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    Five Days Left
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    Five Days Left
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    Five Days Left
    Audiobook12 hours

    Five Days Left

    Written by Julie Lawson Timmer

    Narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Kirby Heyborne

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Mara Nichols is a successful lawyer, devoted wife, and adoptive mother who has received a life-shattering diagnosis. Scott Coffman, a middle school teacher, has been fostering an eight-year-old boy while the boy's mother serves a jail sentence. Scott and Mara both have five days left until they must say good-bye to the ones they love the most.

    Through their stories, Julie Lawson Timmer explores the individual limits of human endurance and the power of relationships, and shows that sometimes loving someone means holding on, and sometimes it means letting go.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 9, 2014
    ISBN9780698180116
    Unavailable
    Five Days Left
    Author

    Julie Lawson Timmer

    Julie Lawson Timmer grew up in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, and graduated from McMaster University before earning a law degree from Southern Methodist University in Texas. By turns, she is a writer, lawyer, mom/stepmom, and fledgling yogi. Her first novel, Five Days Left, received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal; her second novel, Untethered, received a starred review from Library Journal and was praised by Kirkus Reviews as a “thoughtfully written and ultimately uplifting celebration of families that are not bound by blood or by law but by love.” Timmer lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her husband, Dan, their children, and two dogs. Visit her online at www.julielawsontimmer.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JulieLawsonTimmerAuthor, on Twitter @JulieLTimmer, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/julielawsontimmer.

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    Reviews for Five Days Left

    4/5

    129 ratings47 reviews

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    • 5/5
      All of the reviews and even the Goodread's summary described this book as heartbreaking and oh were they right. Both of the character in incredibly difficult situations. The author did an amazing job describing their emotions, making me empathize with them so much I felt like crying most of the day I was reading this book. They may sound like an unpleasant experience, but I loved reading this book. The author dealt with these tough topics with incredible compassion and empathy. She drew me into the story and I couldn't put it down until I found out how both stories were resolved. I can tell it was a fantastic and engaging read, because I wrote two notes at the beginning of the book and then couldn't pull myself away from reading to write any more!

