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All We Have Left
Not yet published
Expected 30 Jun 26Cosy, hopeful and uplifting, this heartwarming post-apocalyptic romance is perfect for fans of Fable for the End of the World and Emily Henry.
Thirty years after the end of the world, a young woman enters into a marriage of convenience with a man she hardly knows so she can secure vital medical care for her beloved younger sister.
The world might not have ended all at once. But end it did.
Kayla Hollins is a survivor. Living in the fragmented wasteland of the Canadian Pacific Northwest, she's outlived a colony, a cult, a paramilitary group, and most of her family. So when her younger sister April falls seriously ill, Kayla will do anything to save her. They trek to Salt Spring Island, a beacon of hope in their otherwise brutalized world, which is rumoured to still have a hospital. But Salt Spring's utopia comes with a price. Not just anyone can enter paradise or access their medical care, and Kayla's past is chequered.
Desperate, Kayla makes a deal with Sid Charles, an aspiring politician with whom she had a chance encounter before arriving on Salt Spring. If Kayla and Sid get married, it will boost Sid's chances of election, and grant April automatic access to the medical treatment she desperately needs. And in two years, when Kayla is eligible for citizenship herself, they can get a divorce. Simple, right?
Sid is distant and cranky, but Kayla comes to learn he is also shockingly kind. The more time she spends with him and his ragtag group of rescued boys, the more she comes to admire him. But with April's treatment and Sid's election on the line—and the constant terror of her past being discovered—Kayla isn't sure she can risk trying to change their arrangement.
Trapped together in the closest thing left to paradise, Kayla and Sid both know what it means for the world to end. But as they try to rebuild with the people of Salt Spring Island, there may be time left to save—if not the world—themselves.
Thirty years after the end of the world, a young woman enters into a marriage of convenience with a man she hardly knows so she can secure vital medical care for her beloved younger sister.
The world might not have ended all at once. But end it did.
Kayla Hollins is a survivor. Living in the fragmented wasteland of the Canadian Pacific Northwest, she's outlived a colony, a cult, a paramilitary group, and most of her family. So when her younger sister April falls seriously ill, Kayla will do anything to save her. They trek to Salt Spring Island, a beacon of hope in their otherwise brutalized world, which is rumoured to still have a hospital. But Salt Spring's utopia comes with a price. Not just anyone can enter paradise or access their medical care, and Kayla's past is chequered.
Desperate, Kayla makes a deal with Sid Charles, an aspiring politician with whom she had a chance encounter before arriving on Salt Spring. If Kayla and Sid get married, it will boost Sid's chances of election, and grant April automatic access to the medical treatment she desperately needs. And in two years, when Kayla is eligible for citizenship herself, they can get a divorce. Simple, right?
Sid is distant and cranky, but Kayla comes to learn he is also shockingly kind. The more time she spends with him and his ragtag group of rescued boys, the more she comes to admire him. But with April's treatment and Sid's election on the line—and the constant terror of her past being discovered—Kayla isn't sure she can risk trying to change their arrangement.
Trapped together in the closest thing left to paradise, Kayla and Sid both know what it means for the world to end. But as they try to rebuild with the people of Salt Spring Island, there may be time left to save—if not the world—themselves.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 2, 2026
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March 29, 2026🌿✨ All We Have Left ✨🌿
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
💫 What to Expect
• Post-apocalyptic
• Marriage of convenience
• Found community
• Political stakes
• Slow burn
• Healing arc
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: June 30, 2026
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.
💫 What to Expect
• Post-apocalyptic
• Marriage of convenience
• Found community
• Political stakes
• Slow burn
• Healing arc
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: June 30, 2026
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
August 8, 2025
You better get ready for the sexy apocalypse, people.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Where we are is special. Being safe and free - those are special things. But they shouldn't have to be."
Emily Paxman is a master of setting a scene. Within the first few lines, she invokes a deep sense of nature; something beautiful and fearsome, painting a vivid scene that not only gets us acclimatised to the surroundings but starts the building of a brilliant atmosphere. The world quickly but carefully unfurls within the first chapters, hinting how the world ended, what society may still function out there, and what Kayla's life looks like trying to survive alone with her sister in the wild.
It had all the awe-inspiring nature, fear, fractured societal remnants of my favourite nature-based dystopian tales, but with a unique tone, introducing characters several decades after the world ended so they've never known the world before, making their reintroduction to any form of organised society that much more intriguing. Kayla never had to learn how governments work, what citizenship means, what long-term health conditions are, even the concept of calendars or money.
So when they find themselves needing to cling to one of these remnants to save her sister, Kayla enters a mutually beneficial fake marriage for citizenship, showing a fascinating integration into this society; exploring what a post-apocalyptic settlement could look like, how Kayla finds her place there, and how her relationship grows with Sid, the grumpy border guard, her protector and eventual husband. Their relationship grows beautifully and authentically, first restrained and careful, then friendly, until something sparks beneath the surface with a wonderfully simmering tension.
The story moves quite slowly, but never too slow. It's like we're patiently waiting along with Kayla to figure out what to do, to try and understand the inner workings of this settlement, the rules and customs that clash against a harsh, cult-led world outside. Everything about this story just worked, the romance, the world building, the dystopia - I loved every single page.
"Once we get there, we'll be safe and life will be all rainbows. The world is a messed-up pile of broken buildings and thorny vines, but that doesn't mean all the good is wrong, right? There are still blackberries growing between the prickles. One small miracle is all we need."
Emily Paxman is a master of setting a scene. Within the first few lines, she invokes a deep sense of nature; something beautiful and fearsome, painting a vivid scene that not only gets us acclimatised to the surroundings but starts the building of a brilliant atmosphere. The world quickly but carefully unfurls within the first chapters, hinting how the world ended, what society may still function out there, and what Kayla's life looks like trying to survive alone with her sister in the wild.
It had all the awe-inspiring nature, fear, fractured societal remnants of my favourite nature-based dystopian tales, but with a unique tone, introducing characters several decades after the world ended so they've never known the world before, making their reintroduction to any form of organised society that much more intriguing. Kayla never had to learn how governments work, what citizenship means, what long-term health conditions are, even the concept of calendars or money.
So when they find themselves needing to cling to one of these remnants to save her sister, Kayla enters a mutually beneficial fake marriage for citizenship, showing a fascinating integration into this society; exploring what a post-apocalyptic settlement could look like, how Kayla finds her place there, and how her relationship grows with Sid, the grumpy border guard, her protector and eventual husband. Their relationship grows beautifully and authentically, first restrained and careful, then friendly, until something sparks beneath the surface with a wonderfully simmering tension.
The story moves quite slowly, but never too slow. It's like we're patiently waiting along with Kayla to figure out what to do, to try and understand the inner workings of this settlement, the rules and customs that clash against a harsh, cult-led world outside. Everything about this story just worked, the romance, the world building, the dystopia - I loved every single page.
"Once we get there, we'll be safe and life will be all rainbows. The world is a messed-up pile of broken buildings and thorny vines, but that doesn't mean all the good is wrong, right? There are still blackberries growing between the prickles. One small miracle is all we need."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
this was such a soft, emotional read and honestly not what i expected at all from a post-apocalyptic story
it’s not super intense or action-heavy it’s a lot more focused on the people, the relationships, and just surviving in a quieter way.
we follow Kayla, who has already been through so much, and you can really feel that from the start
everything she does is for her sister, and that love and desperation really drives the whole story
the marriage of convenience was one of my favorite parts
it starts off very much as a deal, very practical, but the more time Kayla and Sid spend together, the more it slowly shifts into something real
and i really liked that it wasn’t rushed
it felt natural and believable
sid was such a good character too
he’s soft, kind, and genuinely trying to do the right thing, which i loved
and the boys he looks after that whole found family aspect just made the story feel even warmer
the setting was also really interesting it’s still a broken world, but there’s this small sense of hope in the community they’re in, which I really liked
this isn’t a fast-paced read it’s slower and more emotional, but that’s what made it stand out for me
it’s more about healing, rebuilding, and finding something good again after everything has gone wrong
overall, this was such a comforting but emotional read that I really loved and it's not my usual type of book I would read but it definitely makes me want to explore these tropes more in other books.
