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This Beautiful Life
What happens when you get the second chance you never expected?
Abi is living her happy ending. She's in remission and is ready to make the most of her second chance at life. But during Abi's illness her family has fallen apart. Her husband John has made decisions that are about to come back to haunt him, while her teenage son Seb is battling with a secret of his own.
Set to the songs on Abi's survival playlist, this is the story of what happens next as Abi tries to rebuild her family. Can she bring the people she loves most in the world back together again... before it's too late?
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
248 people are currently reading
640 people want to read
About the author
Katie Marsh
19 books239 followersHello and welcome to my GoodReads page. Thank you for visiting!
I wrote romantic fiction before turning to crime in my forties. My debut novel was a World Book Night pick and my books are published in ten languages.
I live in the countryside and love strong coffee and pretending to be in charge of my children. ‘Murder on the Dancefloor'’, the second in my Bad Girls Detective Agency crime series, will be published by Boldwood Books in March 2024.
Do come and chat on instagram - I'm @katiemarshauthor.
Katie x
I wrote romantic fiction before turning to crime in my forties. My debut novel was a World Book Night pick and my books are published in ten languages.
I live in the countryside and love strong coffee and pretending to be in charge of my children. ‘Murder on the Dancefloor'’, the second in my Bad Girls Detective Agency crime series, will be published by Boldwood Books in March 2024.
Do come and chat on instagram - I'm @katiemarshauthor.
Katie x
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
May 20, 2018
This Beautiful Life had me in tears. The surgeon gave Abi Cooper the devastating verdict that she has cancer. She will need having some of her lymph nodes and a large section of her colon removed. She wanted more time with her family. Seb her beautiful son is working so dam hard to be the doctor that his mother always wanted him to be. When Abi has gone she wants her family to find a CD, it's her survival playlist. There is a song for her husband John, Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. All the family have a song to play with the reason why that particular song has been recorded specially for them. Will Abi have a happy ending that she is hoping to live for? The author Katie Marsh was inspired to write this story by her close friends who have recently survived cancer. I have read all of Katie's book and recommend them all. Review by Suzanne Marsh, no relative of Katie Marsh.
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July 21, 2017Won in Goodreads Giveaways - not read, passed on to another reader.
July 27, 2017
Oh my goodness. What an emotional read. I loved every word of This Beautiful Life. I don’t want to write a review as I don’t feel I have the language to convey how it made me feel.
Katie Marsh has the ability to grab my heart in a tight fist and squeeze and squeeze until I’m not sure if I can bear to read on. Having loved her other books, I think this might well be the best yet.
I want to say so much more about the plot of This Beautiful Life than I can because I don’t want to spoil the story for other readers. Just know that the events that take place could happen to any family at any time and that you will live through them with as much involvement as do Abi, John and Seb. Their relationship is at the heart of the story so that whilst this is a book with cancer as a catalyst, it is also a book about those who love one another not always being able to do the best by those they love. My heart went out to absolutely every person in this story, even the most minor characters because I felt I knew them intimately and I cared so utterly deeply about what happened to them.
The way in which Abi’s first person letter to those she loves intersperses the third person narrative is completely poignant. After I’d read the whole story I went back and read the letter entries again and they affected me just as emotionally. However, that isn’t to say that This Beautiful Life is unremittingly sad. Katie Marsh has that deftness of touch that enables her to make her readers smile as well as cry. Her writing is amongst the most human and humane that I’ve read. She deals with themes that can impact on any of us with grace, conviction and stunning realism so that, having finished reading This Beautiful Life a while ago, it resonates through my days and dreams even now.
The playlist of songs that weaves through the story is crucial in the creation of the various emotions and so effectively written. It has made me want to create my own life’s playlist too as Katie Marsh shows us the power of music to move us and indeed to make us who we are.
I don’t feel my review has done justice to This Beautiful Life so let me just say it is a wonderful, wonderful book. Read it.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/07/27/...
Katie Marsh has the ability to grab my heart in a tight fist and squeeze and squeeze until I’m not sure if I can bear to read on. Having loved her other books, I think this might well be the best yet.
I want to say so much more about the plot of This Beautiful Life than I can because I don’t want to spoil the story for other readers. Just know that the events that take place could happen to any family at any time and that you will live through them with as much involvement as do Abi, John and Seb. Their relationship is at the heart of the story so that whilst this is a book with cancer as a catalyst, it is also a book about those who love one another not always being able to do the best by those they love. My heart went out to absolutely every person in this story, even the most minor characters because I felt I knew them intimately and I cared so utterly deeply about what happened to them.
The way in which Abi’s first person letter to those she loves intersperses the third person narrative is completely poignant. After I’d read the whole story I went back and read the letter entries again and they affected me just as emotionally. However, that isn’t to say that This Beautiful Life is unremittingly sad. Katie Marsh has that deftness of touch that enables her to make her readers smile as well as cry. Her writing is amongst the most human and humane that I’ve read. She deals with themes that can impact on any of us with grace, conviction and stunning realism so that, having finished reading This Beautiful Life a while ago, it resonates through my days and dreams even now.
The playlist of songs that weaves through the story is crucial in the creation of the various emotions and so effectively written. It has made me want to create my own life’s playlist too as Katie Marsh shows us the power of music to move us and indeed to make us who we are.
I don’t feel my review has done justice to This Beautiful Life so let me just say it is a wonderful, wonderful book. Read it.
https://lindasbookbag.com/2017/07/27/...
April 24, 2017
This Beautiful Life is an extraordinary book. It deals sensitively and realistically with Abi’s cancer recovery, both educating the reader and uplifting them. The telling of the story, in part, via music is a wonderful idea. Being able to listen to the soundtrack of Abi’s life adds depth and beauty, and the letters explaining the meaning behind each choice are gorgeous. I was on this journey with Abi and her family; I particularly loved her son Seb’s tale. The magic behind Marsh’s words is that you can tell they come directly from her heart. That she believes in what she’s writing, and therefore so do you. This Beautiful Life also has one of the most perfectly right endings. If you’ve not read Katie Marsh yet, then start here, and you’ll devour everything else. She’s going places and I cannot wait to read whatever she turns her talented hand to next. I can’t recommend this soaring tale of love, survival and the right music enough.
August 10, 2017
Abi is in remission. She's had the chemotherapy and the nausea and the terrifying moments when she thought she wouldn't see her son Seb leave school, make his way in life. She's not yet forty and had experienced the worst disease, but she's officially over it, and now she wants to forge ahead with her life.
However, life seems to have a strange way of kicking you when you are not only down, but also when you are picking yourself back up again. Things have changed in her family, there is a strange tension between her and her husband John, and her darling Seb seems to have lost his way in life too.
With music tracks that are special to Abi as a backdrop, Katie Marsh cleverly and compassionately reveals a story that is both heartfelt and painful at times. This author creates characters that are so realistic that I really did think that I actually knew Abi, in real life .... I'm sure I do! I recognise someone who looks back through music, who can remember where they were and what they were wearing when they first happened upon a track that will become so important in their life. Not only do I recognise Abi, I think that she is a bit of me. The wonderfully developed relationship that Katie Marsh has created between Abi and her mother is oh so familiar. The illicit smoking out of the bedroom window, the DMs, the music festivals .... the arrogance of youth; thinking you've pulled the wool over your parents eyes, and then being told, as an adult, that they knew exactly what you'd been up to!
