All We Left Behind

by Danielle R. Graham, D.R. Graham

The Secret Orphan meets The Tattooist of Auschwitz with a dash of Wild Swans

A powerful and incredibly moving historical novel inspired by an untold story of the Second World War.

Vancouver 1941

As the war rages around the world, Hitler’s fury is yet to be felt on the peaceful shores of Mayne Island. Sweethearts Hayden and Chidori are in love.

But everything changes after Pearl Harbor.

Now seen as the enemy, Chidori and her family are forced into an internment camp. Powerless to help them, Hayden joins the Royal Canadian Air Force to bring about an end to this devastating war – the thought of Chidori is all that keeps him alive.

Can they both survive long enough to be reunited?  Or will the war be the only thing to separate their love?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, World War II, Romance, War, Canada

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2020

About the author

Danielle R. Graham is a multi-published author and art and play therapist. Her contemporary novels can be found at the Goodreads Author Profile D.R. Graham.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK/ One More Chapter for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set on British Columbia's Mayne Island in the 1940s, a fishing community where two childhood friends find love. Despite parental objections, Hayden and Chidori begin to plan their future. But as rumors swirl from the mainland and the bombing of Pearl Harbor takes place, the Canadian government begins rounding up their Japanese-Canadian citizens, including Chidori and her family. Frustrated, but determined to see this war end, Hayden enlists and becomes a pilot who participates in the Italian campaign. The thought of their eventual reunion is what will keep Hayden alive.

A solid historical romance that had a bit of a rough beginning, but eventually engulfed me as I became transfixed by Hayden's perspective. Not too many times are my WWII books from the perspective of the male character. Although the narrative is also infused with Chidori's journal writings which balanced out the storyline, it really is Hayden's tale.

Author Danielle R. Graham brings a tale of friendship and love while shedding light on a painful part of Canadian history.

Goodreads review published 07/01/20
Expected Publication Date 10/01/20

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Historical Fiction that takes place right after Pearl Harbor in Canada. This book follows Hayden who loves Chidori (A Canada Japanese). Chidori's Family is forced into an internment camp, and Hayden joins the Royal Canadian Air Force. This is about love helping them though the evils they had to over come, so they can find each other again. I found the beginning of this book to be so slow and a little boring, but I found the middle and ending to be very good. The characters in this book was really developed, and I really enjoyed going on the journey with them. The writing in this book was good. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (One More Chapter) or author (Danielle R. Graham) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Danielle R. Graham for my digital copy of her new book: All We Left Behind.

Hayden Pierce and Chidori Setoguchi are childhood friends they grow up together in Mayne Island in Canada. As children they played together, they got into all kinds of mischief as six year olds, a group of them all hung out together as teenagers and now both are young adults. Girls mature faster than boys, so Chidori knew she was falling in love with her best friend and eventually Hayden discovers he feels the same way about her. The rumblings of WW II are hard to ignore, Hayden isn't that concerned but his family are and so are Chidori's due to the Setoguchi family being Japanese Canadians. Both families are worried when Hayden asks Chidori to start going steady, they want to get engaged and eventually marry. They both notice people are starting to become hostile towards the Japanese Canadians and when the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor on the 7th of December 1941 things change. First they introduce a curfew for the Japanese Canadians, then they are considered enemy aliens, they are forced to leave town and sent to a interment camp.

Hayden is upset, once Chidori's family is sent away he's furious and he thinks the only way to get her back is to join up, fight and help end the war. He and Chidori made a pledge to wait for each other, one day they will be together again and they plan to get married. Hayden trains to be a pilot, his plane is shot down in enemy territory, he suffers from terrible burns and spends months in a German military hospital, once he recovers he's transported to POW Stalag camp in Germany. Life in the camp is horrible, the food is shocking, the prisoners spend most of the time in their huts and get to walk around outside for an hour each day. Months go by, he finally receives mail from his family and nothing from Chisori. He's reunited with his friend Gordie, but by this time Hayden is in bad shape, he's lost a lot of weight, he suffers from nightmares and develops tremors in his hands.

The camp is finally liberated by the Russian army in May 1945 Hayden is excited, then he discovers he can't eat a lot, he needs to get stronger before he's shipped home and it's a slow process. His parents are delighted when he returns home, everything has changed and none of the Japanese residents have returned to Mayne. Hayden is shocked to discover why, he also sets out to find Chidori and her family?

All We Left Behind is a story about friendship, young love, war, tragedy and how badly one group of people are treated by the Canadian government and how they had all their rights, property and freedom taken away from them all because of their Japanese heritage.
I really enjoyed the book, it's classed as young adult historical fiction and I gave it four stars.
I have shared my review on Goodreads, Twitter, NetGalley, Edelweiss, Amazon Australia, Kobo and my blog.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review is more of 3.5 star but I rounded down. I will explain why in a minute.

