My Biggest Mistake by Leddy Harper

Edie had spent her whole life planning her future, imagining her husband, her kids, and even which minivan she’d drive. Lucky for her, she didn’t have to wait long, marrying her high school sweetheart right after graduation.

All of Edie’s dreams had come true, until they were no longer her dreams. Unable to deal with the lingering depression caused by having children, she left her whole life behind, walking away from the one thing she'd always wanted.

Donovan Leery loved his wife with everything he had and could never imagine life without her. Until he came home from work one day and found a letter from Edie, explaining she needed a break. Not only leaving him to live his life without her, but alone to raise their three small children.

But what happens when Edie is ready to come home? When she’s ready to fight for it all back? She knew it wouldn’t be easy. But she didn’t care. After spending years getting her life back together, she was ready to fight for her family. And a fight is what Donovan would give her.

She'd fight to make up for her Biggest Mistake.

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Review by Lorena

I want to start off by saying that I have no words to describe how this book was for me.  I was sad, shattered, emotional and weepy.  The things this woman went through -- depression is a disease and for her to feel helpless was devastating for me to read.  Having kids is no easy task especially when you have them so young and one right after the other, it takes a toll on a woman.  You get that postpartum depression and you feel helpless and inadequate and just down right sad.

Edie had the perfect life with the perfect husband and the perfect kids but she just couldn't handle everything on her own since her husband worked a lot.  She started getting helpless and felt like she was losing control of herself.  So the only thing she can think of is to just pick up and leave because she felt like that was the best thing to do.  What she didn't realize is that she was going to hurt her family by doing just that and not leaving them any clue as to where she was going.  

Donovan felt like he needed to move on with his life after Edie's absence for two years.  He hasn't recovered from her disappearance but he's hurt and angry that she decided to leave her family, just like that.  Who does that really?  I mean I don't think she should be forgiven for what she did, just leaving her family behind because she was struggling with depression but at the same time, we don't know what she was going through and how selfless and hopeless she felt either.  It's wrong what she did, but maybe her actions and explanations will redeem her once she returns.

Edie really has to fight once she's back and she's back for good.  Donovan doesn't make it easy for her to just come back and think she can pick up right where she left off.  He felt hurt and betrayed and with good reason because who just leaves without any word or explanation??  

But Edie harbors a big secret that only her best friend Beth knows about.  Beth has always been a good friend and has never told anyone about where Edie has gone or why she has left.  That's not her secret to divulge, it's up to Edie to come clean with Donovan and tell him about that secret, but Edie knows that will destroy Donovan and plans on taking that secret to the grave.  But it so turns out that that's not what happens.  The secret comes out and Donovan is not only heart broken but he's shattered by the revelation of Edie's secret.

Can Donovan forgive Edie for what she's done?  This is a tough one, I'll tell you that!!  I feel conflicted with this and don't know if I should side with Donovan or Edie on this big secret to be honest with you.  Her reasons are logical but his devastation is also heartbreaking and I can see why.

This story really broke my heart into a thousand pieces.  I was so absorbed with this story that I could not and would not put down my kindle until I finished reading this beautiful, tragically, sad story.  Edie and Donovan had many ups and downs but in the end they made it work.  She explains to him her reasons for leaving and although Donovan didn't think they were good enough reasons for her to leave her family, he learned to accept them once he started seeing a therapist himself.  A therapist helped Edie when she needed it the most and now it's also has helped Donovan realize what Edie was going through at the time.  By him reading her journal, he knew what her darkest and deepest secrets were and he sympathized with her after reading them and made him understand what she was going through.

I have to say that I have read some really good books this year, but this is going on my top list of the year.  I've read some pretty emotional stories and this is on my list of emotional reads.  I am just happy it didn't end badly like some I recently read have.  Tragic endings break my heart and it takes me a while to get over.  At least with this one it didn't end tragically.  Edie and Donovan had a lot to work through once she was back, but they did work through everything and have decided to give each other a second chance.

If you like raw, emotional and sad then this is the book for you.  I absolutely, freaking adored this book.  

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About the Author

Leddy Harper had to use her imagination often as a child. She grew up the only girl in a house full of boys. At the age of fourteen, she decided to use that imagination and wrote her first book, and never stopped. She often calls writing her therapy, using it as a way to deal with issues through the eyes of her characters.

She is now a mother of three girls, leaving her husband as the only man in a house full of females. The decision to publish her first book was made as a way of showing her children to go after whatever it is they want to. Love what you do and do it well. And to teach them what it means to overcome their fears.

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