A reminder of life’s fragile nature and the luck we’ve been given to be alive!

A reminder of life’s fragile nature and the luck we’ve been given to be alive!, October 22, 2014

By

TeddyBear

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This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

Ms Mahurin is developing quite a reputation for thoughtfully tackling subjects most writer would not touch. And she does it with extraordinary compassion, imbuing her characters with sometimes disturbing reality, truth and perceptivness as she makes the reader’s heart bleed (in the case of …Ben) and cheer (….Mildred Dunlap) all the while translating pain into strength and dignity.It is a gift that many authors only play at. You know the ones. It’s something about authenticity and wisdom. Ms Mahurin has it. Along with a beautiful and lyrical ability to spin her tale with intelligence and pristine editing.I felt conected to Sara and Ben so much that I couldn’t stop the tears. The book is based on real people and I would so love to find out how “Sarah” is making out today. BTW, I loved the delivery in the ending…straight forward and dignified, creating all the more emotion by avoiding the overwrought and obvious. Just perfect.

… of book I normally read but I am very pleased that I took the time to do just that, October 24, 2014

By

R. P. Smith “Paul Smith”

This review is from: His Name was Ben (Paperback)

I’ll be honest to start – this isn’t the kind of book I normally read but I am very pleased that I took the time to do just that.The book is a love story but so different to the usual slush that (in my professional capacity) I read only so far because I can’t finish them. No so this one and the book stayed with me long after the last page. I will not spoil the story by giving it away but here are two people who really deserve each other; both have major psychological issues who, because they are together – selflessly (the essence of real love), work through them.There are always minor niggles with a book but they really are too small to mention and they are down to us each having a different writing style and the cultural differences between the English speaking world. Vive la difference is what I would say.A rich book with strong characters and I admit to a dampness in the corner of the eye as I finished the book. No, not a tear, not me 😉

Touching and heartfelt!, October 24, 2014

By

Hawk

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This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

Paulette Mahurin’s Ben is a wonderful novel. The story of Sara, Ben and her dog, Tazzie started off sad and tragic, but it quickly changed. Imagine, if you will, being attracted to a man while you were fighting the big C. That the kind of story Mahurin has written. From the get go, I was drawn into the story and the lives of these unfortunate people who were both fighting cancer. The author left nothing to chance but takes you on a journey of life’s unfortunate circumstances, which in the end we cannot change, but we must learn to accept that which is inevitable. This is a wonderful story about living, loving and dying, with the underlying theme of hope—where there’s life, there’s always hope. Enjoy!

A Very Deeply Touching Story of Love and Reconciliation, October 25, 2014

By

Nicholas A Reichert

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This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

I have never read such a deeply emotional and touching book. The author perfectly weaves a story of true love of two people undaunted by their fight with cancer, to make the most of the time they have together. Sad but ultimately uplifting in the triumph of the human spirit, this book has my highest recommendation. A+

Great book, October 26, 2014

By

Cithara Patra

This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

This book was very deep and heart wrenching yet filled with a lot of hope. I was reminded of times that I had forgotten about and it got painful to read at times (the writing was amazing, the subject matter just hit me hard). We meet two great people in Sarah and Ben and the author does a great job taking us through their journey. Cancer is a very painful subject to write about and it’s sometimes hard to nail it but it was nailed right here. A great book and worthy of the five stars that I’ve given it.

Bittersweet and moving!, October 26, 2014

By

Oregongirl

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This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

This memorable romance involves two cancer survivors in their fifties; Ben and Sara, who find their own personal baggage more daunting than dealing with their disease. Sara lives alone, but has a true friend named Ellen and an awesome rescue dog called Tazzie. Sara finds the courage to approach a man called Ben who she meets at her doctor’s clinic. What unfolds is lovely, meandering tale about two soul-mates, who, though being dealt a bad hand in life, learn that life is what you make it and relish every minute together. I felt this was a timely novel which advocates that each day is precious and that true love must neither be wasted nor overlooked. The writing was crisp and vivid, bringing to life the entirety of not only the main character’s emotions and struggles, but the landscape of Southern California and particularly Ojai, nestled near Santa Barbara. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time and will ponder its message often in future days. Highly recommended.

is also a love song and powerfully shows us the magic and healing …, October 26, 2014

By

lightblb51

This review is from: His Name was Ben (Paperback)

I just finished reading ‘His Name Was Ben’, by Paulette Mahurin. The story, touching on the strength one needs in dealing with Cancer, is also a love song and powerfully shows us the magic and healing of real love. I would recommend this novel to anyone wanting not only a great read but a little insight into perhaps how to better deal with and be at peace with some of the tougher aspects of being human. Very nicely done.

Charming and beautiful, raw and emotional, November 2, 2014

By

S. Sundholm “tawagirl”

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This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

As with her first book, The Persecution of Mildred Pierce, I couldn’t put down author Paulette Mahurin’s second novel His Name was Ben. And as with her first book, the characters’ unique situations and troubling circumstances are told in a genuine, relatable manner, pulling the reader in and changing his or her perspective on the subject matter.

We follow Sara’s character through her challenges with cancer treatment, as well as the challenges she faces with her distant, dysfunctional family. She meets Ben and a love affair blossoms, even with the knowledge that it’s on borrowed time. Ben has his own family demons to face, and the fact that he chooses to do so for Sara proves just how much he loves her. At the end, Ben makes peace with the reality that he will never have a normal relationship with his parents, a totally relatable experience for those of us who have had to come to realize the same.

Charming and beautiful, raw and emotional, I highly suggest this novel. All the profits from her books go to help rescue dogs, something very close to the author’s heart.

Amazon.com Reviews: http://www.amazon.com/His-Name-was-Paulette-Mahurin/product-reviews/0692264698/ref=pr_all_summary_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

From Amazon UK:

A VERY MOVING WEEPIE, 25 Oct 2014

By

M. Perks

This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

I’M NOT NORMALLY A READER OF WEEPIES, BUT THE MORE I READ THIS BOOK ABOUT THE LOVE AFFAIR OF TWO CANCER PATIENTS, THE MORE ENGROSSED I BECAME. BEING A MAN, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE A WOMAN GOES THROUGH FROM A DOUBLE MASTECTOMY, BUT TO OVERCOME THIS AND TO FIND LOVE WITH BEN, WAS A TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. ALONG THE WAY WE GET TO MEET MEMBER’S OF SARA’S LESS THAN PERFECT FAMILY, WHICH HELPS THE STORY MOVE ALONG. LOVED THE DOG TAZZIE, WHO ALSO HELPS BRING THIS STORY TOGETHER. NEVER CORNY, OR SOPPY, THIS BOOK MOVED ME PROFOUNDLY, AND IF I’D BEEN ON MY OWN AT THE END, I MIGHT HAVE EVEN SHED A TEAR OR TWO.

stunning love story, 26 Oct 2014

By

Felicity

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This review is from: His Name was Ben (Kindle Edition)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it so easy to read, so much so that I read it in one go! I loved Sara and her compassion and her tolerance of her mother, I loved her strength and her vulnerability and her courage to pursue love! The love interest Ben was sweet. I wanted to kick their parents’ asses! Ellen was great. And Tazzie was so cute! It made me wish I had a dog! Overall, it was a great read and was believable and then I remembered it was based on a true story which only made the story even more authentic and enjoyable. A must read!

Amazon UK reviews:    http://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Name-was-Paulette-Mahurin/dp/0692264698/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411271225&sr=8-2&keywords=paulette+mahurin