Thanks to Read Forever Pub for the book to read and review. I admit when I got the widget thru my email I didn't even read what the book was about. So being an oncology nurse this book was so much more for me. Overall the whole theme of living your life is awe-inspiring. For me, this was a whole new outlook of my job and seeing things from a patient's point of view. It is a real tear jerker for sure, The relationships that Ava has with friends and family is beautiful. The idea of a wedding to celebrate her life instead of a funeral is so thought provoking. This is a must read for everyone.

Photos Of You is a heartbreaking, tender,uplifting book . I am I glad I read this book.. I am still trying to process it all. Thank you to netgalley for the gift of the arc, the opinions are my own

This was a beautiful story! Incredibly well done considering the emotional material. I read it in one sitting on an airplane and was glad to have the time to get through it. Many others have written about the story I will only add if you have lost someone recently this will likely bring up lots of emotion so be prepared. I'm so glad I read it.

#PhotosOfYou #NetGalley

Oh what an incredibly hard story this was to read. It’s got a unique storyline. For some reason I couldn’t give up hope throughout the whole story. I can’t imagine what Ava and her tribe go through. I have lost a friend to breast cancer. I think because of this it made it a slightly harder story to read. I loved the descriptions of nature and the scenes that were painted in my head from the descriptions. I love James and am so glad Ava had those moments.

Photos of You is both heartbreakingly sad and uplifting and hopeful all at the same time.

You begin the story knowing Ava's cancer will not go into remission, that she won't have a traditional happy ending. When she realizes there isn't much time left she spends it with family and friends and decides to have a wedding. The wedding isn't meant to be for her to get married, but instead to have the party she's been dreaming of since she was a little girl.

Told in first person present tense POV, I felt myself getting emotional with Ava as she experiences everything from first time experiences with James to when she knows it is the last time she will do something. Her advice and thoughts, while not always brand new or original, are a good reminder of what's important in life.

I definitely recommend this book, but know it's not your traditional romance.

"I just want to feel it, and never stop feeling it until the moment I cease breathing. And then, well, then I can only hope that it goes on, somewhere, somehow."

On her 28th birthday, Ava Green learns that the cancer she thought she was rid of is back, and this time it's terminal. She decides to make the most of the time she has left and that includes making sure she gets the one thing she's always dreamed of - a wedding - even though she's missing a groom. Word of what she's doing goes viral when a friend shares about it on social media and soon she's getting offers from all over to make the day perfect, including a photographer who volunteers to shoot photos of everything.

This was a moving story with a beautiful message and I really enjoyed Ava as a character and how determined she was to make the most of the time we have left. It definitely served as a reminder to make lasting memories and spend time doing what you love with who you love. Despite this, there were some things that kept me from fully loving this one. While I knew based on the synopsis that this would be an insta-love story, it just didn't work for me in this case. I wasn't able to fully connect with Ava and James' relationship in the way I would have liked. In addition, some of the sentiments about life felt about too cliched and not truly genuine to the story.

While this didn't completely work for me, I would definitely still recommend it for those looking for a touching women's fiction read.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounding up to 5. The message this books presents is one that shouldn't be missed, not only regarding loving life to the fullest but more so about being an advocate for one's health and happiness overall.

The character of Ava Green is someone who shows tremendous strength when faced with her own inescapable mortality in the form of terminal cancer. She realizes that, without knowing exactly how much time she has left, she has to do something that is just for her and that she has dreamed about. In this case, that is getting married even without a groom. While I wasn't completely in love with this event being her last hurrah, everything leading up to and surrounding it is written with realism and sensitivity, bringing tears to the eyes of the reader time and time again. One of the things I appreciated the most was that she wasn't strong 100% of the time; she faces death with knowledge but also doesn't deny the fact that she is scared and wavering on the pedestal she has created for herself by talking about her situation in the media. This show of human vulnerability is something I feel more books should capitalize on.

I also loved that one of the main messages the author portrays is to be your own advocate for your health because, if you aren't, no one else will be. This is a perfectly stated message and exhibited with true character in the novel.

This book holds a comparison to Me Before You on its cover but I loved it SO much more. It is a book that every woman, old and young, should hold in their hands and learn life lessons from and just absorb the brevity of Ava's situation as well as the character itself.

Many thanks to Forever Publishing for my gifted print copy and eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

You will enjoy this book if:
You found yourself watching a Walk to Remember on repeat all through college (oh, was that just me?)

You will not enjoy this book if:
Cancer is close to home for you. It is central to the story.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this story and loved each character. It is heartbreaking yet comes with friendship, family and love. I don’t love sad stories but this had a nice balance of happy to leave me satisfied.

