Reality Bites! Let's Get Lost!: Review: The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson

The Five Stages of Falling in Love is a Contemporary Romance.

Elizabeth Carlson is living in the pits of hell- also known as grief.

Her husband of eight years, the father of her four children and the love of her life, died from cancer. Grady's prognosis was grim, even from the start, but Liz never gave up hope he would survive. How could she, when he was everything to her?

Six months later, she is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and get the kids to school on time. Both seem impossible. Everything seems impossible these days.

When Ben Tyler moves in next door, she is drowning in sorrow and pain, her children are acting out, and the house is falling apart. She has no time for curious new friends or unwanted help, but Ben gives her both. And he doesn't just want to help her with yard work or cleaning the gutters. Ben wants more from Liz. More than she's capable of ever giving again.

As Liz mourns her dead husband and works her way through the five stages of grief, she finds there's more of her heart to give than she thought possible. And as new love takes hold, she peels away the guilt and heartache, and discovers there's more to life than death.

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! The prologue hooked me right from the start and I was all in.

This is a very emotional story and what Rachel does is not just tell us what is going on with the characters, she shows us and you will feel every heart wrenching moment as Elizabeth struggles to cope with her grief.

Elizabeth is left widowed after her husband Grady, the love of her life, passes away from cancer. They have four beautiful, young children. Together they were a team with wonderful dreams of a future growing old together, until it was ripped away from them.

I felt Elizabeth's pain, putting myself in her position and how I would feel if it had happened to me. This grief completely overwhelms her and takes a firm grip on her life. There is nothing rushed in the telling of this story. Everything that Elizabeth and her children go through just felt so real to me and although it was a fictional story I could imagine that this is what happens when you lose your great love.

Then there is Ben. Okay, he is one of the best men I have met in book world. He is so freaking sweet, thoughtful, patient, kind and gorgeous. There are so many moments when this man's gestures brought tears to my eyes. His interactions with Elizabeth's children are just... I have no words, seriously.

I cried for this beautiful woman as she dealt with the feeling of still being in love with one man, having new feelings for another and her sense of betrayal to her late husband's memory. Rachel does an amazing job with this and I felt everything. Damn if felt good though! I also love that there wasn't a typical epilogue, rather it was like the voiceover at the end of a movie, really different yet perfect.

My favourite sob out loud moment:

"Did daddy send Ben to take care of us?" - Lucy (Elizabeth's daughter)

This has been one of my favourite reads so far this year and I give it 5+ stars. Be warned though, you may need tissues for this highly emotional read!

Amazon:
The Five Stages of Falling in Love

B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-five-stages-of-falling-in-love-rachel-higginson/1120385752?ean=2940046187700