Just as in her two previous novels, Katie Marsh takes ordinary people leading fairly ordinary lives and examines the impact of life-changing events on them. These characters could be any of us, the events could happen to all of us. Her extraordinary writing is full of warmth and honesty, she examines the power of love in great depth; showing that whilst the power is great, it is also so very fragile and has to be nurtured to survive.
This Beautiful Life is wonderful. I devoured every page, and whilst I admit that her first book; My Everything remains my favourite, this is absolutely superb read. Highly recommended, an utter delight.
https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
However, life seems to have a strange way of kicking you when you are not only down, but also when you are picking yourself back up again. Things have changed in her family, there is a strange tension between her and her husband John, and her darling Seb seems to have lost his way in life too.
With music tracks that are special to Abi as a backdrop, Katie Marsh cleverly and compassionately reveals a story that is both heartfelt and painful at times. This author creates characters that are so realistic that I really did think that I actually knew Abi, in real life .... I'm sure I do! I recognise someone who looks back through music, who can remember where they were and what they were wearing when they first happened upon a track that will become so important in their life. Not only do I recognise Abi, I think that she is a bit of me. The wonderfully developed relationship that Katie Marsh has created between Abi and her mother is oh so familiar. The illicit smoking out of the bedroom window, the DMs, the music festivals .... the arrogance of youth; thinking you've pulled the wool over your parents eyes, and then being told, as an adult, that they knew exactly what you'd been up to!
Just as in her two previous novels, Katie Marsh takes ordinary people leading fairly ordinary lives and examines the impact of life-changing events on them. These characters could be any of us, the events could happen to all of us. Her extraordinary writing is full of warmth and honesty, she examines the power of love in great depth; showing that whilst the power is great, it is also so very fragile and has to be nurtured to survive.
This Beautiful Life is wonderful. I devoured every page, and whilst I admit that her first book; My Everything remains my favourite, this is absolutely superb read. Highly recommended, an utter delight.
https://randomthingsthroughmyletterbo...
June 29, 2017
This was one of those books that the minute I started reading it I thought, oh this is going to be a really memorable book, and I wasn't wrong. It hit on a hard subject matter as Abi was in remission from cancer, but while there were some sad moments there were also a lot of uplifting moments. There was a Spotify playist linked to this book, with the songs on Abi's survival playlist and mentioned throughout the book, which was a great idea. I loved listening to the songs and it made the story feel more real. I especially loved the Black Beauty theme tune, I hadn't heard that in years!
I really liked that the story was written from two viewpoints, both Abi and Seb's perspectives, so we understood how they both felt, and led us through the story in different months as time went on. This was one of those books that I was thinking about even when I wasn't reading it. It really made you realise about how the family around a cancer victim are just as effected as the person themselves, if in a different way.
It seemed that life had gone on hold for her family while Abi was fighting cancer, and everyone had done what they could to keep her going. But now she's in remission which should be, and is, a wonderful outcome and everyone is very happy about it, although still treating her with kid gloves. But now real life comes back into play and things have changed so much over the year she has been ill - relationships have changed, work/job/money things have slipped badly with her husband, and her son is nearly 18 and trying to sort out his own life and feelings, but really struggling, without wanting to worry his Mum about anything at all - initially. Her husband is trying to get his business back on track and very distant from her, without really meaning to be. So everyone is really struggling and things haven't 'gone back to normal' as they had all expected.
It seems her whole family are keeping secrets from Abi so they don't worry her and hamper her recovery, but of course not knowing causes her more worry, and things always come out in the open eventually. Her son, Seb, is really struggling with certain things in his life, but is getting so wound up about it all he starts taking it out on his parents, especially his Mum, who was only trying to help him. He may have just turned 18, and he was going through a very hard time in his life, but he acted like a spoilt, sullen child for a while, which I did find very irritating. I thought he treated his Mum very badly, especially after all she'd been through.
Then just when you think things are getting back on track, albeit a new track, a few other things happen that make you wonder if they'll ever make it out the other side. A real roller coaster, of a story with highs and lows, you'll be smiling one minute and crying the next! Very emotional, sad and funny. Highly recommended.
I really liked that the story was written from two viewpoints, both Abi and Seb's perspectives, so we understood how they both felt, and led us through the story in different months as time went on. This was one of those books that I was thinking about even when I wasn't reading it. It really made you realise about how the family around a cancer victim are just as effected as the person themselves, if in a different way.
It seemed that life had gone on hold for her family while Abi was fighting cancer, and everyone had done what they could to keep her going. But now she's in remission which should be, and is, a wonderful outcome and everyone is very happy about it, although still treating her with kid gloves. But now real life comes back into play and things have changed so much over the year she has been ill - relationships have changed, work/job/money things have slipped badly with her husband, and her son is nearly 18 and trying to sort out his own life and feelings, but really struggling, without wanting to worry his Mum about anything at all - initially. Her husband is trying to get his business back on track and very distant from her, without really meaning to be. So everyone is really struggling and things haven't 'gone back to normal' as they had all expected.
It seems her whole family are keeping secrets from Abi so they don't worry her and hamper her recovery, but of course not knowing causes her more worry, and things always come out in the open eventually. Her son, Seb, is really struggling with certain things in his life, but is getting so wound up about it all he starts taking it out on his parents, especially his Mum, who was only trying to help him. He may have just turned 18, and he was going through a very hard time in his life, but he acted like a spoilt, sullen child for a while, which I did find very irritating. I thought he treated his Mum very badly, especially after all she'd been through.
Then just when you think things are getting back on track, albeit a new track, a few other things happen that make you wonder if they'll ever make it out the other side. A real roller coaster, of a story with highs and lows, you'll be smiling one minute and crying the next! Very emotional, sad and funny. Highly recommended.
August 6, 2017
This was my first Katie Marsh book but her writing style has won me over with this so I can't wait to go back and read her other work!
With the subject of Cancer at its' core, this could have gone down a totally different path, but it was refreshing to read a book about such an awful illness that had such positivity and a more realistic outlook and approach.
It is the story of Abbi and her family as they face the news that after a year she is now in remission! So it should be a time of great celebration and looking forward. But illness changes a person and Abbi seems to be looking back and maybe how things could have changed. No matter how supportive her family have been she has been shielded from so much of their news over the year that she seems a little blind to how it has affected her husband, son, her parents and friends too.
I loved how we got to see the story from her point of view and her son Seb. He has his own secrets and issues going on in his life and this added another aspect to the story that was really well handled and considered.
It is a story of how illness puts the whole family through a gauntlet of emotions and how it affects everyone around them. And when the positive news hits, the world isn't suddenly all full of rainbows and unicorns, but the reality of life is still around. The illness also gave Abbi a different outlook on life and you see this as she faces new challenges in her life and how it affects her thought process.
A really enjoyable and inspiring book with also a great selection of music to listen too via Spotify as the character has a survival playlist - well worth checking out!!