Although this is a book about a young woman with terminal cancer, it is also a book about the celebration of life. Ava wants to experience what she has always dreamed of- a wedding even though there is no groom. Her story goes viral with the help of her friends. When she walks down the aisle she experiences some of the people who were important in her life and helped her to become the person she is. She also persuaded to write a column in a magazine about life and living it to it’s fullest. Love finally happens for Ava as we cheer her on! This was an important book that makes you think about what really matters the most in life. Well done! #PhotosOfYou #TammyRobinson #NetGalley

I am a breast cancer warrior. Having been diagnosed and treated for bilateral breast cancer, I closely related to this book. It touched my heart like no book has before. Tammy Robinson nailed the emotions, angst and love of a person who has had cancer spot-on.
The characters were well-developed and relatable. The book was fast-paced and believable. My only regret is that it's over and I can't read it again for the first time. Enjoy! I did and I'm sure you will too!

“Love has no past and no future. Love just is.”

Oh my heart, this story was so beautifully written and incredibly heartbreaking.

Ava is in her late twenties and is diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. Her biggest dream in life was to get married. She decides she wants to celebrate her life with a wedding instead of the end of her life with a funeral.

Throughout Ava’s story she brings awareness to breast cancer and the fact that unfortunately cancer doesn’t care how old you are, how much money you have, or what religion or race you are. It unfortunately can happen to anyone.

This beautiful story reminds us not to take life for granted. Stop and enjoy the moment. Smell the roses. Love with everything you have. Physical gifts don’t matter, moments do.

5 💫 Thank you @netgalley for my ARC for my honest review. #PhotosOfYou

WOW! I knew that this book was going to break my heart and it sure did!

Tammy Robinson knows how to write heartbreak and I felt that. This book gave me all the feels

I loved how much emotion and realism was written within this story. The cover is amazing and the whole story just flowed. I was crying and having my heartbroken for Ava.

When Ava and James got together you knew that it would be one emotional relationship. But it was beautiful

I loved this book and it was the perfect read. All I suggest is that you have tissues handy

Where do I start? This was a very emotional read for me as an Oncology nurse. Ava has battled breast cancer before but it comes back terminally when she is 28. The way Tammy writes makes you feel so connected to the characters that you can’t help but want to jump right in and help the community arrange these special moments for Ava. When I’m at work, I always encourage my patients to really think about what is important to them and seek out those moments before it is too late. This book definitely reminded me that life is a precious gift.

Preliminary review based on first chapters excerpt:
Ava is young, she has and amazing family and fantastic friends. She also just found out she has terminal cancer and wants to throw herself a wedding as a last wish. This is the kind of material I tend to avoid, with it's highly emotional, sad, premise. However, I found the writing to be excellent and in just a few chapters I am endeared to Ava and her people and want to find out what happens next.

I will add to this review upon completion and at publication date.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Grand Central Pub/Forever for the chance to read this title early.

Maybe it's morbid, but I can't help being drawn to end-of-life books. Whether it's old age or an untimely death by cancer, I'm a fan of those end-of-life reflections and the deep questions these books inevitably make us ponder. When I saw my friend, Megan, was reading Photos of You, I deviated from my meticulously cultivated TBR (facepalm) and knew I had to read this book. It resulted in a wonderful impromptu buddy read and, as usual with Megan, fantastic conversation.

One of the most pleasant surprises in reading Photos of You was the New Zealand setting. Somehow, I've never managed to read a book set on this lovely island, which provided plenty of learning opportunities. I didn't realize how foreign New Zealand was for me, so naturally, I learned new words like Antipodean (referring to inhabitants of New Zealand and Australia) and even discovered constellations I didn't know existed (The Southern Cross). The opposite seasons to those we experience in the Northern Hemisphere are always fun to read about as well since they're vastly different from what we experience in say, January. In those ways, this novel was ...well, novel.

As Megan and I agreed, the characters felt like real people the author might have known. Even the secondary characters in this story shined, with personalities that jumped off the pages. This made the story feel more personal and kept me rooting for everyone throughout. The romance wasn't, for me, the main focus of the book, but it sure made me more invested in the story. I couldn't get enough of James and his kindness. He was definitely a highlight!

I was certain this would be a tear-jerker, ugly cry-type of story, but unfortunately, that moment never came. I hoped to be more invested in events taking place, but I found them to be quite predictable. I hoped to feel more of an emotional connection and a sense of loss after the investment of time and the love of the characters, but that link between the pages and my heart was missing.

Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable story with an excellent message. It's always good to take a moment to take stock of our lives and be reminded of its true importance. All of us get caught up in the mundane and the trivialities of life, which helps to make books like this one so essential. I also appreciated the other lessons the author wove into the story, as well, like being one's own advocate for their health.

Photos of You releases February 18th.

wow, this was just so heartbreaking and devastating. really makes you think and want to focus on living and appreciating everything.

"Don't wait until your dying to start living."

