realistic, especially with the way the author has written the characters, all the details, the personalities, it makes the story seem like it could have happened to anyone.