This is a sweet and endearing love story. Two kids who have fallen madly in love and ripped apart because of the war. Will they find their way back to each other? While the novel spans the time period of 1941 - 1945 during WW2, the author jumps back and forth not only within the time period but between the perspectives of Hayden and Chidori. Sometimes even within the same chapter. I have to give the author credit here, she pulls it off seamlessly. One would think jumping around like that would confuse the reader. On the contrary, I followed the timeline and span of events perfectly. That's a narrative style that is hard to write and Graham nails it!

The plotline itself was somewhat unique. There are a million historical fiction novels on WW2, but this is the first one I've read from the perspective of Japanese-Canadians. So, again, kudos to the author on that.

Here is where the story fell a little short for me and why I rounded down - first is the ending. I won't spoil the ending, let's just say I felt it was too abrupt and I wanted much more than there was. I feel it could have been expanded on and still maintained the same impact. The second area was I felt some of the perspectives to be a little on the immature side. That made it difficult to really connect with either of the main characters. After reading it I saw it also listed as young adult, which makes more sense. For those reasons I rounded my 3.5 star rating down to a 3.

This is a good story and it is a good book. I really enjoyed learning about another aspect of war I had not previously known.

My thanks to Danielle Graham, One More Chapter publishing and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[BookNightOwl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Harper Collins UK in returned for an honest review.

All We Could Not Leave Behind takes place during WWII. Even though this book is based mostly about the friendship and love of two characters Hayden and Chidori you see the struggles and what it really means to never give up hope. When Chidori family is kick out of there home for being Japanese Candian during the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Chidori and her family is sent to an internment camp. Hayden decides to enlist and everyday he thinks about how Chidori and him will be together again.

I loved the point of view of the main character being from the male. I loved how you had snippets of Chidori's journal entries. I love to read historic fiction even though this was more about their love then the war. It was a fantastic read.

[Skyesmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much.
I liked the story between Chi and Hayden, their young love and how it blossomed into something much more.
You can't help but smile at some of the moments in the book, such as the camaraderie between Hayden and some of his friends who were there for him when he needed them.

I knew a little bit about how the Japanese were treated in the US, but not in .
It goes to show how easily hate is spread and the damage caused by it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Danielle Graham and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read and review it.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

All We Left Behind had me in all sorts of emotions. In the beginning, you will meet Chidori and Hayden. Now they had something pure and adorable between them: love. Yet, the ugly world tried to tear them apart. I mean, it obviously happened due to a war but it hurt my heart when people close to a certain someone tried to do something as well.

While Chidori is at internment camp, due to being Japanese, Hayden is kind of lost in his own mind (for a bit). He just wants to be with Chidori but he also wants the war to be done and over with. So, he does what he thinks needs to happen - he goes to war.

Once he runs into trouble, he finds himself going down a deep dark hole and thinking of what Chidori could be doing. The one thing that keeps him going and eventually getting out of his prison - Chidori. All things her. The promises they made to one another before she was shipped off. The hope that she will be back home waiting for him since the war is over.

Only to have all those hopes and dreams come crashing down. There's a teeny tiny sliver of hope though and that's what he clings onto. Heck, I was clinging right along with Hayden. Again, I felt so many emotions while reading this book.

I was angry with all the racism throughout this. Especially with how people are acting today - it just frustrates me that people are still in this same mindset. Then enters sadness because of how people were being treated before camps, then camps, and then after camps. I don't think I've ever hated the government more than I did until today. Yeah, they are filled with a bunch of assholes but what they did the homes and property of the Canadian-Japanese people was freaking dirty.

Also, what Hayden's mom did was dirty too. So, it's safe to say that I hated her. I didn't need her tears at the end of this book because it meant NOTHING to me. Just saying. After seesawing between those two emotions, I finally got to happiness. That ending was just so freaking cute. I kept waiting for the reunion to happen and when it did - these two were just perfect.

In the end, the happiness was definitely worth the wait. True love might exist with this one.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I found this to be painfully boring and predictable.

I wasn't hooked initially, but I thought if I got past the point where the characters are proclaiming their love for each other, then I would enjoy it more; this did not happen. The way the story is told also took away from this—the perspective switches between Hayden and Chidori and their journal entries. One paragraph could be the present, and then the next would switch to the past abruptly, making it weird to get through.

[Ian M. Pyatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just did nothing for me. The part I enjoyed most was Chi's journal entries and she seemed to be the most engaging character as well; the others not so much.

The location of the story piqued my interest as my grandfather had a farm on Salt Spring Island, BC and I have a book on the history of the island and there is a chapter regarding the Japanese settlers and how they lost everything and a couple photos of them on boats departing the island to wherever they were headed.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

All We Left Behind by Danielle Graham is a fabulous, gripping historical fiction piece focussing on one of the lesser covered subjects in recent HF offerings concerning Japanese internment camps in Canada during WWII.

I had read about Japanese internment camps in America, but I did not know this shameful behavior also occurred in Canada as well.

This book is so much more then just friends, equals, lovers separated due to circumstances beyond their control. This is a story of heartbreak, loss, redemption, romance, and finally a happy ending.

I enjoyed reading from both the POV of Hayden, a Canadian and POW, and Chidori, a Japanese-Canadian who was subjected to persecution through no fault of her own. Despite all of their obstacles and trials, the author was able to weave a tale that provided a satisfying and heartwarming end to show a love that transcended all.

I also enjoyed learning a bit of historical perspective from the Author Note at the end of the book. I am glad that I was able to come away from this novel learning something new about this time in history.

5/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and HC/One More Chapter for this excellent ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Rinou · Rating 4 out of 5]

On suit plus le héros que l’héroïne, donc préparez-vous à des moments sombres. Une histoire d’amour présentée desservie par une alternance de chapitres dans deux époques différentes, mais que j’ai beaucoup aimé et que je recommande à ceux qui veulent quelque chose de différent.

Avis complet https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young adults Hayden and Chidori have known each other all their lives and have now fallen in love, but being together won’t be easy. They live in British Columbia, Canada, and WWII is raging in Europe. Their situation becomes more dire after Japan bombs Pearl Harbour, because Hayden is white but Chidori is Japanese-Canadian, so suddenly she and her family are considered the enemy. Chidori’s family is forced into an internment camp while Hayden joins the Air Force to fight in Europe. The only thing keeping Hayden going is the hope that he’ll reunite with Chidori after the war ends, but is he being realistic?

This was a good book in that it tackles a horrible part of Canadian (and American) history. Many people still don’t realize that Japanese-Canadians, many of them born in Canada, were forced out of their homes and sent inland (as far away as Ontario) to live out the war in internment or labour camps. I was somewhat disappointed to discover that there was very little mention of the internment experience once Chidori’s family was shipped out. Rather, the novel focused on Hayden’s war experience... which is fine, but just not at all what I’d expected.

The book also had a stronger romance vibe to it that I’d expected, but in all fairness, the blurb does say they are in love and hope to be reunited, so it’s my own fault that I was a bit surprised by the romantic tone.

Overall, the novel was fine, just not quite what I thought it would be. I thought it had a very definite young adult vibe, and as such it would be a good general introduction for older teens who wanted to know how the lead-up to internment happened, and what it was like to be a POW during WWII.

[Anna Schlueter · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an incredible story. I was hooked from the first page and trying to piece the story of the past and present through a truly horrific war. Graham does a remarkable job recounting events as well as depicting the excruciating pain they had to endure as captured soldiers. Love will always stand the test of time.

[Jess✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book broke my heart in two.

Hayden and Chidori’s story is so powerful and impacted me so much that when they were finally reunited at the end of the book I was sobbing.

I never knew about how Japanese Canadians were treated during the time of World War 2 so I am thankful to this book for educating me and I will recommend this to every soul I know.

[Jennifer N · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was decent. It is a Canadian WWII story focusing on how Japanese Canadians were treated. Hayden falls in love with Chandori when they are children and can't understand why neither family wants them to be together. Her family is sent away to an internment camp and he enlists. The timeline shifts from when they are teenagers to when he is in a POW camp. We get her side of the story from her journals written before she leaves for the camp. The story itself is ok but Hayden is so naïve that it is frustrating.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the plot was easy to follow- more of a YA feel- I felt generally disappointed for a couple reasons. First, the front cover shows a woman (presumably Chidori) in front of a barbed wire fence. She spent very little time in that environment, so the cover is misleading. Also, I felt Hayden’s life and its details were more the focus of the book, but he’s not a part of the cover.
Also disappointing was the type editing in the book. It was frustrating to read. Sometimes there would be no space after a quote and the next sentence, and other times there would be a space. There was a lack of consistency. Also, since when do we not put a period after Mr. or Mrs.?

