Compelling story of a woman diagnosed with MS, wondering about her future, afraid of what her future will be. Then one day, while at work, shots ring out and suddenly she discovers what real fear and real courage is.
I was totally invested in this story from the first paragraph. Read the book in one setting, it was impossible for me to put it down! Wonderful characters.
5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for an ARC of this book.The opinions expressed are my own.

While not quite the usual story I read, I enjoyed "The Speed of Light" by Elissa Grossell Dickey.

Simone is waiting for test results from her doctor, but there has been talk that some of her recent symptoms would fit with a diagnosis of MS. It's a heavy thing to deal with right before Christmas, but she's on the way to her parents' house for Christmas when her car dies and she's picked up by a handsome stranger and his niece. This chance encounter leads to a romance she wasn't expecting (or even one that she thought she had room for), and this man is meeting her family before they even start dating.

Fast forward about a year and Simone just left the man she had fallen in love with - worried that she might be a burden to him and he's a "fixer" who gets satisfaction from saving the damsel in distress. Still missing him, she's at work one day when suddenly there's an active shooter and she has no choice but to think about her recent decisions and rethink her choices.

I was expecting more of the book to focus on the workplace shooting and less of it to focus on the romance/backstory. I enjoyed the story but it wasn't what I thought I'd be reading.

I enjoyed reading this book, it was a really beautifully done debut novel. The characters were great and I enjoyed the plot of the book.

This novel follows the story of Simone, recently diagnosed with MS and struggling to come to terms with the blow she's been dealt. It also focusses on her relationships, both family, friends, colleagues and romantic over a period of 12 months prior to the present day. On top of that, this is a dual timeline, where in the present, Simone is dealing with an active shooter situation at her workplace.

Now, all that sounds like it should be a bit of a mess, but I have to be honest, despite my mediocre star-score on this, I felt it worked. I liked getting to know Simone in the past, and was hooked by the action in the present. However, as is usually the case with these dual timelines, one is more compelling than the other, and I felt this was the shooter scenario, which really didn't get enough air-play.

In fact, throughout the past timeline, you get hints as to who the shooter might be, and you start to try to work it out. Regardless of whether you're right or not (no spoilers here!), there is absolutely no explanation. It's almost like, OK, there was a shooter situation, that got resolved, move on. Nothing to see here. As someone who has taken the time to invest in a storyline, I find that quite an insulting way to treat readers. We deserve to know the why. It's lazy to just not bother and has rankled me increasingly since finishing this book.

Finally, I really struggled with Simone as a character. Her attitude towards her diagnosis, her friends who aren't living with the calamity that she is, and her general miserableness ALL THE TIME made her a very difficult person to care about. No, I have not got MS; however, I have a friend who does. I have friends with other debilitating chronic illnesses. I have a child with SEN. I have had family members who have been given appalling news. Yes, everyone handles things differently, but I would expect a fictional character to perhaps be able to lay off the woe-is-me just a little bit.

I understand this allows for the character to develop, to perhaps have an epiphany, but it wasn't strong enough to warrant all her hand-wringing anxiety. And, just as an aside, why did she "whisper" the vast majority of her responses to everyone? Was the entire book set in a library? It really grated after a while. So much whispering and muttering in day to day life - yet never in the shooter situation. Go figure.

Anyway, that's no doubt me just being a bit grouchy because I really wanted to like this book, but the lack of explanation, the nice neat ending and the moaning throughout just let it all down. Plus side, it is WONDERFUL to see fiction featuring characters with invisible disabilities/health conditions. I am all for representation, and have to absolutely applaud that.

I really enjoyed the intertwining timelines of this book, it was a quick, easy read covering the "before" and "after" of a life-changing diagnosis.

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of the arc in return for my honest review.

For anyone who has gone through a life-altering diagnosis or some other major change in your life, you know that your life has now been separated into two chapters: Before and After. I related to this major change and while I felt pain for her, it was refreshing to read a character experiencing something similar to what I have gone through. This story speaks to the idea that we really never know what we are getting in life, nothing is predictable, and we can't ever take anything for granted.

I really wanted to like this book and I really tried. It had a good concept and nice characters and was showing great promise. But wasn’t keen on the time hopping, I found it jarring and confusing mostly., I think if it had been executed better it would have been so much more

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This book is half memoir format and half about a shooting in a workplace. Simone is the main character and has just got her confirmed diagnosis of MS. She had just started seeing someone new and is grappling with her emotions about her illness and the progression of a possible future with the man she has met. I really wanted to like this one a lot more than what I did. I felt that author just seemed to put herself directly into the character in a way that detracted from the plot line and any form of plausibility. The "poor me" mentality seemed to really make this character fall flat instead of being relatable. I do not really go for the victim mentality in writing. I wanted to see how she would move forward and gather strength. The shooting ends up feeling staged instead of authentic and an event of action with the way it is broken down into little segments. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Do you ever feel worried about what’s gonna come next? Well then this book is for you! A totally heartfelt and heartbreaking book that I recommend everyone to read. Under 300 pages makes it a very quick read

3.5 Stars!

In the speed of light, or the blink of an eye our lives can change. We never know what life has in store for us, but no matter what, we need to live our life to the fullest.