With the subject of Cancer at its' core, this could have gone down a totally different path, but it was refreshing to read a book about such an awful illness that had such positivity and a more realistic outlook and approach.
It is the story of Abbi and her family as they face the news that after a year she is now in remission! So it should be a time of great celebration and looking forward. But illness changes a person and Abbi seems to be looking back and maybe how things could have changed. No matter how supportive her family have been she has been shielded from so much of their news over the year that she seems a little blind to how it has affected her husband, son, her parents and friends too.
I loved how we got to see the story from her point of view and her son Seb. He has his own secrets and issues going on in his life and this added another aspect to the story that was really well handled and considered.
It is a story of how illness puts the whole family through a gauntlet of emotions and how it affects everyone around them. And when the positive news hits, the world isn't suddenly all full of rainbows and unicorns, but the reality of life is still around. The illness also gave Abbi a different outlook on life and you see this as she faces new challenges in her life and how it affects her thought process.
A really enjoyable and inspiring book with also a great selection of music to listen too via Spotify as the character has a survival playlist - well worth checking out!!
June 10, 2017
Abi has just found out she has gone into remission from her brutal cancer she has been suffering from and while she's still weak at first she soon starts to try and get a grip back on her life and reconnect with her husband and son.
However, for her husband, John his mounting debt has left his business ruined and his relationship with his wife has dwindled into a more friendship as they've had no sex for months since she became sick. The point is he now wants to move away to take a job he has been offered and sees no other way than to separate.
Seb their teenage son faces a challenge still even though his mum is recovering. He broke up with his girlfriend Jess, but this causes his team of mates to think he's gay and suddenly his life is going wrong as he tries to convince them he's not though he is. He had also kept hidden the fact he's failing school and doesn't look set for medical school like he always was going to but he doesn't want to cause his mum any stress and so bottles everything to himself.
I liked that the teenagers were realistic and the media references for them were relevant to now from them watching Take Me Out and Love Island. The way the boys spoke of girls and their jock attitude throughout shows their animalistic side which was quite disrespectful at times towards the gay community however can unfortunately still be found in society. Recovering from cancer is a huge subject and a blessing so it was great to read a book that broaches that side of cancer for once.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
However, for her husband, John his mounting debt has left his business ruined and his relationship with his wife has dwindled into a more friendship as they've had no sex for months since she became sick. The point is he now wants to move away to take a job he has been offered and sees no other way than to separate.
Seb their teenage son faces a challenge still even though his mum is recovering. He broke up with his girlfriend Jess, but this causes his team of mates to think he's gay and suddenly his life is going wrong as he tries to convince them he's not though he is. He had also kept hidden the fact he's failing school and doesn't look set for medical school like he always was going to but he doesn't want to cause his mum any stress and so bottles everything to himself.
I liked that the teenagers were realistic and the media references for them were relevant to now from them watching Take Me Out and Love Island. The way the boys spoke of girls and their jock attitude throughout shows their animalistic side which was quite disrespectful at times towards the gay community however can unfortunately still be found in society. Recovering from cancer is a huge subject and a blessing so it was great to read a book that broaches that side of cancer for once.
Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!
July 29, 2017
"This Beautiful Life" by Katie Marsh is not a book with many twists and turns in the story but I think this is the strength of this book - just showing normal, everyday life, with all its ups and downs, crises and little moments of joy. Writing about normal life, in incredibly gentle, subtle and sympathetic way is becoming Katie Marsh's hallmark, and even though I know that her books are going to make me cry crocodile tears, I incredibly eagerly read them because they also lift me up and give me hope, and I simply love it.
This story shows Abi's cancer recovery, but not focusing on her medical condition per se, but dealing with her everyday life. I loved the idea of telling the story partly through music and Abi's favourite songs that helped her when she was recovering. If I were to tell you a song that helps me, it would be - please, don't laugh - "Get Back Up Again" sung by Poppy in "The Trolls". Just listen the lyrics - there is really nothing that works better for me than this song. But back to the story. Abi has explained why those songs are so special and particular to her, and you know what, those personal letters made me love this woman even more, and I had a feeling that I know her through and through.
But the book deals not only with Abi and her problems, it also focuses on her family, and especially the tale of Seb, Abi's son, was heart - breaking. He had not only to face the challenges of his mum's illness but he had demons of his own and you could feel through the pages how torn he was, and the way the author showed how he tried to fight all the insecurities by attacking everything and everyone was incredibly realistic and genuine.
The author has truly done a great job with getting into the characters' heads. It was so easy to understand how Ali and Seb have been feeling, to understand their perspectives. It is also incredible how well she captured all the changes that have happened throughout the year Abi was ill, and while her being in remission should be a happy moment, the reality bites, and many things have changed, financial problems appeared, relationships changed as well, and also when you thought nothing worse can happen, the story took a turn or two and made you wonder if this rollercoaster journey is going to have a happy end. The characters have flaws but isn't this what make them more believable? And Katie Marsh excels in creating such characters, those that doesn't always make the right decisions, those that keep secrets from each other, that lie and even though they don't want to hurt each other, they do it. They are raw and they are totally believable.
"This Beautiful Life" is a sensitive, realistic, uplifting read, written with a heart on the author's sleeve, with a soul. Katie Marsh writes in such a convincing way and you have a feeling that she has been there, has seen this.
I am already looking towards her next book, because whatever she decides to write about, it's perfect. "This Beautiful Life" is a beautiful, soaring story about love, survival, forgiveness and understanding. It was unusual in showing this side of cancer, as normally the characters go through the illness together with us, but I really appreciate this fact and it is great that this book shows this side of cancer for once. It is a memorable book, with unforgettable characters, and while it touches on hard and difficult subjects, it also has uplifting and promising moments. Highly, highly recommended!
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 12, 2017
Thank you so much to the lovely people at Hodder and Stoughton publishers for sending me a copy of this moving, heart-breaking novel by Katie Marsh in return for an honest review. I went into this book completely new to the author but as the story deals with the big "C," I fully expected some tears before bedtime. However, I was very surprised to discover that whilst This Beautiful Life does have its fair share of sorrow it also comes with such an uplifting message of hope, love and the importance of a strong family/friendship network and, as a result it was a wonderful reading experience.
Our protagonist is Abi Cooper, in her late thirties and has recently gone through a gruelling round of chemotherapy to attempt to fight her recently diagnosed bowel cancer. It's been a long, often painful and always frightening road for her, her husband John and their teenage son Seb and whilst she recovers physically, she is desperate for her family life to return to normal. However, things aren't that simple. Both John and Seb are battling with things that they have hidden from in order to protect her and when certain things are revealed, their world is turned upside down. Abi has always prided herself on her strong relationship with both her husband and her son and the fact that they can talk to each other about anything and everything. Yet what happens to a family when the walls of communication are destroyed and there seems to be little left to fight for?
