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Take Care, Sara

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You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know is gone.

Sara Walker knows firsthand what it feels like to have your reality ripped away, scrambled, and shoved back at you in an undone puzzle where pieces are missing and nothing fits. She's lost so much and is struggling to live and to find the strength to forgive herself for being human. With the help of Lincoln, her husband's brother, Sara realizes it's not about finding who she used to be, but about finding who she is now.

You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know isn't gone, but reborn.

493 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2013

93 people are currently reading
4796 people want to read

About the author

Lindy Zart

25 books1,058 followers
Lindy Zart is an American USA Today bestselling author who writes across a number of fictional genres such as new adult, contemporary romance, and fantasy. Her rom-com Roomies (2014) was an international bestseller that rose to #1 in Satire Fiction, Romantic Comedy, General Humor, and Humorous, becoming a USA Today bestseller. Lindy currently lives in Wisconsin with her family.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 423 reviews
Profile Image for * Meli Mel *.
856 reviews671 followers
October 21, 2015

♥♥♥ 5 Heartachingly Beautiful Stars ♥♥♥



~Arc provided by Author in exchange for an honest review~



Take Care, Sara is a story about heartache and loss. It is about overcoming those thoughts and emotions that made you feel so lost, alone, and worthless. By letting go, and finding a reason to stay strong. So you can move on and learn how to live and love again.



It has been a year since Sara's world was turned upside down. You probably wouldn't know it, though, by the way Sara still mourns the loss of her husband Cole like it just happened. She lives in a constant state of depression and doing the most mundane of tasks takes up too much energy for her to accomplish. This is what she has turned into, a sorrowful zombie. When the memories and feelings become too hard to bear, one call has the power to calm her down some. One call from the only person she has left, Lincoln, Cole's brother.

Lincoln can't take it anymore. He refuses to see what Sara is doing to herself. She no longer resembles the warm, kind woman that she use to be. She hasn't died, she is still alive. So now it's up to him to push her limits until she can let go and finally live her life like she is suppose to. But Lincoln has been hiding something from her for a long time and the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes for him to not show her how he feels.




This story was so beautiful! I was an emotional wreck for most of the book so I want to warn you in advance, you will need to have a box of tissues at hand! The story was very well written. I was able to connect with Sara and feel every single emotion she had. I had never felt such a loss for a character I've never even met, but I was able to, I was grieving Cole's death. The journey that Sara goes through in order to move forward felt like I was going through that journey along with her. I thought it was perfectly paced, it made it that much more believable to me, including the characters.

"I'd do anything for you, Sara." Lincoln's head lifted. "You have to know that."

She did. Sara closed her eyes, nodding. "I know."

"I'll always be here for you, no matter what . Even when you don't want me to be. Even when you don't think you need me to be, or you don't think you deserve me to be. I'll never leave you."

I loved, loved, loved Lincoln. He was super supportive, selfless and always there for her to make her smile. He never gave up on her, no matter how many times she pushed him away. I seriously don't know what Sara would have done without him. He was going through the same grief she was but he was able to hide it from everyone better than she was. Yet, he still sacrificed himself in order to ensure that she would be okay. Even though it was hurting him to be so close to her without being able to show her how he truly felt for her. He really was a wonderful character. *sigh* All he wanted was to be understood and be seen by her.



Overall, it was an amazing heart wrenching read but it also made you reflect on life and it helped as a reminder to always cherish those loved ones around you. I ugly cried so much, but I also couldn't help but smile during some scenes. The story was told in Sara's POV and I thought the transition from present to past was done so, seamlessly. I loved how much Lincoln and Sara needed and took care of each other. It was so great to see them find happiness and become somewhat healed. The ending was so beautiful and sweet. I loved it and I would definitely recommend it to everyone.


Profile Image for Anna.
484 reviews372 followers
July 6, 2013
4 Holy trickle-of-steady-tears-and-devour-a-gallon-of-ice-cream stars !!!



~That saying was a lie. Time made the wounds deepen; it made them grow. It was her enemy and it was winning the battle against her soul. Time was ruining her, dissolving her, destroying her. It was all about time. And it was killing her~

SARA


Sara cried for her parents, Sara cried for him. She cried for herslf. It was too much. There was too much hurt in her life. Sara longed for it all to stop.

It's been a year since life took a more tragic turn for Sara. She lost her husband Cole. She is in such deep mourning and depression she just goes through the motions of each day. Barely. Her story broke my heart. I have read plenty of sad, weepy books but this book......was so depressing. It made me think way too much....and it made me cry even more. The beautiful writing in this book took me each step of the way in the stages of grief with Sara.

Lincoln



Lincoln is Cole's brother. Lincoln was patient, kind, strong, inspirational..all-around amazing. This situation is a little on the quandary side for me. Is this type of love forbidden or taboo? This story never crossed THAT line for me. I loved how Lincoln was so strong for Sara, yet he was grieving too. He was truly her rock.



His eyes were tortured and Sara's heart hurt seeing that look in them. He hid it better than she, but he was hurting just as much as she was.

"I think what you need to find is a way to not feel bad about living." Lincoln tightened his hold on her. "And I'm going to help you find it."

Lincoln helps Sara try to live. Find a reason to laugh.

Lincoln finally confesses..........

"I saw you first, Sara. When I saw you. I knew you were meant for me. I'd never felt like that before and I've never felt like that since. I tried to deny it, I tried to forget you. Every woman I dated; I hoped she'd be the one to take the place of you in my heart. Only it never worked. Not even the fact that you were my brother's could make it stop."

"I saw you first but you never saw me. Never have. Not even now."
"It's already done. I can't stop. I won't stop, I'm done stopping, Sara. SEE ME. PLEASE. Just once turn around and see ME."


HOLY EPIC OPEN SIGHHHHH.......look at him please for the love of God !! Look at Lincoln !!! ❤❤❤❤

"I just lost my brother. I'm not losing you too. I'm never losing you, Sara, never. I'm not letting you go. Ever. Your life is worth living. you don't get the right to throw your life away."



Just hold me while I cry......



Take the chance and love again..........



I really struggled with this book and how to truly rate it. It was heart-wrenching!!! Flashbacks of happy times were absolutely torture.Somehow, although I was numb.... I felt like there was hope...then...I got whammied...then I got a glimpse of some sunshine.....then dark clouds started forming.....Its difficult to explain without giving the story away. Although it was painful at most times I am so glad I read this book !!!! The thoughts it provoked, the emotions that got scattered all over the place, all the sappy quotes you have going through your head...totally worth the ugly crying. I highly recommend reading this book with a whole box of tissues, your bestie who is NEVER going to read this book so you can vent your thoughts spoilers a-million, arm yourself with a whole gallon of ice cream, and ......blast some good music like I did.... Fuel !!!!

This song is titled "Sunburn"

Look into their eyes you'll see the faithless crying
Save me, save me, save me
And what are they to feel ?
And who are they to be ?
And what am I to do with, do with me, but let the sun
Fall all over me
This life's not living, baby
Living ain't free
If I can't find my way back to me
Let the sun fall down over me
Let the sun fall down
Until my eyes cry out
'Til my head is free from doubt
'Til my lungs sigh right out
'Til I'm wiser
Let the sun
Fall all over me
This life's not living, baby
Living ain't free
If I can't find my way back to me
Let the sun fall down over me
Let the sun fall down


❤❤❤❤Renee ......my lovely who left me to myself to weep, alone, in a buddy-less buddy read ....please note for the record....even though the crying was ugly......

Tequila
was NOT
Required

I'm. just. sayin.... You can do it !!!! thank you for this great recommendation ! ❤❤
Profile Image for Aestas Book Blog.
1,059 reviews75.1k followers
July 6, 2013


FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW NOW POSTED

How do you continue living when the person you love most in the world is forever torn out of your life?

“It happened on a warm summer night when my heart was ripped apart and flung in a million unrecoverable directions.”

Ever since suffering the devastating loss of her husband, Sara has been surrounded by crushing, suffocating, constant pain. They were so deeply in love, their lives so entwined that a life without him just doesn’t seem worth living. Everything reminds her of him, she remembers him constantly, aches for him, cannot bear to live without him and has reached a point where she no longer wants to.

“She felt his warmth like he was behind her, holding her. Only it wasn’t him. It would never be him…. She was dying on the inside, losing herself… Sara didn’t know how to make it stop. She longed for it to stop.”

Only a few pages in and I was already near tears. This poor woman had had everything she loved in life torn away from her and she existed in this state of… nothingness. Still alive; the only one left. Left with memories that haunted her everywhere she went. She remembered his smell, the twinkle in this eyes, the sound of his voice… it just broke my heart. I truly *felt* her pain.

“That’s what she remembered, what she relived, every single day.
Him.
In fine detail.
Dying.”

One of the things that I find usually happens with post-loss or post-accident books is that I find that often, because I didn’t personally *know* the character who had died, I find it harder to *feel* their loss because… I didn’t know them as a reader and therefore it’s like I don’t know what I’m missing. But this book made me feel his loss and Sara’s pain right from the beginning. Heck for the first while, I didn’t even know his name and I still missed him.

“There was a void, a hole within her only he could fill. She felt like half a person; bereft, lost.”

The author portray’s Sara’s grief in a very vivid way by describing the little things – a favorite chair that no longer smells like him, an empty sink that used to be full of dirty dishes… these details really connect you with the loss and put you ‘in’ the scene. I honestly read many scenes in the book with tears in my eyes.

But the people in her life care deeply about her and there’s a point where they can’t bear to see her go through the pain any more.

Her husband’s best friend brings along a grief councilor who connects deeply with her having gone through a similar tragedy himself. He knew what it was like to suffer that kind of loss, go through those emotions… and he also knew how to come out the other side.

Her husband’s brother was also there for her. Having been very close to his brother, he understood her pain on a very personal level and yet was determined to help pull her out of her downward spiral and help them both learn to live again while still honoring the memory of the man they’d both lost.

“You’re not alone. Don’t ever deep like you’re alone. You know that, right?”

“You don’t have to feel bad for living, Sarah…. We’re going to laugh and smile. We’re going to live. Understand? This is what Cole would want. He would freak if he saw the way you’re living now. You know it too. This is stopping. Now. You can get mad at me and you can try and push me away, but guess what? I’m not going anywhere.”

He was so incredibly caring for her. Deeply understanding, patient and respectful of her pain and yet equally determined to help her live again.

“You didn’t die. You’re not dying. You don’t get to die, Sara.” he ground out. “Start living.”

I honestly can say that in the first 25% of the book, I honestly wasn’t sure what the ending would be — there were three possible outcomes at that point and I had no idea which road the book would take.

As far as the romance went… this was not a book that was just about immediately moving on and I have to say I really loved that about it. There was nothing about trying to replace or even move forward from her husband for a long time and when something did happen, it was so slow and natural that it never felt disrespectful or rushed.

“Who was saving whom? Maybe they were saving each other.”

I’d almost say that there were points in the story where I wished it would move forward a little faster… there was just so. much. pain. So much heart ache. But I think at the same time that it was because of this pacing that everything felt as natural as it did… And also, the more the book moved on, the more hidden feeling came out. Hidden feelings that actually made the place she was able to move on to okay. I really felt like it wasn’t a betrayal or a replacement but just that everything had it’s time. Tragic though it was. But there just is a point where everyone’s suffering has to stop.

I did find her suffering realistic though. Thank heavens I’ve never suffered a loss like hers but I *know* without a shadow of a doubt that if something happened to my husband, I’d be the same. No question. The author did a beautiful job of portraying Sara’s journey. It was heart wrenching and believable. I *felt* it.

“Love was forever, love was not lost when a life was; love did not fall away or weaken a person. Love was strong and people were stronger because of it; love continued, in all forms, in every way, until the end of time and even after that.”

Take Care, Sara was deeply emotional, painfully beautiful and in the end uplifting. It was about finding the strength to move on even while still holding onto and never forgetting a love so powerful that even in death it would not let go.

4.5 stars

CASTING IMAGE:



You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know is gone.

Sara Walker knows firsthand what it feels like to have your reality ripped away, scrambled, and shoved back at you in an undone puzzle where pieces are missing and nothing fits. She's lost so much and is struggling to live and to find the strength to forgive herself for being human. With the help of Lincoln, her husband's brother, Sara realizes it's not about finding who she used to be, but about finding who she is now.

You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know isn't gone, but reborn.


For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog

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Profile Image for ❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books.
2,621 reviews10.9k followers
August 20, 2013
5 Gut wrenching stars from me

Before I started this I read a review stating that it's best to read this with a box of tissues, and I thought pfffttt yeah right..lol

About 10% into the book the tears were just pouring down my face

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This book made me sit back and think what the Fuck would I do if my partner died suddenly, how would I cope, handle day to day living without him by my side, this book brings all those emotions to the core..

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Times I just wanted to get off this emotional roller coaster but I couldn't for the life of me stop reading..

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Beautifully written!! Highly recommend!! Just take the advice and have those tissues beside you, as this will pull on your heart strings..

