Just a beautiful heartwarming story of love. Cried several times. I will look forward to other books!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

⭐️⭐️⭐️

What’s Worth Keeping
Author: Kaya McLaren
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: January 19, 2021

The story is told in 3 POV. Amy, who has just undergone chemo, a double mastectomy, and hysterectomy. She recounts the days that follow her cancer-free results. 

The second POV is told by Amy's husband, Paul, who is battling his own demands. After being involved in a major accident that took many people's lives, he wonders where his life went and how his views drastically changed. 

And finally, their daughter Carly who has just graduated high school, reeling from the devastation following her mother’s diagnosis and surgeries. 


👍🏻 I love the storyline. I am fully invested in this family and their healing. I love the multiple points of view. It helps to tell each person's part of the story. 

👎🏼 In Amy’s sections, there’s a lot of detail about nature and the National Parks she visits, along with bits of her past that, in my opinion, is too wordy.

This is a well written book that stays with you long after you read the last page. It is heartbreaking and full of emotions. Have a box of tissue handy, you're going to need them. You don't want to miss this book! Thank you St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

A touching story of a family struggling to stay together after the mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and the father, a police officer  has to cope with the aftermath of Oklahoma City bombing.  Thought provoking- this story will stay with you long after you complete it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC to read and review.

What’s Worth Keeping by Kayla McLaren

This is a poignant and serious reflection on the toil that cancer diagnosis has on all members of a family.  It is oft times very sad and emotions run high, but we get a wonderful cast of characters who a richly and deeply developed.  Husband and wife and mother daughter relationships are viewed through the lenses of the three main characters alternating points of view.

Be prepared for an emotional ride, so make sure that you are in the right frame of mind to being this journey with Ms McLaren.

This is a well-written, very sad novel. Every character has a sad story. It’s told from the points of view of Amy, the mother and wife who had to have a double mastectomy and hysterectomy and is still recuperating from chemo and surgery; Paul, the police officer husband and dad who has never recovered from clearing bodies from the Oklahoma City Bombing; and Carly, the high-school age daughter who gets angry at the whole world after her mother’s diagnosis. 

Carly spends the summer at her Great Aunt’s ranch, taking care of horses and helping with guests. Amy spends time back in nature, dealing with her failing body and marriage. Paul initially stays behind to work, but a glitch on the job gives him some time to do repairs on a home that he’d planned on retiring in with his wife. Time with nature and art—drawing and music—help the three of them start repairing themselves and seeing themselves within their family unit differently. 

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES JANUARY 19, 2021.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Amy battled cancer with the help of her family, but it seemed as though they all lost pieces of themselves and disconnected along the way. All broken and each dealing with their personal trauma, they slowly found their way back to one another by being apart. 

This story was rather emotional. I mean, how could it not be, but it was also tough for me, because these were some really broken people, and they were dealing with their baggage for most of the story. That's a lot of sort of sad and heavy parts. There were some really beautiful moments woven into the story, though I wish there had been more. 

One of the bright spots was Aunt Rae. I loved the role she played in all of this.  She was a woman with so much grit, and I was blown away by her backstory. She meddled in the best way, and I thought she was just the best kind of glue to bring this family back together. 

Overall, I did enjoy seeing this trio work their their pain and find a way to more forward together.

What’s Worth Keeping is a deeply moving story of a family’s journey of finding acceptance, healing, peace, and the things that are worth keeping.  In my opinion, this novel deserves nothing less than a five-star rating because it made me feel so much.  Throughout the book’s entirety, I was invested, riveted to the pages, and completely immersed in the story and the characters.

Amy had been through so much.  Her pain, suffering, and despair were palpable.  Not only had she been dealing with her health and mortality, but her marriage and her relationship with her daughter were teetering on the edge.  Amy’s turmoil leapt off the pages and into my heart.  I felt all of the emotions right along with her, from her anger, hurt, and betrayal to her relief, determination, and comfort.  I wanted her to be at peace, to live her life the way she wanted, and to seek the much-needed joy in the places, people, and things that brought her solace. 

The story is told in alternating chapters between Amy, Paul, and their daughter Carly.  This worked perfectly for this novel.  It gave me an insight into each of the character’s feelings and how their lives were affected by certain events.  While I was definitely a cheerleader for Amy, I can’t downplay the difficulties that her husband and daughter also faced.  It took me a while to get behind Paul and his actions, but the chapters from his perspective really shone a light on his own despair.  As far as Carly was concerned, she was a teenager who had witnessed her mother fighting for her life and she was beginning to question aspects of her own future.  And, again, she was a teenager.  She needed a little nudge in the right direction along with some words of wisdom and some time to reflect…and some time with Great-Aunt Rae.  I think it’s fair to say that every family needs a Great-Aunt Rae in their lives.