This is such a powerful story made even more emotional and poignant by the inclusion of Abi's survival playlist of songs. Interspersed between the chapters are the titles of each song and a short paragraph about why it means to much to Abi and whom it is dedicated to. I loved the musical addition to the narrative and often had the lyrics going round my head as I was reading, it made the whole experience so much more immersive and incredibly moving to say the least. Additionally, the characters are fantastic and hugely readable - I enjoyed the fact they had flaws and were not "picture perfect," least of all Abi herself who is fully aware of the mistakes that she makes/has made and has to atone for. It's safe to say this story and the characters definitely got under my skin and I will be looking out for more books by this author in the future. Aaaargh, that ending though Katie Marsh? I really really wanted to know what happened next!
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
Our protagonist is Abi Cooper, in her late thirties and has recently gone through a gruelling round of chemotherapy to attempt to fight her recently diagnosed bowel cancer. It's been a long, often painful and always frightening road for her, her husband John and their teenage son Seb and whilst she recovers physically, she is desperate for her family life to return to normal. However, things aren't that simple. Both John and Seb are battling with things that they have hidden from in order to protect her and when certain things are revealed, their world is turned upside down. Abi has always prided herself on her strong relationship with both her husband and her son and the fact that they can talk to each other about anything and everything. Yet what happens to a family when the walls of communication are destroyed and there seems to be little left to fight for?
This is such a powerful story made even more emotional and poignant by the inclusion of Abi's survival playlist of songs. Interspersed between the chapters are the titles of each song and a short paragraph about why it means to much to Abi and whom it is dedicated to. I loved the musical addition to the narrative and often had the lyrics going round my head as I was reading, it made the whole experience so much more immersive and incredibly moving to say the least. Additionally, the characters are fantastic and hugely readable - I enjoyed the fact they had flaws and were not "picture perfect," least of all Abi herself who is fully aware of the mistakes that she makes/has made and has to atone for. It's safe to say this story and the characters definitely got under my skin and I will be looking out for more books by this author in the future. Aaaargh, that ending though Katie Marsh? I really really wanted to know what happened next!
For my full review and many more please visit my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com
June 18, 2017
Now this is a book full of heart, humour and emotion.
At story starts as Abi is diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Flashing forward to Abi just in remission, this story goes through the emotion not only of Abi but how her illness has affected her husband John and son Seb.
John has been hiding the fact that his business has gone bust leaving them with nothing, resulting in the family having to move back in with Abi's parents.
Having to come to terms with this and stepping back into the working world, another part of Abi's family is unravelling; their son Seb, who has been an A student is spiralling out of control with his dipping grades and out of character behaviour.
What I love about Marsh's writing is that all of her characters are so relatable. Her pop culture references with the TV shows and music really resonate too.
The trials of a 'normal' family overcoming what has to be one of the worst situations any family can go through with this illness is heartbreaking.
All the characters are flawed, and yet this endeared them to me even more.
That ending...absolutely perfect yet I yelled out 'how can it end there?!' As I was desperate to know more. I would happily read another book on this family.
I'm a huge fan of Marsh's books, My Everything had me hook, line & sinker, but this story was absolutely phenomenal. I devoured it in 24 hours.
I would like to thank Emily Kitchin at Hodder for a copy of this book to review.
At story starts as Abi is diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Flashing forward to Abi just in remission, this story goes through the emotion not only of Abi but how her illness has affected her husband John and son Seb.
John has been hiding the fact that his business has gone bust leaving them with nothing, resulting in the family having to move back in with Abi's parents.
Having to come to terms with this and stepping back into the working world, another part of Abi's family is unravelling; their son Seb, who has been an A student is spiralling out of control with his dipping grades and out of character behaviour.
What I love about Marsh's writing is that all of her characters are so relatable. Her pop culture references with the TV shows and music really resonate too.
The trials of a 'normal' family overcoming what has to be one of the worst situations any family can go through with this illness is heartbreaking.
All the characters are flawed, and yet this endeared them to me even more.
That ending...absolutely perfect yet I yelled out 'how can it end there?!' As I was desperate to know more. I would happily read another book on this family.
I'm a huge fan of Marsh's books, My Everything had me hook, line & sinker, but this story was absolutely phenomenal. I devoured it in 24 hours.
I would like to thank Emily Kitchin at Hodder for a copy of this book to review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2017
I’m not always a fan of those tag-lines publishers add to book titles, but when Hodder decided to call this one “the uplifting page-turner of the summer” I think they got it absolutely right. This is a book that opens where most books end – with the reprieve, the promise of a happy ever after – then looks at what comes next. Battling Abi’s illness has taken a heavy toll on everyone involved, and their fight is really only just beginning.
The characters in this gorgeous book are beautifully drawn – I just loved Abi, cocooned in her grey cardigan, then emerging to take the brave path into an uncertain future. Her relationship with husband John has an emotional authenticity that makes you ache inside – and the struggles of her lovely son Seb (one of those rare teens that I really enjoyed), with his passion for football and doubts about where his life is heading, were just perfectly handled. The wider relationships were just wonderful too – Abi’s mother with her spotless kitchen and everything in its place, her quiet and gentle father, her brother and their verbal sparring – with emotions and the way love can hurt always just below the surface of every day-to-day interaction. Heavens, I even (with reservations, at times) liked Steve – the man from Abi’s past with that shared musical history that’s such an important part of the story.
The construction of the novel is simply perfect with each section introduced by the letters to loved ones and appropriate (and sometimes slightly less than appropriate) choices of music, all in Abi’s clear and brave voice. Katie Marsh has a gift for dealing with emotion in her writing that I’ve rarely experienced elsewhere – there are parts of this book that are wonderfully joyous and funny, but then she’ll surprise you with a scene or passage that just stuns you with its impact, as you find yourself stifling a sob. My tears started to flow freely at a beautiful family encounter in the garden, under the Japanese maple – but your emotional trigger might just be elsewhere. And the book’s ending? It really was absolutely everything I wanted it to be. But then so was the whole book – without a moment’s hesitation, one of my books of the year.
The characters in this gorgeous book are beautifully drawn – I just loved Abi, cocooned in her grey cardigan, then emerging to take the brave path into an uncertain future. Her relationship with husband John has an emotional authenticity that makes you ache inside – and the struggles of her lovely son Seb (one of those rare teens that I really enjoyed), with his passion for football and doubts about where his life is heading, were just perfectly handled. The wider relationships were just wonderful too – Abi’s mother with her spotless kitchen and everything in its place, her quiet and gentle father, her brother and their verbal sparring – with emotions and the way love can hurt always just below the surface of every day-to-day interaction. Heavens, I even (with reservations, at times) liked Steve – the man from Abi’s past with that shared musical history that’s such an important part of the story.
The construction of the novel is simply perfect with each section introduced by the letters to loved ones and appropriate (and sometimes slightly less than appropriate) choices of music, all in Abi’s clear and brave voice. Katie Marsh has a gift for dealing with emotion in her writing that I’ve rarely experienced elsewhere – there are parts of this book that are wonderfully joyous and funny, but then she’ll surprise you with a scene or passage that just stuns you with its impact, as you find yourself stifling a sob. My tears started to flow freely at a beautiful family encounter in the garden, under the Japanese maple – but your emotional trigger might just be elsewhere. And the book’s ending? It really was absolutely everything I wanted it to be. But then so was the whole book – without a moment’s hesitation, one of my books of the year.
