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In Every Lifetime
She thought walking away would end the heartbreak.
But Fai returned… sober, determined, and with a shocking revelation.
Sarah Martin fought hard to rebuild her life after leaving the man she once promised forever to. Loving Fai meant living with the chaos of his addiction, the broken promises, and the heartbreak she could no longer survive.
Leaving him was supposed to be the end of their story.
Until Fai shows up at her door with the unexpected discovery of a brother he never knew existed.
Sarah should say no when he asks for her help. Instead, she finds herself traveling to Montana beside her ex, determined not to lose herself again.
But the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore the past… or the feelings neither of them truly left behind.
Montana holds more than second chances.
The man claiming to be Fai’s long-lost brother brings answers Fai has waited years to find… but something about him leaves Sarah uneasy. The more time they spend together, the more she suspects he’s hiding dangerous secrets.
Old wounds, buried truths, and the secrets they’ve kept from each other may prove that some second chances come with a price.
But Fai returned… sober, determined, and with a shocking revelation.
Sarah Martin fought hard to rebuild her life after leaving the man she once promised forever to. Loving Fai meant living with the chaos of his addiction, the broken promises, and the heartbreak she could no longer survive.
Leaving him was supposed to be the end of their story.
Until Fai shows up at her door with the unexpected discovery of a brother he never knew existed.
Sarah should say no when he asks for her help. Instead, she finds herself traveling to Montana beside her ex, determined not to lose herself again.
But the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore the past… or the feelings neither of them truly left behind.
Montana holds more than second chances.
The man claiming to be Fai’s long-lost brother brings answers Fai has waited years to find… but something about him leaves Sarah uneasy. The more time they spend together, the more she suspects he’s hiding dangerous secrets.
Old wounds, buried truths, and the secrets they’ve kept from each other may prove that some second chances come with a price.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2026
About the author
H.J. Cartwright
7 books57 followersDid you know anyone can write a book? Well, they can because H.J. Cartwright did. Born and raised in small town Utah, H.J. Cartwright has been a reader her entire life and fell in love with the world of writing. She loves all things romance, 80's themed, music, and suspense. Writing a book was never something she imagined, but something she had always dreamt of.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 13, 2026
Loved every part of this! This is my first H.J. Cartwright book & won’t be my last! I’m a sucker for a romantic suspense & this checked all the boxes. It kept me wanting to know what was going to happen!
I also loved the dual POV because you really got a feel for both of the characters emotions throughout & what they were both dealing with, which is a lot.
This had so many of my favorite tropes:
~one bed
~forced proximity
~second chance
Thank you H.J. Cartwright for this amazing ARC🩵🩵
I also loved the dual POV because you really got a feel for both of the characters emotions throughout & what they were both dealing with, which is a lot.
This had so many of my favorite tropes:
~one bed
~forced proximity
~second chance
Thank you H.J. Cartwright for this amazing ARC🩵🩵
Review of advance copy received from Author
HJ Cartwright has done it again, the queen of romantic thriller. This is the story of Fai and Sarah. And man does it hit you right in all the feels. And then ABSOLUTE INSANITY ENSUES! Once you hit the 50% mark, you absolutely cab not put this book down. I screamed, I cried, I almost threw my kindle. I loved this story so much. I also love how you don't have to read the Advocates series, but it just makes it so much better if you do.
May 15, 2026
*ARC READER REVIEW*
I absolutely loved every second of this book. From page one, I was hooked. The suspense kept me completely intrigued, the tension was perfect, and the portrayal of addiction felt so raw and incredibly well written.
This book took me through the full emotional spectrum—I laughed, I got angry, and then I cried… and cried. H.J. Cartwright created a story that pulled me in and refused to let go. Emotional, gripping, and impossible to stop thinking about after the final page. I already know this one is going to stick with me for a long time.
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved every second of this book. From page one, I was hooked. The suspense kept me completely intrigued, the tension was perfect, and the portrayal of addiction felt so raw and incredibly well written.
This book took me through the full emotional spectrum—I laughed, I got angry, and then I cried… and cried. H.J. Cartwright created a story that pulled me in and refused to let go. Emotional, gripping, and impossible to stop thinking about after the final page. I already know this one is going to stick with me for a long time.
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 5, 2026
ARC READER REVIEW!!
This book through me for a whirlwind of emotions! The suspense in this book is sooo good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more and more.
Also, the emotion this book exudes is fantastic as well. Getting to know the MMC and FMC both on such a personal level in this Dual POV helps you see each struggle. Getting to really know the broken relationships, the struggles of addiction, up to the road to sobriety.
This book is all about second chances, not just for love. But a second chance on life through sobriety too.
This book through me for a whirlwind of emotions! The suspense in this book is sooo good. It will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more and more.
Also, the emotion this book exudes is fantastic as well. Getting to know the MMC and FMC both on such a personal level in this Dual POV helps you see each struggle. Getting to really know the broken relationships, the struggles of addiction, up to the road to sobriety.
This book is all about second chances, not just for love. But a second chance on life through sobriety too.
July 3, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Holy moly, the absolute chokehold this book has on me 🔥 I read it in a day and loved every second of it. I went in thinking it was just a second chance romance, a couple struggling trying to find their way back. But the romantic suspense and the storyline involved for that was SO GOOD and executed so well. Not everyone can execute this genre correctly but it was a fantastic balance of their second chance and edge of your seat suspense to keep you invested in multiple story lines without over doing it.
Holy moly, the absolute chokehold this book has on me 🔥 I read it in a day and loved every second of it. I went in thinking it was just a second chance romance, a couple struggling trying to find their way back. But the romantic suspense and the storyline involved for that was SO GOOD and executed so well. Not everyone can execute this genre correctly but it was a fantastic balance of their second chance and edge of your seat suspense to keep you invested in multiple story lines without over doing it.
May 22, 2026
This is HJ Cartwright's best one yet. The writing and story flowed so well. It was vulnerable and frustrating and hopeful all in one. The suspense and foreshadowing had me on edge for the entirety of the book.
Our MCs went through quite the journey and came out stronger in the end. I thought the realities of addiction was handled beautifully.
Now add in a stalker and a second chance romance, and you have In Every Lifetime!
Huge thanks to the author for this ARC!
Our MCs went through quite the journey and came out stronger in the end. I thought the realities of addiction was handled beautifully.
Now add in a stalker and a second chance romance, and you have In Every Lifetime!
Huge thanks to the author for this ARC!
Did Not Finish
May 5, 2026This is personal and I understand others can read this book and not be bothered. I am a clinical psychologist. Therefore, I struggle reading books with a POV being a psychologist because psychologists are rarely written even closely to real psychologists. Now, of course when writing about a psychologist it does not need to be perfect or 100% realism; yet, when there are blatantly obvious unrealistic behaviors by the psychologist and the book is based in the realistic world and principles, I struggle to read it.
