Ellie Abela’s life has been anything but easy. Tragedy follows her where ever she goes, and she’s been a lot of places. At twenty she’s lived in over ten different states, all because of her dad’s career in medical research. His career is just another list of the causes of tragedies in El’s life. He’s dying, and with every breath he takes closer to Heaven, Ellie dies a little bit inside too. At twelve she lost her mom in a drunk driving accident, and in a matter of months she fears she’ll lose the last person she has in the world to cancer. While Ellie’s life has been rife with sadness, Trent Wentworth’s has been a challenge. A drug-addicted mom and a dead-beat dad meant at twenty three he was the adoptive father of his two year old sister. Now at twenty five he’s working his way up the corporate ladder and a struggling single parent. Each is searching for a cure to the things in their lives dragging them down. Not all cures are black and white; not all cures save us–and sometimes saving isn’t what we need. Sometimes we just need to realize how lucky we are to be alive, at least for this moment.
Cassandra doesn't remember a time when she wasn't writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character's stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. Besides being a writer, Cassandra is a professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England with their daughter and two dogs.
This read was so sad but so beautiful at the same time!
The pace of the book was nice and I love the relationship between Ellie and her dad. I just kept remembering when my grandma got cancer and watching her slipped away at such an agonizing pace. It's not a good feeling, not something enjoyable to experience and it leave you feeling hallow and lost. I completely understand what Ellie was going through and she was strong. And I was happy to see she found Trent - that he just so attentive and sweet and caring and gosh dangit I need someone like him lol
But I couldn't stop unless it was necessary lol.
Trent was sexy. lol. Nuff said.
He was just so mysterious at first and then full on hot with the simplest things he'd do like smiling or winking. xD I really love his personality and his responsible ways.
The both of them were beyond their years.
The few things I didn't like about this read was how... I don't even know how to put it. But personally, I didn't like how Ellie acted so naive or shying from topics like sex. I get that it could be conservative but I mostly rolled my eyes at some of the things she'd say or do.
Also didn't like the lack of description of sex (hell that's the perverted side of me speaking lol so it didn't affect my rating so blah).
This read has it's time where you'll get teary eyed, because I did. I'm not ashamed to admit it. Watching...Knowing that someone close to you is going to die and not having the means to stop it at all? That's a sad, fucked up situation.
In the end, I was glad to see she wasn't alone. The family she got, the friend who helped her out... She was truly blessed and surrounded by loved once as she accepted her dad's departure.
Ps. I loved the painting part. I was awww-ing like an idiot - Honestly I was! lol
So we start off knowing that Ellie Abela's father is sick, and he's dying. Without realizing, it affects Ellie negatively in many ways, both physically and mentally. So when the cute nameless boy at the bookstore FINALLY saves Ellie (how? read it to find out ;)), things start to change.
This story was heavy yet light. The atmosphere within this story was truly a captivating one. I loved it. So much. Giovanni made me spend hours laughing, crying, feeling warm, and much more. She showed what heartbreak/loss was and how it correlated with life. It was long, and I LOVED that it was because I was truly satisfied with it all!
If I could buy books on Amazon freely and had a list of automatic "One-Click" authors, Cassandra Giovanni would be one of them. I'm seriously impressed and in love with all of her stories thus far (also, covers. Her covers are amazeballs).
**4.5 Simply Amazing Stars** Finding the Cure is a deeply emotional, but hopeful story. Here’s how I came up with my rating: Cover: 4 Stars (I LOVED this cover!) Story: 5 Stars Writing: 4 Stars Romance (the budding relationship between the characters): 5 Stars
Summary: This story is about Ellie who was raised by a single dad after losing her mother when she was just twelve. Now her father’s sick (again) and she’s facing the possibility of living life without him. Then there’s Trent. He’s also had his own share of hardships being the son of a crack addict and stand-in father to his little sister. Life seems grim for the both of them, but somehow they find hope in each other.
