Publisher: 7th August 2020 by Bookouture
Pages: 350 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: women’s fiction, contemporary
My Rating: 4 cups
Synopsis:
No parent should ever have to lose a child.
No husband should ever have to lose a wife.
No one should ever have to choose.
Paige and Nick are happy. They have a beautiful home, a loving family and, most importantly, they would do anything for each other. Now, they are having a baby and it feels like all their dreams are coming true.
But joy turns to despair when they discover that Paige has a rare, life-threatening heart condition and they lose their longed-for child. Heartbroken, the couple must accept the reality that they may not become parents after all.
Just as they begin to come to terms with their loss, Paige unexpectedly falls pregnant again. Paige’s heart is still weak, and to carry the baby to term puts them both at risk. The couple now face an impossible decision: Paige’s life or the life of their unborn child?
If Paige keeps the baby, she could lose her life and destroy the man she loves. If Nick tries to stop her, he may lose them both forever. It’s the most important decision they have ever had to make – and time is running out.
My Life for Yours is a heartbreaking, gripping and emotional story about love, loss and an impossible choice, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Kelly Rimmer and Kate Hewitt.
My Thoughts
‘Our life, like the life of any couple, is filled with choices and decisions. Give here, take there. Surely we can find a way to agree on this one.’
I have read and enjoyed all Vanessa’s books (HERE) and was thrilled to read her third book, My Life for Yours. This latest offering is an exceptionally moving tale of the lengths we go to for those we love. Shining the light on motherhood and birth, this story asks the serious, sometimes life changing questions when faced with the heart wrenching decisions of saving a life. Yet scratch deeper and the real question revolves around acceptable sacrifice in the face of life threatening choices.
With these kinds of decisions there are often no winners as the choices are impossible to make. Without going into details, Vanessa presents a well balanced account so that the reader places themselves in the shoes of both Paige and Nick in their quest to become parents. Whatever they decide will have far reaching consequences for not only themselves and their marriage but also the close knit family and friends that surround them. Bottom line here really involves a mother’s love, devotion and selflessness when it comes to their un/born child.
‘I haven’t wanted to think about why Nick might be scared, because a decision needs to be made according to what is best, not what scares us. Best for whom, I wonder.’
The key to this story is relationships and interactions. That being said, Vanessa does an outstanding job of presenting alternating chapters from both Paige and Nick. The reader can see the emotionally charged scenarios for both the mother and father-to-be. Both so strong in their convictions that it could possibly tear apart and destroy their marriage. Then there are the viewpoints of other family members and friends who journeyed with the couple and what they were going through. I particularly appreciated the impact on Paige’s parents.
Slightly different from Vanessa’s other books, she skilfully presents thought provoking questions on what is a very complex topic. There will be moments of joy and moments of heartbreak. If family dramas, and particularly those surrounding starting a family, interest you then this is the book for you. In the pursuit of a dream what impact will it have on those you love the most?
‘Sometimes matters of the heart don’t necessarily always lead to the best decisions.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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