BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'My Life For Yours' by Vanessa Carnevale

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I am definitely looking forward to reading more!

I was originally drawn to this book by its intriguing title & blurb. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 55 chapters and an epilogue which are a nice length so that you can read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is written from the perspectives of Nick and Paige. I always enjoy reading books written from the perspective of more than one person as you get to know how each character is feeling and more of what's going on giving you the bigger picture.

This book is seperated into 3 parts:

Part one focuses on Paige and Nick's long await for Paige to become pregnant, the grief of losing Max and how they build up their strength and relationship again. It is extremely emotional to read especially as a mother myself. I believe how Paige was during the grieving process paints an accurate picture of how a mum who has lost her child may feel and behave. Thankfully I have never had to go through this myself.

Part two focuses on the fact that Paige becomes pregnant again and the effect it has on her relationship with Nick and the rest of her family. Again, Paige seems to paint a true picture of what a woman in this position would feel like. I believe that how Nick behaves is very much what my partner would feel like in the same position.

Part three I shall leave a secret for you to discover yourself. Don't want to spoil things for future readers now do I?

Wow!! What can I say!! Such an emotional roller-coaster!! As a mum to 3 boys this storyline definitely hit me hard and it felt like I was going through the turmoil of emotions with Nick and Paige. I was even in tears before the WOW (cannot say more as I don't want any spoilers) ending!! I cannot remember the last time I cried while reading a book and yep there was ugly crying!! Not a good look at all!! So thank you very much for that Vanessa!!!

The book itself was very well written although I did get confused at certain points due to the jumps in time with no prewarning but not enough for it to spoil the story. I was hooked from page one and it left me thinking about it a long time after also. It is always good when you find an unforgettable book and I think this was one of them. I love the fact that it promotes awareness of Peripartum cardiomyopathy and it is obvious that the author did alot of research on this subject.

The characters were all very strong and all with their different beliefs and reasons behind their opinions. I adored both Paige and Nick and it was good to see this plot particularly from the perspectives of both the mum and dad as it gave me alot of different things to think about especially as a parent myself. I also loved reading about the rest of the family members who were also very believable and how they felt about everything and what they were going through.

Overall an extremely emotional book, a true page turning tear jerker. I think fans of Jodi Picoult would enjoy reading this. I would normally give 4/5 rather than 5/5 for the time lapse confusion but 4/5 for me is 'I enjoyed it' but this book I loved so it gets a 5/5 from me!!

Genres covered include Literary fiction and Drama.

I would recommend this book to fans of anyone who enjoys an emotional read, a good book in general and fans of Jodi Picoult

349 pages.

This book is 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I loved it) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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WOW!!! What can I say about this book???? Paige and Nick's story is full of emotion .. all the way till the end! This book grabbed me from page 1 and it kept me on the edge of my seat. So heartbreaking ... I can honestly say I have only cried a handful of times when I have read a book and this one got to me!! This was fantastic and I thank Netgalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published August 2020.

OMG! I had to take a break after finishing this book!! I often get emotional while reading a story. They more than once bring tears to my eyes, but only once in a while tears are really running down my cheeks. Well, this time I had two mini Niagara Falls flowing down my face.

What can I say. The story is beautiful, heartbreaking, heartwarming, scary, courageous, devastating. It made me smile, it made me cry. 

I honestly cannot say what I would do when I would find myself in Paige's shoes, but I think I would be too scared. She is one hell of a lady, that's for sure. 

One of the best books in this category that I have ever read. I already found 'my' queen of suspense. I think I have found 'my' queen of the waterworks. 5 stars, of course.

Thank you, Vanessa Carnevale and Bookouture

When you read the story line, you think "easy, choose your life" but once you get invested in the characters and their story that's not such an easy choice. As someone that had trouble conceiving, I totally understood Paige's decision. It's a heartbreaking story, glad it was a book!

Super fast read, great for summer...light yet an emotional roller coaster. I love the ending!!

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Vanessa Carnevale for the ARC.

I loved this book, but at times I found it hard to read through my tears. The description on the front cover says “A heartbreaking emotional page-turner about a terrible choice” and that sums the book up perfectly.

This is the story of Paige and Nick, a young couple who have been married for seven years. Nick is a paediatric surgeon still desperately trying to atone for the death of his brother when they were both children. Paige works at the Aged Care Home that Nick’s grandmother lives at, which is where she met Nick. Like most young couples they get regular prods from family members about when they are going to have children, but up till now they have been focussed on getting Nick’s career established.