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two young people living in Western Canada fall in love at the worst time in history for them. The girl is Nisei and the boy is not. She and her family are outcasts and sent to internment camp just like the indignities down in the US. He was already wanting to join up with a Flying Corps and does so. The book goes back and forth from fall of 1941 to their parallel incarcerations. It's a very moving book and I loved it.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Harper 360/One More Chapter via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Palak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper 360 / One More Chapter for an e-copy of All We Left Behind by Danielle R. Graham in exchange for an honest review!

Rating ~4 / 5 stars

I have read a lot of books based on the World War Two time period, however, this is my first time reading a novel through the eyes of a Canadian boy who fell in love with a Japanese girl and their struggles during this era. This was such an emotional, teary, and compelling book.

This book follows the lives of Hayden and Chidori, childhood friends, who finally decide to go "steady" when they're older. When Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the Canadian government starts rounding up all people who are Japanese and sending them into containment / labor camps which includes Chidori's family. Hayden and Chidori get separated once more during these difficult times with the promise that they will wait for each other once the war is over.

This was a very beautifully written story that brought tears to my eyes a couple of times. Danielle writes in 3 parts that are happening at the same time; (1) Chidori's and Hayden's lives together before the Pearl Harbor attack, (2) Hayden's life as a soldier of the Allied Forces, and (3) Chidori's letters. I usually get really confused and lost when authors try to switch POV in a single chapter but Danielle did it really well and it had such an impact on me.

Hayden goes to help fight for the Allied Forces and his journey from the moment he first joined to the end of the war was a tearjerker that's for sure specifically when he starts to think really dark things when he gets captured by the German / Italian forces. That was so hard to read because Danielle didn't sugarcoat what Hayden was going through. Instead, she kept his feelings as authentic and real as possible.

All in all, this a book that I really need to experiences because it relates to what we all are going through with this pandemic: don't lose hope because good things are always combine even when you don't think you´ll be able to recover from it. What Hayden and Chidori went through and how they kept fighting to keep going was inspiring!

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The effects of war are far reaching and unending. Families are torn apart by death and dismemberment. Bitter memories remain through generations.

Japanese were restricted by curfews. Had to carry identification cards. Lost their property. Were finally rounded up and placed in camps surrounded by barbed wire. The similarities to the plight of the Jews during the Holocaust are impossible to miss. As I read this story of forbidden young love, I found that I could substitute the words "Jew" and "Germany" for "Jap" and "Canada" in most cases.

Hayden and Chidori have grown up together. Have been friends who sought adventures all over Mayne Island, British Columbia, where they live. They shared experiences. Ultimately, they became more than friends. They fell in love. Then WWII intervened and Japanese were restricted to relationships with other Japanese. Even friendships involving Japanese and non-Japanese were frowned upon. Both sets of parents were vehemently opposed to the friendship between these two.

But, they made a vow. To love each other forever. No matter that they were separated. After the war, when all this nonsense was behind them, they would find each other and be together.

Why immigrants from Germany and from Italy were not subjected to the same rigid treatment is only one of the questions found in this heartwarming novel. This tender story of an innocent couple caught up in world events beyond their control will stay with you long after the last page is turned.

I read this EARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Collins. pub date January 2020

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“All We Left Behind” set on Mayne Island, British Columbia opens in 1941 with the mushrooming love between childhood friends Japanese-Canadian Chidori Setoguchi and Hayden Pierce as Japan joins Germany and Italy in WW11. In love, engaged and fearing the growing pressure on the Canadian Government to force Japanese-Canadians into internment camps after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour, Hayden joins the Royal Canadian Air Force after Chi’s uncle’s arrested and she and her family are sent away.

Wounded and captured after his plane is shot down, the plot then follows Hayden’s struggles to survive the brutality and hunger as a prisoner—of-war, fighting to keep his sanity and reunite with Chi and her family.

Well-developed, historically-based and emotional-riveting intensity escalates as the two stories merge when the war ends and Hayden searches for the woman he loves. Told from mainly Hayden’s perspective and Chi’s journal entries, the plot keeps you on the edge of you seat as it flows seamlessly to surprising twists at the end.

Breathing life into the story are compelling and multi-faceted characters like loyal, stubborn Hayden Pierce who has a temper that often brings him trouble, and the smart, worrier and over-thinker Chidori Setoguchi. Deeply in love and hoping for a future together the love story is explosive as they each struggle to stay strong during the evil that’s WW11.

I thoroughly enjoyed “All We Left Behind” and highly recommend it to those who enjoy an historically-based story with an element of faith intertwined.

[Thelma · Rating 3 out of 5]

as a fan of WW2, this book was good, the characters and the love story everything was good my only reservation was that it is very romanticized for my taste.

This story of Hayden and Chidori. Hayden is a young man who unfortunately was capture by the worst enemy, he was living the worst nightmare not only because he was in a terrible place but also because he didn't know anything about his family and the love of his life.

I had a very hard time with Hayden and Chidoris parents, they were not kind at all to square for my taste, their traditions and beliefs were too closed, when they found out about the intentions of Hayden, their culture and belief system was more important for them than to see their son and daughter happy, they were constantly bothering them with things that were more about cultural and even racist than the well being of their love.

I didn't know that happened in Canada when the ww2 started this is all new to me, and it feels terrible that citizen who was there and born there were so discriminated only because they had a Japanese heritage, it kind of make you aware how racism has never stopped and it has been there for many many life times.

I enjoy this book and the love story of Chidori and Hayden, I only felt a little off that they were in a constant battle of trying to find each other over and over again.

[K.A. Wiggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: Danielle is a friend, so rather than telling you why *I* loved the book, I'll give some reasons why you might love it:

- charming island town (I totally want to visit Mayne Island now!)
- gutwrenching wartime scenes (but not, like, too brutal)
- covers Japanese internment (underreported chapter in Canadian history, the writing takes a light touch, showing some deeply upsetting moments but doesn't get exploitative/trauma-porny)
- nuanced characters who develop over time
- adorable 1930s/40s mixed-race couple
- great historical details!
- super relevant to our current moment & shows how quickly things can go sideways
- accessible style, works for teens or adult readers
- IDK how to say this without getting spoilery, but the ending is more romance-y than lit or historical fiction-y (HEA) which helps balance out the traumatic subject matter (feel-good read?)

Conclusion: pick it up if you're a fan of (mild not spicy) romance stories, historical fiction, Canadian history, etc.!

[Courtney G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up a few towns over from a former internment camp in BC in what is still a very small, predominantly white community. So, it was noticable that all of the Japanese students in my tiny highschool lived in this town. I knew the population of Japanese families there had something to do with WWII, but it wasn't until I was a young adult that I learned the term 'internment camp' and started to become aware of the horrors of my beloved community's (and country's) past; a past that was shared with the grandparents of my classmates and friends.

So, when I found this book, I knew I had to read it. And, oh boy - it really got to me. While I fully acknowledge that it's not my history to grieve, it feels painfully close to home. And then of course there are the horrors POW's experienced. This is a WWII historical fiction unlike any other, and I'm glad that the world has Chidori and Hayden to spread awareness about this part of shameful Canadian history.

My heart goes out to all who have suffered racial injustice and violation of human rights. ❤️

[Janis Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

World War 2 is my favorite historical fiction read. This book was particularly interesting because it is the first I have read from the Canadian perspective and one of the few about Japanese internment.
The story is based on the relationship between Hayden, a young man in the town of Mayne Island, and Chidori, from a well off Japanese family. The two fall in love right about the time of Pearl Harbor.
The book gives scary insights into all the loses of Japanese Canadians as well as what is happening in Europe during the war.
A good read for our times that shows how easily things can change and how governments can control situations.

[Reanna Rainbow · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
A good story that definitely has you rooting for the main characters. I loved Chidori and Hayden. I loved that it wasn't your typical WW2 fiction book and actually was from the perspective of a Canadian and Canadian-Japanese perspective. A lot of people don't realize that America and Canada incarcerated Japanese residents during WW2. The government took all their belongings, forced them out of their homes and into working camps. So I loved that this book gave a different perspective that isn't always shown!

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally I’m not a huge fan of novels that skip around in timeline, but this time it was seamlessly done and added something extra to this story. From the very first chapter I was hooked and wanted to know more about Chidori and Hayden; from their prewar relationship to how they each survived the war.
Reading about the Walt early relationship reflected the rosy view of a couple who had yet to be tested. Yet the evolution and growth that both went through during the war (Chidori was forced to an interment camp and Hayden was so POW), showed the strength of the human soul. In the end things didn’t magically return to the way they were but a new normal was established, which kept the novel grounded in reality. Loved this novel and is already on my re-read list.
I received this book from the publisher/author at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.

[Jennifer Yanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story that explores the Japanese interment camps and the impact they had on the people impacted. It is a beautiful story of courage and compassion that pulls on all the emotions circling this devastating time in history. Beautifully written and engaging, albeit predictable.

[Donna Alward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely, lovely story with a Canadian setting and a fresh perspective on WWII in Europe and Canada. Highly recommend!

[Marilyn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a excellent book - however, for the first time, I felt ashamed to call myself a Canadian. The treatment of Canadian citizens of Japanese descent during world War II was abhorrent!

[Lorena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could NOT get through this…