Alexandra, mid thirties, successful as IT project leader and gifted hobby singer, is unexpectedly diagnosed with incurable debilitating neurological disease. In this moving semi-autobiographical story, we accompany Alex through the early stages of trying to come to terms with that irreversible life-changing stroke of fate, from denial to mental problems accepting help, from initial desperation to acceptance and finally enjoyment of life and finding love. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher Canelo for an ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Ohhh i really this book, bit different and i read in a few days. I don't think the cover reflects Alex's story.

Take A Moment really took me on an emotional journey. Alex throughout the story was such an inspiration, but also entirely human, with real flaws, which made this book hit home even more. You can totally feel what it would be like to be in her shoes, and it does make you shed a tear here and there, or sit with a massive goofy smile on your face.
That's the beauty of this book, it takes you from an emotional, intense situation, to a fun loving romance with the flick of a page.

Before reading the section from the author at the end, I already knew that this book was written by someone with experience of neurological disorders. Even though Kaye has a different condition to her main character, you could still feel the real life passion, emotion, and sometimes desperation that emits from the pages, and so I have only praise for the writing of this book.

Definitely worth a read!

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and the impact a degenerative condition can have on everything you live by. The characters are entirely real and you feel the emotion of the journey throughout.

Bravo Nina Kaye, a brilliant book!

A realistic story that highlights how no matter how busy or successful we are, all of us are only an accident, injury or diagnosis away from having our lives changed completely. This book follows that journey, and the struggles, opinions and misconceptions along the way. Ultimately, this read teaches us that it's not always the end of the world. Slowing down, adapting and even struggling can affect anyone, and the little moments in life are what keep us going. A diverse book that we will hopefully see more of!

Take A Moment is a sweet reminder to slow down in today’s very busy world. Alex is a focused young woman who is successful in her new career and planning her dream wedding. When she starts to feel tired she brushes it off as wedding stress and stays focused on her goals. Then something happens that forces her to slow down.

Alex’s life is turned upside down. I admire her strength, both physical and mental. She goes on a journey and finds out what is really important to her but it takes her slowing down to realize it.

Alex is at the top of her game. She has a success career as an IT project manager and she’s engaged to her fiancé Dom and they’re planning their dream wedding. When a fall at work lands her in the hospital with a long term illness her whole life comes crashing down around her. Her relationship is tested and her career may not be as stable as it once seemed. She makes some life changing decisions and must figure out how to cope and live with the news.

Alex: She’s such a relatable character. She handled the news in such a realistic way. She’s independent, she’s witty and a lovable person.

Matt: I looooovee Matt but he was way too perfect. He knew exactly what to say. He was perfect for Alex but at the same time he probably wouldn’t have handled the situations in such a perfect manner in the real world but book Matt was perfect for Alex.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It has office drama, romcom adorableness, family dynamic struggles. Literally everything you can want in a book is in it. I loved it.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This story is about Alex, who has a job she loves and a gorgeous fiancé, as well as a best friend whose always there for her. Her life may not be perfect as she would like but it’s as close as.
That is until, she receives a diagnosis that surprises her and one that she thinks can’t be true at all, tests show she has MS. After which her life as she lives it changes.

Following the diagnosis, the change she sees in the way her fiancé and her family treat her, she makes some hard decisions. She moves from Glasgow to Birmingham to make a fresh start.

On her own, in a new city and job, she’s finding out what the key important things are in her life.

Sasha, Matt and Emanuel’s characters I felt, were very well written well written. Danielle’s character, playing the part of a person having privileges in an office was interesting.

The story is thought provoking and heartfelt. It gives an insight on how those affected by this illness feel, live with on a daily basis as well as those close to them.

Recommend It.

Ok let me start with the positive: I LOVED Alex as a character. You could tell she was written by someone with a chronic illness as she was spot on, especially around the diagnosis and how she felt I cried pretty early on in this book because I could relate so hard to her.

The Neutral: The story line was very average. In fact below average, although I could relate to Alex as a character I found all of the other characters very bland and two dimensional.

The Negative: I really didn't like the portrayal of Sasha's mom. I kept hoping that there would be a conclusion to it, but instead it just further perpetuated a lazy stereotype that ME is not a real illness. I cant understand the need for this part of the story and it ruined an otherwise ok book for me.

