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F* Cancer
I was the good girl who fell for the older, responsible man. Yes, maybe I had daddy issues, but who could blame me? I’d never even met my father, and when Patrick and I got together I was completely swept away by his charm. Fast-forward to two kids and few years later, and the tables are turned. I’m the responsible adult, and he’s the one affected by the worst case of Peter Pan syndrome. To make things worse, he’s dating someone ten years younger than me…and I've just been diagnosed with breast cancer. But I’m not going to let this ugly disease take me. I’m keeping my chin up and I’m fighting with everything I have for my kids…and also for him, the dashing prince in a white coat who’s a sight for every sore eye in the oncology department. He seems strangely fascinated with me. It must be because of my colorful wigs and my blunt T-shirts that read FU Cancer...why else would even take an interest in me? language and sexual situations.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2015
36 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Hilaria Alexander
17 books206 followersHilaria Alexander never thought she'd be a writer one day. Reader? Yes. Book hoarder? You betcha. Then, she started reading romance - that's when she felt the need to write a story. Unfortunately, she didn't listen to her gut, and talked herself out of it A MILLION TIMES. She finally gave up a few years ago, when the urge to write was stronger than self-doubt. She loves funny, sexy romances wrapped with a huge happily-ever-after bow at the end. Her inbox is always open if you want to chat about one of her books.
For upcoming teasers, samples, and all things new-release-related, sign-up for her newsletter at www.hilariaalexander.com
For upcoming teasers, samples, and all things new-release-related, sign-up for her newsletter at www.hilariaalexander.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
December 18, 2018
Braver. Stronger. I felt I was in charge of my destiny. It gave me confidence. It made me believe I was going to win.
I was going to tell cancer to fuck off.
People were going to look at me and whisper behind my back no matter what.
This way I was the one giving them a reason to talk about me.
I was the one not giving a fuck.
Look at me, I’m fighting cancer and I don’t give a shit. Deal with it.
Honestly I don’t know how to write this review…
First, I want to thank my friend Carol for recommending this book to me!!!
THANK YOU!!! <3
This story was one of the most painful and heartbreaking, but also beautiful experiences I had.
This book is raw and ugly, it doesn’t sugarcoat anything, it tells you the truth about cancer and how it changes you and the world around you.
F*ck my life! This book is brilliant.
I have no words.
Amazing strong heroine. A woman, who didn’t have the perfect past, but who didn’t give up and fought. She fought for her family, she fought for her life, she fought for her love. And she won!
I meant it, when I said, the author didn’t sugarcoat anything: from diagnosis to chemotherapy, through double mastectomy and radiation to double reconstruction surgery.
Breast cancer wasn’t going to get me down. I was going to make it my bitch.
One of the best heroes I ever read.
Incredible, supportive, warm, sexy, strong and caring Man.
“It’s just…I didn’t expect any of this…from you. This is all very surreal. I still can’t understand why you would ever want any part of this…mess,” I said, gesturing toward myself.
He leaned closer, and his gaze fell on my lips.
“Maybe it’s because I already had a taste of it and I need more…” he whispered.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered, almost as if he was saying it to himself. I didn’t feel beautiful, but I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe he saw more; he saw beyond the broken woman I was. Despite everything, he still found me sexy.
“They’re beautiful. But the real reason is that I’m fascinated with you. Look at you. Your hair looks like starlight, your breasts are blooming with flowers. You were beautiful before, but now you’re just…more. You’re everything. You’re my everything.”
Very sensual and beautiful intimacy-scenes.
Not in a usual ‘fictional’ way – no one was perfect (no flawless skin, tight p*ssy for mega c*ck etc.).
A woman, a mother, a strong female.
A body with scars, but still desirable;
a Man who loves a woman and loves her whole – with her hurt and illness, not because of her ideality, but against the society-clichés and standards of ‘normality’.
Their love story wasn’t completely easy and drama-free. They made small mistakes, they tried and almost failed, but they tried again and won. There was separation, there was light misjudgment, there was fear, there was hurt – but there was always LOVE. Unconditional true love.
Well, theoretically, a reader can always find something to complain.
I decided to like everything!
Safe. Sweetest epilogue with a small miracle.
No one was going to save me. I had to be the one to save myself. I had to be my own superhero.
DON'T GIVE UP!!! NEVER GIVE UP!!!
NOT EVERYONE WINS, BUT IT'S WORTH FIGHTING!!!
DON'T GIVE UP!!!
December 10, 2016
What an absolutely brilliant book. This one will be in my Top Ten Reads of 2016 for certain. Blew me away. I also loved the cover of this book, it's perfect, just perfect!
Okay, where to start? Firstly I do not normally choose romance books to read, those that know me well know my fiction choices tend to be a lot darker but this grabbed my attention and as I promised myself I would expand into some new genres this year with an open mind I went for it. I am so glad that I did.
This is quite frankly one of the most enjoyable books I have EVER read, I could not put it down, I was utterly transfixed by the plot, the characters, everything. This book has that "special something" that not all books do.
Lucy has always been a good girl. The most hardcore thing she's done in her life was falling for a divorced man ten years her senior.
But he was the love of her life and she married him. When her Peter Pan of a husband decided to divorce her, she thought it was her chance to start anew. That was until she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Besides looking like Britney circa 2007, she is taking it well, real well. You might see her walk around the hospital during chemo sessions with bright colored wigs and outrageous t-shirts that seem to shock the most conservative employees. One of them reads FU CANCER.
I loved Lucy and her attitude to being diagnosed with breast cancer. This lady is not going to take it lying down. Nope! She is going to be colourful, noticeable, determined, sassy and strong and by golly was she a character that inspired. Don't get me wrong, Lucy has HARD days on the way, after all this is the big C she is fighting but she is tackling it in her own special way and I loved her so much I want her to be my real life friend.
Enter the most spectacular man ever (seriously, I wanted him to be real) and let the sparks fly and the fun begin. But the depths! Oh my God people, this book MOVED me to tears and only one book ever in my life has actually made me cry out of thousands of books read. Three separate scenes in this book had my eyes pooling with tears and my heart on a wire. Holy macaroni this book made me feel so much. I was right there with Lucy on her journey.
What I love about this book is that it's beautiful, powerful, inspiring, funny, poignant and so darn entertaining. If you want to just escape the world for a few hours, this is the book for you, just lock down and start reading.
Now, this has to be said. Sex scenes get written into all types of books, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but writing GOOD sex scenes I think is a craft. Well, Hilaria has mastered the craft as far as I am concerned because this book has some of the most well written, realistic, awesome sex scenes I have read in a book for a long time. This is not erotica, It's not too much, but hey, sex is part of life and relationships so it pops up (pun intended) and it pops up nicely I might add.
I loved the characters so much in this novel, I felt like I was there with them all. Fantastic.
Just so much to this book, I loved that I could laugh and smile one minute then a chapter later be feeling like having a good sniffle with the tissues. It just took me on a wonderful journey. This is already one of my favourite reads of the year and as it's a genre I don't normally love that says a lot.
5 whopping brilliant stars for FU Cancer. I can't recommend it enough, no matter what your taste in books. Hilaria Alexander has a new fan and I am now going to be reading another of her books as I am keen to compare to see if it's just as good. Did I say I loved this? It's on NetGalley now for fellow reviewers if you like the sound of it.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the author via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest book review, many thanks.
For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
Okay, where to start? Firstly I do not normally choose romance books to read, those that know me well know my fiction choices tend to be a lot darker but this grabbed my attention and as I promised myself I would expand into some new genres this year with an open mind I went for it. I am so glad that I did.
This is quite frankly one of the most enjoyable books I have EVER read, I could not put it down, I was utterly transfixed by the plot, the characters, everything. This book has that "special something" that not all books do.
Lucy has always been a good girl. The most hardcore thing she's done in her life was falling for a divorced man ten years her senior.
But he was the love of her life and she married him. When her Peter Pan of a husband decided to divorce her, she thought it was her chance to start anew. That was until she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Besides looking like Britney circa 2007, she is taking it well, real well. You might see her walk around the hospital during chemo sessions with bright colored wigs and outrageous t-shirts that seem to shock the most conservative employees. One of them reads FU CANCER.
I loved Lucy and her attitude to being diagnosed with breast cancer. This lady is not going to take it lying down. Nope! She is going to be colourful, noticeable, determined, sassy and strong and by golly was she a character that inspired. Don't get me wrong, Lucy has HARD days on the way, after all this is the big C she is fighting but she is tackling it in her own special way and I loved her so much I want her to be my real life friend.
Enter the most spectacular man ever (seriously, I wanted him to be real) and let the sparks fly and the fun begin. But the depths! Oh my God people, this book MOVED me to tears and only one book ever in my life has actually made me cry out of thousands of books read. Three separate scenes in this book had my eyes pooling with tears and my heart on a wire. Holy macaroni this book made me feel so much. I was right there with Lucy on her journey.
What I love about this book is that it's beautiful, powerful, inspiring, funny, poignant and so darn entertaining. If you want to just escape the world for a few hours, this is the book for you, just lock down and start reading.
