This was a very distressing book to read, and for that reason I struggled to finish it. I like the dynamics of the mother and son relationship and thought that was very well written and heartbreaking.

This was a great book but it was also very sad at times. I really liked the characters they were so well drawn and I loved the humour too. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

A touching story of a mother/son relationship and how they navigate his heart health issues. Some of the language wasn’t to my liking but overall it’s well written and hard not to feel emotional over the characters’ plights. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Scott does not have a lot of time left. His heart is failing and there really is nothing the doctor’s can do to save his life. When Scott was seven years old he contracted a virus that weakened his heart which led to him getting a heart transplant. Scott knew it wouldn’t last forever and that there would be complications down the road, but he didn’t think it would happen twelve years later when he was only nineteen years old.

Scott does not want his mother to be alone and lonely when he is gone, so he hatches Project Boyfriend, a plan to find his mother, Josie, a man. This is not an easy task and it is not something Scott can just come right out and tell his mother. So, he records a video of his mother and places it up on social media. The video goes viral and the emails come pouring in. Can Scott find someone in time for Josie before it is too late?

Josie loves her son dearly. She would and has done everything in her power to keep her son alive and happy. She thought Scott would have many years with his new heart and down the road maybe another transplant. Nothing could have prepared her for Scott’s earlier than anticipated diagnosis of heart failure at such a young age. Josie has lived her entire life for her son. He was her world and her rock. Josie would go to the ends of the earth to find a doctor that can save her son, but is it what Scott wants?

Before We Say Goodbye is an emotional and often times heartbreaking tale of a son’s love for his mother. Scott is wise beyond his years and really does not act like your typical college student. He cares for his mother’s happiness and only wants what is best for her when he is gone. Scott has accepted that his death is near and he wants to ensure his mother has someone to lean on and someone to support her when he is gone.

You can really feel the love and the bond that Scott and Josie have. Scott is Josie’s entire world and you can feel the heartbreak and anguish jumping off of the pages and you can’t help but sympathize with Josie over her son. A mother is never supposed to outlive her children. You can see how Josie fights for her son willing to do whatever it takes to keep him alive.

Madeleine Reiss writes with such love and compassion. But, through all of the sadness comes a story filled with heart and hope. There are moments where you can’t help but chuckle over especially when it comes to the emails Scott receives from potential men looking to date his mother. Reiss takes a a tragedy that not only shows the harrowing side of death, but also shows the light that comes forth in times of adversity. I highly recommend Before We Say Goodbye. It is a poignant story about love and death and written in such a way that will evoke every emotion out of you. Have some tissues handy because you will definitely need them.

Very well written, and captivating.

A story that will make you laugh and cry. And without a doubt pulls on the heart strings.

A good read.

I couldn't finish this book.

Nicely written and seemed like nice characters but just didn't attract my attention.

Reading the blurb, I knew I would need a box of tissues to get through this book. A son Scott, who knew he was dying, didn’t want his mother Josie to be lonely, goes on a Boyfriend Mission to find a suitable mate for his mom, who would be there for her when he is gone.

My first book by Madeleine Reiss, and this book made me cry, though I did control the lump in the throat remarkably. Her writing and her flow of emotions amidst the humor the dates and their emails bring, made me laugh in between the tears. Why o why am I reading such books which make me do both, laugh and cry?

I love the way the mother and son are unselfish in their love and want the best for each other. A mother’s unconditional love is natural, but it was simply cry-worthy to see the son doing everything so that his mum has romance and happiness in her life.

I loved both Scott and Josie, they both showed a great deal of dignity and maturity. But my eyes were drawn to Josie, the mother, who struggles to find a way to save her son. A mother never gives up, but when nature and life forces her, I was in absolute awe at the strength that Josie displays in the face of tragedy. I loved Scott and Emily’s love, it was so pure and beautiful. I loved Scott and his best friend Picasso’s friendship. Childhood friendship

But the words which just about killed me in a deluge of emotions

I couldn’t have had a better mother, even if I’d made you up

Scott’s last words to his mother before she asked him to let go.

I am writing this review with tears flowing down my cheeks and I can’t write anymore… Such is the beauty of life and love!!

This book will, I absolutely guarantee, break your heart – I read the entire second half with an uncomfortable lump in my throat, and often had to wipe away tears so that I could carry on reading. These people were so very real – the mother putting her own life and needs on hold to love and care for her son, the son facing the end of his young life while trying to find her some happiness and a reason for living once he’s no longer there. The mother/son relationship is perfectly drawn with all its joy, pain and those ordinary moments of day-to-day living: the inevitability of the loss of her child absolutely tears you apart.

