The Rest of Me by Katie Marsh

Alex Fox knows there are lots of things she should be.

She should be the perfect wife to her chronically ill husband Sam, and the perfect mother to their two daughters. She should be excelling in her high-stress job. And she should be completing the demanding to-do lists she makes to keep herself on track.

Even if, just sometimes, she doesn't have time to breathe.

When Sam's condition worsens and Alex donates a kidney to save his life, her carefully scheduled existence starts to unravel - eventually forcing her to face up to a past that she has buried for years.

As the family she has fought so hard for threatens to fall apart, can Alex finally confront the mistakes that have shaped her - and rediscover what is most important in life?

The Rest of Me by Katie Marsh is the second book I have read by this author, I just love the way she writes storylines that are so raw and honest that it feels like you are reading about the family next door.

The Fox family have had a heartbreaking few years as they have seen Sam deteriorate with his health but the time has come now where he needs a new kidney and so wife Alex is donating one of hers. Hoping that the family will get back on track but with Sam fighting fit after the operation poor Alex feels like the life she had control of before the op is now tumbling down around her and the pressure all lies on her shoulders. Little does she know that her daughters are dealing with issues that they really need to share with her but there is just no time.

The storyline covers many situations that families struggle with on a day to day basis from bullying and the effects it can have in later life, health issues, the pressures of work and trying to get that work life balance and many of us have faced at least one of these issues amongst the others that are touched upon in this book which makes it a really relatable read. Unfortunately for Alex all of the issues all come at once and you can feel her starting to sink under the pressures and we were hopelessly reading unable to pull her out from her hole and desperate for her to open up and just talk about things. Alex is an incredibly strong and determined character who is used to taking control and juggling everything and she done an incredible thing in donating her kidney and it is devastating to see things unfold after her operation through no fault of her own.

I found I was particularly touched by Izzie’s storyline which is told from her own point of view. She is such a wonderful little girl who through everything she has gone through just wants to push forward with her dream. It is clear to see she takes after her mother as her actions are similar to hers, not wanting to feeling like she is put extra pressure onto anyone else when that is exactly what she needed to do.

This is an emotive read that is told from Alex and Lizzie’s points of view and this worked really well of getting a rounded picture of the family and their struggles. I personally would have liked to have had points of view from Sam too but this is probably me just getting greedy! I would definitely recommend this book it is easy to pick up and sneak a few short chapters here and there without having that feel that you will miss something. I look forward to future releases from Katie Marsh as her emotive writing style appeals to me.

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