I’m still wiping away tears…

I’ll be honest, when I started this book, and for about the first 5 to 10 chapters, I was really considering DNFing this one. I really struggled to get into the prose and there was a lot of cognitive dissonance in some of the writing that left me feeling detached from the narration.

That being said, I’m SO glad I kept reading!! Somewhere along the way between Boston, DC, Lana Del Rey’s voice in the back of my mind, and Courtney’s house, I fell in love with Palmer and Kent’s story. These characters will live in my mind long after I put this book down.

Palmer’s grief and struggles coming to terms with her diagnosis left an ache in my gut for most of this story. Her resilience and insistence on pushing through the worst of it had me rooting for her despite knowing how her story would end.

Let’s talk about Kent. While I think his own journey of his struggles with Maeve wasn’t as well explored as it could have been, I adore this man beyond belief. He is the reason I sobbed for a good 15 minutes when nearing the end of this book. The love, commitment, patience, selflessness, and adoration this man displayed for Palmer is something most of us can only dream to be on the receiving end of one day. May we all find our Kent before we are given 6 months to live.

When I started reading this book, I was expecting to give it a 2 star review. It slowly made its way up all the way to a 4 (4.5 if Goodreads allowed it) and I’m so glad I stuck with this one to the end. If you’re up for a gut wrenching romance that will leave you sobbing, give this one a shot.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake publishing for providing me a digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion

Before I'm Gone by H. McLaughlin, published by Montlake, is a full-length, stand-alone novel.
Pamela Sinclair is a woman who always drew the short stick in her life. And now karma has a special kind of surprise for her. She just can't catch a breath.
Kent is a paramedic, a great guy who just was left by his girlfriend.
He knows Pamela, but when she needs his professional help too, he's somehow drawn to her. And together the two go on the journey of their lives.
I had a hard time finding the fitting words for this outstanding gem, to do it justice.
This is an ungly cry book if I ever saw one, and just writing this I'm in tears again. I loved reading Pamela and Kent's story. This raw, gritty and heart-wrenching read is everything, my fav read in 23 so far.

As the title implies this is a bucket list novel…which guarantees an emotional roller coaster storyline. It delivers that but left me strangely unmoved for most of the story. I never really engaged with the protagonists as they forge an unusual relationship in the face of certain death. The character development fell short of being realistic – idealistic, yes, realistic, no.

Palmer Sinclair learned to depend on no one through her profoundly challenging childhood. While successful in her professional life as a bank manager, her social life is almost non-existent and characterized by safe, predictable routines. The story begins with Palmer experiencing increasingly severe headaches, leading to a catastrophic diagnosis. It is only when she faces her own mortality that she is able, with the help of Kent Wagner, to embrace life and take risks.

Kent is an ex-military medic now serving as a paramedic who knows Palmer as a passing acquaintance from conducting business at her bank. When he responds to two separate calls involving Palmer, he becomes aware of her prognosis and offers to accompany her on a cross country trip to fulfill her bucket list. As noble as this sounds, he is also deeply wounded by a betrayal that motivates him to leave the area. In essence, their relationship, which began as a mutual rescue, evolves into something more as Palmer’s condition slowly and steadily deteriorates.

The writing style is simplistic and at times repetitive. Based on the story’s premise, I expected deep emotional insight, but the feeling tone felt more sourced from the author’s creative imagination than something known from personal experience. The side plot of the sister seemed over-the-top for all the angst Palmer and Kent were going through. Overall, this is a passable novel that seemed more in line with the young adult genre than adult fiction.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Before I'm gone was an extraordinary story. i thought I wouldn't be happy reading it but I pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. The story line was sad but wonderful about a man who gave a woman her last wish. I normally only read happily ever after books. The story was very well written and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I don't think I have cried this much while reading a book in all my years that I have been reading.

This is beautifully written that makes you look at your life and all the small things in it you may even take for granted followed by cry. This was a book that makes you think and will make you laugh and cry.

Reviewed for NetGalley:

Palmer Sinclair, living a relatively solitary life as a successful banker, hears some devastating news that puts her life in a tail spin.

A bittersweet story of finding love and making the most of your time with others.

WOAH what a book i really loved Palmer & Kent’s story i was so beautiful and touching a whole bucket list of things they would do together before she died i felt like i was replaying the Nicholas Spark’s movie Safe Haven in a sense!

This book broke my heart, but it was such a beautiful story about fulfilling your bucket list when you are sick. The love that develops between Kent and Palmer as the book progresses is so loving to read about. Do be prepared for a very sad story, but also with some very funny moments.

Wow! Just wow! This one was truly heartbreaking but yet beautiful.

The bond between Palmer and Kent had me smiling, laughing and crying it was just perfect. It didn't take me long to read through this one and I would suggest that a pack of tissues is provided with this one on release because I sobbed so much that it was hard to breathe lol!

Amazing read! Thank you Heidi McLaughlin and thank you NetGalley for the download.

Before I'm Gone is a Beautiful and heart breaking novel by Heidi McLaughlin.


I had read the description and still could not fully prepare myself for the range of emotion I experienced reading this story that will remind you of The Fault in Our Stars/ Eat Pray Love but also feel completely different. Heidi makes you draw in the the characters with realism and challenge you as the characters challenge themselves by not choosing the "common" answer. Highly recommend picking this story up but also recommend some tissues.

An emotional and touching story about love, life and death, “Before I’m Gone”, by Hope McLaughlin (Montlake), features a heroine who has nothing to lose and a hero determined to give her everything.
It’s an unusual romantic relationship, developing because of what happens to the heroine and so marked by sadness and tragedy, despite being also heartwarming and hopeful.
Parker and Kent are ordinary people attracted by each other in very special circumstances. They’re both relatable, lovable characters, with whom you empathize easily.
Kent is the typical sexy Beta hero, all kindness and gentleness. Parker’s humbleness and resilience are remarkable and we are left grieving because of the bad hand life gave her.
Their geographical and internal journey has its dark and tearful moments as they become more connected and the inevitability lingers.
Because this is a tragic theme, there are heartbreaking and sometimes cheesy moments, too, and, above all, the reality of life, illness and death.
I appreciated that Parker’s loneliness was a bit mitigated even if only for a short period.
I liked the end, the hope, yet I felt I would have liked to watch some kind of romantic closure in Kent’s life.

LOVED THIS BOOK. That being said prepare for emotional ruin. I knew a third of the way in that the ending was going to wreck me and I was not disappointed. The relationship between the main characters is beautiful. I love what the main character was able to do at the end of her life and how her legacy lived on. The Epilogue really tied the end of the story together.


Only comment is that the checklist is hard to read in kindle forward. Especially once items have been crossed off.

This should have been a very sad book but it was and was not. You have to read it. Palmer was so alone in the world . No family and it is the story of how she finds love , peace and the truth. I won’t spoil it. You have to read it. The two main character Palmer and Kent were great. The trip across America was lovely . I think Palmer was amazing especially how she left her work.

As an avid reader, I’ve read many many books in my life, but only a small handful have truly touched me. Like most readers out there, I read as a way to escape. I read to feel and to not feel. I read to experience life in someone else’s shoes. I’m sure I can speak for all readers when I say that’s the reason we love it so much!

When I came across Before I’m Gone, I was immediately intrigued. I know similar storylines have been done in books and movies many times, but something seemed different about this book and I had to read it. I was immediately sucked in to the story and fell in love with both Palmer and Kent. Palmer is so sweet and brave, and Kent… he’s just perfect.

I became so engrossed with this story that I felt as though Palmer and Kent were real and I was experiencing their journey with them. These characters changed me. I found myself feeling so much and thinking about my own life a lot.

Before I’m Gone was a beautiful gut punch, but it also left an imprint I’m not sure will ever go away. I don’t think I’ll ever get over this book.

Thank you so much to the Publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I appreciate the opportunity to have another book that has touched me more than you know!

One has a lot of time to read when driving 1000 miles to Colorado so I was able to make my way through this one pretty quickly - especially when parts were skimmed.

Many will really love this one - Palmer is diagnosed with a tumor and given no more than 6 months to live. She’s had a crap life and makes a bucket list of things she wants to do and see. Insert Kent. He barely knows her and decides to take her on a trek across the US to complete her bucket list.

I love the premise but found the execution lacking. I didn’t find Kent and Palmer’s chemistry or relationship believable and found the writing to be a little bit juvenile. Truth be told, I didn’t care about either one. I wanted more emotion and substance but got neither.

I hate to diss on a book with this subject matter but it was a miss for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Everyone must read this book! Perfect for fans of ‘A Thousand Boy Kisses’ by Tillie Cole. I fell in love with this book, I laughed and I cried. Palmer and Kent were perfect, everything about this book was perfect.

When I first started reading this book, I was unsure if I would be able to get into it. But that quickly changed. Heidi McLaughlin took me on the craziest emotional roller coaster I’ve ever been on and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Before I’m Gone is breathtaking, heart breaking, and everything in between.

I thought this was going to be a sad and depressing story but i was so wrong (in the good way). I cried and laughed and cried again, it was absolutely beautiful. Highly recommended

this should be a depressing read but it’s so far from it! it’s a celebration of love, life and living for the moment.
it made me smile it made me cry (both happy and sad tears)
i don’t think anyone could read this book and not love it 10/10

Absolutely love this author! This book....I'm not sure what I can say besides amazing! I devoured it! Looking forward to more from this author.