Book Review - If You Were Here by Alice Peterson

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Amazon UK

Title: If You Were Here

Author: Alice Peterson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 2nd May 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

When her daughter Beth dies suddenly, Peggy Andrews is left to pick up the pieces and take care of her granddaughter Flo. But sorting through Beth’s things reveals a secret never told: Beth was sick, with the same genetic condition that claimed her father’s life, and now Peggy must decide whether to keep the secret or risk destroying her granddaughter’s world.

Five years later, Flo is engaged and moving to New York with her fiancé. Peggy never told her what she discovered, but with Flo looking towards her future, Peggy realises it’s time to come clean and reveal that her granddaughter’s life might also be at risk.

As Flo struggles to decide her own path, she is faced with the same life-altering questions her mother asked herself years before: if a test could decide your future, would you take it?

An emotional, inspiring and uplifting novel, IF YOU WERE HERE will break your heart and put it back together again.

Just wow, I knew Alice Peterson was a fabulous writer, but this may just be my new favourite book from her, although A Song For Tomorrow is still one of my favourites. 

This is certainly a thought provoking and emotional book - there were tears pricking my eyes at various points of this.   If I was in Flo's situation I honestly don't know what I would do. 

It's a fascinating look a one specific genetic condition, that doesn't have huge amounts of awareness, and raises all manner of questions.   I think this would definitely be a great book club read. 

We take in three generations of the Andrew's family,  Granny Peggy and grand daughter, Flo, and we learn about Beth's life through her diaries,. 

The diaries are in some respects the best bit of the book, you get a first hand look into what life as a person with the condition is like, and we also see how it affected her father. 

But then again seeing the range of thoughts and emotions of Flo as she comes to terms with the information she has never been given before is also amazing, as is seeing how she reacts.  The final section of the book I had a massive lump in my throat the whole time - it is just that well written. 

And granny Peg, what a character she is, I loved seeing her world expand and her friendship with her new neighbour was a lovely one to see develop. 

There is so much packed into this amazing story, I read the majority of it in a long stint in the garden, not overly noticing that it was getting cooler around me. It is gripping, it makes you think, it makes you feel - its just a complete story that is wonderful. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - A Song For Tomorrow by Alice Peterson

Amazon UK

Title: A Song For Tomorrow

Author: Alice Peterson

Format reviewed: Paperback

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 9th February 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Tom fell in love with Alice the moment he saw her. He realises that being with her will not be easy, but she is a force of nature, a burst of sunlight in his otherwise ordinary world. 

Some people might look at Alice and think she has everything, but Alice knows she is not like other women. Her life is complicated, unpredictable, difficult. Alice does not like pity. All she wants to do, has ever wanted to do, is sing.

Alice has been told not to follow her dreams. So has Tom. But when fate has already dealt a tough hand, it’s time to stop listening to everyone else and only follow their hearts.

A Song For Tomorrow is easily the best book I have read this year, so far, and I suspect will be a strong contender for one of my books of the year. 

I want to tell you every last thing about this book, but if I do I will be doing it a grave disservice, as there is no way I can either stop and not give away vital spoilers, nor can I really describe just what I am feeling right now. I fear anything I write won't do this absolutely wonderful book justice and all I want to do is encourage you to stop reading this rambling, go and buy this book, and tell you to start reading. 

I firmly believe this book will live with me for a long time, and that it will also do great things to highlight just what it is to live with Cystic Fibrosis, which is a horrible genetic disease, that Alice was born with. It is based on the story of singer Alice Martineau, and it feels as though there has been a lot of thought and research but into the way the story has been portrayed. 

Alice Peterson, is no stranger to writing about tricky subjects, in fact as far as I can recall all of her books definitely have a more serious side to them, but I think she has outdone herself here. The story is filled with compassion, and my emotions were being ramped up the entire time. I was pretty much in tears towards the end, and I really wasn't sure which way the book was going to end, but I had realised that tissues were likely to be a must.

The writing is beautiful, and despite the tricky subject matter, there are also moments that did make me laugh. There is a wonderful cast of characters, who I really felt for, especially Alice's anti-support group, which are her best friends, two fellow CF sufferers. Alice's brother Jake was just what you would want for in  a sibling, and their regular movie nights brought great pleasure. 

Besides Alice, who is of course the key to this entire story, and is the person I'd rather you discover for yourself, as I don't have the words, or at least I do, but Alice hates people calling her brave, and that is the sort of language I would want to use.  Tom, falls in love with Alice at first sight, and even after discovering she has Cystic Fibrosis, was determined to be with her, and their's is such a pure and wonderful love, but not without its complications. 

A Song For Tomorrow is written predominately from Alice's perspective, but we get occasional diary entries from her mother, which gives the family's perspective on the whole situation, in fact the story starts with the entry from when Alice was born, and it was from that moment that I was hooked on the book. The other point of view we see is Tom's and he is a lovely man, who is just trying to support Alice the best he can. 