If you like these you will love this book:
- post-apocalyptic romance
- marriage of convenience
- found family
- survival for a loved one
- slow burn romance
- this is just a deal
- soft MMC
- rebuilding after loss
thank you to netgalley, the publisher & emily paxman for the arc
this was such a soft, emotional read and honestly not what i expected at all from a post-apocalyptic story
it’s not super intense or action-heavy it’s a lot more focused on the people, the relationships, and just surviving in a quieter way.
we follow Kayla, who has already been through so much, and you can really feel that from the start
everything she does is for her sister, and that love and desperation really drives the whole story
the marriage of convenience was one of my favorite parts
it starts off very much as a deal, very practical, but the more time Kayla and Sid spend together, the more it slowly shifts into something real
and i really liked that it wasn’t rushed
it felt natural and believable
sid was such a good character too
he’s soft, kind, and genuinely trying to do the right thing, which i loved
and the boys he looks after that whole found family aspect just made the story feel even warmer
the setting was also really interesting it’s still a broken world, but there’s this small sense of hope in the community they’re in, which I really liked
this isn’t a fast-paced read it’s slower and more emotional, but that’s what made it stand out for me
it’s more about healing, rebuilding, and finding something good again after everything has gone wrong
overall, this was such a comforting but emotional read that I really loved and it's not my usual type of book I would read but it definitely makes me want to explore these tropes more in other books.
If you like these you will love this book:
- post-apocalyptic romance
- marriage of convenience
- found family
- survival for a loved one
- slow burn romance
- this is just a deal
- soft MMC
- rebuilding after loss
thank you to netgalley, the publisher & emily paxman for the arc
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1.5 ⭐️
Thirty years after the collapse of society, Kayla and her little sister April have made a life for themselves in the woods of Vancouver Island, living alone and foraging for food. When April falls mysteriously ill, Kayla is forced to make contact with a community on Salt Spring Island that is rumoured to have medical care. There, she meets border guard Sid, and they enter into a marriage of convenience in order to satisfy bureaucratic requirements to get April free healthcare.
Sadly, this one was not for me. Going into this, I was picturing a gritty, post-apocalyptic survival story, but this is very much a romance – and a poorly-written romance at that.
90% of the story takes place after Kayla is integrated into the Salt Spring Island community, which really feels just like any other small town, and it’s easy to forget that we are in a dystopian setting. We have a bunch of charming small-town sideplots – Sid’s run for city council, April’s drama at school, Kayla learning how to cook – which I found really difficult to care about. But the heart of my issue with this book is the characters. These characters just did not feel like real people, or like they were making realistic choices. At every turn, it was painfully obvious to me that I was reading about fictional characters and I was never able to fully immerse myself in the story.
*DISCLAIMER: Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*
PUB DATE: June 30th, 2026
Thirty years after the collapse of society, Kayla and her little sister April have made a life for themselves in the woods of Vancouver Island, living alone and foraging for food. When April falls mysteriously ill, Kayla is forced to make contact with a community on Salt Spring Island that is rumoured to have medical care. There, she meets border guard Sid, and they enter into a marriage of convenience in order to satisfy bureaucratic requirements to get April free healthcare.
Sadly, this one was not for me. Going into this, I was picturing a gritty, post-apocalyptic survival story, but this is very much a romance – and a poorly-written romance at that.
90% of the story takes place after Kayla is integrated into the Salt Spring Island community, which really feels just like any other small town, and it’s easy to forget that we are in a dystopian setting. We have a bunch of charming small-town sideplots – Sid’s run for city council, April’s drama at school, Kayla learning how to cook – which I found really difficult to care about. But the heart of my issue with this book is the characters. These characters just did not feel like real people, or like they were making realistic choices. At every turn, it was painfully obvious to me that I was reading about fictional characters and I was never able to fully immerse myself in the story.
