Even When I'm Gone

Stay With Me, Book 2

By: Nicole Fiorina

Narrated by: Lilly Drake, Michael Gallagher, Gregory Salinas

Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

The second book in a heart-consuming series. 

Ollie: Forget everything you thought you knew. Hell, I don't even know myself anymore. For seven months, I've been gone, only to come back to be tested in every way possible. They say keep your enemies close, and my demons welcomed me back with open arms. My downfall is a necessary evil. But Mia is my endgame. 

Mia: Seven months ago, Ollie surrendered to the darkness, abandoning me in the process. He stripped me of my walls, only to leave me defenseless. Now he's back, along with fresh new faces and obstacles standing in our way. He says to trust no one. Not even him. How am I supposed to be strong for us both when I'm losing my grip?

©2019 Nicole Fiorina (P)2021 Nicole Fiorina

Reformatory College Romance

Even When I'm Gone by Nicole Fiorina is a reformatory college romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Lilly Drake, Michael Gallagher, and Gregory Salinas. This is the second book in the Stay With Me series.

I originally read this book in 2020 when it was released and was so excited to see it come to life in audio. This story took me on an emotional roller coaster that I didn’t want to get off. I loved getting Mia, Ollie, and Ethan's points of view throughout the book. It really brings the story to life.

Lilly, Michael, and Gregory did an amazing job on the narration! I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.

I would highly recommend this series if you like reformatory college romances, gothic romances, new adult romances, romantic suspense, or psychological thrillers.

Love this series!!!

“A villain and a hero. An angel and a demon. Heaven and hell.”

I have let me emotions simmer for days, and I’m still not sure how to get all of thoughts out of my head. Even When I’m Gone is such an emotional endeavor! I fell in love with Ollie and Mia in Stay With Me, and I was on pins and needles watching their story play out. Watching these two struggle, emotionally and physically, is heart wrenching!

“That’s the thing about love. Once it touches you, it doesn’t go away.”

Ollie and Mia have this soul deep connection and I KNOW they belong together. Their journey isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s distressing, destructive and down right painful at times. But then it’s sweet, romantic and sooo beautiful. They belong together, plain and simple. Only it’s not that simple. There are so many obstacles in their way.

“Embrace it, Mia. Every moment, no matter how long it lasts, it’s all worth it, yeah?”

Two years. That’s how long they are in that godforsaken place. A place where you can’t trust anyone. Where your so called “friends” are waiting to stab you in the back. Where you can’t even trust the staff. Bad things happen everyday. But Ollie and Mia are survivors. They will get through it. My heart needs to believe that.

“Sure, we were adults, but stripped of our freedom and deprived of our identity by the hands of medication and means of brainwash—an attempt to reset us like a broken toy.”

At the end I was screaming “NOOOOOO! NO! NO! NO! THIS CANT BE HAPPENING!” I’m losing my mind wondering where Fiorina is taking us in the next book!!!! I’m still blown away that this is a debut series!! The writing gets better and better. It’s the emotions that this is going to bring it out in you, that make it such a fabulous read. You will have no choice but to still be thinking of the characters days later.

Narration is pretty freaking awesome! Lilly Drake, Michael Gallagher and Gregory Salinas are freaking fabulous!

This Book is Truly Poetic!

This book was truly Poetic. Book 2 in the Stay with Me series by Nicole Fiorina picks up a few months after book 1 and follows Mia and Ollie's tortured romance. I initially read this the print version and was very excited for the audio, especially once i heard there would be 3 narrators!

I will be honest,I was eager and afraid to read this novel. I wanted to both read the book and hide from it simultaneously, terrified that my heart was going to be destroyed. I devoured this book, unable to stop reading or put it down. The prose was just beautiful and conjured imagery that was almost tangible. The references to music interspersed throughout the story expanded the emotions and tone and Nicole Fiorina has a playlist as well which elevates the reader's experience. I don't think I have highlighted as many lines in a novel since I took literature classes during my undergrad, and never purely for pleasure. This novel addresses difficult issues and readers may want to check content warnings. These topics can be difficult to address but are done in such a way that the reader feels not only invested in the struggles of the characters, but also as if they too have grown simply by consuming the words on the page. This book will leave its mark on your soul, and you will not regret one word of it. The audiobook brings so much depth to this story! I love getting to read it in different mediums! Lily Drake does such a great job as Mia, I hope she starts doing more romance!

Excellent!!!

This is a truly epic love story that will draw you in and won’t let go ! Holy smokes the emotions the pain the heartache this author has a gift with her beautiful prose I actually listened to this first on audiobook and it made the experience that much more I just can’t recommend this story enough and to think this was this authors debut series I am left in awe and speechless .

A tragic beauty love story

This series is one that I can't seem to get enough of. Nicole has written a tragic beautiful story. I absolutely loved and hated Ollie during this book. Ollie is by far one of my favorite book boyfriends. He is a smart sensitive man that only has eyes for Mia. His love for her is beautiful. They way he treats her in this book upset me at times although understanding his mindset and struggles allowed me to forgive him at times. Ethan is someone that is there for Mia when Ollie is not. Their relationship grows as hers and Ollies vanishes. I liked Ethan but I felt he at times took advantage of Mia's weakness. I have a love hate relationship for Ethan. Mia is so strong in this book. Her growth from the first book is significant. My heart breaks for her during this book. I found myself crying at times. The things she endures is awful. Her relentless pursuit to not give up and help Ollie out of his darkness. So much happens in this book and as much as I hate the trials and tribulations I love seeing Ollie and Mia love endure. If you haven't read this book you are missing out. The audible book is awesome. I love the narrators. Hearing Ollie and Mia come alive is everything I needed.

Still one of my favorite series

"𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬."

This book.... it is so utterly breathtaking. I cannot get over Nicole's writing and how much emotion is pouring through each page. This series is so different from other books of this genre and I just can't get enough of it. My heart skipped beats multiple times throughout this book and I was constantly fighting back tears. My eyes stayed glued to every word, a lump stuck in my through, and my heart pounding while I envisioned the turmoil that Mia and Ollie were going though.

"𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙚."

Mia and Ollie are everything. Their connection, their passion, their basic need for each other is felt throughout this entire book. Each of them is such a strong character in their own way. They have both been through hell and found ways to cope on their own but are so much stronger and better with each other. They breathe life into one another.

"𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙣, 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣."

This series became one of my favorites within the first chapter of Stay With Me and is only digging itself deeper under my skin with every continuing word. I have more highlights/saved quotes from these books than any other and that was just after the first read, I always add more with every re-read. I'll just have to keep reading SWM and EWIG over and over again until book 3 gets released.

"𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄'𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙚."

For the audio: I think Lilly Drake is my new favorite female narrator. Her voice captured every emotion Mia was feeling and brought me right into their story. You could feel the pain and sorrow she felt in her voice as well as the excitement and joy when she was with Ollie. Michael Gallagher did an amazing job with Ollie as well. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to hear the story through his POV. There was such passion when he spoke and even the way he said each of the poems was so heartfelt. I will definitely be looking to see what other books they have narrated.

Loving Each Other Through It All

The second book in this series starts where book one left off and it always shattered my heart. Ollie isn’t the same but Mia still holds on to their love and hope even when it seems impossible. The emotions while reading bleed off the pages but hearing them spoken out loud by these narrators bring the heartache to a new level that shatters me to my soul. Yes that may sound dramatic but the story is an amazing emotional rollercoaster so when it’s brought to life like this it makes it seem so realistic. While Mia struggles to bring her Ollie back there are others still looking to bring them down. Can they make it out with their love still in tact or will their love leave them shattered with no way to pick up the pieces? The love and pain are so tangible it feels as if it’s your own. As I said before this author knows how to take you to the edge, dangle a happy ending in front of you, then push you over the cliff and with the narration it brings the story from the words from my mind to in front of me. Can’t wait to hear book 3 I’m sure it will blow us all away.

I need Oliver Master in my life 😩

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥.
𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞?”
—𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Gah!!! Even when im gone hits me with all the feels I can't put it into words! Ollie and Mia's story was heartbreaking, flawed, but utterly beautiful. There are too many obstacles that are thrown in their way but they came up more stronger than before. This was a roller-coaster of emotion and plot twists. My heart aches I was angry, cried, sad, happy, in love, swooned, devastated all at once. The three narrators did a really great job. I knew something was off with Ethan though I can't really figure it out until the end. I still like him either way. I also loved Zeke (that all I can say) Even When Im Gone was more intense than the first book Stay with me. There are many twists and turn that kept me from breathing I love the mystery, suspense, and psychological elements embedded in this series but what I love the most was the poetry and how it was written in each chapter Nicole's writing is just brilliant. I can't wait for Oli and Mia to get their HEA

Perfectly poetic

Gritty, sad, poetic, tragic, steamy and WTAF all spring to mind when I think of this story.

It wasn't all rainbows and butterflies but OMG it was still just as beautiful, if not more so than the first book.

This book had more twists and turns than a roller coaster!

These characters just have a way of getting under your skin, imprinting themselves on your soul - only to break your heart and leave you wondering what will happen next.

Lilly and Michael did a phenomenal job with narration. Gregory only had a small role but he was the perfect Ethan.

Still reeling. ALL THE FEELS!!

This story left my heart reeling! It was raw, messy and emotional.
Nicole Fiorina weaved these characters into my heart, into my very soul with her storytelling.
The rawness of the continuation of the Stay With Me hit me harder in so many ways, it was more raw and messy than I remembered- the sheer emotional intensity was captured perfectly by these narrators. They captured Ollie and Mia so perfectly.

Mia had so much character growth in this book, although some of her actions were questionable 😅— her friendship with Zeke was a highlight for me in this book (Gahh, cue the tears 😭)
Ollie’s brokenness shattered my heart, seeing his tormented past and the darkness that he battle was too much and yet still everything.

<< The truth was, Ollie was my hell, but it wasn’t until now that I truly understood the meaning behind my own words. He was both the hero and villain in our love story, saving me only to ruin me.>>

....and Ethan- oh my heart… I’ve never been a fan of his since I first read this book, but there was something about listening to this audiobook that made me feel deeply for him.

I'll always recommend this book to lovers of emotional, angsty contemporary romance and this audiobook is no exception.

5/5 🌹🥀🌹🥀🌹 PAPER ROSES