      I used to avoid books that I thought would make me sad and still avoid some tough topics, but this book and several other books about difficult topics have turned out to be some of my favorites. I can't remember which blogger pointed this out (apologies!) but they said that if people can live through something, we can certainly read about. I think that's a wonderful point. Reading a book like this is an incredible way to begin understanding the challenges some people are facing in their lives today. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it for that reason; I enjoyed it because it was a wonderful, well-written, emotionally moving book. But I would recommend it even more highly for that reason.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey.
    • 5/5
      Loved this book! Such an interesting concept of a woman - and her family - suffering from little-known Huntington’s disease. Mara didn’t know she had the disease because she was adopted, and didn’t know her birth parents’ medical history. Thankfully her own daughter is also adopted, and they know from her medical records that Laks doesn’t have a disorder. On a forum for nontraditional families, Mara talks about being an adoptive parent, and befriends a man who is fostering an eight-year-old boy, even though his pregnant wife isn’t thrilled with the situation. The concept of “five days left” builds a lot of suspense, and the ending couldn’t be any more satisfying. I look forward to reading more from Julie Lawson Timmer! This book reminded me of Lisa Genova, so if you like her you’ll like this, or if you liked this book, check out Genova’s as well!
    • 4/5
      What a gut-wrenching book this turned out to be. Mara's story was heart-breaking as she battled with Huntington's and its debilitating effects. I felt her pain and frustration as her body continued to fail her and I shared her tears as she stored memories, and said her final goodbyes, to her friends, parents, husband and child. The decision she made was one nobody should ever have to make and I admired her courage and determination. While I liked Scott's story, I didn't think it was as well-developed as Mara's and it annoyed me that he always referred to his foster son as "little man". I know parents have nicknames for their children, but to use it constantly was a bit much. Overall, however, this was a compelling and moving debut, and I look forward to seeing what Timmer produces in the future.
    • 4/5
      My book club chose this book for May 2017 and I can see that we will have a lively discussion about it. Other reviews I have read said it would make a good book club read and I think they are right. It is not an easy read though; I had to set the book down a number of times because I was so troubled by the main story. Of course, it wasn't very long until I was back reading it again because it is compelling.The main story is about Mara, a woman afflicted with Huntington's Disease (HD), who is in her early 40s. She was a high-powered lawyer in a Houston law firm but recently retired because she could no longer manage even a limited work schedule. She has a young daughter, Lakshmi, who was adopted from an Indian orphanage (as Mara had been) and she is married to a dermatologist. She was diagnosed with HD four years previously and she had promised herself then that when she got to the stage of the disease where she could no longer look after herself she would commit suicide. She decided that the act would take place on the birthday after the inevitable occurred. That time has come she figures after she lost bladder control in the grocery store just 5 days before her birthday. The other story is about a school teacher and his wife in Michigan who agreed to act as guardians for a young boy whose mother was incarcerated for a year. Scott had been teacher and basketball coach to the boy's older brother, Bray. Bray was in university and couldn't have his brother live with him. There are only five days left in Scott's guardianship and he is devastated that he has to let the boy (whom he calls Little Man) go. His wife is about 6 months pregnant and is looking forward to having time alone with Scott before the baby arrives. Mara and Scott both belong to an online group about parenting so they are good friends even though they have never met.The book is divided into five sections, one for each day, and each section has chapters from Mara's and Scott's point of view. This was a clever device for the book. Mara's story is the most emotional and Scott's sections provide a little relief from it. For a first novel it was very well written and I'm sure we will see more from this writer.
    • 5/5
      I am a blubbering mess right now! And my heart is broken! This book hooked me with the first paragraph. Mara Nichols', a Huntington disease victim, last five days of her life took me on an emotional roller coaster as she carried out her suicide/self mercy killing plan. She struggles to exit gracefully from the lives of family and friends. Hoping all the while that her decision is the right one and they'll understand. THIS BOOK WAS an AWFUL good read. I will be telling people about it forever. I hope to read something from Julie Lawson Timmer again soon.
    • 4/5
      Five days left is the story of two unrelated individuals who have a life changing situations come into their lives. For Mara, it is being diagnosed with Huntington's Disease. For Scott, it is being a foster parent for year before Curtis' mother gets out of jail and returns home. This book tells the story of their struggle to survive. The story was interesting and well written. I received this book free as part of the Early Review program.
    • 2/5
      I received this book as an Advance Reader's Copy through LibraryThing.I found this book boring. I tried but just couldn't get through it. I know I am in the minority here.
    • 5/5
      Excellent book. I want the second book to follow the characters.
    • 3/5
      This tear-jerker tells rather unrelated stories of two characters who have five days before sadness. Mara has been suffering from Huntington's Disease, and has vowed to commit suicide in five days on her birthday in order to save herself and her family from the inevitable suffering of her degenerative illness. Scott and his wife have been fostering a little boy for the past year, always knowing that the arrangement would end when his mother was released from prison--in five days. The connection between Mara and Scott is online, through a blog for alternative families, in which they are both active participants. The book deteriorates as it progresses, in my opinion, as it becomes increasingly maudlin. The beginning, setting the stage for feisty Mara's tough decision with her back story and thought processes, is very strong.