When Nick suggests that the time is right to start thinking babies, Paige is ecstatic, although it takes her eight months to actually become pregnant. Nick and Paige are both over the moon about the impending baby, but as the pregnancy progresses Paige becomes more and more frustrated at Nick’s long hours at the hospital, missing pre-arranged events, always coming home late etc because it seems like every day there is an emergency he just has to stay and deal with.

At 34 weeks, Paige starts exhibiting some signs of illness, then every woman’s nightmare when pregnant, she realises she hasn’t felt baby move all day. The next thing she knows she is an emergency admission to hospital with significant heart failure, her baby in serious foetal distress with a slowing heart beat and doctors trying to work out whether there is any way they can safely deliver the baby without killing Paige.

Carnevale tears at your heartstrings as she describes the family, Nick, Paige’s parents Evelyn and David, and her sister Caitlin at the hospital waiting for news of what is happening with Paige and baby Max. The chapter ends with “That’s when I know. One of them is gone. The strange thing is, I don’t which is worse; my wife or my baby”.

The next chapter, dealing with Paige’s recovery in hospital, in the maternity ward with no baby and the numbness she experiences as she receives advice that until her heart recovers another pregnancy could kill her, are so realistic that anyone empathising with Paige will need a box of tissues close to hand.

Carnevale’s handling of the difficulties that parents who have lost a child often face, as each grieves differently and neither seem to be able to express how they are feeling in a way the other parent understands is accurately portrayed. Many relationships fall apart because of this inability to communicate on the others level.

As Nick finds himself more and more confiding in Miranda, resident psychologist at the hospital, single mum, and mother of Will, a boy whose life Nick saved, Paige’s life seems to be spiralling out of control. Then a romantic weekend away with Nick, in an attempt to rekindle their flagging relationship, results in Paige becoming pregnant.

Paige’s heart is still not strong enough to maintain a pregnancy, Nick afraid of losing both Paige and the new baby, is pushing for her to terminate the pregnancy, but Paige can’t bring herself to agree despite the risk.

Paige is prepared to risk her life for the chance to become a mother.

Nick is prepared to risk his marriage to save his wife’s life.

As Carnevale leads us down the path of Paige’s dangerous pregnancy, will Nick’s actions lose him everything he holds dear? And is the risk Paige is taking worth the toll of her pregnancy on her body, and her marriage?

Many thanks to NetGalley Australia and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this fabulous book.

This is a riveting book. It is well written and the storyline is very current. Paige and Nick are married and very much want a baby or two. They are the main characters of the book but Paige’s family plays an important part in the story along with Nick’s Mother. Perfect Caitlin, Paige’s older sister, is obviously friends with my “perfect “ older sister. I will remember this book for a long time and think about the characters and wonder how they are doing. Great book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

This is a beautiful and heartbreaking read. I am actually an emotional mess writing this review. This is so beautiful and touching I haven't been able to put this one down.
The author really draws you into the story of this one. As a reader you become captivated and the book becomes impossible to put down.
I absolutely must read more by this fantastic and extremely talented author. This is a boo which contains the impossible choice and really makes the reader think.
This is definitely a five star read which I highly recommend.

Public review to follow on blog tour

Can safely say I shed a few tears when I finished reading this book. It’s a book of love, loss hope and family.
Paige and Nick are a couple in love. When the time is right the start a family. However, joy quickly turns to tragedy when Paige looses baby Max and nearly her own life due to a heart condition. The couple are warned that until her heart recovers they must try for another child.
However, Paige accidentally gets pregnant again. She has to make a decision her life or the baby’s. Her family all have their own opinions. But will Paiges decision drive a wedge in her family and her marriage.

Beautifully written with great characters. Loved every page of this book. At times the grief was raw. Ultimately it leaves you to ask. What would you do in Paiges shoes.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review
#NetGalley. #MyLifeForYours. #VanessaCarnevale

This book will tug at your heartstrings. Paige loses her newborn son Max when she is rushed for emergency surgery for a heart condition she didn’t know she had. To add to the devastation, they can’t try for another baby until her heart heals. Then one day she finds out she is pregnant but it’s before her heart is ready, putting her and the baby at great risk.

As a mother I could feel for Paige and her heartbreaking decision. Her life or her baby’s? Paige is not in agreement with her family causing a lot of disagreements.

I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down!

When a rare life-threatening heart condition causes Paige and Nick to lose their unborn child their world crumbles. Just as they start to put their lives back together, Paige becomes pregnant again. As her heart is still weak, the pregnancy puts her and her unborn child at risk. Now Nick and Paige are faced with a dilemma: who do they save?