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Profile Image for Migdalia Gerena.
25 reviews2 followers
June 3, 2013
Have you ever encountered a book so amazing that it stays with you in your head for days. A book that consumes you to the point that it's difficult to put down. A book that although fiction it propels you to re-evaluate and appreciate what you have. Well, Take Care, Sara is that book and then some. It is perhaps the most poignant, heart-wrenching and well-written book I have ever read. Lindy Zart will definitely have her readers plunge into the depths of grief and guilt and through the long painful journey that Sara and Lincoln endures. Readers find yourselves a cozy non-public reading cave with a decent supply of tissue.

I give this book 5 stars without hesitation.

Lindy, thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to Beta read for you.
Profile Image for Vikki ~ *squee* lite ~.
497 reviews182 followers
July 24, 2013
4.5 stars

The book opens with Sara. It’s been one year since a tragic accident took her husband from her. One year she has spent grieving, but not healing. One year she has spent losing her herself, a little more every day.

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“She felt like half a person, bereft, lost. Nothing was as bright as it used to be, nothing smelled as good. Everything was dimmed. Even Sara.”


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Through Sara’s memories, we get introduced to Cole her husband. They had four years together. Four years of happy memories. Four years where Cole was her whole world, her everything. You could feel the love they had. It was palpable, pouring from every page, with each good memory almost bringing as much bitter sweet pain as Sara’s sadness over his loss.

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“He came home every night from work and before anything else, before he took off his coat or boots or baseball cap, he’d pull her close. He’d kiss her forehead and tell her he missed her and he’d smell so good, so familiar, like sunshine and warmth. Like home. He told her once that if anything ever happened to her, there wouldn’t be enough tears in the world for him to cry.”

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The one year mark starts Sara’s journey out of her self-imposed prison of guilt and sorrow. Whether she wants to or not, she is going to be dragged back into the land of the living. While she has managed to push most people away, there are a few that still remain. Spencer, Cole’s best friend, Mason, a grief councilor who knows exactly how Sara feels, and most importantly, Lincoln, Cole’s brother.

Lincoln is her rock. He is what keeps her from giving up. He won’t let her quit, no matter how much she pushes him away. Lincoln was amazing. His strength was awe inspiring. His love was stronger, and more steadfast than any heroes I can remember.

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For me, this wasn’t a romance book, not really. It was a portrait of grieving. It was a story of coming back from the edge. It was a lesson in holding on to whatever that special thing or person is that keeps the darkness at bay. It was about forgiveness, fate, and redemption.

Lindy Zart did a masterful job in immersing you in Sara’s world. I felt every bit of sorrow, pain and guilt right along with her. I cried, and cried, and cried again some more. I was shocked that I never got frustrated with Sara. I’ve read other books, with similar circumstances (one’s that start off with the death of a first love), and usually if the “sad” part of the book lingers too long, I get bored, and anxious to move on. It may make me a horrible bitch, but usually I find myself mentally telling the character to get the heck over it! The “sad” portion of this books goes well beyond the half way mark, but I never once found myself thinking that Sara was over reacting, or holding on to something she should be over. I felt her pain too deeply to not understand that she wasn’t going to get over the loss of Cole – ever – really.

It was amazing how, even though you knew from the beginning that Sara had lost her husband, the details, and circumstances surrounding the tragedy are actually revealed slowly – and it seemed – for maximum impact. Each new revelation was like another stab to the heart. Added to that, the flashbacks to Cole and Sara’s relationship, and Cole, Sara and Lincoln’s past just heightened the feeling of total devastation.

When it becomes clear that Lincoln has feelings for Sara, feeling that are more than shared sorrow and brotherly affection, I thought I might lose it. I was so afraid for him and for Sara. She was nowhere near being ready to deal with those kinds of emotions, but at the same time, it was so horrible to watch Lincoln suffer, not only with his brother’s death, but with the guilt and pain of being in love with his brother’s wife. I actually found myself almost wishing it would never come out. I was too worried that Sara would lose him, the one thing that was keeping her tied to the world, if she couldn’t reciprocate his feelings.

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I do wish we had gotten a longer epilogue. I needed a spectacular fairytale-esque ending complete with every heart and flower known to man to help me deal with how my heart hurt over this book. But, instead of going with over the top unrealistically perfect endings, I got a real ending. One that made sense, and made me happy, but didn’t replenish my emotional stores. I just felt totally wrung out – like my emotions had been on hyper drive for so long that I was almost numb from it.

It really is a spectacularly written book, with a beautiful, poignant story to tell. I can’t say I enjoyed it exactly (It would be like me saying I enjoyed childbirth – while I loved the result, the actual experience wasn’t exactly pleasant) I’m glad I read it. If you are looking for an emotional book that will make you *feel* you can’t go wrong with this one.


Profile Image for Pam Nelson.
3,799 reviews124 followers
June 17, 2018
4 Take Care, Sara Stars

I was looking for something different to read, not something that would make me cry but if it did then all the better.

This did not make me cry but this book was chalked full of emotion.

I loved how the author makes you almost feel the woman’s grief. But also the brothers grief as well.

I have read a few reviews where people don’t think this is a love story. But it is.

You have this woman drowning in her grief and the woman’s husband’s brother who not only is hurting too but he helps her live again. Thrive again.

It is heart breaking and emotional and ugly and sweet and swoony. It’s a woman’s journey of lose and strength.

I would recommend this book to someone who wants an emotional book with the romance aspect light on the sex.

I don’t believe I have listened to any of this narrators work before, at first it took some getting used to, it was like she was both characters and a narrator for the story. I actually really liked that.

*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*
Profile Image for Lelyana's Reviews.
3,412 reviews400 followers
January 18, 2018
***POSSIBLE CONTAINS SPOILER !***

5 SPARKLING TEAR JERKING STARS!!!


It didn’t matter who you were or what you’d accomplished in life;
none of that mattered when tragedy struck.
You had no pull; no power.
You had no choice.
There was nothing to gamble with;
nothing to do to put the odds in your favor.
You were there and then you were gone, leaving those around you to realize how insignificant they all really were;
leaving them to try to pick up the destroyed pieces.


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God! This one was intense , slow, soft but intense. I can feel Sara's desperate soul from the beginning, how she blamed her self for losing her husband, mourning a whole year and can't never see Cole who lying in a hospital bed. Half dead. Brain death, no soul.

I read The Last Hour (Thompson Sisters, #4) by Charles Sheehan-Miles last March, one of tear jerking soul slayer book I have ever read in my life...and this one was almost match TLh , it was like the second part of that book.

I dunno what's going on with her strength, but Sara should be strong, strong for her husband instead of blaming her self and depressed all the time.
Good thing was she have her friends, Spencer, Mason and Lincoln, Cole's younger brother to take care of her. Take care of her anger, protected her from her self.

