Remember us…when I can’t.Thea Hughes has five minutes to live.A car accident stole her parents and left her with the second-worst documented case of amnesia in the world. She now has only minutes of experiences, of consciousness, of life…before her memory is wiped clean. The once effervescent artist with a promising future is reduced to scribbling with pens and paper, living an empty, quiet … an empty, quiet life, three hundred seconds at a time.
Jim Whelan is on autopilot.
A foster kid shuffled around the system since birth, he’s lived his entire life without knowing love…and it’s taken its toll—until he learned to fight back, carry his armor, and keep his head down.
Working as an orderly in the Blue Ridge Sanitarium, deep in Virginia countryside, Jim looked up…and found Thea.
When Thea has the chance to break free of her five-minute prison with a risky, experimental surgery, it could lead them both to an epic love they never thought possible… or one that could require the ultimate sacrifice.
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50 First Dates meets Awakenings in this emotional love story by international and best-selling author, Emma Scott.
A Five-Minute life contains subject matter that might be sensitive to some readers.
#standalone #newadultromance
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* A review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review *
A Five – Minute Life is my first Emma Scott novel, but it won’t be may last either.
This book was beyond amazing. Such an emotional, angsty, intriguing and unique story. I didn’t want to stop reading once I started. I thought the writing of this story was perfect. I was sucked into all the characters lives and emotions. I felt like I was living this life with them.
A Five – Minute Life is a standalone novel that is told in Dual POV. This story will take you on an emotional roller coaster. I thought the pace and flow worked perfect for the feelings and storyline that was played out. I can truly say I have never read a story like this one before. This is definitely going on my Best of 2019 List.
In this story we follow the lives of Jimmy (Jim) and Thea. Thea is a 23 year old woman who was in a horrible accident, that left her parents dead and her with one of the worst cases of amnesia ever recorded. Jimmy is a new orderly who was just hired to work at the same facility that Thea is at. Knowing that it is against all rules Jimmy is intrigued by Thea. he feels some kind of instant connection with her. Over the course of the story we see these two characters grow and flourish. I don’t want to give the whole story away. You really need to experience this story for yourself.
I absolutely LOVED both Thea and Jimmy. Thea was an outstanding heroine. She was strong yet vulnerable. She was sweet but fierce when need be. Jimmy is one of my favorite Heroes to date. I fell in love with him right along with Thea. Jimmy felt he was flawed but I didn’t see it, I saw him as strong, compassionate and dedicated. He loved fiercely even though he thought he wasn’t worthy of the emotion. Trust me, Thea and Jimmy are two characters you are going to want to meet. They will definitely live in my head for some time to come.
Let me finish this review by saying, READ THIS BOOK!!! You won’t be sorry.
Hard story to read, Emma Scott took loss memory to another level with A Five-Minute Life and has shown me that my memory is my most precious possession!
This book made me hurt. No, I don’t know anyone suffering with loss memory or Alzheimer (this is not a book about Alzheimer at all!) but it hurt! It hurt to see Thea hurting deep inside! How her silent screams for help almost killed her deep inside! How doctors so often leave us to barely living without even trying again and again! Hurt to see how sometimes people around us don’t try harder! IT HURTS!
But I LOVED this story! I LOVED to see Thea fighting for herself when she was given a chance! I LOVED how Jim never stop believing! I LOVED her trip and how she took everything for the first time!
And I cried… I cried in a train full of people while going to work, when she sees herself in despair… it hurt so much!
So with tears still in my eyes, I can’t say much more…. Emma Scott is a genius, she always give us beautiful stories to read, bringing out the most deep emotions from us. She is definitely an author worth reading, because you will never read the same thing from her books over and over again! Her books are unique!
Wow. What a book! I have been a fan of Emma’s work for a while now because she always writes such poignant, unforgettable reads and this book is no different. In fact, it reconfirms why I love her stories so much. She is an amazing storyteller and each and every novel she writes describes an epic kind of love that every woman in this world hopes to find for themselves. Her books (like this one) aren’t easy, breezy romances. They are emotional, raw, heartbreaking, and fulfilling. Emma is able to break us down and build us readers back up again in a away that truly touches the heart and soul. I adore her words, which are poetry to me, and highly recommend anything that she writes. In fact, I believe every romance reader should read at least one of the authors novels. Just a small taste.. Because when you do? You will be hooked for life. This my friends is what romances books should be like.
