The Little Pieces of You and Me - Vanessa Greene

 

 When life as you know it changes, will it define you, destroy you or make you stronger?

Best friends Isla and Sophie made each other a promise a long time ago: to never let life pass them by. Years later, Isla is in love, living abroad and fulfilling her dreams. But for Sophie, things haven't turned out the way she was expecting and she hasn't achieved any of the things she and Isla talked about.
And then, in one sudden moment, life irrevocably changes for both women.
Isla and Sophie have hard decisions to make but above all else, they must face up to the uncertainty that lies ahead. It's only when they realise that this is easier together, two friends standing side by side, that each woman can embrace whatever the future holds for them.
Emotional, poignant and uplifting, The Little Pieces of You and Me is a story about old friends, new beginnings and what happens when being strong is your only choice. It will take your breath away.

What I thought:

I have read and enjoyed Vanessa Greene's previous books, so I was delighted to be able to dive into her latest novel at last.

The Little Pieces of You and Me tells of two friends and how their lives suddenly change. Together at Uni., they each made a list of life goals. Sophie's list had long been discarded, but Islas was still stuck to her fridge door and still very much on her agenda. Sophie gave up on her dream of becoming a doctor to get married. That was ten years ago and apart from teenage problems from stepdaughter, Rebecca, all seems well in her world. Living in Amsterdam, Isla is waiting for her big acting break. When she meets and falls in love with Rafael, it looks like everything is working out for her at last. It seems as if their lives are all mapped out ahead of them, but then one day something happens to rock their world.

Inspirational  and thought-provoking, this book explores the strengths and weaknesses of the different relationships we have with friends and partners.

I found this a very emotional read. It left me with that "Live for today" feeling, but also with a comforting thought that it's all these things that happen to us, good and bad, that make us the person that we are today. So inspirational, I felt like I'd read a little piece of loveliness, emotional as it was, I loved it.