Finding out her cancer has returned and is terminal, Ava is determined to do the one thing she has always dreamt of...she wants to get married. Knowing this is a tough task being a 28-year-old single woman with metastatic breast cancer, she decides to take control of her life again and give herself a wedding in place of a funeral. Her friends reach out for help on social media and Ava soon is flooded with responses and resources. Surrounded by her loved ones, she finds out the definition of truly living in her final days.

This is a really special story. Not only does Tammy Robinson advocate and raise awareness for breast cancer, she brings to light how important it is to live. Photos of You is a necessary reminder to not sweat the small things but also to appreciate the small things. Appreciate everything really. You never know which day will be your last, so live each one like it is. (And yes, you will likely shed lots of tears reading this)

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was looking for a light hearted book after a few predictable suspense/thriller books and what I got was this gem. Yes it was a sorry about a woman dying from cancer but it was so much more! The author gives you great characters with a story you fall in love with, how can you not? This book was super sad though but I still love it.

Thanks to author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I will definitely be recommending this!

THIS BOOK WAS MY FAVORITE of 2019!!!!! Five starts!

This book ropes you in from the very first page and keeps you until the end. Wow. The story starts off with a grime prognosis for our leading lady. In a last ditch effort to live her life to the fullest she plans out the one thing she's wanted the most since she was a little girl, her wedding. With no groom in sight everyone around Ava helps out together a wedding she will never forget and will carry with her until her last breath. If you are a fan of books such as Me Before You. Pick this book up asap!!!

Photos of You by Tammy Robinson
Source: NetGalley and Piatkus
Rating: 5/5 stars

At just twenty-eight years old, Ava Green has been given a death sentence. Her cancer has returned, it has returned with a vengeance, and there is nothing that can be done to help her. At twenty-eight years old, Ava Green knows she will not see another year, so she had better start living. Topping her list of living, getting married!

Though Ava’s friends and family initially believe she has lost her mind – she doesn’t even have a boyfriend! – they soon realize that what Ava means by a wedding is really a celebration of her life, on her terms before she dies. Since she was a child, Ava has dreamt of her wedding day, she has planned for it, imagined it, and, above all else, longed for it. Ava doesn’t care that she doesn’t have a groom, all she needs on her big day is to be surrounded by her friends and family. Once her friends and family fully understand and appreciate Ava’s intentions, they not only rally around her, but begin planning and plotting, full steam ahead.

Though Ava has every intention of keeping her end of life celebration private, her friends and family want it to be the spectacular event she has always dreamt of. To that end, Ava’s best friend shares the new on social media and before any of them can blink, Ava’s story has gone viral and the messages of love, support, and pledges of help roll in. What’s more, the media has caught wind of Ava’s story and want to document her journey. Though Ava is initially very resistant to the idea, she comes to believe that if her story can help just one person then sharing her discomfort, her journey will have been worth it.

As a part of the media coverage comes photographs and a lovely young man, James. Ava is instantly drawn to James, yet her situation negates any sort of real relationship. As the days and weeks go by, both Ava and James feel compelled to acknowledge the attraction between them as it is like nothing either has ever known. Once the acknowledgement in made, Ava lays out all the facts for James, the ugliness that is come, her very short life expectancy, and the pain they are both going to experience as a result of her illness and death. With bravery, courage, and love in their hearts and minds, Ava and James commit to one another until the bitter end no matter the cost. Unfortunately, as Ava has already learned in the harshest way possible, life isn’t always fair, and things don’t always go according to plan.

The Bottom Line: Bloody hell! I intentionally put off reading this book until I had a time where I could afford to ugly cry and then be able to sleep it off the next day. I needed every minute of that sleep because this book tore me up! This is in no way a happy or uplifting book, but one rooted firmly in reality. While Ava is certainly brave and tremendously courageous, she is also a realist; from the moment she receives her diagnosis, Ava approaches her remaining days with clarity and a hard truth that often threatens to bring her to her knees. I think this aspect of Ava’s character is the part of this book I most “enjoyed.” With literally nothing left to lose, Ava chooses to live her life out loud with a brutal honesty that is meant to not only prepare herself for the end, but to prepare her loved ones as well. Make no mistake, Ava has her low moments and there is as much truth and honesty in those moments as there are in the better moments. Ava’s reality is unfortunate, tragic, inevitable, but she makes every minute, every second count. I found Ava to be heroic and wonderful, desperate and deliriously happy, funny and sarcastic even in the face of her own end. To the end, Ava lives her life as she sees fit, as she desires, and as she deserves. In truth, this book is not going to be for every reader as it will most certainly conjure terrible memories and feelings of loss for those who have lost loved ones to cancer. I am, blessedly, not among that group and was able to sink into this book and appreciate it from a wholly different perspective. The subject matter is devastating and I ugly cried my way through the last quarter of this book, but it was worth every tear and every awful emotion.