In A Five-Minute Life Emma writes the love story of a woman with amnesia and the man who is able to steal her heart, even when she can’t remember. One may assume that the book takes on a bit of a forbidden edge as this man who comes into her life is actually an orderly who works at the sanitarium she is living in, but it doesn’t FEEL forbidden. Rather, it feels like FATE for both of them. There are quite a few up’s and down’s when it comes to their love story (clearly) but the overall message of HOPE is there and you can’t help but feel it too. I was rooting for Thea and Jimmy from the moment they locked eyes at the painting and didn’t stop until the very last page (which was absolutely breathtaking by the way). Gosh, it’s just such a beautiful love story.
As I mentioned, everyone should read a book by the wonderful Emma Hart. If you haven’t started yet this is a fantastic place to start because this story really showcases Emma’s talent. I have other recommendations for her books but since this is the one I just finished I HAVE TO recommend it to everyone. It’s truly to beautiful to miss!
What an amazing story. It’s been a while since I’ve read something so powerful and heartfelt. Jim and Thea are amazing characters and the turmoil they both go through is heartwrenching. Make sure to have your tissues ready for this one, you will definitely need them!!
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~~ 4.5 MIRACULOUS STARS! ~~
“I saw her. This girl whom, if we had longer than five minutes, I’d make mine.”
Ever LIVE AND BREATHE a book that burrows itself so deep inside your heart and soul that it leaves a permanent mark? Well, that’s what happened after I read A FIVE-MINUTE LIFE by Emma Scott. This powerfully emotional story slayed me in the best possible way!
PREMISE:
Two years earlier, talented young artist Thea Hughes’s whole life was wiped away in the blink of an eye. When she awoke in the hospital after barely surviving a tragic car accident, which killed her parents, she was diagnosed with the second worst documented case of amnesia in the world. All she had were five precious minutes of experiences before her brain would “reset” and her new memories were once again eradicated. Rinse. Repeat.
FF to present day. She has been residing in the Blue Ridge Sanitarium, a facility for patients with traumatic brain injuries, and with the exception of her older sister, is all alone in the world. And it’s there that she eventually meets a handsome, gallant young orderly named Jim Whelan, a former foster kid who has had his fair share of pain and hardship in his life. An instant attraction sparks between them and Jim is beguiled by Thea’s flamboyant personality and her passion for art, but then she becomes agitated and confused and he is rattled when he learns she’s a resident at the facility and discovers the shocking truth about her devastating medical condition.
Against all odds, this bubbly, effervescent young woman with the crystal blue eyes brightens the dark corners of Jim’s achingly bereft heart. And each and every time they “meet” for the “first time” they share that special undeniable connection. Thea’s scribblings on paper intrigue Jim as does the woman herself. He can see her desperation to break free from the prison inside of her mind, and he is determined to help her at all costs. Even when everyone believes a cure is hopeless. But then they discover there is hope on the horizon. An experimental surgery that could either permanently restore Thea’s memory or rip her from his arms forever. Can their faith and love rewrite the most important script of both their lives?
MY MUSINGS:
My heart is BURSTING and my cheeks are glistening with tears after turning the final page of this ASTONISHING love story. I binge read A FIVE-MINUTE LIFE in one day—it was utterly unputdownable–and I fell so irrevocably in love with this story, with these characters, with Emma’s Scott’s magnificent writing. In essence, this is a tender-hearted, TRIUMPHANT tale about love. Survival. Hope. Sacrifice. Belief. And the extraordinary resiliency of the human spirit. Gah the feels were OFF THE CHARTS! And one thing I can absolutely guarantee: This soul-crushing, yet utterly uplifting story will consume you from page one, move you to the depth of your being, shatter your heart and then heal it in the most wondrous of ways!
Emma Scott is a TRUE VISIONARY! Her storytelling is always phenomenal but she truly raised the bar with this book. She crafted a beautifully nuanced, brilliantly unique novel that delves into the mystifying allure of the human psyche and this story celebrates the power of kindness and empathy, hope and humanity, fate and destiny. There are so many layers and dimensions to A FIVE-MINUTE LIFE, and while the love saga is absolutely breathtaking on every level, this is so much more than a sweepingly romantic love story. But in regards to the unfolding relationship between Jimmy and Thea? OMG it’s spellbinding. Swoon worthy. Life affirming. And so HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL I got goosebumps throughout!
Sighhhh! This epic tale touched my heart in unfathomable ways. Jim and Thea are two broken souls who bring hope and vibrancy back into each other’s colorless worlds. They fight valiantly to overcome every obstacle that’s strewn in their path and SOB there are many!
Holy moly what these characters suffered through. First we have Jimmy, a strong, silent tortured soul who has faced unspeakable torment in his life. Shuttled from one foster home to the next as a boy, forced to endure years of bullying and emotional abuse due in large part to his debilitating stutter, this noble, gentle-hearted lone wolf has tried to rise above his tumultuous past and his true calling is to help others. But out of self-preservation, he has conditioned himself to live a life that’s devoid of happiness and love. Until he meets this stunningly beautiful young artist who is coping with a catastrophic brain Injury. Yet despite the “hopelessness” of Thea’s circumstances—that she’s destined to repeat the same five minute conversation for the rest of her life—this remarkably brave warrior casts a bright shining beacon of light into Jimmy’s desolate world.
The MCs love is true and everlasting, their chemistry sweet and sensual and achingly poignant. They bring each other back to life, and they vow to never ever give up on each other. But alas their future not quite as certain! But nevertheless, these two are perfect for each other in every way. Thea encourages Jimmy to take changes, to follow his dreams, to be “wild” and helps heal the deep wounds from his past. And in return, he becomes her fiercest protector, her greatest champion. Not only keeping this free-spirited young woman calm and safe, but he becomes the “mirage” in her “vast desert of nothingness.” And against all odds, “Jimmy with the kind eyes” would do ANYTHING to quiet her silent cries … even follow her blindly into the dark.
In addition to the endearing protagonists, the cast of secondary characters are amazeballs as well. Standouts are Rita and Alonzo who lend endless counsel, compassion and support to Thea and Jimmy, and circle the wagons when times get tough! But grrr how I loathed her sister Delia! And while there were some sluggish, monotonous parts to this story, and the repetitive nature of some of the scenes did feel a bit excessive at times, I got what the author was striving for on that front. I am not going to say how this book ends—why spoil it?—but rest assured the story is as HOPEFUL as it is HEARTWRENCHING, and the awe-inspiring journey Thea and Jimmy embark on together is the greatest miracle of all.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
I’ve just finished reading A Five Minute Life and I feel like my heart and emotions have been through the wringer. This book is stunning, in every sense of the word. It’s so different and incredibly moving, unlike anything I’ve read before.
I don’t want to talk about the plot, as the blurb tells you what you initially need to know going in. The rest you have to experience for yourself; and what an experience! So heartbreakingly frustrating at times, these characters face so many challenges and obstacles that I spent a great deal of time reading their story with my heart in my mouth. A traumatic head injury forces Thea to rage a silent war against the confines of her own mind. The unfairness of her life is so poignantly relayed that it brought a lump to my throat. Nevertheless, despite everything, she’s wonderfully resilient and quirky. I admired her fighting spirit immensely and was blown away by her courage. Although I really liked him, it was a little difficult to get a handle on Jimmy at times. He’s emerged from a difficult childhood a deep thinker, with his own challenges and demons to overcome. Nevertheless, he’s Thea’s protector and her champion, steadfast in his commitment to her. Despite having very opposite characters, they were perfect for each other. Their story is not a typical romance. It’s full of angst, love, hope and commitment. It’s a wonderful lesson in how to truly live your life to the fullest and not simply exist.
I love character driven storylines and A Five Minute Life is one of the best.
A Five Minute Life is a beautifully tragic story and yet at the same time exquisitely brilliant!
What can I say other then it will take your breath away by so many levels!!! Where your heart will not know to do with the kaleidoscope of emotions passing through you. They just parallel the storyline to new heights and levels. Taking you on an unstoppable journey by its own gravitational force and leaving you completely spellbound! Yes, one of the best books of 2019!!
The heart wants what the heart wants. Even if the brain doesn’t remember. This is made evident in Jim and Thea’s story. When Jim Whelan arrives at Blue Ridge Sanitarium, he’s a quiet and unassuming man. After a life of foster care, frequent abuse and neglect from schoolmates and foster parents, he’s built a shield around himself. He’s immune to insults, he just lowers his head, knuckles down and works. His aim is just to exist. He has a dream of studying speech therapy to help kids who stutter like he does, but with his low self-esteem he finds it impossible. He’s like vacant outside but inside lives a good man, generous, kind and willing to give.
When Jim starts working, he meets Thea, a young and vibrant woman with a severe case of amnesia. She “resets” her memory every five minutes, where her brain erases everything she just lived and she only remembers that she has a sister, she had an accident, and she’s waiting for her doctors and her parents. To Jim, it’s impossible to see such a vibrant person with much life and no memory at all. Somehow, as he spends time with her, he realizes she does has a presence, but not everybody sees is. He sees her and he fights for her, gaining the enmity of Thea’s sister, who wants to protect her sister by keeping her environment calm and stable.
