Friday 19 September 2014

Review ~ Love Always, Kate (Love Always #1) by D. Nichole King

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 Stars

“I was strong because cancer is resolute, and I didn’t want the beast to win.”

This was one hard book to read and is going to be one hard book to review. Whenever cancer is involved you automatically know that the book is going to be emotional, it won’t be pretty but if anything, there are life lessons that can be learned. When anyone is faced with death they go one of two ways, give up or live life to the full and if they chose the latter you will always be in for a good read. It is surprising how when all inhibitions are quashed, people change, they do more, say more, want more…they just want more and this book is no different. After reading, even though you may be choked and emotional, you will come away wanting to be a better person.

“No matter how dark it gets, the sun always rises eventually and starts a new day. The darkness is forgotten.”

I am a huge fan of emotional reads, they are my favourite and I love nothing better than a book that can make me sob and rip my heart out. I am not one that has to have a happy ever after either, after all life is not one big fairy tale, we don’t all get our happy ever afters, but if there is, then I am happy that the author puts me back together again. This is one of those emotional reads, you will need tissues, I cannot lie but this is a story that deserves to be read, I hope you will love it as much as did.

Kate is a survivor, she has kicked cancer’s butt twice already in her short life, but now it is back for a third time and Kate is hoping that she has the strength to fight it once more. All Kate has ever wanted was a “normal” childhood, but having always been “that girl with cancer” she has always been avoided, she feels invisible because people just don’t know what to say or how to behave around her. She wanted what all girls want, go shopping, have mani/pedi’s, talk about boys, go to prom, be kissed, fall in love…all little girls hopes and dreams, but Kate’s reality is overbearing parents who keep her wrapped in bubble wrap for fear of her breaking. If this was my child I would be exactly the same so I do not disagree with her parents at all, being an only child they want what is best for Kate even if it means she doesn’t get to experience all of life’s normalities.

“Normal is overrated. Besides, invisible is totally in this season, I hear.”

Kate is in hospital; it is here that she meets Damien, who just happens to be her oncologist’s son. He is volunteering at the hospital, well when I say volunteering; he is there so his dad can keep an eye on him. Damien comes with his own set of problems and is continually rebelling against his father. Having lived through his own traumatic set of events he too is scarred and is keeping his scars well and truly hidden. They only manifest themselves through random acts of bad behaviour, but anyone on the outside can see that these are only cries for help.

Kate and Damien both have battles and demons to fight; will these two be each other savings grace? Will it be together they will conquer or it be divided they will fall?

“Is it too much to hope that maybe, just maybe, he could look past the cancer and see me?”

This is a book about falling in love for the first time, treating life as the precious commodity that it is, making the most of it, having the strength to battle your past and battle for your future. It is sad, yet uplifting, it is emotional and powerful but most of all it makes you think, what would you do faced with similar circumstances.

“I wanna see the sun rise with you every morning for the rest of my life.” What felt like minutes passed before he answered. His voice cracked when he did. “That’s a whole lot of sunrises. Are you sure you can put up with me for that long? “That long and longer.” I touched his face wiping away a tear. “For always.” He buried his face in my neck. “Always isn’t long enough.”

Kate was a beautiful character inside and out, a true inspiration and she really affected the lives of everyone around her. She had that inner strength and a persona that just motivated people to be a better person. Damien was a tough nut to crack, sometimes I just thought he was a total douche, but you could see the loveable guy that was lurking underneath. He had a lot going on and he and his dad really needed to sit down and sort out their lives. They were both dealing with the same issues, but handling it differently and worst of all, handling it apart. They should have been a united front.

This was a beautiful story and one that I am not sorry I have read, if anything I feel better for reading it. My one little gripe is would I have loved to have heard Damien’s voice a bit more, we were treated to a little but he was battling too and I just wanted to get into his head for a little bit. Beautifully written, this may be the first book I have read by this author but it certainly won’t be the last.

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