Now, this has to be said. Sex scenes get written into all types of books, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but writing GOOD sex scenes I think is a craft. Well, Hilaria has mastered the craft as far as I am concerned because this book has some of the most well written, realistic, awesome sex scenes I have read in a book for a long time. This is not erotica, It's not too much, but hey, sex is part of life and relationships so it pops up (pun intended) and it pops up nicely I might add.
I loved the characters so much in this novel, I felt like I was there with them all. Fantastic.
Just so much to this book, I loved that I could laugh and smile one minute then a chapter later be feeling like having a good sniffle with the tissues. It just took me on a wonderful journey. This is already one of my favourite reads of the year and as it's a genre I don't normally love that says a lot.
5 whopping brilliant stars for FU Cancer. I can't recommend it enough, no matter what your taste in books. Hilaria Alexander has a new fan and I am now going to be reading another of her books as I am keen to compare to see if it's just as good. Did I say I loved this? It's on NetGalley now for fellow reviewers if you like the sound of it.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the author via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest book review, many thanks.
For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
December 28, 2015
Dear Goodreads Members,
the word in the title might scare you, but if you've read Prude or This Love you know I'm not in the business of torturing readers.
I wanted to write this book after I had my very first mammogram and found the lack of stories about breast cancer disturbing.
I wanted to write about a character who tried her best to overcome what life had thrown at her, with a bit of courage and a bit of humor.
I definitely couldn’t have written Lucy without the invaluable resource of several blogs written by cancer patients. It’s thanks to all the people who took the time blogging to raise awareness about their disease that I was able to understand what a patient with breast cancer has to go through. It was thanks to the online diaries of breast cancer patients that I was able to learn about the shortcomings of “Pinktober.”
Read, get informed, and don’t underestimate the importance of getting your tatas checked.
the word in the title might scare you, but if you've read Prude or This Love you know I'm not in the business of torturing readers.
I wanted to write this book after I had my very first mammogram and found the lack of stories about breast cancer disturbing.
I wanted to write about a character who tried her best to overcome what life had thrown at her, with a bit of courage and a bit of humor.
I definitely couldn’t have written Lucy without the invaluable resource of several blogs written by cancer patients. It’s thanks to all the people who took the time blogging to raise awareness about their disease that I was able to understand what a patient with breast cancer has to go through. It was thanks to the online diaries of breast cancer patients that I was able to learn about the shortcomings of “Pinktober.”
Read, get informed, and don’t underestimate the importance of getting your tatas checked.
January 5, 2018
3.5 stars.
So I was going to rate it 5 stars but I can't do it. So I'm rounding up 4 stars because of the heroine.
I was loving the book, I loved how the heroine was strong, how she never gave up.
At some point I was swooning after the hero, the way he took care of her, how he didn't cared how she looked. How he loved her, the things he said to her had me swooning.
But then it all came crashing down.
If you know me here, you know I stay away from this trope.
I wish one of my GR friends would have told me this before starting it so I would've been prepared.
Now when the truth came to light, my thoughts ran the other way. Instead of thinking of how the hero was sweet. I kept thinking something else.
So yeah I don't blame the heroine for pushing him away, I would have done the same. It just pissed me off because I wasn't expecting this. The heroine felt betrayed and I did too.
So I was going to rate it 5 stars but I can't do it. So I'm rounding up 4 stars because of the heroine.
I was loving the book, I loved how the heroine was strong, how she never gave up.
At some point I was swooning after the hero, the way he took care of her, how he didn't cared how she looked. How he loved her, the things he said to her had me swooning.
But then it all came crashing down.
If you know me here, you know I stay away from this trope.
I wish one of my GR friends would have told me this before starting it so I would've been prepared.
Now when the truth came to light, my thoughts ran the other way. Instead of thinking of how the hero was sweet. I kept thinking something else.
So yeah I don't blame the heroine for pushing him away, I would have done the same. It just pissed me off because I wasn't expecting this. The heroine felt betrayed and I did too.
December 22, 2016
‘I wish I could’ve said, “This is just a bad dream. We’ll wake up and everything will go back to normal.’ ~Lucy
Minor spoilers alert!!!
The title says it all. Why doctors haven’t found a cure for all forms of cancer is a mystery and a reoccurring sadness for many people and their loved ones who witness their struggle with the disease. It’s unfortunate that most romance readers may be too intimidated or turned off by the topic to even give it a chance, but I was entirely charmed and won over by this unique story.
Initially when this novel first came out, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to read it either because I’m not a reader who likes to be gutted or who will knowingly seek out tear-jerkers tropes. I had a minor breast cancer scare myself earlier in the year, so I had to wait until I found out I was in the clear before I could think about reading it.
Lucy’s story seemed well researched and realistic and ultimately very hopeful and inspirational. And bonus, it was funny and sexy as well. It’s not your typical cancer patient struggles, finds loves, but then dies kind of plot at all. That’s been done and will probably continue to be done. Instead, FU Cancer is a wonderfully told story of one divorced parent who gets a sucky genetic hand dealt to her but then gets lucky and acknowledges her luck honestly.
Writing style: partial Dual POVs - mainly Lucy’s POV with a few Brandon POV chapters here and there.
Cover and chapter design: It’s perfect! The bright and colorful cover design really indicates the optimistic vibe of Lucy’s story. I also really loved the wrapped candy image used for the chapter breaks.
I did a lot of commenting on GoodReads, and bookmarking and highlighting in my e-reader as I read this gem, but below are two of my favorite moments.
Favorite Brandon observation:
‘Lucy Porter had a weird effect on me.
For years, my life had been dominated by ghosts, but now that I had met her, I saw nothing but light.
Hope.
Hope that I could finally move on with my life.
Was it twisted or honorable to pursue someone who was sick? I couldn’t decide. I wanted her, and part of me felt ashamed for even thinking that. I wanted to possess her, body and soul. Because when I looked at Lucy Porter, I believed I could have a future. A future made of days worth living, a future where I could finally forget about the past.’
Favorite Lucy observation:
‘My life had taken a couple of wild turns, but maybe, just maybe, I was back on the right track.’
In the Author’s Note, author Hilaria Alexander wrote, ‘I wanted to write about a character who tried her best to overcome what life had thrown at her, with a bit of courage and a bit of humor.’ In my opinion, she succeeded in doing so beautifully. Bravo!
Minor spoilers alert!!!
The title says it all. Why doctors haven’t found a cure for all forms of cancer is a mystery and a reoccurring sadness for many people and their loved ones who witness their struggle with the disease. It’s unfortunate that most romance readers may be too intimidated or turned off by the topic to even give it a chance, but I was entirely charmed and won over by this unique story.
Initially when this novel first came out, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to read it either because I’m not a reader who likes to be gutted or who will knowingly seek out tear-jerkers tropes. I had a minor breast cancer scare myself earlier in the year, so I had to wait until I found out I was in the clear before I could think about reading it.
Lucy’s story seemed well researched and realistic and ultimately very hopeful and inspirational. And bonus, it was funny and sexy as well. It’s not your typical cancer patient struggles, finds loves, but then dies kind of plot at all. That’s been done and will probably continue to be done. Instead, FU Cancer is a wonderfully told story of one divorced parent who gets a sucky genetic hand dealt to her but then gets lucky and acknowledges her luck honestly.
Writing style: partial Dual POVs - mainly Lucy’s POV with a few Brandon POV chapters here and there.
Cover and chapter design: It’s perfect! The bright and colorful cover design really indicates the optimistic vibe of Lucy’s story. I also really loved the wrapped candy image used for the chapter breaks.
I did a lot of commenting on GoodReads, and bookmarking and highlighting in my e-reader as I read this gem, but below are two of my favorite moments.
Favorite Brandon observation:
‘Lucy Porter had a weird effect on me.
For years, my life had been dominated by ghosts, but now that I had met her, I saw nothing but light.
Hope.
Hope that I could finally move on with my life.
Was it twisted or honorable to pursue someone who was sick? I couldn’t decide. I wanted her, and part of me felt ashamed for even thinking that. I wanted to possess her, body and soul. Because when I looked at Lucy Porter, I believed I could have a future. A future made of days worth living, a future where I could finally forget about the past.’
Favorite Lucy observation:
‘My life had taken a couple of wild turns, but maybe, just maybe, I was back on the right track.’
In the Author’s Note, author Hilaria Alexander wrote, ‘I wanted to write about a character who tried her best to overcome what life had thrown at her, with a bit of courage and a bit of humor.’ In my opinion, she succeeded in doing so beautifully. Bravo!
July 20, 2017
I absolutely loved this beautiful story of strength and resilience. It is a sweet romance that take a look at a difficult subject with humor and emotion. It will definitely be on a list of my favorite books!
"You were beautiful before, but now you’re just… more. You’re everything. You’re my everything.”
I hesitated to start reading a book with Cancer in the title, but even though this story highlights Lucy's diagnosis and battle with breast cancer, it is funny, heartwarming, and romantic.
*Audiobook re-read
I listened to this on audiobook for a reread and I loved it even more with the really good narration by Elizabeth Klett! This is truly a heartwarming story!
"There was not going to be another man who’d hold my heart the way Brandon did. Not in a million years. I didn't know what the future had in store for us, but I knew in my heart he was my light. He was the one who kept away the darkness."
"You were beautiful before, but now you’re just… more. You’re everything. You’re my everything.”
