Blurb:

Here is a truth that can’t be escaped: for Mia ‘Rabbit’ Hayes, life is coming to an end . . .

Rabbit Hayes loves her life, ordinary as it is, and the extraordinary people in it.

She loves her spirited daughter, Juliet; her colourful, unruly family; the only man in her big heart, Johnny Faye.

But it turns out the world has other plans for Rabbit, and she’s OK with that. Because she has plans for the world too, and only a handful of days left to make them happen.

Here is a truth that won’t be forgotten: if you can laugh through life’s surprises and find the joy in every moment, you will live a full life.

Review:

I wasn’t sure what to expect from reading The Last Days Of Rabbit Hayes, but I am so glad I did. From the moment I met Rabbit Hayes and her eccentric family and friends, I knew they would be characters that I would take to my heart and struggle to let them go.  I felt able to connect with them all in such a difficult situation. At times, Rabbit also goes back in time to the time she spent with her best friend, Johnny. I really enjoyed these parts as they helped me to glimpse what Rabbit was like before she became ill and I loved her cheeky, bubbly personality.

As well as the obvious themes of grief and death, The Last Days Of Rabbit Hayes also looks at religion, disability, and to a lesser extent, coming of age. These are obviously huge issues to unpick and I admire the way McPartlin does this so sensitively but with a huge impact. It certainly gave me a lot to think about as I was reading.

The Last Days Of Rabbit Hayes really affected me emotionally and I laughed and cried in equal measure. Despite the poignant subject matter, I loved the way Rabbit’s family found things to make them smile.

I am intrigued to see what McPartlin does in the sequel to this novel, which I will be reviewing soon.

The Last Days Of Rabbit Hayes is available from Amazon.