What a heartbreaking story! There’s a permeating sense of sadness and despair. Thea’s sister Delia is riddled with survivor’s guilt and is trying to help her sister as best she can but is holding to the past. Jim is finding his voice in his defense of Thea. He sees her lament of loneliness and pleas for help in her drawings but everybody disregards it as unimportant. Thea might not remember Jim in her conscious memory, but her unconscious recognizes him as someone who is important to her. The story is fascinating because we see how, in spite of a severe case of amnesia, the brain is capable of sending signals, the soul recognizes a kindred soul who is important to her.
Thea and Jim’s story is happy at times, sad at others, and so very human. I learned that the brain is a very convoluted thing and it’s capable of finding love, even when it’s severely damaged. Thea was a great character, but for me the hero was Jim. He was quietly insistent until he found an ally in Dr. Chen. He was supportive and giving, even when Thea was there for only five minutes at a time, then reset and repeat. His love was all encompassing, all tolerant, all giving. He was an extraordinary character; he recognized Thea as the only woman who truly sees him (“you look like a Jimmy with your kind eyes”) and yet, she was not there all the time. This was such a sentimental love story, and we do get our HEA, but oh boy did we have to cry for it. The end and the epilogue were just sublime.
Emma Scott really knows how to tear at the heartstrings. I think everyone deserves love, even when giving it and receiving it can be difficult. Both Thea and Jim are experiencing loneliness and are each other’s lifeline, but it’s so unique. Time is of the essence. There’s no time to waste. I don’t think everyone is made for this relationship. This book made me cry….laugh…swoon. Then it made me want to rip my hair out and throw the book. It’s safe to say I was a little invested and so engrossed with what was going on. I think everyone deserves this kind of love, but not everyone gets it. This book is well worth reading…even if only to read about the love that Thea and Jim share.
Absolutely beautiful story!!
Thea has a bright future ahead of her as a young art student who is on the cusp of fulfilling her dreams. That all changes in the blink of an eye when she is involved in a head-on collision that kills her parents instantly and leaves her with the second-worst case of amnesia. Every five minutes, her mind resets and she has no recollection of what she was doing or saying right before. She has very little memory of her past, other than her sister and that something is wrong with her that the doctors are working on. Thea has spent the last 2 years at Blue Ridge Sanitarium as a shell of the woman she once was.
Jim has never had a family to call his own. He grew up bouncing from foster home to foster home, some worse than others. Due to the trauma he endured, he has a stutter that comes out when stressed or nervous, which only serves to make him feel more worthless. Jim doesn’t like to talk much to others, he prefers to live in isolation and wants a job where he can stay mostly to himself. He finds a job as an Orderly at Blue Ridge Sanitarium working with patients who have suffered a brain injury. Little does Jim know, that this job is no ordinary job and will change his life in the most extraordinary ways.
When Jim meets Thea, he knows there is more to her than what he sees. He believes that she is trying to communicate through the drawings she does and feels a soul deep connection every time he talks with her. Can Jim help to unlock Thea’s memory and bring her back to life or will 5 minutes be all they ever share?
This story was sometimes so heartbreaking, it was difficult to continue. Other times, it was so enthralling there was no way to put it down. This is the first book I have read by Emma Scott but certainly won’t be my last. I loved Thea and Jim and the journey they shared! This story is the kind to not leave your mind or heart for days afterward. I highly recommend this book!
A Five Minute Life has me all up in my feelings, y’all. I just texted Court all the emojis because the emotions I felt were just too spoilery for words (she’s still reading) and I had lots of conflicting emotions that I neeeeeded to get out.
Without regurgitating the synopsis (see below)—let me say I just loved the interesting concept—someone living in 5 minute increments only to have those minutes disappear? How does one think of such a thing, make it interesting and not repetitive, and push the plot forward? They put Emma Scott in charge because that’s what happened–it was interesting, not repetitive, and the plot moved forward. I was interested and intrigued—dying to know how she was going to resolve the conflicts so that Jim and Thea could have all the happiness I wanted them to have (thank the #lordt that happened because I think I was having heart palpitations and heartburn just getting to those epilogues! Yep, plural—epilogues.).
There’s just so much to love about this novel from Thea’s almost eternal sunshiney optimism to Jim’s steadfast goodness and their interesting backgrounds and current conflicts-I don’t think I’ve liked two characters this much in a long time.