I hesitated to start reading a book with Cancer in the title, but even though this story highlights Lucy's diagnosis and battle with breast cancer, it is funny, heartwarming, and romantic.
*Audiobook re-read
I listened to this on audiobook for a reread and I loved it even more with the really good narration by Elizabeth Klett! This is truly a heartwarming story!
"There was not going to be another man who’d hold my heart the way Brandon did. Not in a million years. I didn't know what the future had in store for us, but I knew in my heart he was my light. He was the one who kept away the darkness."
February 14, 2016
FU Cancer is the first book I’ve read by Hilaria Alexander. Beforehand I wondered myself how romance and this horrible illness would go together without a cryfest. Surprisingly, FU Cancer isn’t a sad and painful story. Lucy – the main character – doesn’t break after her diagnosis, but takes on the fight full of life, funny t-shirts and other, colorful items. I adore this story.
Lucy is a single mother to her two boys, Carter and Noah. Growing up with her sister and single mother, all she wanted was to have a traditional family; a loving husband and children. When she meets a man ten years her senior in her mid-twenties, a man who shares that same dream, Lucy can have it all. To her disbelief, after eight years together Patrick decides family life isn’t for him, leaving her and the boys behind to manage his restaurants and dating younger women. A routine visit with the family doctor turns her life upside down for a second time, a referral to an oncologist with a horrible outcome; stage III breast cancer.
As soon as Lucy learns about her diagnosis, she in for the fight of her life, although a little bitter she knows she has so much to live for, most importantly her two young sons. During her numerous hospital visits, Lucy meets Brandon, one of the doctors in the oncology unit. And even though this isn’t exactly the right time to start a romantic relation, the couple can’t stay away from each other. Together they are sweet, funny and have great chemistry, and soon Lucy and Brandon both know this isn’t just a fling, it’s much more.
Although FU Cancer is told in a double POV, this story is mostly Lucy’s tale. Her fight with a terrible disease, her coping with losing her hair and her breasts, her hope and will to survive. Brandon has his own issues to deal with, which cause for some angst-y moments. But knowing how they are as a couple, how they feel about each other, ending up together is a given fact.
Cancer is a horrible disease, which takes the health and lives of so many women. I love the realness described in FU Cancer, and the Happily Ever After Lucy and Brandon got, because that’s also a possible outcome with cancer. I give this story 4.5 stars.
Check out my blog: www.mariekesbooks.com
“I wanted to keep living. I wasn’t just going to dwell on the sick card fate had just thrown at me. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I knew I was going to have days where I’d want to throw in the towel, but I couldn’t do it. Breast cancer wasn’t going to get me down. I was going to make it my bitch.”
Lucy is a single mother to her two boys, Carter and Noah. Growing up with her sister and single mother, all she wanted was to have a traditional family; a loving husband and children. When she meets a man ten years her senior in her mid-twenties, a man who shares that same dream, Lucy can have it all. To her disbelief, after eight years together Patrick decides family life isn’t for him, leaving her and the boys behind to manage his restaurants and dating younger women. A routine visit with the family doctor turns her life upside down for a second time, a referral to an oncologist with a horrible outcome; stage III breast cancer.
“I had recognized it before I looked up. It was the hot doctor. Dr. Fuck-me-now. Ohmygod, did I say that out loud? He was grinning at me, and I felt my face suddenly turn red. I wanted to die. Fuck you, chemo brain. Making me run my mouth like that. And now I was alone.”
As soon as Lucy learns about her diagnosis, she in for the fight of her life, although a little bitter she knows she has so much to live for, most importantly her two young sons. During her numerous hospital visits, Lucy meets Brandon, one of the doctors in the oncology unit. And even though this isn’t exactly the right time to start a romantic relation, the couple can’t stay away from each other. Together they are sweet, funny and have great chemistry, and soon Lucy and Brandon both know this isn’t just a fling, it’s much more.
“I caught a glimpse of her left hand and noticed she wasn’t wearing a ring. It broke my heart that she was embarking on one of the most difficult journeys of her life. I wanted to help her. I almost wished she was my patient. And then I realized it was better if she wasn’t.”
Although FU Cancer is told in a double POV, this story is mostly Lucy’s tale. Her fight with a terrible disease, her coping with losing her hair and her breasts, her hope and will to survive. Brandon has his own issues to deal with, which cause for some angst-y moments. But knowing how they are as a couple, how they feel about each other, ending up together is a given fact.
“I knew that even without Brandon I would have been okay. I knew I would have still gotten through cancer. I would have still fought just as hard. I would have still fought with the same determination. But there was no denying that the man in front of me was the one who made this fucking hell worth living.”
Cancer is a horrible disease, which takes the health and lives of so many women. I love the realness described in FU Cancer, and the Happily Ever After Lucy and Brandon got, because that’s also a possible outcome with cancer. I give this story 4.5 stars.
Check out my blog: www.mariekesbooks.com
March 8, 2016
I loved this book so much I put it on my TOP 10 favorite of 2015.Hilaria Alexander with her clear and crisp writing has brighten up my year.
This story talks about a cancer patients but look at it like a journey towards happiness more than a sad story.Lucy is a fighter!Her life wasn't going as planned,first the failure of her marriage then the appearance of breast cancer,but she chooses to confront her disease head on with the help of a special doctor.I also enjoyed the secondary characters especially Lucy's best friend.
January 19, 2016
Great read, I loved this story. It felt so real, to read Lucy's journey through her diagnosis of breast cancer and all the emotions and strength it took her to move forward in her life. It is full of joyous moments as well as sad. Her romance with Brandon and his history, that finally reveals itself all helped to understand the connection they were able to make. INSPIRATIONAL and EMPOWERING
December 25, 2017
It seems to me the author said something along the lines of 'this book wasn't written from experience'. Like, she read a lot of cancer survivor blogs and the like, and attempted to 'do them justice.'
Well, to me, she didn't! See, I'm a 2x breast cancer survivor, went through all the sh*t the heroine goes through ... and this book is Hollywood-type glamour at best and outer-space-far-from-reality at worst.
I get the title - FU Cancer had been my motto every single day for the past 12.5 years. I've felt like sh*t, looked like sh*t, like Britney circa 2007 even. But that's as close as it gets to the reality of surviving cancer, let alone of living through cancer treatments. The one cute doctor finding you adorable while you're having chemo? Far-fetched ... but I can still get behind that (people can see beyond appearance, for sure). But jumping said doctor's bones every single time you see him all while going through chemo treatments? Come on - you've got to be kidding! Chemo is you feeling like a punching bag that's one fight past its prime, and that's just the in-between days, NOT counting the actual chemo itself and the 72 ensuing ours where crap warmed over looks and feels better than you do! To even think of sex in this time, even if your man looks like Jason Momoa or has the abs of Henry Cavill? Nope, not happening, sorry!
The emotional dimension also lacked depth for me, because I believe you have to have been there to know what it feels like. The fear of recurrence is a Damocles sword over your head 24/7 - you barely, if ever, manage to forget about it, but where was this in this tale? The reaction when you're told you have the dreaded cancer ... It wasn't there for me; I didn't see it, much less an echo of what I have experienced or fellow survivors have gone through.
If you want a 'real' (or as real as possible) account of being diagnosed with breast cancer and the roller coaster ride treatment and just living with this shadow over your life, then sorry, this is NOT the book for it!
Well, to me, she didn't! See, I'm a 2x breast cancer survivor, went through all the sh*t the heroine goes through ... and this book is Hollywood-type glamour at best and outer-space-far-from-reality at worst.
I get the title - FU Cancer had been my motto every single day for the past 12.5 years. I've felt like sh*t, looked like sh*t, like Britney circa 2007 even. But that's as close as it gets to the reality of surviving cancer, let alone of living through cancer treatments. The one cute doctor finding you adorable while you're having chemo? Far-fetched ... but I can still get behind that (people can see beyond appearance, for sure). But jumping said doctor's bones every single time you see him all while going through chemo treatments? Come on - you've got to be kidding! Chemo is you feeling like a punching bag that's one fight past its prime, and that's just the in-between days, NOT counting the actual chemo itself and the 72 ensuing ours where crap warmed over looks and feels better than you do! To even think of sex in this time, even if your man looks like Jason Momoa or has the abs of Henry Cavill? Nope, not happening, sorry!
The emotional dimension also lacked depth for me, because I believe you have to have been there to know what it feels like. The fear of recurrence is a Damocles sword over your head 24/7 - you barely, if ever, manage to forget about it, but where was this in this tale? The reaction when you're told you have the dreaded cancer ... It wasn't there for me; I didn't see it, much less an echo of what I have experienced or fellow survivors have gone through.
If you want a 'real' (or as real as possible) account of being diagnosed with breast cancer and the roller coaster ride treatment and just living with this shadow over your life, then sorry, this is NOT the book for it!
December 26, 2015
When you are a thirty-five year old single mother of two young boys, you simply cannot pause your life for cancer. No matter how many rounds of radiation or chemotherapy you have to attend; no matter the double mastectomy and post surgery fatigue you must endure; no matter the fact that your chances of survival are so low that you fear you may not see your fortieth birthday.
This is how Lucy Porter found herself.
Diagnosed.
Breast Cancer.
And with the particular type of rare and dangerous breast cancer that she had, there was little research for curing her, leaving her future appearing to have a bleak outcome.