What’s Worth Keeping made me feel a plethora of emotions.  I’m not much of a crier, but I will admit that I spent a good amount of my time wiping the tears from my eyes while I was reading this book.  There was simply no avoiding it.  I finished the book and an entire box of tissues.  When a book can elicit such a reaction from a reader, the author has done her job.  While it was heartbreaking and gut wrenchingly painful, it wasn’t all sadness and despair, it was also brimming with growth, hope, and love.

Since finishing What’s Worth Keeping, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.  It’s definitely a story that will stick with me for a long time to come.
 
*5 Stars

"Life is an imperfect experience."

What's Worth Keeping tells the story of Amy, Paul, and their daughter, Carly, who are at the tail end of Amy's treatment for breast cancer.  Carly has just graduated high school and is still reeling from her mother's diagnosis and treatment as well as findings that may directly affect Carly in the future.  Amy is coming off of a year of intense treatment and pain during which she found out a secret Paul had been keeping.  Paul has been fighting demons of his own for years while dealing with some very real PTSD.  This is a family hurting and the question is asked whether they can heal from it all and come back together.

This book is so beautifully well-written.  It is heartbreaking and gut wrenching at times and yet I couldn't stop reading.  McLaren writes these characters with such soul-bearing poignancy that I found myself wrapped up in the loss and sadness with them.  I loved Amy's Aunt Rae and how she is able to be the string that ties the three together while they work to re-center themselves so they can move on stronger for one another.  I enjoyed the connections she made in the book to nature, horses and the National Parks.  It's really a stunning book that, while hard to read at times, is all the better for that pain and sorrow.  Seeing these three slowly heal in their own ways was hopeful and heartwarming.

This book is the first I have read from McLaren.  I sincerely hope to read more from her in the future.  Trigger warnings for those dealing or who have dealt with breast cancer and/or PTSD. 4.5 stars

This is a lovely story of healing. Amy just finished cancer treatments, Paul is still struggling with the aftermath of helping in the Oklahoma City bombings, and their daughter Carly just graduated from high school. Each person is strongly affected by Amy’s cancer and their own pasts and they need to heal.

What I loved most about this book is how each person was able to heal in their own way without anyone else getting in the way or trying to help without really helping. Everyone has to evaluate their situation and decide what is best for them, how to move forward, and how to let go. I also enjoyed that it each chapter was told from a different persons POV. I love books written this way because I feel you see much more of the person. I would highly recommend this book!

This was a honest raw look at the toll of cancer in the family and the patient. It was different in that it is told with complete honesty. I can attest to this as I watched family die excruciating deaths from cancer. In that regard it was hard to read but once complete i reflect on the brutal honesty of the story. It draws the curtain back from the truth of seeing our families suffer these brutal cancer  treatments and deaths.   Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. This will bring up grief for those readers who lost loved ones to cancer.

I received a copy of WHAT’S WORTH KEEPING by KAYA MCLAREN. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

FIVE Stars and here’s why:

Total book hangover. And keep a box of tissues handy, too. This gut-wrenching story is told from multiple points of view about second chances. Cancer affects most of us in some way – we either know someone who has fought it or have walked in the trenches of that battle ourselves. In my case, my husband is in remission from cancer and I didn’t know if I could read this book. But, when I started reading it, I discovered that Ms. McClaren took a hard look at the reality of that battle—from the view of the patient and loved ones stuck on the sidelines—yet infused just the right amount of humor and love into the plot to make me keep turning the pages to see how the story played out. Well done, Ms. McClaren. Well done. 

This is a highly emotional read, yet so satisfying, too. Highly recommend.

"You've got a lot of armor on. It's invisible, but still very real. You'll need to take that off before you can experience the really good stuff in life. The land of the good stuff is a risky place. And sometimes it leaves you utterly devastated...completely destroyed. But you can't have it both ways. You can't get into the land of the good stuff with armor on, and I suppose that's why I've never been back. You've just got to jump in with your heart wide open. I don't know that I have it in me to go to the land of the good stuff again, but Carly, I am so glad I went there once. Don't miss out. "   - Great Aunt Rae

I just want to start by saying that everyone needs a Great Aunt Rae in their life. She is solid and sure and loving and full of grace and light and insight. I LOVED her.

This book was slow burning and heartbreaking and deep and tender and sad in the sweetest possible way. Each character is dealing with SO much. Cancer, PTSD, trauma, loss,  suppressed emotions, fear of the future...and watching them work through it, being privy to such personal moments, was beautiful.

