It’s such a pleasure today to be helping launch the blog tour and sharing my publication day review of the latest book from the wonderful Samantha Tonge, Will You Stay Another Day?: published today (11th August) by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), as an audiobook, and in both paperback and hardcover. My thanks to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy (provided via netgalley).
There are a small number of authors whose books I automatically add to my reading list without even looking at the blurb, knowing I’m guaranteed to enjoy them – and Sam’s been among their number ever since she joined Boldwood. Her storylines are consistently a little different from the norm, the relationships between her wonderfully drawn characters always something rather special, and the emotional content so perfectly judged – you’ll find reviews of all her books since she joined Boldwood (and a few from before that too) if you pop her name into my search bar. I do have my personal favourites among her books, and one of them is A Single Act of Kindness (one of my 2024 Books of the Year) – such a powerful read, dealing with some really heavy issues but balancing them so well with warmth, lightness, and humour (you can read my full review again here). And The Promise of Tomorrow was just as wonderful – unlike anything I’ve read before, difficult subjects dealt with so very beautifully, and a story about the power of love that moved me so deeply (review here). And I also loved her last book, If You Could See Me Now (a re-release), and I’m sure you’ll find Violet’s story as impossible to set aside as I did – there are lighter moments, but the book’s emotional depth was stunning (you’ll find my review of that one here).
So let’s take a closer look at her latest…
If you could spend just one more day with someone, who would it be?
When Lili sends a jokey ‘knock-knock’ message to her best friend Em, she doesn’t expect to hear back. Because – as Lili notices the chill in the air, and the little robin in her garden – she realises Christmas must be just around the corner once again. A whole year since she last saw Em.
But then this time someone replies. ‘Who’s there?’ It can’t possibly be Em, but Lili wants to believe it could be, and she hastily suggests meeting.
However when she gets to the meeting place, there only one other person there waiting. A man. And not just any man. The most handsome man Lili’s ever seen, Dylan… And he is also waiting for someone he’s been missing.
As the days get shorter and Autumn turns to Winter, will two lonely hearts spend another Christmas without their loved ones? Or can they welcome an unexpected friendship? Or maybe even more, if they can just help each other to focus on not what they’ve lost, but what they’ve found…
Lili and Em were inseparable – very different personalities, but as close as friends could be. But Lili has now survived a year alone – Em died in a houseboat accident, and she’s still struggling with life without her. Lili sometimes sends her jokey text messages, just like she always used to, knowing her phone number won’t be cancelled for a while – although she knows they’ll never be read. Until that day when her knock-knock joke gets a reply – and one that looks as if it could have been sent by Em. And when she follows through and arranges a meeting, she begins to wonder if – or perhaps just hope – Em didn’t really die but will be there waiting for her.
Of course, she isn’t there. The number was reallocated, and it’s a rather lovely man called Dylan, dressed as Dracula, because it’s Halloween – who also thought (yes, and hoped) that her messages were from someone else. But they gradually become friends, and she shares memories of Em that she’s never been able to share with anyone else – except with the robin in her garden that she’s now able to feed on the palm of her hand. And their relationship becomes stronger – but Dylan has secrets he’s not as able to share, and there are a lot more difficulties to come before any possibility of a happy ending.
It’s a book that deals very authentically – and particularly emotionally – with the impact of grief and loss, but that’s really nicely balanced with lighter moments. Lili inherited Em’s clapped out mini, complete with cassette player and collection of 80s mix tapes – and loves singing her heart out as she drives, one of the better memories of life with Em. She has a lot of positive energy, managing a charity shop and really believing in the ethos of recycling and reusing – and works there with some real characters (all so beautifully drawn) who each have their own issues and stories. And then there are the customers – and there are certainly some stories there too. And then there’s her little sideline, and it’s rather a lovely one – the ceremonies she holds to help people let go of cherished items when they feel ready to move on.
As always, the whole book is an absolute delight – lots of laughter and many tears, but so filled with love, warmth and hope. The relationship with Dylan, while only a part of the story, is beautifully handled – and, despite the secrets he was hiding and the hurt he caused, he won a place in my heart alongside the lovely Lili. And as for that little robin – rather special, and something that will resonate with many. Oh, and don’t worry too much about the Christmas setting – it certainly figures in the story, but this really is a book you’d enjoy whenever you read it. Very much recommended – I loved it.
About the author
Samantha Tonge is the bestselling and award-winning author of over 15 romantic fiction titles published by HQ, and more recently Aria. In 2020 one of her novels won the RNA’s Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award. Her books for Boldwood mark a broadening of her writing into multi-generational woman’s fiction. She lives in Manchester with her family.
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