But in her lowest of low times, she finds something that she never imagined. A companion who would not only help her get through the toughest days, but also help her remember what it is like to live life to the fullest.
F U Cancer is Hilaria Alexander’s third novel. And while they are all fantastic reads, with each new release, her stories have excelled extraordinarily higher than the previous. F U Cancer gives readers a vividly emotional look into the life of a woman diagnosed with cancer. It explores her fears, her struggles, and most importantly, her strength to fight and give cancer a big fat middle finger.
I invite you to read F U Cancer and live Lucy’s journey with her. Laugh with her, cry with her and love with her. If you aren’t already, you’ll come out of the other side of this book a true advocate and supporter for all who are faced with battling cancer.
This is how Lucy Porter found herself.
Diagnosed.
Breast Cancer.
And with the particular type of rare and dangerous breast cancer that she had, there was little research for curing her, leaving her future appearing to have a bleak outcome.
But in her lowest of low times, she finds something that she never imagined. A companion who would not only help her get through the toughest days, but also help her remember what it is like to live life to the fullest.
F U Cancer is Hilaria Alexander’s third novel. And while they are all fantastic reads, with each new release, her stories have excelled extraordinarily higher than the previous. F U Cancer gives readers a vividly emotional look into the life of a woman diagnosed with cancer. It explores her fears, her struggles, and most importantly, her strength to fight and give cancer a big fat middle finger.
I invite you to read F U Cancer and live Lucy’s journey with her. Laugh with her, cry with her and love with her. If you aren’t already, you’ll come out of the other side of this book a true advocate and supporter for all who are faced with battling cancer.
March 11, 2016
If I'd read this book sooner, I would put this one on my favorite list of 2015!
Hilaria, thank you so much for this beautiful story, I loved everything! How to talk about cancer without the ugly crying you can expect!
Just a wonderful story about life and how in your hardest times, there's still hope and love.
Review to come but Hilaria :
********************
This book is one of the first ones I read this year and if I read it last year, it would be on my favorite reads for 2015!
Why I haven’t read this story sooner? I don’t know, maybe the word “cancer”?
How is she going to tell her family about it? First how is she going to handle it? There’s no right way to do it properly. Honestly, I was trying to be in her shoes and I can’t ever imagine a possibility of an uncertain future. A lot of emotions went through my mind, stress, pain, fear, denial, …
But Lucy was trying to kick cancer’s ass and not to let herself drown, thanks to her friends and family. Her sarcastic and witty personality made her so endearing. Just my kind of girl!
Well, well, what about an handsome doctor to make things more … Interesting? I was trying to figure out how their story is gonna fit. And Bam it was love at first sight.
Brandon is a oncologist not Lucy’s but for the first time he saw her; he was mesmerized. Trying not to be involved with her, he couldn’t help his constant need to be near this woman who wore colorful wigs. I love every side of Brandon, and for once in his life he wanted something more, but with Lucy’s situation it could be complicated. How to find his place in her life?
The author knew how to mix humor, sarcasm and some emotional moments that would make you swoon, laugh and cry.
Highly recommended!!
*** My rating ***
Hilaria, thank you so much for this beautiful story, I loved everything! How to talk about cancer without the ugly crying you can expect!
Just a wonderful story about life and how in your hardest times, there's still hope and love.
Review to come but Hilaria :
********************
This book is one of the first ones I read this year and if I read it last year, it would be on my favorite reads for 2015!
Why I haven’t read this story sooner? I don’t know, maybe the word “cancer”?
Don't let the word mislead you, because it was told in a way without the ugly cry you’re expecting. This book is so different and so unique, just a way to speak about it with sensitivity, bluntness through the stages of the heroine's cancer.
Lucy’s world stumbled apart when she learnt about her cancer. A good girl,a good wife, a divorce and then CANCER.
How is she going to tell her family about it? First how is she going to handle it? There’s no right way to do it properly. Honestly, I was trying to be in her shoes and I can’t ever imagine a possibility of an uncertain future. A lot of emotions went through my mind, stress, pain, fear, denial, …
But Lucy was trying to kick cancer’s ass and not to let herself drown, thanks to her friends and family. Her sarcastic and witty personality made her so endearing. Just my kind of girl!
Well, well, what about an handsome doctor to make things more … Interesting? I was trying to figure out how their story is gonna fit. And Bam it was love at first sight.
Brandon is a oncologist not Lucy’s but for the first time he saw her; he was mesmerized. Trying not to be involved with her, he couldn’t help his constant need to be near this woman who wore colorful wigs. I love every side of Brandon, and for once in his life he wanted something more, but with Lucy’s situation it could be complicated. How to find his place in her life?
I read it in one sitting, feeling all of it, from the better times though the bad ones. The story was just brilliant, a different approach about cancer. For sure everything's not perfect but damn Hilaria Alexander got me here.
The author knew how to mix humor, sarcasm and some emotional moments that would make you swoon, laugh and cry.
Highly recommended!!
*** My rating ***
December 24, 2015
F U Cancer
Hilaria Alexander
5 stars
Cancer Warriors you need to read this story. For those of us that have not had to battle this horrific demon; you also need to read this story. Lucy has always played by the rules. She had her two boys with the man she loved. He was her only sort of taboo event she had ever partaken in during her life. Patrick was divorced and ten years older than her. He was the love of her life … and then he divorced her too. Living her life just as she should hasn’t paid off because now she gets to fight breast cancer. Lucy decides to F U Cancer … depression .. no … she is going to kick Cancer’s ass. Lucy has her friends, her mom and a man named Brandon.
I LOVED Lucy’s spirit. Neon wigs, magnificent t-shirts with strong sentiments, and holding her head high ..yes! Lucy is a sassy, strong and amazing spirit. I absolutely stand and give Hilaria a resounding round of applause. There are countless women out there that need to read this book. Read it while they are taking chemo, read it after they are diagnosed, read it while they are fighting or standing beside someone who is fighting. I will tell you there is an HEA but you will need some tissues during your read.
Be prepared to be inspired .. click this one up. Thank you Hilaria for the ARC. I am honored to read this story. I will hold it close to my heart and plan on passing gifted copies around on release day. Check out the playlist at the end of the book, the donation links, and make sure you read the dedication as well. You wont want to miss a single word of F U Cancer. Amazing …. Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets.
Hilaria Alexander
5 stars
Cancer Warriors you need to read this story. For those of us that have not had to battle this horrific demon; you also need to read this story. Lucy has always played by the rules. She had her two boys with the man she loved. He was her only sort of taboo event she had ever partaken in during her life. Patrick was divorced and ten years older than her. He was the love of her life … and then he divorced her too. Living her life just as she should hasn’t paid off because now she gets to fight breast cancer. Lucy decides to F U Cancer … depression .. no … she is going to kick Cancer’s ass. Lucy has her friends, her mom and a man named Brandon.
I LOVED Lucy’s spirit. Neon wigs, magnificent t-shirts with strong sentiments, and holding her head high ..yes! Lucy is a sassy, strong and amazing spirit. I absolutely stand and give Hilaria a resounding round of applause. There are countless women out there that need to read this book. Read it while they are taking chemo, read it after they are diagnosed, read it while they are fighting or standing beside someone who is fighting. I will tell you there is an HEA but you will need some tissues during your read.
Be prepared to be inspired .. click this one up. Thank you Hilaria for the ARC. I am honored to read this story. I will hold it close to my heart and plan on passing gifted copies around on release day. Check out the playlist at the end of the book, the donation links, and make sure you read the dedication as well. You wont want to miss a single word of F U Cancer. Amazing …. Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets.
January 16, 2016
Quirky and emotional 5 stars
FU Cancer was my last 1-click of 2015 and 1st 5 star read of 2016, it is a beautifully written story about a single mom who at the prime of her life finds out that she has cancer. Thus starts the journey of intense emotions, doubts about the future and a scary hope of something beautiful and everlasting.
From the first chapter until the last, the book kept me glued to my kindle. Hilaria Alexander took me on a ride of intense emotions, from laugh out loud to cringe worthy moments, from swooning to silently weeping, from grinning to wanting to throw my kindle and send the author glitter filled letters. I felt everything and I was left craving more of Ms. Alexander’s magic. Through the course of the book, I fell in love with the characters, I simply loved the dynamics of each relationship.
Lucy Porter is a single mom who is ready to start life anew after her divorce and suddenly she has an anvil falling on her chest, telling her that life as she knew it was about to change drastically. Though she had the support of her mother, best friend and her ex-husband, cancer makes it a difficult journey. It takes away your pride, your essence, makes you weak and vulnerable. I loved how she handled her emotions, how she tried to keep the dark secrets from her kids, how protective she was of Carter and Noah. My heart bled with silent tears during the restaurant scene. I wanted to go hug them tight and tell them that everything would be okay. That Lucy would fight and survive where so many others haven’t. But alas you cannot make such promises when cancer is driving the wheels that is your life.
The most uplifting factor in this book was how supportive everyone close to Lucy was for her. Even her chemo-friend Rosemary played a huge part in building her up. I love, loooovvved Rosemary, she was the epitome of what or how I wanna be in life. Honestly everyone needs a friend like her. She is one of those sage people that has lived life and lived long to tell you about it.