Take a moment is a fantastic book. It dealt with MS in a kind and sensitive way. I felt so much sympathy for Alex in the way she found out she has MS, it opened my eyes a little bit as well. I enjoyed my time with this book so much, Alex was a fantastic main character and I enjoyed her journey so much. Nina did a fantastic and amazing job with this book and I can’t wait to read more by Nina!

Aww this book was very cute and it tackled a type of storyline I wasn't used to. Although the storyline was obvious, it was sweet, engaging and fun.
I wanted to say that the book lacked detail with the character description (which I still believe) but I also fell in love with so many characters, Matt, Sash and Sammy in particular. To fall in love with characters that you don't think you know enough about is a pretty amazing achievement to the writer. The characters were so obvious and honest that although I think they could have been elaborated on, they are perfect and enough.
I found this book endearing and infuriating.. all the while finding it interesting and thought provoking. What would I do if I found out I had MS? I have a husband and two kids so my story isn't the same but it wasn't hard to remember back to when I was dating my husband and wonder how would he react. Is he a Dom? Would he do better??

I absolutely fell in love with Emmanuel and the new work colleagues. They seem lovely, supportive and part of a wonderful work place group that reminds me of great work places I have worked in the past.

Overall I LOVED this book. For me it was a page turner, the story, although predictable, was so fun and exactly what I needed during a stage 4 lockdown in Australia. It kept me occupied for a few days and I will love the author for that. x

This is so much more than a delightful rom com. Alex has a fall and a shock diagnosis follows and forces her to change her lifestyle. Lots of adjustments and re-building life ensues.. as well as an adorable Mr.
Long term conditions/diagnosis are rarely in books enough so this awareness is always good to see. Its also been handled sensitively and thoughtfully. I also like the way the workplace was brought into the conversation- a definite example of what and what not to do with an employee. Also good to see a project manager/career driven women at the heart of the book- very relatable.
Emmanuel stole my heart as a perfect boss/best friend and everything else in between.
Some superb supporting characters that build Alex's world around her too.
Packed with music, fun, 'chance' meetings, liveliness, positive female characters (bar one boo Danielle).
Rich, lively, heart-warming.

I found take a moment to be quite a slow burner of a read but I’m glad I persevered with it!
Office politics,relationships,relocation and a diagnosis of MS all feature heavily in this book.
Romance, music, friendship and pushing your own boundaries are central to the main character Alex after her new diagnosis and the subsequent relationship breakdown,so armed with bravado she moves away to start a whole new life within the constraints of her illness and in doing so discovers what she is capable of, meets new people and enjoy a job that values her as a person.
Thank you net galley for this early read.

A very realistic journey into a serious condition, written with honesty and hope and showing incredible resilience, “Take a Moment”, by Nina Kaye (Canelo), is also about romance and love happening unexpectedly, when the most radical life changes are occurring.
The heroine, Alex, is a strong, career driven woman, who takes a surprising path when she receives a “shock diagnosis”. Moving for a new city and leaving behind an ex-fiancée, a patronizing, insufferable family, but also a very loving, supportive friend and a stable job is very brave and shows the heroine’s resilience.
As the story unfolds, the fears, vulnerability and insecurities facing this new reality are also portrayed as Alex navigates her new life and new self in Birmingham, even exploring a very interesting artistic facet that strengthens her personality.
The story is more about Alex’s journey than her romantic life, but I liked how a new love interest emerges and that the author didn’t diabolize the former one.
Matt is such a gorgeous hero, those expressive brown eyes, humor and kindness are an irresistible package.
I felt that perhaps sometimes he was too perfect or had the most perfect responses and I needed more development from his character.
I felt the same with Emmanuel, I’m not sure such a supportive, understanding boss would be found in the real world.
Alex’s take-charge attitude, independence and determination to have a normal life are admirable, let’s just say I’m sure I wouldn’t be that brave.
But the story has a great depiction of a newly diagnosed person with this neurological illness and the author deserves kudos for that.
There were other aspects I really liked: the setting – Glasgow and Birmingham – and the fact NHS provides a strong support system to Alex’s medical issues.