What I liked: Just about everything. I loved the author’s writing. She didn’t shy away from lyricism in her writing, but it did not dominate it. Don’t get me wrong, I love poetic writing, but sometimes the complicated references and metaphors make the story hard to follow. I didn’t have this problem as I read Finding the Cure, which I read almost entirely in one sitting. (I started out reading this a couple weeks ago, but took a break from reading, but then went right back to this book and I consumed it rather quickly). I also loved Ellie’s relationship with her dad. I truly did. The author did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of what this father-daughter relationship would be like given the circumstances. At times, I found myself thinking, this sounds like something a mom would say. Given the fact that her dad had to, at times, be both her mother and her father this made complete sense. I also loved her dad’s sense of humor and how he and his daughter just clicked. I also liked the progression of Ellie’s relationship with both Trent and his sister. They were slow-building and authentic. I know some people may favor the love-at-first sight thing, but they won't find it here. I will say there's a sort of immediate attraction, but there were no instant I love yous or anything like that, which helps the relationship seem more genuine.
What I didn’t like: It’s really difficult to think about something that I absolutely did not like about the story. I guess if there’s anything I had to pick, at times the pacing seemed a bit slow. I loved the story and the natural-like progression of El and Trent’s relationship, but at times the story seemed to move a little too slow. And there were times where I felt that Trent’s little sister Allie’s characterization was a tad inconsistent. There were times where she seemed to be the young-minded, naïve child that she was and then there were other times where she seemed to just—I don’t know—get it, I guess? I don’t know, though, this could be an entirely accurate characterization given the way my own children seem uncharacteristically insightful at times.
*Review copy generously provided in exchange for this honest review.*
Bittersweet. It’s the one word that captures the essence of Cassandra Giovanni’s latest novel, Finding the Cure . The story centers on Ellie Abela, a young women who has endured a heavy loss in her life, and it’s not over. And she knows this to the core of her being. The story begins with this thought; what worse, knowing a time frame for death or the death of a loved one and embracing it, or not knowing, which is everyday reality. This isn’t a feeling or thought that is easy to deliberate. By opening the story with this, which is described beautifully, I was drawn in and well on my way to a tear filled read. Make no mistake, it is a story filled with hope, and it’s a compelling and emotional read that easily earned a 5 star rating and recommendation!
As I’ve come to expect from Cassandra’s books, the writing is flawless. We get the story from Ellie’s perspective in a first person POV. Being in her head, we see the vast range of emotions that she goes through, sometimes on a minute by minute basis. What’s more, we feel it, we feel the emotional drain and the toll it takes on her heart. She knows she needs to find some happy to counteract her near perpetual state of sorrow, but she experiences the unavoidable guilt that goes with moving forward. She’s not psychologically damaged and she is ready for this to change, but as with anyone losing someone that is a part of their very being (family or friend), there is a sort of survivor's guilt. Questions as to “why them and not me?” and “how am I gonna survive this?”.
Without going into the story too much, Ellie is a college student with a small circle of acquaintances. She’s a bit withdrawn but when she meets Trent Wentworth, a young man who works at a local bookstore that she frequents, she finds herself giving in to a date with Trent and opening up. As their bond develops Ellie’s life begins to transform. Other star characters are Allie, Trent's young sister and his only family, and at the heart of the story, Ellie’s father Paul. The isolation that's been both self imposed and wrought out of necessity, begins to dissolve and the 2 families meld.
