Cover Image: A Life WIthout Water

A Life WIthout Water

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Member Reviews

Not the easiest book to read, probably as parts resonated with me. Carol goes on a journey (literally) showing her how to let go rather than holding on to regrets, in order to achieve peace. Would recommend.

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This book really packed a punch! It is the (highly) emotional tale of a woman who has lost so much in her life, but without realizing it, is taking steps that will give back to her and put her back on the trail of the living. Carol and John may have divorced over 20 years ago, but the journey they take together to spread their dead daughter's ashes is rich with love as well as with regrets and hurts.
This was my first book by Marci Bolden and I was unprepared for it. After reading it, as my grandmother would have said, I felt like I'd been dragged through a knothole. The emotion was at a high point all the way through the book.
This was a truly beautiful book that you know is going to make you weep, but you will find impossible to put down. It is well worth the tears!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

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I had been hearing about this book through one of my reader circle groups and was excited to see what everyone was talking about.
The author has captured the heart and soul in a tragedy that divided a family.
Caroline is The mum of Katie; whom dies when she is six. Her husband John is an alcoholic and was held accountable by Caroline for their daughters death 24 years ago.
Caroline and John come face to face after all these years to lay rest to Katie. There are new emotions and hurdles to get through for them that are gut wrenching and raw.
I loved this book. It was emotionally charged and I felt for the characters. This is a sad book that made me ugly cry in parts. It was one of those books you keep reading until it’s finished and then sigh at the end because it’s finished.
Would highly recommend this book. Keep up the coffee and have your tissues handy

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24 years after Carol fled her alcoholic husband , he shows up at her office wanting to make peace with her and their daughter.
Carol has so much resentment , anger, dislike towards John and wants him gone ... the twist is John is dying and he wants to make peace with Carol and Carol , even though she doesn’t realize it at first , needs this .

A raw emotional story with characters that are relatable , I don’t know what I would do if I was put into Carols position , what would you do ?

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I often wish that the book came with a trigger alert warning. This book needed one. Maybe just a five tissue rating on the cover. Be prepared. If you start this book: 1. You won't be able to put it down until you finish. 2. It will break your heart. 3, It will put your heart back together again, but you will never be the same.

I loved this book. The characters were so well-developed that I got frustrated at how they behaved. I disagreed at their choices, and I wanted to shake them. I wanted them to make different choices. The more I read, the more I understood the decisions made.

I don't want to be a spoiler, but I will remind you of my warnings. It's a great book that I enjoyed. I hope you will too.

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This is such an emotional story, I had to stop and read something else because it was just so raw. Well done on the writing.

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A Life Without Water is SO GOOD but so very emotional!

24 years after their divorce, the ex-husband shows up at his former wife's work to ask a favor because he is dying. She VERY reluctantly agrees to do what he asks but in the midst of a somewhat forced road trip, they end up dissecting everything that went wrong between them including the tragedies they never fully faced. As the reader, the years of bitterness and regret this couple carry is palpable and comes right off the pages making you FEEL everything they feel and boy, is it HEAVY!

This book is so raw and heartbreaking! Maybe because the woman in the story is the same age as I am, I don't know, but DAMN, examining all the broken parts in a marriage pushed all my emotional buttons and about killed me! Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby-wait, no, make that two boxes of freaking tissues because you will be emotionally gutted!

This book was so beautifully written by Marci Bolden and packs a massive punch right to the heart. This book gets all the stars! Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the chance to read this novel. It was unforgettable.

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Wow.!! This has to be the most touching and sad story that I have ever read. I am speechless and I had to take a day to process my emotions after reading this great story. Let's go ahead and get the rating out of the way and say that this is a 5 star read.! I mean, just wow. This story of grief and forgiving yourself and others made me shed a tear because I felt the emotions that the author wrote on these pages. I guess I should tell you all about this heart touching story to begin this review.

This story revolves around Caroline and over twenty years ago her daughter, Katie, died and she blames her ex-husband, John. John has finally found Caroline and he has come on a mission to right his wrongs before his terminal illness takes him out. Throughout this story you get flashbacks into the past and it leaves you wondering what happened on that horrible day to Katie and why is John to blame. Caroline is such a strong character because she has lost so much and she has yet to mourn her daughter after 20 years. One of the things that John and Caroline wanted to do was take Katie to amazing places, so John and Caroline takes her urn on a road trip to visit these places that Katie had on her list.

