Henry Oakey didn’t expect to make it to the end of the war. Getting back home seemed even less likely when he got gravely injured just months before it ended. After his recovery, he returns home to face his mental recovery, and the battles in his head end up being much more difficult than the battles he fought in the war. Henry is not the only one wounded by the past. His best friend Dorothy lives with the regret of pushing Henry away just as he left for Europe. The two never wrote to each other during Henry’s absence, and now that he is home, they must work to rebuild the friendship they once had. Will Henry and Dot be able to overcome the guilt they both have about the past and look to the future without fear? Can they repair their broken hearts and heal their friendship? As Long As You’re Next to Me is Eliza Stemmons’ debut novel.