Cassandra is one of those writers that I have followed and been devoted to since I read her book Love Exactly in 2014 (review) . She writes across genres and this she does very well. I can either clearly picture a character's actions and/or I feel their emotions intensely. Cassandra also tackles tough subjects and has never disappointed in how she explores them. Not everyone will react as I did to the story, but I found myself in tears often throughout the last forty percent of the book; some were happy, some were sad, really sad. But sometimes we need a good cry and so with that said, I highly recommend this book!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Finding the Cure deals with one of the most difficult subjects for me to read about: the illness and loss of a parent. Probably because it is one of my deepest fears in life. Watching someone you love struggle with sickness is not a light subject. I started reading this book fearing for my heart, and I was right. Deep down, you know what's going to happen, inevitable, but you can't help hoping it won't. But Finding the Cure is above all a story about love. Different forms of love : a developing love between Ellie and Trent, and of course parental love... between Ellie and her father, but also between Trent and Allie, his little sister. The book alternates between the happy romantic scenes of Ellie and Trent's growing love story and the heartbreaking parts about her father, in this bittersweet story. There's only one tiny negative point about this book for me... the "hot" scene. Or more like the disappearance of it. The way this scene was handled felt quite weird. It ended too abruptly, to jump to the scene right after. I understand the concept of "clean NA" but it felt like there was something missing there, and I think it could have been handled in a different way.
I really love Cassandra Giovanni's easily recognizable, enjoyable writing. It is efficient but remains poetic... I love the way she creates such credible characters you can't help falling in love with.
I highly recommend this beautiful book to all romance lovers, who should not be disappointed. I wasn't!
Emotional and heartbreaking but also hopeful and beautiful! This is one of those stories that will make you think about everything and everyone around you. Death... we all know that's how we will end, but the thought of it is always so far away. Always in the back of our mind.
Ellie is so young and already hurt so much for the loss of her mother. Now, she's enduring the fatal destiny of her father, who is fighting a battle against cancer... curiously the same he's been fighting all his life to find the cure. She became a shell, lost and sad until she meets Trent, the manager of the bookstore where Ellie goes almost every day. One day they finally find the courage to speak to one another and there starts a beautiful relationship. Trent's life hasn't been easy... he assumed the custody of his younger sister struggling to be a single parent. As they open up at each other, their relationship grows into something beautiful. In the end, they found the cure to heal each other...
I loved the characters of this story. Strong, funny, adorable and absolutely intelligent. Their caring way to complement each other makes this story believe and and real.
Finding the Cure is one of those books that will be ingrained in your mind forever!
The heroine lost her mother in a car accident when she was 15. Now a college student and 20 years old, her father is in his last stage of cancer. The heroine meets Trent at the bookstore where he is the store manager. Trent's mother is a drug addict and his father is a dead-beat. Trent has custody of his little sister. I loved the premise. I liked the characters, but after 35%, I got bored.
This book needs a professional editor. It has a lot of grammatical errors.
I have read other books by this author that I have enjoyed, but this one was just missing something. I will read other books by this author. There was angst, but not relationship angst that I enjoy.
Rarely do you read a book that allows you to experience something so profound and poignant that it leaves you speechless and in awe. Characters that are so burdened with their realities though accept and thrive in their situations experiencing growth and acceptance is thought provoking and makes you sit back and think. Love Cassandra's books but I have to say this is my favourite! Worth the read!! Thank you for allowing me to experience this ride...
I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.
OMG! Totally was not expecting to fall in love with this book, but I did. It isn't your typical NA; where, the two people see each other and then jump into bed with one another to realize they got baggage they need to take care of. Nope... This one there is tones of baggage and the couple does not jump into the relationship without a few hesitation on both sides. Even after they been dating for a while they give each other an out, which neither wants to take. Ellie: Love the girl. My heart goes out to her with all her challenges. Her father is dying and she can't do anything about it, but just watch. She is alone. Mother is already gone and no siblings. Once he dies, she will have no one.Side Note: That is very hard for me to grasp for many reasons. There are cousins, or grandparents, uncles, aunts, great uncles and great aunts, 2nd cousins. I mean I get WHY she didn't have anyone to turn to, but this is a common plot point in many books. I can name 3 others that the girl was left with no one after one last relative died.
She is attending college to get a degree in Literature and minor in Graphic Design. So she lives for books. She goes every day to read to her dad at the hospital. Ellie also attends the local University’s book store often to purchase new books to bring to him. That is how she meets Trent. Even with Trent's currently life situation, she feels so comfortable with him. To her she says, “Thanks for listening. You’re easy to talk to …almost too easy.”
