Author: Megan van Eyck
Genre: Memoir, nonfiction, adult
Publication: January 2011
Source: For review, Pump Up Your Book
Genre: Memoir, nonfiction, adult
Publication: January 2011
Source: For review, Pump Up Your Book
Summary: This is Megan's true account of her five and a half year long affair with an older man, Carlos. Both were married, and Megan had two kids. They met on a plane trip to Hawaii, exchanged numbers, and reconnected several months later when Megan's unhappy marriage continued to go downhill. They met for occasional discrete encounters at first, promising never to fall in love, but soon enough, they were madly in love with one another, and stealing time whenever possible, even going on numerous trips together. As their love deepens, both marriages continue to disintegrate, but Carlos refuses to leave his demanding wife, as he doesn't want to disappoint his family with yet another divorce. In the midst of their love, Carlos is diagnosed with a rare, and often fatal, blood disorder, Amyloidosis. Megan does everything she can to try to save him but eventually learns that love is not always enough to save a person.
My Thoughts: To say that this memoir captured my attention would be an extreme understatement. I have to say, I was completely riveted from start to finish. It was painstakingly honest, painful and even hopeful, despite the circumstances of the once in a lifetime love Megan found. Even though both Megan and Carlos were married, and thus doing something "wrong," I think we all yearn to find the love, passion and romance that they shared. It's only a shame that their love was illegitimate.
My heart broke with Megan when she learned of Carlos' fatal diagnosis, but it also soared when she first found true love. And I have to be honest that yes, at times I thought Megan was being selfish, going away on many trips with Carlos and leaving her kids behind in order to do so, and yes, I know that what she was doing was wrong and so I felt disgusted at times by her behavior... but I could also sense the intense and emotional love they shared. So beware, you may be shocked and upset by the behavior in the book, but if you can look past that, you'll find yourself incredibly engaged in the story.
I think Megan has a real talent for writing and expressing emotion. Her emotions are raw, open, and very palpable through her writing. The story is both horrifying and beautiful, all at once.
I would strongly recommend this memoir if you're a fan of memoirs, like myself. As a memoir, it is extremely well developed and encompasses the entirety of Megan's story, including past and present. I would warn that is it much too inappropriate and graphic (sex scenes) for readers under the age of 16, though.
My Rating: 4.5/5
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