I absolutely love Kelly Rimmer's writing! This was no exception. It was a lovely but tragic story of love. I felt connected to the characters and loved the story. Definitely a slow burn but the ending was beautiful. Highly recommend this one, and all of Rimmer's others.

Wow! What a heartbreaking and emotional story 🥹 This was beautifully written and was so moving, it will make you feel everything. Word of warning, grab a box of tissues before reading!!! Callum fell quickly and so hard (one of my favourite tropes by a mile), although I would have loved to have seen Liah keeping him at less of a distance as it was clear she enjoyed his company. The ending was dramatic and heartfelt 🥲🩷

I've loved Kelly Rimmer's other books, and this was good too. But man was it soul crushing and sad! It's a beautiful love story but grab a box of tissues. No spoilers here but brace yourself. But it's a worthwhile read.

I'm a huge fan of this author. I love her work. Based on the higher reviews, there are many readers who love this story. Unfortunately, this book just wasn't a good fit for me. Had I known it was a book with grief as its main focus, I wouldn't have requested it. I don't do grief books!

Strike two was that this book was character driven, and I wasn't able to warm to the characters. They weren't able to draw me into their romance and feel emotions (which was quite surprising because this author's strength is creating emotional stories!)

Strike three was the dialogue intensive narrative. Most of the plot was the two of them talking about mundane aspects of life. During their own reflections, they talked to themselves. The dialogue didn't draw me in.

I think readers who enjoy a love story focused on grief that is slower paced and character driven will have a better experience reading this book than I did. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once I started reading Kelly Rimmer's, Me Without You, I realized it was a republish from 2014. However, the book is worth a second read. For fans of the styles of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks, you will like this one! The characters are memorable and the plot will have you laughing and crying! Thanks for the republish!

This book was worth the wait. Can’t wait for more from her. She continues to keep readers engaged

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_4L76xQqp/?igsh=NHE3aDl5YzZuaDcz

If you're looking for a funny yet emotional love story this is a great one. Sometimes I want a book that doesn't end how one may expect it to and I just want to be in my feelings about like watching a sappy movie you've seen a million times but just need to watch it again today. That is what this book was for me and I absolutely loved every page of it.

Me Without you was a beautiful story. I loved how Lilah and Callum met. And how their story developed…no matter what they were destined to be together.

It took a bit to find out Lilah’s secret and hesitation for her and Callum’s relationship. How terrible and tragic to have to go through all she/they had to.

I did respect the ending. I’m glad Kelly Rimmer touched such an important issue (I don’t want to spoil anything but it might be triggering for people).

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever for a copy in exchange of an honest review.

This was a fantastic womens fiction. I liked the plot and the characters were a lot of fun. Very much recommend this book.

Sad tale of a couple that finds each other only to experience the terminal illness of the woman. Characters could have been a bit more engaging but otherwise, a solid read

I loved this book. I think the biggest appeal to me was the fact that these are characters knocking on the door of 40 and actually do have life experience. Everything isn’t and wasn’t easy and sunshine and rainbows. They were jaded about life and relationships.

We get much less of Lilah’s POV so she took me a bit to figure out. I figured early on there was clearly an illness and not to mention the title.

I adored Callum. I love that he and Lilah could question each other and talk things through (for the most part) it was just a breath of fresh air for these mature characters.

If you enjoy a heartbreaking love story with more mature characters, this may be right up your alley.

A story about friendship and relationships that will make you cry. I read this is one sitting and cried more than once.
A beautiful story and definitely worth the tears.

I loved this book! The characters and the story were amazing. I’ve never read this author before but I will definitely be checking out her other titles. This book was so good, I highly recommend it to other readers. Many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was a rollercoaster.........it took a while to get into the story but the cat and mouse at the beginning I believe helped you get through the first few chapters and understanding the slowness of the storyline. After the midpoint the book did grab you and it was a pager turner from that point forward. It was heartbreaking and emotional.

Callum and Lilah were an opposites attract couple. He was your typical corporate business man who had a very structured life. Lilah and Environmentalist Lawyer who lives life moment by moment always wanting an adventure and to live freely. They meet on the evening ferry and become very entangled in each others lives with several ups and downs. The truth is Lilah is sick and need to live life to the fullest is a must. She knows she will die and she doesn't want to drag Callum through the horror of her death when she starts to fade away. He loves her too much to give up and shows her that.

It was beautifully written and so emotional. I was left blubbering with tears from 3/4 of the way to the very end. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants a heartbreaking love story that is a tear-jerker and will have you weeping through your soul.

The character development was strong and grew throughout the story. There is very little spice. The plot was strong it just took time to understand the meaning of the story. Writing style had some areas of improvement needed. There were spelling errors that were hard to ignore for simple words that could have been edited.

Overall a great story.

I didn’t realize this was a republished book that originally came out in 2014. A lot of people are comparing it to Me Before You, which I vaguely remember thinking myself, but I hadn't read that back when I first read this. There are similarities, but mostly they're very, very different narratives.

Honestly, this might be the better book. If you agree with the criticism leveled at Me Before You (about it being ableist), but you liked the idea of it anyway, you'd like this. It's a more appropriate, less dramatic version of the same story - on the surface at least. There are important differences however.

In all honesty, this might be the better book.

Part of what I liked about it was the grown-up characters. Callum and Lilah are both in their 30s and 40s, and are, as a result, a lot more mature and experienced than characters in stories like this usually are. They fight, they misunderstand, but they don't throw tantrums the same way. It was refreshing. Lilah is a lawyer, working relentlessly to save the planet, while Callum works in an PR firm, and leads a life that has pretty much stagnated. They accidentally meet on a ferry going home from work, and fall in love almost immediately. For Callum, there's absolutely no doubt that this is the woman for him, but Lilah keeps her distance.

She tries hard in the beginning to keep him at arms length, refusing to consider a relationship with him. Callum doesn't understand, and Lilah doesn't want to tell him. But she used to be sick, very sick, and she might be sick again. It might kill her. So falling in love with someone she might have to leave behind? Not much an option.

But when true love comes knocking it's difficult not to answer. So Lilah gives in, she breathes life back in to Callum, and they both remember how beautiful, how tender, how fragile life can be.

Honestly, this is a somewhat predictable novel. It has that message all stories like this have: live life as fully as possible, seize chances, follow your heart, never lose hope. Etc. But it didn't feel forced, not really. Maybe it was the maturity of the characters, maybe it was the nature of the narrative. It was stupidly romantic at times, but in a way that felt right.

Callum and Liliah are perfection together. I loved every word of this book. The depth and emotion is felt in each scene. An unputdownable novel I didn’t want to end. I suggest you go in blind and experience everything Me Without You has to offer. I found myself thinking about this story for weeks after finishing. I highly recommend.

🏵 BOOK / REVIEW 🏵

And here I thought that @kelrimmerwrites only writes #historicalfiction novels 😭. #mewithoutyou was such a tender and HEARTBREAKING #romance novel that I was not emotionally prepared for.

Written in a similar vein to #mebeforeyou written by JoJo Moyes, this book will rip you apart. I sat in a puddle of tears for a good solid 10 minutes after I finished this book. I was so touched by the story and characters that I needed time to process what happened in the story.

Some will call this predictable, but I loved it nonetheless. Both characters were full of quirks that made them incredibly relatable and real. Also, I loved that the man in the story was the more emotional and sappy one. It was very interesting to see the story through his eyes.

If you want to be utterly crushed, I think you'll enjoy this book. I would say you need to be in the proper headspace, though. Thank you, @readforeverpub, for this gem of a read 🫶.

Me Without You
By: Kelly Rimmer

Genre:
Contemporary romance, Women’s fiction

Quotes:
“She could be barefoot for the rest of our lives, and I'd love her disgustingly filthy feet with every bit of strength I had.”

“I have no idea what happens after you go, but it will be better because I knew you.”

“Life is a journey. You don’t have to travel, but you always have to be going somewhere or you stagnate.”

Summary/Review:

Lilah MacDonald is a determined, stubborn, sassy woman, as seen through the eyes of her true love, Callum Roberts. This is an emotional story of falling in love, healing, forgiveness, and devotion. I love the classic love story with themes of never giving up hope and following your heart regardless of the consequences. This story line was too predictable for more with less twists and turns.

Thank you to Kelly Rimmer, Forever Grand Central Publishing, and Netgalley for the Advanced Readers Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#kellyrimmer
#netgalley
#forevergrandcentralpublishing
#advancedreaderreads

"Me Without You" by Kelly Rimmer is a poignant exploration of friendship, love, and the enduring power of connection. The novel intricately weaves together the lives of two best friends, Callum and Lilah, across two decades. Rimmer's narrative unfolds with emotional resonance, delving into the complexities of human relationships and the impact of life-altering choices. The characters are vividly portrayed, and the author's sensitive prose captures the essence of their evolving bond. "Me Without You" is a heartwarming and heart-wrenching journey that resonates long after the final page, reminding readers of the profound influence friendships can have on shaping our lives.

Kelly Rimmer wrote this book knowing full well she was going to try to rip your heart out, and she did it well. There is an ominous tone from the beginning insinuating something wasn't right, and you can tell through the first 3/4 of the book that something is in fact wrong, you just have no idea what it is. By the last quarter of the book, you fully understand the situation that you have somehow gotten yourself into, why Lylah is acting the way that she does, and you worry for Callum and whether he will make it out of this situation alive.

I will say the actual twist at the end I quite literally never expected. This book, even though I knew something bad was coming from the beginning still kept me hooked and interested. Never once did I get bored, or think it was predictable. It was a lovely book that reminds you to make the most of what time you have left on this earth, while also just showcasing the kind of love everyone wants where you have someone that compliments you perfectly like two puzzle pieces fitting together.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.