“Do you have any idea how much I love you?” His face was close to hers, his eyes trained on Sara’s.
His fingers sifted through her hair, cupping the nape of her neck.
“If anything ever happened to you, there wouldn’t be enough tears in the world for me to cry. That’s how much I love you.”


I love her memory about how she and Cole falling in love for each other for the first time.
Memories suck sometimes, it's going to kill you if you let it interfere you head, hart and soul, it will consumed you and slowly killing you.
Even sweet memories can murder you!!!

“Sometimes you can’t see it and it doesn’t make sense, but eventually, in time, it does. Even when it hurts. Even when it’s bad. Something good happens because of it.”


I love a one way telephone call between Lincoln and Sara, they're support each other, but Sara denied her love for Lincoln so hard, and it's hurting her once again.
Lincoln never hide his feeling about her, but she's somehow his brother's wife, and he's right there lying the hospital bed, dying.
Until after few months after Cole's death, he told Sara about his love. And Sara, rejected that, instead telling him how she felt about him. She ran away. From a man who loved her.



There's some twist when Lincoln told Sara about everything, how he was so hurt hiding his love for her...and when he said I SAW YOU FIRST", my heart cried.For Lincoln. poor guy. Loving someone, but cannot reach her, and waiting and waiting and waiting for so long.

“Pretending only makes things worse. I guess not knowing how you feel about something is normal too. You can love someone and hate them at the same time. You can want something and not want it too. Sometimes lies are all you have; sometimes you have to tell yourself them just to be able to breathe.”


Can they reach their happy ending without Cole's ghost haunted them forever? Can Lincoln finally holding his dream?
God! I loved Lincoln !

"I see you when I wake up, I dream of you, I see you in every woman’s face and I see you in the sky and even the grass. You’re everywhere. You’re everything. That’s all that matters. You’re all that matters. So hate me. Never speak to me again. Doesn’t matter. I’ll still need you. I’ll need you till I take my last breath and I’ll need you even after that,”"




“You hold on tight from now on, so tight it hurts. Got it? Don’t let go of me, not ever. Don’t worry about hurting me, don’t worry about suffocating me, don’t worry about holding on too tight. You hold on and you never let go. You’ll only hurt me, I’ll only suffocate, if you let go. Promise.”




There's so much quotable quotes that I love here, thank you Lindy for writing such a beautiful story.

Recommended!
Profile Image for Johanna.
212 reviews48 followers
September 8, 2013
***3.5 Life Is Cruel, but Love Is Forever Stars***
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You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know is gone.

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Take Care, Sara, is a beautiful heart whelming story of love, loss, and second chances.

Sara is young, beautiful, with a promising career. But that all comes to a halt when her dashingly charismatic, handsome husband dies suddenly. Sara is left with a broken heart, a broken life, and debilitating depression.

This is Sara's journey of mourning her one TRUE LOVE
Love was forever, love was not lost when a life was; love did not fall away or weaken a person. Love was strong and people were stronger because of it; love continued, in all forms; in every way, until the end of time and even after that

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Ultimately, Sara slowly but surely learns to deal with her husbands death with the help of his brother Lincoln. Sara and Lincoln learn to heal each other and find comfort in each others arm.. But at what price? Might I add that this slow revolving door between friendship and companionship is blurred.. But done tastefully so.. No rush and no insta love in this novel..
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Overall, this is a great original story and would recommend it to anyone who seeks something out of their norm.. Bit please take into consideration this is a very depressing book so if your an emotional person you might want to invest in a box of tissues :P
Profile Image for Kirsty.
386 reviews73 followers
June 16, 2013
This was one of the most depressing books I have ever read.

A book like this is nearly impossible to write without giving away spoilers.. so much is happening and there are twists and turns throughout. All of this made for a very interesting and gripping read!
"No matter how many times Sara loved, she lost."

I hate to say it but Sara was like a walking disaster to me.. I know, it sounds awful but she'd just been dealt such a crap hand in life and she had lost so many people. As I said, the book was depressing, but when you learn what Sara has dealt with and is still dealing with, it isn't surprising in the slightest.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say that she has lost her parents and now her husband, all to awful accidents. This book is Sara's struggle to come to terms with the loss of her husband and, with the help of her brother in-law and a really great friend, eventually moving on.

I wish I could mention all of the characters.. they played such a huge part in Sara's healing and recovery, but my favourite? There is nobody else but Lincoln.. he is Sara's brother in-law and her absolute rock in the world. I loved him from the first encounter and was dying for him to find happiness, just as much as Sara. He pushed Sara in to moving on and dealing with the loss she is experiencing in life, but he did it in the most loving and caring way. He knew what she could handle and he never forced anything.
"You don't have to feel bad for living, Sarah."

Sara also had a great friend, Spencer. He introduced her to a grief counselor, Mason, who I wish we got to see mroe of. The two of them were great friends to Sara and again, they helped her through everything. I just wish they had been included a lot more because they were also a vital part of her healing.

Overall this was a very good read, it took me a while to truly be hooked, maybe not until the 50% mark, but once I got there I didn't want to put it down. It was very sad and depressing but it has the most wonderful HAE. I had happy tears in my eyes when I read it and I just had to pause for a minute to really savour it. That's when you know you've read a fabulous book.
"I want you, Sara. I've always wanted you. Damaged, broken, irrevocably ruined, I stil want you."
Profile Image for Kelly (and the Book Boar).
2,819 reviews9,514 followers
December 2, 2013
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

1.5 Stars

A year ago Sara’s life was turned upside down when a car accident stole her husband. Since the accident, she has not been able to move on … or really move at all. Spending her days locked in her house and contemplating if she should end her own life. Her husband’s brother, Lincoln, is the only person who finally gets fed up enough to drag Sara out of her depression. His life was also changed, but he will fight with everything he has in order not lose two people he loves.

If you are a fan of the Lifetime Television for Women movies, you are probably going to LOOOOOOOOOVE Take Care, Sara. It is syrupy sweet and filled with romance. It is also extremely predictable and drones on and on and on and on and on forever rather than just cutting to the chase. Although this was not my cup of tea (it was recommended to me by a fellow Goodreader and I picked it up on the Kindle when it was free), I’m sure there are millions of others out there who just swoon at the mere mention of the title. If you are a lover of romances that are light on plot, this is a good way to kill an afternoon.
Profile Image for BeeH .
421 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2013
I love this book even though it made me cry too much.I don't think you should read it if you are sad and emotional.This will make it worse.I am not saying this to stop you from reading it.Just making you aware that this book is really sad,emotional and heart wrenching . Take Care, Sara is an emotionally raw book about a young woman who is trying to pull herself together after she goes through something tragic. It's about learning to let go, to forgive herself, and let others help her.We do get an HEA, and like the rest of this story, it is beautiful. I really recommend this book! This book is very well written so be prepared to have your heart broken and get the tissues ready.
Profile Image for Nikki.
255 reviews36 followers
July 30, 2014
This book was depression on a stick and ultimately not for me. Sara is mucho depressed because her husband and love of her life is no longer with her. She can't get out of the funk until her hubby's brother, Logan, begins to crack her shell. I could not get over all of the self-loathing. It was just too much for me unfortunately. The writing was good but I couldn't connect with the characters and started skimming looking for the happier times, only to be met with more depressing shiz, and then finally HEA, bam you done. Like no sexy times either.

