I began reading 120 Days late at night and had to
force myself to put it down so I could get some sleep. I was up at dawn the
next day and immediately started reading. I had to get to the end. Half an hour
after finishing it, I was still crying. Ugly cry is not an understatement for
this one. Many books have touched me. Several have made
me sad. A few have made me cry. I have even experienced a couple of ugly cries
but this one packed a special punch because there are many stories in this book
and each one is special. Each person at Last Resort could easily be someone I
have known.
The book begins
with Ethan, a very wealthy and powerful but unhappy man. His brother, Evan,
comes to tell him he is dying and rather than spending time together, he wishes
to say good-bye. He doesn’t want Ethan to take care of him in his final days or
witness his death. Can you imagine? I can’t. Samantha runs Last Resort.
Consider it a combination of hospice care and Make a Wish foundation.
People go there to embrace life while they still can and to die with dignity,
on their own terms. Ethan seeks out Last Resort to find out if it is everything
his brother claimed or if something sinister is taking place. He is convinced that the place his brother described is too good to be true and insists on uncovering whatever scam the owner must be running. He gets his
answers and so much more.
The chemistry
between Ethan and Sam was hard to feel at first but be patient. When it hit me,
it hit hard and it never eased. I suspect that this story is one that will be
stuck in my head for a long time to come. This book is “book hangover” epic,
despite its simplicity. It is a story of life and love taking place,
beautifully, in the midst of terminal illness. There were a couple of parts
that stretched my ability to suspend disbelief. Certain events take place that
are so unlikely, it distracted me from the main story line. However, that
element of fantasy is absolutely necessary to make Last Resort what it supposed to be.
There is so much
more I want to write about this book but I don’t want to give anything away. I
don’t want to discourage anyone from reading it and I certainly don’t want to
ruin or mar the impact of reading it for the first time. I would like to say
that if you do read it and feel the way I felt when I read it, don’t stop at
the end of the story. Read the next part. It is worth the extra few minutes of
your time.
If you are
looking for something erotic, naughty, or a little dirty. Pass on this one.
That is not what this is about and adding that element would have distracted
from the overall story. If you want a story that has a deeper meaning than most
romance novels or love stories, something epic – this should do it for you.
Overall rating – 4 stars
Steam - mild
What was your last "ugly cry" book?
What was your last "ugly cry" book?