Then came Dr. F, holy hotness in heaven. If there was one doctor I would want to treat me for everything it would be Dr. F. He is swoon-worthy with a capital S. His entry into her life was quite an accident, an accident I call Fate, the angel of mercy and all things sugar and spice. There was something about Lucy that drew him and kept him coming back for more. Even knowing that she was fighting one of the most difficult battles of her life, F wasn’t able to leave her behind. He knew what he was doing was on some levels wrong, her being a patient of the hospital and all. But that wasn’t the biggest problem when the truth of the matter is revealed and I felt like my world was going to end. HOW could Lucy’s world shatter even more than it already was broken? *glare at author for good measure*
Authors loooove to wrap you up in a sweet and bubbly blanket of all things good and then when you least expect it, they yank the sucker off of you and leave you bleeding, out in the cold, freezing winter.
After the dust settles and I was hoping to go on with my maybe broken heart (read this book to find out MORE), another bomb blows up in Lucy’s face. Her life was in chaos, she lost all her hair, cancer made her feel ugly, she had no control over her life and now when she is feeling slightly better. But then Fate, the annihilating evil spawn of Satan, decides to bash her up good.
What is a girl with two small kids and an irrevocable connection with a man to do? Will she survive this thing that resides in all our body waiting to strike? Or will she only survive to lose the love of her life to some other heinous crime? To learn more 1-click this sweet, snarky, swoony 5 star read.
FU Cancer was my last 1-click of 2015 and 1st 5 star read of 2016, it is a beautifully written story about a single mom who at the prime of her life finds out that she has cancer. Thus starts the journey of intense emotions, doubts about the future and a scary hope of something beautiful and everlasting.
From the first chapter until the last, the book kept me glued to my kindle. Hilaria Alexander took me on a ride of intense emotions, from laugh out loud to cringe worthy moments, from swooning to silently weeping, from grinning to wanting to throw my kindle and send the author glitter filled letters. I felt everything and I was left craving more of Ms. Alexander’s magic. Through the course of the book, I fell in love with the characters, I simply loved the dynamics of each relationship.
Lucy Porter is a single mom who is ready to start life anew after her divorce and suddenly she has an anvil falling on her chest, telling her that life as she knew it was about to change drastically. Though she had the support of her mother, best friend and her ex-husband, cancer makes it a difficult journey. It takes away your pride, your essence, makes you weak and vulnerable. I loved how she handled her emotions, how she tried to keep the dark secrets from her kids, how protective she was of Carter and Noah. My heart bled with silent tears during the restaurant scene. I wanted to go hug them tight and tell them that everything would be okay. That Lucy would fight and survive where so many others haven’t. But alas you cannot make such promises when cancer is driving the wheels that is your life.
The most uplifting factor in this book was how supportive everyone close to Lucy was for her. Even her chemo-friend Rosemary played a huge part in building her up. I love, loooovvved Rosemary, she was the epitome of what or how I wanna be in life. Honestly everyone needs a friend like her. She is one of those sage people that has lived life and lived long to tell you about it.
Then came Dr. F, holy hotness in heaven. If there was one doctor I would want to treat me for everything it would be Dr. F. He is swoon-worthy with a capital S. His entry into her life was quite an accident, an accident I call Fate, the angel of mercy and all things sugar and spice. There was something about Lucy that drew him and kept him coming back for more. Even knowing that she was fighting one of the most difficult battles of her life, F wasn’t able to leave her behind. He knew what he was doing was on some levels wrong, her being a patient of the hospital and all. But that wasn’t the biggest problem when the truth of the matter is revealed and I felt like my world was going to end. HOW could Lucy’s world shatter even more than it already was broken? *glare at author for good measure*
Authors loooove to wrap you up in a sweet and bubbly blanket of all things good and then when you least expect it, they yank the sucker off of you and leave you bleeding, out in the cold, freezing winter.
After the dust settles and I was hoping to go on with my maybe broken heart (read this book to find out MORE), another bomb blows up in Lucy’s face. Her life was in chaos, she lost all her hair, cancer made her feel ugly, she had no control over her life and now when she is feeling slightly better. But then Fate, the annihilating evil spawn of Satan, decides to bash her up good.
What is a girl with two small kids and an irrevocable connection with a man to do? Will she survive this thing that resides in all our body waiting to strike? Or will she only survive to lose the love of her life to some other heinous crime? To learn more 1-click this sweet, snarky, swoony 5 star read.
December 30, 2015
FU Cancer is a book that looks at the harsh realities of being diagnosed with cancer. A time when the world comes crashing down on you and you flounder in life trying to find hope and a strong foundation. This story looks at the ugly side that is not always seen. More and more today in our society people speak out about the harsh realities that these amazing people face and this book shares some of those realities. Hilaria Alexander does a great job of taking a story and giving it heartfelt meaning, showing every aspect, both the gut wrenching pain and the unforeseen hope.
I loved the message of this book! It was powerful and beautiful. FU Cancer follows Lucy, a single divorced mother who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Lucy is a fabulous character. She feels everything deeply. She cries and rages at the world. She becomes a warrior to fight for her life. She succumbs to hopelessness and pain. You feel the wide range of human emotions through her experience and that is a powerful thing. Lucy’s personality is great. She is quite the character. From the first scene you know she will be full of humor and life and you wonder what will happen in the end. I loved seeing how she reacted to her new reality. She is genuine in her response and that is something that needs to be read.
There is an incredible set of characters in this book. Lucy has an amazing family! Her best friends rally around her and even her ex-husband supports her fight. She meets some wonderful people during her fight, many who leave a deep impactful mark on her soul. There are some themes I was not expecting but I greatly enjoyed what Hilaria did with her story. The beginning was a bit rough, mainly just finding a rhythm with the writing but the story was so captivating that I was anxious to see what would happen to Lucy. When you read books like this there are so many different scenarios. Hilaria does a great job of taking the reader through a plausible reality for Lucy. There are good moments mixed in with the bad. I enjoyed seeing her learn to love life, herself, and those around her that she meets in a new way.
This book has some hard stuff to swallow. It is a book about cancer after all. The story does not shy away from the glaring realities and the identity of the woman fighting cancer. That fact alone makes this book wonderful. It deals with the things people don’t always think about or refuse to acknowledge. Watching this story unfold is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. There is a romance within the covers of this book but the primary focus is on Lucy and her fight. I think that the balance between the romance and cancer was well developed and overall, the story was feisty and real!
I loved the message of this book! It was powerful and beautiful. FU Cancer follows Lucy, a single divorced mother who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Lucy is a fabulous character. She feels everything deeply. She cries and rages at the world. She becomes a warrior to fight for her life. She succumbs to hopelessness and pain. You feel the wide range of human emotions through her experience and that is a powerful thing. Lucy’s personality is great. She is quite the character. From the first scene you know she will be full of humor and life and you wonder what will happen in the end. I loved seeing how she reacted to her new reality. She is genuine in her response and that is something that needs to be read.
There is an incredible set of characters in this book. Lucy has an amazing family! Her best friends rally around her and even her ex-husband supports her fight. She meets some wonderful people during her fight, many who leave a deep impactful mark on her soul. There are some themes I was not expecting but I greatly enjoyed what Hilaria did with her story. The beginning was a bit rough, mainly just finding a rhythm with the writing but the story was so captivating that I was anxious to see what would happen to Lucy. When you read books like this there are so many different scenarios. Hilaria does a great job of taking the reader through a plausible reality for Lucy. There are good moments mixed in with the bad. I enjoyed seeing her learn to love life, herself, and those around her that she meets in a new way.
This book has some hard stuff to swallow. It is a book about cancer after all. The story does not shy away from the glaring realities and the identity of the woman fighting cancer. That fact alone makes this book wonderful. It deals with the things people don’t always think about or refuse to acknowledge. Watching this story unfold is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. There is a romance within the covers of this book but the primary focus is on Lucy and her fight. I think that the balance between the romance and cancer was well developed and overall, the story was feisty and real!
December 31, 2016
This is my second read, but my first read via audiobook format. So far, I'm loving narrator Elizabeth Klett's performance.
UPDATED
★¸¸.•*¨*•★Unabridged Audiobook Info★•*¨*•.¸¸★
Narrated by: Elizabeth Klett
Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
Release Date: 11-24-16
Publisher: Hilaria Alexander
Writing style: Mainly Lucy's POV with a few occasional chapters in Brandon's POV
Cover design: I love the brightness of it. It’s optimistic and hints nicely at the overall feel of the novel.
Ratings:
Overall rating: ★★★★★ | Elizabeth’s Performance: ★★★★★ | Story rating: ★★★★★
Audible title: “One of my 2016 favorites!”
Minor spoilers alert!!!
What made the experience of listening to FU Cancer the most enjoyable?
Elizabeth's voice.
What was one of the most memorable moments of FU Cancer?
There are so many, but one of my top favorites was a letter that from Lucy to Brandon detailing her reaction to reading a novella that someone recommended she could read without first reading the previous main novel. I'd already read the novella written by author Ashley Pullo, so I recognized the plot immediately and totally understood how she felt blindsided by it. I loved when Brandon asked what happened to one of the main characters in his response letter and her frank response in turn, too funny!
Which character – as performed by Elizabeth Klett – was your favorite?