I loved  how each character used nature and animals to help them work through their problems. They didn't  *just* work with horses, rebuild old homes, or tour national parks. They connected in extraordinary ways to these tasks and learned from them. It' was quite lovely. 

Each character grows and learns and mourns and forgives and starts over again.  We get to see them build and tear down walls and rage and celebrate and live.  And isn't that the nature of this horrible, gorgeous, terrible, amazing life we live? 

Just stunning.

4.5 stars. 

Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Griffin and NetGalley for a complementary copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC of What’s Worth Keeping by Kaya McLaren.  The three main characters, mom, dad and daughter, switch off telling their story.  As they retell the struggles they are experiencing, they are also telling you what they are doing to overcome these struggles and how they all come together again as a family. Some parts I enjoyed more that others, but overall, this was a very worthwhile read that I will be recommending.

This was a beautiful book that made me cry. As someone who lost my mother to cancer, it shook me to my core and makes me worry for my own future. It was just lovely and sad. I could not put this down nor could I stop crying. Truly a wonderful family saga for those who have to deal with the hard news of family illness and genetics.

The Bergstrom family is struggling. Mom and wife Amy has survived a battle with breast cancer, but she feels like she's lost her identity. Her husband Paul is still dealing with PTSD from being a first responder at the Oklahoma City bombing. And daughter Carly can't seem to find the motivation for college or any other future plans. When Amy decides to take a trip around the country's national parks, each of the Bergstroms ends up on their own journey towards love and acceptance.

You're probably going to need a pack of tissues for this novel - it's a tearjerker! McLaren did a great job making me feel invested in the characters and their feelings without making the book too overwrought. I liked getting the perspectives of each member of the family and having the chance to understand how they reacted to Amy's cancer and other events the family went through. Paul's PTSD story was especially moving; I had not previously read much about PTSD among men. If you like family-based, character-driven novels, I definitely recommend this book. 

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 5 January 2021. 

Amy finds out she has breast cancer and must undergo a double mastectomy and chemo. Her husband, a cop who was a first responder at the Oklahoma City bombing, is still trying to cope with his own trauma, and now must be Amy’s primary caregiver. Carly, their daughter, is going to also be a caregiver, and at 16, that’s a lot for a teenager to take.

When Amy discovers a secret her husband Paul has been keeping, it turns her already upside down world inside out. She has to find herself and determine if she’s willing to keep the life she had or start over. Escaping is the only way she can think to try to make peace with what’s happened and how to move forward.

Post-graduation, Paul takes Carly out to her great-aunt’s ranch to work for the summer. Paul and Amy are hoping that Rae’s influence and being with the horses and nature for a few months might help Carly heal. Rae has plenty of wisdom and life experience and love to put Carly’s life in perspective. 

Paul has his own issues to cope with, so while at the ranch, he stops by the retirement home that the family had purchased. It’s in disrepair. While given an unexpected leave from work, Paul decides to start repairing the house and hopes that will give him the time to repair his own life. 

Perhaps I’m biased as a breast cancer survivor, but I really enjoyed reading this telling of another woman’s experience as a survivor. This book touched on so much survival and trauma - breast cancer, first responder experience, child caretaker of a survivor. Everyone in this family had some form of PTSD from what they’d been through. I loved how each person needed to heal and reflect and move forward in the best way possible for each of them. Sometimes what we think destroys us, allows us to start over in new ways. This novel absolutely showed how change can be good in more ways than we could imagine.

I loved this tender touching book. It was a good family and characters study I enjoyed and I loved the setting which is in the pnw . 
Thanks for letting me review this book

This story broke my heart on so many levels, on so many pages, in so many ways.

A family in crisis - a father who is broken by what he has seen, a mother who is acknowledging her loneliness and isolation from her fight with breast cancer, their daughter who is trying to find the value and worth in life with all that is falling down around her. Each has a voice and a part which we hear it in alternating chapters throughout the book. Each is lost and floundering. Each has to find their own path to heal their wounds and spirit. Constantly repeating “I am alive now. I am alive now. I am alive now” - it becomes so basic to understand that this is everything, this is time and here and now and are we ever promised anything else? 

Ms. McLaren has fought an heroic battle and has emerged a warrior and a hell of a good writer. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy.

Surviving breast cancer and follow on surgeries, Amy is at a point of trying to find herself again. Believing she needs to be with the big trees, she goes on an adventure to discover her inner strength and come to terms with her life. Meanwhile, husband Paul and daughter Carly need to figure out who they are beyond Amy’s husband and daughter and work through their own internal demons. 

A book about coming to grips with reality, finding the positive side of an unknown future, and what family really means. The book does meander a bit at points but overall a good story.