*DISCLAIMER: Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book for the purposes of providing an unbiased review.*
PUB DATE: June 30th, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of Advanced Reader Copy recieved from Netgalley
All We Have Left by Emily Paxman is a gripping post apocalyptic romance that blends familiar dystopian themes with fresh and original ideas. While it explores the collapse of society and the fight for survival, what makes this story stand out is its unique perspective. The main character was born after the apocalypse and has no understanding of money, timekeeping, or community in the way those who lived before the quake once did.
Emily Paxman excels at scene setting, world building, and character development throughout the novel. Kayla is a fiercely independent and determined young woman who has spent the last ten years raising her younger sister alone in the wilderness. Her strength and resilience make her an instantly compelling character.
Sid, a guarded and brooding border agent, slowly reveals a much softer side beneath his tough exterior. Watching their relationship develop through the many potential obstacles and emotional barriers they face, especially Kayla’s struggle to trust others, was both heartfelt and captivating.
At its core, this book is a powerful reminder that even when the world has fallen apart, hope still remains. Hope for safety, hope for love, and hope for a future greater than the one you have been forced to survive in.
All We Have Left by Emily Paxman is a gripping post apocalyptic romance that blends familiar dystopian themes with fresh and original ideas. While it explores the collapse of society and the fight for survival, what makes this story stand out is its unique perspective. The main character was born after the apocalypse and has no understanding of money, timekeeping, or community in the way those who lived before the quake once did.
Emily Paxman excels at scene setting, world building, and character development throughout the novel. Kayla is a fiercely independent and determined young woman who has spent the last ten years raising her younger sister alone in the wilderness. Her strength and resilience make her an instantly compelling character.
Sid, a guarded and brooding border agent, slowly reveals a much softer side beneath his tough exterior. Watching their relationship develop through the many potential obstacles and emotional barriers they face, especially Kayla’s struggle to trust others, was both heartfelt and captivating.
At its core, this book is a powerful reminder that even when the world has fallen apart, hope still remains. Hope for safety, hope for love, and hope for a future greater than the one you have been forced to survive in.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
All We Have Left is a cozy and heartwarming post-apocalyptic romance by the author of Death on the Caldera, which I only listened to and reviewed a few weeks ago! Death on the Caldera is a murder mystery set in a fantasy world, and All We Have Left is a romance set in a dystopian world, and I have given both books 5 stars now, so clearly Emily Paxman's genre-mixing is working like a dream for me! I read a range of genres but I particularly like it when a book combines two or more genres, so I had a good feeling about it going into it, but it was even better than I could have hoped for.
It had me laughing out loud in places and tearing up in others, and I was just totally sucked in, right from page one. The main and side characters have all been through a lot of trauma and their responses felt genuine and realistic, and never played just for drama. I loved seeing Kayla and Sid's emotional development and their arc felt truly deserved. It was a beautiful romance, but I also loved all the other relationships that build and evolve throughout the book too.
Honestly, I can't wait to read whatever Emily Paxman writes next!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
It had me laughing out loud in places and tearing up in others, and I was just totally sucked in, right from page one. The main and side characters have all been through a lot of trauma and their responses felt genuine and realistic, and never played just for drama. I loved seeing Kayla and Sid's emotional development and their arc felt truly deserved. It was a beautiful romance, but I also loved all the other relationships that build and evolve throughout the book too.
Honestly, I can't wait to read whatever Emily Paxman writes next!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
April 15, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC 💛
This book genuinely made me happy! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from a book marketed as a cozy post-apocalyptic romance, but I think that’s the perfect description. While it’s not exactly action packed in the traditional dystopian way (no high-stakes rebellions - local government bureaucracy is about as dramatic as it gets), I was never bored for a second!
