Because of Brett

A View of Grief Without Pigeonholes

by Sarah Woodier

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.

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Pub Date 28 Mar 2021 | Archive Date 28 Apr 2021

The Book Guild | Book Guild Publishing

Biographies & Memoirs | Nonfiction (Adult) | Parenting & Families

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Description

I am just a mum who couldn’t even save her child from dying, who am I to write a book about grief and grieving?

My son Brett was just thirteen-years-old when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. He was very sick and could only be offered experimental treatment. Brett went on to have over five years of cancer treatment. We were told on the 23rd December 2013 that there was nothing more they could do. Brett (18), came home on Christmas Eve (2013) to die at home.

At the time, I felt my family and friends deserted us. But the reality was, they didn’t know what to do or say. No one talks about death and grieving. After devouring books from ‘grief experts’, I decided that no one knew what they were doing when it came to grief. Well, not my version of grief anyway. So, I set out to write my own book about it. In Because Of Brett I share my experiences both before and after Brett’s death. My aim is to end the awkward silences around death – it is a story of grief without the clichés.

I am just a mum who couldn’t even save her child from dying, who am I to write a book about grief and grieving?

My son Brett was just thirteen-years-old when he was diagnosed with Acute...

A Note From the Publisher

Sarah Woodier juggled working as a life coach and being a mum to Poppy and Brett. But when Brett became poorly at the end of summer 2008, and his sickness turned out to be Leukaemia, life was never to be the same. Because Of Brett is Sarah’s book about grief, written to help others who have lost loved ones. Sarah lives in Nuneaton and runs a gift shop, Brett’s Gifts, in memory of her son.

Available Editions

EDITION	Ebook
ISBN	9781913913977
PRICE	US$4.99 (USD)

Additional Information

Average rating from 6 members

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Featured Reviews

The_Secret_Bookreview ., Reviewer

I am just a mum who couldn’t even save her child from dying, who am I to write a book about grief and grieving? My son Brett was just thirteen years old when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. He was very sick and could only be offered experimental treatment. Brett went on to have over five years of cancer treatment. We were told on the 23rd December 2013 that there was nothing more they could do. Brett (18), came home on Christmas Eve to die at home.

I'm not sure if it is because of my job and career in nursing or the fact that I worked in palliative care but this book and story resonated so much with me. This is not an easy read and is as heartbreaking as the description given by the author. I have so much respect for the author for telling her story. Thank you so much.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

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Linda T, Reviewer

A heartbreakingly honest memoir from Sarah Woodier, about how she dealt with the death of her son Brett and the overwhelming grief afterwards.

This book resonated with me and I am sure will with many others, who realise that with grief one size does not fit all and there is no time limit or depth meter or chart to determine how much a child's death and the loss of their life will affect you and your family for the rest of your lives.

Praise for Sarah for sharing Brett with us all and writing this beautiful book in his memory.

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Katie W, Bookseller

Hands down so heartfelt and beautifully written, grieving is such a hard thing for anyone to go through. Books such as these are devastating especially when it’s a child (no matter the age). Death is something we need to think and talk about it is just a part of life we tend to not touch on when we should. Better to prepare your heart and mind for something that could break you.

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Irene A, Reviewer

3.5 stars
Books such as these are devastating especially when it’s a child (no matter the age). This one is even more raw than most and the author is brutally frank. Not a manual because everyone handles grief differently and has to find their own way of coping with the loss of a family member.