I love Kathryn's writing style! Another great novel that is one you won't want to do anything else until you finish.
I really loved this story and you'll be pulling for these great characters! I love this author and this book!!

This was a heartwarming, uplifting, easy to read story about Samirah, a woman whose soul and spirit are shattered and Michael, a man whose body is broken. They meet through a fortuitous bit of serendipity, and together they heal each other through friendship and being just what the other one needs at the time they need it. This one made my heart feel good!! And it a did a magnificent job of portraying the complexities of living life as a paraplegic. Well done, Ms. Biel! I'll be back to read more from you.

This was my first book by this author andwont be my last!
2 heartbreaking souls that found each other. I admired their strength and resolve and I just loved these two!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

After the first chapter, I could not stand Sam and almost put the book down, but I am glad that I kept reading because while her life hit rock bottom, she learned that she wanted to be a different person.

Michael, or Sal to his friends, was easier to like but did have his own issues to deal with. I loved that he stopped to help Sam and didn't listen to his brother when he kept helping her.

I could see the coming disaster when Sam was going to her cousin's wedding but glad that it was not too upsetting to Michael when he found out when they got to the wedding reception!

This is not your typical romance where boy meets girl, falls into instant love, has sex, and lives happily ever after. Both Michael and Samireh had huge obstacles to their ever finding love, and they did not instantly love each other. Their progress was slow as they grew to love each other while they battled their own issues with the help of the other.

It was really encouraging to see both Sam and Michael see that even though they were "broken" that they worked well together! This was a kind of uplifting book that makes you feel good at the end.

What an amazingly sweet story. I wasn’t sure how it would go when at five percent I was truly disliking Samirah Lundgren the female lead. The author went to great lengths to make her unlikeable.
But as they progress from that point on this character evolves not totally by choices, in fact, no choices really. As to why you will have to read it. But her roommate thinks she’s to blame. So, she wants her out by that night. Feeling she may in some way have added to the chain of events she leaves with only what she moved in with several years before when her mom died. A backpack, with pictures, clothes, and some money. She had been saving so long with her purse, phone, and her mail she left.
She had been out with her married boyfriend Chase the night before but things are super blurry. Now she has already admitted to herself that she has a drinking problem but this is different. This time she’s sore between her legs yet he brought her home. She doesn’t remember going to his apartment here in the city.
She gets to Union Station as she is sitting she finds herself extremely thirsty. When she hears a town that sounds familiar. When it dawns on her it’s from a card out of the mail she grabbed on her way out. It’s a, ‘Save the date’ for her third cousin’s wedding. She is her mom’s cousin’s daughter. Barb and her mom were close as children. They weren’t close but their moms were. It’s a place to start anew.
When she gets to the little town she is hurting so bad she is shaking from fever and pissing razor blades. So, she decides to find a clinic. She neglects to ask which way and just starts walking but in the wrong direction. It starts raining being in a ditch she squats to pee and while doing so she gets beaned in the head by what she thought was a rock.
Instead what she finds out is that a guy across the street, Michael Salinger (Sally) to his friends. He has been a paraplegic for the past three years and has just gotten some bad news today from his ex-girlfriend for the six years prior to that. She had given the engagement ring back that he had planned on giving to her the day he was struck down by a drunk driver while waiting for a light at a crosswalk.
In fact, he had just left the jewelry store. Sally can’t take that fact that not only does she not love him anymore but that she has just told him she is marrying one of his three best friends who he just went out for drinks with two days ago. It explained now why he had been distant and had a chip on his shoulder.
He apologies to Sam for throwing the ring at her when she yells in pain. She tells him to watch it. He asks if she needs a ride. She is in such a panic by just the simple question that says, fine. Then just peels out and goes home.
The next morning on his way to work he comes to screeching halt across the street because there she is this same chick at least it has to be because she is almost about where he had left her but she is not looking that good. So, again he asks do you need a ride. She says no, then he establishes she needs to get to a clinic. But she still looks like a scared animal.
So, he asks her to keep an eye out for traffic. He gets himself out of the car and that is when she sees the wheelchair and her fear factor scales way down. That is when she finally agrees to go with him to the clinic. But instead, he takes her to the hospital because he says he would take his dog to the clinic.
See how these two broken and battered people become whole again on so many levels. What exactly makes you a good person? What exactly makes you whole? See how these two, work through all the twist and turns of their pasts and confront the irony of the present. I wish I could give this more than my 5++++ stars.

I started out intensely disliking Samirah (Sam), and wasn't sure I could keep reading. I shortly became riveted and could NOT put this down. Michael was an easier character to relate to and like, but I shortly became invested in the idea that these two physically and emotionally damaged people could help heal one another.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this work through Netgalley, and am acquainted with the author via social media.

Disclaimer #2: I am not disabled, nor particularly well-versed in spinal cord injuries. As a non-expert, the details about Michael's life FELT real, and very well-researched to me. They didn't bog down the work, weren't excessive, but didn't sugar coat the condition, either. For Sam, who was grieving for her mother and trying to live a life that had been recently turned upside down, she is also (spoiler alert) dealing with a recent rape. Here I have a bit more personal experience and knowledge, and her reaction and recovery is also is extremely well done.

While sex between Sam and Michael is touched upon, briefly, there aren't a lot of explicit details or makeout scenes, if that's what you're looking for.

I expected this would be a nice read. Instead it blew my socks off.

Life can change in a moment. No one knows that better than the two main characters in this contemporary romance. Michael is learning a whole new way of coping with daily life after suffering a spinal cord injury. Sam is numb following a brutal sexual assault. A chance roadside encounter brings these two broken people together. Instead of being dependent on others, Michael now finds purpose in being needed by the fragile Sam. Sam has hit rock bottom and vows to become a better person. They learn to trust each other as they pick up the pieces of their broken lives.