Reading it gave me this wave of nostalgia for the YA dystopias I grew up on - the slow unfolding of a new world, learning its rules, and piecing together what went wrong. At the same time, it gave me all of the feet-kicking giggles from Wattpad romance tropes. But it didn’t feel immature at all - cozy is a great word for it!
The ending did feel a little rushed, and I would have loved more development of the Astolia thread. I also found myself wanting deeper backstory for Kayla, Sid, and the wider world - especially the history of how everything fell apart. That said, those are the kinds of details that often come with a longer series, so if this remains a standalone, I’m still really happy with what we got.
This book genuinely made me happy! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from a book marketed as a cozy post-apocalyptic romance, but I think that’s the perfect description. While it’s not exactly action packed in the traditional dystopian way (no high-stakes rebellions - local government bureaucracy is about as dramatic as it gets), I was never bored for a second!
Reading it gave me this wave of nostalgia for the YA dystopias I grew up on - the slow unfolding of a new world, learning its rules, and piecing together what went wrong. At the same time, it gave me all of the feet-kicking giggles from Wattpad romance tropes. But it didn’t feel immature at all - cozy is a great word for it!
The ending did feel a little rushed, and I would have loved more development of the Astolia thread. I also found myself wanting deeper backstory for Kayla, Sid, and the wider world - especially the history of how everything fell apart. That said, those are the kinds of details that often come with a longer series, so if this remains a standalone, I’m still really happy with what we got.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for sharing an Advanced Reader Copy of this title!
I didn’t know what I was expecting when I went into this one, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised!
The first part of the book definitely leans into the post-apocalyptic dystopia vibe, and had me thinking the romance part would take a backseat to the fantasy aspects. By halfway through, I had been proven entirely wrong!
I really enjoyed this read for the most part. I found that the setting was wonderfully done (especially being local to me!) and even respectfully wove in the local Indigenous cultures with references to the Hulʼqʼumiʼnumʼ language.
I also enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect of Kayla’s character, but I can’t honestly say I actually liked HER all that much. I also wish that Sid felt a little more three dimensional, I don’t know what it was about him that made his character fall flat, but they aren’t a book couple I’ll be thinking of years from now.
Overall, if you’re looking for a romance with a seriously interesting premise, pick this one up! I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like it (in a good way).
I didn’t know what I was expecting when I went into this one, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised!
The first part of the book definitely leans into the post-apocalyptic dystopia vibe, and had me thinking the romance part would take a backseat to the fantasy aspects. By halfway through, I had been proven entirely wrong!
I really enjoyed this read for the most part. I found that the setting was wonderfully done (especially being local to me!) and even respectfully wove in the local Indigenous cultures with references to the Hulʼqʼumiʼnumʼ language.
I also enjoyed the unreliable narrator aspect of Kayla’s character, but I can’t honestly say I actually liked HER all that much. I also wish that Sid felt a little more three dimensional, I don’t know what it was about him that made his character fall flat, but they aren’t a book couple I’ll be thinking of years from now.
Overall, if you’re looking for a romance with a seriously interesting premise, pick this one up! I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like it (in a good way).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I could genuinely cry; this book compels me to so and for some reason I can’t explain. It’s just so beautiful. I’m at odds, with how to express my emotions.
I love a post apocalyptic story and I love a romance. This is such a gorgeous combination of the two the writing isn’t necessarily poetic, but it is beautiful. It is perfect. The relationships are carved so caringly. I think the trauma and the trauma responses are probably the most jarring element, because they are so realistic, and even the most adapted of people surviving situations like this are going to be scathed. It’s all so tastefully done.
Spelling this out in a way that feels so beautiful is a talent. I think I could genuinely reread this novel and I don’t do that ever. It’s not just because the story is so unique, but also because of the way everything unfolds and is revealed to you as a reader it’s a delight to journey through the pages and just unravel these characters.
So this is a five out of five for me and I really truly appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC
I love a post apocalyptic story and I love a romance. This is such a gorgeous combination of the two the writing isn’t necessarily poetic, but it is beautiful. It is perfect. The relationships are carved so caringly. I think the trauma and the trauma responses are probably the most jarring element, because they are so realistic, and even the most adapted of people surviving situations like this are going to be scathed. It’s all so tastefully done.
