The Rest Of Me by Katie Marsh @marshisms @HodderBooks #TheRestOfMe

Alex Fox knows there are lots of things she should be.

She should be the perfect wife to her chronically ill husband Sam, and the perfect mother to their two daughters. She should be excelling in her high-stress job. And she should be completing the demanding to-do lists she makes to keep herself on track.

Even if, just sometimes, she doesn't have time to breathe.

When Sam's condition worsens and Alex donates a kidney to save his life, her carefully scheduled existence starts to unravel - eventually forcing her to face up to a past that she has buried for years.

As the family she has fought so hard for threatens to fall apart, can Alex finally confront the mistakes that have shaped her - and rediscover what is most important in life?

The Rest of Me by Katie Marsh was published by Hodder on 26 July 2018. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review. A version of this review was printed in the Daily Express.

Alex Fox writes herself lots of to-do lists. She’s a mother, wife and hugely successful in her career working for a charity.

Her husband Sam has a chronic kidney disease and over the past couple of years Alex has become his carer whilst holding down a demanding job and coping with two young daughters. Now Alex has donated a kidney to Sam and although he’s much better, almost back to his old self, Alex’s world seems to be crumbling around her.

Her new boss has made his feelings about her perfectly clear and his attitude towards her brings back old and previously well buried memories of her experiences as a child.

Whilst Alex is battling to hold everything together at home and at work, her youngest daughter; football crazy Izzy is trying to cope with being an outsider. Izzy is determined that she won’t tell Alex or Sam what she’s going through, after all they have quite enough to worry about as it is.

The Rest Of Me is a sensitively and beautifully written story that is sure to touch every reader’s heart. As Izzy experiences the pain of rejection and the humiliation of being the girl that nobody wants at their party, Alex is reliving her almost identical childhood experiences.

Vividly written and packed with emotional punches, this novel is devastating yet uplifting. The characters are brilliantly crafted, with vulnerabilities and flaws and beautifully observed.

Katie lives in London with her family. 

Before being published she worked in healthcare, and her novels are inspired by the bravery of the people she met in hospitals and clinics across the country. 
Her first novel 'My Everything' is a 2018 World Book Night pick, and her second 'A Life Without You' was a huge e-book bestseller. 
Her fourth novel 'The Rest of Me' is out this summer in e-book, audio and paperback. 

She loves strong coffee, the promise of a blank page and stealing her husband's toast. When not writing, she spends her time fruitlessly pursuing her children in various local parks. 

You can contact Katie on Twitter @marshisms or Facebook www.facebook.com/katiemarshauthor, or via her website www.katie-marsh.com