I have read a number of books by Dani Atkins and always find myself engrossed in the story.
This one is the story of Alex and his son Connor and how their family copes with the sudden loss of Lisa. Following a train crash she sadly loses her life but is able to help 4 people through organ donation.
The main character, Molly, is the recipient of the heart and is a really likeable character.
At times, I felt the storyline was a little awkward and made me cringe, but it deals with the many different ways people cope with grief.
Another lovely read.

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful read!! I've read many books by this author, and they have all captured my heart and reduced me to tears, and this one is no exception! We are introduced to the Stevens family - dad Alex, mum Lisa and their young son, Connor. Lisa is an Astronomer, and on her way to work she is tragically nvolved in a fatal rail crash. Lisa, unbeknown to her husband, held a donor card, and her last act of kindness was to give a special gift to four strangers...

Initially the main characters in the book are Alex and Molly Kendall, a young woman diagnosed with heart failure. Molly is a truly wonderful character, and I found my heart breaking with her story just as much as hers was. The only hope for Molly is a new heart, and when she receives the call, you get a glimpse into the hope and fear which she goes through.

Alex, on the other hand, is dealing with his grief badly. Losing his wife, and facing the prospect of bringing up his son alone, Alex decides he wants to contact the recipients of Lisa's donations, obviously against the advice if the Donor Service. There are many rules on place to protect both sides of a donation, so as I carried on reading Alex's story I had everything crossed that this didn't backfire on an already grief stricken Alex.

Whilst this is a very sad book, it is also filled with moments of joy, happiness and even little bits which made me laugh! I loved how Molly was so clumsy around one of the other characters, and strangely the thought of the four recipients sitting together the first time they meet made me smile at the awkwardness that must have been felt!! Of course, it does have LOTS of sad parts where I struggled to read the words through the tears, and it does broach on the more serious subject of organ donation and cellular memory. This, when I've read about it in other books, has always interested me and has provided thoughtful discussions as to whether organs that are donated retain some of the memories or traits of the donor.

Ultimately though, science and medicine aside, this is a beautiful love story! I was hooked by the end of the first chapter and was completely captivated by the different stories throughout the book. All of the characters add something to the story and I fell in love with each and every one of them. Even though it is a story of loss and grief, it's undoubtedly also a lesson in new beginnings and learning to live again. The writing was hypnotising and it made sure I wasn't putting this book down until I'd finished it, even though that did mean reading it well into the early hours!

As expected, this author has yet again written another outstanding book!! I was sad to finish it and leave behind the characters that I'd only known for 24 hours yet felt like I'd known for years. I was so so happy with the perfect ending though, so that did make up for it! This book has firmly planted itself onto my Favourite Books of the Year list and I honestly can't recommend it enough!! It made me cry and smile, and it broke my heart and then rebuilt it!! Beautiful, wonderful, amazing!!! I absolutely loved it!!!

Lisa and Alex have everything going for them, great marriage, 6year old Connor and they still love each other - to the moon and back. Then tragedy strikes. Alex’s world is turned upside down, leaving him struggling to take care of himself and Connor, let alone process what else is happening, as well as trying to grieve. Then 4 strangers come into the mix, taking Alex’s breath away.

This is at times heart breaking, but powerful, full of warmth and sensitivity. The author captures the sense of despair for Alex, and the rest of his family while not being unrealistic or mawkish. Beautifully woven story lines. A must read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book