Mary M. (emeraldfire) - , reviewed on 6/16/2015

Thirty-eight-year-old Eliot Gordon is a working mother who lives a conventional yet, for her, fulfilling life in suburban Atlanta. She would do absolutely anything for her family - her longtime partner, Grant Delaney, and their three lovely daughters: fourteen-year-old Charlotte, seven-year-old Gail, and four-year-old Hailey. In truth, while Hailey is Eliot's and Grant's daughter, Charlotte and Gail are Grant's daughters from a previous marriage. The distinction of 'stepdaughters' is one that Eliot is always reluctant to make with regard to Charlotte and Gail - as she loves both of the older girls just as much as the child that she gave birth to - and Eliot valiantly attempts to maintain a safe, happy home for them all.

By anyone else's estimations, Eliot is living the sort of life that may be considered unremarkable and quite tedious - yet by Eliot's own standards she is quite comfortable and very much content with her life and family. Then Finn Montgomery, Eliot's long-lost first love, appears. His sudden and unexpected return sets into motion a shocking chain of events that threatens to unravel everything she has worked so hard for. How Eliot ultimately survives - and what she loses in the process - is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved a child.

With hilarious honesty, heart-wrenching depth, and a knockout plot twist, Jillian Medoff creates a story that is poignant and eternal. I Couldn't Love You More illuminates the unbreakable bonds of family and reveals the lengths that we will go to to save each other, even as we can't save ourselves. Ultimately, I Couldn't Love You More: A Novel by Jillian Medoff is a true love story - both familial and romantic - as well as a story about loss, change and finding your own sense of normalcy - even when the life around you feels utterly abnormal.

I must say, that while it took me some time to get into this story, by several pages in I found myself utterly engrossed in the book. The story was poignant and well-written, and I immediately connected with the characters on a deeply emotional level. This was a remarkable story and I give it a definite A+! This may be the first book by Jillian Medoff that I have ever read, yet I made sure that I put this author's name at the very top of my Wish List. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of two more of her books, and look forward to reading them as soon as I receive them.

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