Spelling this out in a way that feels so beautiful is a talent. I think I could genuinely reread this novel and I don’t do that ever. It’s not just because the story is so unique, but also because of the way everything unfolds and is revealed to you as a reader it’s a delight to journey through the pages and just unravel these characters.
So this is a five out of five for me and I really truly appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
For being a post-apocalyptic novel about survival, All We Have Left is surprisingly slow paced and reflective. And I mean that as a compliment. It's not an action-packed adrenaline rush-- it's a meditation on what humanity really means. What family means.
I really enjoyed Paxman's writing: the characters were well-rounded and real. It's clear she thought deeply about what the trauma of the world ending and needing to survive would do to people. Kayla is a deeply scarred person because of her experiences and isn't magically fixed by romance; Kayla and Sid's relationship was a slow burn that felt real for them and their stories.
I wasn't a big fan of (most of) the side characters. Maybe it was because we were so close in Kayla's narration that other characters felt flimsy in comparison. I also felt as though the ending was rushed, but it didn't spoil the story for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read and review this DRC. All opinions are mine alone.
I really enjoyed Paxman's writing: the characters were well-rounded and real. It's clear she thought deeply about what the trauma of the world ending and needing to survive would do to people. Kayla is a deeply scarred person because of her experiences and isn't magically fixed by romance; Kayla and Sid's relationship was a slow burn that felt real for them and their stories.
I wasn't a big fan of (most of) the side characters. Maybe it was because we were so close in Kayla's narration that other characters felt flimsy in comparison. I also felt as though the ending was rushed, but it didn't spoil the story for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read and review this DRC. All opinions are mine alone.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4/5 ⭐
This book is set in a dystopian setting where the main character Kayla and her younger sister are trying to survive in a post-disaster Canada. Although we are in a sort of apocalyptic setting, the story feels quite hopeful and the romance adds to this, dystopian books tend to not have this so the book was a breath of fresh air!
I really liked learning about how society work, although I could’ve done with a little bit extra describing their time before, learning about the politics and adapting to a new scenario was really interesting. I thought the romance was really sweet in places.
However, the character was a little bit straight with how she acted but I suppose if you’ve had a very dramatic past that is absolutely excusable! Although how the book display character tends to be a bit more juvenile than her actual age, it felt like she was younger than she was.
Overall a good read, I would recommend it to others. It was a more lighter and refreshing dystopian book.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is set in a dystopian setting where the main character Kayla and her younger sister are trying to survive in a post-disaster Canada. Although we are in a sort of apocalyptic setting, the story feels quite hopeful and the romance adds to this, dystopian books tend to not have this so the book was a breath of fresh air!
I really liked learning about how society work, although I could’ve done with a little bit extra describing their time before, learning about the politics and adapting to a new scenario was really interesting. I thought the romance was really sweet in places.
However, the character was a little bit straight with how she acted but I suppose if you’ve had a very dramatic past that is absolutely excusable! Although how the book display character tends to be a bit more juvenile than her actual age, it felt like she was younger than she was.
Overall a good read, I would recommend it to others. It was a more lighter and refreshing dystopian book.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5
Kayla y su hermana April, sobreviven en un mundo postapocalíptico. Todo está roto, hay pocos recursos y la gente puede ser más peligrosa que el hambre. Kayla hace lo que sea para mantener con vida a April, que está cada vez más débil y necesita ayuda urgente.
Con la esperanza de encontrar algo parecido a un hospital, ambas se dirigen a un lugar del que solo han escuchado rumores, una isla donde dicen que hay comida, medicamentes, organización y leyes. El problema es que confiar en otros nunca les ha salido bien. Aun así, no tienen otra opción y deciden arriesgarse.
