Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott - January Book of the Month

Every month I like to choose a book that I've really enjoyed. I don't always read new books, sometimes they are book recommendations from others. This month my choice for book of the month was a new release, a novel that I was lucky enough to be gifted via Netgalley. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott.

Can you love someone you can never touch?

Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?

I'll admit, it was the blurb that pulled me in.

I haven't had the pleasure of reading anything from Rachael Lippincott before but after this story I'll definitely take the time to enjoy more of her works.

Five Feet Apart is told from two points of view, Stella's and Will's. 

Both protagonists suffer from a life debilitating disease, CF (cystic fibrosis). 

The difference.

Their outlooks on life.

Will simply wants to live. To enjoy whatever days he has without being confined to a hospital room and a never ending regime of medications and treatments.

Stella thinks differently. She doesn't want to just live, she wants to fight to stay alive but not for herself, for her parents because as you will discover as you read, they have had an enormous amount of heartache to deal with over the years.

CF patients are dealt a tougher blow than most because they have to be over cautious when it comes to being contact with other people and surrounding germs but especially other CF patients as they have different strains and being close to another sufferer could actually end up killing them.

Dramatic but true.

The rule, six feet apart, no less!

But rules are made to be broken, right?

When Stella and Will first meet, sparks fly, but not in the romantic sense, in the sense that they annoy the hell out of each other. But remember the rule treat them mean, keep them keen. Well I think that applies to these two.

As the novel progresses you can't help but sympathise with all of the characters. It isn't your typical romance. There is love but not just between Will and Stella but also between friends, the hospital staff who care for their patients and the families that are forever hopeful.

I cannot lie, there were tears as I read this novel. I know it's early in the year but I think this book will definitely be contender for my book of the year!

Beautifully written.

Heartbreaking yet uplifting.

This is a story that will pull you in, give you all the feels and leave you with a sense of hope and a need to make the most of the life you've been given.

If I could give it more than five stars I absolutely would.

Get it on your TBR list now!