Just not my cuppa, oh well.

Profile Image for Melissa.
58 reviews135 followers
May 6, 2013
This book is amazing! Heart wrenching, roller coaster ride of emotion, must read with a box of tissues amazing!
Profile Image for Heather .
450 reviews138 followers
August 31, 2013

Oh my lord this book was so freaking sad! It was so dark and gut wrenching. I need a few happy books now, no more sadness. I would not recommend this for those of you who don't like sad books. It was somewhat akin to watching Steel Magnolias, in reverse. All of the sadness hits you right from the get go. Then slowly eases into a dull ache and ending with a life worth living.



Sara Walker is existing. She is a shell of her former self. There are good days and bad days. On the good days, she gets up and showers, she cleans and she eats. Then she goes back to sleep. On the bad days she hears her husband talking to her and she wants to die.



Cole is a pivotal character in this book, yet he is only there is Sara's mind. Cole is the love of Sara's life. Her reason for living. When she looses him, she find's herself unable to cope. Breathing becomes difficult and months go by without improvement.


Lincoln is Cole's brother. Lincoln is hurting too. But Lincoln is there for Sara time and again. He refuses to let her slip into the dark abyss that threatens to consume her. He calls her, he pulls her out of her darkness time and time again.


Sara is haunted by memories that won't let her go. She can't escape in the house that they made a home. She has closed off the doors to their former life together and has enshrined the memories. They are all too painful to confront.


When the life you know, the reason for living is gone, what is left? Is this life worth it? Guilt consumes her and she spends her time wracked with sadness.


Sara believes she is alone, but Lincoln refuses to allow it. He forces her out of the house even when the pain is too great.



Eventually, Lincoln begins to unravel his feelings for Sara and they are not what she was expecting. He has been holding her together all this time. Sara begins to realize that she is not the only one who has lost and she is not the only one hurting.



“You hold on tight from now on, so tight it hurts. Got it? Don’t let go of me, not ever. Don’t worry about hurting me, don’t worry about suffocating me, don’t worry about holding on too tight. You hold on and you never let go. You’ll only hurt me, I’ll only suffocate, if you let go. Promise.” Silver flames sparked in his eyes and Lincoln’s jaw was clenched as he stared her down.- Lincoln



Lincoln is ever present and ever patient. Waiting, watching, giving his support. He is never far from Sara. Even when he is not there, he is on her mind.

"Lincoln was like a rock, standing tall in the wake of a tsunami, unbending and unbreakable."


The relationship between Sara and Lincoln begins to shift and it scares the hell out of her. She can't live without him and she knows it. She has to figure out how to breathe on her own. How to go from surviving to living again. She can't let herself get in over her head. She has to stand on her own two feet and learn to walk on her own again.



This book freaking wrecked me. Oh my lord! This is like a large cup of depression rolled up in self loathing and grief. Wow. It was so well written and so well executed that I felt it all. Every tortured sob, every gut wrenching emotion was in technicolor for me to experience. Sara was such a tortured soul. She had no hope, no reason to live. Lincoln was a man on a mission. He was going to save Sara. He stood by her through so much. He never left her no matter how much she pushed him away. He knew her better than she knew herself.

I loved this book and I hated this book. It was sooooo sad and it was incredibly intense. I had no idea going in what was going to happen and there were many surprises. It was hard to imagine one person having to endure so much heartache. This one will stick with me for a while. I hope I didn't scare anyone off. While this book is incredibly sad, it gets better. There is a proverbial light at the end of this tunnel. Bravo Lindy! You are one hell of a writer!

5 Rip Your Heart Out Stars!

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Profile Image for Ana.
19 reviews
May 6, 2013
I read Take Care,Sara Not knowing how emotianal it was going to make me. Lindy Zart was able to put Sadness,heartbreak and grief into words that I felt deep in my heart. It was by far the saddest book I have ever read. I felt Sara's Grief throughout the story ,but I also started to feel the healing process. I loved this book so much..Not a day goes by that I don't think of this story, It will stay with me forever.
Profile Image for Jenny - TotallybookedBlog.
1,908 reviews2,054 followers
June 25, 2013
You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know is gone.

Sara Walker is living a nightmare. Sara is lost and consumed by an overwhelming and neverending grief following the loss of her husband a year ago. Sara reaches a point where she really doesn’t want to live in a world devoid of Cole, the love of her life. Theirs was a love so deep with a long and happy a life ahead of them.

“Time had no meaning for Sara, other than to mock her with its endless sorrow.”

Sara’s world had been ripped from under her and nothing can lift her from the sadness and loss she feels. Sara would rather be with Cole than live in a world without him and it is this mindset Sara makes a decision. One she is, thankfully, not permitted to carry out after some intervention by Spencer and Mason. Two characters I adored.

“Then I don’t have to hurt, then I don’t have to wonder, then I don’t have to worry about any of it.”

Lincoln, Cole’s brother is her one touch with reality but even Lincoln has difficulty reaching Sara. Theirs is a close relationship and one where each is consumed with, and understands the others grief yet it is Lincoln who reaches out to Sara encouraging her to live her life. To be the Sara she used to be.

“This is reality. He’s gone, you’re not. Live, Sara.”

Little by little Lincoln coaxes Sara out of her despair but it is a long road and Sara isn’t a willing participant. Sara can’t begin to fathom how she will live without Cole – she feels him around her every minute of the day.

“He said when he looked at you he was home.”

Take Care, Sara will overwhelm you with sadness. You will live and breathe Sara’s grief, loss and guilt. You will mourn with her to the point where you almost want to reach in and assure her life will go on, you want to enlighten her and pray that she sees finally the man in front of her, the man who is always there for her.

This book really did move me. You felt the grief, the loss, the utter despair Sara was experiencing and you felt it every step of the way.

“So say his name, and stop acting like your world has fallen apart and mine hasn’t and……fuck.” Lincoln

My heart literally ached for Lincoln. This man was a saint and I loved him. Here was a man who was also dealing with an all-consuming loss, who was also hurting, yet he was there for Sara without question. His feelings for her never faltered and he was her rock. Her one touch with reality. This selfless, beautiful man never questioned her and was always willing to give.

