Dani Atkins’ latest novel, Always You and Me, weaves a beautiful tapestry of love, forgiveness, and second chances that spans decades. This emotional journey follows Lily as she navigates the complexities of love triangles, unspoken truths, and the mysterious final wish of her late husband Adam. The story takes readers on a rollercoaster of emotions—from heartbreak to healing—as Lily reconnects with her childhood friend Josh in a remote Scottish cabin during a fierce snowstorm.
As a long-time reader of Atkins’ work, I can confidently say this novel continues her tradition of emotionally resonant storytelling while adding new dimensions to her repertoire. While the premise might seem familiar to romance readers, Atkins’ execution elevates it beyond conventional genre expectations.
The Strength of Storytelling Through Time
One of the most compelling aspects of Always You and Me is Atkins’ skillful use of time shifts. The narrative moves seamlessly between different periods of Lily’s life:
Her childhood friendship with Josh that blossoms in a sycamore tree
Their almost-relationship during university years
Her marriage to Adam and his subsequent illness
The present-day reconnection with Josh after Adam’s death
These transitions never feel jarring or confusing. Instead, they build a comprehensive picture of the characters’ shared history and the complex emotional bonds between them. Atkins employs this technique to slowly unravel the mystery behind Adam’s final wish, keeping readers engaged and invested in discovering the truth.
The non-linear storytelling serves another purpose—it mirrors how memories work in real life. Certain triggers bring back specific moments, sometimes out of chronological order, and this style perfectly captures Lily’s emotional journey as she processes grief and confronts her complicated feelings for Josh.
Character Development: The Heart of the Story
The characters in Always You and Me are wonderfully three-dimensional, flawed, and relatable. Atkins has created people, not archetypes, which is perhaps the novel’s greatest strength.
Lily evolves beautifully throughout the narrative. We see her as a curious eleven-year-old, a confused young adult, a devoted wife, and a grieving widow looking to honor her husband’s final wish while simultaneously moving forward with her life. Her resilience in the face of loss is inspiring without seeming unrealistic.
Josh’s character is particularly well-crafted. His early childhood trauma informs his adult behavior without defining him completely. His journey from a defensive teenager to a man afraid of commitment, to someone finally willing to confront his feelings, feels authentic and earned. The revelation about his inability to have children adds a poignant layer to his character and explains many of his previous choices.
Adam, despite being physically present only in flashbacks, maintains a strong presence throughout the novel. Atkins manages the difficult task of making him a fully realized character rather than just a plot device. His final letter to Lily is both heartbreaking and healing, showing his complexity and humanity.
The supporting characters, especially Raegan and Claire, add dimension to the narrative. Claire, in particular, transcends the potential “jealous sister” stereotype to become a complex individual with understandable motivations.
A Cabin in the Snow: Setting as Character
The setting of Josh’s remote cabin during a snowstorm functions as more than just a romantic backdrop—it becomes almost a character in its own right. The forced proximity due to the weather creates an enclosed emotional space where Lily and Josh must finally confront their shared past and unspoken feelings.
The treehouse that Josh builds, mirroring Lily’s childhood dream, becomes a powerful symbol of his enduring feelings for her. The revelation that the Chinese characters he uses as his furniture trademark actually spell “Lily” provides a touching revelation that his work has always been a tribute to her.
Atkins’ description of the physical environment—from the snow-laden trees to the cozy interior of the cabin—creates an immersive reading experience that enhances the emotional intensity of the story.
Emotional Resonance: Grief and Healing
What sets Atkins apart from many authors in the genre is her unflinching portrayal of grief. The scenes of Adam’s final days in hospice are handled with sensitivity and authenticity that can only come from deep emotional understanding or research. These moments are painful to read but necessary for the story’s emotional impact.
The novel doesn’t shy away from difficult questions: How do we honor those we’ve lost while still living our own lives? Can we love more than one person at different points in our lives? What constitutes betrayal, and can it be forgiven?
Lily’s journey through grief isn’t portrayed as linear or easy, which adds to the authenticity of the narrative. Her conflicting feelings about pursuing happiness with Josh while still loving Adam reflect the messy reality of human emotions.
When Forever Isn’t Enough: The Epilogue
The epilogue, set many years in the future, offers a beautifully poignant conclusion to the story. Seeing Josh and Lily’s life together—including their relationship with Adam’s son Todd—provides a satisfying closure while acknowledging that love stories don’t end with “happily ever after” but continue through all of life’s challenges.
Josh’s final request that Lily find Adam in the afterlife, giving her permission to leave him and reunite with her first husband, is perhaps the most touching moment in the novel. It underscores the central theme that love isn’t possessive but generous, and that forgiveness can heal even the deepest wounds.
Room for Improvement
Despite its many strengths, Always You and Me isn’t without flaws. Some readers might find:
The coincidences that bring Lily and Josh together feel slightly contrived at times
The revelation about Adam’s lie, while emotionally powerful, stretches credibility somewhat
Some secondary characters, particularly Lily’s parents, remain somewhat underdeveloped
The pacing in the middle section occasionally drags, with some scenes feeling repetitive
Additionally, while the epilogue is emotionally satisfying, the extreme time jump might leave readers wanting more details about how Lily and Josh navigated the early years of their relationship, especially with her pregnancy.
In Context: Atkins’ Literary Evolution
For fans of Atkins’ previous works like Fractured (published as Then and Always in the US), Our Song, and The Story of Us, this novel will feel both familiar and fresh. Her signature blend of contemporary romance with deeper emotional themes continues here, but with perhaps her most well-developed characters to date.
Always You and Me shares DNA with books like Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You in its exploration of love after loss, and Josie Silver’s One Day in December in its examination of timing and missed opportunities. However, Atkins brings her unique voice to these themes, creating something distinctly her own.
Final Thoughts: A Journey Worth Taking
Always You and Me is a testimony to Atkins’ growth as a writer. Her prose is assured, her character work nuanced, and her emotional payoffs earned rather than manipulated. While the novel operates within familiar romance genre parameters, it transcends them through its emotional honesty and complex characterization.
The book reminds us that love is rarely straightforward—it’s messy, complicated, and sometimes arrives at the wrong time. But it also suggests that true connections never really fade, and that it’s never too late for a second chance.
This is a story that will linger in readers’ minds long after the final page, making them reconsider their own past relationships and the nature of forgiveness. For that reason, despite its minor flaws, Always You and Me deserves a place on any romance reader’s bookshelf.
Readers who enjoy emotionally complex contemporary romance with depth, authentic characters, and themes of second chances will find much to appreciate in Atkins’ latest offering. Just be sure to keep tissues handy—you’ll need them.