{Review} ORDINARILY PERFECT by K.C. Leigh

ISBN #: 978-1499223699

Page Count: 328

Copyright: May 17, 2014

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

No one ever sees it coming.

One ‘ordinary’ evening 34 year-old Alistair Tunbridge is injured in a freak accident that leaves him in a coma, snatched from a life of competence and comfortable success. He awakens to the horror of not being able to control his own body, and the cheerful company of fellow patient Damien, who seems to really understand. His wife Lauren, when he remembers her, is cool and detached and sides with 'them' - the doctor, nurses and therapists who insist they know how he must do things now. Everything. Beginning to resent Lauren’s detachment, he repeatedly pushes her away – not realizing she is one of the people who can help him the most. Not until he's confronted with the knowledge that Damien and Lauren have shared confidences - and learned their life-changing secrets - that he reclaims responsibility and begins to make a difference in all their lives.

This work of fiction is written by a Physiotherapist, based on hundreds of true stories of how ordinary people cope when their lives are touched by disaster.

Lupe's Review:

On a regular evening, driving home from work, Alistair Tunbridge is critically injured in a freak car accident that puts him into a coma. When he wakes up, he finds that he is unable to control his body and is prone to headaches that can make him sleep for hours. His roommate, Damien, however, seems to completely understand and they become fast friends.

Alistair's wife, Lauren, in the meantime, is struggling. As a Physio herself, she is having a hard time figuring just when to be a wife and when to be a physio. Added to that, she is holding secrets that she thinks could hurt Ally's progress - Damien knows them too. When Ally discovers them, however,  he becomes more determined than ever to get better and reclaim his life.

I'll be honest, for most of this book, I was bored. Not because the story was bad but because it was so technical. I mean, there is CLEARLY a disclaimer that says that the book is written by a Physiotherapist and based on true lives and stories, but I didn't anticipate just how much medical terminology and processes were going to be used. That being said, the stories of Ally and Lauren, Damien, and Garry (Ally and Damien's doctor) were brilliantly told and executed. Watching Ally struggle with something so normal to you or I like walking or just getting your hand to move - I was in awe of his resilience and strength, even when he felt totally hopeless. And Lauren. She could have taken the easy way out and left Ally but she stayed true to her vows and stuck with Ally even when he was being a jerk.

Damien. Oh Damien. The amount of love I felt for this character is crazy. He was funny when he needed to be, and sensitive when he knew better. His and Ally's fast friendship was steadfast and strong. Never has a book that made me so bored with all the crazy technical stuff, reduce me to tears within the last 20 pages.

I do wish there were more story and less medical hoopla, but I do have to admit that some of it could be interesting if you were into that sort of thing. But the overall story? Absolutely beautiful.


*A physical copy of the book was provided in exchange for an honest review.