When Lincoln’s frustrations with Sara and her lack of will to face reality bubbled to the surface, I became frustrated with him. I wanted so much for Sara to see the man he was and how he was trying to help her. He laid his emotions bare for Sara and gave so much of himself and I ached for Sara to return that to Lincoln. Although I understood Sara’s immense grief, I did feel at times she was a little dismissive of Lincoln’s own grief.

“On their own, they were weak, but together, they seemed to be able to cope.”

Take Care, Sara was sad, moving and so beautifully written. You will feel joy at the occasional highs and despair through their lows. There were a couple of times I felt it did drag through the middle and at time could feel a little repetitive but this did not detract from the feelings I experienced overall in Take Care, Sara. I wanted so much for Sara and Lincoln to find the happiness they so both desperately needed and deserved and I was willing them both to make it work.

“Sometimes when you think you have nothing, you realise you have yourself…”

Take Care, Sara is a story about losing everything, finding yourself, moving forward, letting go and taking a second chance at love because find it once, you’re lucky. Find it twice, take that chance…then you are truly blessed.

You breathe in, you breathe out, and everything you know isn’t gone, but reborn.

arc supplied by author in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for ♥Sharon♥.
985 reviews139 followers
August 24, 2013
Take Care Sara is about a women who is struggling to make it through each day following a life altering accident that involves her husband Cole.

The book starts off by Sara on the verge of ending her life. Thankfully she is stopped but she is left dealing with unbearable emotional pain. She doesn’t want to go on but others around her help her cope.

Take Care Sara is a book about pain and unexpected comfort. It is about falling into darkness and somehow finding light. It is about a shattered heart and mending that heart.

This book caused many tears and made me feel deeply. As the author was taking me through each day Sara was faced with I felt her anguish and truly wondered how she woke each day to face the pain.

Then we meet Spencer who is a good friend of her husband, Mason who is a grief counselor and Lincoln who is Cole’s brother. These three people become Sara’s life line. It isn’t always apparent to her though. Sara doesn’t want the help. She doesn’t want to be happy. But sometimes what we want for ourselves isn’t always the right answer.

Sara and Lincoln are both dealing with a terrible loss. Sara relies silently on Lincoln and he helps her in her healing process. But who will help Lincoln? Will Sara become strong enough to help him through his pain?

Sara and Lincolns journey spans over a good period of time. It is a journey that is filled with so much emotion, so much pain. But it is also filled with love and comfort. It is about finally finding peace and becoming whole again.

I always have a hard time reading books that deal with such painful feelings. And although there were parts of this book that seem to go on a little longer than I would have liked, I am so glad I decided to read this book. I loved the ending!
Profile Image for Maggie Thom.
Author 25 books477 followers
June 3, 2013
This story, Take Care Sara, pulls you into a woman's grief and guilt. Sara has gone through a lot in her life but nothing hits her as hard as the loss of the love of her life. The weight of the guilt of his death, sits heavily on her shoulders, so much so that she refuses to get back into life. A few friends, though refuse to let her shut herself off, anymore. Lincoln, her brother-in-law, who is going through his own hell, has had enough of her just wanting to exist. He pushes and pulls and shoves until she has a critical decision to make - does she continue to wallow in her agony? or does she learn to forgive? Can she be okay with being alive when her husband isn't? Can she learn to accept what life has dished her? Can she move forward?

It grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let me go. Be prepared to feel... and to go through the journey of Sara's agonizing feeling of defeat, of having screwed up the best thing in her life, of never feeling like she can fix it. Get the tissues ready. It is heartbreaking and sad but it also has has heartwarming moments and... so much more that I can't tell you because it will spoil the book for you. One of my favorite lines, "... he was stealing breaths that weren't his". It is a heavy story that really lets you feel the despair at its ultimate but it also gives you hope and to realize that change can happen, if you're open to it. Awesome book. I look forward to more from this author.
Profile Image for Zoe and the Edge.
674 reviews68 followers
January 22, 2015
I feel like I've read a lot of stories about grief. But none like this one. Sara's pain is written so fluently that I actually physically hurt for her.
Lincoln loves Sara in a way that is hard to comprehend. He loves her for who she was and who she will be. He's so damn brave.
As the book goes on, I really came to adore Lincoln. He's just so selfless and holds himself together so well. The way he keeps his emotions in check feels so exhausting.

Lincoln – "He [Cole] was the well-behaved one, the quiet one...He got decent grades and didn’t get into too much trouble. I was never jealous though. I never felt less than. He didn’t let me. I never wanted what he had. Until you.” Lincoln’s fingers tightened on her arms. “You I wanted. And that was the first and only time I was jealous of Cole.”

There's something so heartfelt when two brothers, two best friends, love the same woman. Towards the end of the book, it just gets so intense. The two men are such contrasts and yet so the same. The way they love Sara is so different from each other but still so beautiful.
Towards the end of the book, it dragged but I really loved the ending when I finally got there.

Best line in the book: “I saw you first.”
Profile Image for Dovey.
Author 8 books83 followers
May 20, 2013
I am not very good at reviews, generally leaving the bare minimum to say that I enjoyed a work. I can't do that this time. This deserves more than my usual bumbling about. I will say that I got an advanced copy of this, but that fact has no bearing on my review. If I only kind of liked it, the stars would reflect that, and if I hated it, well then I wouldn't leave a review at all! I got so connected to Sara that my heart broke with hers, I cried when she cried, and I smiled with her, as well. This was so well written that I got lost in it and forgot that I was reading a work of fiction. I could actually feel the sorrow, the pain that she experienced, and urged her on in my own mind, waiting for the hurt to stop. I have loved all of Lindy Zart's books, but this one had topped all of them. This is one that will forever be in my top 10 books of all time, and that's no easy feat. I STRONGLY urge anyone who is considering reading this to stop thinking about it and just DO it. You will not be sorry.
Profile Image for Juli Valenti.
Author 25 books166 followers
June 1, 2013
I'm sitting here at a loss for words. I truly don't even know how to explain how I feel about Take Care, Sara.
Honestly, I bought this book to support Lindy, not knowing a whole lot about it.

Everyone told me I would need tissues...I was doubtful.

So...at midnight I plopped myself down with my kindle and a juice box and started to read. It was very sad, and drew me right in. While it was sad, I wasn't very affected by it...It was as though I was numb reading. I pretty much lost it half way through the book, and never really got "it" back. I cried and cried, using tissue after tissue - understanding what everyone was saying to me about this book.

