Release: August 4th, 2020
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N
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New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt writes novels that expertly explore the struggles and conflicts that people face in their search for happiness.
For the characters in With or Without You, it seems at first that such happiness can come only at someone else’s expense. Stella is a nurse who has long suppressed her own needs and desires to nurture the dreams of her partner, Simon. He is the bass player for a rock band that has started to lose its edge. But when Stella gets unexpectedly ill and falls into a coma just as Simon is preparing to fly with his band to Los Angeles for a gig that could revive his career, Simon must learn the meaning of sacrifice. Stella’s best friend, Libby, a doctor who treats Stella, must also make a difficult choice as the coma wears on.
When Stella, at last, awakes from her two-month sleep, she emerges into a striking new reality. Meanwhile, Simon and Libby have formed an intense bond. And there, she discovers that she has acquired a startling artistic talent of her own. That is the ability to draw portraits of people in which she captures their innermost feelings and desires. Stella’s whole identity, but also her role in her relationships, has been scrambled. And she has the chance to form a new life, one she hadn’t even realized she wanted.
A story of love, loyalty, loss, and resilience, With or Without You is a page-turner that asks the question, What do we owe the other people in our lives, and when does the cost become too great?
About the Author:
Caroline Leavitt is the New York Times bestselling author of Cruel Beautiful World (out in paperback August 8th! 2017) s This Tomorrow and Pictures of You (Algonquin Bohich. Pictures of You was on the Best Books of the Year lists from the San Francisco Chronicle, The Providence Journal, Bookmarks, and Kirkus Reviews. It was also a Costco Pennie’s Pick. Is This Tomorrow was long-listed for the Main Readers Prize, a WNBA Reading group Choice, A San Francisco Chronicle Lit Pick/Editor’s Choice, a Jewish Book Club Pic and the winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award.
The winner of a New York Foundation of the Arts Grant, a second prize winner in Goldenberg Fiction Prize, A Sundance Screenwriting Lab Finalist, a Nickelodeon Screenwriting Fellowship Finalist, and a National Magazine Award Nominee, Leavitt is a senior writing instructor at UCLA and Stanford online and a freelance manuscript consultant. Her work has appeared in New York Magazine, Psychology Today, Salon, More, and more.
She has been featured on The Today Show and profiled in the New York Times.”
You can reach her through www.carolineleavitt.com. Please also visit her blog at http://carolineleavittville.blogspot.com.
With or Without You Review:
“With or Without You” moved me and made me appreciate life, and I found it a wonderful and moving experience.
The author narrates the story in a poignant manner where you immediately fall for the characters. Looking back at the storyline, I realize that the plot is simple and straightforward, and not much happens. Yet, the way the author conveyed the characters’ emotions made me root for all of them.
All the three characters, be it, Stella, Simon, or Libby, are neither good nor bad and have shades of grey. They are all people like you and me who are constantly evolving. At times, they are moving, loveable, hypocrites, and people I could connect with. I loved Stella’s newfound passion for celebrating life with running and art as she embraces her second chance. I also rooted for Simon and could relate to him. It is never easy giving up your dreams and growing you to survive. Although he makes a few bad choices, my heart still went out to him. Similarly, I liked Libby as well and the struggles she faces while listening to her heart.
The author also did an excellent job at highlighting the character’s past and what they experienced that affected their decisions. It is also clear to see the amount of research she did in how coma patients recover and how their behavior towards life changes. I found Stella’s emotions fascinating in the second half. She, too, does things that make her a hypocrite, but a part of you still accepts her reasons for her actions.
Overall, “With or Without You” is a beautiful, emotional, dramatic story emphasizing how our lives keep changing and how we adapt to the new situation.
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt Blog Tour hosted by Suzyapproved Book Tours.