Trent: Mr. Hottie. He manages the college book store that Ellie, goes to often. He has a lot on his plate. He has been taking care of his 4-year-old sister, Allie, since she was born and He has complete legal custody of her. The struggles he deals with are: being a single parent and his real parents. His mother was or still is a drug addicted and his dad left them high and dry. I am just confused. There is such a large age gap between Allie and Trent. We don't know much of how Trent was raised. Was their mother clean before she had Allie? Has she always been using? Do they even have the same dad? I felt that these questions weren't really answered very well in the book. Maybe I missed something, which is totally plausible.
Ellie and Trent need each other. They need an emotional support that they didn’t realize was missing until they found one another. I love this conversation between the two of them. I believe this is where our title comes into play. "But you're not, El. And your dad needs you to live. I plan on keeping the promise I made him today.' 'What's that?' Trent tilted my chin up before he said, 'Being your cure.'" I love that. He is her cure to continue on living. One thing I really liked about this book was the fact the author showed the process of how to help someone overcome the loss of a love one. Ellie was falling apart before he dad finally passed. It took time and the comfort of Trent, Allie, and her friend Morgan to overcome her grief. Another thing I really liked about the end of the book is, it doesn’t leave you hanging. It is a standalone and leaves you with no questions on how Trent, Allie and Ellie are doing with their individual lives.
There is so many funny parts to this book that complement the really heavy emotional scenes. They joke about the book Fifty Shades of Grey a lot. Which is so funny. There is nothing super dirty in this book. Swearing and the implication of sex, but nothing detail or graphic. Which I respect for a NA. There are not many NA novels that take the cleaner approach. So bravo Cassandra, bravo to you.
“Lasting moments; not last moment—lasting moments.” There really are no adequate words to describe how beautiful, profound, or emotional this book was. I fell in love with it and the characters from the very beginning. It is one of those rare books that affect me so emotionally that I have to wait a few days before writing a review to process it. I had to wait for almost 5 days with this one…it’s that good!
Ellie is a beautiful, creative, intelligent twenty-year-old. However, her life has been rife with tragedy. She lost her mother at a young age, and she is now about to lose her father who is dying from the disease he spent his life trying to find a cure for. She’s a frequent visitor in an area bookstore scouring the shelves for books that she reads to her father. Trent is the twenty-five-year-old manager who has been watching Ellie with amusement as one of his associates continues to flirt with her. He finally comes to her rescue, and thus begins a love story in which they will continue to rescue one another. See…Trent has baggage too. He is raising his little sister because of his drug addicted mother and loser father. Somehow, out of their pain, they seem to bring a cure to the sadness present in each other’s lives.
Not only does the storyline pull you in, but the characters do as well. Each grows as the story progresses, and I loved the person that each of them became…all centered around Paul, Ellie’s dad. What an angel! I loved his relationship with all the other characters, but mostly with Ellie. It’s exactly how a father should love his daughter. Sometimes in books we don’t see that kind of relationship, so this was nice to see. Ellie’s emotions were raw and real. As she begs for more time, silently saying, “please stop…please slow down.” It made me stop and think of how many times I’ve said those same words..not in the context she was, but as I watch my kids grow every single day and watch my parents age as well. It made me want to stop and enjoy the simple things in life. Really, that’s what books and characters are supposed to do, right? Make us ponder the meaning of life?
Finding the Cure isn’t your typical New Adult Romance. The chemistry between Ellie and Trent is sexy, yet the sex scenes aren’t graphic at all, but it’s just as good as others in the genre. It’s about finding your soulmate, but it’s also about losing someone you love and how to go on living. It’s about “finding a cure”, but not necessarily a physical one, but an emotional and spiritual one. It’s about Guardian Angels, maybe not the ones in Heaven, but the ones right here on Earth…that save us every day. Finding the Cure isn’t just one of those books that take you away from your daily life, but it changes how you think when you come back. It’s sad yet bittersweet with an important lesson….never think your life isn’t magical or special. Love those who love you with a passion like no other. Never take any memory for granted; make it a lasting moment! And, make lots and lots of memories because they last forever! Thank you, Cassandra, for writing one of those books that makes reading magical yet can change the way we think and make us better people.
