This was my least favorite of the month. It’s about a couple – the man wants to be a rock star and has had some success, and the woman is a nurse who wants to settle down. I don’t want to give anything away so I can’t say much more than that there’s a big event in the first bit which sets off the “action” – and I put action in quotes because for me there was a decided lack of it. I don’t know why – it was like stuff did happen, but I constantly felt that I was waiting for something to happen while I read. That doesn’t totally make sense but there it is. I just found it pretty boring but again I did finish it so it wasn’t terrible to me otherwise I would have DNF’d. It explores relationships and how we can change within them, and I think that other people may enjoy this one – just wasn’t for me. Out in August!

There is a tragic kind of beauty in this novel that is hard to articulate into words. It almost must be experienced to be truly understood; it is ethereal, filmy. When reading the novel written by Ms. Leavitt, you may sometimes feel that you are watching the characters in a sort of film shot with soft lighting and edge blurring lenses. Even moments that are meant to be harsh turn out to be more gut wrenching on a very deep level as you ask yourself “what would I be like” or “what would I do here". Let this reviewer be clear: there are no traditional heroes in this story, none. There are only beautifully crafted (right down to their flaws) characters.

Our story opens with Simon and Stella and an argument. To go by this one sentence, you would think that Simon is purely at fault with all that happens afterwards but no, there is no real fault in this scene, just a sense of disquiet (and for this reader, some alarm at how weak willed Stella can be here). I don’t want to spoil the sequence of events but it is important to note that everything that happens later in the novel can be traced back to one decision in this scene and though at the time, the decision feels like a plot device, it will be what I like to call “the thing from which all twists and turns flow”. There are so many scenes that could be highlighted in this book, so many moments that perhaps are not supposed to shine but nonetheless do because of the level of dialogue between characters. It is no surprise to this reader that Ms. Leavitt has penned another great novel; she is in fact a great writer.

The narrative and plot are tight, the characters just aggravating enough to be barely likable – which I love, novels that rely too heavily on the likability of their characters are so flawed – and most importantly (and this is where the novel doesn’t just shine, it glows) the depiction of how Stella and those around her are transformed after the incident and how the relationships and lives are fractured and changed is absolutely stunning. The depiction of this situation is so critical to the flow of the novel that one misstep will bring the whole thing crashing down. Ms. Leavitt pulls it off and then some. One can’t imagine the number of hours of research put in to this particular part of the novel to make it flow so well.

This is another great novel from Ms. Leavitt and one that will be read and re-read for many years to come.

This gave me Sally Rooney vibes so I know it's going to be a hit. The issues the characters faced felt both a reach but still real. I liked the complexity of everything that went into the storyline.

Great character development as each adapts to the life changes surrounding coma and the reawakenings of each person. In a relatively short time, chronologically, the story moves throughout the generations and leaves one with a good ending.

The title, also the words from a U2 song which I love, must have initially drawn me into taking a second look at this book. Then I notice the author, a woman who has been on my radar for the past few years because she has been featured by my name twin and friend in books and reading, Robin Kall.

Since this title is not out yet, I won't give a full review but I will say that you should definitely keep it on your TBR because this present-day story about relationships among lovers and friends, is sure to strike a chord with those of us in midlife (if that's what we call being in our 40s and 50s!) Questioning life choices and how one moment can change a life, this book continues to make me think even though I finished reading it days ago!

With or Without You revolves around Simon, Stella, and Stella's best friend Libby after Stella awakens from a coma. I usually enjoy novels with unlikable characters, but these characters weren't interesting enough for me to actually care about them. I particularly hated Simon, a 40-something man who never quite grew up. Additionally, the ending was way too convenient for my liking. Unfortunately, the only thing I could think of when I finished the book was, "What's the point?"

I received a free e-book from Algonquin Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Caroline Leavitt once again displays her mastery of characterization--The dilemma facing her characters is both fresh and compelling.

This book was very much a narrative story with not a lot of action. While it did show the progression of how a couple comes to terms with changes within their marriage, it was slow for me at times. This slowness though helped to show the progression of how and why people can fall in and out of love. It is a good story of life and hope and what comes after those things that life throws at us that are not always within our control.

Stella has been by Simon's side through beginning of his band, the band's rise to minimal fame, and now, at 42, obscurity. Stella wants a family and a normal home but Simon doesn't want to give up on his dream of music. One night changes everything after Stella is put into a coma. When she comes out of it, she has a special gift that changes their relationship.

A fast read, but not completely fulfilling, Leavitt weaves a good story of the way people contain multitudes and how we can never truly know the ones we love. Simon and Stella are the perfect example of how change can affect people and couples. As much as I enjoyed seeing Simon and Stella's progression through the change that upends their lives, I didn't care enough about them in the end.

This is an engrossing novel, character driven and well written. Stella is a nurse, unsure if her relationship with Simon, a musician, is leading to long term commitment. When Stella ends up in a coma after a night of drinking and a pill from Simon, Simon doesn’t leave her side for months. Stella’s best friend Libby is her doctor, and does not think much of Simon. The story really gets complicated when Stella comes out of the coma, a totally different person. The dance between the three main characters creates the tension that keeps the reader absorbed. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This was an interesting book. Stella, a nurse, and Simon, an aging rock star still hoping to hit the big time, have been together for a long time but feel as if the magic has gone out of their relationship. They try to regain the. good old times with some drugs and wine and Stella ends up in a coma. Throughout the time she is in a coma and in the time after when she is recovering, they realize that they have grown apart and are two very different people than they were before her coma. As their lives spin away from each other, they need to understand who they have become and what that means for the future. This is a book that at times seems very sad but ends on a hopeful note.

3.5 Stars

Caroline Leavitt's With or Without You is an emotional story.

It's a story of people changing and growing apart, first due to life itself and then due to trauma.

I wanted to love it, but I didn't love the pace. As well, I hated the repeated use of "he said," "she said," throughout the dialogue. And it's so damn depressing.

But in the end, I am glad I kept reading. It delivers an important and fantastic life message. Definitely check it out when you're in the mood for realistic and deep. But skip it if you're looking for happy and romantic.

Will be posted on my blog on release day.

Thank you to netgalley.com for the opportunity to read this ARC. I am still contemplating what I read. Stella and Simon know they are at a major crossroads in their relationship. They have been together for 20 years and are now 42. He is still following a career that has dried up to almost nothing, but an opportunity has presented itself and he is going full on to make the most of it. Stella can understand his desire, but she doesn’t want to be part of it this time. She, too, has desires and some of her wants have changed through through the years. The narrative moves from present to past almost seamlessly so as they quarrel at the start of the story we also get to see where they have been.

The book begins on the night of the quarrel. There is a raging snowstorm and Simon is beside himself with anxiety that his scheduled flight will be canceled and his dream gone forever. Stella doesn't want to make the trip and while she procrastinates packing she is drinking her weight in wine. Simon reminds her of the good times and offers an experience they can share now: drugs. He does not know what drug he is offering.

Stella becomes comatose and she does wake up. Her best friend, Libby, is a physician in the same hospital where Stella is a beloved nurse. Simon and Libby as well as Stella's mother are with her almost around the clock. Things are changing rapidly as Stella lies in the coma and continue to evolve when she is discharged from the hospital and returns to the apartment she and Simon share.

Stella, Simon and Libby all go through deep personal introspection as the story progresses. I alternately wanted to hug them and yell at them. They are all deeply flawed; they are all deeply human. Who doesn't have a dysfunctional family, but if only we had the facts. If only we had asked the questions. Just the title of the book will have you looking at every situation from different perspectives.

My quarrels with the book are few. What did Simon give Stella? Of course knowing that might have led to no book, but this is 2020. Why does Simon not pursue his music on YouTube or any other social media platform? Again, this is 2020 and so many artists have found wild success using social media for their talent.

Stella and Simon are at a crossroads in their relationship, as Simon is about to embark on a tour with his band and Stella is questioning whether or not she wants to go with him. As the argument plays out like a roller coaster, Simon decides to take some pills he found in his pocket to remind them of when they first dated. When Stella doesn't wake up the next morning and ends up in a coma, Simon has to decide what to do. As his choices play out and he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, Stella wakes up, but she is not herself. Instead, she is an extremely talented artist who does not know how to go back to being her old self. Their journey as partners and as individuals is complicated, especially with their relationship with Libby, the doctor at the hospital and best friend of Stella, and they must choose what is best for each of them. But will that result in continuing their relationship? Or exploring new options?

Thank you Net Galley for providing me this early copy of With or Without You. This was a very emotional book for sure. It was very well written and you could just feel the emotions pour out as you read it. It was a very fast read as well which was nice. The story is all about life, choices you should make, our dreams, our regrets all fit together in one.

Stella and Simon have been together for over 20 years and their relationship slowly has been falling apart. Simon has always wanted the fame and Stella has always been by his side but she wants more. She wants a life too. But one day Stella falls into a coma and everything changes. When Simon finally had the opportunity to hit the roads again and go on tour this happens. He has to make a choice between leaving or staying behind with her and making sure shes okay.
Stella awakes and is a completely different person with a whole new talent. Both now need to figure out what they want out of life.
Def a good quick read. Out this August!

This is sad, astonishing, intense and realistic story about life, death, choices we made, opportunities, paths we get to shape up our lives! This is about heartbreak, loneliness, self-discovery, insecurities, love, trust, friendship!

The characters are flawed, trapped in their lives because they’re stuck in wrong thought patterns prevent them make changing about their lives or seeing the things objectively. Three main characters cannot move on because they are both scared to take risks and know what to do if they face with their worst fears in their lives but a traumatic experience force them to discover nothing stays the same and change is mandatory.

Stella and Simon are in relationship for 2 decades, not married, barely making their ends meet, living college students’ lives even though they’re in their 40s, rejecting to grown up. Stella wants to settle down, moving to a bigger apartment, applying for mortgage, having a baby. She is already the responsible one, working at the hospital as a nurse, paying the bills, supporting her very-long time boyfriend’s career choices.

But Simon still rejects to act like a rock star of his underrated band, making his own music and waiting for the big opportunity that their band may get and finally his prayers are answered. His band got an offer which may kick-start their big come-back and bring the fame and popularity they have been looking for. He plans to go to LA with his gig and asks Stella accompany with him just like they did at the old days of their lives.

Stella doesn’t want to go or she wants changes in her life. She wants Simon listens to her. They argue and she wants things go back to normal as like old days. So she makes a mistake to ask Simon give her a pill. For one night, she doesn’t want to fight or suffer from their angsty unhealthy relationship. For one night she doesn’t want to feel heartbroken or think their relationship is falling apart.

She drinks too much when she is already showing symptoms of flu and as soon as she pops up the pill, she realizes something is wrong. Next day she cannot wake up.

Stella is in coma. Simon loses his opportunity to go to LA for his big start that he thought his life would change forever and maybe he moved there and left Stella behind for another beginning. But here he is now! Waiting for his longtime girlfriend’s waking up, meeting with Libby who is close friend of Stella emotionally supports him and reconnecting with Stella’s mother who came back from Spain as soon as she found out her daughter’s situation.

We learn more about Libby; who still blames for herself for her brother’s dying and chose to be a doctor because that was her brother’s dream and she wants to help and save people’s lives to compensate that she hasn’t brought her brother back from death. She already knows Simon’s selfishness throughout Stella’s confessions and she judges him from the beginning but after Stella wakes up from her coma and she doesn’t act like herself and builds barriers between her and her loved ones, both of them help each other to bring her back to her old self. But old Stella is already gone!
I
loved the parts about Simon’s growing up and changing his life direction and I mostly enjoyed Stella’s self-discovery part and reconnecting with her new talent, her intense communication with people by drawing their pictures and bringing out their real emotions on the pages.

I think from the beginning I hate Libby and I didn’t want to read her story as a third part. This story should have been only about Stella and Simon: their mistakes, their life choices, their aches, their resentments, their fight to gather their broken pieces of their relationship and of course Libby affected their lives but I wish she may have stayed as a supporting character of the book. I wish I may have read more parts about Simon and Stella instead of reading detailed back story of her.

Overall: This is emotional, well-written, remarkable story and I loved the conclusion. That was not an ending but just now beginnings about the characters’ stories which I liked it most!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for sharing this unique Arc with me in exchange my honest review.

Caroline Leavitt is one of my favorite authors ever. It was many years ago when I stumbled upon one of her books and I quickly worked my way through everything she ever wrote. She’s just one of those authors who can not only craft a beautiful sentence but can wring emotions from her characters and the reader cannot help but be invested in what happens next.

With Or Without You is coming to us this summer. Of course its nothing less than brilliant.

After almost twenty years together, Stella and Simon are starting to run into problems. An up-and-coming rock musician when they first met, Simon has been clinging to dreams of fame even as the possibility of it has grown dimmer, and now that his band might finally be on the brink again, he wants to go on the road, leaving Stella behind. But when she falls into a coma on the eve of his departure, he has to make a choice between stardom and his wife—and when she wakes a different person, with an incredible artistic talent of her own, the two of them must examine what it is that they really want.

You don’t want to miss this novel, be sure to read everything else she’s written before With or Without You comes out in August.

Pre-Order here, coming out on August 4

Caroline Leavitt is an author I truly enjoy reading. She brings depth to her characters. Her stories are compelling and thought provoking. This was an interesting topic to read about. I know I am very curious now about what coma survivers go through.

I was conflicted as I read this story. I felt sorry for Simon but blamed him for Stella's condition. I loved that Libby fought for Stella. And when Stella came to, I felt robbed and wanted her to be exactly the same much the way Simon and Libby did. I still can't decide how I feel about this story. I am not sure if I like the way the story ended. I have been thinking of this story for days. It is a book you won't soon forget.

Thank you to Algonquin and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own

Caroline Leavitt has written a thought provoking novel illustrating how your life can change, for better or worse, in a flash. Simon, a musician in a band trying to seek his fame and fortune is living with Stella, a nurse who truly loves Simon, but not his longing for fame, wishing he wanted to settle down and have a family. Simon is excited to leave to open for another band, thinking his moment has come, but then... Their lives changed irrevocably. I honestly could not put my kindle down until I finished. I did appreciate the ending. Keep writing Caroline Leavitt! Many thanks to Caroline Leavitt, Algonquin Books, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read this ARC.

I had no idea what to expect from this, and I loved every second of it. I have always been intrigued by the stories of patients who wake up from comas with new talents or personalities, and this charming and relatable tale really made the strangeness and wonder of that situation seem real.

The characters are wonderfully drawn, with characters that start out as unlikable or one-note blossoming and changing just as much as our coma-patient Stella. I did not want to put this book down, and was happy with where they each ended up.