OMG, she was so cute reading Noah's voice!
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I actually laughed quite a bit which is why this audiobook read was my second read of FU Cancer.
Any additional comments?
Lucy's journey reminded me to count my blessings. It was realistic, funny, sexy, and inspirational to the end.
***
‘I looked at my handsome husband and smiled, thinking how far we had both come. I had fought the hardest battle of my life and it was only thanks to him and my family and friends that I was able to stand where I was. A part of me might have been gone forever, but I had my kids and a husband who loved every bit of me, scars and all.’ ~Lucy
UPDATED
★¸¸.•*¨*•★Unabridged Audiobook Info★•*¨*•.¸¸★
Narrated by: Elizabeth Klett
Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
Release Date: 11-24-16
Publisher: Hilaria Alexander
Writing style: Mainly Lucy's POV with a few occasional chapters in Brandon's POV
Cover design: I love the brightness of it. It’s optimistic and hints nicely at the overall feel of the novel.
Ratings:
Overall rating: ★★★★★ | Elizabeth’s Performance: ★★★★★ | Story rating: ★★★★★
Audible title: “One of my 2016 favorites!”
Minor spoilers alert!!!
What made the experience of listening to FU Cancer the most enjoyable?
Elizabeth's voice.
What was one of the most memorable moments of FU Cancer?
There are so many, but one of my top favorites was a letter that from Lucy to Brandon detailing her reaction to reading a novella that someone recommended she could read without first reading the previous main novel. I'd already read the novella written by author Ashley Pullo, so I recognized the plot immediately and totally understood how she felt blindsided by it. I loved when Brandon asked what happened to one of the main characters in his response letter and her frank response in turn, too funny!
Which character – as performed by Elizabeth Klett – was your favorite?
OMG, she was so cute reading Noah's voice!
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I actually laughed quite a bit which is why this audiobook read was my second read of FU Cancer.
Any additional comments?
Lucy's journey reminded me to count my blessings. It was realistic, funny, sexy, and inspirational to the end.
***
‘I looked at my handsome husband and smiled, thinking how far we had both come. I had fought the hardest battle of my life and it was only thanks to him and my family and friends that I was able to stand where I was. A part of me might have been gone forever, but I had my kids and a husband who loved every bit of me, scars and all.’ ~Lucy
December 28, 2015
LEEANN'S REVIEW
4 STARS
Lucy has just received life altering devestating news.. She has cancer.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think it would lead her to the love of her life. Nor does she realize the struggles they will face in their attempt to get their happy ever after.
Brandon is a doctor and he has plans that don't include a relationship.
He has no clue when he sees Lucy at the hospital what path life is about to take him down.
Not only does he fall in love with Lucy,cancer and all, but also with her children.
Unfortunately this doesn't change his plans and he has no idea if Lucy will want to wait for him. In fact he has no idea if he will even make it back to her.
When I first started reading Lucy's story I felt absolutely gutted for her. She is a young and active single mother. This shouldn't have happened to her. She is generally a good person. But as everyone knows, cancer does not discriminate. But as the story goes on, you see a different side to Lucy. She has an inner strength that not even she knew she had. This story will bring you to tears and make you laugh.
I'm not sure if this book is based on the authors experience, someone she knows or is just pure fiction, but it written in an extremely realistic way that had me believing it is somewhat based on some bodies personal experience.
Well worth checking this one out!
4 STARS
Lucy has just received life altering devestating news.. She has cancer.
Never in her wildest dreams did she think it would lead her to the love of her life. Nor does she realize the struggles they will face in their attempt to get their happy ever after.
Brandon is a doctor and he has plans that don't include a relationship.
He has no clue when he sees Lucy at the hospital what path life is about to take him down.
Not only does he fall in love with Lucy,cancer and all, but also with her children.
Unfortunately this doesn't change his plans and he has no idea if Lucy will want to wait for him. In fact he has no idea if he will even make it back to her.
When I first started reading Lucy's story I felt absolutely gutted for her. She is a young and active single mother. This shouldn't have happened to her. She is generally a good person. But as everyone knows, cancer does not discriminate. But as the story goes on, you see a different side to Lucy. She has an inner strength that not even she knew she had. This story will bring you to tears and make you laugh.
I'm not sure if this book is based on the authors experience, someone she knows or is just pure fiction, but it written in an extremely realistic way that had me believing it is somewhat based on some bodies personal experience.
Well worth checking this one out!
April 19, 2016
5 STARS!!!
FU CANCER by Hilaria Alexander is one of the most powerful book I've read with such great characters.
Three words could describe it: Strength, hope, love.
As much as the word Cancer can scare you, don't be afraid to read this book. It is beautiful, hopeful, funny, swoony..
This book will give you all the feels. I must say that I'm in awe of how perfectly written and described a single mom's battle against Cancer was.
I would recommend it to every one willing to read a heart wrenching and heart warming love story.
FU CANCER by Hilaria Alexander is one of the most powerful book I've read with such great characters.
Three words could describe it: Strength, hope, love.
As much as the word Cancer can scare you, don't be afraid to read this book. It is beautiful, hopeful, funny, swoony..
This book will give you all the feels. I must say that I'm in awe of how perfectly written and described a single mom's battle against Cancer was.
I would recommend it to every one willing to read a heart wrenching and heart warming love story.
July 19, 2017
5 EMPOWERING STARS!
Lucy is a single working mom. As if her recent divorce was not enough, she recieved devastating news from her doctor that she has breast cancer. When super hot and charming doctor Brandon started showing interest in her, sick and all, she wondered what his real intentions were. Then he left. But inspite of it all, she vowed to fight. Fight the cancer, and fight for their love.
I have been among the first to receive an ARC of FU CANCER , and I feel so thankful. I really loved this book because Lucy's character is such an inspiration. She's got spunk but she's also human, who allows herself to feel and express pain, misery, and grief , then snap out of it. And Brandon is such a sweet guy. My gosh, there are so many scenes in this book that had me crying so many different kinds of tears, but mostly those of joy. There are plenty of giddy moments because of his efforts as well. These scenes (and omg the awesome playlist) , apart from the story itself, make FU Cancer one of the most unforgettable books I've read before the close of 2015. This is a must-read. As in.
This book is just the third labor of love by Hilaria Alexander and she's really one talented story-teller. I will not be surprised if she becomes a bestselling author soon.
Lucy is a single working mom. As if her recent divorce was not enough, she recieved devastating news from her doctor that she has breast cancer. When super hot and charming doctor Brandon started showing interest in her, sick and all, she wondered what his real intentions were. Then he left. But inspite of it all, she vowed to fight. Fight the cancer, and fight for their love.
I have been among the first to receive an ARC of FU CANCER , and I feel so thankful. I really loved this book because Lucy's character is such an inspiration. She's got spunk but she's also human, who allows herself to feel and express pain, misery, and grief , then snap out of it. And Brandon is such a sweet guy. My gosh, there are so many scenes in this book that had me crying so many different kinds of tears, but mostly those of joy. There are plenty of giddy moments because of his efforts as well. These scenes (and omg the awesome playlist) , apart from the story itself, make FU Cancer one of the most unforgettable books I've read before the close of 2015. This is a must-read. As in.
This book is just the third labor of love by Hilaria Alexander and she's really one talented story-teller. I will not be surprised if she becomes a bestselling author soon.
December 28, 2015
Stunning Read!! This is one of those books that just steals your heart. It is flawlessly written. I was scared to read it at first because of the title! I'm so glad I caved! The story is so upbeat and has so much humor and heart. It truly is beautiful!!
I fell in love with Lucy's spunk immediately!! I love that she speaks her mind!! She had me giggling throughout the story!! She is a divorced mother of two boys starting the biggest battle of her life. Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
Brandon Fuchs is an oncologist at the hospital where Lucy is getting treated. He notices her early on and keeps finding ways to run into her.
This is a story of hope, loss, love, huge struggles, and even bigger hurdles. It has everything you need in a great read.
This was my first read by Hilaria Alexander but it definitely won't be my last.
Some books are meant to be loved and this is definitely one of those books. Five Stars is not enough for this beautiful story.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I fell in love with Lucy's spunk immediately!! I love that she speaks her mind!! She had me giggling throughout the story!! She is a divorced mother of two boys starting the biggest battle of her life. Inflammatory Breast Cancer.
Brandon Fuchs is an oncologist at the hospital where Lucy is getting treated. He notices her early on and keeps finding ways to run into her.
This is a story of hope, loss, love, huge struggles, and even bigger hurdles. It has everything you need in a great read.
This was my first read by Hilaria Alexander but it definitely won't be my last.
Some books are meant to be loved and this is definitely one of those books. Five Stars is not enough for this beautiful story.
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2015
This was such a great book. With cancer being in the title, you just know that it would play a prominent role in the story. But this wasn’t a sad depressing tale but an uplifting and heartwarming one. I was rooting for Lucy, in not only beating cancer but also in her life. I really liked Lucy. She was determined not to let her cancer diagnosis get to her. She had a strength and a resolve that I admired from her. I loved her spirit throughout the book. Now what Lucy wasn’t expecting was to find love during battle. Brandon was also great. Seriously, the love and care he had for Lucy was so beautiful to see. He was her strength and her light. I loved their bond-their relationship was a highlight during this dark time. There are a lot of ups and downs to this book because of the topic but it was a great journey that I enjoyed. It was emotional but also funny. Overall, I loved the message and spirit of the story.