July 25, 2017
Abi and John's unraveling and Seb's struggle were a work of art, I really felt I was part of their family, and their agony was depicted so realistically, I was willing them on. A heart-wrenching life-affirming read.
December 19, 2017
Avoid this book like the plague.
“Make it stop” was the one sentence that my inner voice had on loop throughout this book!
I was cringing during some of the unbearable banter between the siblings and best friend.
The relationships and their interactions were so wooden, I got the impression that the author is an only child with no friends or family.
“Make it stop” was the one sentence that my inner voice had on loop throughout this book!
I was cringing during some of the unbearable banter between the siblings and best friend.
The relationships and their interactions were so wooden, I got the impression that the author is an only child with no friends or family.
April 26, 2017
This book is INCREDIBLE! Her best yet. I laughed, cried and had all the feels. Amazing!
August 13, 2017
Review to follow
July 22, 2017
This book starts with a letter written by Abi to her husband John and son Seb, and I'm not ashamed to say it had me in floods of tears. I readily admit that I usually cry at the end of books but to cry at the start was something new for me. I was absolutely astounded at the level of raw emotion that has been poured into the opening pages of This Beautiful Life, but I dried my eyes and carried on as I knew from past experience that Katie Marsh had a beautiful story lined up for me.
After dealing with the devastating news that she had colon cancer, Abi now gets the amazing news that she is in remission. The future she thought she had lost is coming back into focus but a lot of things have changed whilst Abi has been ill. Abi's husband John has gambled everything to help Abi get better and her son Seb is struggling with some powerful emotions of his own. The past months have been all about Abi's cancer so as the three attempt to reconnect, it's the perfect time for honesty. I knew they were strong enough to get through anything, although there are a few hairy moments!
Interspersed between chapters are songs from Abi's survival playlists; songs she has chosen for each of her loved ones with reasons why she has chosen them. Abi has written in the sleeves of her CDs for her family and friends to find after she has gone. Each note is so heartfelt that I both looked forward to it and dreaded it in equal measures, as I feared my tears would reappear at any moment.
It always astounds me how Katie Marsh manages to pour so much emotion into her books; her characters are so very realistic and they deal with real life situations with such poignancy and grace. As I hurtled towards the end of the book, I prepared myself for whatever was coming and I have to say that, along with the whole book, the ending is absolutely flawless.
Katie Marsh is without doubt one of my favourite authors; the beauty in Katie's books is more than skin deep from the stunning covers to the beautiful words within. Another poignant and outstanding novel from the pen of the super-talented Katie Marsh.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
After dealing with the devastating news that she had colon cancer, Abi now gets the amazing news that she is in remission. The future she thought she had lost is coming back into focus but a lot of things have changed whilst Abi has been ill. Abi's husband John has gambled everything to help Abi get better and her son Seb is struggling with some powerful emotions of his own. The past months have been all about Abi's cancer so as the three attempt to reconnect, it's the perfect time for honesty. I knew they were strong enough to get through anything, although there are a few hairy moments!
Interspersed between chapters are songs from Abi's survival playlists; songs she has chosen for each of her loved ones with reasons why she has chosen them. Abi has written in the sleeves of her CDs for her family and friends to find after she has gone. Each note is so heartfelt that I both looked forward to it and dreaded it in equal measures, as I feared my tears would reappear at any moment.
It always astounds me how Katie Marsh manages to pour so much emotion into her books; her characters are so very realistic and they deal with real life situations with such poignancy and grace. As I hurtled towards the end of the book, I prepared myself for whatever was coming and I have to say that, along with the whole book, the ending is absolutely flawless.
Katie Marsh is without doubt one of my favourite authors; the beauty in Katie's books is more than skin deep from the stunning covers to the beautiful words within. Another poignant and outstanding novel from the pen of the super-talented Katie Marsh.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 17, 2017
A delightful read. The kind of book you become absorbed in 100% and invest your heart in to. Emotional, uplifting and life evaluating.
August 7, 2019
Příběh, který vás zasáhne. Příběh ze života.
Abi překonala rakovinu. Dostala druhou šanci na život. Tohle si ona i její rodina a přátelé přáli. Plánovali si krásnou a ničím nekalenou budoucnost. Jenže vše není takové, jaké si přejeme, aby bylo. Abiin manžel má problémy v práci, její syn zase v osobním životě. Oba se naučili špatné věci před Abi tajit, aby ji chránili. Ale ona už teď není nemocná a snaží se najít ke svým klukům cestu, jenže to není jednoduché. Každý si žije ve své bublině a čím dál tím víc se sobě vzdalují.
Mám ráda knihy, kde jsou rodinné vztahy a tady je jich dost! Vztah matky a dcery, otce a dcery, otce a syna, matky a syna, bratr a sestra. Každý vztah je jiný a to je na tom to krásné. V příběhu je také kladen důraz na psychologii jednotlivých postav.
Příběh je smutný, ale i krásný. Dokonce mě dohnal k slzám. Rozhodně doporučuji těm, kteří mají ráda reálné příběhy :)
Abi překonala rakovinu. Dostala druhou šanci na život. Tohle si ona i její rodina a přátelé přáli. Plánovali si krásnou a ničím nekalenou budoucnost. Jenže vše není takové, jaké si přejeme, aby bylo. Abiin manžel má problémy v práci, její syn zase v osobním životě. Oba se naučili špatné věci před Abi tajit, aby ji chránili. Ale ona už teď není nemocná a snaží se najít ke svým klukům cestu, jenže to není jednoduché. Každý si žije ve své bublině a čím dál tím víc se sobě vzdalují.
Mám ráda knihy, kde jsou rodinné vztahy a tady je jich dost! Vztah matky a dcery, otce a dcery, otce a syna, matky a syna, bratr a sestra. Každý vztah je jiný a to je na tom to krásné. V příběhu je také kladen důraz na psychologii jednotlivých postav.
Příběh je smutný, ale i krásný. Dokonce mě dohnal k slzám. Rozhodně doporučuji těm, kteří mají ráda reálné příběhy :)
July 27, 2020
Wow... i couldnt put this book down... so many secrets... the ending was amazing. Awesome book absolutely loved it.. want a second book😂😍
August 4, 2017
I cannot believe this is Katie Marsh’s third book already. Time seems to have gone so quickly since the launch of her wonderful debut novel My Everything in 2015. I am delighted to be a part of the official blog tour for This Beautiful Life. Another breath-taking that will break your heart and also make you laugh. It is just brilliant.
If you have not discovered any of the three books by Katie Marsh, then you are not just missing out on incredible books but also a writer that has cemented her place among the best of the recent new writers. This is the story about Abi, she is in remission from Cancer and this really is her moment to grab hold of life and give this a second chance. This is Abi’s story and is set to her favourite playlist of her songs. This story is also about relationships and during the time when Abi was very ill you would think her husband John would be her rock but this appears not to be the case. We also meet their teenage son Seb who has a secret all of his own and is struggling not only coping with his mum’s illness but also fighting his own battle and it really is beginning to take its toll on Seb. This was really heart-breaking at times to read. So at a time when the family should be strong and united to help Abi, it is in fact a family divided and on the verge of breaking down.
