I kept putting off writing this review because I knew that by the end I would have a stack of tissues wet with my tears. Dallas' debut novel has every flavor to make it a bestseller. I was drawn to the book by the blurb which was mysterious and yet gave away the main premise. "What if, when you died, you got to relive The Best Week of Your Life - but you died too soon, and The Best Week of Your Life hadn’t happened yet?".

I knew that the book was going to be a heart-breaker and most probably leave me with puffy eyes and dullness. Braving this knowledge, I read the book and was sucked deep into it. I read the book in one sitting. On my second reading, I found myself pausing to avoid tears and the dull ache that arose due to the circumstances the characters find themselves in.

I knew from page one that this book would break my heart into shreds and that it might even drain me emotionally. The thought was always at the back of my mind while reading. It was like knowing you are about to get cut, but not sure when the knife will hit you.

The book is about childhood friends, Kai and Tegan. Kai and Tegan are best friends which strengthens over a period of time and develops into love which both fear to admit. Fate plays a cruel game and the lovers find their way back to each other after a tragic accident strikes Tegan. The book then further explore this relationship where they both confess their love to each other despite their fears and anxieties. Isn't this the same in real life too? We fear that we will lose a person if we admit our true feelings. Often regretting too late, thinking "what if?"

Their relationship is dealt with masterfully. It sneaks upon you without a shadow. You will be engulfed in their love and be an active participant with them. I won't reveal the story because it will ruin the pleasure of reading.

You will be aware of the bitter truth, but it will still kill you when Kai and Tegan discover the devastating truth for themselves. You wish you could hug and console them. Holding back the tears is very difficult when reading this book – it will make you cry with love, with pain, with joy and in revelation. Each page is laced with so much emotion that one wonders how the author managed to capture it all.

This is a great debut novel; I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend everyone read the book at least once. It's not just a book about friendship or family or romance. It is also about giving life a second chance and to attempt to live beyond fear. There are important life lessons that one can take away. We don't know which hour will be our last, and this should not stop us from living our best lives. There are beautiful words that can be etched into our minds.

We can also see that a lot of reading and research has gone into writing the novel, as evident by the Hawaiian-based myths and legends that are interspersed throughout the book.

The Best Week that Never Happened is heartrendingly beautiful. Words seemed to flow with a mind of their own before I even framed them. Such is the beauty and power of this magnificent novel. No book has touched me this way after reading it for quite some time. This book is a rare gem that will make you appreciate everything and everyone that you have in your life. Come, close your eyes, learn to trust, and fall in love all over again.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange of a honest review. My views about the work are not influenced or biased towards the author or publisher.