Mac Brandenton’s best friend Kristy is dying from a brain
tumor. She has a bucket list of things she wants to do before she gets too sick.
To help her complete her list, she ropes in Mac to help her. Mac has never
travelled abroad or even been very adventurous. All that is about to
change.
First up on Kristy’s list is a month long trip to Paris and
varying other European destinations. Mac has no idea how this trip with Kristy
is about to change her life forever.
Kristy and Mac meet up with Kristy’s Dutch friend Lenie. Lenie
has promised them a tour of Paris. From the outset the sparks of attraction are
sizzling between Mac and Lenie, enthusiastically encouraged by Kristy. But, what
will happen at the end of their vacation when Kristy and Mac have to return
home? Can a fledgling relationship survive the long distance between the two
love struck women?
When Mac returns home, she faces some major changes in her
life, the most pressing being Kristy’s worsening cancer. Will Mac be able to
count on Lenie through thick and thin? After all, they know they are better
together than apart.
First and foremost, I have to say this book is not all doom
and gloom. Yes, there is a lot of pain and angst, but it is well balanced out
with love and laughter too.
Each of these characters is well developed, multi-faceted and
a delight to get to know. There are four main characters, Mac, Kristy, Jace and
Lenie. Although the story centers mainly around them, it also brings in to play
a lot of the secondary characters too. All essential to the story and adding
their own stamps on it.
I liked that the story is set in both America and Europe. It
was nice to ‘virtually‘ travel around and see the scenery.
Pat Cronin has written Kristy’s story with compassion and
understanding, it’s perfectly logical that someone so young would want to do so
much before they die. Also the way people reacted to Kristy’s illness was spot
on from my personal experiences.
I enjoyed Jace’s story too. It integrated well into the
Kristy, Mac, Lenie story and added some grit as well as humor.
The love story between Mac and Lenie was passionate and not
without it’s ups and downs. The path of true love rarely runs smoothly
though.
There were a few odd typos, but nothing that pulled me out of
the story. I look forward to reading more from this author soon.