    • 4/5
      I have mixed feelings about this book. I found it compelling and I found it extremely personal, but I also found it to be disconnected. The two main characters, Mara and Scott, are both fighting deeply personal battles. The writing is good and the concept is good, but I wish there was more dialogue between Mara and Scott to better develop the relationship they have built in the online forum they both rely so heavily on. Overall Timmer develops a compelling and heart wrenching, yet also incredibly inspiring, story about two people faced with difficult choices and how those choices impact those they love most.
    • 5/5
      Imagine you only have five days left to say goodbye to a loved one. Now imagine two different families in this situation. One family resides in Michigan and includes two foster-parents and a young boy about to be returned to his biological mother after a year. The other family resides in Texas and consists of an adoptive couple, their adopted daughter, and the adoptive mother's adoptive parents. The Texas family is dealing with a progressive and degenerative neurological disorder and the mother, although only 42 years of age, is contemplating suicide rather than giving into this horrible disease process. These two scenarios provide the foundation of the story Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer.Mara Nichols is a young, urban professional residing in Texas. She's at the peak of her career as an attorney. Her husband, Tom, is a physician with a thriving practice. Tom and Mara have been together for more than twenty years. They adopted their daughter, Lakshmi, as an infant from India and are now the proud parents of a kindergartner. Regrettably their lives were given a major twist when Mara was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease or HD four years ago. Since that initial diagnosis, Mara has suffered from a host of HD symptoms, including short term memory loss, balance and gait issues, bladder control, mood swings, and more. She has been forced to take early retirement from her beloved career as an attorney and partner in a law firm, can no longer drive due to motor control issues, and is scared beyond belief that she is unwittingly forcing her family to suffer along with her as HD destroys who she is as a person. Mara's one saving grace is her online link to a forum for adoptive, foster, and step parents. It is in this forum that she can voice her parenting issues without question or judgment. It is here that she finds friendship with MotorCity, also known as Scott Coffman.Scott Coffman is an English teacher at an inner city Detroit middle school. Scott also coaches basketball at his school and considers himself fortunate to have met some outstanding talent, including Brayden Jackson, his foster-son's older brother. He and his wife have been trying to get pregnant for years through IVF. Now that their lives are focused on a slightly hyperactive, mild behaviorally challenged seven-year-old boy, there's less stress about getting pregnant so of course they actually get pregnant with their last round of IVF. Scott's wife isn't exactly eager for their year of fostering to be over, but she is eager to have some time alone with her husband before their biological child is born. Scott is torn between wanting what is best for his son Curtis (when did he stop thinking of him as a foster child but as his child) and wanting to keep him to ensure he has everything a child deserves: a clean home, three meals a day, clean clothes, and involved parents.I've got to admit that I put off reading Five Days Left simply because I thought the story was going to be depressing and morbid. It isn't. Don't get me wrong, it is sad. I don't think you can read about someone with a degenerative life-threatening disease and a child being raised in filth without basic amenities like running water by a drug-addicted mother without it being sad. But Ms. Timmer has also provided glimpses of hope amidst the sadness. Mara's story is sad and heart-wrenching, but the love her family and friends have for her and one another is uplifting. It was incredibly disturbing to read about Mara's decline due to HD (there's one incident in the grocery store and another in the elementary school that had me taking a break just to dry my eyes). I was just as torn as Scott when Curtis's biological mother decides to take him back days before he was scheduled to leave the Coffmans. What made it worse was he wasn't even given the opportunity to say goodbye. Five Days Left is told in alternating voices of Mara and Scott. Although the action takes place over the course of five days, there's a lot jammed into those days. Yes, you'll probably need to have a box of tissues handy when you read this story, but sadness isn't the only thing you'll remember about this story. Five Days Left focuses on love and the families we make as a result of that love. Some of those families are built with blood ties, and others are built through adoption, fostering, step-parenting, and friendship. I found Five Days Left to be a remarkable story with realistic characters and scenarios. Five Days Left is simply an amazing story and I know this review probably doesn't do it justice, so if you're going to take anything away from my thoughts take this . . . you should definitely read Five Days Left.
    • 5/5
      What makes a outstanding, exceptional book? Well that is a good question. You have to have really great characters to the point that they do not feel like just characters in a story but real people that could be your friends. Second you have to have a strong story that pulls you in and even pulls at your heart strings. You know you achieved all of this when you can't stop reading the book and don't ever want it to end and even shed some tears for your friends. FYI-Be prepared to have a tissue and even have people look at you if you read this book in public. I did not have people looking at me but I had brought this book to work. I was so invested in Mara's life that as the time got closer to the end. I was hoping for one more day. Scott I did like too. HIs relationship with Curtis was awesome but I just felt like the story focused more on Mara. I did not realize how evil a disease like Huntington can be to someone. I am still amazed by wonder that this is Mrs. Timmer's first book. She writes like a seasoned pro. I can't wait to see what she comes out with next. Five Days Left is a captivating, wonderous read!
