Love Always, Kate
Author d. Nichole King
Publisher: Limitless Publishing
Dear Diary,
Leukemia’s been my life since I was eleven. Now, six years later, I want my life back. Only I’m not sure what that is.
The test results came back today. 22,000. Which means I’m officially out of remission—again.
I have three options:
1. Another round of chemo.
2. A super-new experimental drug.
3. Dump it all— forget the meds and treatments and enjoy the time I have left.
I think I know what I want.
Then, in walks Damian, changing everything.
I mean, everything.
He’s got his own set of issues. It binds us together, you know? We understand what it’s like to lose what matters most in seconds.
Still, the last thing I need is to have someone else to crush if I can’t fight hard enough. And the last thing he needs is someone else to grieve.
Never mind. I’m down to two options now.
Somehow I know that whichever one I choose, the result will be the same. With the sand in my hourglass seeping to the bottom, I hope there’s enough left to show Damian that life’s worth living. Worth fighting for.
Worth dying for.
Love Always,
Kate
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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Kate has been fighting cancer since the age of eleven, she has been going in and out of remission of 7 years. This time she was in remission for one year before she was told that it was back. On her first day of Chemotherapy she meets her doctors son Damian, he mistakes the room that Kate is in for the store room. Damian saw her throw up outside after one of her sessions, on Monday he sat with Kate while she was doing her treatment, he also saw her writing in her diary she told him that its her cancer diary and she writes down how she is feeling. They went to dinner in the cafeteria after, Damian got made because she was asking so many questions about him, so he left and when he came back she was holding a clump of hair. On her next treatment he comes up with a plan to shave off her hair so she wont have to worry about her hair falling out. Damian starts a journal hoping that it will help him like it helps her. Damian missed a treatment because he went to his grandparents house for thanksgiving, so he sent her red roses.
Kate is 17 years old, doesn't go to school much because she doesn't like all the pity looks, she is very nice and cares about others. Damian is fighting his own demons, he lost his mother and older brother in a car accident. Dr.Lowell is one of the best pediatric oncologist in the nation, Kate's doctor. Leslie is one of Kate's friends and she is her nurse. Brennan is another chemo patient who Kate and Damian become friends with. Marcy is Kate's mom, she is very kind and very loving. Jason is Kate's dad, he really likes Damian because he has never had a son.
While reading this book I experienced a lot of different emotions, from happy to sad to plain crying. One of my favorite quotes from the story is “ I thought it may be easier if you got rid of all of it in one shot. Then no more worries.” “ You look beautiful.”
This is my first book by D. Nichole King, I loved this story. The subject is very near and dear to my heart. I felt the pain that Damian went through. I really connected with the characters.
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Excerpt
Damian sighed and adjusted his
nametag. “I’m the son of Jackson Lowell, Doctor Extraordinaire. That means I
have a lot of time to myself. I play the guitar. Write music. I’ve beaten every
Assassin’s Creed game. And I don’t live up to my father’s expectations. Hell, I
don’t know if I live up to anyone’s expectations.”
“I’m sure your dad just wants you
to be happy.”
Damian grunted. “Whose definition
of happy? His? Mine?” His eyebrows rose. “Yours?”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t happy only
have one definition?”
“Does it? Are you happy?”
I thought about it for a few
moments. I had beaten my disease twice before, and I was determined to do it
again. More than anything, I was happy just to be alive. “Yeah, I am.”
His eyes narrowed. “Having a tube
sticking out of your chest, being hooked up to toxic drugs, getting sick—that
makes you happy?”
“Oh, well, no. But…”
“Not that easy, is it?” The edge in
his voice pricked at me. I couldn’t tell if he was talking about me or himself.
“The outcome of—”
“You don’t know the outcome.” He sounded angry, his eyes blazing. “You only hope it will make you happy. When it
might kill you. That’s reality.”
I pulled my lips tight. “True, but
it makes my parents happy to see me fight.”
“Bullshit. They’re not happy having
a daughter who has to battle cancer. And if you die, well, how can they be
happy about that?”
“If—”
Damian cut me off. “Yeah. If. So
much is based on that word, and there are no fucking guarantees attached to it.
What makes you happy now may be what destroys you later. Or those you love.
Then what? Sometimes, being happy isn’t worth the risk.”
“And sometimes it is,” I said
quietly.
Damian brightened again, offering a
slight smile. “See what I mean? Nothing in this shithole life is easy.”
“Just because it’s not easy, doesn’t
mean it’s not worth it.”
“So tell me then, is it worth it?” His blue eyes searched
mine. “Worth all the time in this place?”
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Thank you!!!! <3
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