Now she is recovering from Cancer Abi want to fight for another chance and bring her family back from the brink. I often speak about characters in novels and how important it is to make them real with real lives facing the same problems in everyday life that we all face. When you know someone who is suffering from Cancer you know the problems they face and not just on the medical side but also personal and financial. It all adds the stress and worry. With Katie Marsh and how she creates her characters they are as real as you and me. There is no higher praise. I am a huge admirer of her writing.
None of us are perfect and here in This Beautiful Life all the key characters all have their issues and I had to wonder while reading how this was all going to play out in the end not just for Abi but also for John and Seb. Sometimes when you know things are going wrong in life you feel as though you have lost control and at some point you are going to hit rock bottom. Abi must have thought this while she was fighting that dreadful disease but then you turn the corner and more problems are waiting to knock you down even more. Families and secrets. Oh yes we all know this goes on and her in this story it hits home. I am not going to give away how this ends. But you REALLY want and should read this beautifully written book that will break you and lift you. If it comes across that I am a bit of a fan of Katie Marsh and her writing, well I admit I am because her books are real life and the characters are just so believable and real. This is a writer who not just puts her heart and soul into her writing but goes even beyond that if that is possible. It is sad, funny heart-breaking and moving. It is a book that you should add to your Summer reading pile and I promise you will not regret reading. Apologies if there are tears while reading. HIGH RECOMMENDED
If you have not discovered any of the three books by Katie Marsh, then you are not just missing out on incredible books but also a writer that has cemented her place among the best of the recent new writers. This is the story about Abi, she is in remission from Cancer and this really is her moment to grab hold of life and give this a second chance. This is Abi’s story and is set to her favourite playlist of her songs. This story is also about relationships and during the time when Abi was very ill you would think her husband John would be her rock but this appears not to be the case. We also meet their teenage son Seb who has a secret all of his own and is struggling not only coping with his mum’s illness but also fighting his own battle and it really is beginning to take its toll on Seb. This was really heart-breaking at times to read. So at a time when the family should be strong and united to help Abi, it is in fact a family divided and on the verge of breaking down.
Now she is recovering from Cancer Abi want to fight for another chance and bring her family back from the brink. I often speak about characters in novels and how important it is to make them real with real lives facing the same problems in everyday life that we all face. When you know someone who is suffering from Cancer you know the problems they face and not just on the medical side but also personal and financial. It all adds the stress and worry. With Katie Marsh and how she creates her characters they are as real as you and me. There is no higher praise. I am a huge admirer of her writing.
None of us are perfect and here in This Beautiful Life all the key characters all have their issues and I had to wonder while reading how this was all going to play out in the end not just for Abi but also for John and Seb. Sometimes when you know things are going wrong in life you feel as though you have lost control and at some point you are going to hit rock bottom. Abi must have thought this while she was fighting that dreadful disease but then you turn the corner and more problems are waiting to knock you down even more. Families and secrets. Oh yes we all know this goes on and her in this story it hits home. I am not going to give away how this ends. But you REALLY want and should read this beautifully written book that will break you and lift you. If it comes across that I am a bit of a fan of Katie Marsh and her writing, well I admit I am because her books are real life and the characters are just so believable and real. This is a writer who not just puts her heart and soul into her writing but goes even beyond that if that is possible. It is sad, funny heart-breaking and moving. It is a book that you should add to your Summer reading pile and I promise you will not regret reading. Apologies if there are tears while reading. HIGH RECOMMENDED
April 9, 2022
Review also posted here: http://www.book-drunk.co.uk/2022/04/r...
I’ve had This Beautiful Life on my shelves for years as I love Katie Marsh’s writing but there’s something about books with cancer in them that makes them more personal, and for me that doesn’t make them easy books to start. That’s why years after publication I still hadn’t read this novel, as I thought I may find it too triggering. Despite this, I’m not bothered if it takes me years before I get to read a certain book as they are always there for you to read and sometimes, the time you pick them up may actually be at the most perfect of moments.
This was the case with This Beautiful Life. I read it over the course of a day and found it to be moving, insightful and written with care and honesty. A book I really didn’t want to put down.
In truth, I didn’t really find this to be “a book about cancer” anyway. Instead, it was a life-affirming and poignant read about Abi, a character who is in remission and ready to face the next stage of her life. It’s not about the sickness that comes with cancer. It’s about the impact that cancer takes on everyone concerned. This was a beautiful read from the first page to the last.
There was so much to love about this book. One of my favourite parts was the soundtrack. In every phase of the book we get another song from Abi’s survival playlist and I enjoyed all the memories she had of each song and the meaning behind them. I felt like I could feel Abi’s nostalgia, hear the songs and picture the moments that made them memorable for her, and they brought true insight into her and her family’s lives.
Abi is concerned about her family. Everything has changed since her cancer diagnosis and now she is in remission, she feels cut off from her husband, John, and her son, Seb. She knows they’re hiding things and she’s not sure where her place is in her family anymore. Abi is torn between wanting to mend the cracks in her family whilst needing to start living again. Even though I didn’t always agree with her actions, I felt for Abi throughout and was rooting for a happy ending for everyone concerned. Her story is heartfelt and even though her family had their secrets, I really felt like there was nothing malicious about them. They too were just figuring out how to move forward with their lives when cancer had taken such a strong, destructive hold over them. I found the author’s writing to be authentic and compassionate and she made this story feel so real. With that, it became all the more emotional.
Other favourite parts of this book for me were characters like Abi’s dad, who had such a calming influence that I would like his help with all my problems. Rob, Abi’s brother, whose antics and disastrous small talk kept me entertained throughout. And how could I forget that ending – which somehow was absolutely perfect yet still had me scrambling for more pages.
This was another special book by Katie Marsh – she does it every time.
I’ve had This Beautiful Life on my shelves for years as I love Katie Marsh’s writing but there’s something about books with cancer in them that makes them more personal, and for me that doesn’t make them easy books to start. That’s why years after publication I still hadn’t read this novel, as I thought I may find it too triggering. Despite this, I’m not bothered if it takes me years before I get to read a certain book as they are always there for you to read and sometimes, the time you pick them up may actually be at the most perfect of moments.
This was the case with This Beautiful Life. I read it over the course of a day and found it to be moving, insightful and written with care and honesty. A book I really didn’t want to put down.
In truth, I didn’t really find this to be “a book about cancer” anyway. Instead, it was a life-affirming and poignant read about Abi, a character who is in remission and ready to face the next stage of her life. It’s not about the sickness that comes with cancer. It’s about the impact that cancer takes on everyone concerned. This was a beautiful read from the first page to the last.
There was so much to love about this book. One of my favourite parts was the soundtrack. In every phase of the book we get another song from Abi’s survival playlist and I enjoyed all the memories she had of each song and the meaning behind them. I felt like I could feel Abi’s nostalgia, hear the songs and picture the moments that made them memorable for her, and they brought true insight into her and her family’s lives.