Thank you, Emma Scott for always giving us interesting characters and plot lines and writing novels that never fail to have me 100% emotionally invested from start to finish.
You know you’re in for an emotional ride when you read an Emma Scott book, but this one was something else, this was a beautiful heartfelt love story whilst at the same time it delivered some heartfelt gut punches. A compelling read from start to finish, quite a unique type of story, beautifully written, very realistic in its topics which really touched my soul at times.
Thea and Jim are both broken souls in two very different ways. Jim grew up in foster care moving from family to family being abused both physically and mentally, never really knowing love at all, being bullied at school, as a result he talks with a stutter when nervous or upset and doesn’t think he deserves anything good in his life, the result of the nasty tirade of words that his foster mum would say to him. His dream is to help kids with a stutter like he had, but he never finished school and let his dream go. Thea was involved in a car accident is is the worlds second worse amnesia patient, her memory literally lasts for 5 minutes before it resets itself. She can remember things from before the accident, but not since and is still in a perpetual loop, a prisoner, unable to break free from her captive mind.
Jim ends up working in the Sanitarium where Thea now lives, and can’t believe such a beautiful, bright and full of life girl like Thea could possibly be in there. Until he witnesses the resets for himself and ends up repeating everything they had just talked about. But they also had a connection, unlike any Thea had shown to anyone else since the accident, she connected with Jim in a special way at the same time Jim was falling for Thea and desperate to help her in any way he could.
I went in blind reading this book which made it all that much more poignant a read for me, I truly loved it, an unforgettable and heartfelt story, one of the best this year for me. The struggles they face and the patience that it takes to carry on was totally on point for me. The book brought out a whole range of heartfelt emotions and the story really touched me. An utterly unputdownable read, one you will not be disappointed in. Very highly recommended reading.
Beautiful. Amazing. I have all the words for this emotionally touching story. Jim was such a special man. He noticed when someone was hurting and had a connection to Thea. He didn’t just write her off as a hopeless case. Thea…the poor soul. I couldn’t help but hurt for her and yearn with my whole being for her to feel whole again. My heart was pulling so strongly for both Jim and Thea to be happy and together. I was so invested in their story…my entire being on pins and needles. What an epic love story!
Emma Scott has not let me down anytime I pick up one of her stories. I know I’m going to be taken on an intense adventure. And my heart and emotions will never be the same. One of the best stories I’ve read this year.
A heartbreakingly beautiful story of love , loss and hope!!
Get the tissues ready and embark on another beautifully written story that pulls you in to the five minute life of thea, this story really does make you think about life as we know it and how fragile it really is ,what you take for granted can be stolen at the blink of an eye .
Thea and jimmy’s story will captivate you from the very beginning keeping you hoping and praying that life isnt always so cruel
Another amazing read from the wonderful emma ecott
My stand out read of the year so far! This story is everything I wanted it to be and so much MORE. A ROMANCE STORY DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN THIS
Breath-taking.
Beyond beautiful.
Eloquent.
Intense.
SO SPECIAL
And emotional. (Have a whole box of tissues ready!)
It’s the ROMANCE NOVEL ALL romance readers need because it is the absolute best on all levels: writing, emotion, romance, passion, love, angst, story, plot, characters. There’s light and shade in the narrative. I sobbed but equally, there were moments when I laughed out loud with Thea and Jimmy. Testament to the power of a full-bodied book with highly developed characters whom I totally believed in and who made me feel all levels of emotion.
Emma Scott poured her heart into the rich layers of this story. Her writing is incredible; amazing, heart-breaking and uplifting all at the same time. I cannot stress enough the beauty of the writing, and the abundance of love that I felt within the pages. This is a story that readers will remember for a long time to come.
How does one move on after reading this beautiful story?
Thea and Jimmy are a couple that truly deserve happiness…
“I think everyone deserves happiness. It’s out there, waiting to come to us, but we have to be open to receiving it. We have to know we deserve it, in order to give it a chance.”
The highs and lows in this book are so emotional. Five minutes never passed so quickly. Then just as fast as they went, we start all over again from square one.
Beautifully written, emotionally charged, page turner from the get go.
I’m not sure mere words could do justice in describing the beautiful, heartwrenching and mesmerizing journey this book took me on. Simply put, A Five-Minute Life was a phenomenally poignant book that needs to be experienced.