Unfortunately, the MFC was a psychologist and the first POV chapter she was already engaging in unethical and unprofessional behavior. She agreed to be the psychologist for her siblings brother, Nate. This was a conflict of interest and violates our ethical code. She should have said no and offered appropriate resources to Nate. Then, it got worse. The MFC had Nate in her home painting her walls. She even physically touched him and put her head on his shoulders. This made me cringe. The next chapter the MFC told Nate he needed a new psychologist now that they were friends and she could not keep providing his care. This was really awful and super red flag, as he was still her patient. What I took away within the first two POV chapters of the MFC was that this woman took on a patient she should not have and, while still providing his care, became friends with him, invited him over, had him engage in physical labor in her home, and touched him inappropriately.
Let me be clear, patients are NOT our friend pool. The MFC even acknowledged some ethics with Nate; yet she couldn’t see what she was currently doing was unethical? This woman took advantage of her relationship with her patient. I would have reported her to her state board. If this were my friend in real life, I truly would talk to her about her behavior and ethically have to report her or I would be at risk for losing my license.
Second, I struggled to believe any of this because the MFC was in her PHD program at 18 years old; therefore described as incredibly smart. Yet, she was acting this unprofessionally and had no insight into how unethical she was.
Because these issues appear immediately and form the foundation of her POV, I stopped reading. I fully understand this is fiction and the author can take whatever creative journey she wants, as well as many readers won’t react the way I did. However, portrayals of psychologists as chronically unethical are common in books, and it’s something I find personally frustrating. In this case, the combination of boundary crossings, a hero complex, and inappropriate behavior with a patient while having no insight made it impossible for me to continue.
Unfortunately, the MFC was a psychologist and the first POV chapter she was already engaging in unethical and unprofessional behavior. She agreed to be the psychologist for her siblings brother, Nate. This was a conflict of interest and violates our ethical code. She should have said no and offered appropriate resources to Nate. Then, it got worse. The MFC had Nate in her home painting her walls. She even physically touched him and put her head on his shoulders. This made me cringe. The next chapter the MFC told Nate he needed a new psychologist now that they were friends and she could not keep providing his care. This was really awful and super red flag, as he was still her patient. What I took away within the first two POV chapters of the MFC was that this woman took on a patient she should not have and, while still providing his care, became friends with him, invited him over, had him engage in physical labor in her home, and touched him inappropriately.
Let me be clear, patients are NOT our friend pool. The MFC even acknowledged some ethics with Nate; yet she couldn’t see what she was currently doing was unethical? This woman took advantage of her relationship with her patient. I would have reported her to her state board. If this were my friend in real life, I truly would talk to her about her behavior and ethically have to report her or I would be at risk for losing my license.
Second, I struggled to believe any of this because the MFC was in her PHD program at 18 years old; therefore described as incredibly smart. Yet, she was acting this unprofessionally and had no insight into how unethical she was.
Because these issues appear immediately and form the foundation of her POV, I stopped reading. I fully understand this is fiction and the author can take whatever creative journey she wants, as well as many readers won’t react the way I did. However, portrayals of psychologists as chronically unethical are common in books, and it’s something I find personally frustrating. In this case, the combination of boundary crossings, a hero complex, and inappropriate behavior with a patient while having no insight made it impossible for me to continue.
May 16, 2026
4 stars.
I felt so many things while reading H.R. Cartwright's "In Every Lifetime." Oh boy, this book is a doozy and a roller coaster! Have tissues handy if any of the TWs might impact you personally, because this book will have you bawling. Love is often a struggle, and this book encapsulates that fact. The best part about this book is that it is a dual POV, so readers get fully immersed in Sarah and Fai's vulnerable, raw, realistic story from both sides. We understand their motives, their hurts, their wishes, their wants. Their crawl back to each other post-divorce is slow, hard-fought, and grueling. Fai's alcoholism destroyed their marriage, destroyed their friendship, but you can tell there is still a deep love there between them. After their divorce was finalized, they didn't see each other for six months until Fai received a letter from his long-lost brother, whom he had no idea existed, asking him and Sarah to visit him in rural Montana. She agrees to go with him despite apprehension because Fai's childhood was plagued with bad foster homes and even worse situations after being given up by his teenage parents. Sarah knows what this means to him to have a familial connection out there, somewhere. The more time Sarah and Fai spend with each other back in a forced, close proximity, the more they realize that they have each grown personally in different ways. This story is messy as heck, but it also feels lived-in. These feel like real people with real problems. There are certain aspects relating to Fai's brother, Gabriel, that I thought could have been developed a little bit better/more. I did enjoy the constant mystery surrounding Gabriel and his motives for meeting his "long-lost brother" Fai. Quite compelling at times! I must admit, despite a few moments where I thought things could have been tweaked here and there, I enjoyed this book. I kept reading it really quickly because I wanted to know where it was going and how it would end! I can't wait to read more books by H.J. Cartwright!
Thank you to H.J. Cartwright for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
I felt so many things while reading H.R. Cartwright's "In Every Lifetime." Oh boy, this book is a doozy and a roller coaster! Have tissues handy if any of the TWs might impact you personally, because this book will have you bawling. Love is often a struggle, and this book encapsulates that fact. The best part about this book is that it is a dual POV, so readers get fully immersed in Sarah and Fai's vulnerable, raw, realistic story from both sides. We understand their motives, their hurts, their wishes, their wants. Their crawl back to each other post-divorce is slow, hard-fought, and grueling. Fai's alcoholism destroyed their marriage, destroyed their friendship, but you can tell there is still a deep love there between them. After their divorce was finalized, they didn't see each other for six months until Fai received a letter from his long-lost brother, whom he had no idea existed, asking him and Sarah to visit him in rural Montana. She agrees to go with him despite apprehension because Fai's childhood was plagued with bad foster homes and even worse situations after being given up by his teenage parents. Sarah knows what this means to him to have a familial connection out there, somewhere. The more time Sarah and Fai spend with each other back in a forced, close proximity, the more they realize that they have each grown personally in different ways. This story is messy as heck, but it also feels lived-in. These feel like real people with real problems. There are certain aspects relating to Fai's brother, Gabriel, that I thought could have been developed a little bit better/more. I did enjoy the constant mystery surrounding Gabriel and his motives for meeting his "long-lost brother" Fai. Quite compelling at times! I must admit, despite a few moments where I thought things could have been tweaked here and there, I enjoyed this book. I kept reading it really quickly because I wanted to know where it was going and how it would end! I can't wait to read more books by H.J. Cartwright!
Thank you to H.J. Cartwright for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advanced copy received from the author:
In Every Lifetime had all the ingredients of a five-star read for me. For about 75% of the book, I was engaged, excited, and eager to see where the story was going. The premise and writing were compelling enough to keep me turning pages.
However, in the final quarter of the book, I started to feel increasingly confused by several key elements. The first issue was the relationships between characters. The dynamics between the FMC, MMC, and secondary characters became muddled, and I struggled to clearly distinguish some of the supporting cast. This may sometimes happen when I’m less engaged or listening via audio, but in this case I read physically and was still unable to fully track who was connected to whom and how.