Abi is concerned about her family. Everything has changed since her cancer diagnosis and now she is in remission, she feels cut off from her husband, John, and her son, Seb. She knows they’re hiding things and she’s not sure where her place is in her family anymore. Abi is torn between wanting to mend the cracks in her family whilst needing to start living again. Even though I didn’t always agree with her actions, I felt for Abi throughout and was rooting for a happy ending for everyone concerned. Her story is heartfelt and even though her family had their secrets, I really felt like there was nothing malicious about them. They too were just figuring out how to move forward with their lives when cancer had taken such a strong, destructive hold over them. I found the author’s writing to be authentic and compassionate and she made this story feel so real. With that, it became all the more emotional.
Other favourite parts of this book for me were characters like Abi’s dad, who had such a calming influence that I would like his help with all my problems. Rob, Abi’s brother, whose antics and disastrous small talk kept me entertained throughout. And how could I forget that ending – which somehow was absolutely perfect yet still had me scrambling for more pages.
This was another special book by Katie Marsh – she does it every time.
October 17, 2017
My 4* review for This Beautiful Life by Katie Marsh which i won in a Goodreads Giveaway.
"Abi has been given the second chance she never expected, and now she's trying to get her life - and her family - back on track after facing the worst."
This is a beautifully written book about Abi who is trying to get back to normal, having survived cancer. However, this turns out to be as much a struggle as dealing with cancer was and her
husband John has been keeping a secret about his business and money worries while she has been ill. After losing their home and moving back in with Abi's parents they struggle to reconnect and find happiness again and start new lives for themselves and inevitably start to drift apart.
Meanwhile their son Seb is struggling with a secret of his own, and the three of them are in danger of falling apart just when they need each other most. He cannot admit his secret even to himself let alone his friends or parents and it is Marc his new next door neighbour that he turns to.
So how do you pick up the pieces of a family still suffering emotionally from all that has happened and can Abi bring the people she loves most in the world back together again and reconnect with her husband and her son and live out the "happy ever after" chance they have been given.
The Author starts with a letter written from Abi to her Boys just as she is going into surgery telling them how much she loves them and how determined she is to survive. The book is written really well with alternate chapters from Abi and Seb and is written over a year between September and August, and there are numerous references to songs that become her survival playlist and pre-chapter notes about songs that she dedicates to certain people. I admit sometimes i listened to the song mentioned just to get me into her headspace and understand her a bit better. (some of the songs are great!).
The half of the book concerning Seb i found just as interesting and fascinating, and it gave me a real insight into the struggles teenage boys face and how what parents are going through can cause upset and devastation to the children in the family. I also became more aware about how once the pebble of cancer drops in the pond the ripples reach and effect more people than you could imagine.
Not so much a sad cancer survivor story, more a story about a family coming to terms with a life after cancer and i really enjoyed it. Thank you Katie Marsh for letting me read and review it.
"Abi has been given the second chance she never expected, and now she's trying to get her life - and her family - back on track after facing the worst."
This is a beautifully written book about Abi who is trying to get back to normal, having survived cancer. However, this turns out to be as much a struggle as dealing with cancer was and her
husband John has been keeping a secret about his business and money worries while she has been ill. After losing their home and moving back in with Abi's parents they struggle to reconnect and find happiness again and start new lives for themselves and inevitably start to drift apart.
Meanwhile their son Seb is struggling with a secret of his own, and the three of them are in danger of falling apart just when they need each other most. He cannot admit his secret even to himself let alone his friends or parents and it is Marc his new next door neighbour that he turns to.
So how do you pick up the pieces of a family still suffering emotionally from all that has happened and can Abi bring the people she loves most in the world back together again and reconnect with her husband and her son and live out the "happy ever after" chance they have been given.
The Author starts with a letter written from Abi to her Boys just as she is going into surgery telling them how much she loves them and how determined she is to survive. The book is written really well with alternate chapters from Abi and Seb and is written over a year between September and August, and there are numerous references to songs that become her survival playlist and pre-chapter notes about songs that she dedicates to certain people. I admit sometimes i listened to the song mentioned just to get me into her headspace and understand her a bit better. (some of the songs are great!).
The half of the book concerning Seb i found just as interesting and fascinating, and it gave me a real insight into the struggles teenage boys face and how what parents are going through can cause upset and devastation to the children in the family. I also became more aware about how once the pebble of cancer drops in the pond the ripples reach and effect more people than you could imagine.
Not so much a sad cancer survivor story, more a story about a family coming to terms with a life after cancer and i really enjoyed it. Thank you Katie Marsh for letting me read and review it.
July 24, 2017
I defy anyone not to be moved by this book.
I read this book in two days whilst lying on a sunbed in Cyprus. I can honestly say that it made me laugh out loud and cry throughout. This is such an honest and real portrayal of a woman who has had the most horrendous year coping with bowel cancer and as the book starts she is in remission and hoping to re-start her life with her husband John and her 17-year-old son Seb. At the party to celebrate, we are introduced to all the main people in Abi’s life, her parents, her best friend, her brother; everyone is so happy for her and life is now about to begin again.
However, once the party is over real life interferes. Relationships have changed. Her husband John has been so desperate to do anything he can to help Abi recover that his business has fallen apart. Her son, Seb, has a beautiful girlfriend but finds himself assailed with feelings for his neighbour’s son Marc. Abi is infuriated at the way she is being so protected that her family no longer discuss problems with her for fear of hurting her after her terrible year.
The real joy of this book is that the writing comes from the heart. You are drawn into this family’s problems and feel their pain. The writing is topical and throughout the book you find yourself thinking that you know exactly what she is saying. Abi does a playlist of songs dedicated to all her family which makes her story even more real.
I am so envious of an author who can write like this about such a difficult area as cancer with such honesty. You feel the raw pain but also it is so uplifting and in some cases funny. The characters are so real, although Abi’s life is the main story, her son Seb’s struggle with his sexuality is also brilliantly described.
I could carry on enthusing about this book for pages but rather than that I would just implore anyone who can to read this. I cannot remember actually finding tears in my eyes when reading a book for a long, long time and that is not because the ending is either happy or sad but just because the sheer brilliance of the writing made this happen. An incredible book.
Dexter
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
I read this book in two days whilst lying on a sunbed in Cyprus. I can honestly say that it made me laugh out loud and cry throughout. This is such an honest and real portrayal of a woman who has had the most horrendous year coping with bowel cancer and as the book starts she is in remission and hoping to re-start her life with her husband John and her 17-year-old son Seb. At the party to celebrate, we are introduced to all the main people in Abi’s life, her parents, her best friend, her brother; everyone is so happy for her and life is now about to begin again.
However, once the party is over real life interferes. Relationships have changed. Her husband John has been so desperate to do anything he can to help Abi recover that his business has fallen apart. Her son, Seb, has a beautiful girlfriend but finds himself assailed with feelings for his neighbour’s son Marc. Abi is infuriated at the way she is being so protected that her family no longer discuss problems with her for fear of hurting her after her terrible year.
The real joy of this book is that the writing comes from the heart. You are drawn into this family’s problems and feel their pain. The writing is topical and throughout the book you find yourself thinking that you know exactly what she is saying. Abi does a playlist of songs dedicated to all her family which makes her story even more real.
