Badass Bloggettes: What's Left of Me by Amanda Maxlyn ~ Blog Tour & Sarah's Review

Life works in mysterious ways.
Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.
I refuse to cry.
And I refuse to give in.
A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything.
He is persistent, and he knows what he wants.
Me.
He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.
But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.
What if it changes everything?
Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.
Love found me when I was twenty-one.
My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.

This book was pretty heart breaking. When it first started I knew that it was going to be a tear jerker for me. (My formula for guaranteed tears is cancer + love + swoon worthy hero.)

"You own me, Aundrea. The second I laid eyes on you through the mirror, I knew it. I would be a damn fool to let you slip past me. I am so unbelievably in love with you."

When they first met I wasn't sure what was going to happen. Honestly I wasn't sure that he was who I thought he was. I'm glad though that Parker was it for her though. From the very first time that we saw him you could tell that he was more special than a lot of, even my favorite, book boyfriends. There was just something about him that shined in a way that others don't.

"Baby." He moves to stand in front of me. "From here on out, whatever you go through, affects me. You are a part of me. Allow me to go through this with you. I want to take each step with you. Let me."

While Aundrea kept trying to keep things on a friendship level with them, in order to not hurt him as much if she were to die, he kept up his relentless pursuit of more. And they both deserved more. I was glad that he wasn't super pushy though, that would have been a total turn off.

"I don't see anyone but you Aundrea."

I was super pissed that Aundrea kept hiding her diagnosis from Parker. He never gave any indication that he would be anything other than completely supportive and wonderful with her. And when he finally found out, while he could have been incredibly pissed off, and rightfully so, he wasn't. Sure he was upset, but a lot of people would have been irate. Just another reason that he is so wonderful. (He just gets more and more swoon worthy the farther you get into the book.)

"I want all of you Aundrea. Everything and anything that you will give me. I want it all. I want to be your legs when you can't walk. I want to be your arms when you're too weak to eat. I want to be there for you day and night. But never again are you to withhold information from me. Ever."

The epilogue tore me apart. I am still reeling from it. It was hard and beautiful and a complete surprise. I love how it all ended. With most books I am sure whether or not I need (or want) to know more. What's Left of Me left me without an answer to that question. It is not a cliffhanger, at all, but I think that I would like to know more about their lives after the last chapter. But on the other hand the way that the epilogue ended was so beautiful that I think that I am completely happy. Congratulations Amanda, you left me with a feeling that I have never had about a book ending.

"Promise me that after this moment, you will never pressure me regarding any future surgeries or treatments. I am beyone ready to me done. I just want to start living my life with you."

Me wraps his arms around me, pulling me tighter. "Aundrea, I can't make that promise because I will stop at nothing if it means saving your life. I will give you my own breath, if it means keeping you alive."

I am the mother of two little boys, married to the love of my life, and living in one of the smallest towns in Minnesota. When I’m not chasing or cleaning up after my boys (yes, all three), I can be found writing or snuggled up with my kindle, a glass of wine, and spending time with my fictional friends and family.