Hearing the words “it’s cancer,” threw Sara Phillips’ life into chaos, until an unexpected turn of events and a chance encounter with a stranger changed everything—his name was Ben. Based on real events, Ben and Sara discover that when all else fails, healing can come in the most unexpected ways. Chilling and heart wrenching, His Name Was Ben is a triumph over the devastating circumstances and … fear experienced when faced with a terminal illness. In this narrative, the power of love conquers shadows and transforms the very nature and meaning of what it is to be fully alive. From the award winning, best-selling author of, The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, comes a story filled with soul and passion that will leave the reader thinking about it for days after the last page is closed.
“Paulette Mahurin compassionately renders an insightful tale about love and life in the moment, when a moment is all there is. Both ordinary and extraordinary, Sara and Ben kept me up at night rooting for them, as did Mahurin of course, a writer of exceptional heart, for her tender and wise depiction of love against all odds. A rare pleasure, His Name Was Ben is not to be missed.”—Lee Fullbright, author of The Angry Woman Suite
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I don’t usually read these kinds of stories, but once I started reading His Name was Ben, I couldn’t put it down. A heart breaking love story about cancer victims, hope, and survival. Great story.
A beautifully written, tender and thought provoking story.
Sara and Ben, have family issues and a history of failed relationships, leaving them untrusting and aloof. As a couple they slowly take down their barriers as they learn to trust and live again. Together they have the courage to confront their past and make new memories.
“In accepting their fate and directing their attention to the real world as it moved moment to moment, they found inner peace, with each other and individually.”
The urgency of their love and need to live in the moment, free of past nightmares, is intensified as they met each other in an oncologist’s waiting room.
Like many others, my life has been turned upside down by the devastation of cancer, and I have a tendency to veer away from books, about the big, ‘C.’ But this book was about the deep connection between two people as they found the courage to be open, enjoy each moment as it came and make the journey worthwhile.
The characters were likeable and believable, as they made mistakes as they overcame their doubts and fears. I felt Sara’s pain when she thought she could never be desirable after her double mastectomy and realised she needed only one person to find her desirable to feel that way and let go of her inhibitions.
This book is an affirmation of life and not the sad book I feared it might be.
The message was clear, whether your journey is short or long, make it count.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and it is one I will re-visit in the future.
“…time isn’t measured by the clock, but by the moments of shared love.
The title of this books lets you know exactly what you’re about to read.
At first I didn’t think the title was a good idea but as I read through the book I began to appreciate the title and its revelation on what was to come, I was prepared then for the end.
This is a beautifully written story of real love in a real life situation. I found it touching and moving.
This is a book that deserves to be read.
I’m giving this book five stars for only one reason: I can’t give it six. It’s not a conventional romance, it’s an extremely touching and emotional story of two people who meet under almost the worst of circumstances in a cancer clinic, try to make the best of what is left of their lives and wind up finding the best of all possible worlds.
The title gives away the ending, but it is the getting there, the journey that while short is as long as the characters need, that is the real story. This is not a book to be skimmed, to be raced through, but rather to be read slowly and savored. It is a book that puts the reader in touch with the characters from the inside, puts the characters inside the reader and leaves the reader somehow different at the end.
It rings true, and I don’t say that about many books. None other, in fact. I almost expected to find the author explaining that it was her own story. Get this book, read it … and be changed.
A well written emotional journey. I became invested in these realistic characters. His Name was Ben is a unique type of romance. It is a difficult topic with a beautiful lesson. Congrats to the author on a wonderful job. I highly recommend it.
This is a riveting story about the heartache of cancer and we follow the story of Sara, and her journey to stay alive and how she met a man named Ben.
Read this story and see if you can do so without shedding a tear. I loved reading this book, the characters and storyline, and I would recommend it. Download a copy today you will not be disappointed.
His Name Was Ben is the story of two cancer patients, Sara and Ben, who are both enrolled in a last ditch, experimental study that could save their lives. When they fall in love, they find the kind of salvation that is irrespective of mere life or death. Sarah and Ben also share a dis-functional family life, lovers who disappointed and betrayed them, and a history of abusive relationships that makes it hard for each of them to open up and trust. I thoroughly enjoyed this unconventional but touching love story. To say that it has a happily ever after ending is a gross understatement. You will have to read it to understand what I mean. I highly recommend Mahurin’s book – it will fill you with hope, and make you believe in true love once again. It might even heal you as it did them.