This Fragile Life by Kate Hewitt ** Blog Tour Review & Giveaway**
You love your best friend. You trust her with your life. But
could you give her the most precious gift of all?
Alex's life is a mess. She's barely holding down a job, only
just affording her apartment, and can't remember when she was last in a
relationship. An unexpected pregnancy is the last thing she needs.
Martha's life is on track. She's got the highflying career,
the gorgeous home and the loving husband. But one big thing is missing. Five
rounds of IVF and still no baby.
The solution seems simple. Alex knows that Martha can give
her child everything that she can't provide. But Martha's world may not be as perfect
as it seems, and letting go isn't as easy as Alex expected it to be. Now they
face a decision that could shatter their friendship forever.
My Thoughts
I have rarely read such an emotional and deeply touching book as This Fragile Life. I should preface this with a caution that it deals with issues of childlessness, childbirth, IVF and miscarriage. It rings with authenticity and draws you into the anguish of the main characters effortlessly. You go through all their hopes and fears with them and cannot help but feel total empathy for both Alex and Martha. As you learn more about their own childhoods, you begin to understand the front they present to the world.
One of the novel's strengths is that you see the characters develop as the story unfolds. You also get to see the reactions of their friends and families and glimpse beneath the surface of their stories too. Motherhood is shown through different generations. Moreover, it has an interesting structure in that you follow the story through both Alex and Martha's eyes as they alternate through the action. You get to see their thoughts and reactions as the events unfold.
This Fragile Life deals with some heart wrenching issues. Halfway through, everything changes and from then on, you begin to dread the outcome of the story, but you have to keep reading. It is powerful writing which touches the reader deeply and stays with you after the final page.
In short: profoundly emotional but beautifully constructed writing.
About the Author
Kate Hewitt is the USA Today-bestselling author of over 60 books of
women's fiction and romance. She is the author of the Hartley-by-the-Sea
series, set in England's Lake District and published by Penguin. She is also,
under the name Katharine Swartz, the author of the Tales from Goswell books, a
series of time-slip novels set in the village of Goswell.
She likes to read romance, mystery, the occasional straight
historical and angsty women's fiction; she particularly enjoys reading about
well-drawn characters and avoids high-concept plots.
Having lived in both New York City and a tiny village on the
windswept northwest coast of England, she now resides in a market town in Wales
with her husband, five children, and an overly affectionate Golden Retriever.
Thanks to Kate Hewitt and Jenny of Neverland Blog Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
Giveaway (International)
To win a paperback copy of Kate's latest novel, A Mother's Choice, due out in June, follow the link below and good luck!
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