En el camino no solo enfrentan el peligro del entorno, también sus propios miedos, recuerdos y decisiones difíciles. Kayla quiere creer que aún queda algo bueno en el mundo, aunque todo le diga lo contrario.
___
Lo disfrute, pero siento que los capítulos finales fueron muy precipitados.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Kayla y su hermana April, sobreviven en un mundo postapocalíptico. Todo está roto, hay pocos recursos y la gente puede ser más peligrosa que el hambre. Kayla hace lo que sea para mantener con vida a April, que está cada vez más débil y necesita ayuda urgente.
Con la esperanza de encontrar algo parecido a un hospital, ambas se dirigen a un lugar del que solo han escuchado rumores, una isla donde dicen que hay comida, medicamentes, organización y leyes. El problema es que confiar en otros nunca les ha salido bien. Aun así, no tienen otra opción y deciden arriesgarse.
En el camino no solo enfrentan el peligro del entorno, también sus propios miedos, recuerdos y decisiones difíciles. Kayla quiere creer que aún queda algo bueno en el mundo, aunque todo le diga lo contrario.
___
Lo disfrute, pero siento que los capítulos finales fueron muy precipitados.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and Emily Paxman for the ARC.
I'd personally describe this as more Low stakes than "cozy and uplifting" as the blurb states.
The characters in this were fine, but there were a few times where I found them to be really irritating, and I never found myself loving them.
I enjoyed the story, but I would have loved the post apocalyptic part to shine more than it did. I get that it takes place decades after it happend and the story is supposed to be more romance centered, but it would have added so much more to the book if the apocalyptic side had been fleshed out slightly more. There was some insight into the main characters past with cults ect, but I personally would have liked more than a glimpse.
It was an interesting story overall but unfortunately I just wasn't won over by the romance, and the post apocalyptic side of things felt a bit flat.
I'd personally describe this as more Low stakes than "cozy and uplifting" as the blurb states.
The characters in this were fine, but there were a few times where I found them to be really irritating, and I never found myself loving them.
I enjoyed the story, but I would have loved the post apocalyptic part to shine more than it did. I get that it takes place decades after it happend and the story is supposed to be more romance centered, but it would have added so much more to the book if the apocalyptic side had been fleshed out slightly more. There was some insight into the main characters past with cults ect, but I personally would have liked more than a glimpse.
It was an interesting story overall but unfortunately I just wasn't won over by the romance, and the post apocalyptic side of things felt a bit flat.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm not sure cozy and heartwarming is what I would expect in a description of a post-apocalyptic romance, but this book really does deliver on the heartwarming coziness. Kayla takes her ill sister across a wasteland to the island of Salt Springs in order to get her sister to a doctor. Once she arrives, she finds living in safety much harder then she would expect and struggles to fit in. As her sister is cared for, Kayla realizes the expense is much higher than she could imagine, and the only way to keep her sister safe is to marry Sid. Sid has his own secrets, and as Kayla gets to know him, she has to decide if it's safe to learn his true secrets and share her own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for an ARC of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for an ARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It sounds weird to say that a post-apocalyptical book is uplifting, romantic, and heartwarming, but that's what this was.
The main character Kayla just wants to help her diabetic younger sister survive in a world where a catastrophic earthquake destroyed most of civilization in the Pacific Northwest. To secure medical care for her sister, Kayla enters a marriage of convenience with a man she barely knows. What follows is a thoughtful, poignant story about trauma, healing, love, and all the things in the world that are worth saving.
The author's debut novel, Death on the Caldera, was amazing and All We Have Left knocks it out of the park once again. Emily Paxman always combines rich world-building with lovely, multidimensional characters.
The main character Kayla just wants to help her diabetic younger sister survive in a world where a catastrophic earthquake destroyed most of civilization in the Pacific Northwest. To secure medical care for her sister, Kayla enters a marriage of convenience with a man she barely knows. What follows is a thoughtful, poignant story about trauma, healing, love, and all the things in the world that are worth saving.
