Monday, August 5, 2019

BLOG TOUR - The Forever Gift



Today is my date on the Blog Tour for The Forever Gift by Brooke Harris.

DESCRIPTION:

I remember you learning to ride a bike, the first time you shot a goal with a basketball… and the first time I realised something was wrong. I look at you, my daughter, my beautiful sparky daughter. I would do anything to keep you safe.

Heather’s beloved daughter, Kayla, is her world. She is fifteen, a brilliant basketball player and a fierce friend.

Heather and Kayla have always had a special relationship. For so many years it was just the two of them, watching Friends, baking cupcakes and laughing together. But now Kayla knows her time is short, and she wants to give something back to the mother she loves more than anyone else in the world. A gift that will change Heather’s life.

With just a handful of days left, Kayla will need help from everyone around her to make this last surprise happen. Along the way, the people whose lives have been touched by Kayla’s light will be changed by her loss, and by her plan for Heather. And as Heather’s whole world threatens to fall apart, could Kayla’s forever gift be the key to piecing her life back together?

An absolutely unputdownable, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting novel about motherhood, family and how far we go to protect those we love. Perfect for fans of Diane Chamberlain, Jill Childs, and Kerry Fisher.


BUY LINKS:


MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Forever Gift
Author:  Brooke Harris
Genre:   Woman's Fiction
Publisher:  Bookouture
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   342
Date of Publication:  August 5, 2019
My Rating:  5 Stars

It was when reading this line, I just want my mam, that I just knew I was in for a heavy book. Why? Well, when most 15-year-old girls manage to score the winning shot in a basketball game they might want the adoration and cheering of their friends. This young lady wanted her mother. This is when I sensed that something was going to be very different about this read.

This story is about Kayla. But is also about her parents, stepmother and little sister. Kayla is the captain of her school basketball team. What's more is she is an amazing teenager and she has a marvelous relationship with her mother, Heather. She is also quite close to her father and even has a very good bond with her stepfather. One day, immediately after a basketball game she collapses and is agony.

Kayla's life forever changes once her mother takes her to the doctor. The news is devastating and there is very little hope. At some point, and with serious thought and planning, Kayla decides to leave her mother a gift, something that will come as a complete surprise to Heather.

I cannot say enough about the characters in this book. As mentioned, there is Heather, Kayla's mother. her father Gavin and stepmother Charlotte. There is the adorable Molly, Kayla's four-year-old sister. I was also drawn to Aiden, Kayla's best friend. One will never forget Jack, Kayla's doctor. What a marvelous cast indeed! Every single one of them played a major role when it came to Kayla's trials.

I am sure readers of the blurb, and this review thus far, can imagine the outcome. So, yes, this is a devastating read. As a mother and a grandmother, many sad thoughts went through my head and my tears flowed freely and often. Despite the heavy impact this book left, it was just incredible. I am glad that I read it actually. It speaks so well of the author, Brooke Harris, to write such an effective book. This story well teaches us to make every moment in our lives count.

On a very personal note, I just lost a very young nephew to the very disease Kayla had and really thought I would not be able to get past the first chapter of this book. Instead, I found this read to be cathartic and thus would like to thank the author for writing such a sensitive story, and one that managed to leave me with hope, especially as the direction of the story changed when Kayla decided to leave her mother a gift.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

USA Today bestselling author Brooke Harris is undoubtedly a bibliophile. She is proud to be someone who opens the middle pages of a book and inhales deeply. 

Brooke loves all forms of art; painting, playing piano, crafting, but, her greatest love is stories. Brooke writes heart-breaking and emotionally led fiction but always with undertones of hope and positivity because Brooke firmly believes that darkness only lasts so long before light follows.

Brooke lives in county Kildare, Ireland with her husband and five young children. She is a keen supporter of mental health charities and creating a greater understanding of mental illness.

Brooke writes women's fiction for Bookouture. She also writes psychological suspense for Lake Union as Janelle Harris.


7 comments:

  1. I think this would gut me. Excellent review, Robin!

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  2. Wow, this sounds like it would be such a moving story.

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  3. Awe sounds lovely and emotional. Great review.

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  4. Wow I know this book will just rip my heart out, but I am really glad you fully enjoyed it. Thank you so much for your awesome post.

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