The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes

McPartlin's novel does not tell the story of 44-year-old Rabbit Hayes's death, but relates the experience of savoring the final days and moments of a life lived with purpose and intent. Succumbing after a second bout of breast cancer metastasizes to liver, then lung, then bone, Rabbit leaves behind friends and family, including 12-year-old daughter Juliet. The setting switches among the present and two points in the past%E2%80%94Rabbit's spirited teenage years, when she was consumed by her first love, and the cancer blog she began when first diagnosed%E2%80%94and Rabbit and her family share narration throughout. The characters and their relationships with Rabbit gradually come to life, especially Rabbit's brother, Davey. McPartlin (Pack Up the Moon) very effectively captures a family during a traumatic moment. The novel is kept light with a measure of dry humor and many beautiful instances of love, leaving a lighter impression than one might expect. This novel will be torn from the shelves by fans of tearjerkers such as P.S. I Love You. (Aug.)