Thanks to Penguin Canada and NetGalley for an e-ARC! This is a sad read as you know the ending before going in. Bascaramurty is a journalist writing about a late friend of hers, a wedding photographer who’s recently become a father, following the last years of his life through a melanoma diagnosis. I found it vaguely interesting at the beginning though I was surprised at how personal it gets, how many details of the family (who clearly signed off) are shared that feels quite uncomfortable.

However, my enjoyment really took off with the second half as Layton gets further into his illness and the author incorporates some of the Facebook posts he made about his plans and hopes for his young son. Though the entire book is about Layton, it was really through these posts that I felt I had a clearer grasp on his personality and voice. But the beautiful balance of this book is that along with getting to enjoy his humour and sarcasm through these posts, you can also very clearly sense just how devastated he is by the diagnosis and failed treatments. A sad memoir for sure (pitched as a “grief memoir”) but a touching story of family and strength.