Life: A Love Story is a beautiful, touching, poignant story about an elderly woman who discovers she is dying. Now, she must get her life in order before her inevitable passing. Although she feels her life was simple and ordinary, as she looks back on all she has done and seen, and all those she has loved and cried about, she comes to the realization that no life in fact is just ordinary, but extraordinary. Yes, simple. but rich with life, love and good friends.
At 92 years young, Florence (Flo) Greene has just come back from the doctor who has informed her she only has a short time left to live. Her husband passed years ago and they never had children, so Flo decides to leave everything she owns including her house to her life-long friend Ruthie. Flo starts a letter to Ruthie and in doing so, rediscovers forgotten memories, happy times and yes, even very somber ones.
Thus begins the beautiful life Flo never realized she had. Not ordinary at all, but remarkable! As she goes through items in her home and where to find them, Flo tells Ruthie stories brought on by the memories they bring up, including some with her friend. Just a simple elastic band in a kitchen draw tugs at her heart for the love she shared with her husband Terrence. She relives times with Ruthie when they were young and innocent. She finds an old book which when she opens it surprises her with a new memory.
At the same time, she meets a neighbor who she feels needs a little push in the world. Flo decides it should be up to her before she dies to glean some of her many years of understanding upon a woman, she feels is lonely, yet at the same time, this wise new friend pushes Flo to do things she has never done before such as get her nails done.
Flo even tries to give Ruthie a bit of marital advice in her final letter knowing it might be none of her business but she’s dying anyway! More importantly, Flo comes to the understanding through her letter that every life has impact. On themselves, on others and sometimes that impact allows you to see what joy you have had, heartbreak, a learning experience, and the forgivingness of peace to the soul. But a life is a true love story.
Life: A Love Story will stay with you after the last beautiful page. It will make you smell the roses and look at the sky differently and it will have you hugging those you love or want to get to know a bit tighter. You see, it’s the little things in life that are not only the sweetest, but the most impactful.
Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse #ElizabethBerg #Life:ALoveStory for the advanced copy.
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