Lindy is going to be a huge star with this book. Her ability to convey emotions to this extent is phenomenal. Her ability to make her readers feel everything Sara was feeling...the absolute roller coaster of feelings that one feels when their lives are torn apart. The feelings of guilt, sorrow, anger, loss.

If you don't read anything else all year, read this book. It will change your life.
Profile Image for Kendra.
160 reviews
May 13, 2013
This is an amazingly deep and heart wrenching story of love, loss, desperate grief, healing and finding love and happiness again. The grief and pain and guilt that Lindy is able to bring out, and actually make you feel right along with Sara, is absolutely heartbreaking! You'll need tissues for this one, but the friendship and growing love she finds with Lincoln is truly sweet and refreshing, and in the end you see that the pain was so worth it.
I also want to say, this book literally takes you through every step of Sara's grieving, and if you've gone through pain this deep, I think it can be a bit healing.
I am so glad to have been given an advance copy to read and review, because I absolutely love Take Care, Sara. It's deep and makes you feel. Definitely not a light, quick, easy read, but it's a truly passionate and emotional story you'll want to read again and again!
Profile Image for Funzee Shu.
932 reviews107 followers
June 30, 2013
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Memories were like ghosts that never went away; always there to haunt…

Memories had a funny way of inducing scents and sometimes even sounds. The past never seemed to fully leave a room; just as memories kept one’s history alive as well.

Memories were like two different sides of a coin. You can not get rid of the bad memories, and only keep the good ones.
Because ... even the sweetest memories, (still) could kill you from inside…


And…
This is what the story about…
The memories…
Not the ugliest or bad one...
But it’s the sweetest one…

And even if it’s “the sweetest memories” , it could broken someone lives into pieces…

And…that the reason why this book successfully consumed me and broke my heart into pieces too while am reading it…
It’s like reading “In The Stillness” and “The last Hour” at the same time, coz I keep picturing Carrie’s life “after Ray” in Sara’s story…
And it make me cry even more…

I love the way the author describe all those anguish feelings perfectly in this story.
I love the way she build readers emotions from the beginning...
I can feel all Sara's anguish, sadness and grief while am reading this book.
Each chapters always bring tears to my eyes.
Even the simple words like "blue", can make me shed a tear...
It's exhausting, but I "enjoying" it.

Never in my reading history, i want to quote words from a book that much.
I want to put all those beautiful quotes into my review if I could !

Its too MUCH !

I'll hide my review coz its possibly contains spoilers !!


HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!

Wish someday there's a movie made based on this beautiful book.



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My playlist while am reading this book :
Hurt by Christina Aguilera
Gravity by Sara Bareilles

Profile Image for Scott-robert Shenkman.
235 reviews78 followers
June 8, 2013
Brutal and Beautiful

I’m going to say this straight out: this book is amazing. But if you’ve recently suffered a loss and are grieving, wait to read this until after you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Seriously.

Grief and guilt. It’s a deadly combination. And it leads to depression. There is no light in the darkness. People will try to pull you out of that hell, but you won’t be able to climb out until you find the strength inside of yourself to live again. How many of us have lost someone very, very special, and felt, in the aftermath, that we would be betraying them if we smiled, if we laughed, if we loved? I’ve been to this place, and it’s horrible. Ms. Zart gets grief. She gets it perfectly. Unfortunately, I believe she must have been in this place at least once, because I don’t think you can write this without living it first.

This is raw, brutal pain. The amount of time that the MC grieved did at first seem excessive to me, and I thought she must have fallen into clinical depression. Perhaps she had. But there is a reason for such never-ending guilt and grief. I can usually see the “twist” coming. It happens at about the 1/3 mark, and I have to say, I never saw this coming. Not at all. And it felt like a punch to the gut.

**Ending Spoiler***

There is a happy ending. I think one might suffocate in this book without one. But that’s the whole reason to survive grief – to be able to live again and to be able to be happy without feeling we’re cheating on the person we’ve lost.

I don’t cry at books (though I will admit that I can tear up at amazing happy endings that make you want to fist pump the air), but for all you criers out there – you will do this a lot here. So be ready with your tissues and handkerchiefs.

Personally, I felt…justified…in the way I had grieved in the past because of how Sara suffered. It’s actually a good thing to realize that, when you feel this way, there are other people who felt or feel the same. Eventually, all of us will probably wind up in that dark place again. That’s the nature of life – it ends – for all of us. It can take some of the agony away to know that others know exactly how we feel. But try to look at it this way: you were blessed to love someone so much to be so destroyed by their death. Some people will never have that opportunity, and they are not the fortunate ones. That cliché “it’s better to have loved and lost…” it’s true. I consider myself lucky that there were people in my life that I could go to that dark place for, that they made my life so much better for being in it, that a hole was ripped in my heart when they left. I would rather have that than to never have anyone worth grieving for in my life. And the author is right – as long as you carry them in your heart, they’ll live as long as you do.

I say this just as I said in my review of the book I mention below: go to your spouse/partner and tell them that, if you go first, you want them to find love again. You will not be betrayed. You give your blessing. Tell them that, if you can see them, you want to see them laughing and joyful. That may be the greatest gift you can ever give them – your blessing to go on.

I recommend this book so highly. It’s incredibly moving. I loved Sara, Lincoln, Cole, Mason, Spencer, Dana and Gracie. They made this book very special.

If you want to read another great book about someone dealing with grief, but nowhere near as intense, try “Love Love” by Beth Michele. That book and this are the two best fictional accounts of dealing with grief I’ve ever read.

Profile Image for Katie(babs).
1,867 reviews530 followers
August 22, 2013
Take Care, Sara by Lindy Zart was free on Kindle recently, and is a gem of a book. This book will tear at your heart, but in a good way. Don’t be surprised as you read, you find a lump in your throat and tear up at certain points. Take Care, Sara begins with Sara about to jump off a cliff because she can’t continue on with her life. After a year, she can’t get over her husband, Cole’s vegetated state. He’s in a coma because of a car accident. In a few weeks she must decide to put him to his final rest, which means he will be gone forever. Sara is dying inside, a former shell of herself because she can’t live without Cole in it. She’s saved by a Good Samaritan named Mason, who coincidentally is a friend of her late husband’s and happens to be a grief counselor. Mason won’t let her hide in her house she’s built with Cole, including Cole’s brother Lincoln, who wants her to move on and not give up, because she has so much to offer others. Lincoln has known Sara as long as his brother has, and he cares for Sara deeply. He forces her to confront her guilt and grief while being her rock and making her enjoy life again. He refuses to walk away from her even if she ends up hating him.