The second issue for me was the portrayal of Fai’s alcoholism. While I understand creative interpretation, the depiction didn’t fully resonate with my understanding of addiction. His ability to maintain a highly functional academic and business life, make rational relational decisions, and still be characterized as struggling with severe alcoholism felt inconsistent and difficult to reconcile.
Lastly, I struggled with the antagonist’s motivation. The villain’s obsession with Sarah was only lightly explained, and the lack of deeper backstory made the central conflict feel underdeveloped. Because of this, the stakes of the story didn’t land as strongly as they could have for me.
Despite these concerns, I do think the writing itself is strong in moments where the story has clear focus and context. The concept is compelling, and I believe the book would benefit from additional pages dedicated to character development, relationship clarity, and deeper exploration of the central conflict.
Overall, I’m giving this a 3-star rating. It’s a solid foundation with a lot of potential, but it didn’t fully come together for me in execution.
In Every Lifetime had all the ingredients of a five-star read for me. For about 75% of the book, I was engaged, excited, and eager to see where the story was going. The premise and writing were compelling enough to keep me turning pages.
However, in the final quarter of the book, I started to feel increasingly confused by several key elements. The first issue was the relationships between characters. The dynamics between the FMC, MMC, and secondary characters became muddled, and I struggled to clearly distinguish some of the supporting cast. This may sometimes happen when I’m less engaged or listening via audio, but in this case I read physically and was still unable to fully track who was connected to whom and how.
The second issue for me was the portrayal of Fai’s alcoholism. While I understand creative interpretation, the depiction didn’t fully resonate with my understanding of addiction. His ability to maintain a highly functional academic and business life, make rational relational decisions, and still be characterized as struggling with severe alcoholism felt inconsistent and difficult to reconcile.
Lastly, I struggled with the antagonist’s motivation. The villain’s obsession with Sarah was only lightly explained, and the lack of deeper backstory made the central conflict feel underdeveloped. Because of this, the stakes of the story didn’t land as strongly as they could have for me.
Despite these concerns, I do think the writing itself is strong in moments where the story has clear focus and context. The concept is compelling, and I believe the book would benefit from additional pages dedicated to character development, relationship clarity, and deeper exploration of the central conflict.
Overall, I’m giving this a 3-star rating. It’s a solid foundation with a lot of potential, but it didn’t fully come together for me in execution.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Sarah leaves her husband, Fai, after years of marriage strained by his alcohol addiction. But when he reappears with a letter from a man claiming to be his brother, he asks her to join him on a trip to Montana to uncover his past. As they travel together, old feelings resurface, buried secrets emerge, and Sarah grows wary of Fai’s mysterious brother, Gabriel.
This story was a rollercoaster—I’m still coming down from it. It’s a quick read, and once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know how everything would unfold.
I really enjoyed Fai and Sarah as a couple. Their strength, both individually and together, stood out, and their emotional growth was genuinely heartwarming. While I don’t have personal experience with addiction, Sarah’s unwavering love during Fai’s darkest moments was beautifully portrayed. Fai coming to terms with his addiction and what he wants for his future was also deeply emotional.
That said, a few things pulled me out of the story. Sarah starting college at fourteen and graduate school at eighteen felt unrealistic, especially given her career as a psychologist. I also struggled with her friendship with Nate, considering he was her patient—it didn’t feel believable.
Fai’s decision to meet his supposed brother with almost no information also raised questions. In a world where so much is easily accessible, it was hard to accept—especially given his connections. Taking Sarah along made it even more puzzling.
The suspense worked well at times, though I found myself wanting more information in certain moments. And I still have a lot of thoughts about Gabriel.
Overall the writing was great and sucked me right in. I binged this book in one day-maybe I’m just a bit more critical at some parts of the book. Thank you to H.J. Cartwright for the ARC.
This story was a rollercoaster—I’m still coming down from it. It’s a quick read, and once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know how everything would unfold.
I really enjoyed Fai and Sarah as a couple. Their strength, both individually and together, stood out, and their emotional growth was genuinely heartwarming. While I don’t have personal experience with addiction, Sarah’s unwavering love during Fai’s darkest moments was beautifully portrayed. Fai coming to terms with his addiction and what he wants for his future was also deeply emotional.
That said, a few things pulled me out of the story. Sarah starting college at fourteen and graduate school at eighteen felt unrealistic, especially given her career as a psychologist. I also struggled with her friendship with Nate, considering he was her patient—it didn’t feel believable.
Fai’s decision to meet his supposed brother with almost no information also raised questions. In a world where so much is easily accessible, it was hard to accept—especially given his connections. Taking Sarah along made it even more puzzling.
The suspense worked well at times, though I found myself wanting more information in certain moments. And I still have a lot of thoughts about Gabriel.
Overall the writing was great and sucked me right in. I binged this book in one day-maybe I’m just a bit more critical at some parts of the book. Thank you to H.J. Cartwright for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had the opportunity to read In Every Lifetime a bit early and finished it in literally two days; it was so good! This is my first suspense/thriller ARC, and this book left me wanting more. Despite all the hardships and relationship issues Fai and Sarah faced, it was so incredible to see them both work hard to prevail and overcome their obstacles. Addiction can be difficult to write, but I think Cartwright captured it well and portrayed Fai as a solid character. I was always so obsessed with how in love he is with Sarah. It is the type of love that you only see in books or movies. You can tell how much they care for each other very early on in the book. Sarah was a great character. She is the type of woman you always want in your corner; she is loyal, trustworthy, and very passionate. Not to mention her incredible job. It was so fun to see her put her skills to use throughout the book. I really enjoyed her character and admire the strength and courage she has, especially with having someone you love deeply be an addict. The Dual POV brought great depth to the stores. The flow and pace were nice, not too fast or too slow. I really enjoyed the spice, 5/5. Especially that one scene...
I thought the epilogue/last chapter was good. I would have loved to see more of their relationship in the future, but the ending was a nice surprise. I really enjoyed H.J's writing and look forward to seeing what they have going on next.
Fave Quote: “I can’t stop, Sarah. The only way my love for you would stop is if my heart stopped beating. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you, and I will love you until I die.”
I thought the epilogue/last chapter was good. I would have loved to see more of their relationship in the future, but the ending was a nice surprise. I really enjoyed H.J's writing and look forward to seeing what they have going on next.
Fave Quote: “I can’t stop, Sarah. The only way my love for you would stop is if my heart stopped beating. I’ve loved you from the moment I met you, and I will love you until I die.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2026
**ARC Review**
HJ Cartwright I think is the reason that I will always pick up a romantic suspense when its recommended. I was selected as an ARC reader for The Fall of Rome last year and I absolutely fell in love with her writing. She deserves all the hype for her books.
In Every Lifetime follows another familiar face from the Advocates Series, Faizal Acharya and his (now) ex-wife Sarah Martin. We start the book immediately with their divorce proceedings and get to witness Fai making a decision that will alter the course of his life moving forward.
Faizal and Sarah are so VERY clearly end game. The chemistry that bleeds out of the page at you and the crushing love and devotion that they have for eachother even through Faizal's struggles with alcoholism is so apparent. You begin to IMMEDIATELY root for Fai. I wanted absolutely nothing but good things for him.