This book is told through two different perspectives Michael a man who is living with a spinal cord injury. Things aren't going well for him as he is trying to live his life with the new sensation of not being able to use his legs, then on top of that he finds out that his ex fiance is now going to marry his ex best friend. How could they do this two him? The other perspective is Samirah. She is a former party girl. And things went really bad for her one night so she is trying to put the past behind her as best as she can. I liked how the author really made me feel for the character Sam even though typically I wouldn't like her at all. I mean who sleeps with a married
man? Things aren't looking good for poor Samirah so she does the only thing she knows how and runs away. That is when she meets Michael. I liked how even though you knew that this was a romance book it didn't
go over the top. The best part was there was no sparks flying moment when the two characters met just someone trying to help I think that it made it easier to read because of it because it was more realistic. The
main characters were almost exactly how I would assume real people would be not the stereotypical fictional characters who say things that have the reader shaking there head going "No one says these things." They made mistakes and put their feet in their mouths but that made them easier to relate to. Overall
I really enjoyed this book.

Sam is on the run, after being sexually assaulted by three men and then thrown out of her apartment by her roommate. Michael, who had suffered a crippling injury and is paralyzed from the waist down, comes to her rescue. Overall, a good story of two people who have physical and mental issues to overcome, on their way to the HEA. I liked the story overall, and the characters, but at times the details of what he went through was TMI for me. Interesting of course, but tended to skim after awhile. The voice was a little rough at times too, but overall would still highly recommend this story.

I will admit that the beginning of the book got off to a slow start. I was wondering when we would really get into the element of story and it came about a quarter way through. Aside from the beginning going a bit slow to start, the only other problem I had with the book was towards the beginning where Michael & his friends were at the bar, and he approached his trivia partner. When she turned him down, he then proceeded to make comments about her weight with his friends. That was distasteful, in my opinion. He did redeem himself though throughout the rest of the book, so that was my only complaint. After that, it was smooth sailing for me & I absolutely LOVED it.

I really enjoy reading books where the author knows their stuff. For example, this book was heavily focused around one of the characters' disabilities. You could tell that the author did her research and knew exactly what she was talking about throughout the storyline.

I loved that Michael, despite his hardships, was helping out someone for the sole purpose of being able to "give." He wanted to be seen as a person regardless of his disability & he demonstrated how hard he has worked throughout the past few years to get to where he is. I really enjoyed how Michael & Samirah's relationship progressed throughout the book. They took the time to get to know each other, to get things figured out in their lives, and developed a real connection. It attests to a real relationship, which is always great to relate with.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to someone interested in reading this genre. It was written well, I loved the storyline, & I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters!

I’m writing this review at 1:30 in the morning. That alone says a lot about this book.

First off, the good:

-I love reading books about characters with disabilities (mental and physical) and it is great to read one written by an author who knows her stuff. I hate when authors shy away from the harsh realities so I was pleased that no punches were pulled here.

-Michael is awesome and I want to squish him. He’s got a great sense of humor and a good head on his shoulders. It was great to see him reaching out to his therapist when he was having trouble dealing with his feelings.

-the relationship between Samira and Michael was smooth and honest and had a minimum of issues related to poor communication which pleases me. Their friendship progressed organically and they didn’t move too fast. Instead they took their time and got their heads screwed on straight.

The less-than-good:

-The beginning was hard to read. There was a lot of telling, not showing, and I felt like information was being dumped that would have been better spread liberally throughout the rest of the story.

-I hated Samira. I know that was the point, but wow I wanted to shake her.

-There is a scene at a bar where Michael introduces himself to a larger girl (who isn’t interested) and the resulting fat phobia and insults from his friends AND him almost made me stop reading. It was the one time I was not rooting for him and if I hadn’t been interested in seeing what happened when he and Samira finally met I might not have read on.

-Semi-graphic rape scene. I wasn’t expecting it, and since Samira didn’t remember everything that happened I’m not sure why I had to.

Overall:

I liked this book. I had no intention of finishing it tonight but here I am. I feel like that says more about the plot and pacing than whatever words I can put together.

My rating is really a 3.5 Stars, but I rounded up because after the 20-25% mark the story picked up and I was completely engrossed. I fully intend to check out this author’s other works. (After some sleep!)

Live For This by Kathryn R. Biel

“What would you rather do—win the lottery or be a paraplegic?”

I think we all know what Samirah’s response to Michael would have been but his insight related to the question was an eye opener to me.

Samirah had a loving mother, absent father and a childhood that was not necessarily easy. When the rug was pulled out from under while in college she headed to the big city and in so doing set herself up to use and ultimately be abused by others. In her time of need she happens upon a “good man” and after her recent experiences meeting Michael is probably the best thing to happen to her – ever. She has some healing, physical and mental, to deal with and Michael is there for her. Michael may be neurologically impaired but a stronger, more mentally healthy and complete man would be difficult to find.

This book is at times gritty dark and very real whether telling of rape and its aftermath or of paraplegia and how it can impact lives. The story is one of strength and courage in adversity and friendship forged through fire...a friendship that ultimately leads to a HEA for two broken people that manage to be glued together into one loving couple.

Having worked as an RN in neurosurgical intensive care and also having been in charge of a nursing home for mentally alert neurologically impaired I have some insight into what life as a paraplegic is like. This book handled the subject matter with wisdom, knowledge, compassion and a sense of realness that most books never manage.

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read other books by this author? Yes
Do I recommend this book? Definitely

NOTE: I did not like Samirah in the beginning part of the story and wondered how the author could possibly redeem her to create a character I could ever like…it happened…but if I had not persevered with the story I would not have been able to write this glowing review – and glowing it truly is.

Thank you to NetGalley and KOBO Writing Life for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars