Claire is dying of cancer, and despite what is depicted as a good marriage, she decides that she would like her two best friends to be with her as the end approaches, instead of her husband Elliot. This is told through Eliot's viewpoint. Wow, I look forward to reading a lot of reviews when this book is published to hear what others think. But here is what I have to say. Ann Packer is an excellent writer, in fact although it's been many years since her last book my first thought when seeing this was available was a resounding "Yay!" And I was not disappinted at all in the writing or readability. As far as the plot... so difficult to put into words. My recurring thought was that if their marriage was so great, she would not have headed down this path. At times it made it hard for me to like Claire. Sympathy for her - yes, of course. And I get the whole sisterhood feeling completely. I've been telling poeple about this book and it will stay with me for a bit! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I can’t say this is a happy or uplifting book, but it is a strong, powerful, complex, and very, very real book about a strong marriage and the intricacies of how it weathers the derailers of life. On page two, Eliot and Claire say goodbye to the oncologist who has treated her breast cancer for nine years. The end is near and there is nothing more that he can do. The book takes us from this point until the end, actually, has been reached. But while I think we all feel as though we’ve read this “story” a million times, I found *this* version quite different.

This story is told from Eliot’s perspective. After a surprising, and somewhat heartbreaking, last request, we see Eliot’s struggle with isolation, communication, understanding, and retrospective introspection. While it is easy to read and make judgements about what people think, say, and do, I don’t think that is really the point. This is life and a marriage and a family and a circle of friends, and there is no “correct” behavior, no hard and fast guidelines to what is right. But it is all exquisitely detailed — the conflicting thoughts, the desires, the dears, the selfishness and simultaneous generosity. I’m not surprised by the quality of the writing (this book could not have been an easy thing to pull off) because it is Ann Packer — I’m pretty sure I’ve read and loved all of her books. Hard to read such a story without having a heavy heart, but it relates to a part of life that we will all experience in one way or another. The depth of insight was worth the trip.

Probably one of the saddest and emotional books I ever read. Also one the most enlightening stories I have ever read. Eliot and Claire are an older middle aged couple . They are affluent, educated , and loving. They have 2 normal children and grandchildren. Claire develops breast cancer and 8 years later it has metastasized into into a terminal situation.
This is the story of how the couple and friends and family intellectually and emotionally deal with Claire's final months.
You soon feel like a family member