Twelve Months - Steven Manchester (Review & Giveaway!)

4 Stars!

ABOUT THE BOOK -
Don DiMarco has a very good life – a family he loves, a comfortable lifestyle, passions and interests that keep him amused. He also thought he had time, but that turned out not to be the case. Faced with news that might have immediately felled most, Don now wonders if he has time enough. Time enough to show his wife the romance he didn’t always lavish on her. Time enough to live out his most ambitious fantasies. Time enough to close the circle on some of his most aching unresolved relationships. Summoning an inner strength he barely realized he possessed, Don sets off to prove that twelve months is time enough to live a life in full.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
Steven Manchester is the published author of the national best seller, Twelve Months, as well as Pressed Pennies, The Unexpected Storm: The Gulf War Legacy, Jacob Evans, and several books under the pseudonym, Steven Herberts. His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN’s American Morning and BET’s Nightly News. Recently, three of Steven's short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or his four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing. 

MY REVIEW -
Heartwarming and endearing! This book has gotten almost all positive reviews. I read it in one day, almost one sitting. I thought the beginning was a little slower and there were parts that I wasn't interested in, but half way through I was hooked. The writing was great, it flowed very nicely and was very easy to read.

It did make me stop and think - If I knew I was going to die within twelve months what are the things I would want to do? I would love to travel and see places that I have always wanted to see, but you can't take it with you. So I guess I would want to spend time with family and friends as much as possible and give them what they want of me for my final days. I know my daughter would want to be with me so maybe she and I would travel together, alone, some mother daughter time.
As Don is going through his own "bucket list" parts of it were more interesting than others, but that's just personal preference. I wasn't as interested in the racing, or the deep sea fishing. I did love the traveling he and his wife did. I loved that he took a cooking class just so he could cook his wife's favorite meal. That was an amazing idea! 
"For the hors d'ouvres, I'd like to serve, coconut crusted shrimp with a soy dipping sauce. We'd start with a traditional minestrone soup and tomato & mozzarella salad with an olive oil drizzle... Just in case, I'd like to serve two entrees; chicken stuffed with spinach and feta cheese, as well as tenderloin of beef in herb garlic butter. For dessert... chocolate cake."
"Plain old chocolate cake huh?"
"Yup, that's what she loves."   ~ Yum! I'll have what they're having!
The relationship between him and his wife is very sweet. but it made me wonder if my own hubby would ever do those things for me? He is very sweet and thoughtful, but I don't know if he would go that far. I would like to think that he would be that selfless in his last months.
I also loved the relationship and interactions between them and the grandchildren. I thought it was wonderful that when he found out he was dieing he wanted to spend as much time with the grand-kids as possible, even when it totally wore him out.

THE ALL-IN-ALL -
I know this book is fiction, but it read very much like a memoir to me. A very sweet, tender, kinda sad, heartwarming, Christian/Spiritual easy-reading book. This book really makes you look at your own life and decisions.

THE GIVEAWAY -
I am giving away my copy of this book.
AND!!! - the author is giving away one ebook copy!
so you have two chances to win!
~ So here's how we will do this -
On the form you will have 3 options (paperback, ebook, or either)
Please check the box of the option you want.
(if you win the ebook copy I will then ask you what version you need)

To enter to win this book - fill out the form below.
* Please US & Canada only.

* Winner will be chosen on Nov. 8th.
 
* Winner will have 48 hrs. to respond.
*
Leave a comment for an extra entry!!!






Thank you Steven Manchester for sending me this wonderful book to read and review!

Comments

  1. What a lovely post! It has made me think this morning-what would I do? I would want to say goodbye to family & friends, Hubs & I have always talked about cruising the Inner Passage in Alaska...

    It's hard to sit here and think about it, I really don't have a clue!

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    Replies
    1. Ha! My hubby and I have always wanted to go to Alaska!

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  2. I'm getting up there in years and don't know what I'd do in that situation. I don't even want to think about it! Talk about having my head in the sand...

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  3. Can anyone teach my husband how to give his wife the romance she wants. I cannot get through to him after 33 years of marriage. If I win, I will review the book too.

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    Replies
    1. LOL, I know what yo mean! My hubby gets romantic once in a while but...

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  4. I am trying to do things now while I am still healthy. Hubby and I are doing a pilgrimage at the end of June.

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    Replies
    1. Oh lucky you, thats great! Do you know where you are going? Is it planned, or are you just gonna wing it?

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  5. I just read this last weekend, and loved it as well. My review will be up next week. It's funny that you and I are reading and reviewing the same books around the same time. I remember we read A Lovely, Indecent Departure around the same time, too.

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