The grief, loss, and pain were palpable throughout this novel. Carnevale effortlessly melds the medical, mental, and emotional aspects of Paige and Nick's circumstance into an alluring story. While the subject matter and themes are heavy, Carnevale writes in a way that is engaging without emotionally overwhelming the reader. The dual POV allows the reader to connect with Paige and Nick independently and gain a rich understanding of how conditions like Paige's affect the patient and their loved ones. The conversations Nick and Paige have with each, their friends and their families are raw, emotive, and feel so real. For a novel about loss and mourning, it is never defeatist. It remains hopeful and optimistic.

I know this book is about motherhood. But I'm disappointed that Paige was mostly just mom-to-be/mother. Nick is multidimensional as we get to see him as a son, husband, father-to-be, doctor, son-in-law, and the list goes on. The reader watches how these parts of him create a complex character. We do not get to see as many angles of Paige. Her actions seemed to be driven by wanting to be a mother and very little else, making her appear less complex in comparison. A more developed Paige would have made this novel even better. With that said, this was still a very enjoyable read.

A captivating novel full of faith and love My Life for Yours is guaranteed to tug at your heart.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review .

This book is about a mother’s love and sacrifice for her child. It is a well written story that will have you crying more than once. A bit slow at times however it does not detract from the detailed difficult heartbreaking decisions that affect the whole family in this story. 5 stars

Thank you so much to the author, Vanessa Carnevale, and the publisher, for an early electronic copy of the book, for an honest review.

This is an emotional page turner and this book made me bawl like a baby. As a Mom, I know that you should always put your child first, however when you're the one with the medical issues, and it can cause you to die if you're pregnant, it might be best to look after yourself first and foremost, as you might not be here for that baby in the long run. However, I don't know how anyone could ever make the decision that Paige had to make.

I wasn't a great fan of how the book ended, as it kind of came to an abrupt ending and wasn't at all what I thought, but the rest of the book made up for the ending.

I absolutely love a book that makes me cry, and this one fits exactly into that category, and I loved this book and cannot wait to read more from this author.

This is the first book I have read by Vanessa Carnevale and it really got me.

I recommend before you start reading this you make sure you have a few free hours, a large mug of something hot and some nibbles as well as the biggest box of tissues.

The way Vanessa has written this book is outstanding. I was hooked by the main characters, Paige and Nick, within the first few pages. They were really easy to relate to and you can just picture them being your friends, family or neighbours. The author has really written them well.

It is true that this novel is heartbreaking, the subject matter alone makes it heartbreaking but it is written with such warmth and compassion that you can't help but feel like you really need everything to work out for this couple.

There were several plot turns that I was definitely not expecting but they were really relevant to the story. I loved that it was told from the Male and Females point of view. So often when dealing with the matters that this books deals so well with, the males and their thoughts and feelings are often not talked about.

I was probably a bit more emotional reading this book because the subject it covers are very close to home for me as I too suffer from a heart condition and this has affected my abilities in becoming a parent. To be honest I do normally avoid this type of book as I feel the facts and the effects of the situation are glossed over and not dealt with very well by the author. Some of what Paige portrayed, as a result of being superbly written by Vanessa was exactly how I have thought and felt and some of the conversations between all the relationships in the book are conversations I have had to have with my own network.

I can't thank Vanessa enough for writing this book with such honesty, compassion and warmth and for that reason alone, along with many others, this will definitely be my book of 2020!

I am off to buy anything else that Vanessa Carnevale has written.

I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did *****

Thank you to netgalley and Bookouture of the arc of My life for yours by Vanessa Carnevale.

Thank you Vanessa Carnevale for this thrilling and emotional book.

This follows Paige and Nick, and Paige was at the end of her pregnancy in the last trimester when she has heart failure in which she barely comes out alive and unfortunately saddening news her baby boy was born sleeping (stillborn). She is then diagnosed with a heart condition and she is advised by doctors that until it is under control she shouldn't try again to be pregnant.. but fate intervenes and she ends up becoming pregnant again.. So they must make an agonizing and risky decision should they risk Paige's life for the sake of their unborn child... which tests their marriage. It is a story of grief, loss and love and what people would do for each other and unborn babies.

I really enjoyed this book thoroughly it is heart felt, heart warming and emotional but so gripping and thrilling! this was a quick read for me as i read this so quickly and this is definitely a 5 star read as well, the way Vanessa has wrote this book was so beautifully written and structured in a great way.

5 Stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Definitely Recommend

What if you had to choose between your life and that of your desperately wanted unborn child? This is the choice Paige and Nick are faced with after they uncover that Paige has a potentially-fatal heart condition. As readers learn more about the couple and their extended family, emotions and beliefs are tested in this deeply impactful story.

One thing that stood out to me about this book was the strong relationships between Paige and her best friend, and Paige and her mom. So many books display relationships between women as prickly or dysfunctional (which can be valid and relevant), but it was nice to see the support and love between these women. I think all of the characters, especially Nick, were well written and believable. If I were to come up with a critique, I feel that the middle of the book dragged a little. I felt that Nick and Paige replayed the same argument over and over and I just wanted it to go somewhere. I also though the ending could have been stronger. As I read it, my feelings went from "This could be predictable" to "Oh crap, they didn't" (and tears) to "Oh wait, predictable". This isn't to say that the ending was bad or ineffective, it may just be personal preference. Overall I thought this book was fantastic and would read more by the author.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of My Life for Yours from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Life for Yours will pull at your heartstrings. This is an emotional journey told by each parent of the story of losing a late pregnancy child and the terror of facing the loss of another and also the life of the mother. Each chapter is told in the voice of Paige alternating with the voice of Nick, her husband.
There is nothing that can compare with maternal love and the determination to give every chance to her unborn child. The story was riveting and well worth the read.

My Life for Yours by Vanessa Carnevale is a heartwrenching read about an impossible choice, and it will stay with you long after the final page has been turned. This is a story about the strength of a mother's devotion to her unborn child, and the selflessness of love.

Nick and Paige are ready to start a family and are thrilled when Paige becomes pregnant. But it is during the pregnancy that Paige's health begins to fail, and she is diagnosed with a condition that will threaten not only her own life, but the life of her unborn baby. The love between a husband and wife is put to the test as the couple are forced to make impossible decisions that no expectant parent should ever have to make.

This is an emotional rollercoaster of a read, and one that will be tugging on your heartstrings from the very first page.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.

My Life for Yours by Vanessa Carnevale

I was lucky to be given an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was my first opportunity to read anything by Carnevale and I am hoping it won’t be my last! Some spoilers follow in this review but I promise not to reveal the ending!

This novel’s title clues the reader into the fact that there will be an intense emotional component, and it did not mislead. The main characters Paige and Nick are an idyllic couple. They are madly in love, successful, and looking forward to starting a family. They are thrilled when Paige becomes pregnant but this excitement turns to heartbreak when an undiagnosed medical condition nearly kills mother and baby.

There are many unknowns involved with Paige’s condition and they are strongly advised not to conceive a baby until she can fully recover and more is known about her illness. They struggle immensely with their disparate ways of grieving and begin to drift apart in ways that might cause irreparable damage. When Paige becomes pregnant again, the couple is faced with life and death decisions that are almost too difficult to make.

Nick battles his need to save those he loves, stemming from an unimaginable family trauma in his childhood. Paige is desperate to have a baby at any cost. Their worlds become more tense and tumultuous than most couples can withstand.

This was a fast paced read that had me enthralled and in tears. Nick and Paige are highly relatable and it was easy to become invested in them. I found myself feeling conflicted as I wasn’t sure which side I should be on or how I even wanted this book to end. Carnevale’s ending was perfection and addressed all of my questions and concerns for these characters and their families. I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I think a lot of women and mothers would be able to relate to it.

How far would you be willingly to go to have a child of your own? What if it meant putting your own life in danger? Paige and Nick’s dreams come true when they find out Paige is pregnant. Finally their family will be complete! But late in the pregnancy, Paige discovers she has a life-threatening heart condition and loses the baby. Even more heartbreaking. Paige is told it’s not safe for her to have another baby until her heart is stronger, and even then she’ll have to strictly monitor her heart. But she unexpectedly becomes pregnant again, and she is forced to make a difficult decision that will affect everyone she loves.

As a woman, I can see how hard it would be to choose between yourself and your unborn child. Paige had longed for a baby of her own, and now that she has another chance at motherhood, she doesn’t want to give it up. But there is a chance she won’t make it through the pregnancy alive. It really is an double-edged sword because no matter which decision she makes, there is a risk involved.

This really was a great read and I loved that it showed how gut-wrenching it is not only for the mother-to-be, but for her friends and family as well. At times the story seemed a bit repetitive, but overall I enjoyed it. Highly recommend!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3373542116

I really enjoyed this. I expected to be in tears by the end, and whilst I wasn't as moved as I expected, it was heart warming and really made me wonder what I would do if I was faced with the same situation as Paige. My sister recently passed away from cardiomyopathy and this made parts of it very difficult to read. It was well researched and helped me understand the condition better