(Review) The Milestone Tapes

Title: The Milestone Tapes
Author: Ashley Mackler-Paternostro
Pub Date:February 2012
Pages: 346
Publisher: Create Space

Source: I received a pdf copy of the book for my review and participation in the tour.

About the book:

Jenna Chamberland never wanted anything more than to be a wife and mother. That is, until she realized that her life was ending after a three-year battle against breast cancer. Now, all she really wants is more time.

With 4,320 hours left to live, Jenna worries for her loved ones and what she knows awaits them on the other side: Gabe will have to make the slip from husband to widower, left alone to raise their seven-year-old daughter; Mia will be forced to cope with life without her mother.

In a moment of reflection, Jenna decides to record a set of audiocassettes — The Milestone Tapes – leaving her voice behind as a legacy for her daughter. Nine years later, Mia is a precocious sixteen-year-old and her life is changing all around, all she wants is her mother. Through the tapes, Jenna’s voice returns to teach Mia the magic of life, her words showing her daughter how to spread her wings and embrace the coming challenges with humor, grace and hope. THE MILESTONE TAPES is the journey of love between a parent and child, and of the bonds that hold them when life no longer can.

I have to begin my review by saying how much I love the cover of this book. I’m not sure what it is but there is something that I just love about it.

When I first heard about this book on Bewitching Book Tours I wanted to read it because of the cover, the story sounded like something I would enjoy and the fact that this is a debut novel by an author who lives in Naperville. I love Naperville and have been there twice so far. Thankfully my sister in law lives there so it always a reason to go.

Sadly I wasn’t able to download this onto my Kobo because I can no longer download books onto so I had to read this on my computer. I am 3/4 of the way through this book and I have been reading it for a couple of hours now.

I really enjoyed the story and I have to say I wasn’t expecting it to be so sad. My heart was breaking for Jenna and her family. I couldn’t stop reading because Ashley did a fantastic job with her debut novel. I really enjoyed the book.

Jenna and Gabe are married and have worked very hard in the careers and have realized that late in  life they want to have the ideal family and the perfect home since they have accomplished what they wanted. Things fall into place and Jenna gets pregnant and has Mia. Mia is perfect and healthy.

Fast forward and Mia is three years old. Jenna gets devasting news. She is diagnosed with cancer. Its actually the same kind of cancer that her mother had and died from when Jenna was a young woman. She goes through the process and begins treatment and it goes on for four years. Sadly, Jenna gets news that its now progressed and she knows what the outcome is so she decides to stop treatment and to live what little life she has to the fullest with her Gabe and Mia.

So Jenna decides that she wants to be there for Mia when Mia needs a mother the most so she was inspired to make Milestone tapes so that when Mia needs her she can listen to her. She wants Mia to know that she is with her every step of the way ie graduation, marriage etc.

I enjoyed this story and I have to admit that I did cry in spots. This was a nice little change in my reading routine and I am happy that I got to read this and I am looking forward to other books by Ashley.