But if you’re expecting a rather depressing wallow, you’re looking at the wrong book – Scott’s efforts to find a partner for mother Josie are wonderfully entertaining, joyous and very funny as he selects apparently “suitable” blind dates from the many applicants and she meets a succession of distinctly less than suitable potential partners. The characterisation in this book is absolutely exceptional – in addition to that wonderful relationship between mother and son, the whole cast of characters is enchanting. I particularly loved neighbour Freya, who might be in the grip of dementia and inclined to answer the door wearing only jumper and slippers, eating little but cottage pies and chunky Kitkats, but who has the most wonderful moments of exceptional lucidity. Even the more minor characters are drawn in exquisite detail – Josie’s boss George at the bed showroom where she works, the lovely Picasso (not his real name, there’s a story there) with the unsuitable girlfriend and huge capacity for love. And as for Emily – oh, you’re just going to love her…

This book is full of the most wonderful images and moments. Some will have you in stitches, just perfect gentle observational humour, scenes from everyday life that fill you with joy and make your heart sing. I loved the inclusion of some of the emails from the potential suitors, some really funny, others distinctly weird, and other providing tantalising glimpses of other people’s lives. But there are other moments that are almost unbearably sad, but flawlessly handled – the joy found in holding a melting snowball was the point when my heart finally broke apart.

The Northumberland setting was perfectly drawn – Alnwick, the fossil searching on the beaches, the visits to Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands, the secret beach, the castle, even a visit to Barter Books – and the passage of time and the decline in Scott’s health is tracked with beautifully written descriptions of the changing face of nature as the seasons continue their relentless progression. And then there’s the wonderful story of the dolphin, and the way its future draws the threads of the story together and helps provide the most uplifting and gorgeous ending.

There was nothing – absolutely nothing – about this book that I didn’t love. I do hope others will discover it too… and love it every bit as much as I did.

Before we say goodbye is the first novel I have read by Madeleine Reiss but will be looking out for more in the future.
This is quite an emotional read so get your tissues ready!! At 7 years old Scott was diagnosed with heart problems and was in and out of hospital until he luckily managed to receive a heart transplant. In this book Scott is 19 and at university despite his mothers constant worry, when Scott comes home for visits she instinctively knows something is wrong but Scott denies this although his check up has delivered bad news and although a minor op will lengthen his life marginally it seams as though he doesn't have long.
As I read this I was totally drawn into Josie and Scotts lives, the writing covers a lot of emotions and is written with sympathy and honesty, although it is a sad story it does manage to make you really laugh as Scott decides that his mother having been single all his life after his father went missing before he was born decides she needs to find a partner for when he is gone so he uploads a video to youtube and picks his way through the hundreds of replies and sets Josie up on blind dates. This is where the humour comes in and makes this not a depressive read as some of the encounters are hilarious.
All the characters where likeable and very real making me really feel invested in their family life.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

Beautifully written. It made me laugh and it made me cry. Scott knows that he is not going to live much longer. He feels that his mother needs someone to love and to love her when he is gone. This story has been wonderfully written and captures everyones feelings and the atmosphere perfectly. It is humorous and sad and has been written with empathy.

Thank you NetGalley, Zaffre, and Madeleine Reiss for the ARC review. The range of emotions reading this book was like being on a ship at sea. Scott Hudson was a very courageous young man, who wanted more than anything else in the world to keep on living, but he knew that couldn't be. He did well with meeting his father, was glad to have gotten to known him and learn why he wasn't around. He found someone to share his time with in the end, and he had his friends. However, it was his mother he worried about the most. How would she cope after he was gone, especially when she had dedicated her entire life to taking care of him not only financially but medically as well. Josie made sure he had every good medical chance possible, even going so far as to sell everything and take him to America, if she had to. I must say she was a good sport and I think she realized that she did need other adult relationship. I was glad to see that she could let him go, she could tell him it was okay to leave. I can't imagine have to do that, but you could feel as if you were right there with Josie. I was so glad to see that Josie could do one last thing for Scott in taking the dolphin out to safer water. And I was glad to see that Scott could do one last thing for Josie and bring her and Dr. Moulton together.

This book had me in tears so many times. It was a very emotional read, but I couldn't put it down.

I’ve just finished this book and my eyes are still teary.. Such an incredible story of love, desperation, laughter and heartbreak. This book is so well written that your heart rides every emotion so easily. From Scott’s adoration of his mother and her undeniable protectiveness of him, this is one story that will stay with me.

Scott is 19 and at colllege all he wants is to make a difference in the world and help the environment. Scott had a heart transplant as a child and is devastated to learn that the heart is failing. Scott has been brought up by a single mother and doesn’t want her to be alone.
So follows his determination to find his mother a boyfriend.
This book was a rollercoaster! I both laughed and dried as the characters all came to terms with their lives without Scott.
#BeforeWeSayGoodbye. #NetGalley

Scott at 19 has just started college, he has his whole life to look forward to when he suddenly becomes unwell. Scott understands what is happening to him because at a young age he had a heart transplant and it seems his heart is now starting to fail again.

Josie is Scott’s mum, she has done everything in her power to keep Scott healthy. Scott decides that he needs someone there for his mum when the time comes so he sets about trying to find her love without her knowledge.

A beautifully written heartbreaking story with touches of humour which leaves you sad for Scott but also hopeful for Josie’s future.

I read this book as I always am drawn to thrillers and thought I would try a piece of fiction that doesn’t have a murder in it ! A more moving novel I seeked and one outside my comfort zone
This was a good choice ,though I knew this novel from the first page would reach out and grab my heart I went on and turned the pages and after a slow build I found myself drawn in to the relationships and wonderfully formed characters that had depth and who you cdnt help but respond to
The oh so wonderful, and thoughtful Scott who loved his mother and who so wanted his mother to be able to find love after he passes
Sounds,I know, a sad novel however it has genuinely witty moments that made me smile and giggle a bit out loud on one occasion
I could really visualise the dolphins on the beach and found myself as passionate as Scott about them getting to safety and despairing at people wanting to take them for a ride quite literally
The snow ball scene later on moved me to tears and representative clearly at that stage of Scott’s life and reminded me of the beauty we take for granted around us ,the simple things can give the most magical moments
An oh Josie was such a fierce lioness wanting desperately to save her son ,and gain some controll sometimes at the cost of their relationship yet oh how we empathise with her and understand Josie as a mother
The best most poignant part was of course when nature takes over and acceptance is embraced as that is true unconditional love letting someone go so they can move on at peace ,reminded me that I too will need to do that with my own mother when the time comes if not before so she is not anxious for me ,important to let go
A beautifull moving and witty at times novel don’t be put off by the emotional quality sometimes it’s a good thing for us to read something that is so powerful in terms of the beauty of human relationships

Oh my God !! This book was an emotional palette cleanser for me. Some books just squeeze your emotions dry and this was one such book for me.

Now, I also read and judged this book as a mother. And let me tell you, this book manifested my BIGGEST fear as a parent.It left me feeling vulnerable to the workings of fate ! I cannot imagine the courage and strength the parents of terminally ill children have to muster up. My heart breaks for them..

This book took us through the journey of a young man, who's fate is sealed so early in life, his acceptance of the fate, his need to make things better for his mother after he is gone, his want to be remembered, his lament on this fate and his wish to live. We can also see how his mom, Josie deals with this eminent life shattering hand that fate has dealt. I won't be sharing much on the story, but just some words and lines that touched me, broke me..

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The time she had woken after a bad bout of flue to find him sitting by her.
"I'm guarding you",he had said. his wooden sword lay on his lap.
"I feel better, already" she had replied, reaching for the soft squeak of his skin.
"I couldn't have a better mother, even if I'd made you up", he had said, looking at her with earnest, devoted eyes.
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"He's the best of me". she said, and she felt the tears some. They felt almost kind, the way they eased the tightness in her chest.
"He'll always be that". the doctor said.
"That'll never be taken away".
************************************

"No one has said the words", Scott said,'but I know which way this is likely to go. I'll get worse and worse and then they won't be able to do anything much for me".
"It's all right". Scott said. "I've had a long time to get used to it". He wondered as he said the words out loud whether he could ever be relinquish his only partly discovered, incredible life.

****************

"I'm not angry", she said and found that her words where true."I've been so very fortunate." she touched the little scar by his ear which he'd got when he'd fallen on some rocks.
"I'll do my best to live," she said."My very best."
"I couldn't have had a better mother, even if I'd made you up", he said, using the last of his energy to form the words as clearly as he could. She remembered his five-year-old voice saying the same thing.
"I couldn't have had a more perfect son," she said, and he heard the permission that he had been waiting for in her voice.
"It hurts", he said.
"It's ok, my love", she said, and her voice was as light as air.
"Everything is all right. I'll always have you."
He held on. He held on for her. He could see the dim outline of her face. He thought she was smiling.
"Let go,", she said."It's fine to let go," and so he obeyed her.

*****************
Oh my dear Lord !! I can't stop these tears..
You guys have to read this one !!
To all the Scott's and Josie's in the world.. My prayers are with you..And while that might not be enough, it's all I can do at this point..