Love Always, Kate
Author d. Nichole King
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Dear Diary,
Leukemia’s been my life since I was eleven. Now, six years later, I want my life back. Only I’m not sure what that is.
The test results came back today. 22,000. Which means I’m officially out of remission—again.
I have three options:
1. Another round of chemo.
2. A super-new experimental drug.
3. Dump it all— forget the meds and treatments and enjoy the time I have left.
I think I know what I want.
Then, in walks Damian, changing everything.
I mean, everything.
He’s got his own set of issues. It binds us together, you know? We understand what it’s like to lose what matters most in seconds.
Still, the last thing I need is to have someone else to crush if I can’t fight hard enough. And the last thing he needs is someone else to grieve.
Never mind. I’m down to two options now.
Somehow I know that whichever one I choose, the result will be the same. With the sand in my hourglass seeping to the bottom, I hope there’s enough left to show Damian that life’s worth living. Worth fighting for.
Worth dying for.
Love Always,
Kate
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Our 4 Star Review
Leukemia. It's been a part of Kate's life since she was 11 years old. Now at 17 she's out of remission for a third time, it's getting harder to fight each time but she has to do it for herself and her family, she has to fight. But how much is too much? This time it's harder than ever and fighting is becoming more and more difficult, until she has new inspiration to live. Damian. Her doctor son, he's been through too much and he's come out of it damaged in his way. He's lost people close to him and it's made him turn to drinking and acting out. Can Kate help him find his way back, and get a new reason to keep fighting?
Kate is strength incarnate, at least on the outside. To her family and those closest to her she puts on a brave face and shows what it means to continue living even when things are looking bad. Only her diary sees how hard it really is for her keep on going. What she does is inspire them to make to most of life.
Damian is a hot mess. He hasn't dealt with the deaths of his mother and brother is the best of ways and he's made a mess of his life because of it. Until Kate. She brings him back to life and shows him how to move forward even when those you're closest to are gone. He's there for her when she needed someone the most and shown Kate parts of living she never experienced before.
The two together fill the gaps in their lives and find new ways to see the lives they've been living separately. This story is intense!!!! Be prepared with tissues!!! That's all I'm saying on that. Intense and emotional read.
Maria (Reviewer)
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4.5 Stars
As I wipe away the tears and blow my nose I think about how I want to approach this review...
Kate has spent a majority of her young life and all of her teenage years fighting Cancer...Leukemia. She has struggled and pulled through but this time it seems harder. She is so strong but yet the fight has became harder to overcome.
Now she finds herself attracted to the bad boy Damien who just happens to be her doctors son. Damien has tremendous struggles of his own and the way he copes is to act out and get drunk.
Kate fills her diary with her true feelings and struggles but continues to put on a brave face in front of everyone else. She must push forward for her family and not allow them to see the things she only shares on paper.
These two together seem to fill each others voids. The show each other how to deal with the darkest of times and learn to live.
This book touch me closely. I lost someone very dear to me twelve years ago to Leukemia. I watch how on day things were great and the next day everything changed.
Kate's story made all those emotions and that heartache resurface. It also mad me remember how short life is. How things can change so quickly.
I was an emotional wreck when finishing this book. I sat on the couch with a tissue in one hand and a knot within my chest. It is one of those books that grips you tightly and leaves you with a burn deep in your throat.
WARNING!!! Do not go into to this one without a supply of tissue's and a plan to be torn in two...
Learn to live with Damien and Kate.
Crystal (Reviewer)
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5 Stars
I fell in love with this book the moment that I started. We just found out that my step dad has cancer and has to start chemo on Tuesday so this was a very emotional read for me. I don't think that I have ever cried so much well reading a book. Here are the parts that really stood out for me:
First I love that this is a diary/book. I like that we get to look into someones personal thoughts, I thought it was a very nice touch to the book. I love how right away that Kate felt this pull to Damian, almost like fate was playing a part and knew that they needed each other to help deal with their pain. I think that at some point in life we have all had that one person that was sent to us for a reason. I also love the quote "Sometimes being happy isn't worth the risk and sometimes it is" I think that is very true. Another favorite part of mine is when she says that Damian doesn't treat her like she going to break and that she almost feels normal around him. I am sure that after so long of being treated like china it was a nice change for her.
I love when Damian gave her the necklace. "It's the Celtic symbol for hope" Now you will always know where to find it, this part gave me chills, sometimes it's the little things in life that mean the most. My of my other favorite parts is when during dinner when she is asking him about the consequences of the happiness and he says "Good, bad, I'll take it all. "No matter what happens Kate, being with you tonight is all worth it"
I really like when Katie was having the conversation with the little boy when she was getting her last chemo treatment. It melted my heart when he said he loves you, I can tell by the way he looks at you plus he told me. This made me smile :)
My most favorite part of the her wishes, I love that though she knew she was dying she didn't make it about her, she wanted to make sure that Damian kept going down the right path, how awesome is it that even in her darkness she saw light.
I love the very last part, the letter....oh my gosh I cried and I cried, it's a good thing everyone was sleeping or they would have thought I was crazy. I would have to give this book 5 stars for sure, I wish I could give it more because it deserves it so much. Thank you so much for taking me on this journey and I can't wait to see what else you have in store for your fans.
Barbara M (Reviewer)
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Excerpt
Damian sighed and adjusted his
nametag. “I’m the son of Jackson Lowell, Doctor Extraordinaire. That means I
have a lot of time to myself. I play the guitar. Write music. I’ve beaten every
Assassin’s Creed game. And I don’t live up to my father’s expectations. Hell, I
don’t know if I live up to anyone’s expectations.”
“I’m sure your dad just wants you
to be happy.”
Damian grunted. “Whose definition
of happy? His? Mine?” His eyebrows rose. “Yours?”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t happy only
have one definition?”
“Does it? Are you happy?”
I thought about it for a few
moments. I had beaten my disease twice before, and I was determined to do it
again. More than anything, I was happy just to be alive. “Yeah, I am.”
His eyes narrowed. “Having a tube
sticking out of your chest, being hooked up to toxic drugs, getting sick—that
makes you happy?”
“Oh, well, no. But…”
“Not that easy, is it?” The edge in
his voice pricked at me. I couldn’t tell if he was talking about me or himself.
“The outcome of—”
“You don’t know the outcome.” He sounded angry, his eyes blazing. “You only hope it will make you happy. When it
might kill you. That’s reality.”
I pulled my lips tight. “True, but
it makes my parents happy to see me fight.”
“Bullshit. They’re not happy having
a daughter who has to battle cancer. And if you die, well, how can they be
happy about that?”
“If—”
Damian cut me off. “Yeah. If. So
much is based on that word, and there are no fucking guarantees attached to it.
What makes you happy now may be what destroys you later. Or those you love.
Then what? Sometimes, being happy isn’t worth the risk.”
“And sometimes it is,” I said
quietly.
Damian brightened again, offering a
slight smile. “See what I mean? Nothing in this shithole life is easy.”
“Just because it’s not easy, doesn’t
mean it’s not worth it.”
“So tell me then, is it worth it?” His blue eyes searched
mine. “Worth all the time in this place?”
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