As the proud owner of a neurological condition myself, this book spoke to me, It was so refreshing to read about how life can go so wrong but things can still end up OK. It was a great read, didn't dwell too much on the disability but wasn't too positive about it either, it was the perfect balance. It was funny, charming, honest and the characters were fabulous. I LOVED reading about such a great supportive boss.

My only gripe was that the ex-boyfriend was too nice, I wanted to hate him but just couldn't. I guess that is quite realistic though so I can't be too upset!

Such a positive uplifting book without being too dramatic and unrealistic. A beautiful read, love your work Nina.

I really enjoyed this book, what a totally refreshing subject matter not a so called celebrity in site. Alex, preparing for her wedding receives a crushing diagnosis. This book is all about reactions to the news from all around her and how she fights back. Brilliant

Alex seems to be having the time of her life. Engaged to her childhood sweetheart Dom, flying high as an IT Project Manager, and planning her dream wedding in her beloved Glasgow. Then a fall at work leads to a shocking diagnosis and things start to fall apart.

Alex's changed circumstances might be life-altering, but it's the effect it has on her friends and family that is the most devastating. Over night it seems as though everyone is treating her like an invalid. Her mother and sister take over the wedding planning, and overrule all Alex's decisions. Dom treats her as though she doesn't know her own mind and she's been given a non-urgent make-work project to manage at work instead of the exciting project she was managing before the diagnosis. Even her best friend Sasha is treating her like an imbecile.

Determined that a medical diagnosis won't force her to be an invalid, and after a devastating argument with Dom, Alex decides to move to Birmingham, away from her the well-meaning, but suffocating, embrace of her friends and family. A new home, a new job, an employer who respects and accommodates her medical issues. The only fly in the ointment is one of her co-workers, Danielle, who unsuccessfully applied for the job that Alex won.

Romance, office politics, and karaoke, what's not to love?

This was a charming, yet insightful, romance and love letter to the overlooked city of Birmingham. It shone an honest light onto the limitations that such a diagnosis imposes, but also confirms that it doesn't stop you from living a good, exciting, and interesting life. I read that the author Nina Kaye has had a similar diagnosis and I think that is what makes this such an honest novel.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It was enjoyable but I didn't love it. I didn't like any of the characters and I found they didn't have their own distinctive voices, they sounded the same to me throughout the story.

I appreciate the author's note at the end of this book to explain the reason behind this story. However, my thoughts remain unchanged.

Things I liked about this book:
- The medical jargon wasn't a lot so is easy to follow.
- Alex decided to do things for herself, even if sometimes was a bit selfish.
- The work environment she ended up in, where there was so much support.
- Showing how people react after the news of someone's diagnosis and how they change

Things I didn't like:
- Insta love with a man Alex casually met three times on different occasions. Especially very soon after a breakup!
- More insta love but this time for her best friend.
- Lack of acceptance and resilience throughout.

A sudden diagnosis unravels Alex's life plan, but worse it changes the way her friends, family, colleagues and fiance treat her. Deciding to move from Glasgow to Birmingham, gives her a chance for an exciting new start and things start to look up.

i really liked the author's engaging, quirky writing style, which compelled me to read 'Take a moment' in a day. The characters were well written. I felt invested in Alex's journey and felt Sasha, Emmanuel and Matt were well painted also. The side story of Danielle and her priviliged status in the office was an interesting thread, as was the story about Sasha's mum.

There was just enough medical knowledge without it becoming filled with complicated jargon. I also liked the vivid description of Birmingham. The fact that it was written from a first person persepctive really brought the story to life.

My only criticism would be some elements didn't seem plausible. How likely would it be to meet the same man on different train journeys and then randomly in a bar?

Thanks indeed to Netgalley and Canelo for this very enjoyable read.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and Nina Kaye for allowing me to read a digital copy of Take a moment for an honest review.

What happens when your whole world gets turned upside down? In take a moment we follow Alex on her journey from wedding planning to a life changing diagnosis. The fear and worry of being seen and treated differently really resonated with me, as someone who has severe anxiety and agoraphobia that is a struggle to explain what you need on a daily basis. I understood Alex. Being brave when your whole world tumbles around you is one of the most courageous things and I admired Alex’s strength.

This book covered some very deep and hard subjects but it was so well handled. I really enjoyed this book.