The reconnection between Fai and Sarah happens when Fai (who was adopted and had no known family) is contacted by his brother in efforts to reconnect. Fai, who is devout in his sobriety needs someone to help support him on his trip to meet his brother and Sarah, of course, is the one who ends up by his side.
When Sarah is immediately worried about the long lost brother's story we really see the two of them start to heal their realtionship. You see them talking through things, worrying about things and fully supporting each other through all of their concerns. I was so moved and so touched by the way that Sarah and Fai healed themselves standing side by side. The way they gave each other space to heal and to grow.
Its time for me to finish the Advocates series because I dont know if I am prepared to wait for the next book, whatever it might be. (I'm still voting for a Romano sister spin off to the Fall of Rome.)
HJ Cartwright I think is the reason that I will always pick up a romantic suspense when its recommended. I was selected as an ARC reader for The Fall of Rome last year and I absolutely fell in love with her writing. She deserves all the hype for her books.
In Every Lifetime follows another familiar face from the Advocates Series, Faizal Acharya and his (now) ex-wife Sarah Martin. We start the book immediately with their divorce proceedings and get to witness Fai making a decision that will alter the course of his life moving forward.
Faizal and Sarah are so VERY clearly end game. The chemistry that bleeds out of the page at you and the crushing love and devotion that they have for eachother even through Faizal's struggles with alcoholism is so apparent. You begin to IMMEDIATELY root for Fai. I wanted absolutely nothing but good things for him.
The reconnection between Fai and Sarah happens when Fai (who was adopted and had no known family) is contacted by his brother in efforts to reconnect. Fai, who is devout in his sobriety needs someone to help support him on his trip to meet his brother and Sarah, of course, is the one who ends up by his side.
When Sarah is immediately worried about the long lost brother's story we really see the two of them start to heal their realtionship. You see them talking through things, worrying about things and fully supporting each other through all of their concerns. I was so moved and so touched by the way that Sarah and Fai healed themselves standing side by side. The way they gave each other space to heal and to grow.
Its time for me to finish the Advocates series because I dont know if I am prepared to wait for the next book, whatever it might be. (I'm still voting for a Romano sister spin off to the Fall of Rome.)
May 23, 2026
✨ Book Review:
In Every Lifetime by HJ Cartwright was the perfect mystery romance for someone like me who doesn't typically go for mystery novels. Told through dual POVs, Sarah and Faizal's story explores addiction, heartbreak, healing, and the difficult road back to each other.
What stood out most to me was the emotional depth of the characters. Faizal's journey as a recovering alcoholic felt thoughtful and compassionate, while Sarah's struggle to protect herself from being hurt again added so much weight to their relationship. Even without personal experience with addiction, I felt the story handled such a heavy topic with gentleness and with empathy.
Their love wasn't portrayed as simple or effortless…it was messy, complicated, and built on years of shared history. I found myself rooting for them because their connection felt genuine, not just romantic but deeply rooted in friendship, forgiveness, and growth.
The mystery surrounding Fai's long-lost brother kept me invested and eager to uncover the truth. While I enjoyed that aspect of the story, there were moments where the pacing felt rushed, especially toward some of the bigger reveals.
Overall, this was an emotional second-chance romance with a touch of suspense that balanced heavier topics with hope and healing. If you enjoy stories about imperfect people finding their way back to each other while navigating family secrets and personal growth, this one might be worth picking up.
More than the mystery itself, this story stayed with me because of the love, forgiveness, and healing woven through every page.
Review Rating: 3.75
Spicy Review: 1.5
In Every Lifetime by HJ Cartwright was the perfect mystery romance for someone like me who doesn't typically go for mystery novels. Told through dual POVs, Sarah and Faizal's story explores addiction, heartbreak, healing, and the difficult road back to each other.
What stood out most to me was the emotional depth of the characters. Faizal's journey as a recovering alcoholic felt thoughtful and compassionate, while Sarah's struggle to protect herself from being hurt again added so much weight to their relationship. Even without personal experience with addiction, I felt the story handled such a heavy topic with gentleness and with empathy.
Their love wasn't portrayed as simple or effortless…it was messy, complicated, and built on years of shared history. I found myself rooting for them because their connection felt genuine, not just romantic but deeply rooted in friendship, forgiveness, and growth.
The mystery surrounding Fai's long-lost brother kept me invested and eager to uncover the truth. While I enjoyed that aspect of the story, there were moments where the pacing felt rushed, especially toward some of the bigger reveals.
Overall, this was an emotional second-chance romance with a touch of suspense that balanced heavier topics with hope and healing. If you enjoy stories about imperfect people finding their way back to each other while navigating family secrets and personal growth, this one might be worth picking up.
More than the mystery itself, this story stayed with me because of the love, forgiveness, and healing woven through every page.
Review Rating: 3.75
Spicy Review: 1.5
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was given the opportunity to read *In Every Lifetime* as an ARC reader, and I absolutely devoured it in two evenings.
This was actually my first suspenseful romantic thriller, and H.J.’s writing style completely pulled me in. Every chapter kept me engaged and wanting “just one more,” until suddenly I was far deeper into the story than I intended to be.
I originally thought this would be a three-day read for me. Then I hit 70% and thought, “Oh, that’s not much left.” By 80%, I was fully invested and couldn’t put it down. At 90%, there was no chance I was stopping until I finished.
The pacing was done really well, and the details woven into both the main and secondary characters kept building in a way that made it easy to stay emotionally invested in everyone involved. The dual POV added so much depth to the story and really helped fully develop the emotional side of everything unfolding.
I can’t personally speak to the realism of the alcoholism representation, but the portrayal felt grounded and believable in the context of the story and similar media I’ve experienced.
My only complaint is honestly that I wanted more. After the major plot moments unfolded, I would have loved a little more time with the characters afterward, especially in the epilogue. I wasn’t ready to leave them behind yet.
Their love felt enduring in the best way, and watching their story unfold was both emotional and refreshingly beautiful.
Thank you to H.J. for the ARC opportunity!
This was actually my first suspenseful romantic thriller, and H.J.’s writing style completely pulled me in. Every chapter kept me engaged and wanting “just one more,” until suddenly I was far deeper into the story than I intended to be.
I originally thought this would be a three-day read for me. Then I hit 70% and thought, “Oh, that’s not much left.” By 80%, I was fully invested and couldn’t put it down. At 90%, there was no chance I was stopping until I finished.
The pacing was done really well, and the details woven into both the main and secondary characters kept building in a way that made it easy to stay emotionally invested in everyone involved. The dual POV added so much depth to the story and really helped fully develop the emotional side of everything unfolding.
I can’t personally speak to the realism of the alcoholism representation, but the portrayal felt grounded and believable in the context of the story and similar media I’ve experienced.
My only complaint is honestly that I wanted more. After the major plot moments unfolded, I would have loved a little more time with the characters afterward, especially in the epilogue. I wasn’t ready to leave them behind yet.
Their love felt enduring in the best way, and watching their story unfold was both emotional and refreshingly beautiful.
Thank you to H.J. for the ARC opportunity!
Review of advance copy received from Author
📚 ARC Review
This is my first book by HJ Cartwright, and honestly, I really enjoyed it. The love story isn’t your typical romance — it feels raw, real, and relatable. Alongside the romance, there’s chosen family, hope, passion, and even the surprise of a family member appearing out of the blue.
This book was a slow burn for me at first because I wasn’t really sure where the story was going, but the more I read, the more the suspense and sense of wonder kept me turning the pages.
I believe that HJ Cartwright portrayed the relationship between Fai and Sarah beautifully, as well as their relationships with their chosen family. The book also shows how difficult relationships can become when addiction is involved — both for the person struggling with addiction and for the person who loves them.
There are a lot of themes in this book that many people may find relatable, including:
Chosen family
Addiction
Relationships
Abandonment from birth family
Searching for family
Mental health
Although this book is on the shorter side, it touches on a lot of important topics without overwhelming the reader. I felt like it gave just enough detail and emotion without drowning you in too much information.
I don’t want to give away too much more because I feel like it could sway people’s thoughts before reading it for themselves.
Thank you to HJ Cartwright for the ARC opportunity and for being the first ARC I’ve read.
This is my first book by HJ Cartwright, and honestly, I really enjoyed it. The love story isn’t your typical romance — it feels raw, real, and relatable. Alongside the romance, there’s chosen family, hope, passion, and even the surprise of a family member appearing out of the blue.
This book was a slow burn for me at first because I wasn’t really sure where the story was going, but the more I read, the more the suspense and sense of wonder kept me turning the pages.
I believe that HJ Cartwright portrayed the relationship between Fai and Sarah beautifully, as well as their relationships with their chosen family. The book also shows how difficult relationships can become when addiction is involved — both for the person struggling with addiction and for the person who loves them.
There are a lot of themes in this book that many people may find relatable, including:
Chosen family
Addiction
Relationships
Abandonment from birth family
Searching for family
Mental health
Although this book is on the shorter side, it touches on a lot of important topics without overwhelming the reader. I felt like it gave just enough detail and emotion without drowning you in too much information.
I don’t want to give away too much more because I feel like it could sway people’s thoughts before reading it for themselves.
Thank you to HJ Cartwright for the ARC opportunity and for being the first ARC I’ve read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⛰️ARC REVIEW
This was my first book by this author. The tropes and the blurb immediately caught my attention when I first saw it. And let me tell you, it was honestly really good. I loved the dynamic between all the characters. I also feel like the author handled the themes in the story really well. Definitely check the trigger warnings because the book deals with addiction, mental health, and other heavy topics.
The personal, emotional, and acceptance growth in this story was done beautifully. I liked that it didn’t only focus on the main characters, but also gave attention to the side characters. The romance between Fai and Sarah was beautiful, but at the same time heartbreaking when you realize they were together for 16 years and had to battle through his addiction. I think this part felt very real to what many people actually go through.
I feel like the story, the plot, and that plot twist at the end were really good and kept me intrigued for most of the book, but personally I still felt like something was missing. I was expecting a little more suspense, I don’t know, I just wanted more in that aspect. I feel like there could have been more, but since the book wasn’t very long, only around 316 pages, I understand why there wasn’t more development there and why the ending felt a bit rushed to me.
But aside from that, I can assure you I loved it, and you’ll most likely love this story too, maybe even more than I did.
This was my first book by this author. The tropes and the blurb immediately caught my attention when I first saw it. And let me tell you, it was honestly really good. I loved the dynamic between all the characters. I also feel like the author handled the themes in the story really well. Definitely check the trigger warnings because the book deals with addiction, mental health, and other heavy topics.
The personal, emotional, and acceptance growth in this story was done beautifully. I liked that it didn’t only focus on the main characters, but also gave attention to the side characters. The romance between Fai and Sarah was beautiful, but at the same time heartbreaking when you realize they were together for 16 years and had to battle through his addiction. I think this part felt very real to what many people actually go through.
I feel like the story, the plot, and that plot twist at the end were really good and kept me intrigued for most of the book, but personally I still felt like something was missing. I was expecting a little more suspense, I don’t know, I just wanted more in that aspect. I feel like there could have been more, but since the book wasn’t very long, only around 316 pages, I understand why there wasn’t more development there and why the ending felt a bit rushed to me.
But aside from that, I can assure you I loved it, and you’ll most likely love this story too, maybe even more than I did.
May 20, 2026
As a newer ARC reader/reviewer, I'm finding that some of the books I have applied to read I would have never picked off the shelf. I go in blindly reading some of the books and I have been blown away by several of them. In Every Lifetime by H.J. Cartwright is ONE of these books. At first glance, I thought I was getting a dual POV romance. But instead, I got a legit sobering story of a newly divorced husband, Fai, working on his sobriety from alcoholism. Sarah, his ex wife is working on starting over and rebuilding her life as well. But as I kept reading, the more layered the plot became. Fai recently discovered he has a brother after not knowing much about either of his parents. He contacts Sarah to help him as she knows how delicate this subject is. Enter an awkward road trip that should leave you with a happy ending but it turns into more of a mystery thriller. Fai's brother isn't who he seems and it's an edge of your seat plot twist I wasn't expecting but loved! This book had some heavy topics of addiction, recovery, therapy and trauma but all were necessary to help me as a reader connect with the characters so much more. The writing style flowed really well through all the twists and turns of the story. I am hoping there's a second book or a spin off as there were so many other worthy characters in this book too. Cartwright is a tremendous, heartmoving author that you'll definitely want to read in this lifetime.
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a romance with thriller elements. It is a story of addiction, heartbreak, love, second chances, making mistakes, hope, repairing relationships and forgiveness.
Life is messy. Love is messy. Life is beautiful. Love is beautiful.
This book was about navigating addiction, heartbreak and dealing with cuts that run deep enough to cause permanent scars. The author was able to depict on the pages raw emotions, scars from addiction and battles in the characters lives.
The MMC stated he had addictions: alcohol and the love of his life. He had two intoxications: alcohol and her. She was his first addiction and his longest addiction and the one he could never recover from.
What will you sacrifice for those you love?
"Loving him isn't a choice; it's a part of who I am."
There was good character development in most of the characters. I was cheering them on and wanted them to succeed in life and overcome their battles.
I was left a little perplexed at the motivation for the antagonist's actions. In my opinion, this aspect could have been developed further.
Tropes: Romantic suspense
Dual POV
One bed
Forced proximity
Second chance -- in life and in love
This was an ARC read. Thank you, HJ Cartwright, for the honor of reading this book.
Life is messy. Love is messy. Life is beautiful. Love is beautiful.
This book was about navigating addiction, heartbreak and dealing with cuts that run deep enough to cause permanent scars. The author was able to depict on the pages raw emotions, scars from addiction and battles in the characters lives.
The MMC stated he had addictions: alcohol and the love of his life. He had two intoxications: alcohol and her. She was his first addiction and his longest addiction and the one he could never recover from.
What will you sacrifice for those you love?
"Loving him isn't a choice; it's a part of who I am."
There was good character development in most of the characters. I was cheering them on and wanted them to succeed in life and overcome their battles.
I was left a little perplexed at the motivation for the antagonist's actions. In my opinion, this aspect could have been developed further.
Tropes: Romantic suspense
Dual POV
One bed
Forced proximity
Second chance -- in life and in love
This was an ARC read. Thank you, HJ Cartwright, for the honor of reading this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
don’t know where to begin. I ARC read for H.J Cartwright last year and I’m so honored to have been able to do so again. This story hits home, I connected deeply with Fai and Sarah. It’s always good to see someone else’s POV when it comes to these type of topics, you see issues and their circumstances in a different light.
Despite In every lifetime having such a hard topic I found it to be wholesome, the way it focused on everyone’s relationship not only MCs - the broken, the before, and the after it all went well with the story to help one understand how things went so downhill in the end. Fai had to hit rock bottom, Sarah had to wake up and put herself first. Then we add the mystery, the twist and the way secrets were revealed. Just had my heart in a tight squeeze, H.J CARTWRIGHT did it again, perfection in one book 🤍
Fai and Sarah had to let go to be able to learn to be better. For themselves to be able to work on themselves for them and no one else.
When Fai’s long lost brother emerges he feels like he’s not alone in this world that he finally has a real family. But with his new routine in structure he knows he can’t make this trip alone. Sarah will always be there for Fai so she joins him on this new journey but danger is closer than what meets the eye.
P.s Nate’s not going to like what he finds in his sheets 💀
Despite In every lifetime having such a hard topic I found it to be wholesome, the way it focused on everyone’s relationship not only MCs - the broken, the before, and the after it all went well with the story to help one understand how things went so downhill in the end. Fai had to hit rock bottom, Sarah had to wake up and put herself first. Then we add the mystery, the twist and the way secrets were revealed. Just had my heart in a tight squeeze, H.J CARTWRIGHT did it again, perfection in one book 🤍
Fai and Sarah had to let go to be able to learn to be better. For themselves to be able to work on themselves for them and no one else.
When Fai’s long lost brother emerges he feels like he’s not alone in this world that he finally has a real family. But with his new routine in structure he knows he can’t make this trip alone. Sarah will always be there for Fai so she joins him on this new journey but danger is closer than what meets the eye.
P.s Nate’s not going to like what he finds in his sheets 💀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
In Every Lifetime
Author: H.J. Cartwright
•ARC REVIEW•
Those who don’t know, I’m an alcoholic in recovery (03/27/22) and I hold not only my sobriety but also the community of sober people very near and dear to my heart. Saying that, In Every Lifetime is the first book I’ve read in a LONG time that truly spoke to my experience with alcohol addiction and its struggles. No cheesy moments of a quick fix with some words or a realization of setting down the bottle with ease. The true grit of the process in healing myself and the relationships I destroyed around me were shown to me in this beautiful book that I cannot begin to express my upmost gratitude to when reviewing this work. The storyline is great and I never want to diminish the importance of the story itself. I simply cannot overlook the true nature of the sober journey illustrated throughout. I’ll step off my soap box - for now.
@ has brought us a moving piece with relationships that have true depth while keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The thrill of needing to read more and more is a feeling that isn’t as common as I’d like but In Every Lifetime had it coursing through my veins from start to finish.
This read is a must.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
🏷️ #arcreview #arcreader #bookrecommendation #bookish #bookstagram
Author: H.J. Cartwright
•ARC REVIEW•
Those who don’t know, I’m an alcoholic in recovery (03/27/22) and I hold not only my sobriety but also the community of sober people very near and dear to my heart. Saying that, In Every Lifetime is the first book I’ve read in a LONG time that truly spoke to my experience with alcohol addiction and its struggles. No cheesy moments of a quick fix with some words or a realization of setting down the bottle with ease. The true grit of the process in healing myself and the relationships I destroyed around me were shown to me in this beautiful book that I cannot begin to express my upmost gratitude to when reviewing this work. The storyline is great and I never want to diminish the importance of the story itself. I simply cannot overlook the true nature of the sober journey illustrated throughout. I’ll step off my soap box - for now.
@ has brought us a moving piece with relationships that have true depth while keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The thrill of needing to read more and more is a feeling that isn’t as common as I’d like but In Every Lifetime had it coursing through my veins from start to finish.
This read is a must.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
🏷️ #arcreview #arcreader #bookrecommendation #bookish #bookstagram
May 21, 2026
Now when I first read about this book I was interested to see how it would be able to keep up with the tropes Now when I say this book is really different from what I typically read and surpassed my expectations, I meant it!
To get the flashbacks incorporated with the current scenes it’s describing and being able to deeply understand the two main characters, Sarah and Fai, really helped me get the whole picture on their complicated relationship and how if you are struggling and drowning in order to get above the water you first have to let go what’s holding you down.
The suspense added an extra layer and I truly felt a pit in my stomach when the truth was discovered. I do want more of a backstory as to why the “villain” in the book did what they did and to get more of their perspective to how it came to be.
My favorite part was for sure the second chance trope and realizing in order to heal and move on you also have to forgive and choose yourself first to be able
Overall I read this book in one day and it truly was amazing I recommend it to everyone!
Trigger warnings ⚠️: past trauma, alcohol addiction, suicidal ideation, child abandonment, parental death , assault, abduction, sexually explicit scenes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2026
I went into In Every Lifetime expecting an easy read, second chance romance… and ended up getting emotionally dragged through the chaos in the best way.
Fai and Sarah’s story hurt in all the right places. Their divorce wasn’t about falling out of love—it was about Fai believing he had to let Sarah go because he couldn’t beat his addiction, and honestly? That added so much weight to their relationship. You could feel the love between them even in the broken parts.
The forced proximity setup worked perfectly, and the “one bed” trope? This one was well done. Add in the romantic suspense angle, twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, and a villain I absolutely LOATHED, and I was invested.
I really appreciated how naturally the flashbacks blended into the present-day storyline. They never felt clunky or disruptive—they added explanation and depth exactly where it was needed and made Fai and Sarah’s history feel real and heartbreaking.
And listen… I spent this entire book rooting for these two to find their way back to each other. HARD.
This wasn’t a perfect 5-star read for me, but it was an easy 4 stars. Emotional, messy, tense, romantic, and absolutely worth the read if you love redeemed heroes and second chance romance done right.
Fai and Sarah’s story hurt in all the right places. Their divorce wasn’t about falling out of love—it was about Fai believing he had to let Sarah go because he couldn’t beat his addiction, and honestly? That added so much weight to their relationship. You could feel the love between them even in the broken parts.
The forced proximity setup worked perfectly, and the “one bed” trope? This one was well done. Add in the romantic suspense angle, twists I genuinely didn’t see coming, and a villain I absolutely LOATHED, and I was invested.
I really appreciated how naturally the flashbacks blended into the present-day storyline. They never felt clunky or disruptive—they added explanation and depth exactly where it was needed and made Fai and Sarah’s history feel real and heartbreaking.
And listen… I spent this entire book rooting for these two to find their way back to each other. HARD.
This wasn’t a perfect 5-star read for me, but it was an easy 4 stars. Emotional, messy, tense, romantic, and absolutely worth the read if you love redeemed heroes and second chance romance done right.
May 30, 2026
This is my first novel by H.J Cartwright and it absolutely did not disappoint. Fai and Sarah are both incredible and complex characters that are united in one simple fact, they love each other irrevocably. One bed, found family, will they/won’t they, if you are looking for a trope that will tug on your heartstrings, this story probably has it. My chest literally ACHED in anticipation to see what was going to happen between these two the entire time.
You’d be sorely mistaken if you thought this was just a love story. Cartwright did a brilliant job of wrapping a romance and a suspense novel up into one delicious package. This story was twisty, and turny, and I kept thinking I figured it out, just to be confused again. My only teeny tiny complaint is that I wish we got more backstory on the villain of the story, who I won’t name so to not ruin it for fellow readers. But honestly, I think that stems from my personal greed in wanting to dive deeper into this story more so than the actual writing.
There are a few potential triggers revolving around alcoholism, mental health, and depression. This story also includes elements of child abandonment/foster care.
This was a great read and I definitely recommend it!
You’d be sorely mistaken if you thought this was just a love story. Cartwright did a brilliant job of wrapping a romance and a suspense novel up into one delicious package. This story was twisty, and turny, and I kept thinking I figured it out, just to be confused again. My only teeny tiny complaint is that I wish we got more backstory on the villain of the story, who I won’t name so to not ruin it for fellow readers. But honestly, I think that stems from my personal greed in wanting to dive deeper into this story more so than the actual writing.
There are a few potential triggers revolving around alcoholism, mental health, and depression. This story also includes elements of child abandonment/foster care.
This was a great read and I definitely recommend it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2026
i had high expectations for this book from all the snippets we got and all my expectations were met 🤩
the relationship sarah and fai have is sooo wholesome. despite all the hardships they went through they never gave up on each other. not even a divorce was able to separate them.
sarah stood by fai’s side for as long as he let her. her love for him was greater than anything and to see him going through something so hard broke her too but she stayed strong and loyal. she was the only family he had.
fai loved sarah just as much if not more. and for that he knew he had to let her go. his addiction was slowly drowning him and he didn’t want to take sarah with him. he knew she deserved better and more. one of my favorite quotes in book was “she deserves better… from you.” that was exactly what fai needed to hear. i almost cried reading that part 🥹
from the VERY beginning i was hooked and if it weren’t for all the responsibilities i have i would’ve read this in one sitting 😫 romantic suspense has become my new favorite genre. the amount of times i shot up from my bed or threw my kindle across the room because of everything that was happening with gabriel!!!
i wish i could say more but i don’t want to spoil it so pleaseeee read this immediately!!!
the relationship sarah and fai have is sooo wholesome. despite all the hardships they went through they never gave up on each other. not even a divorce was able to separate them.
sarah stood by fai’s side for as long as he let her. her love for him was greater than anything and to see him going through something so hard broke her too but she stayed strong and loyal. she was the only family he had.
fai loved sarah just as much if not more. and for that he knew he had to let her go. his addiction was slowly drowning him and he didn’t want to take sarah with him. he knew she deserved better and more. one of my favorite quotes in book was “she deserves better… from you.” that was exactly what fai needed to hear. i almost cried reading that part 🥹
from the VERY beginning i was hooked and if it weren’t for all the responsibilities i have i would’ve read this in one sitting 😫 romantic suspense has become my new favorite genre. the amount of times i shot up from my bed or threw my kindle across the room because of everything that was happening with gabriel!!!
i wish i could say more but i don’t want to spoil it so pleaseeee read this immediately!!!
May 26, 2026
What to expect:
* Second Chance
* Romantic Suspense
* Forced Proximity
* One Bed
* Redeemed Hero
* Angsty Romance
* Mystery Romance
* Mental Health Representation
* Protective MMC
This story really peaked my interest and it was such a good romantic suspense book! I honestly didn’t want to put it down. Fai having a brother he didn’t know about really me had locked in and curious to see what he wanted from him!
When they both went to visit the brother in Montana and only had one room/one bed I was wondering how they would handle that because it has been months since they’ve been divorced. Fai has been trying to stay sober since the last few years(?) of his marriage he was drunk quite frequently and not really present in his relationship. He has finally decided to stay sober for himself and give the relationship with Sarah a second chance too.
I loved that this was a dual pov because I got to read what both mc’s were thinking about the brother, themselves and each other.
Thank you to H.J for the opportunity to arc read this story!! Can’t wait to jump into your previous books and read them <3
* Second Chance
* Romantic Suspense
* Forced Proximity
* One Bed
* Redeemed Hero
* Angsty Romance
* Mystery Romance
* Mental Health Representation
* Protective MMC
This story really peaked my interest and it was such a good romantic suspense book! I honestly didn’t want to put it down. Fai having a brother he didn’t know about really me had locked in and curious to see what he wanted from him!
When they both went to visit the brother in Montana and only had one room/one bed I was wondering how they would handle that because it has been months since they’ve been divorced. Fai has been trying to stay sober since the last few years(?) of his marriage he was drunk quite frequently and not really present in his relationship. He has finally decided to stay sober for himself and give the relationship with Sarah a second chance too.
I loved that this was a dual pov because I got to read what both mc’s were thinking about the brother, themselves and each other.
Thank you to H.J for the opportunity to arc read this story!! Can’t wait to jump into your previous books and read them <3
June 12, 2026
5/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
Fai and Sarah were in love, but Fai had a drinking addiction that was tearing them both down. They split and Fai returned much later, sober and with new information about his family. Fai needs Sarah to go because he trusts her to help him continue with his sobriety while going to meet a family member he didn’t know he had. Sarah finds Fais brother to be off putting but isn’t sure if that’s just her brain playing tricks on her. Fai and Sarah have to acknowledge their past while finding out chillling revelations.
Ugh!!!!!!! I feel so bad for Fai and Sarah. The substance abuse mentioned in this book and how it affects those around them was devastatingly accurate. This book had me so so emotional through the entire experience. The plot twist was insane and also such an interesting addition to the storyline. Fai definitely deserves all the hugs for everything he overcame and his character development was superb. I LOVED this book!!
Tropes:
✨ One Bed
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Second Chance
I was sent this ARC by the author, H.J. Cartwright. Thank you so so much for allowing me to read this book and provide my honest feedback.
1.5/5 🌶️
Fai and Sarah were in love, but Fai had a drinking addiction that was tearing them both down. They split and Fai returned much later, sober and with new information about his family. Fai needs Sarah to go because he trusts her to help him continue with his sobriety while going to meet a family member he didn’t know he had. Sarah finds Fais brother to be off putting but isn’t sure if that’s just her brain playing tricks on her. Fai and Sarah have to acknowledge their past while finding out chillling revelations.