For me this road trip represents letting go of the past and setting Katie free. This story is confined to the RV and the mending of John and Caroline's relationship was exceptional. The writing was spectacular, the pacing was steady and the dialogue was realistic. This is a great example of how monologue can contribute to the story and keep it moving. Caroline had great monologue and though it went on for a couple of pages, it contributed to the story and every word meant something. I was actually expecting a whirlwind romance, but it didn't happen and I have no issues with that.

I absolutely loved this story and if I could give this story 10 stars, I would. This book is for everyone because everyone, at some point in their lives, have lost a loved one and this book shows grief at its core. Go pick this book up and discuss it with your family and friends. It's that good. !!

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Wow! That is all I can say about this brilliant book. It stayed with me for a long time after I read the last page. The author took her reader on an emotional journey and the characters were well developed. Highly recommend!

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This story will take hold of your heart and shred it!
It is a journey of two people whose only child has died. It is also a little girl's voyage to help her parents find closure.
It is a tale of survival, heartache, heartbreak, love, anger, and then acceptance to let go and forgive one another.
It is well written, and at times difficult to read.
Yet, I did not stop until I was finished. Why? Because we all know a Carol and John. We all wish we could change decisions made.
"If you want to fix what you think is broken, the first thing you have to do is acknowledge what broke you in the first place."
Well done!

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This book will stay with you long after you finish reading it. You'll need Kleenex handy because it is a roller coaster ride of emotions!

Carol Denman's past has just walked into her office, a man, she thought she left behind over twenty years ago, John Bowman, her ex-husband. Carol has rebuilt her life, and had married again, John's appearance is about to turn Carol's life upside down.

John Bowman, is a Detective from Dayton, Ohio. The day Carol left, John was stuck in the past, still tied to their life together. He overcame difficulties and knows he was not the best husband or father. He searched to locate Carol, because he wants to find peace for himself and that includes making things right with Carol.

Although, Carol thinks she's seen the last of John when he leaves her home; Carol gets a call from the hospital, where John had given them her name as a contact. It is here, that Carol learns just how ill John is, and explains why he showed up in the manner in which he did. John brings up a promise he made, and is determined to see it though. Carol realizes how foolhardy John is to attempt his plan and the doctor desperately tries to talk both of them out of it. Against doctor's orders, Carol surrenders and agrees to go along.

A trip that will take two weeks of traveling and end with Carol dropping John back at home in Dayton. Carol is filled with resentment and anger towards John and blames him for a lot of things. John, also blames Carol for when they divorced. This trip is something that they both needed to let go, come to terms with themselves and each other.

A truly beautiful, gripping story of forgiveness of others and oneself after experiencing a horrific tragedy! If you enjoy books by Diane Chamberlain, or Nicholas Sparks, then you will love this!

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Pink Sand Press and voluntarily review this book.

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I know I am in the minority amongst reviewers of this book but I did not enjoy it.
The writing style is good but the death of the child was sad enough without then adding the terminal illness of the father.

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A Life Without Water was an emotionally charged read that I could not put down. I cried...a lot. I could not imagine the grief and devastation Caroline must have felt throughout the journey of her life. I was drawn to the strength of her character and to the lengths John went to for closure and to make amends with his past.

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An engaging read about two spouses, estranged for many years, who come together to bid farewell to their daughter who tragically passed-away in their home several years back. The two decide to travel by motorhome to all the places her daughter had wanted to visit, spilling her ashes at each location. An emotional read, full of anger, forgiveness, and love.

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Carol Denman is existing, just. It is her daughter's birthday 30th birthday tomorrow and she wonders what life her would have been if she was still alive. Unfortunately she tragically died on her husband's watch. Her drunken husband. Something Carol will never forgive herself or her husband for.

24 years later and Carol is a widow, having lost her second husband to another tragic accident. But life is about to deliver Carol more than she ever thought she could handle. Her ex-husband John is at her place of employment, wanting to see her. Carol is in two minds whether to just fob him off or relent and see what he wants after 24 years when she walked out of their marriage with few possessions and her daughter's remains.

John Bowman has never forgiven himself for the death of his daughter. He had everything, but his drinking didn't let him appreciate his beautiful wife and daughter. John is terminally ill and he wants to make amends for all his wrong doings before he dies. He wants to take a road trip to all the places Katie wanted to go to and he doesn't just want Carol to go with him, he desperately needs her to. He is hoping for redemption for all that he has done and believes this trip will hopefully bring both Carol and himself some peace and maybe forgiveness too.

