3.5 ⭐️ This book was fine, but it didn’t blow me away.

Let me start by saying that I think the author genuinely had the best intentions here. You can tell they care deeply about the topic, and that they want to provide support and guidance for people navigating an incredibly tough situation.

It’s been a couple of days since I finished this, and I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why I didn’t connect with it as much as I hoped. I think the biggest issue for me is that it felt so preachy at times. Thb, it often felt like I was being lectured. And let me tell you, nothing takes me out of a book faster than that "listen to me, I know best" tone. I should've known better before picking it up! But oh. well...

Another thing that bothered me was how not-inclusive it felt. I don't know how else to explain this feeling, so bear with me here. This is such a personal and diverse topic, but the book tried to reflect that, but I'm not sure it managed. It was very focused on one perspective, and if your experience doesn’t fit into that box, it’s easy to feel left out. I liked that it the author took time to explain certain things, that they made sure to say that there's no one answer, or a one way to do recovery, to do life after cancer.

I didn't love it but, it’s not at all a bad time! I just didn't find it groundbreaking or as universally relatable as it could be. I read this as a family-member of someone who has experienced this, and I was interested in knowing if there was something I could learn or see in these pages that could help me be better/more there for them.

If you’re looking for a resource on breast cancer that’s straightforward and a bit on the nose about how to take care of yourself and move forward, this might work for you. It's an empathetic read, even with all the “do it my way” stuff! That said, if you’re a breast cancer survivor looking for a gentle nudge toward better habits, this could be a solid starting point. Just go in knowing that it’s more surface-level motivation than deep, inclusive guidance. It’s not bad, but I think it could’ve been so much more.

This book is a quick read. Unfortunately, I had different expectations for what the contents of the book were and it just wasn’t what I was looking for at this time. I had hopes the book would offer recipes or a meal plan and have some more tangible tips.