Since You've Been Gone

SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE is the eighth instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult MAGNOLIA SOUND romance series. This veterinarian Dr. Garrett Coleman, and speech therapist Emmaline Ryan’s story line. SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Told from dual third person perspectives (Emma and Garrett) SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE follows the friends to lovers relationship between veterinarian Dr. Garrett Coleman, and speech therapist Emmaline Ryan. Garrett and Emmaline had been best friend for as long as they could remember but junior high found Emma falling for someone, leaving a heart broken Garrett behind. Fast forward to present day wherein Emmaline Ryan, now a divorced speech therapist, helps run her mother’s shelter for homeless animals but the shelter’s doctor is about to retire, and take with him the only veterinarian clinic around. Enter Dr. Garrett Coleman, a veterinarian without a ‘home’ and a man without someone to love. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Garrett and Emma, and the potential fall-out as Garrett’s past continues to destroy any semblance of happiness in the Coleman clan. Garrett Coleman is known on the social media sites at #HotDoc for the shirtless videos of himself and dogs looking for a home but Garrett is without a permanent employer, and finds himself going from town to town looking to settle down. A visit home brings Garrett up close and personal with the girl he has always loved but the Coleman patriarch Cash Coleman, who has been AWOL for more than twenty years, breezes back into town, leaving another swath of heart ache and pain in his wake. Unable to see beyond the failures of his life, Garrett struggles with his future including a future with the woman he loves. The relationship between Garrett and Emma is a friends to lovers. Garrett has loved Emma for most of his life but never took the step to make Emma his own. After a failed marriage, Emma struggles with opening up her heart but the return of Garrett give Emma hope for the future but nothing is ever as real as it seems. There are no $ex scenes-everything fades to black or is mostly implied. We are reintroduced to Garrett’s brother Austin and his fiancé Mia Kingsley; their mother Grace Coleman and her boyfriend Dominic Jones; financial investor Ryder; Emma’s mother Christine and her husband Ed ; Doc McEntyre; and Cash Coleman. SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE is a story of family, friendships, relationships and love; of betrayal and heart break; dissolution and acceptance. The premise is engaging and emotional; the romance is sweet and sexy; the characters are energetic and dynamic. SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE is a wonderful addition to the Magnolia Sound series.

Excellent!! This story really touched my heart. Emmaline (Emma) and Garrett’s story goes from a long time friendship to discovering their mutual feelings and the family entanglements and life that intercedes. The way Emma and Garrett navigate their way through it all to come out on the other side is sweet and beautiful. I loved Emma’s independence when it came to what she wanted and the way she was able to give Garrett his confidence back. From the first paragraph I couldn’t put it down.

This was just SUCH a good book! Garrett was amazing and in a bad spot just because he tried to help out some animals on social media. Emmaline was just coasting… needing to pay for her horrible ex and get on with life. These two former best friends come together to help out her animal rescue family, and come out the other side in love. Amazing characters and good friends.