This was a heartbreaking story. Do not expect happy ever afters as this is definitely not that type of book. This is a book that will stay in your memory long after you have finished it. Emotions will be tested, tissues will probably be needed and you will find it hard to put the book aside until you have read the last page.

Thanks to NetGalley, Pink Sand Press and Marci Bolden for a very thought provoking and haunting for me read.

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A Life Without Water by Marci bolden was unexpected read. I had no idea what I was getting into. The story was emotional, touching and heartbreaking. Carol and John have been divorced for over twenty years without any contact. Suddenly he is back and what follows is a very moving story with so many feels. This books covers loss, grief, and forgiveness and was so raw and powerful read.

Happy reading!

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A Life WIthout Water by Marci Bolden does not gently lure you into the story but drags you kicking and screaming much as is done to Carol, no make that Car-o-line. At least it did for me. I couldn’t have put this book down if I had tried. Of course, I was too caught up to even try. Luckily I was on a road trip with someone else driving so I was free to read. It seemed fitting since Carol also goes traveling but not as easy a time as mine. As soon as we were home, unpacked, I was back to reading, it is just that compelling of a story. Even though I knew that there would be no this-was-only-a-nightmare or sudden time traveling to change the past, I kept reading and hoping.

Hardly happy but one that will speak to your heart and soul. All the characters come to life, Katie especially but also Tobias too. Heart breaking but also inspiring in such a sad way. Live every day, really live! Thank you for that reminder in this amazing poignant story.

Fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone, Julianne MacLean’s A Curve in the Road or Lori Handeland’s Just Once will find A Life WIthout Water to be their next great read. Best heart breaking book I have read this year by a master storyteller. Tissues required.

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It took me over a month to finish this book, but that being said I didn't sit down and read it straight through, I read a few books in between and I think that may have been a good thing and a bad thing as this is an extremely emotional book and hard to read, not because it's a bad book, in fact it's just the opposite. This book is so well written that you will feel a connection to Carol and John and you will feel Carol's anger as well as her grief to your very soul. Some people may have trouble reading this as it does deal with the death of a child and the grief process but not in a disturbing or graphic way. For such a tough subject it's done very well and very "softly". Had I read it from start to finish and not taken a break I think it would have had a much more emotional effect on me and I would have been downright ugly crying but by taking the breaks it gave me a chance to balance myself and start fresh each time I picked it up again. I do feel this is Marci's best work to date and would strongly recommend it to to her new readers as well as her long time readers. I have been waiting for this book for a long time it seems but it was worth the wait.

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First I want to thank Netgalley for providing me wth this ebook.

This was an intense journey.
Carol is recently a widow and has a past she wants to forget, and she has managed to do that until now, that her ex husband showed up from nowhere to bring all those memories back and she's forced to confront what she has dreaded for 24 years.

I had an idea of what I would find in this story, but it was more than a I thought. It's narrated from Carol/Caroline's POV, and we get to know pieces of her past through some extracts availabe in every chapter.

This is a book about grieve, loss and forgiveness. At first I was as reluctant as Carol to hear what John had to say and to do what he wanted her to do. But in the end, I saw what was really important.

I loved how Carol evolves through the story, how she comes to accept all that has happended to her (which is not little).

Also, there's some humor in here, I was surprised by that and enjoyed it a lot.
This is a beautiful book, but to read it you have to be strong emotionally speaking, there are "trigger warnings" relating to children and it can be very unsettling if you've lived something like losing a child.
Eventhough, I thoght the author did a great job telling this story, it's highly emotional and it succeeds at showing the insight of the main character.

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Carol/Caroline fled in the middle of the night from her husband John after the death of their daughter Katie. She divorced him and married Tobias who encouraged her to earn her Doctors Degree and tp do things that challenged her. Twenty Four years later her ex John arrives at her office with a request. We learn that 8 months before Tobias died and John has an inoperable brain tumor with little time to live. His request is for Carol/Caroline to help him spread Katie's ashes at all the places he promised her they would visit.

The story is told in past and present time lines. At times the story is heartbreaking. Make sure you have tissues at hand as I found myself sobbing. A story of love, marriage, family, forgiveness, and moving ahead. Thank you to Netgalley, Pink Sand Press, and Marci Bolden for an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

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