A Song for Tomorrow by Alice Peterson

Publication date: 9 February 2017

Published by: Simon & Schuster

Purchase from Amazon here 

The blurb:

Tom fell in love with Alice the moment he saw her. He realises that being with her will not be easy, but she is a force of nature, a burst of sunlight in his otherwise ordinary world. 

Some people might look at Alice and think she has everything, but Alice knows she is not like other women. Her life is complicated, unpredictable, difficult. Alice does not like pity. All she wants to do, has ever wanted to do, is sing.

Alice has been told not to follow her dreams. So has Tom. But when fate has already dealt a tough hand, it’s time to stop listening to everyone else and only follow their hearts.

My thoughts:

Let me just come out and say it. A Song for Tomorrow is the most beautiful, moving, inspirational book I have ever read. Its story will stay with me for life, and will inspire me every single day. If I had a book hall of fame this would be top of the pile. Potentially the best book I have ever read! How on earth am I ever going to be able to explain what this book means to me?

The book is based on a true story. Alice Martineau was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a life limiting and debilitating disease. But Alice refuses to be defined as someone with a serious illness. Alice has dreams, ambitions and determination. Alice wants to be treated like anyone else, and not to be pitied or be thought of as brave (even though you can’t help but marvel at her bravery). She is a daughter, sister, and staunch friend but as we meet her she has two other ambitions, to love and be loved, and most of all – to be a singer. Everyone has told her it will never happen, that someone with CF could never manage it. But no way is Alice going to be deterred by their words.

And so we meet Alice, and come to know her and love her. Alice has had some bad eggs, but it’s not long before we see her fall in love with Tom. Within the pages of the book unfurl a true love story that is the depth of love and devotion we all dream of. Tom has battled his demons in the past and has ambitions of his own, but he is the most marvelous of men. The only thing is – will this be too much to handle and is he strong enough to ride the storms?

We also follow Alice as she battles against the odds to prove everyone wrong and become the singer she so desperately wants to be. But oh my gosh, whilst reading this book I have never ever wanted anyone to achieve their dream. Alice has an extraordinary battle on her hands. I kind of knew a little bit about Cystic Fibrosis, but soon realized my knowledge barely scratched the surface. The battle Alice fought on a daily basis is awe inspiring. But never once did she look for sympathy, or waver in her belief and determination. In fact not only does she strive for her dreams, but she never stops being the most loving a caring person, who looks out for others, and has their backs.

It would be wrong not to also mention the supporting cast of her parents, brother, boyfriend, friends, medical staff and those in the music industry. They are also strong, supportive and showed the strength of unconditional love.

I could rave on about this book forever, but at the same time I am fearful of saying too much and spoiling what is more than a book to me…it was a gift. A very precious gift that I felt deserved respect and so rather than devouring books as I usually do, this took a while to get through.

As a fan of Alice Peterson I was expecting to enjoy the book, and knew from the blurb and her other work that it was likely to pull at my heart strings, and be an emotional and moving read. But I wasn’t expecting to be as affected and as inspired as I was. This book touched my heart and soul, and is better than any self help book out there. It is a book that demonstrates love and how to overcome adversity.

I know that Alice’s story will stay with me for life. She has already inspired me and made me determined that I am not going to be defined by my illness. Since starting the book there have been times when things have felt overwhelming, but thinking of Alice has stopped me in my path and given me the strength of mind to start over and go for it. Infact thanks to her I am now on the treadmill every day and I play her album to lift me and push me onwards.

Can I also recommend her music. As I was reading the book I became inquisitive about how she sounded, and I wanted to know if the battle was worth it I guess. So I downloaded her album Daydreams. Please do give it a listen. She is so so talented. I loved her voice, and the lyrics are beautiful. You can see a trailer for the book and hear a clip of her here

Thank you Alice Peterson for bringing Alice Martineau into my life and telling her story. She is a true inspiration who has evoked determination, strength and the gratitude for those in my life.

I hope you love this book as much as I do.

P.S. How gorgeous is the cover?!