From the first page I was captivated by Thea. Beautiful, kind, and a brilliant artist Thea had her whole life ahead of her until one moment changed everything. Jim was searching for a new beginning when his path crossed with Thea. A bit broken, compassionate, protective yet cautious Jimmy needed someone to help him learn how to live again.
My poor heart wasn’t ready for all the emotions these two would provoke and together they had my emotions all over the place. I adored watching the bond between them blossom and I’ve never been so emotionally invested in characters as I was with Thea and Jimmy. There is so much emotion woven through every page of this book and even though I shed more tears than I ever expected while reading this book it left me with a huge smile on my face. A Five- Minute Life was a stunning, intense and stirring must read book that will stay with me for a long time to come.
*5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I always know with Emma’s books that I’m in for a serious story, and likely an emotional one too. Holy moly this one was awesome. I didn’t want to put it down, and I was in love with Thea and Jimmy’s story.
It’s unfathomable what Thea is going through, and then that gets topped off with certain actions of others throughout as well. I loved secondary characters like Alonzo and Rita, and I disliked ones such as Delia.
There’s a lot of depth and emotion in this one and I was really wondering how things would play out in this situation. It seems like the kind of story where as much as you hope, its impossible. I’ll let you read it to find out yourself exactly what goes down, and I hope everyone loves Thea and Jimmy as much as I did.
Beautiful writing, a plot that kept me enthralled from page one and a story you should experience. LOVED IT. Emma Scott is a genius!
A Five Minute Life is a feast for the senses and believe you me, it’s been a long while since all mine has been so alert. Scott’s prose encourages you to read fast, and you do but not without its consequences. What happens in five minutes becomes tortuous, uplifting, heartening and devastating. You gulp, go back and read passages in those pages turned hastily because just maybe you’d missed a significant detail by a hair’s breadth. You hope, too. Yes, plenty of that but the crushing knowledge learnt won’t appease even the hardest reader’s heart. Never have I read a story quite like this one. In fact, l have yet to come down from the high. The lows…oh-so-many, many tears.
Jimmy. This young man melted my heart and while writing this review and reflecting upon all of his qualities, I cried. With such a painful past that still comes back to haunt him, it would have been so easy for him to go down the wrong path, but he didn’t. He’s happy with what he’s got; nonetheless, he has his dreams…dreams he thinks are out of reach. Hmm…just maybe he’ll find encouragement to carry them out from the least expected person. Jimmy has a handicap and oh my, did Scott describe it with finesse. He has few words to share with anyone but what he doesn’t say, he makes up for in other ways. Trustworthy and hard-working, I couldn’t have rooted for this determined lad more. Everything he did was right and even if he was told otherwise, in my book he always did what was best for a lass who was trapped in her five-minute life.
“…Love. Without love, what’s the point?”
When the reader meets Thea, we get to know how high-spirited and talented she is. Out-going and out-spoken, her older sister Delia is daunted by her. One thing is for sure, they care for each other as siblings do. In fact, when disaster strikes, Delia’s protectiveness not only overwhelmed me, I also found her stance irrational. She has a sharp tongue and little patience for those around her sister. However, trying to picture what it must have been like for her was difficult although comprehensible.
“I love your sister to pieces, but a monastery isn’t serious enough for her.”
There were so many profoundly touching moments in this love story that took my breath away. Little-big clues Jimmy discovers, his courage to carry on and his calm demeanour during tough scenes. Him never giving up regardless of the setbacks. Him taking what little is given in real-time with Thea which are few and far between, are what counts. Every single minute he has with her isn’t lost. Somehow in Talia’s confusion, a bond grows, but wait until it flowers. To say I smiled would be an understatement. It is glorious. And damn it, I’m crying again!
‘He’s like a shot of booze, or a drug that feels too good to be legal.’
A third into the book and I still had that touch and go feeling. I can honestly say it felt as if I was living Thea’s fears but through it all, Jimmy was there brightening up her day with everything he had to offer. His inspiration filled my heart, her despair left me emotionally wrought.
‘Tiny tentacles of fear wormed into me as sleep came on.
It’s too good. Nothing good last.’
When a book has the calibre as does A Five-Minute Life, these words of praise seem to be insufficient. Small even. The author has knocked it out of the park! Impeccable storytelling, a plot that grips you from the first page to the last, and fabulous character development are only a couple of things that make this an epic romance. Get ready for a read like no other you’ve ever read! You won’t want to put it down, and since it’s a snotty-nosed read, you’ll definitely need a man-sized hanky or three at hand. It is plain to see that Scott has given her all and it’s paid off in spades. Bravo!