Through flashbacks we see why Sara fell for Cole, and he for her, and their marriage, as well as the car accident that takes Cole from her. Reading these flashbacks are beautifully poignant, and it shows the incredible love and devotion Sara and Cole had for one another. Then there’s Lincoln, who loves Sara desperately. But he’s hiding his true feelings for her, which she eventually figures out. She then comes to some conclusions about him and Cole, especially when Lincoln tell her he saw her before Cole did but stepped aside out of respect for his brother.

There’s a spiritual element within these pages, and I guess you could say this is inspirational fiction/romance, although there are many references to love making (more talk and suggestiveness than showing the actual act), mainly between Sara and Cole, as well as some passionate kissing. Lincoln gives these swoonworthy speeches on why Sara is so special to him. He aches for Sara. His pain is shown so well here. Sara’s emotional recovery is very well done and completely understandable on why she would fall in love with Lincoln, even though she’ll always love Cole.

Take Care, Sara is much recommended read for both teens and adults. I’ll definitely look for more by this author who has written a wonderful story with an ending that may make you cry happy tears. Do yourself a favor, and read this one.
Profile Image for Kristi .
108 reviews30 followers
June 2, 2013
Wow.... I am still reeling from the effects major heart-break and an emotional roller coaster of love, udder sadness, and reasons to live! Lindy Zart.... you are absolutely AMAZEBALLS!!!!

Take Care, Sara is about a young woman who has lost everything she has ever loved. She lost both of her parents, lost a baby she was carrying, and lost her husband who was her reason to breathe. She has contemplated multiple times how to end her own life to put an end to her misery. She has given up on life, on herself, and God forbid on happiness. Luckily Sara has friends that care deeply for her and beg for her to try to live... even if it is just showering and walking out her front door. Sara fights tooth and nail to hang on to her heartache and doesn't believe she has the right to smile, to be happy, or to live her life.

Sara's story broke my heart. I cried, laughed, and desperately wanted her to see her self worth and live. I softly and quietly suffered along with Sara throughout her entire ordeal and adventure of finding herself. I UGLY cried to the point I had to bookmark and regain composure to continue reading. Take Care, Sara is so unbelievably touching and heartfelt that I would give it 10 stars if my scale went that high!! I absolutely give Lindy Zart 5 stars on the knock my socks off scale!! This is a MUST read friends... you will definitely need to 1-Click this book ASAP!!
Profile Image for Felicia Tatum.
Author 56 books466 followers
May 22, 2013
I received this book in exchange for a review. I give it 5 of 5 stars.



This book really hit home for me. Sara is grieving…torn…broken. Her husband is gone and she doesn’t understand why. When I was 18, my very first boyfriend, my first love, died in a car accident. To say I felt some of the things Sara did is an understatement. She was married to Cole and had loved him longer, so her grief was more intense. If only I had a Lincoln to save me.



Lincoln, Cole’s brother, is simply amazing. He hid his feelings for years, then sweeps in to save her from herself. Yet he still doesn’t push her. I know he’s fictional, but I think I’m in love with him.



This story was truly devastating, hopeful, and inspiring. Lindy Zart is so creative. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by her. This one…it was so different from her other works, but I absolutely loved it. Keep some tissues handy, Sara will have you crying with her.
Profile Image for -ya.
518 reviews63 followers
July 28, 2013
I love many of the messages delivered in the story.
I hate the storyline.
I am not sure if I make sense at all.

Mason: Everyone's sorry. but does it really do anything? Does it bring them back?...Does it make you feel better? Is there really any point to it? Why do people say it, Sara?"

In Sea of Tranquility, I remember Josh had this conversation about people saying "I am sorry" in the funeral. I have finally found the answer I have been searching for.

About Sara:
The story was heavy in grief. I decided to tune out her grief after going through 2/3 of the book. I felt like I was a heartless bitch:(

About Cole:
No spoiler. I want to say I did not like the scene in the hospital. I think Cole gave Sara the best gift.

About Lincoln:
He was the best character in the book.

About HEA:

Profile Image for Chu.
1,459 reviews72 followers
June 11, 2013
Wow. Wow. Wow.
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So just WOW. :)

(Breathing in - breathing out - going to start typing my review now)...


Because some books just make you feel...

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I never thought I would come across another book that I would love and would make me feel so, so much intense emotion as The Fault in Our Stars & The Last Hour. Oh boy, I was so wrong!!! Because this book - this emotion-filled-heartbreaking-inspiring-super-amazing book - just had me at first chapter. To say it was beautifully written is an understatement. Because this book is so much more than that. This is one of the few books I'd say that five stars wasn't enough. So for the first time, after almost three years of reviewing books, I'm giving out my first six stars!

It took me a while to make this review because I didn't know where to start or what powerful adjectives can I possibly use to convey how much this novel moved me.

When Sara lost Cole, her husband, her whole world stopped and suddenly there was no more reason to live. Everyday waking up is a difficult task. She became recluse, stopped painting and hang-on to that one-sided phone call which always ends up with the line saying, "Take Care, Sara."

Her journey in trying to begin a new life without her husband is hard especially when she didn't know where to start. But through the help of Mason, the currently-on-vacation-grief-counselor, Spencer and Lincoln, Sara tries to live life again.

Mason. He may be rough on Sara but his attitude proved to be a great help. He may be sticking his nose into places he's not wanted, but he means well. He and Sara suffered the same type of grief and knew almost exactly how she felt. So besides the constant bossing around and enigmatic hints, Mason never did really push Sara into talking to him. He allowed her to take her time with her grief and guided her with the process.

Lincoln.

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Oh my gahd! He's my new book boyfriend. He's patient, persistent, determined, persuasive, sweet, generous, loyal and he loves deeply. *swoon*

A part of him was lost when he lost his brother, Cole. But he too has secrets, secrets he could no longer contain the more time he spends with Sara. Question is: will she be able to see through him? Yay, I could no longer type without spilling out any spoilers for future readers. Nevertheless -

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Take Care, Sara is a beautiful novel about loss, coping, moving on and finally letting go. It's a story about finding love, losing love and once again embracing the emotion when you least expect it.

Ms. Lindy allowed her readers to be with Sara in her journey. You could actually feel the emotions pouring out in every page. You are one with the characters as they develop and evolve as the story goes. The ride may be painful, and yes you may end up crying your eyes out (like I did), but the reward at the end is totally worth every tears and heartache.

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Take Care, Sara is definitely an inspiration, a page-turner, a tearjerker and a book with a spot on my favorite list. This is a book I would recommend to all my friends, to people who have lost someone they love and needed a strength to move on.

Take Care, Sara is achingly beautiful, intense and emotional that readers will not only love but will take inspiration from.

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Review Originally Posted at: Book Freak :)
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