    • 4/5
      Mara Nichols has been diagnosed with Huntington's Disease that in a few short years will leave her debilitated and not able to recognize her family. She is married and has a 5 year old daughter and is a lawyer. Scott Coffman is a teacher and basketball coach. He and his wife have guardianship of one of his former students brother. Scott is caring for the child while the mother is in jail. Mara has decided that she is going to end her life in five days on her birthday. Scott finds out he has to return the boy in five days when his mom gets out of jail. Mara and Scott belong to an internet chat room where they look forward to each others opinions and advice. Mara and Scott go though many hard and heartbreaking decisions. You will be drawn into the story and find yourself caring for these two people and their families. You will also find that after you read the book, the characters will stay with you. Very well written.
    • 5/5
      A very well conceived debut novel the follows two parallel stories somewhat interconnected as the two principals are friends in an internet chat room. One plot involves a woman who has Huntington's Disease and has chosen to commit suicide in five days. The other plot deals with a young basketball coach who takes in the younger brother of a boy he coached to enable him to take a college scholarship because their mother is in jail. In five days she is to be released and he has become very attached to the boy. Well done as I cared for both characters and their families.
    • 4/5
      Predictable ending - how else could it end?? Depressing to read.
    • 3/5
      Five Days Left follows Mara and Scott, people who only know each other through an online forum, in their five days prior to a significant life event. For Scott, it's returning Curtis, the boy he acted as a foster parent for, for a year. For Mara, it's saying goodbye to her family as she plans to commit suicide to escape the disastrous effects of Huntington's Disease.Unfortunately, these two stories barely interconnect and it seems like two separate stories that the author desperately tried to find a way to intertwine. The forum conversations seemed forced and fake and didn't advance the plot. She should have just stuck with Mara's story.
    • 4/5
      This novel follows two story lines. One is about Mara, who is a young wife and mother. She is suffering from Huntington's Disease, a disease that will soon leave her totally dependent. She has convinced herself she will kill herself on her birthday that is five days away to spare her family the end stages of her disease. The other storyline evolves Scott, a young basketball coach, who is a foster parent to a young boy while the boy's mother is in prison. The mother is scheduled to be released from prison in five days.This is a fantastic debut novel. Both story lines were portrayed so realistically. No matter what Mara decides, she will never have a happy outcome. And Scott's story shows how hard it is to be a foster parent. I'm looking forward to this author's next book.
    • 5/5
      A great story taking place over five days in two peoples lives. Mara is a woman living with Huntingtons Disease and facing her impending death, This book shows how her family deals with the disease and how they face her upcoming demise. Scott is fostering a young child and is almost time to return the troubled boy to his mother. Interesting and well told though depressing story.
    • 3/5
      This novel followed two characters over a five day period. Mara has Huntington's disease and is faced with a future of declining health. Scott has fostered a young boy for a year and now it is time to return the boy to his mother. Both characters have met on the internet in a chat room though they have not met in person.I found the story interesting but it never really grabbed hold of me. Perhaps either story told alone might have worked but the gimmick of moving back and forth seemed just that - gimmicky. It didn't work particularly well for me.An average read.
    • 5/5
      I needed many tissues to finish this book. It is heartwarming to see the love these families enjoyed, and at the same time, upsetting to experience the tragedies that they must endure. Mara has a fatal disease and makes a pact with herself to commit suicide when she loses control of major body functions. Scott and his wife have provided a home for an eight year old boy whose mother has gone to jail for drugs, but will be getting out shortly. Mara and Scott speak to each other, through screen names, on a chat board on the internet. The book gives an account of the critical five days in their lives. I do agree with some of the reviewers who point out that there is too much unneeded descriptive language that stops the action. The story is so strong, however, that I can be forgiving. The author has taken on a bold topic for her first foray into the world of the novel. I encourage her to keep at it. She had me on the first page and wrenched my gut out. When you look up and it is way past bedtime, you have a winner. My thanks to the author and Penguin's First To Read program for a complimentary copy.
    • 4/5
      The simultaneous stories of Mara as she counts down the days to her planned suicide and Scott as he counts down the days to the return of his foster son to his mother. Mara and Scott plans are altered by life and they must juggle their own best interest with the interest of their families. This novel has an interesting and unique story but is quite a tear jerker. Good characters. Repetitive at times but still a page turner.
    • 4/5
      Five Days Left is an emotional and touching story about life and death and the sacrifices that are made for the sake of ones family and relationships. There are two plot lines--two different journeys that are totally separate yet connected and intertwined. The story of Mara is sad and heart wrenching as she goes from a healthy and strong woman to a woman who discovers she has a fatal disease and needs to rely on the help of family and friends. Mara has a loving and wonderful husband and a beautiful adopted daughter. Mara does not want to be a burden to her family so she makes a promise to herself that when the symptoms worsen she will end her life on her own terms. This will spare her family and herself the pain, anguish and humiliation of this terrible disease. The story of Scott is also a heartbreaker. Scott is a foster parent to Curtis while the mother is serving a jail sentence and big brother is fulfilling his college dreams. Scott loves his wife who is pregnant with his first child. He also loves Curtis who eventually will be reunited with his mother. Both Mara and Scott have 5 days left to come to terms with a decision and say their final goodbyes. I was on a journey with these two people knowing perfectly well that I may not like the outcome! I thought this was an amazing debut novel. Dark and thought-provoking yet filled with hope and love. I look forward to reading more novels by this new author. I won this book from LibraryThing.
    • 5/5
      I received this book as an Early Reviewers Giveaway. This has become one of my favorite reads and definitely my favorite book that I have ever received from this program. This book brought tears to my eyes many times and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. This book told two stories at the same time. I have to admit I was least invested in Scott's story than Mara's more so due to the fact of the horrible circumstances of Mara's life. As one woman comes to grips with the unfair hand she has been dealt, not only does she struggle but so does her entire family. Told with raw emotion, I cried many times as her story unfolded. And the tears continued to the end. I have always felt that the true testament of a great story is not only how you feel when have finished it, but how you feel in the days and weeks afterwards. This is one story that continues in my thoughts. An incredible story from a first time author- am definitely looking forward to her next book.
    • 4/5
      a well written, interesting book. Teaches of the horrors and fears of the unfixable diseased people. I liked the second story line of Scott and child. It balanced life and death in a unique way. I predict there will be many copies of this book sold and enjoyed.
    • 4/5
      I received an advance copy of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program.Mara has only five days left until she hits the deadline she has set to take her own life. Suffering from a sudden onset of Huntington's Disease, Mara believes that she, her husband and daughter will all be better off when she is dead. Her internet friend Scott is also up against a five day deadline. Scott only has five days left before the foster boy he has grown to love and cherish will be taken away and sent back to his mother. This novel alternates the stories of Mara and Scott as they move through these five days.Mara's story was probably most compelling for me to read. I can't hardly imagine what it would be like to go from being a successful business woman to someone who could barely manage to complete the simplest of tasks. It makes for fascinating reading. Reading about Mara's struggle with this disease and the affects it had on her family reminded me a lot of Still Alice by Lisa Genova. I had a lot more sympathy for Alice in that book though than I did for Mara in this book. I didn't really like Mara's character, and I didn't agree with a lot of her points of view. So while I found her story interesting, I just didn't care much for her as a character. Scott's story was also interesting for me to read. As a parent, it is hard to imagine what it would be like to take in a child for a year, treat that child as your own, and then have to give the child away. So both stories are fairly captivating, for me at least, and they easily held my attention through the book. I just didn't really understand the need to tell BOTH stories in this novel. I think the novel could have stood by itself with just one of the stories. Was it necessary to tell them both side by side? The whole concept just felt a little forced to me, like the author came up the idea of telling dual stories about having five days left and then had to come up with the stories that would fit this theme. I'm just not sure the concept was really needed in this case. A novel simply about a woman with Huntington's disease or the struggles of being a foster parent might have been enough.
    • 5/5
      An interesting premise for a novel -- and a real tear-jerker. Story focuses on two families and their slight connection via a discussion board for adaptive parents. In one story, a successful lawyer deals with ending life on her own terms while the other story involves a foster-child situation that is about to end... both in five days time. Raises lots of issues and emotions. Nice debut novel!
    • 2/5
      This was a very fast read, for me, but not one that I can say I liked all that much, which makes me feel like the most souless human being on the planet. Timmer tried really hard to tug at my hearts strings, but I just feel like in the end, she's not that great of a writer. Various phrases were used over and over again, which ended up taking away from the emotional impact of the story. Phrases like Scot getting his 'guts ripped out' were used multiple times within a short amount of pages. 'Mopping the court' was another phrase she used often. A lot of the different characters in the book spoke from a very emotional place that I found rather unrealistic, such as the social worker for Scott. She would not have said the things she said to that mother and kept her job. In the end, I felt as though this was a really sad version of You've Got Mail. The writing was just ok, and I didn't feel the connection that others have felt to the story or it's characters. I will say I shed a tear when I read Mara's letter to Lakshimi at the end....I think that was the highlight if the book, for me.
    • 4/5
      Five Days Left by Julie Lawson Timmer was a fantastic read, perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, who supplied a praiseful jacket blurb. Mara is suffering from a debilitating disease and is planning for her final days. Scott has grown attached to the foster child he is losing custody of in five days. A wonderful study of the intricacies of relationships under extraordinary stressors. The prose is heartfelt and beautiful without crossing the line into maudlin territory. Read this book!
    • 3/5
      This was an impressive debut novel, somewhat in the style of Jodi Picpult or Liane Moriarty. I only gave it three stars, despite it's compelling subject and readability because I was really only interested in the struggle facing the main female character. To me, the parallel story was pale in comparison with what Mara was facing and I found myself skimming the sections not dealing with her. The supporting characters were not particularly well written or convincing, but Mara was completely believable and very well drawn. This would be a good one for book clubs.
    • 5/5
      I rarely give a book 5 stars, but this was an amazing read. I couldn't put it down. I loved the story, the characters, and it was very well written.