Better Together by Pat Cronin

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.