***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***
Finding The Cure is an unbelievably extraordinary and devastatingly passionate journey of learning how to survive when you are living your worst nightmare. This is a wonderful story that will lovingly hold you together while it silently shreds your heart to pieces. You will not find a time when the hateful assault isn’t cushioned with a depth of love so beautiful and a shield of hope so strong that even the darkest of emotions couldn’t penetrate it. There is always a bright ray of hope amid the darkness of silence and pain if only we deliberately look for it and hold it close.
Ellie has somehow lived through the searing pain of losing her mother which ripped out a precious part of her soul that she knows will never be fully restored. She pushes through each day knowing that her dad is her rock and lighthouse. With him, she can make it through anything. However, no matter how hard we try to reach for more hope, happiness, and peace, sometimes we find ourselves being pulled back into the darkness. This time, Ellie finds herself being lovingly pushed out of the shadows by a hand that will always love her. Despite watching everything she has come to depend on fall away and disappear, she finds herself helplessly colliding with people who will nurse her spirit back to life and breathe healing love into her soul. The harder she fights against them, the more determined they are to keep her close and protected. When Ellie finds her world once again tilted on its axis, will she turn to those who love her, or will she run away from the guilt, the pain, and the emptiness threatening to devour her whole?
I was blown away by the absolutely incredible characters that I discovered within the pages of this amazing book. They felt so astoundingly real and have seared themselves into my heart forever. Nothing is ever as it seems and that goes double for the people that Ellie stumbles across throughout this latest chapter in her life. When things were at their worst, she found herself surrounded by a small yet surprisingly loving group of true angels of mercy. When all the fluff of life is ripped away and we are left with the version of ourselves that we try to hide from everyone, will we find that we have what we really need or are we left standing all alone?
Cassandra Giovanni is a truly outstanding author who writes with such intensity and raw emotion that you will find yourself being pulled apart while remaining riveted to the page. If you are looking for a remarkable author who speaks to your heart and knows how to touch your soul, then look no farther. You will never regret the time that you invest into one of her stories. She will open your heart to see, feel, and hear more than you ever thought possible. Don’t be afraid of the change that will slowly begin to happen as you see the world around you with a different set of eyes.
Ellie is only twenty-three years old and knows more about loss than most people twice her age. She lost her mother when she was very young and now her father is fighting a brave battle against cancer. She plans on achieving as much as she can so that she can share each of those important moments with him. She just never thought that she would also be sharing the first time that she fell in love. Trent Wentworth had to grow up fast. After being abandoned by his parents, he took on the responsibility of raising Allie – his young sister. It’s a big part of who he is and something that he takes very seriously. He’s falling fast for Ellie and wants desperately for her to see him as more than just a cute guy who works at her favourite bookstore. But death is always knocking on the door and they have to find a way to fight it together or be shattered apart by the pain.
“I know you didn't sign up for this...”
I shook my head and he continued; “No, I get it's not...” his eyes closed as he exhaled through his nose.” I get it's not something someone your age wants.”
“My age?” I snapped. The water shut off in the bathroom and Trent leaned back, his head bouncing against the back of the couch as his hands tightened on his thighs. “I didn't mean it like that— hell, who knows where I'd be if things were different.”
“Trent—” He shook his head, cutting me off.
“I get it if this is too much, between your dad, college and... Somehow adopting my sister— my daughter, by dating me.”
“You're wrong,” I whispered back. “You're exactly what I needed.”
Finding the Cure is a poignant and heartbreaking tale about two people trying to live life to its fullest while knowing that today is all that they might have. Cassandra’s characters are both strong and yet so fragile in their strength that I was completely taken by surprise by how much I actually connected with them.
They’re fighters who know that sometimes it’s not about winning the battle but how hard you fight it that counts.
This is not an easy story, but it’s one that will leave you smiling through tears long after it’s over…
This book is not full of sex, it doesn't have people running around chasing after each other firing guns, there are no love triangles -but what it does have is an abundance of feelings.
Finding love, hope, sadness, despair, family devotion and loyalty and dealing with the thought of losing that "someone" that has been part of your life since you were born. Ellie is struggling with such a scenario. Her Father has cancer and seeing as her Mother was killed by a drunk driver when she was 12, they have been dependent on each other for a long time. He was a scientist working on a cure for that very same disease he is now suffering from. They are extremely close and Ellie has had a loving relationship and a good family life. Trent whom she meets in her bookstore one day has not had so much luck. A drug addict for a Mother and a dead beat for a Father, he adopted his sister when his parents were no longer capable of taking care of her and so between working and raising his sister, he has his hands full. Between the two of them can they find a cure for all the problems that surround them daily. Will their friendship be the beacon of light they are both looking for ?
This book is so well written, the story flowed well if not a little bit slow in places for my liking, was full of emotion and I really enjoyed reading it. It was based in Phoenix and Sedona mostly, and this pulled at my heart a little as I have been to both of these beautiful places and it was a walk down memory lane for me as well, which made this book just that little bit more special.
A recommended read but be warned you will need a box of tissues beside you. A wonderful book !!!
Cassandra Giovanni asked me to read her new book Finding the Cure. I, of course, said sure. I did not just read this book. I devoured it. I was invested in knowing that Ellie was okay, happy, and settled in life. I needed Trent to be the stand-up man that I prayed he was. I wanted Ellie’s dad to make the family be okay.
Finding the Cure is not an easy book to read. The discussion of cancer and losing your father can never be easy. Yet, there were times I almost forgot about the cancer because I was so wrapped up in Trent and Ellie’s story. Everything from the way they met, at a book store, to how their relationship progressed had me thinking of them when I was not able to read their story. I loved how their relationship progressed at a normal pace, it was not a meet and fall into bed story. Their story is a true love story.
Add in Allie, Trent’s daughter/sister, and their family is complete. Allie had me in stitches laughing so much. She was the light part of the story. When things got heavy she threw out the word kinky or asked if they were practicing kissing quietly. She was a real little girl. She has spunk, love, and kept it light.
If you are looking for a light yet heavy book this is exactly what you need. I certainly recommend checking it out.
Reading the synopsis for Finding The Cure sounded like it had great potential I must be honest I was not expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. This was my first Cassandra Giovanni read and I’m thankful I had the opportunity.
Ellie, Trent and Allie’s stories are heart wrenching. It took me no time to be completely invested in the characters anxious to read the next sentence. The unfortunate circumstances these three young selfless adults have endured in such a short life is unbearable but they somehow find each other, learn to live again and finding a purpose to live their life. The storyline is full of sadness and pain but Cassandra did a fantastic job including some lighter moments that made me giggle helping with the heaviness I felt in my heart.
Finding The Cure is a must read for contemporary, young adult, romance and rom com fans. It is beautifully written with characters that are relatable and entertaining. Be prepared you will need tissues and after it's over you will still be glad you read it.
For so long it has seemed like a struggle just living for Ellie. Between losing her mother at a young age and her father fighting the disease that will kill him, Ellie has lost herself in the world of sorry and grief. That is until she meets Trent. Trent’s life has been hard with a drug addict for a mother and a dead-beat dad. His life becomes even more complicated when he adopts two-year old sister. When Trent and Ellie meet they seem to click and find in each other what the other has been lacking. But, when things get really tough will they be able to hold their lives together and realize that their love can be the cure to all their troubles.
I was absolutely floored by this beautiful story. Ellie and Trent’s love and relationship is one that will have you striving for that kind of love. The story is expertly written to bring the reader into Ellie’s world of grief and sorrow. But, just as you are brought into the hardest parts of her life you will also share the happiest of them. Your heart will break and heal in the matter of chapters. This is a touching and heartbreaking love story that will show the reader the power of love in healing and accepting a future that you can’t control. I adored this book and I can’t wait to get my hands on another Cassandra Giovanni book. If you like books by Colleen Hoover then you will love this one by Cassandra Giovanni.
Ellie's dad is dying and after reading the first few pages, you can see that it affects her negatively-she's not eating nor sleeping nearly enough. That changes when she meets the cute guy from the bookstore she frequents. Trent was the perfect guy for Ellie. I loved everything about him! Reading about his past and how he ended up with Allie and cared for her like his own made my heart sad then happy. Both Ellie and Trent start seeing each other and it slowly builds to bringing Allie into their lives. I loved watching the three of them together. They became a family and knowing that Ellie's father saw that too made me want to cry even harder when I flipped the last page of this truly beautiful story.
This book is heartbreaking and inspirational. The author found a way to write about a heavy subject in a light way that will still have readers feeling emotional. The emotional books are my new favorites. If a book can make me cry, make me feel, then it's a keeper.
Finding the Cure is a book I'd highly recommend! <3
P.S. Have you guys seen the paperback of this book? LOVE! *grabby hands* Complimentary copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
I love it when I start a book and I’m immediately drawn into the story and fall in love with the characters. Finding the Cure is one of those books. But that wasn’t the only reason I loved this book so much. Finding the Cure made me feel. Because Cassandra Giovanni was able to use words to turn these characters into real people with real problems, I was able to connect with them, in particular, Ellie. I became involved in their lives and I was invested in what would happen to them next. There were times, I read this book with a smile on my face and there were times when I had tears in my eyes. There were times that I became annoyed. Not just because of what happened in the book, but because real life got in the way and interrupted my reading time. This is the first book written by Cassandra Giovanni which I’ve read, but after reading Finding the Cure, I’m going to find time to read more of her books. I gave Finding the Cure 5 glistening stars, glistening because I finished this book with tears in my eyes. Written by Karen from A Thousand Lives Book Blog
The title of this story says it all, Finding the Cure is so moving and emotional. We all struggle to find the cure for something that is going on in our life. Ellie wanting as much time with her dad that she can get and Trent just trying to make it in this world with his little sister/daughter. When they come together and new life begins to bloom between them things don't seem so bad. Ellie still struggles with not wanting to lose her dad but with Trent by her side things seem to be alright. This story in a way hit home for me, living with someone struggling through cancer or any life-threatening disease isn't easy, but we all have to learn to live and keep going, this story is an excellent example of that. Cassandra Giovanni did an exceptional job with bringing this story to life and made me feel all the emotions that are all the way through this book.
Finding the Cure is an emotional read, from start to finish. Ellie has had a really crappy hand handed to her in life and she barely makes it from day to day. Sometimes she seemed a little too innocent for her age but she was busy with school and her father so...Travis has also had a crappy past but his life is so in order, he is mature, sexy and sings!
Cancer is such a tough subject and I think the whole process that is written in the book is done beautifully. As stated above this is a really emotional read that will have you in tears and also laughing. The joy that Ellie's dad brings to her life is powerful.
Travis and Ellie fit so perfectly together, sometimes I was like come in have a fight so you can make up! But they truly saved each other. Finding the Cure is beautifully written and I enjoyed it from start to finish.
Finding the Cure is an emotional read, from start to finish. Ellie has had a really crappy hand handed to her in life and she barely makes it from day to day. Sometimes she seemed a little too innocent for her age but she was busy with school and her father so...Travis has also had a crappy past but his life is so in order, he is mature, sexy and sings!
Cancer is such a tough subject and I think the whole process that is written in the book is done beautifully. As stated above this is a really emotional read that will have you in tears and also laughing. The joy that Ellie's dad brings to her life is powerful.
Travis and Ellie fit so perfectly together, sometimes I was like come in have a fight so you can make up! But they truly saved each other. Finding the Cure is beautifully written and I enjoyed it from start to finish.
