Title: The Things We Keep

Author: Sally Hepworth

Rating: 4 stars

Reviewers: Dottie & Jennifer

Summary: Anna Forster is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease at only 38. Her family has placed her in Rosalind House, an assisted living facility. It just so happens that the home has another young Alzheimer’s patient, Luke. They forge a friendship, which has consequences that develop later in the story.

Eve Bennett is working as the cook at Rosalind House after the sudden death of her husband. We get to know Eve and her daughter, Clem, during their time at Rosalind House.

When Eve meets Anna and Luke she is moved by the bond the pair has forged. Anna’s and Luke’s families don’t want them together but Eve finds herself fighting to keep them together.

Jennifer’s Review ~
Forbidden love. Or is it? That is the question. This is what drew me to Anna and Luke’s story.

I have no personal experience with Alzheimer’s but feel that Ms. Hepworth gave the readers a clear picture of what the disease looks like. The message here … does love transcend everything, even Alzheimer’s? For Anna and Luke it does. Their love story is simple but powerful.

I enjoyed the side story of Clem dealing with a bully at school. There’s nothing that makes me angrier than kids being mean.

I liked Eve and her story and her faith that love would make Anna and Luke happy until the end.

The Things We Keep is available now. I recommend you grab your copy now.

Dottie’s Review ~
Alzheimer’s is a most terrible disease that robs you of not only your memory, but also your dignity. Being a caretaker for my Mother-in-law who has Alzheimer’s, I sometimes shy away from this type of storyline. In the case of The Things We Keep, I’m glad that I decided to give it a go.

Sally Hepworth alternates the storytelling between Anna and Eve, also in slightly different timelines. This gives the reader a different perspective of the goings on at Rosalind House. I found the secondary story of Eve and Clem very touching.

Although Alzheimer’s is a thoroughly depressing subject, the characters and their interactions make this a somewhat uplifting tale. As I’ve said, I’m so glad that I was given the opportunity to read this wonderful story.

Dottie and Jennifer both received an ARC from NetGalley.