#AmReading - The Ugly Cry Edition

This week I bring two backlist books that were truly heartbreaking. One is about a woman who faces an extremely difficult choice, the other is about a woman who is preparing to die. Can't sugarcoat these stories, but I can say they they were not all sadness and tears, and in the end, they were hopeful. 

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One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Published by Washington Square Press on June 7, 2016
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

I have put off reading this book for YEARS because the premise just reeked of heartbreak. I finally braved the book, and though I did shed an excess of tears, I also thought it was a beautiful story.

I was terribly emotional from the very beginning because Reid let me know early on that the husband was back from the dead. Then she took me back in time, and I got to see who Emma was as a teen. I learned about her hopes and dreams, and about her crush on Jesse. Later, I got to see them fall in love, and I walked beside Emma as she mourned the loss of her husband. MY GOODNESS! Her pain and anguish had my heart aching. But, she made it through and built a new life with the support of her family and Sam. Then BAM! Her husband was back.

I expected Emma to be overwhelmed and conflicted. Who wouldn't be? Reid did an amazing job navigating Emma's emotions as she struggled with the choices before her. The idea of what your one true love is or means was also pondered. Emma's reflections were thought provoking and emotional. The way Emma's personal journey was written made me buy into this despite the love triangle. The reasons, explanations, and evidence made one choice the right choice, in my opinion.

Seriously, my emotions, my emotions! I cried for most of this book, but it wasn't all sad. It's just that endings can be difficult, no matter the what the circumstances are, but Reid was able to simultaneously break and warm my heart with this beautiful and touching story of love and loss.

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Before I Go by Colleen Oakley
Published by Gallery Books on January 6, 2015
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

A heart-wrenching debut novel in the bestselling tradition of P.S. I Love You about a young woman with breast cancer who undertakes a mission to find a new wife for her husband before she passes away.

Twenty-seven-year-old Daisy already beat breast cancer three years ago. How can this be happening to her again?

On the eve of what was supposed to be a triumphant “Cancerversary” with her husband Jack to celebrate three years of being cancer-free, Daisy suffers a devastating blow: her doctor tells her that the cancer is back, but this time it’s an aggressive stage four diagnosis. She may have as few as four months left to live. Death is a frightening prospect—but not because she’s afraid for herself. She’s terrified of what will happen to her brilliant but otherwise charmingly helpless husband when she’s no longer there to take care of him. It’s this fear that keeps her up at night, until she stumbles on the solution: she has to find him another wife.

With a singular determination, Daisy scouts local parks and coffee shops and online dating sites looking for Jack’s perfect match. But the further she gets on her quest, the more she questions the sanity of her plan. As the thought of her husband with another woman becomes all too real, Daisy’s forced to decide what’s more important in the short amount of time she has left: her husband’s happiness—or her own?

I knew this book was going to hurt, and I am dead. I sobbed so much, I had to take Advil for my headache. I couldn't imagine being under 30 and dealing with terminal cancer. My heart hurt so much for Daisy and her loved ones. I don't even know what's worse, going quickly or the long goodbye.

Oakley did a fantastic job taking me through each of the emotions Daisy was experiencing as she came to terms with her illness and how she wanted to handle her relationships prior to her death. That was so complicated too, but Daisy was lucky to have people in her corner who were patient and understanding.

That final chapter put me over the edge. It was a combination of sadness and joy. This book reminded me a bit of Pack Up the Moon which also destroyed me. Both these books reminded me that we all have a limited time on this earth, and we must remember to use every moment to live life to the fullest and love out loud.

What's your deserted island item?
Let us know in the comments!