March 28, 2018
I was liking the heroine in the beginning but then she was getting on my nerves with the relationship drama. All I kept thinking was 'you have cancer...LIVE YOUR LIFE AND STOP WORRYING - SPEND TIME WITH YOUR KIDS!!!!'
September 10, 2017
This is my first time reading this author and I am so glad I decided to read this book. While the title of the book caught my attention, I was a little nervous to start it. This is one woman's journey with dealing with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. While I really enjoyed her spunky attitude, throughout the book, she also showed the downside/sadder side that many women feel while fighting this horrible disease. Being lucky enough to not have any of my close family and friends having dealt with this, I learned some facts that I was unaware of. I loved Dr. F. and how he thought her beautiful even when she felt at her lowest.
Really great read! I'm definitely going to check out this authors other works.
Really great read! I'm definitely going to check out this authors other works.
March 5, 2016
Shel: I remember promoting this novel when it was released and being so curious about it; at the time we were slammed with reviews and couldn't fit it into our reading schedule. I recently found it on Net Galley and excitedly requested it and then made it my next read. I picked it up one Thursday afternoon and by the following Friday evening I was finished with it. The voice of the main character, Lucy, hit all the right spots for me--her irreverence, her good humor, and her unflinching look at all of the ugly parts of living with cancer made cringe and laugh and think really hard about the people I've known in similar situations. I love when a book challenges me or makes me consider things in a way that I really haven't before, and that's what FU Cancer did for me: how many times have I not been the friend or neighbor I could've been when given the opportunity to support someone living with a significant illness? Could I be as supportive as Brandon or Beverly? Would I ever say something so unthinking or careless as some of the characters? Do I treat cancer patients like their contagious? I hope I could be reliable and considerate if given the opportunity and I hope that if I had a cancer diagnosis that I'd handle it with the ferocity and sass and humor and grace that Lucy did.
Court: Yes and a thousand times yes. This one was difficult for me. My mother had a double mastectomy for breast cancer in 2012, and last year my father had kidney cancer and did not survive it. So, for obvious reasons I have a love/hate and very masochistic feeling toward books of this sort. This one really hit the nail on the head of all of the struggles that people go through when they're diagnosed. It captured the fear, and the hope...and the anger, and the love that comes with your family circling the wagons for you. Lucy is a fierce woman, and I think her battle with the cancer and just to not lose herself was strong. I struggled in the middle as we're going through the treatment with her as critically in the book the plot slowed down after a really strong start. But, the story is so relatable and really has strong characters so I was crying and hanging on right along with them.
Shel: While Lucy's diagnosis and subsequent treatment of breast cancer is the focus of the plot, I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about how much fun it was to watch her fall in love with Brandon (this dreamboat, sweetheart of a man). Her skepticism that he could actually like her, her nervous butterflies, and her eventual capitulation were written so perfectly--lots of humor and incredulity and nerves that seemed so true to who Lucy was to me. And I loved that we got a few opportunities to read from Brandon's POV too--his initial crush and then his absolute inability to stop himself from falling for her were just so endearing. I loved these two together. Court: That is true. I loved Lucy and Brandon together, and as individual characters. They are feel good. They are funny, and I really liked Brandon's POV scenes too. He seems like such a genuine guy. I liked that he is a doctor and the perils that they face with the idea of it being unethical. Dr. Rouse is fierce also. I loved Lucy's mother. Great characters!
Shel: I feel like there's so much more to this novel than what I've focused on--her divorce and her family, his secrets, the ending...THE ENDING!!! But you know what? Maybe those things are better left for you to discover. Hilaria Alexander was a new author to us and I am 100% going to be reading all of her other titles as soon as I can. Court: HIS SECRETS! The foreshadowing...about...did...me...in. But, yes...it was great. We have promoted Hilaria a lot and were excited to finally get a chance to read one of her novels. Worth it! Check it out!
Court: Yes and a thousand times yes. This one was difficult for me. My mother had a double mastectomy for breast cancer in 2012, and last year my father had kidney cancer and did not survive it. So, for obvious reasons I have a love/hate and very masochistic feeling toward books of this sort. This one really hit the nail on the head of all of the struggles that people go through when they're diagnosed. It captured the fear, and the hope...and the anger, and the love that comes with your family circling the wagons for you. Lucy is a fierce woman, and I think her battle with the cancer and just to not lose herself was strong. I struggled in the middle as we're going through the treatment with her as critically in the book the plot slowed down after a really strong start. But, the story is so relatable and really has strong characters so I was crying and hanging on right along with them.
Shel: While Lucy's diagnosis and subsequent treatment of breast cancer is the focus of the plot, I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about how much fun it was to watch her fall in love with Brandon (this dreamboat, sweetheart of a man). Her skepticism that he could actually like her, her nervous butterflies, and her eventual capitulation were written so perfectly--lots of humor and incredulity and nerves that seemed so true to who Lucy was to me. And I loved that we got a few opportunities to read from Brandon's POV too--his initial crush and then his absolute inability to stop himself from falling for her were just so endearing. I loved these two together. Court: That is true. I loved Lucy and Brandon together, and as individual characters. They are feel good. They are funny, and I really liked Brandon's POV scenes too. He seems like such a genuine guy. I liked that he is a doctor and the perils that they face with the idea of it being unethical. Dr. Rouse is fierce also. I loved Lucy's mother. Great characters!
Shel: I feel like there's so much more to this novel than what I've focused on--her divorce and her family, his secrets, the ending...THE ENDING!!! But you know what? Maybe those things are better left for you to discover. Hilaria Alexander was a new author to us and I am 100% going to be reading all of her other titles as soon as I can. Court: HIS SECRETS! The foreshadowing...about...did...me...in. But, yes...it was great. We have promoted Hilaria a lot and were excited to finally get a chance to read one of her novels. Worth it! Check it out!
March 18, 2016
I was instantly attracted to this book ... anything that says FU Cancer is high on my priorities. I'm currently fighting my own battle, while I don't have breast cancer the overall 'fight' is the same.
Lucy has two young boys, divorced but getting on with life the only thing really bothering her was the '10 year younger model' that her ex-husband had left her for .. nobody likes to be replaced. She has friends and a social life, works in a candy store and then she gets the diagnosis IBC .. her life suddenly becomes a flurry of chemo, surgery, radiation.
During this time she has the support of her mother, even her ex Patrick shows a tender side, she makes friends with a fellow sufferer Rosemary but the ultimate light in her world is meeting Brandon.
After meeting in an elevator while she was busy cussing their spark was soon ignited. Lucy was reluctant to believe anyone could find her attractive while her hair was falling out, she was puffy from meds and her 'frankenboob' was going to be removed. Her main criteria was to protect her young sons but Brandon won't take no for an answer.
This is a fabulous story of every emotion imaginable. I smiled, cried, yelled at Lucy and felt like I had been through a wringer by the end. While some of it was affectionate there are also some steamy moments but plenty of romance too.
Lots of possibilities .. would Lucy survive, would fellow patients not make it, would Brandon go off and travel to the other side of the world, enough to keep the reader glued. I actually read this in one day it was totally compelling.
I loved the sassy Lucy, brightly coloured wigs, tattoos and of course the T. Shirt! The only slight (ok fairly big) negative I have is the fact Brandon is a doctor ... okay so he wasn't HER doctor but it still seemed a touch unethical to me when you need to put your entire trust into the medical profession. Maybe that is just a personal opinion owing to my situation so other than that it is a truly touching work of fiction. Give it a read you won't be disappointed.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
Lucy has two young boys, divorced but getting on with life the only thing really bothering her was the '10 year younger model' that her ex-husband had left her for .. nobody likes to be replaced. She has friends and a social life, works in a candy store and then she gets the diagnosis IBC .. her life suddenly becomes a flurry of chemo, surgery, radiation.
During this time she has the support of her mother, even her ex Patrick shows a tender side, she makes friends with a fellow sufferer Rosemary but the ultimate light in her world is meeting Brandon.
After meeting in an elevator while she was busy cussing their spark was soon ignited. Lucy was reluctant to believe anyone could find her attractive while her hair was falling out, she was puffy from meds and her 'frankenboob' was going to be removed. Her main criteria was to protect her young sons but Brandon won't take no for an answer.
This is a fabulous story of every emotion imaginable. I smiled, cried, yelled at Lucy and felt like I had been through a wringer by the end. While some of it was affectionate there are also some steamy moments but plenty of romance too.
Lots of possibilities .. would Lucy survive, would fellow patients not make it, would Brandon go off and travel to the other side of the world, enough to keep the reader glued. I actually read this in one day it was totally compelling.
I loved the sassy Lucy, brightly coloured wigs, tattoos and of course the T. Shirt! The only slight (ok fairly big) negative I have is the fact Brandon is a doctor ... okay so he wasn't HER doctor but it still seemed a touch unethical to me when you need to put your entire trust into the medical profession. Maybe that is just a personal opinion owing to my situation so other than that it is a truly touching work of fiction. Give it a read you won't be disappointed.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
January 19, 2016
Newly divorced, Lucy didn't expect things to get more difficult for her than raising her two children on her own but then the doctor says that scariest words out there for a lot of women, breast cancer.
