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Blue Hydrangeas  By  cover art

Blue Hydrangeas

By: Marianne Sciucco
Narrated by: Elinor Bell
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Publisher's summary

What if the person who knew you best and loved you most forgot your face, and couldn't remember your name?

The Impossible Promise

Memory care is everyone's solution for what to do about Sara, but her husband, Jack, can't bear to live without her. He's committed to saving his marriage, his wife, and their life together from the devastation of Alzheimer's disease.

They retired years ago to the house of their dreams and operated it as a Cape Cod bed and breakfast named Blue Hydrangeas. Jack has made an impossible promise: They will stay together in their beautiful home no matter what the disease brings.

A Heartbreaking Choice

However, after nine years of selfless caregiving, complicated by her progressing Alzheimer's and his own failing heart, Jack finally admits he can no longer care for his wife at home. With reluctance, he arranges to admit her to an assisted living facility.

But on the morning of admission, Sara is having one of her few good days, and he's unable to follow through.

Instead, he takes them on an impulsive journey to confront their past and reclaim their future.

In the end, he realizes that staying together at any cost is what truly matters.

©2013 Marianne Sciucco (P)2014 Marianne Sciucco

What listeners say about Blue Hydrangeas

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

I was curious about this book since I have experience working with Alzhiemer’s patients. I was wondering how accurate the author would portray the disease and wondered how the story was going to go. When I started listening, I was not prepared for the emotions that this book was going to draw out of me. It was so heartwrenching and emotional that I was taken aback. This is such a beautiful love story that really shows what true love is all about. The unconditional, undying, and unrelenting type of love that everyone always dreams of is the type of love that this story has. It is so touching that I cried “ugly tears” several times during this book. I absolutely loved it! Ms. Sciucco portrayed the disease, the person afflicted, and the family of the afflicted so well that I felt like I truly knew these people. It was great. I don’t think that anyone can write a better book that shows what all a family goes through when someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The only thing that I wish was done in the book is if the narrator were to have shown emotion consistently. There were chunks of the book where the narrator showed so much emotion, I wondered if she were crying while reading. Then there were chunks where it was literally like she was sitting there reading the book aloud; no emotion, no variations, just sitting there and reading a book aloud. That alone is what made this a 4 STAR book for me, instead of a 5 star.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Powerful love story that resonates with emotion

What made the experience of listening to Blue Hydrangeas the most enjoyable?

Narrator Elinor Bell tells this story with a delicate balance of compassion, realism and objectivity that enables the listener to empathize with Jack and Sara without getting bogged down in the horrific devastation wrought on those faced with Alzheimer's. My father was diagnosed with AD in his early 50s and lived with the diagnosis for 18 years. Knowing firsthand how painful AD can be, I was almost reluctant to experience this story. While there are sharp emotional moments that triggered my own grief and loss, the narrator's gentle but honest style kept me moving forward with the story. Readers who have experienced AD will be reminded of the strength, hope and love that enables them (us) to cope with Alzheimer's.

What did you like best about this story?

Author Marrianne Sciucco's portrayal of Sara is true to life - The angry outbursts directed toward Jack, her fear, her confusion, the rare "good days". Sara is not depicted as good or bad or even a victim; she is just a person affected by a disease that impacts not only cognitive abilities, but emotions and behavior.

Any additional comments?

There are no easy answers when it comes to dealing with Alzheimer's. Different families have different needs and resources that result in different decisions for each. Blue Hydrangeas is a compassionate and honest portrayal of how AD impacts couples, families and friends. While there is no miracle cure or miraculous healing (although I found myself wishing something like this would happen for Jack and Sara), this story captures the power of real-life love, hope and courage.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

If I could give this more than 5 stars in all three categories I would! This author told a tale that is ripped from everyday life for Alzheimer’s care givers/family members. She did it with such a tender outlook that it is a love story for the ages. The performance was outstanding. Highly recommend this book!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I could smell the blue Hydrangeas

Her words were so descriptive I could smell the blue hydrangeas. Even though this was fiction the writer was spot on when it came to the the disease progression and what many of us experience. As a care giver I often struggle with the decision on how to move forward as time goes by and this book has given me much to consider.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profound Love Story

I received a complimentary copy of the audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

It was a lovely story of a man dedicated and loving his wife.

The story was very well written. It did a very good job of depicting the behaviors of both the person with dementia and a tired and frustrated caregiver that wants their loved one back the way they were.

The story and the telling of it pulled me in, and I listened from start to finish in one day! The narrator, Elinor Bell did a wonderful job with voices of the different characters, timing, and production.

I highly recommend this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Tender and Heartwarming Love Story

Marianne Sciucco has done a beautiful job of portraying the experience of Alzheimer's from many perspectives with characters who feel so real they could walk off the page. Blue Hydrangeas is a tender love story that reveals the complexities of aging and loss. An enjoyable and meaningful book!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Blue hydrangeas

This is a wonderful book. I am just starting the journey with my husband and it will be very helpful as we travel this road together. Thank you. Barbara Caldwell

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Sweet, Emotional Romance

I really wanted to like this sweet romance more than I actually did. It's a good read, and has some lovely characters. I just wanted it to have a bit more depth and less predictability. Overall, a pleasing afternoon read. The narration was very well-done.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Beautiful, emotional story

Blue Hydrangeas is a beautiful and emotional love story. Marianne Sciucoo wrote this sweet book about an elderly man whose wife has Alzheimers. Wanting to care for her at home, but finally realizing that after a while he can't, is heartbreaking for him. Ms. Sciucco portrays this disease in a very realistic manner. Its such a sad disease,and sometimes you see the person that you used to see and you want to hold on to that brief moment in time. This heartfelt story needs to be read by everyone that knows someone with Alzheimers. Elinor Bell did an amazing job narrating this book, giving such emotion to the words. I look forward to more books by both the author and the narrator.

I was given this audio book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Bittersweet Story and a Husband’s Undying Love

"Blue Hydrangeas" was a beautiful story about a horrible disease and undying love.
Sara had been having early signs of Alzheimer's and thought it was old age-itis. She knew she'd been forgetting things even before Jack knew what was happening to her. They were together their whole lives and he became her care-giver.

Although Jack's health was wavering, he still took care of Sara. She was the love of his life. The stress began to take a toll on him but he didn't want her in a care facility. Through the turmoil, they found a way to work things out so they could remain together forever but this audiobook brings up an important topic. Alzheimer's disease. This is an ugly thing that comes and steals your life away. I'm so glad this book was written. I love that Sara painted and the tie-in with the title of the blue hydrangeas. Just lovely.

I think there can never be enough discussion and research done on this. I thank Marianne Sciucco for writing this and I love her writing period. She's a wonderful author. This is a must listen for everyone in my opinion.

Elinor Bell did an awesome job narrating this book. Her voice was amazing with perfect inflections. You could hear the emotion in her tone as well. I know how heartfelt this book was and she really pulled that together. Wonderful book from author and narrator.

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

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