Destined to be a book club favorite, a heart-wrenching debut about two people who must decide how much they’re willing to sacrifice for love.
Mara Nichols, a successful lawyer, and devoted wife and adoptive mother, has recently been diagnosed with a terminal disease. Scott Coffman, a middle school teacher, has been fostering an eight-year-old boy while the boy’s mother serves a jail sentence. Scott and Mara both have five days left until they must say good-bye to the ones they love the most. Through their stories, Julie Lawson Timmer explores the individual limits of human endurance, the power of relationships, and that sometimes loving someone means holding on, and sometimes it means letting go.
My thoughts...Wow! Storytelling at its finest. Five Days Left had me sitting on the edge of my seat with every single page. This is going to be one of those reviews that is hard to write because I don't want to give too much of the story away, but I want to write a review to give this novel justice.
The novel is told from the viewpoint of Mara and Scott. They both know their lives will forever be changed in five days. One has a choice the other does not, but the choice isn't an easy one--it's heart wrenching. Storyline wise, I was more connected to Mara and her story. I could completely understand to some extent where she was mentally. I could understand her dilemma, felt her turmoil, I found myself sickened for her...my heart in agony for what she must have been going through. I respected her fight. I personally have seen both my parents parish to cancer...I've seen the evil of what a disease can do. As a child of parents who have been ill, I scream fight for me. Mara's story is powerful.
Scott's story was also painful. He poured love into his little man for a year. He knew where it was going to end. He put all sorts of love into this little boy and he's leaving...going back to where we hate to think of kids going back to. Scott's heart is breaking, yet his wife not so much. She had opened up her home to bring the little boy there for a year-but she didn't fully invest. Now with the boy leaving, it is almost as if Scott is holding it against her for not being fully devoted, not to be falling apart like he is. He changed the rules without telling her. Then everything changes. Where will this lead this couple?
If I'm going to recommend one book this year...this is the book!
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I loved this book too!! I'm reviewing next week....I'm hoping it does really well. Great review!
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I read and loved it too!
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