The author's debut novel, Death on the Caldera, was amazing and All We Have Left knocks it out of the park once again. Emily Paxman always combines rich world-building with lovely, multidimensional characters.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This was a really fun but emotional story. We follow Kayla and April as they leave the 'wild' and reach the river to get to Salt Springs in search of a doctor for April's degenerating health. We see alot of the islands politics and rules as the story progresses but also how they open up and finally start to feel safe after years in the 'wild'. Kayla and Sids relationship was really fun to witness and I couldnt get enough of their banter. I also liked James little innuendos aswell. I really did enjoy the story but the ending let it down for me, I wanted more of a battle with Astoria and to see them get what they deserved!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Unfortunately this book did not work for me and ended up being a DNF. I didn't enjoy the writing style and didn't connect with the characters. The romance really didn't work for me and overall I didn't find it engaging enough. I really enjoy dystopian fiction when it is written to be a dystopian not to be a romance, and this felt like it was written to be a romance. I think that if you enjoyed books like Silver Elite you would enjoy this one.
Thanks again to NetGalley!
Unfortunately this book did not work for me and ended up being a DNF. I didn't enjoy the writing style and didn't connect with the characters. The romance really didn't work for me and overall I didn't find it engaging enough. I really enjoy dystopian fiction when it is written to be a dystopian not to be a romance, and this felt like it was written to be a romance. I think that if you enjoyed books like Silver Elite you would enjoy this one.
Thanks again to NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t fully pull me in. From the start, I had a hard time connecting to the story, and I never really felt that “hook” that keeps you wanting to turn the pages.
The writing style leaned a bit more juvenile than I was expecting, which made it difficult for me to stay immersed and emotionally invested. Because of that, the characters and their journey didn’t hit as deeply as I wanted them to.
That said, I can see this working better for readers who prefer a lighter, more straightforward writing style or are newer to the genre.
The writing style leaned a bit more juvenile than I was expecting, which made it difficult for me to stay immersed and emotionally invested. Because of that, the characters and their journey didn’t hit as deeply as I wanted them to.
That said, I can see this working better for readers who prefer a lighter, more straightforward writing style or are newer to the genre.
May 11, 2026
Review of advance reader copy (ARC) received by NetGalley.
Emily has a gift for immersive storytelling. The vivid descriptions bring both the characters and the landscapes they inhabit vividly to life. I especially appreciated how thoughtfully the relationships were developed. What begins as a relationship out of necessity, Kayla and Sid’s partnership gradually grew into something caring and powerful. As an older sister, I strongly related to the fierce protectiveness portrayed in the story. The instinct to go to the ends of the earth to keep younger siblings safe, supported and happy. While post-apocalyptic stories often lean heavily into darkness and despair, this book felt refreshingly different. It doesn’t shy away from hardship, but balances struggle with resilience, connection, and hope.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
Emily has a gift for immersive storytelling. The vivid descriptions bring both the characters and the landscapes they inhabit vividly to life. I especially appreciated how thoughtfully the relationships were developed. What begins as a relationship out of necessity, Kayla and Sid’s partnership gradually grew into something caring and powerful. As an older sister, I strongly related to the fierce protectiveness portrayed in the story. The instinct to go to the ends of the earth to keep younger siblings safe, supported and happy. While post-apocalyptic stories often lean heavily into darkness and despair, this book felt refreshingly different. It doesn’t shy away from hardship, but balances struggle with resilience, connection, and hope.
Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was not expecting this post apocalyptic romance to be so warm and sweet so it was quite refreshing to read.
Sid with his "broken nose" and irritable demeanor and Kayla with her leery yet caring nature were so good for each other.
I also really liked the side characters.
Read this is one sitting, that's how invested I was in this story and it didn't disappoint.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Author and Publisher for the opportunity to read in advance and share my thoughts.
Sid with his "broken nose" and irritable demeanor and Kayla with her leery yet caring nature were so good for each other.
I also really liked the side characters.
Read this is one sitting, that's how invested I was in this story and it didn't disappoint.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Author and Publisher for the opportunity to read in advance and share my thoughts.
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