Thanks to Rebecca Ley for a signed copy of her debut novel, a gift from a Twitter competition. Here is a mini review for the book published by Orion Books in the UK.
Synopsis:
Because there’s never enough time to say goodbye…
Sylvia knows that she’s running out of time. Very soon, she will exist only in the memories of those who loved her most and the pieces of her life she’s left behind.
So she begins to write her husband a handbook for when she’s gone, somewhere to capture the small moments of ordinary, precious happiness in their married lives. From raising their wild, loving son, to what to give their gentle daughter on her eighteenth birthday – it’s everything she should have told him before it was too late.
But Sylvia also has a secret, one that she’s saved until the very last pages. And it’s a moment in her past that could change everything…
My thoughts:
This is an excellent debut novel about a heartbreaking topic. Sylvia is dying and creates a manual for her husband, Paul, to ensure he knows who to ask for help and what the children need etc.
The book moves backwards and forwards in time, looking at how they met. what happened to Rosa, how they coped after the cancer diagnosis and how Paul copes after her death.
Beautifully written, emotional and a book I didn’t want to put down. I’m happy to recommend the book and I look forward to reading more by Rebecca Ley in the future
Karen K is reading 