Helpful Score: 1
When I started reading The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos by Kelly Irvin, the title cued me to anticipate a range of emotions. I didn't expect to read a profound novel with flawed and genuine characters who felt like real-life friends by its conclusion. The novel felt very "real" as its characters experience many hardships and challenges.
The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is a raw, honest ... and beautiful ... story of a middle-aged woman's ovarian cancer journey and the people who support her, primarily her sister who's an oncologist. While fiction, the plot closely mirrors the author's ovarian cancer treatment experience. Using her first-hand knowledge, Ms. Irvin shares every aspect of the journey, from diagnosis, treatment, and side effects to the responses of family, friends, and coworkers. Along the way, marriage, family, work/life balance, legacy, and grief are explored.
This is Christian fiction so faith is important and organic throughout. As in any family, members have varying levels of connectedness to their faith so most readers should be able to relate to at least one character.
Readers will be wise to keep the novel's title in mind as they read, both to anticipate the ending and to protect their emotions if cancer has impacted them or a loved one.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel with special thanks to the author for using her deeply personal experiences to create a powerful novel that earns five shining stars from me.
The Year of Goodbyes and Hellos is a raw, honest ... and beautiful ... story of a middle-aged woman's ovarian cancer journey and the people who support her, primarily her sister who's an oncologist. While fiction, the plot closely mirrors the author's ovarian cancer treatment experience. Using her first-hand knowledge, Ms. Irvin shares every aspect of the journey, from diagnosis, treatment, and side effects to the responses of family, friends, and coworkers. Along the way, marriage, family, work/life balance, legacy, and grief are explored.
This is Christian fiction so faith is important and organic throughout. As in any family, members have varying levels of connectedness to their faith so most readers should be able to relate to at least one character.
Readers will be wise to keep the novel's title in mind as they read, both to anticipate the ending and to protect their emotions if cancer has impacted them or a loved one.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the review copy of this novel with special thanks to the author for using her deeply personal experiences to create a powerful novel that earns five shining stars from me.