I am so envious of an author who can write like this about such a difficult area as cancer with such honesty. You feel the raw pain but also it is so uplifting and in some cases funny. The characters are so real, although Abi’s life is the main story, her son Seb’s struggle with his sexuality is also brilliantly described.
I could carry on enthusing about this book for pages but rather than that I would just implore anyone who can to read this. I cannot remember actually finding tears in my eyes when reading a book for a long, long time and that is not because the ending is either happy or sad but just because the sheer brilliance of the writing made this happen. An incredible book.
Dexter
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
November 1, 2017
Katie Marsh has done it again. Smiles and laughter sprinkled with tissues and tears are how I would describe her books. Or maybe tissues and tears sprinkled with smiles and laughter. I can't decide which combination was triggered the most while I read This Beautiful Life, a stunning book that's honest, beautifully written and filled with raw emotion.
I loved both of her previous books, and still she's managed to top them. Yet again, she's tackled a health issue that will be close to people's hearts - the impact of cancer on the whole family. A terrible disease that leaves few families untouched. Abi is in remission from cancer and now needs to put her family back together. I lived these characters' lives as if I were a fly on the wall - or rather, inside their heads, reading their thoughts, feeling their feelings... Abi's family felt like mine - and could be mine as I feel I know them all so well.
This Beautiful Life left me an emotional wreck, taking me on a family's rollercoaster journey as they look towards the future. Just as well I finished reading this late at night after the rest of the household had gone to bed, as I was clasping a box of tissues in my hand. There's a Spotify playlist associated with the book. The song titles are scattered between chapters, making this book seem ever so real and ever so personal. I tried to read it slowly, but couldn't put it down.
Bring on the next Katie Marsh book. I'll be waiting with tissues at the ready, prepared for more tears, smiles and laughter. This is going to be one of my favourite books of 2017.
I received an Advance Reader Copy.
I loved both of her previous books, and still she's managed to top them. Yet again, she's tackled a health issue that will be close to people's hearts - the impact of cancer on the whole family. A terrible disease that leaves few families untouched. Abi is in remission from cancer and now needs to put her family back together. I lived these characters' lives as if I were a fly on the wall - or rather, inside their heads, reading their thoughts, feeling their feelings... Abi's family felt like mine - and could be mine as I feel I know them all so well.
This Beautiful Life left me an emotional wreck, taking me on a family's rollercoaster journey as they look towards the future. Just as well I finished reading this late at night after the rest of the household had gone to bed, as I was clasping a box of tissues in my hand. There's a Spotify playlist associated with the book. The song titles are scattered between chapters, making this book seem ever so real and ever so personal. I tried to read it slowly, but couldn't put it down.
Bring on the next Katie Marsh book. I'll be waiting with tissues at the ready, prepared for more tears, smiles and laughter. This is going to be one of my favourite books of 2017.
I received an Advance Reader Copy.
September 17, 2017
I loved that this book's main character Abi was the same age as me as we have the same cultural references which were mentioned in the book.
It was an enjoyable, easy read and I liked that different chapters were from the perspectives of Abi's son and husband. It's a shame that there weren't some by her brother Rob and friend Lesley too.
The subject didn't dwell on the cancer, more about her trying to move her life forward whilst reflecting back on what had happened during her treatment.
The side stories of her son coming to terms with his sexuality and the long term crush her brother had on her best friend and how the cancer affected Abi's parents all fitted well into the main story along with the rekindling oh her friendship with a childhood sweetheart.
The ending was well written - it was a great way to finish the story!
It was an enjoyable, easy read and I liked that different chapters were from the perspectives of Abi's son and husband. It's a shame that there weren't some by her brother Rob and friend Lesley too.
The subject didn't dwell on the cancer, more about her trying to move her life forward whilst reflecting back on what had happened during her treatment.
The side stories of her son coming to terms with his sexuality and the long term crush her brother had on her best friend and how the cancer affected Abi's parents all fitted well into the main story along with the rekindling oh her friendship with a childhood sweetheart.
The ending was well written - it was a great way to finish the story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2018
Part of me didn’t want this novel to end, yet another part was filled with the hope that whatever happens, all will turn out for the best.
Abi battled cancer and survived. But she wasn’t quite ready for the way life’s turned out post-cancer. Illnesses such as cancer, they say, can either bring out the best or the worse in people. Abi has seen both. Her son seemed to have drifted so far apart. Her husband has shielded her for so long that he forgot how she needed to be already involved now.
Here again, it is shown how openness and honesty are key for any relationship to survive. All was bleak when Abi, John and Seb dealt with their own issues alone, lost in each of the dark places they created in their minds... In the end, they found each other again, and though rough seas are still ahead, they know they can make it together.
Abi battled cancer and survived. But she wasn’t quite ready for the way life’s turned out post-cancer. Illnesses such as cancer, they say, can either bring out the best or the worse in people. Abi has seen both. Her son seemed to have drifted so far apart. Her husband has shielded her for so long that he forgot how she needed to be already involved now.
Here again, it is shown how openness and honesty are key for any relationship to survive. All was bleak when Abi, John and Seb dealt with their own issues alone, lost in each of the dark places they created in their minds... In the end, they found each other again, and though rough seas are still ahead, they know they can make it together.
February 24, 2018
The love of a daughter, wife and mother is the best part of this book. Imagine having cancer and what that means to all those around you.
Abi is so in love with her son and husband and hates what cancer is doing to their relationships. Lesley is her best friend and is there for her also. John has allowed his care for his wife to play a part in destroying his business. Seb their son is just finding out who he is and shuts them both out. Abigail's parents have put their life on hold to be a part of her wellness. A great story of family and friends who come together to help a cancer survivor manage the next steps. Great read for those of us who have loved someone thru this awful disease
Abi is so in love with her son and husband and hates what cancer is doing to their relationships. Lesley is her best friend and is there for her also. John has allowed his care for his wife to play a part in destroying his business. Seb their son is just finding out who he is and shuts them both out. Abigail's parents have put their life on hold to be a part of her wellness. A great story of family and friends who come together to help a cancer survivor manage the next steps. Great read for those of us who have loved someone thru this awful disease
August 2, 2017
Abi is finally in remission from cancer after spending an horrendous year fighting it, but can she get her life back on track and more importantly get back the family life and have them treating her normally again. Abi's husband has let things slip while she was ill both work wise and at home and her 18 year old son is at an awkward time of life.....but she needs them to stop pussyfooting around her because if they are keeping secrets from her it is making her worry more than if she knows them!
A lovely book that could be about a very depressing subject but it isn't - it is well written and obviously very emotional but definitely well worth reading
A lovely book that could be about a very depressing subject but it isn't - it is well written and obviously very emotional but definitely well worth reading
August 24, 2017
Having read Katie’s previous books and thoroughly loved them, the bar was set high for her latest one. In this book Katie deals with a difficult subject in a sensitive and empathetic way. The story follows Abi who is in remission and the long-lasting effects that her illness has had on her family. There are many twists and turns and Abi’s ‘happy ever after’ is different to that which she expected at the beginning. After reading the final page I wanted to know more and find out what happened to Abi and her family next. The story is very emotional and though-provoking and left me thinking about it for some time after. I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it without any hesitation.
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