Anna Gomez is a hopeless romantic who writes about real life, flawed characters and the saving grace of unconditional love. Her experience of living and growing up in a foreign country plays a large part in her stories. Her full-time career and ability to travel extensively also add flair and individuality to the vividly written settings in her books. They transport the reader to faraway places and make them feel like they have been there before. Anna’s inspiration stems from the people she meets and the places that she has seen. Her stories are realistic and honest, thought-provoking and impactful. Her love for poetry is evident in her writing style. She also has written under the pen name Christine Brae and six books of her books have won literary awards and ranked as bestsellers upon release. In her latest novel “My Goodbye Girl” Tessa must let go of the past and determine once and for all if love is truly more powerful than the pain of goodbye. (Amazon, 2023)

“My Goodbye Girl” – This contemporary romance begins when Tessa Talman first meets Simon Fremont as they are both waiting to board a plane bound for La Guardia. Not only is she attracted to him, she is intrigued by how different their lives are. He is a dedicated scientist, practical, pragmatic, and grounded. She is a head-in-the-clouds romance author. As their relationship grows, they meet in places around the world, while continuing to live in different countries. Though their feelings for each other deepen, their priorities remain the same. Simon is in a hurry to be financially sound and settle down, but Tessa is enjoying her freedom and newfound success. Neither is willing to give in, but as each goodbye gets harder, Tessa begins to wonder whether fame is the path to happiness, or if she has everything she needs in Simon. Just as Tessa finds the courage to go after her own happily ever after, the unthinkable happens, separating them in ways she never imagined.

Romance novels are usually a guilty pleasure because they are predictable and include a ‘happily ever after’ plot. The two main characters in this story are so different from each other and meet at predetermined sites around that world that it is impossible to picture them having a serious future together. Tessa is a free spirited author who enjoys traveling around the world while Simon is a serious scientist who is ready to settle down. The first part is just about them meeting in different places and then hurriedly saying goodbye. Because there is little development or depth to these characters, they are not relatable, so it is hard to be concerned about what happens to them. The real action does not take place until the end of the first part, in Chapter 35, and by then, it feels rushed. Regardless, it is an easy read and since it is heavily dialogue driven, with descriptive language and short chapters, the story flows through the pages. Tessa and Simon’s story takes place through the years as they experience the harsh reality of life – no spoilers! Far from original, “My Goodbye Girl” is still an easy and enjoyable read about two people who are polar opposites yet are involved in a whirlwind romance that takes them around the world. It is recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary romance, women’s fiction, and multicultural romances and appreciate emotional plot twists.  

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.