Having lost both of my parents, including one to cancer, this story really hit home for me in many ways. I was often moved to tears while reflecting on Ellie's life as well as my own. I struggled reading at times, but this is because the story is so well done and truly does mirror reality. A song that reflects both this book and feelings that accompany this situation is "Live like You are Dying" by Tim McGraw. This sums up what was going on with her father's illness while Ellie and Trent were growing in their relationship. I found the strengths of these two young adults to be amazing. I loved themboth! It is a beautiful, but very moving story. Only read when ugly tears won't be an embarrassment.
Where do I start? This book was a very good read! it was witty,romantic,and heartbreaking all at the same time! I would have to rate this one a three hankie story! El is a girl that is crushing on a boy named Trent that manages a book store she shops at. She picks up books that she can read to her Dad who is dying from Cancer. Trent likes Ellie but he is afraid to let her get involved in his life because he is raising his Five year old sister by himself. This is a story of how they came together to form their own family.Allie who is Trent's sister really steals the show! She is adorable! Ellie's Dad is a wonderful loving man trying to help his daughter cope when he leaves her! PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! you will love it from the first page.
I really enjoyed this. It was an emotional story but in the best way. The relationships between each character was just perfect and I especially loved the relationship between Ellie and her dad. I thought you were going to see her dad pass away early on in the story but thankfully that didn't happen. Cassandra did a wonderful job at tackling a subject (cancer) I am sure everyone can relate too to some extent. I really like how Ellie and Trent's feelings developed throughout this. It wasn't a slow love but it wasn't instant love either. Oh and Allie is just the cutest! I really liked this and would definitely recommend it.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Let me tell you I absolutely adored this book. You know those books that you read that will stick with you for months or years? That was definitely this book. It was a sweet romance with a good HEA on that end but it did have it's sad parts. If you have even loved or lost someone who had cancer I would recommend this book. I would also recommend that you keep tissues close by because you will need them. it was a well written book and by the end I felt like I was friends with the main characters in the story.
I have to start by saying this book tugged at my heart so much, it really hit close to home. I found myself putting it down and walking away from it cuz I would get so overcome with emotions. With that said Ellie found the one person who truly could help her. Trent and his sister Allie were everything she and her father needed to get through those final months.
Bittersweet, sad story of tragedy and how we face those challenges. For me it was a difficult read due to the nature of the subject , but I'm glad I did because when faced with those challenges, gratitude and hope win.
This is a great story! Trent is amazing! He has struggled but stepped up and now he does the same for Ellie. They way he is with Allie is just so sweet! I can’t get over it. I really can feel his affection for her. Not to mention Ellie and her Dad. I love that father/daughter bond they have going on. Each of these character have a personal struggle to overcome. With the help of others they may just survive. Life lessons. This story has quite a few good ones in it.
We see this slow moving romance pick up in the latter half. We really get to know about what makes each of these characters tick and seeing them grow and move forward is wonderful. That way we can identify with the character and it helps bring out the *feels*. I loved all these characters! Everyone had a place in the story and definitely added to the whole book
This is a first time author for me. I loved her writing style. She really made me care for these characters and feel about their plight. I listened to this on audio. The narrator did a wonderful job! I loved the emotion she put I to the reading. I even teared up a time or two. Now is that due to narration or the words she is reading? I would say both left me emotional.
When Ellie was young she lost her mom. Naturally the bond between father and daughter grew closer. But now, Ellie is faced with him fighting cancer. He was a medical research scientist, trying to find a cure. but now he needs one. Ellie goes to the bookstore to pick out stories to read to her father. Trent, sees Ellie, and helps her to pick out books to read to him. They spend more time with each other, become close and romantically involved. Trent has his own story. At 25, he is raising his own sister, Allie. His story was so sad, but he is determined to take care of her. Allie brought a breath of fresh air, a lightness opposite of the sadness to the story. This was an emotional listen for me, knowing several people with the struggles of having cancer, some survivors and some not. Cassandra Giovanni wrote with so much emotion and caring. Kaye Anderson, narrator, is wonderful ! Showing all the emotions and feels of the story and giving each character their own personality. I was gifted this audio book and offered my honest review