THE YEAR I LEFT

Book Excellence Award Winner: Women’s Fiction

Chatelaine Book Awards (Shortlisted): Romantic Fiction

"A thousand half loves must be forsaken
to take one whole heart home."

Carin Frost doesn’t understand what’s happening to her. A confident businesswoman, wife, and mother, she begins to resent everything about her life. Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes her feel. Maybe it’s the recent loss of her mother in a tragic accident. Or maybe she’s just losing her mind.

Enter Matias Torres. As their new business partnership thrives, so does their friendship—and his interest in her. Carin is determined to keep her distance, until a work assignment sends them to Southeast Asia where a storm is brewing on the island. In the midst of the chaos, Matias asks her to do something unimaginable, exhilarating, BOLD. Carin knows the consequences could be dire, but it may be the only way to save herself.

An honest look at love and marriage and the frailties of the human heart, this is a story of a woman’s loss of self and purpose and the journey she takes to find her way back.


"With its richly crafted characters and beautifully crafted prose, The Year I Left is a compelling exploration of the human condition - Christine Brae explores the complexities of love, loss and depression in a breathtaking way. A captivating tale of resilience and redemption, The Year I Left will take you on an emotional journey where the echoes of the past meet the promise of a brighter tomorrow."
~Book Excellence, Winner Women's Fiction 2024

"A lyrically written masterpiece of women's fiction that is emotional, raw, and real." ~Tarryn Fisher, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author