Ugh!!!!!!! I feel so bad for Fai and Sarah. The substance abuse mentioned in this book and how it affects those around them was devastatingly accurate. This book had me so so emotional through the entire experience. The plot twist was insane and also such an interesting addition to the storyline. Fai definitely deserves all the hugs for everything he overcame and his character development was superb. I LOVED this book!!
Tropes:
✨ One Bed
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Second Chance
I was sent this ARC by the author, H.J. Cartwright. Thank you so so much for allowing me to read this book and provide my honest feedback.
June 15, 2026
This book is such a heartfelt and emotional second chance romance! We absolutely loved everything about this book!
We were rooting for Fai and Sarah the whole time. We loved getting dual POV to really see how both characters were feeling. We loved getting to see them work through their past issues and reconnect. You can tell that they both still love and care so much about each other and really just want the other one happy and healthy. We really enjoyed that although Sarah loved Fai, she still held him accountable for his past actions and really had those tough conversations with him. It was also so nice to see Fai reconnect with Jackie. Their relationship is so special and we’re glad they are friends again.
H.J Cartwright is so good at writing the suspense element of a romantic suspense! Once you get about 40% into the book it’s so hard to put down! You’re constantly wanting to know what’s going to happen and who these people really are. It’s addicting and will keep you hooked until the very end!
If you’re looking for a New Romantic suspense book we highly recommend this one!
We were rooting for Fai and Sarah the whole time. We loved getting dual POV to really see how both characters were feeling. We loved getting to see them work through their past issues and reconnect. You can tell that they both still love and care so much about each other and really just want the other one happy and healthy. We really enjoyed that although Sarah loved Fai, she still held him accountable for his past actions and really had those tough conversations with him. It was also so nice to see Fai reconnect with Jackie. Their relationship is so special and we’re glad they are friends again.
H.J Cartwright is so good at writing the suspense element of a romantic suspense! Once you get about 40% into the book it’s so hard to put down! You’re constantly wanting to know what’s going to happen and who these people really are. It’s addicting and will keep you hooked until the very end!
If you’re looking for a New Romantic suspense book we highly recommend this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Growing up I always read mystery books so I love when I get to combine romance and mystery with a good romantic suspense.
I was excited for In Every Lifetime and it delivered! I read it in about twenty four hours - riding in the car, watching a show with my family, during the previews at the movies!
I loved the opening of the book and how it has you immediately asking questions and looking for answers.
Addiction is such a tough experience so to see Fai and Sarah get their second chance and work through their healing journey back to each other was so rewarding.
I am also a sucker for family drama so I was very interested to figure out who this half brother was and why Fai was in foster care. I was getting nervous towards the end that we’d never get answers so I was happy that at least the basics were given right at the end.
Definitely recommend checking this out and I’ll have to go back and read the advocates series since a lot of those characters are featured in this book.
This review was provided in exchange for an eARC
I was excited for In Every Lifetime and it delivered! I read it in about twenty four hours - riding in the car, watching a show with my family, during the previews at the movies!
I loved the opening of the book and how it has you immediately asking questions and looking for answers.
Addiction is such a tough experience so to see Fai and Sarah get their second chance and work through their healing journey back to each other was so rewarding.
I am also a sucker for family drama so I was very interested to figure out who this half brother was and why Fai was in foster care. I was getting nervous towards the end that we’d never get answers so I was happy that at least the basics were given right at the end.
Definitely recommend checking this out and I’ll have to go back and read the advocates series since a lot of those characters are featured in this book.
This review was provided in exchange for an eARC
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review!
H. J. Cartwright begins with this statement “Let this story be a reminder that we are human. We stumble, we hurt, and we drift. The human existence can be lonely, so let us be alone together.”
This is beautiful and I hope that it can serve as a reminder, you are not alone in this crazy thing we call life🫶🏼
I will also preface that the author provides a detailed content warning prior to beginning this novel that should be taken into account before reading.
Cartwright handles the difficult subjects of addiction and mental health with the utmost care and sensitivity.
The above is why I was hooked before the story of Sarah and Fai even began, and contributed to why I devoured this book in a day.
In Every Lifetime is the journey of Fai and his ex-wife Sarah, which is one of many struggles. But, what stood out was their unwavering love for each other even after divorce. This novel gives us a little of everything. If you want emotions, perseverance, found family, psychological suspense, and some spicy romance in between, this one is for you!
H. J. Cartwright begins with this statement “Let this story be a reminder that we are human. We stumble, we hurt, and we drift. The human existence can be lonely, so let us be alone together.”
This is beautiful and I hope that it can serve as a reminder, you are not alone in this crazy thing we call life🫶🏼
I will also preface that the author provides a detailed content warning prior to beginning this novel that should be taken into account before reading.
Cartwright handles the difficult subjects of addiction and mental health with the utmost care and sensitivity.
The above is why I was hooked before the story of Sarah and Fai even began, and contributed to why I devoured this book in a day.
In Every Lifetime is the journey of Fai and his ex-wife Sarah, which is one of many struggles. But, what stood out was their unwavering love for each other even after divorce. This novel gives us a little of everything. If you want emotions, perseverance, found family, psychological suspense, and some spicy romance in between, this one is for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I finished this last night and let's just say… it finished me first.
This romantic suspense took me from Oregon to Montana (some of the best states you'll ever visit) with Sarah and Faizel. This couple has been married for many years, and during their marriage, Fai has struggled with addiction. It was hard for both of them. Until one day, Fai snapped and Sarah had to be done.
Iney signed their divorce papers and ral decided that he needed to be better.
That he COULD be, if he just tried. Be the person that Sarah deserved. So in the 6 months that they split, they didn't see or hear from one another. Until Fai got a letter from his long lost brother, Gabriel. Gabriel wanted Fai and Sarah to come meet him in the depth of the Montana pines. Hoping Fai and Sarah could forget the past that plagued them, they embark on a roadtrip to Montana. What happens there... is a mystery. Read it and find out!!!
I devoured this book! Heart breaking, gut wrenching, thrilling, and all of the things it made me feel… Read this book!
This romantic suspense took me from Oregon to Montana (some of the best states you'll ever visit) with Sarah and Faizel. This couple has been married for many years, and during their marriage, Fai has struggled with addiction. It was hard for both of them. Until one day, Fai snapped and Sarah had to be done.
Iney signed their divorce papers and ral decided that he needed to be better.
That he COULD be, if he just tried. Be the person that Sarah deserved. So in the 6 months that they split, they didn't see or hear from one another. Until Fai got a letter from his long lost brother, Gabriel. Gabriel wanted Fai and Sarah to come meet him in the depth of the Montana pines. Hoping Fai and Sarah could forget the past that plagued them, they embark on a roadtrip to Montana. What happens there... is a mystery. Read it and find out!!!
I devoured this book! Heart breaking, gut wrenching, thrilling, and all of the things it made me feel… Read this book!
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