Pure, gut wrenching, heart breaking grief is the theme of The Gift of Ben bravely written by his mother Lindsey Rogers-Seitz. After a hectic summer morning at home, Lindsay’s husband Kyle drove off with Ben safely fastened in his car seat, made one wrong turn, and went to work. He did not realize that he left Ben in the car until he went to day care to pick him up. His forgetfulness had a devastating result. Ben, much loved by his parents and older sisters, was dead. Kyle’s guilt and grief left him practically catatonic, unable to respond to questions. Lindsay was left to speak to medical personnel, the police, comfort her young daughters and plan a toddler’s funeral. Then DCF (State Department of Children and Families) became involved. Their lives were ripped apart in the investigation that became centered on Lindsay, who was not involved in the accident, and her bipolar mental illness which was controlled by medicine. Because of her determination, her family survived the tumultuous year after Ben’s death.

This is a hard book to read and almost impossible to put down. Lindsay’s anger, pain and grief are palpable. She is brutally honest about her struggle to remain sane, forgive Kyle and fight a broken system. She won and The Gift of Ben is a 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wellness Writers Press and Lindsey Rogers-Seitz for this ARC.

I'm in awe of Lindsey's book. She is so brave and tells the heart wrenching story of the loss of her son in this memoir. I flew through the pages and appreciated her honesty. I will remember this one for a long time. Five stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wonderful book. Advice: if you read it keep handkerchiefs at hand you’ll need it. It’s like a behind the scenes view to the life off an ordinary family when something extra-ordinary happens. I adored it and I highly recommend it.

Heartbreaking story. Honest.
Thanks to author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Lindsey Rogers-Seltz, shares with us, about her son, Ben and the life of her family, before his tragic death and afterward. Reading the book, was heart-wrenching, and the grief that they went through, came through the pages.
As I read what the book was about, I couldn't imagine all that they went through. As I was reading the book, they couldn't grieve in private, the media, and the investigations that were going on, were there. The range of emotions, the strength it took to make it through this tragedy, everything about them came out. Lindsey's history of mental illness, they wanted to know every detail. They fought through it all, and somehow, had the strength to keep moving forward. In the description of the book, "After years of reflection and healing, Lindsey finds her path to self-acceptance, as the love she found in her son’s life gives her the power to, in turn, love herself. That is the love of a son for his mother—the gift of Ben."
It is a hard story to read, but you won't be able to put it down.
I received an ARC from Wellness Writers Press.

The Gift of Ben: Loving through Imperfection is raw and gritty and heartbreaking. It is an honest look at how the lives of a family are affected by the death of a child. This family shows so much honesty, courage, and resilience as they deal with this tragedy. I can’t even begin to imagine the multitude of feelings and in all honesty, I do not ever want to know or feel the pain and loss they have had to endure. This is coupled with the mental health issues that Lindsay must deal with. Her struggles are a powerful reminder that mental health affects many people, and it is important that it is taken into consideration and help be provided. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.