Review: Great Reading
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 18, 2013
Even though I read A Taylor-Made Life with blurry eyes at times with tears brimming over, I felt privileged to know such determined, courageous characters. Since cancer is the number one enemy they battle, I related in a very personal way having watched family members and precious friends in a life and death struggle with this cruel invader.While A Taylor-Made Life is not the usual happy-ever-after, it is such a beautiful love story, I would hate for you not to know about it. Also there is foreshadowing of what will happen in a second book that will be out soon. Kary Rader must have had some up-close experience with cancer and the emotional upheaval it brings as well as the physical suffering. She reaches out and touches that something inside that makes one cry and care and hope against hope for the characters to win battles that seem unwinnable.Seventeen-year-old former cheerleader Taylor Smith is out of options for a Leukemia cure. A marrow transplant cannot be found. She tells her mother she doesn't want to die a virgin and enlists her help. These two have a special connection that is a joy to see even if it is just vicariously. They have an unbreakable bond that never weakens--a unique understanding to admire.Gavin Taylor, the billionaire entrepreneur and genius computer game creator, is along fighting cancer and functioning with determination and a touch of desperation. He is estranged from his family and his friends are friends because he can make them rich and richer. His volunteer work as a cancer patient mentor has him knocking on Taylor's door and welcomed with open arms. Did he ever get a surprise and the gift of his lifetime!Ms. Rader creates secondary characters that seem so real. Some show their true colors and seem to circle like vultures waiting for Gavin to die; their greed, underhanded dealings, and threats are appalling. The people of the unfeeling media wreck havoc on two lovers without any compassion; they are worse than vultures. They want to feed on their prey before it is dead. Of course, other secondary characters like Maureen and John, Taylor's parents give and support unstintingly. The reader even can enjoy the undercurrent that Maureen brings to the story while all the time her heart is breaking.Kary Rader weaves a spellbinding tapestry of a tale as she lets the reader into the minds of Gavin and Taylor to feel the confusion and vicariously experience their battle against fear and hopelessness. She helps the reader understand the ferocity with which the two play their computer games--a symbolic battle that they have hopes of winning. While the tapestry is very dark with disease and dreadful people, it also has a beautiful brightness of friendship, fun, family and fantastic love that gives above and beyond AND Gavin's lawyer that knows how to "kick butt". A Taylor-Made Life truly shows the reader characters that live the life they were given; love the life they made--a theme that threads through the story. The foreshadowing throughout the story is subtle but there to let the reader no life goes on and more good things are ahead for the former high school cheerleader that had to grow up so fast. I'm eager to read the next book.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews