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Penelope Ward
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The Day He Came Back Kindle Edition

by Penelope Ward (Author), Jessica Royer Ocken (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 5,514 ratings
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.

It was the summer of my life.
I’d met the guy of my dreams.
Unfortunately, he was the son of my uppity employer—and very much off-limits.
But Gavin was a rebel. He knew his mother would disown him if she found out about us; in his eyes, we just had to be careful.
He never treated me as his mother did—like hired help.
Instead, Gavin put me on a pedestal and loved me harder than I’d ever been loved in my life.

What a summer it was.
Until it all ended—badly.

I was never supposed to see Gavin again.
That didn’t stop me from thinking about him every day for ten years.
I knew little about his life now, just that he was an entrepreneur living an ocean away.

When a twist of fate had me working again in the very place our love affair started a decade earlier, I knew it was only a matter of time before I might see him again.
But I wasn’t prepared.
What if he hated me?
What if he loved someone else now?
I wasn’t prepared for all the unknowns.

And most of all, I wasn’t prepared for today to be the day he came back.




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  1. Print length
    308 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    August 17, 2019
  5. File size
    3.7 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. “I hope that cleared up the fact that this was, in fact, a date. It was always a date. We’re dating.” He smiled mischievously.
    Highlighted by 150 Kindle readers
  2. “Travel is overrated. The best places are those where you find peace.”
    Highlighted by 140 Kindle readers
  3. “Remember how I said this was my favorite place?” “Yeah?” “Well, you’re my favorite person.”
    Highlighted by 111 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is going on my best of 2019 list.
-Kindle Crack Book Reviews

If you haven't read a book from Penelope Ward, this is the book you must read! It was simply perfect from page one till the end!
-Read More Sleep Less Blog

An amazing 6-star story that sucked me in and had me reading it non-stop.
-TDC Book Reviews

The twists and turns that come with this story had me gasping for air.
-Kinky Girls Book Obsessions

I fell in love over and over with this heart-breakingly beautiful, angsty, second chance romance.
-Keri Loves Books

THE FEELS, you guys, THE FEELS. I am suffering from a book hangover right now.
-HEA Book Shelf Blog

This my favorite Penelope Ward book to date!
-The Review Loft

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07WQMZ8YV
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penelope Ward Books, Inc.
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 17, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.7 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1951045029
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 5,514 ratings

About the author

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Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward

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Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over thirty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
5,514 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a great second chance romance with a heart-wrenching emotional journey that pulls readers' heartstrings and makes them cry. The writing style is wonderful, and they appreciate the strong connection with the characters, with one customer noting the heroine's unwavering support throughout the story. The book receives positive feedback for its humor and pacing, with customers describing it as full of surprises, though opinions on enjoyment are mixed, with some finding it boring.

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RomanceReadabilityCharacter developmentEmotional contentWriting styleHumorPacingEnjoyment
120 customers mention "Romance"106 positive14 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as a great second chance romance with a perfect, touching story about true love.

"...He expresses himself and while he’s patient, the story unfolds leaving no doubt that he knows what he wants, even if events beyond his control force..." Read more

"...Simply another great story! Thank you, Penelope." Read more

"...The way these two bonded and the way their relationship grew was truly beautiful, and the way both of them was willing to give up anything and..." Read more

"The characters and the storytelling makes a beautiful compelling story if this trope that I mostly relate to soap operas...." Read more

104 customers mention "Readability"104 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read, with several mentioning they love Penelope Ward's works.

"...This book was very sweet, emotional, and funny." Read more

"...It pulses with need and brutal honesty, and it’s the perfect tonic to a long season of stories of redeemed bullies and immature jerks...." Read more

"I've read a.fair amount from this author and for the most part, enjoyed her books. Regrettably,, this is not one of them...." Read more

"...It was amazing, the twists and plots. The surprises, the character developments. “Cinderella’s Ex-man”..." Read more

45 customers mention "Character development"42 positive3 negative

Customers love the characters in the book, with one customer particularly appreciating the strong connection with them, while another notes how the female protagonists are smart.

