Review: Good but heartbreaking....
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 22, 2011
My Review:Oh my goodness, this is such a heart-breaking story. After the suicide of her husband, Maggie is broken. She simply makes it through each day, not really living, just existing. She's a radiology tech at the hospital and a chance meeting with 2 brothers, Brodan & Ryan, changes her life.This is not a book that can be considered light reading. There is a ton of sadness and emotional trauma throughout the entire book from page 1 to the very last page. Maggie is dealing with the death of her husband 10 months before. She meets Ryan when he is in the hospital and is drawn to his exuberant and happy-go-lucky approach to life. She is drawn to his brother, Brodan, for very different reasons. Through these 2 brothers, Maggie is learning what it means to live again.I am not a sad book kind of gal (which is reflected by my rating,) but this is one of those books that makes you think and lingers with you. I have a feeling that this one is going to stick in my psyche for quite a while.All three of these people are hiding from life in one way or another...and they all have valid reasons for that. It's incredibly sad, and truthfully, a little hard to read, but at the same time, it's incredibly moving.I adored Ryan's character. His exuberance for life is contagious and his friendship with Maggie is such a positive influence on her life. He is so incredibly intelligent and truly just a really good guy. I don't want to ruin the story for anyone else, but his character just makes my heart ache.Brodan is a more difficult character. His love for his brother is all-encompassing and self-sacrificing. He has given up everything to be there for Ryan, but Maggie presents a really strong temptation for him.Maggie's grief is profound and pervasive throughout the entire story. She undergoes a transformation through the book as she finds what it means to live again through her special friendships with Ryan & Broden. I was somewhat disappointed with how she reacted at the end of the book...maybe just a little too realistic for me.It's profound. It's heart-breaking. It makes you think about what it means to live. This is a book that will stick with you for a while as you consider the characters and the haunting life-lessons that they learn...