I Couldn’t Love You More by Jillian Medoff

JMedoff-I Couldn't Love You MoreI Couldn’t Love You More by Jillian Medoff is a book that took me by surprise.  In life, some decisions seem so clear cut; right and wrong so obvious, but then you realize it’s not.  I Couldn’t Love You More made me really think about life, karma, fate, etc.  For this reason I would not call I Couldn’t Love You More “light reading”, but it’s definitely worth the read.

Which child would you save? A decision no parent can even fathom.

Eliot Gordon would do anything for her family. A 38-year-old working mother, she lives an ordinary but fulfilling life in suburban Atlanta with her partner, Grant Delaney, and their three daughters. The two older girls are actually Eliot’s stepdaughters, a distinction she is reluctant to make as she valiantly attempts to maintain a safe, happy household . . .

Then Finn Montgomery, Eliot’s long-lost first love, appears, triggering a shocking chain of events that culminates in a split-second decision that will haunt her beloved family forever. How Eliot survives-and what she loses in the process-is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved a child. With hilarious honesty, wrenching depth, and a knockout twist, I COULDN’T LOVE YOU MORE illuminates the unbreakable bonds of family and reveals the lengths we’ll go to save each other, even as we can’t save ourselves.

I Couldn’t Love You More is all about the decisions you make and how those decisions can affect your loved ones.  The blurb above makes it all sound like the book has to do with Eliot and her decisions, but it’s so much more than that.  It’s about the decisions Eliot’s mom made/makes in regards to her writing career.  It’s about Grant (the man she lives with) and how he chooses to still support his ex-wife, Beth.  It’s about Beth’s choices in regards to her two daughters, Gail and Charlotte.  On the surface, all of it seems so cut and dry; it’s obvious who is “in the wrong”, but as I Couldn’t Love You More digs deeper, the reader starts to get a better understanding behind these decisions.

The characters in I Couldn’t Love You More are impressively written.  There are so many layers to them, that by the time the book is over it is easy to feel as if you were actually there with them; that you intimately know the characters.  Each layer that’s revealed brings you into their lives a little more, which is something that I loved.  Not to mention that no matter how hard I tried to dislike Eliot for her part in everything, I found her impossible to dislike.  In fact I found myself rooting for her towards the end.  Her journey of self-discovery makes for a captivating read.

I Couldn’t Love You More moves at a very steady and easy to read pace.  However, I have to admit it was a bit of a stressful read, though not in a bad way; more like an “I have to know what’s going to happen next way”.  The first half of the book is simply the set up for Eliot’s big decision, but you can literally feel it coming; the tension starts to build.  However, it doesn’t let up once the turning point in the book happens, you continue to sit on the edge of your seat wondering how it will all pan out.    It’s for this reason I Couldn’t Love You More is such a great book.  In fact I’d even go so far as to call it a must read.

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4 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for this thoughtful review of I Couldn’t Love You More. I’m thoroughly intrigued by this site, and just spent the past 1/2 hour reading through all the reviewers’ bios, review favorite books, etc. I too am a compulsive reader, and will go through 3 books a week (mostly on my commute–one good thing about NYC subways). My kids are older now (19, 14 and 10), so I have more time to read.

    Anyway, I am very appreciative of and flattered by the generous comments, and am so thrilled to have stumbled on Literary Escapism. I look forward to reading more reviews in the coming months.
    Thank you again.
    Yours,
    Jillian

  2. Jillian – Welcome! We’re so glad you found us! I would definitely give I Couldn’t Love You More a read during your commute! I’d be interested to hear your thoughts!

  3. Lisa,
    I actually wrote I Couldn’t Love You More! I thought that my last name would appear, but apparently it didn’t. I posted a comment to thank you for the review, and to tell you how impressed I was by your insight–and the website!

    Thanks again. Yours,
    Jillian

  4. Hi Jillian,

    It actually does say your name, but I didn’t look at the name on the post, just the name you signed the comment with! Though I should have put two and two together! LOL *blushes*

    I am so honored and flattered that you took the time to read my review and comment! Thank you! By the way, I read your Essay From the Author and it really “spoke” to me. It made the book even more meaningful. I hope that I Couldn’t Love You More, gets the recognition it deserves!

    Best,
    Lisa

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