"...The characters were well developed and the plot well thought out. I loved everything about it!..." Read more

"...but came out on top 💪 Gavin can I just he is one of the best male characters that was just so good to be thru but when he got heart by the breakup..." Read more

"...Both main characters are extremely likeable and well developed. And that epilogue is everything!..." Read more

"Gavin was one of the best heroes I’ve read so far this year and Raven was just as amazing. They were from different sides of the bridge...." Read more

41 customers mention "Emotional content"41 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging, describing it as heart-wrenching and sad, with several customers mentioning they cried while reading it.

"...This book was very sweet, emotional, and funny." Read more

"...The Day He Came Back is so full of soul...." Read more

"...This one did not disappoint as I laughed, I cried, I was cheering on and on the edge of my seat! Simply another great story! Thank you, Penelope." Read more

"...It’s heartbreaking of the events that occur down to the last %...." Read more

20 customers mention "Writing style"16 positive4 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, describing it as wonderfully written, with one customer noting it's a beautiful emotional rollercoaster.

"...It is beautifully written and I couldn’t put it down until the end." Read more

"...The Day He Came Back is wonderfully written and heartbreakingly beautiful. The characters were well developed and the plot well thought out...." Read more

"...Thanks for your beautiful writing...." Read more

"...Not only did it not seem like her typical writing style, but the wording was just....off...." Read more

16 customers mention "Humor"12 positive4 negative

Customers find the book humorous, with some parts making them laugh, and one customer particularly appreciating its ironic elements.

"...This book was very sweet, emotional, and funny." Read more

"...This one did not disappoint as I laughed, I cried, I was cheering on and on the edge of my seat! Simply another great story! Thank you, Penelope." Read more

"...If I had to sum it up in just one word...... Cheesy. I kept thinking to myself... is this really a PW book?..." Read more

"...This story captured my heart, tormented it a time or two, made me laugh, pissed, sad, cry on occasion and finally happy again...." Read more

15 customers mention "Pacing"15 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with individual reviews highlighting its well-developed plot, strong character development, and the admirable strength of the main character Raven.

"...And yet he is no heartbreaker. He’s a deliberate, careful lover and the bittersweet developments in this story make it impossible to stay away...." Read more

"...These two fell fast, hard and deep. But despite all the common ground they found, they came from very different worlds...." Read more

"...I loved Gavin---he was completely unexpected! A down-to-earth, loyal, loving man who follows his heart when it matters the most...." Read more

"...story of Gavin and Raven was filled with class division, angst, determination, sadness, lust, misunderstandings, and eventually true love...." Read more

19 customers mention "Enjoyment"9 positive10 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book, with some finding it full of surprises while others express disappointment.

"...HUGE deviation from this author’s previous work and was in fact quite disappointing. I’m “shook.”..." Read more

"...full of all the excitement of young love, genuine connection and new attraction. These two fell fast, hard and deep...." Read more

"...I liked the characters but something just didn't catch my attention. I will still read this author's books but couldn't give it a great rating." Read more

"...And oh omg what a resolution it was. So many unexpected changes, so many surprises, heartaches, swooning, butterflies all over...." Read more

