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After Daniel
Because sometimes, the second chapter is the one worth living for.
I thought my story ended the day Daniel died.
The world didn’t just lose its color—it lost its meaning. Every sunrise felt like a mistake, every breath an obligation.
Then I met him.
Mack is nothing like the man I loved. He’s rough edges and sharp lines, all muscle and mischief, with a past that should warn me away. But there’s something in his eyes—something raw and unspoken—that calls to the pieces of me I thought were gone for good.
He doesn’t try to fix me. He doesn’t tell me to move on. He just stands there, solid and stubborn, until I start to believe maybe I could let go of the past.
But loving again after loss isn’t simple. The grief is still there, waiting for the dark days. And Mack has his own ghosts… ones that could rip us apart before we even begin.
If I give my heart to him, am I honoring what I lost—or risking everything I have left?
Trigger
- Miscarriage (happens off page in the past)
- Loss of a loved one
- Grief, panic, anxiety
- Hospital scenes
- References to domestic abuse (nothing on the page)
I thought my story ended the day Daniel died.
The world didn’t just lose its color—it lost its meaning. Every sunrise felt like a mistake, every breath an obligation.
Then I met him.
Mack is nothing like the man I loved. He’s rough edges and sharp lines, all muscle and mischief, with a past that should warn me away. But there’s something in his eyes—something raw and unspoken—that calls to the pieces of me I thought were gone for good.
He doesn’t try to fix me. He doesn’t tell me to move on. He just stands there, solid and stubborn, until I start to believe maybe I could let go of the past.
But loving again after loss isn’t simple. The grief is still there, waiting for the dark days. And Mack has his own ghosts… ones that could rip us apart before we even begin.
If I give my heart to him, am I honoring what I lost—or risking everything I have left?
Trigger
- Miscarriage (happens off page in the past)
- Loss of a loved one
- Grief, panic, anxiety
- Hospital scenes
- References to domestic abuse (nothing on the page)
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2025
2 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 18, 2025
“I feel like I’m in purgatory. I feel like part of me died with you that night and I’ve been a corpse walking around trying to pretend I’m still alive. Trying to pretend I still belong with everyone else. After you were gone, nowhere felt right. Until him”
Meet Charlie. A woman surviving the sudden loss of her husband, and navigating even more loss after that night. 3 years later, Charlie is barely holding it together still. No matter what she does, it’s always there. The pain in her chest for the life she never got. But the time comes to take the first big step out of her old life and into her new one.
Cue Mack. Grumpy, rough around the edges, and not interested in Charlie’s shit. But the abrupt knowledge of the loss she’s suffered has his edges softening and a different view of her coming into play. Maybe she’s not such a spoiled brat after all.
The story follows the pair as Charlie learns what it takes to navigate not only losing her husband and unborn baby, but herself and everything she used to be. Is Mack’s abrasive, blunt, and stormy gaze really what Charlie needs right now? Probably not. But his sights are set on her and he doesn’t plan to look away. Maybe she’s doesn’t want him to.
After Daniel had me feeling every which way. One minute I was laughing, and the next I was sobbing because of the pain I felt for these characters. I found myself relating to their moments, and understanding their traumas. I understood the hurt and the betrayal. And I felt real compassion for all the suffering and heartache that these characters experienced. If you want a read that will both break your heart and heal it, this one’s for you. Oh, and some GOOD spice (I mean.. duh. He’s broody and hot what did you expect)
Some triggers to expect throughout
• death of a loved one/miscarriage
• mentions of domestic violence (not between the MCs)
• mentions of alcoholism (not the MCs)
This story is full of smart mouthed one liners, grief and what’s comes after, and a lot of moments that had me sobbing into my shirt sleeve. Don’t worry, I laughed a lot too. OH, and it’s based in Port Moody which is fun for all my fellow locals!
Meet Charlie. A woman surviving the sudden loss of her husband, and navigating even more loss after that night. 3 years later, Charlie is barely holding it together still. No matter what she does, it’s always there. The pain in her chest for the life she never got. But the time comes to take the first big step out of her old life and into her new one.
Cue Mack. Grumpy, rough around the edges, and not interested in Charlie’s shit. But the abrupt knowledge of the loss she’s suffered has his edges softening and a different view of her coming into play. Maybe she’s not such a spoiled brat after all.
The story follows the pair as Charlie learns what it takes to navigate not only losing her husband and unborn baby, but herself and everything she used to be. Is Mack’s abrasive, blunt, and stormy gaze really what Charlie needs right now? Probably not. But his sights are set on her and he doesn’t plan to look away. Maybe she’s doesn’t want him to.
After Daniel had me feeling every which way. One minute I was laughing, and the next I was sobbing because of the pain I felt for these characters. I found myself relating to their moments, and understanding their traumas. I understood the hurt and the betrayal. And I felt real compassion for all the suffering and heartache that these characters experienced. If you want a read that will both break your heart and heal it, this one’s for you. Oh, and some GOOD spice (I mean.. duh. He’s broody and hot what did you expect)
Some triggers to expect throughout
• death of a loved one/miscarriage
• mentions of domestic violence (not between the MCs)
• mentions of alcoholism (not the MCs)
This story is full of smart mouthed one liners, grief and what’s comes after, and a lot of moments that had me sobbing into my shirt sleeve. Don’t worry, I laughed a lot too. OH, and it’s based in Port Moody which is fun for all my fellow locals!
August 27, 2025
When my friend started posting this pretty emerald cover, I was infatuated. I definitely fall for books based on their cover. Finding out that it was set in my own hometown (ish - lower mainland, IYKYK) made it a must read. Calling all BC babes!
After Daniel is the story of a widow named Charlie who lost the love of her life in a car accident. It takes place 3 years following, her family is moving forward, with her sister expecting a baby, and her dark cloud of grief won’t let up. She meets Mack, one of the movers she hired, and his lack of tact for her situation pisses Charlie off.
Charlie tries to keep Mack, and everyone, at arms length to avoid swallowing them up with her all consuming grief. The more she shuts everyone out, the louder the grief becomes. When she finally snaps, she threatens to detonate more than just her own happiness.
This story hit me right in the chest in so many ways. Taking place locally had me smitten through the entire book (including the old drive in movie theatre that was right up the road from my current home).
What I wasn’t expecting was to relate so much to Charlie. Her emotions were raw and ugly and beautifully broken, until they were built back up again even better than before.
The story is how Charlie comes back together while continuing to keep Daniel in her heart and soul, and it’s beautifully done. Was blown away at Ivy Winter’s debut romance.
After Daniel is the story of a widow named Charlie who lost the love of her life in a car accident. It takes place 3 years following, her family is moving forward, with her sister expecting a baby, and her dark cloud of grief won’t let up. She meets Mack, one of the movers she hired, and his lack of tact for her situation pisses Charlie off.
Charlie tries to keep Mack, and everyone, at arms length to avoid swallowing them up with her all consuming grief. The more she shuts everyone out, the louder the grief becomes. When she finally snaps, she threatens to detonate more than just her own happiness.
This story hit me right in the chest in so many ways. Taking place locally had me smitten through the entire book (including the old drive in movie theatre that was right up the road from my current home).
What I wasn’t expecting was to relate so much to Charlie. Her emotions were raw and ugly and beautifully broken, until they were built back up again even better than before.
The story is how Charlie comes back together while continuing to keep Daniel in her heart and soul, and it’s beautifully done. Was blown away at Ivy Winter’s debut romance.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews