Title: What's Worth Keeping
Author: Kaya McLaren
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

The day her doctor says the one word that no one wants to hear, Amy Bergstrom discovers a secret that her husband of 25 years has been keeping from her. Now that the months of treatment and surgeries are behind her, she escapes her claustrophobic life seeking healing, peace and clarity in an ancient forest in Washington State, a forest that holds memories of her childhood summers.

After dropping off his daughter at Amy's Aunt Rae's horse ranch in the mountains of New Mexico, Officer Paul Bergstrom visits the fixer-upper he had bought years ago as a place to retire with his family. Although it appears fine on the outside, the inside is a disaster--just like his marriage. When he finds himself with more off-duty time than he expected, he lovingly repairs his dream home, building the future he so desperately wants.

Witnessing her mother's health crisis had been terrifying enough, but learning the cause was genetic leaves Carly with the sense that all of her dreams are pointless. With the help of her eccentric great aunt and a Clydesdale named T. Rex, Carly just may find her faith in her future again.

Kayla McLaren has been blessed with gorgeous book covers for her novels, and this is no exception. Her writing brings the beauty and magic of her settings to vibrant life and etches them in the reader’s mind—whether or not they’ve ever visited these places themselves. Each of these three characters are distinct and struggling with their own demons, but their stories twine together in this tale of a family facing their battles alone—and together. A lovely read!

Kayla McLaren is from Washington State. What’s Worth keeping is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 1/12).

What's Worth Keeping was a touching book. If you've had someone close to you that has been effected by either cancer or PTSD, it's a wonderful book about healing and dealing with the situations that come along with both of those. The book has great detail and the scenes are easily imagined in my head. I loved that there was perspective from the mother, father, and child. The author does a great job of explaining how they each are handling the same situations, differently.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted kindle copy.

I feel bad for not liking this more because I knew that Amy's story was possibly the authors story of surviving breast cancer. My biggest issue with it was the lack of dialogue, particularly surrounding Amy and I found her sections tedious and like listening to a broken record. I'm afraid to say I skipped most of her parts. I did love the Carly and Aunt Rae sections. I loved the ranch, the healing horses and Great-Aunt Rae's wisdom and sadness at never moving forward in love. The husband Paul's sections were also worth reading. It was predictable and could have been much shorter. I hope it proved cathartic for the author to write.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing the ARC, this is my honest review.

This is a beautiful story of the process of moving through grief, finding what speaks to one’s soul, and figuring out what is worth holding onto in this life.

Each character feels adrift from some trauma in their life, but they aren’t able to relate to each other even though their feelings and symptoms are similar.

Paul and Amy had a loving relationship and a beautiful baby girl, Carly, when there was a bombing that Paul was a first responder for. Sixteen years later, Amy had breast cancer and undergoes a mastectomy and hysterectomy due to her BRAC2 gene. Carly, a young adult filled with hope for the future, starts to act out after learning that she could also be genetically “doomed”. Through misunderstanding and lack of communication, they all take time apart to try to spend time reconnecting to their true selves. This is their family”s story of moving through grief and learning to reconnect with their emotions, the world, and most importantly, each other.

“She wanted to be able to say that... she was glad to be who she was.” This quote, which could change by the time of publishing, is an incredible summary of each characters journey towards their self-loving, authentic self.

I loved this story. It was beautifully written. Be prepared for tears, joy and every emotion in between.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book and embrace the lessons learned.

Strong Look At Often Unexplored Topics. Glancing through the other reviews (as I generally do before writing my own, fwiw), it seems that so many people miss what I happen to see as the overall point of the book: Exploring how individuals can find themselves again and discover what they feel is worth keeping in the face of overwhelming tragedy. Here, McLaren uses three primary characters: A mother who has "survived" cancer, including a mastectomy and radical hysterectomy, only to have to piece back together her sense of self and whether she is still attractive. (A battle, it seems, that the author herself went through in real life.) A father who began working as a cop in order to provide for his then-young family, and who was one of the first responders shifting through the rubble behind Timothy McVeigh trying to save as many people as possible after the bombing of the Alfred P Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City - a tragedy that still haunts him all these decades later, at the end of his career. And a daughter who learns that her mother's cancer is to some degree hereditary, causing her to question any future she may have even as she graduates high school.

In these situations, McLaren points to tragedies and situations that are relatable to many of us, and paints a story that even across roughly 500 books read in under three years, I've rarely if ever seen. A story of survival (which is common, in and of itself) and of finding love (also common), but these particular wrinkles of the overall story have often been overshadowed in the stories by other, "flashier" topics.

While I am genuinely sorry that the author lived through at least some of this, I am exceedingly happy that she was able to use those real life experiences to craft this tale in this way. It is a story that needed to be told, and it is a story that needs to be read by far too many. And for that reason, it is a story that is very much recommended.

Just a beautiful heartwarming story of love. Cried several times. I will look forward to other books!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

⭐️⭐️⭐️

What’s Worth Keeping
Author: Kaya McLaren
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: January 19, 2021

The story is told in 3 POV. Amy, who has just undergone chemo, a double mastectomy, and hysterectomy. She recounts the days that follow her cancer-free results.

The second POV is told by Amy's husband, Paul, who is battling his own demands. After being involved in a major accident that took many people's lives, he wonders where his life went and how his views drastically changed.

And finally, their daughter Carly who has just graduated high school, reeling from the devastation following her mother’s diagnosis and surgeries.


👍🏻 I love the storyline. I am fully invested in this family and their healing. I love the multiple points of view. It helps to tell each person's part of the story.

👎🏼 In Amy’s sections, there’s a lot of detail about nature and the National Parks she visits, along with bits of her past that, in my opinion, is too wordy.

This is a well written book that stays with you long after you read the last page. It is heartbreaking and full of emotions. Have a box of tissue handy, you're going to need them. You don't want to miss this book! Thank you St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

A touching story of a family struggling to stay together after the mother is diagnosed with breast cancer and the father, a police officer has to cope with the aftermath of Oklahoma City bombing. Thought provoking- this story will stay with you long after you complete it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC to read and review.

What’s Worth Keeping by Kayla McLaren

This is a poignant and serious reflection on the toil that cancer diagnosis has on all members of a family. It is oft times very sad and emotions run high, but we get a wonderful cast of characters who a richly and deeply developed. Husband and wife and mother daughter relationships are viewed through the lenses of the three main characters alternating points of view.

Be prepared for an emotional ride, so make sure that you are in the right frame of mind to being this journey with Ms McLaren.

This is a well-written, very sad novel. Every character has a sad story. It’s told from the points of view of Amy, the mother and wife who had to have a double mastectomy and hysterectomy and is still recuperating from chemo and surgery; Paul, the police officer husband and dad who has never recovered from clearing bodies from the Oklahoma City Bombing; and Carly, the high-school age daughter who gets angry at the whole world after her mother’s diagnosis.

Carly spends the summer at her Great Aunt’s ranch, taking care of horses and helping with guests. Amy spends time back in nature, dealing with her failing body and marriage. Paul initially stays behind to work, but a glitch on the job gives him some time to do repairs on a home that he’d planned on retiring in with his wife. Time with nature and art—drawing and music—help the three of them start repairing themselves and seeing themselves within their family unit differently.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES JANUARY 19, 2021.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Amy battled cancer with the help of her family, but it seemed as though they all lost pieces of themselves and disconnected along the way. All broken and each dealing with their personal trauma, they slowly found their way back to one another by being apart.

This story was rather emotional. I mean, how could it not be, but it was also tough for me, because these were some really broken people, and they were dealing with their baggage for most of the story. That's a lot of sort of sad and heavy parts. There were some really beautiful moments woven into the story, though I wish there had been more.

One of the bright spots was Aunt Rae. I loved the role she played in all of this. She was a woman with so much grit, and I was blown away by her backstory. She meddled in the best way, and I thought she was just the best kind of glue to bring this family back together.

Overall, I did enjoy seeing this trio work their their pain and find a way to more forward together.

What’s Worth Keeping is a deeply moving story of a family’s journey of finding acceptance, healing, peace, and the things that are worth keeping. In my opinion, this novel deserves nothing less than a five-star rating because it made me feel so much. Throughout the book’s entirety, I was invested, riveted to the pages, and completely immersed in the story and the characters.

Amy had been through so much. Her pain, suffering, and despair were palpable. Not only had she been dealing with her health and mortality, but her marriage and her relationship with her daughter were teetering on the edge. Amy’s turmoil leapt off the pages and into my heart. I felt all of the emotions right along with her, from her anger, hurt, and betrayal to her relief, determination, and comfort. I wanted her to be at peace, to live her life the way she wanted, and to seek the much-needed joy in the places, people, and things that brought her solace.

The story is told in alternating chapters between Amy, Paul, and their daughter Carly. This worked perfectly for this novel. It gave me an insight into each of the character’s feelings and how their lives were affected by certain events. While I was definitely a cheerleader for Amy, I can’t downplay the difficulties that her husband and daughter also faced. It took me a while to get behind Paul and his actions, but the chapters from his perspective really shone a light on his own despair. As far as Carly was concerned, she was a teenager who had witnessed her mother fighting for her life and she was beginning to question aspects of her own future. And, again, she was a teenager. She needed a little nudge in the right direction along with some words of wisdom and some time to reflect…and some time with Great-Aunt Rae. I think it’s fair to say that every family needs a Great-Aunt Rae in their lives.

What’s Worth Keeping made me feel a plethora of emotions. I’m not much of a crier, but I will admit that I spent a good amount of my time wiping the tears from my eyes while I was reading this book. There was simply no avoiding it. I finished the book and an entire box of tissues. When a book can elicit such a reaction from a reader, the author has done her job. While it was heartbreaking and gut wrenchingly painful, it wasn’t all sadness and despair, it was also brimming with growth, hope, and love.

Since finishing What’s Worth Keeping, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It’s definitely a story that will stick with me for a long time to come.

*5 Stars

"Life is an imperfect experience."

What's Worth Keeping tells the story of Amy, Paul, and their daughter, Carly, who are at the tail end of Amy's treatment for breast cancer. Carly has just graduated high school and is still reeling from her mother's diagnosis and treatment as well as findings that may directly affect Carly in the future. Amy is coming off of a year of intense treatment and pain during which she found out a secret Paul had been keeping. Paul has been fighting demons of his own for years while dealing with some very real PTSD. This is a family hurting and the question is asked whether they can heal from it all and come back together.

This book is so beautifully well-written. It is heartbreaking and gut wrenching at times and yet I couldn't stop reading. McLaren writes these characters with such soul-bearing poignancy that I found myself wrapped up in the loss and sadness with them. I loved Amy's Aunt Rae and how she is able to be the string that ties the three together while they work to re-center themselves so they can move on stronger for one another. I enjoyed the connections she made in the book to nature, horses and the National Parks. It's really a stunning book that, while hard to read at times, is all the better for that pain and sorrow. Seeing these three slowly heal in their own ways was hopeful and heartwarming.

This book is the first I have read from McLaren. I sincerely hope to read more from her in the future. Trigger warnings for those dealing or who have dealt with breast cancer and/or PTSD. 4.5 stars

This is a lovely story of healing. Amy just finished cancer treatments, Paul is still struggling with the aftermath of helping in the Oklahoma City bombings, and their daughter Carly just graduated from high school. Each person is strongly affected by Amy’s cancer and their own pasts and they need to heal.

