Book number 30 in my Goodreads reading challenge is My Everything by Katie Marsh.

‘On the day Hannah is finally going to tell her husband she’s leaving him, he has a stroke . . . and life changes in an instant.
Tom’s only 32. Now he can’t walk or cut up his own food, let alone use his phone or take her in his arms. And Hannah’s trapped. She knows she has to care for her husband, the very same man she was ready to walk away from.
But with the time and fresh perspective he’s been given, Tom re-evaluates his life, and becomes determined to save his marriage. Can he once again become the man his wife fell in love with, or has he left it too late?’ (Thanks Amazon)

What an interesting (and much discussed) concept.  To have made a decision following months of heartache, pain and soul-searching just to have that decision taken away from you must be heart-wrenching.  A decision that had the potential to change your life for the better, only to have it removed by fate. What would you do?

I think that Katie Marsh deals with this subject in a manner that will make you want to cry for Hannah, applaud her and cheer for her.  My Everything describes a life changing event that affects both Tom and Hannah, eventually making their life priorities far clearer than either had anticipated.

I think the subject of this novel is fascinating, and  it really makes you consider your own actions in such a scenario.  Hannah’s actions throughout the novel are applaudable, but the flashbacks also help show why Tom had put them in the position that they found themselves in.  The novel highlights the need to find a healthy work/life balance, and the need for communication in any relationship.

This novel is both tragic and heartwarming as a couple seek to ‘fix’ their damaged relationship in the face of adversity.  This is a thought-provoking example of good chick lit – there are no surprises however I urge you to read it if only to prompt you to ask yourself the questions: Would you be strong enough to leave?  Would you be strong enough to stay?

Rating: 3 and a half stars out of 5