What Doesn't Kill You

Griff Henry, a coastguard’s man living on the Dorset coast who feels it’s his job to keep everyone safe and he believes everyone is worth saving. Everyone except his father, Logan,that is. When Griff’s wife tells him she wants a separation, he wonders what she’s keeping from him. If he was wrong about his wife, what else has be been wrong about?

I really loved this book and can see why Choc Lit have branched out and released this under Dark Choc Lit as it is a bit more hard-hitting than their other offerings.
We meet Griff. A little bit damaged from his past and with a present that is somewhat precarious. His wife Evie is looking after Griff's father, Logan, as he is slowly getting older and more infirm and they share a secret. Griff is estranged from Logan which causes Evie to split up from Griff as she can not bear to be near him as she keeps Logan's secret from him. Griff's step-daughter Tess is also troubled and has secrets of her own. And then there's a blast from Griff's past who swoops in and upsets the applecart. But you know what, it's an evil wind that can blow some good as the repercussions of this person's actions forces the rest of our cast to face up to some things and open up to others.
Reading that back, it sounds a bit soap-opera-convoluted. It isn't really, apart from the whole cast of characters having secrets and lies and exhibiting duplicitous behaviour that is. Here we have what feels like real people going through real life and all it throws at them.
As already mentioned, this book is not light. It covers some quite important and indeed all too commonplace subjects on both a physical and emotional level. It does this very well too. Either the author has drawn from her own experience of some of the topics or she has talked to those who have their own personal experiences as all the situations, actions and reactions all came across to be very genuine and felt very real. As well as that, they were all handled with sensitive care. Considering that there are quite a few heavy topics dealt out between only a small cast, things could get too much and start to feel like everything was all over the top, but the author gets the balance perfect here. Yes, parts are sometimes quite hard to read but then they are followed by some more uplifting moments that keep the reader going throughout. My one criticism if I'm honest, would have to be the ending. For me, it was a little too much. A tad on the sweet and neat side. But that's probably just me living in the real world and forgetting for a moment that this is fiction. I can forgive the author and move on so all's good there!
As well as cracking characters with proper problems, we also have great writing. Pacing, balance, descriptive bits were all spot on for me. Basically, it ticked every box on my list of things I need for a good read.

All in all, a thoroughly satisfying read that got me thinking about all sorts in my own life as I was reading it. This is my first book by this author but, on the strength of what I have just read, it will definitely not be my last.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Excellent storyline. Wonderful main characters and very well written. I would recommend this book.

This book really made an impression on me. It deals with a number of difficult topics with genuine sensitivity. It's clearly been very well researched and yet you're never conscious of the work the writer must have put in behind the scenes because everything's delivered with such a light touch. You’re never, for one moment, pulled out of the story. And what a story it is; I was utterly hooked, desperate to find out what happened next. The other great thing about this novel is that it blends hope and a feeling of human connection with the darker elements of the story, meaning the end result is uplifting. The characters were varied and each and every one was utterly convincing. Highly recommended.

What doesn’t kill you is a story about a family in crisis told from the viewpoints of Griff (the husband) Evie (the wife) and Tess (their step-daughter/daughter). Each have a past that haunts them and issues in their present that they find difficult to face. If only they were able to communicate their fears and feelings they might just discover that what they really need can be found in each other.

I loved Griff. I felt he was very realistically portrayed. A hero in every sense of the word who is floored when he discovers his happy marriage is not what he thought it was. He is left feeling confused and struggling to know what to do for the best. I wanted to wrap my arms around the guy and take him home with me. When an author can evoke those sort of emotions you know they have touched something inside you. A romance with a hard hitting, realistic, gritty edge of a family you will learn to care for.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review

This emotional book touches many sad and relevant problems like assisted suicide, self-harm, abusive marriage, betrayal, revenge and guilt. Some of the character (Griff and Tess) are very lifelike but others act in a way that just didn't seem believable.

The key for solving their problems is, just as in real life, honest communication.

I really liked the book, but I think the last too chapters were not only not needed but were much too cozy for this kind of book.