Alice is determined to become a singer, and it is so inspiring the way she doesn't let anything stand in her way. We see some of her lyrics and the are powerful, and I loved the vocal coach, who was adamant that she would turn Alice into a gold medal standard Olympian of the music industry. 

There are many elements to this book, but ultimately it is an inspirational tale of someone who is trying to live life to its fullest, while not letting her condition affect her, includes a powerful love story and a supportive family dynamic.  

Thank you to much to SJV at Simon & Schuster for this copy of the book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Things We Do For Love by Alice Peterson

Amazon UK

Title:  The Things We Do For Love

Author: Alice Peterson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Quercus

Publication Date: 10th September 2015

Rating: 5 Stars

Love may hurt, but not loving hurts even more . . .

January Wild loves her daughter, her dog Spud and her childhood home by the sea.

Single parenting is tough, but January has no regrets. She has a job she loves, a happy home, and the support of her beloved grandfather. The arrival of a new boss, however, threatens to shake up January's safe world.

Ward Metcalfe loves great sales results and a well-run office.

Everyone at her office agrees: Ward is a soulless, corporate slave driver. Even Spud, the company mascot, dislikes him.

A secret stands between them.

Yet over time January realises first impressions aren't always right. Slowly she unravels more and more about her new boss, things she couldn't possibly have imagined, nor expected...

What a beautiful and emotional novel, incredibly well written, that deals with some tough subject matter. As result of this book, I know a lot more about Cerebal Palsy than I did before, and that can only be a good thing, as its increased my understanding of this condition. 

January Wild has not had an easy life, her parents died when she was one, her grandparents brought Jan and Lucas (her brother) up, and now January is a single parent to Isla. Isla is a wonderful, spirited 11 year old girl, who is the life and soul of this book. January loved her job too, until she gets a new boss and then everything changes. 

Her new boss, is Ward Metcalfe and he runs an office in a different manner to the previous boss, and it takes a while for any of the employees to take to him. 

In amongst the present storyline, we are often transported back to key points in Jan and Isla's past, and we learn a lot about how Jan grew up, and why Lucas isn't the warmest of big brothers. And we learn the story of Isla's early years, the reason Dan (her father) wasn't in the picture, and we learn of the immensely strong and scary decision Jan makes for Isla, to try and improve her quality of life. 

I loved seeing the changing dynamic between Ward and Jan, as well as Jan's relationship with her grandparents. You could feel the love in this book. 

Right from the start The Things We Do For Love will get under your skin, and make you want to continue to read on. If you have never read an Alice Peterson, then this is highly recommended as your first one. If you have read Alice Peterson before and loved her like I do, then I'd urge you to consider this book. 

Thanks so much to Quercus and Netgalley for this review copy. This is my honest opinion.

Book Review - Letters From My Sister by Alice Peterson - Rachel Reads Randomly Book #1

Amazon UK

Title: Letters From My Sister

Author: Alice Peterson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Quercus

Publication Date: 19th November 2012

Rating: 4 Stars

Bells is always writing to her sister Katie, but Katie never replies. Preoccupied with her glamorous career in fashion, her busy life and her boyfriend Sam, she just doesn't have the time.

Then Bells announces that she's coming to stay. She's not a secret exactly, but. . . Sam doesn't know she exists.

For Bells doesn't fit into Katie's perfect world.

But when Bells does arrive, everything changes for Katie. Perhaps her perfect life isn't so perfect after all?

Letters From My Sister, originally published as Look the World in the Eye, is a wonderfully funny and moving novel from the bestselling author Alice Peterson.

Letters From My Sister is an enjoyable book of family dynamics, and soul searching, especially for Katie. Katie generally denies that her sister even exists, so when she is forced to have Bells, spend a fortnight with her, in Sam's (her boyfriend) apartment, Katie panics. 

Katie had never mentioned her sister to Sam, and even once she knows Bells is going to visit, she has trouble expressing exactly why she is worried. For you see Bells is a wonderful person, but she was born with a cleft palate and a small amount of brain damage. 

Katie isn't exactly ashamed of her sister, but it soon becomes apparent how little she knows of her younger sisters life. However it is clear though that during Bell's visit, that Katie needs to do some growing up of her own, and their relationship changes. 

Bells is the best character in this book, she brightens up any scene she is in, and is far more complex than she may appear on the surface. Her personality shines through even when the family has problems. 

Katie has always had a fractured relationship with her family, until the incident that changes the family dynamic, and how they see each other. We have occasional flashback chapters to Katie's childhood, and they do make us more sympathetic to what it must have been like for her growing up.

I loved this book, and found it touched on a subject that doesn't come up that often in the books I read, and it was fascinating to read. As always Alice Peterson writes an emotive and interesting story that was gentle to read, and one that kept me thinking about it even, when I had to put it down (due to life getting in the way of reading). 

Thank you to everyone that voted in last week's debut of Rachel Reads Randomly, and for picking this book for me to read. It was definitely a good choice, since I really enjoyed it. If you want to influence one of my books for next week, then please do check out this week's vote.