Review of Living in Color

[peter-turo]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Living in Color" by Mike Murphy.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The true love story of Mike and Margot, who battled cancer together, is told in Living in Color by Mike Murphy. After only a few months of dating, Margot received a breast cancer diagnosis. Fortunately, she recovered quickly from chemo, and doctors proclaimed her cancer-free. In order to prevent the cancer from returning, she must take medication for an additional five years. She wanted to have her own child. She paused taking the drug because she became aware that the drug could render her barren. However risky it was, the fear of cancer could not stop her. Will she really get pregnant? If the cancer recurs, how will they be able to battle it?

I really appreciate how this memoir explores the deeper meaning of love. True love can be discovered in the most unlikely places. Before getting to know and attracting each other, Mike and Margot were both married. Mike was a successful business man with a wife and four kids. He was not proud of infidelity. It became very evident that he needed Margot to complete his life. Despite her disease spreading to her brain, lungs, and other organs, Margot remained adamant she would live. This book taught me that life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.

When the story begins, Mike and Margot are fighting cancer for the ninth year. The story then shifts to describing how the two met and fell in love. This story becomes more interesting as the author takes the reader through additional flashbacks.

I experienced tight situations and tension while reading this emotional novel, which had me on the edge of my seat. There were instances when Margot's health deteriorated to the point where she appeared to be approaching death. Nobody, not even his spouse, his friends, his family, or the reader, could even begin to fathom losing this stunning young woman, whose spirit of courage and love touched everyone she encountered.

Nothing in this book that I didn't like. There was never a dull moment in this action-packed story, which made it impossible for me to put it down. Mike and Margot had kept their focus on their objective—to fight cancer—regardless of the medical report or the outcome. My favorite part was the message of love, hope, and a positive life. It's clear that this book was professionally edited because I only found a few tiny, inconsequential mistakes. For the aforementioned reasons, I give Living in Color a well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars.

Adult readers who prefer memoirs or love stories should read this book. The book falls under both of those categories. This book includes descriptions of chemotherapy treatment through surgery and stitching, so sensitive readers should be aware of that.

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Living in Color
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