At a time in her life when things should be at the scariest she takes the disease by the horns and is determined to beat it and in the process is it possible that she could find a better happiness than she ever had before?
Lucy is my kind of woman sure she has her uncertainties and her moments of sulkiness but she also doesn't do things halfway and when she decides she's going to do something she does it with everything she's got she is strong and was a great lead character!
And what would the story be without a little romance? Brandon is an absolute sweetheart, caring and understanding and it looked like he was perfect in every way of course sometimes the little lies get you into the biggest of trouble and I enjoyed seeing how these two characters work through all their difficulties in order to find their happiness!
With great depth to the characters and an amazing understanding for a disease that so many people go through I enjoyed all aspects of this book and would definitely recommend it!
At a time in her life when things should be at the scariest she takes the disease by the horns and is determined to beat it and in the process is it possible that she could find a better happiness than she ever had before?
Lucy is my kind of woman sure she has her uncertainties and her moments of sulkiness but she also doesn't do things halfway and when she decides she's going to do something she does it with everything she's got she is strong and was a great lead character!
And what would the story be without a little romance? Brandon is an absolute sweetheart, caring and understanding and it looked like he was perfect in every way of course sometimes the little lies get you into the biggest of trouble and I enjoyed seeing how these two characters work through all their difficulties in order to find their happiness!
With great depth to the characters and an amazing understanding for a disease that so many people go through I enjoyed all aspects of this book and would definitely recommend it!
January 4, 2016
This is my first book to finish in 2016, and man was it spectacular. I loved everything about this book. If I could give this more than 5 Stars I would. It as every element I want in a book. This book has a pretty powerful story, one of fight. Layered with this beautiful unexpected love story that was so amazing, I am still thinking about it.
Lucy, is one amazing complex character, she was written in my option flawlessly. You felt her beauty and her strength dripping through the pages of this book. Her journey made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me swoon, and it made me fall in love.
I'm trying to make this review as spoil free as I can..So let me just tell you to read this book. It is perfect. So good #MustRead #TopFavorite This book is exactly why I fell in love with reading and wanted to start my book blog, so that I could tell people about the amazing books I am reading... This book is AMAZING!
Lucy, is one amazing complex character, she was written in my option flawlessly. You felt her beauty and her strength dripping through the pages of this book. Her journey made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me swoon, and it made me fall in love.
I'm trying to make this review as spoil free as I can..So let me just tell you to read this book. It is perfect. So good #MustRead #TopFavorite This book is exactly why I fell in love with reading and wanted to start my book blog, so that I could tell people about the amazing books I am reading... This book is AMAZING!
June 10, 2016
this was a unflinching look at what it means to not only experience battling Breast Cancer on an individual basis but how it ripples out and affects those around you as well and integrated with that storyline is also a love story. it was a beautiful journey of healing, battling and hope. I really enjoyed learning about Lucy and Dr. F (Brandon) this was my first read by Hilaria but she just fueled my bookworm heart to read everything she writes.
August 11, 2017
Lucy was never one to make a scene, she was always the good girl that followed the rules, the most hardcore thing she ever done in her life was fall for a man that was ten years older than her and recently divorced, but she married him and was the love of her life, that was until he decided to divorce her. Now was her chance to start new, a new take on life, time for herself and a time to experience more that she missed out on, that is until she is diagnosed with breast cancer.
But surprisingly enough she is taking well, really well in fact you will see the new Lucy walking around the hospital during her chemo sessions wearing brightly coloured wigs and brilliant t-shirts that shock some of the most conservative of people, especially one that reads FU CANCER!
FU Cancer is my second book from Author Hilaria Alexander. This author has written an incredible book with real situations with a completely different side to them. I can’t wait to see what else this author will bring us and will be looking forward to reading more from her!
This book was something I have never read before, it faced some real hard hitting, world shattering issues that really changes the course of people’s life, yet this author put a spin into this book that really made it uplifting and not seem so daunting. Seeing the Word Cancer, impacts many people lives but the way that Hilaria Alexander has captivating and totally entranced the readers of this book with its realness, love, wittiness and humour makes this a serious yet light hearted read that really makes you question it all. This story was just about the life altering news of getting Cancer, it was about one women’s chance to fight, be brave show strength and resilience against this ugly disease, but also show her a different outlook on life and to finally find love again.
This book had you as the reader face the emotional rollercoaster of emotions along with our beautiful, strong and utterly brilliant main characters Lucy. While reading this book I have laughed, I’ve cried happy and sad tears, I’ve been angry and even found myself determined for Lucy to fight back. To hear romance and Cancer together in a book you straight away assume heartbreak is right there along with a massive box of tissues, but this book is the complete opposite. It was so full of life, full of so much character you couldn’t help but be sweep up in this read until the very end. I must admit at one point I was waiting for something heart-breaking to happen, and then I was on the edge of my seat but thank fully all was good.
This book didn’t just show an incredible strong woman like Lucy but also Lucy’s journey to become the person cancer made her become, I loved the way she changed for herself with her brightly coloured wigs and outrageous t-shirts and how she changed her outlook on life and how more determined she became not to give up her fight! She faces many emotions through her journey, and doubts of what her future may hold but that doesn’t make her any less of a fighter.
Along with Lucy we had some other amazing characters through this book that just made this book so much better and Lucy’s fight and journey so much easier. I loved her best friend Beverly, she was just the perfect match for Lucy and they were totally the best fit for each other. But most of all I LOVED Dr F. AKA Brandon. He completely changed this story completely and changed Lucy’s life altogether. These two had an undeniable connection that just continued to become stronger and stronger as their story continues and their loved grew. While these two did face some bumps along the way the determination and love that both of these two had together for each other was what ultimately other than her family and two boys gave her another reason to fight this disease, and she does it beautifully.
With most of this story from Lucy’s POV we get to see her journey and fight first hand but I also enjoyed the occasional Brandon POV, this gave you a really good insight into what he was really thinking and feeling about situations that occurred through the book.
Hilaria Alexander you have written and incredible book that show strength and character that will continue to remain in my heart. This book is beautiful, heart-warming, romantic and a fight till end. With an even better epilogue & HEA for all! Do not miss this read!
But surprisingly enough she is taking well, really well in fact you will see the new Lucy walking around the hospital during her chemo sessions wearing brightly coloured wigs and brilliant t-shirts that shock some of the most conservative of people, especially one that reads FU CANCER!
FU Cancer is my second book from Author Hilaria Alexander. This author has written an incredible book with real situations with a completely different side to them. I can’t wait to see what else this author will bring us and will be looking forward to reading more from her!
This book was something I have never read before, it faced some real hard hitting, world shattering issues that really changes the course of people’s life, yet this author put a spin into this book that really made it uplifting and not seem so daunting. Seeing the Word Cancer, impacts many people lives but the way that Hilaria Alexander has captivating and totally entranced the readers of this book with its realness, love, wittiness and humour makes this a serious yet light hearted read that really makes you question it all. This story was just about the life altering news of getting Cancer, it was about one women’s chance to fight, be brave show strength and resilience against this ugly disease, but also show her a different outlook on life and to finally find love again.
This book had you as the reader face the emotional rollercoaster of emotions along with our beautiful, strong and utterly brilliant main characters Lucy. While reading this book I have laughed, I’ve cried happy and sad tears, I’ve been angry and even found myself determined for Lucy to fight back. To hear romance and Cancer together in a book you straight away assume heartbreak is right there along with a massive box of tissues, but this book is the complete opposite. It was so full of life, full of so much character you couldn’t help but be sweep up in this read until the very end. I must admit at one point I was waiting for something heart-breaking to happen, and then I was on the edge of my seat but thank fully all was good.
This book didn’t just show an incredible strong woman like Lucy but also Lucy’s journey to become the person cancer made her become, I loved the way she changed for herself with her brightly coloured wigs and outrageous t-shirts and how she changed her outlook on life and how more determined she became not to give up her fight! She faces many emotions through her journey, and doubts of what her future may hold but that doesn’t make her any less of a fighter.
Along with Lucy we had some other amazing characters through this book that just made this book so much better and Lucy’s fight and journey so much easier. I loved her best friend Beverly, she was just the perfect match for Lucy and they were totally the best fit for each other. But most of all I LOVED Dr F. AKA Brandon. He completely changed this story completely and changed Lucy’s life altogether. These two had an undeniable connection that just continued to become stronger and stronger as their story continues and their loved grew. While these two did face some bumps along the way the determination and love that both of these two had together for each other was what ultimately other than her family and two boys gave her another reason to fight this disease, and she does it beautifully.
With most of this story from Lucy’s POV we get to see her journey and fight first hand but I also enjoyed the occasional Brandon POV, this gave you a really good insight into what he was really thinking and feeling about situations that occurred through the book.
Hilaria Alexander you have written and incredible book that show strength and character that will continue to remain in my heart. This book is beautiful, heart-warming, romantic and a fight till end. With an even better epilogue & HEA for all! Do not miss this read!
September 16, 2017
I enjoyed the story itself. My only criticism of the book was just a few editing details, but otherwise a solid story about someone dealing with some rough things life throws at them and how they get through it all.
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