Simone is dealing with a life-altering medical diagnosis, scared and in somewhat denial, she meets what could be the love of her life in Conner, and has the most harrowing experience of her life at work. This story is told in dual timeline...flashing back the past year of Simone’s life to her current situation. Simone has a tendency to bury her head in the sand, not necessarily wanting to face her health situation head on. She’s scared, I get that totally. First you cry, then you get busy. Everyone handles life-altering situations differently. Until we totally come to terms with the situation, we run, deny, put off. Connor seems like the perfect match for her...dedicated, supportive, but is he in love with her or just a person who likes to fix things that he thinks are broken. In the span of one year, we see Simone grow up, face her situation, find love and face death head on as she hears gunshots at work.

I found this book to be a quick read. It switches back and forth from past and present seamlessly. You feel for these characters and their situations. Heartbreaking and scary, yet hopeful. Look forward to reading this author again.

Thanks to Ms. Dickey, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone!

I picked up an advanced copy of this book without any expectations, or ideas what it was really about. All I had was a title and a cover, so I just dove right in. And what a ride this was!
There was drama, suspense, humor. The story line felt current and poignant, as deals with some heavy subject matter. The two different timelines are very well intertwined and come together beautifully.

Initially I thought this will be a book about how the main character is handling a disability of MS. It was much more than this. The flashback of Simone’s life came as an extreme reaction when confronted with an extreme situation: the shooting that was taking place at her workplace.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological condition in young adults that causes major disabilities, at least in European and North American countries.
The diagnosis has a major impact on patients and with Simone was no difference. Therefore, the time allotted to discuss the disease in all aspects, including the choice of medication, should be generous and extend over several sessions, immediately after the communication of the diagnosis. The patient's opinion is important in the therapeutic decision. Patients should report any changes in the course of the disease. The fact that the author chose to show how Simone reacted in front of such a diagnosis all this combined with her family life, with her job, friends and with a new relationship was a picture from a real patient’s life.

Thank you to Netgallery and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC!

This book makes you appreciate what you have, and makes you question what life would be like if circumstances were different.

What would you do if you were diagnosed with a life changing illness? Would you give up? Would you carry on as normal? Or would you change your thinking and attitude and move forward as best as you could?

In this book we follow Simone who has just been diagnosed with MS. She begins to question her day to day choices because of her illness. She struggles with her relationships, her friendships and her self worth and image.
This is a real look into the mental struggles and the toll that MS (or any chronic illness) has on a person. To us on the outside someone may appear fine and happy, but on the inside they could be at war with themselves and struggling.
This book is also a cute love story! It also displays kindness and support from Family and Friends.

Simone, not only has been diagnosed with MS, but then another tragedy happens that shakes her world (I won’t give any spoilers here-just read the book!) She has experienced trauma-but after all is said and done-we see that Simone is courageous-I felt proud of her and for her future ahead.

This was a great read-definitely would recommend!

Both heavy and romantic with a likable main character. This one took me a bit to stay tuned in, but I enjoyed the book.

Hands down one of my favorite books this year. The thoughtful and real representation combined with the overarching plot is everything I've wanted from an OwnVoices disability novel. Anyone who wants a fantastic story with fantastic rep should pick this up. Auto-buy author after this.

An interesting story about someone finding themselves after a very big diagnosis. I liked the searching and the adventure of getting to know someone. I also thought the ground shifting that happens after a big medical diagnosis change was interesting and well done. The second storyline was also well done and scary. I liked this one!

This is an interesting combination of romance and terror combined into a story that flicks back and forth in time as the story and backstory unfold. The author does a fine job of developing her main character, but I found the juxtaposition of time periods rather distracting.

It did hold my interest although I found myself getting a little weary of the emotional needs of the main character, who at times seemed a bit immature and whiny. Not that I don't have empathy for people experiencing serious health challenges; it just became annoying after a while.

Thanks for sharing this galley with me. I appreciate the opportunity to read works from new authors.

This page-turner is about one year in the life of Simone who has been diagnosed with MS ( multiple sclerosis) and is trying to come to terms with this chronic illness. Simone's dealing with her diagnosis and her emotional ups and downs are narrated over the course of a year, This is intersected with a developing crisis at her workplace. However, during this crisis situation, she develops strength and the will to live and to accept the NOW. It read fast and Simone is a likable character.

A great book about a woman diagnosed with MS and wondering what her life will look like in the future. She had a lot of doubt in herself. Met the man of her dreams and let what others said to her to think he wasn’t who she needed in her life.
The back and forth in chapters between the current time period and the year before is a style I have read many times. I just wish this one gave me more of the current time with the shooting and what was going on there. I felt I didn’t have enough in those chapters.
You got a good feeling of what the characters were like. I just wish there were more info on the motive of the shooting. I am still unclear on that.
Overall a good book that sucks you in from the beginning. I will read more books from Elissa Grossell Dickey.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this one!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3904790339

I loved this book so much! It was the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to read more! The characters and their story stick with you long after you finish the book.