On my TOP 2019 MUST READ lists!!
5 out of 5 stars
On my TOP 2019 MUST READ lists!!
THE GUIDE TO ROMANCE NOVELS REVIEW Not my first read by author, I don’t know a lot of people actually anyone who hasn’t read a Penelope Ward book, I mean HELLOO!! I was preparing because of the Blurb that got me! Right away my heart was hurting, but the back-story of Gavin & Raven…oh be still my heart. To come to an understand of the HOW was beautifully broken. THIS STORY WILL TEAR YOU DOWN & THEN BUILT YOU BACK UP! O.M.G. Part one was a killer, and i mean that in every emotional feelings type of way. The whole back-story of them was very informative and heartbreaking on a lot of way. All the side characters, Raven’s mother and Gavin’s family, all had a backstory and some connection in a way. So to say that I disliked a character is hard, except except except Gavin’s mother, WOW she was a kicker!! It’s hard to say much because I don’t want to ruin it for you, but there was so much I just want to spill it all! Oh, and you will love Marina, HA! I want to be best friends with her and have her on my side of the ring! Gavin: as a young man he was level headed, gorgeous and fun. Raven: as a young woman she was strong, already grown up and eventful. Gavin: As a man he is a knock out drop dead gorgeous and still his old self just more responsibilities as it seem. Raven: As a woman she is broken, marked and still the honest beautiful girl she was. This is a story of a boy and girl that fell in love so much that nothing could tare them apart, until one day something did, or did it in the first place at all? One summer proved that LOVE exists but did it still exist? It’s heartbreaking of the events that occur down to the last %. It’s a book that I couldn’t put down and reading it made me feel as if i was living it. I laughed, cried, got angry and loved with Gavin & Raven. A contrast story! Penelope really is a magician!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kat Oldham
    5.0 out of 5 stars Raven and Gavin, angsty, steamy and humorous love story!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    They fell in love, but had to hide it from his mother! She gets to Raven and they spend 10 yrs apart. Raven becomes a registered nurse. After her mom and Gavin's mother passes away, she ends up tending to Gavin's father when his dementia worsens. Gavin comes to visit his Dad from London where he lives and he's engaged. Raven needs to tell him the truth of their break up. Thank you Penelope for keeping me on my toes with this one!
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  • Kandis
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Day He Came Back
    Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I think that I read this book before, but it didn't show up as readed. This book was very sweet, emotional, and funny.
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  • KC Crosby
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Future Classic. A tour de force of longing and second chances. All the Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The Day He Came Back is a tour de force of longing and second chances. An adult story about true love and sacrifice. Yet it’s so much more. It doesn’t fit neatly into any little boxes. And everyone should read it. I was overcome by the stark portrait of choosing between selfish and selfless love, between family we’re born into, and the family we choose.

    TDHCB is a simple, stellar romance set amid an elegy on sacrifice, greed and the callous indifference of illness. You will fall for Raven, just as Gavin did, and this story will stay with you. Long after you’ve tried to move on, these lovely people won’t let you.

    The Day He Came Back is so full of soul. It pulses with need and brutal honesty, and it’s the perfect tonic to a long season of stories of redeemed bullies and immature jerks. Raven and Gavin are honest, devoted star-crossed lovers.

    Gavin Masterson is a prince among men. Gavin is the modern hero we need today, and in a sea of caricatures and nasty book boyfriends, he surfaces as the answer. The only man we need. He’s complicated, yet smitten and he knows it, his obligations weigh on him, yet he keeps himself and the readers above water, never pandering or compromising himself or his ideals. He expresses himself and while he’s patient, the story unfolds leaving no doubt that he knows what he wants, even if events beyond his control force his hand. And yet he is no heartbreaker. He’s a deliberate, careful lover and the bittersweet developments in this story make it impossible to stay away.

    What I liked most about Gavin? How Ward drew him, with so many dimensions, and yet he was always honest and committed, to everyone. It’s hard to write a man as smitten and not have him sound like a girl, but Ward gave us a real young man who grows into an incredible adult, full of love, and passion, longing and fear and vulnerability, altho he never came across as pitiable. Gavin moved me in every scene. I kept thinking to myself, true love is the family you choose, whelp. I love this story.

    Raven is the epitome of self sacrifice, and her journey from curious outsider to head over heels young love was thrilling and she is up there with my favorite young heroines. She had so much thrust upon her. And over and over she put everyone else on her back, choose their battles over her own. No wonder Gavin fell so hard. I can understand what happened, and the heartbreak was agonizing yet felt inevitable. How did Ward do that?

    God, my emotions were all over the place. Tears and laughter mixed equally because the narrative was freaking compelling, and it was fantastic. I can't say anymore, you’ll have to read the story, and I don’t want to spoil it, but Ward has a gift. She can weave a complicated world where we care deeply for everyone in the story, and the humanness she conveyed--even in the simplest of phrases--moved me.

    About that title. It was in so many ways, a perfect metaphor for Raven’s beats in this story. I feel like Gavin had many days and he came back over and over (I'm not giving anything away, I'm talking about the effect of the story). Gavin wanted Raven from the moment they saw each other. Their first scenes together are the perfect launch for their languid romance. There is great plotting and 'yell at your kindle' arcs that carry us through, even the brother and best friend find peace.

