Sylvia and Paul, a connection of souls that on paper seem a little unusual. Quirky, outrageous but emotionally unstable Sylvia and professional, staid and slightly dull Paul but it turns out that they are a match made in heaven. Sylvia is ill and fears Paul will not be able to cope without her guidance, therein lies the premise of this book. A love letter and users manual all in one.

Touching in places, and humorous in others we learn all about the past and look to the future. How can an extended, fractured family pull together now to support the children of Sylvia and Paul. How can a future exist without the riot of colours that Sylvia introduces to their lives.

I enjoyed this but it didn’t grab me and hold me in thrall, it moved along at a steady pace and their were interesting supporting characters. An ode to love and how we recover from its loss.

A heart breaking & very well written book. It’s very real & feel it deals with issues in a sensitive way. It all ties together well Amazing characters & is an emotional read that keeps you thinking about it long after your finished.

Really enjoyed this book. Steady paced, great characters, I was absorbed throughout. Will be reading more Ley books in the future!

This is the story of Sylvia, a fairly unconventional soul and Paul. It is their love story which is unfortunately cut short. The book switches between “then and now” to give a comprehensive overview of their lives and all it entails. It also includes extracts from a “survival guide” Sylvia writes to help Paul after she dies.

I loved the characters although I did find myself wanting to shout at them sometimes. The writing in Sylvia’s manual is tender and tough all in one. No-one ever wants to have to write one or even imagine writing one but I feel this is fairly true of how it would be written. Parts of it were angry, raw, overly truthful and heartbreaking. The book overall is a fabulous read and you want to know what happens to them all.

This is a well written emotional read which avoids being either formulaic or saccharine. Very much enjoyed, thank you.

When I first started reading this I just wasn't sure, I wasn't sure I'd like the subject due to it being a little close to home, I wasn't sure I liked Sylvia as a charecter, but I stuck with it and I'm so glad I did, a story about surviving and moving on when you think it's just impossible, a really great read wrapped up wonderfully

Absolutely loved this book. It is an emotional rollercoaster of a story that gives you all the feels.
We meet Sylvia, who unfortunately has a terminal illness and she has decided to write her husband Paul - a manual of how to look after the family. She decides in order to do this though she needs to tell him all her secrets. These help him understand relationships in her family.
The book goes from now to then and back, it is written beautifully keeping you captivated.
It really pulls on the heart strings at times and makes you hug your loved ones tighter.
Really enjoyed this book and will definitely look out for more titles from Rebecca Ley.

Such an emotional and inspiring book!
It chronicles the main character's (Sylvia's) life changing breast cancer diagnosis and eventually passing. She's a mother, wife, daughter,sister whose life is cut short due to this awful disease.
It deals with such harrowing issues like, how can you come to terms with such a thing, how do you prepare your loved ones for when you leave them, and what do you do while you're waiting to die?
Sylvia writes a manual for her husband Paul to help guide him through single parenthood to her children, Jude and Megan, highlighting all aspects of their life and the domesticity of family life. In doing so it helps Sylvia come to terms with several issues and eventually reveal a secret to her husband.
A heartbreaking yet important read that will resonate with anyone who has lost a relative due to cancer and any other illness.
While it's a serious subject it's definitely not depressing, and leave you with a lasting impression of resilience and hope.

Such a heartbreaking story but written so beautifully that it never became depressing. A story of a family going through turmoil and how a manual helped them come to terms with things. Wonderful book

This is a very emotional book but in spite of the need for tissues it is well worth reading. Don't miss it

A heartbreaking read which kept me wanting to keep reading more to wanting to sit there crying for the suffering and heartbreak cancer brings to the life’s of families.
Beautifully written and although have the tissues at the ready, I highly recommend.

An emotive read, dealing with a sensitive subject that will resonate with many readers. It does so with dignity and respect, is very moving and will make you cry at times. But at the same time showing positivity and hope.

"A life cut short. A grieving family. A mother's guide to surviving without her. On the surface Sylvia and Paul's marriage is perfection: she is beautiful, alluringly spiky and brilliantly clever, he is a devoted and doting husband and father to their two young children, Megan and Jude.

"When Sylvia is diagnosed with terminal cancer at 38, she knows that she must help Paul navigate the chaos of family life in her absence and that the time has come for a secret she has kept from him throughout their marriage to finally be aired. Sylvia starts to write a manual: a guidebook to their shared domesticity.

As Paul learns to live and love without Sylvia, he realises the extent of her legacy and finds himself indebted once more to his extraordinary, difficult wife, for saving them from an even greater tragedy."

I liked the idea of this book and loved the pieces of advice Sylvia gave to Paul in the manual for when she was gone. However, I struggled to connect with Sylvia and her sister and mother, and did not enjoy that part of the book and I ,therefore, failed to understand why she did what she did and kept it all secret from Paul.

In my opinion, it would have been better if the character of Sylvia was shown to be more loving rather than self-obsessed, for the reader to understand the premise of the book.

This obviously deals with a sensitive subject as Sylvia is dying from breast cancer. Beyond her cancer, Sylvia is a loving wife to Paul and mother to Megan and Jude. Devastated by the loss of their third child and some complicated relationships with her family this guides you through Sylvia’s life through the manual she leaves for her husband, not to be shared with anyone else.

An emotional read that not only chronicles her life but gives insights into her relationships and regrets. Her struggles with bulimia and her emotional traumas, her deceptions, lies and betrayals. She leaves information for Paul on how she wants their children raised and the things important to her that she wants them to know and enjoy.

There are a lot of complexities in Sylvia’s relationships, especially with her mother, father and sister. Sylvia wasn’t the perfect mother or wife, but she tried her best and loved her family. She is human and relatable.

A real heartfelt read, funny in places, enjoyable seems the wrong word but it definitely was, and all handled so well.

A good solid heart breaking read that struck close to home with the cancer. Bring your tissues.
Really enjoyed this one was as good as it sounded it would be.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for an early release of this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for a preview of this book. It was a beautiful read. It is honestly one of the most heartbreaking reads . You will cry so much when reading this book & feel every emotion that the characters feel. I cannot recommend this book enough. It is brilliant.

An emotional read, you will need tissues, however at the same time it is uplifting and full of hope despite the subject matter of a young woman with cancer finding ways to say her goodbye to her family. A heart wrenching read but also full of humour as Sylvia is a normal not perfect mum, a poignant read that will remain with you long after you finish it.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This was a difficult read for me as reflected the situation of a friend and her family. The story was fine and you felt for the family as they negotiated the loss of the main female character.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is not my usual genre, I’m more of a crime/thriller reader therefore am extremely pleased and grateful for opening up my mind to something totally different. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Sylvia is a devoted mother to Megan and Jude as well as a wife to Paul.
When she discovers she has breast cancer at a young age, she takes the opportunity to write to her family.
A lovely story that kept me hooked right until the end. I was given a copy to read in exchange for an honest review. I will definitely be recommending to book loving friends.