What I loved most about this book is how each person was able to heal in their own way without anyone else getting in the way or trying to help without really helping. Everyone has to evaluate their situation and decide what is best for them, how to move forward, and how to let go. I also enjoyed that it each chapter was told from a different persons POV. I love books written this way because I feel you see much more of the person. I would highly recommend this book!

This was a honest raw look at the toll of cancer in the family and the patient. It was different in that it is told with complete honesty. I can attest to this as I watched family die excruciating deaths from cancer. In that regard it was hard to read but once complete i reflect on the brutal honesty of the story. It draws the curtain back from the truth of seeing our families suffer these brutal cancer treatments and deaths. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley. This will bring up grief for those readers who lost loved ones to cancer.

I received a copy of WHAT’S WORTH KEEPING by KAYA MCLAREN. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

FIVE Stars and here’s why:

Total book hangover. And keep a box of tissues handy, too. This gut-wrenching story is told from multiple points of view about second chances. Cancer affects most of us in some way – we either know someone who has fought it or have walked in the trenches of that battle ourselves. In my case, my husband is in remission from cancer and I didn’t know if I could read this book. But, when I started reading it, I discovered that Ms. McClaren took a hard look at the reality of that battle—from the view of the patient and loved ones stuck on the sidelines—yet infused just the right amount of humor and love into the plot to make me keep turning the pages to see how the story played out. Well done, Ms. McClaren. Well done.

This is a highly emotional read, yet so satisfying, too. Highly recommend.

"You've got a lot of armor on. It's invisible, but still very real. You'll need to take that off before you can experience the really good stuff in life. The land of the good stuff is a risky place. And sometimes it leaves you utterly devastated...completely destroyed. But you can't have it both ways. You can't get into the land of the good stuff with armor on, and I suppose that's why I've never been back. You've just got to jump in with your heart wide open. I don't know that I have it in me to go to the land of the good stuff again, but Carly, I am so glad I went there once. Don't miss out. " - Great Aunt Rae

I just want to start by saying that everyone needs a Great Aunt Rae in their life. She is solid and sure and loving and full of grace and light and insight. I LOVED her.

This book was slow burning and heartbreaking and deep and tender and sad in the sweetest possible way. Each character is dealing with SO much. Cancer, PTSD, trauma, loss, suppressed emotions, fear of the future...and watching them work through it, being privy to such personal moments, was beautiful.

I loved how each character used nature and animals to help them work through their problems. They didn't *just* work with horses, rebuild old homes, or tour national parks. They connected in extraordinary ways to these tasks and learned from them. It' was quite lovely.

Each character grows and learns and mourns and forgives and starts over again. We get to see them build and tear down walls and rage and celebrate and live. And isn't that the nature of this horrible, gorgeous, terrible, amazing life we live?

Just stunning.

4.5 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Griffin and NetGalley for a complementary copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC of What’s Worth Keeping by Kaya McLaren. The three main characters, mom, dad and daughter, switch off telling their story. As they retell the struggles they are experiencing, they are also telling you what they are doing to overcome these struggles and how they all come together again as a family. Some parts I enjoyed more that others, but overall, this was a very worthwhile read that I will be recommending.

The Bergstrom family is struggling. Mom and wife Amy has survived a battle with breast cancer, but she feels like she's lost her identity. Her husband Paul is still dealing with PTSD from being a first responder at the Oklahoma City bombing. And daughter Carly can't seem to find the motivation for college or any other future plans. When Amy decides to take a trip around the country's national parks, each of the Bergstroms ends up on their own journey towards love and acceptance.

You're probably going to need a pack of tissues for this novel - it's a tearjerker! McLaren did a great job making me feel invested in the characters and their feelings without making the book too overwrought. I liked getting the perspectives of each member of the family and having the chance to understand how they reacted to Amy's cancer and other events the family went through. Paul's PTSD story was especially moving; I had not previously read much about PTSD among men. If you like family-based, character-driven novels, I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.