    Sigh, I could go on, I enjoyed this story so much. I highly recommend it for anyone who loves true love.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great story
    Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I love every book I have read of Penelope Ward's. This one did not disappoint as I laughed, I cried, I was cheering on and on the edge of my seat! Simply another great story! Thank you, Penelope.
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  • Baseballmom
    3.0 out of 5 stars 3 stars..... Eh, He Could've Stayed Away
    Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I've read a.fair amount from this author and for the most part, enjoyed her books. Regrettably,, this is not one of them. If I had to sum it up in just one word...... Cheesy. I kept thinking to myself... is this really a PW book? Not only did it not seem like her typical writing style, but the wording was just....off. At first I thought it might be because the characters were 19 and 21 yrs old and it was an attempt at creating youthful sounding characters. However, ten yrs later and they still sounded the same. Basically, they fell into Insta love after a very short time together, had to stop seeing each other, he leaves for London. Ten yrs go by, he comes back (not for her), they side step each for a month, the truth comes out, they have a chat, he needs to think and returns to London. They don't speak for a month and out of nowhere he calls her and asks her to fly to London so they can talk. BAM...they go through the "I've only ever loved you" thing, decide to be together, THE END. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to them, nor did I feel any love or romance, and honestly, while I'm not against men crying per se, it needs to be for a really good reason. Gavin's tears, however, just added another level of cheese.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • chrissycf
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2019
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    The Day He Came Back has to be one of my favorite Penelope Ward books in a long time! Gavin and Raven's story just had something that the past few have been missing, and I just couldn't put this book down! One steamy summer ten years ago, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks fell in love with the rich son of the woman she was working for. I loved watching Raven and Gavin get to know each other during their summer together but my heart broke for them as well knowing so much stood in their way. The way these two bonded and the way their relationship grew was truly beautiful, and the way both of  them was willing to give up anything and everything for the other was truly remarkable. I loved watching these two grow close, and them helping each other through good  times and bad, and my heart broke  right along with theirs when things came to a crashing halt for them.When these two meet back up ten years later, I could not wait to see how things were going to play out. I knew truths needed to be out before  anything could truly work  out for them, and  both of them needed to let go of the pain they felt from the  past,  but I didn't realize how long  it would take for them  to get there.  As much  as Gavin and Raven changed in the ten years they were apart, they also stayed the same, and it's clear to anyone how knows them that their feelings are definitely still there. The angst in the second part of the  book is off the charts, and I was rooting for these two to figure things out and finally be together once and  for  all, but there were times I really wasn't sure  it was going to work. Both of these characters are stubborn and it frustrated  me at times waiting to  see who was going to give in first.If you're looking  for  an angsty romance, The Day He Came Back is definitely the book to pick up. You will fall in love young Gavin and Raven and then  fall in love with them all over again in the second part of the book. Definitely  pick up this book, you will not regret it! 
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Good Romances Reader
    3.0 out of 5 stars The day he came back
    Reviewed in Italy on January 20, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book should be advised for 16-18 years teenagers, mainly for the first part of the romance, otherwise it is boring. In the whole, so many tragedies in both families that maybe they are haunted or the plot is unrealistic, probably the latter.
    I gave three stars because I know Penelope Ward is a good writer, but to this book I should be giving two.
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  • Lo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing....
    Reviewed in Germany on August 11, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    ...like all these author's books.

    There's always plottwists you should've seen coming but didn't and they'll rock your world. Her books never fail to make me laugh and cry and the only criticism I have is that they're not longer.
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  • Lyn, Welsh border.
    5.0 out of 5 stars TOTALLY SCRUMPTIOUS! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Ms Ward doesn't write bad books - fact - but this is brilliant even by her high standards. If you like time lapse, soulmate devotion then this is for you. Full of angst, family intrigue, misunderstandings and sharp witty humour and soulful characters you'd love to meet in person, this is a fantastic read I thoroughly recommend. So get reading! 💗💥😍 You won't regret it - promise!
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
    Reviewed in Canada on November 9, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    What a good book this was..but then her books are always great..had a hard time finding something to read after reading the Aristrocrat by the same author but this did it for me, oh so good.
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  • Luisa Andrade
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in Brazil on April 20, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Beautiful and heartbreaking story!
    She suffered so much, endured so much and I was so happy with the HEA!
    I love it
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