The Five Stages of Falling in Love, Rachel Higginson,★★★★★

Book review and giveaway! Comment on this post with your email to be entered to win a free copy on release day!

Dream Cast!!!

Michael Fassbender as Grady

 

Naomi Watts as Elizabeth

Alex O’laughlin as Ben

Kaley Cuoco as Liz’s younger sister emma

 

Getting the Feel’s Review

I was initially intrigued to read this after seeing all the amazing reviews  and then I saw the cover. On the back I noticed the 5 stages that are mentioned in the book (Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) and then I realized that these are actually the stages of a grief model used by Kubler-Ross. As a social worker I was immediately drawn to books that include my love of social work and therapy themes and ideals!

WHOA! JUST…..HOLY COW! I admit. I am a glutton for punishment. I literally have seached books that make people ugly cry. I need to feel the pain and ache’s of each fictional character and boy does this book give you that heartache and satisfaction. YOU WILL CRY!

The book begins with Elizabeth Carlson, whom has just lost her husband and the love of her life, her soulmate, Grady. The woman is suffering deeply from this loss and is barely able to overcome her grief enough to care for her four young children.You relate to her story as she grieves every aspect of her drastically changed life. You feel her frustrations. Enter Ben, the next door neighbor whom seems to be a saving grace. He offers help and kindness towards both Elizabeth and her little rascals seeming to always be the relief they need. They form a reliable friendship that aids in soothing Liz’s aching heart. At one point Liz discovers that Ben is developing feelings more than she cares to reciprocate or can even face after this loss in her life. Will she choose to keep Ben as her close friend, make more of their relationship, or will the relationship disappear altogether to save the heartache?

Higginson takes you through Liz’s 5 stages of grief after her loss and how she copes (or lack thereof). Here was my response to each stage:

Denial: (literally 3% in to the novel)

Anger:

Bargaining:

Depression:

Acceptance:

My eyes are a burning mess. Now enter this giveaway for a chance to win and go buy the book on Tuesday.

Book Cover Synopsis

Elizabeth Carlson is living in the pits of hell- also known as grief.

Her husband of eight years, the father of her four children and the love of her life, died from cancer. Grady’s prognosis was grim, even from the start, but Liz never gave up hope he would survive. How could she, when he was everything to her?

Six months later, she is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and get the kids to school on time. Both seem impossible. Everything seems impossible these days.

When Ben Tyler moves in next door, she is drowning in sorrow and pain, her children are acting out, and the house is falling apart. She has no time for curious new friends or unwanted help, but Ben gives her both. And he doesn’t just want to help her with yard work or cleaning the gutters. Ben wants more from Liz. More than she’s capable of ever giving again.

As Liz mourns her dead husband and works her way through the five stages of grief, she finds there’s more of her heart to give than she thought possible. And as new love takes hold, she peels away the guilt and heartache, and discovers there’s more to life than death.

Buy it here on Tuesday!: