Tissues. You will need lots and lots of tissues.

Let me preface by saying I'm not usually one to cry at movies (EXCEPTION: Marley & Me. That one killed me). But Irreplaceable You made me tear up, made me weepy, and made me so emotional. It's a true tear-jerker movie with beauty, emotion, and a whole lot of feels.

It is a tragic romance about the devastating effects of cancer. I know what you're thinking--because I thought it too--there are so many movies out there already about this topic. Fault in Our Stars, and A Walk to Remember, for example--how could anything beat those?

Nonetheless, Irreplaceable You does a good job at creating its own feel and story line. For one, the protagonists are in their early 30s and planning their wedding. The age of the protagonists alone created a new set of problems, emotions, and a different dynamic. 

Abby, who is diagnosed with cancer, worries about what will happen to Sam once she dies. Will he be able to find joy again? Will he be able to find someone to share his life with again? Thus, she decides to spend her final months preparing for her death by scoping out the dating scene for Sam. Her hope is that she can find a replacement for herself so she can die at peace, knowing he'll be happy.

I know it sounds like an odd premise... and it made me a little uncomfortable at first. However, Abby's quirky personality was able to shine even during the most depressing moments. There are small moments that break up the depressing, heavy scenes and even made me laugh. Furthermore, Abby's sense of dark humor throughout the movie allowed the tension to ease at points and allowed me to appreciate her character even more.

The story is a tad cliche at points and is pretty predictable. However, I felt like the point wasn't to have some over-the-top plot or unexpected twist. The point was to capture the emotions of this tragedy while also showcasing the depth of a love story. The movie did just that and ripped my heart out in the process.

I think the fact that Abby and Sam were childhood sweethearts added a layer of depth to the story as well. They didn't meet during her diagnosis or shortly before or after. They had already lived so much of their love story and were looking forward to decades more when cancer ripped that from them. Their shared history makes it all that more difficult to accept, for the characters and the audience. 

I liked that their history came through in their interactions. The memories conveyed, their roots, and their catch phrases made them feel so real as a couple.

At times, I did wish I could see more of Sam's character. I felt like he wasn't as open in the movie as Abby. Of course, she is the main focus, which could be why I felt like that. Still, I wish I could've seen more of his struggles with the diagnosis and the situation. Sometimes, it felt like he wasn't emotionally moved by what was happening like he should've been. I also don't know that the movie accurately depicted the true devastation, emotionally and physically, of cancer. The movie skipped over a lot of the heavy issues Abby would have been dealing with. I think this could have made it richer and more realistic.

I will say that this movie is very heavy, especially with the ending. It really makes you think about so much. Most of all, it made me think about time and how time with my husband is really the most important thing. 

If you're looking for a romantic drama with all the feels, check out Irreplaceable You on Netflix... but be sure you have some waterproof mascara and some comfort foods ready to go.

Have you watched this yet? What did you think? Comment below and let me know if you have any other Netflix recommendations!

How was your day?

It's such a basic question, one so many of us toss around countless times a day. We ask our mailman, the barista at the coffee shop, or the random person we pass at work. It's a question that seems to carry so little weight.

However, these days, that question carries a lot of weight in my relationship because, in many ways, it's been a chance for my husband and me to stay connected.

For the past few months, we've endured vastly differing work schedules that only afford us a limited amount of time together a week. I won't lie--it's been crazy hard.

I know there are so many other couples out there dealing with worse schedules: traveling jobs, military positions, and other circumstances probably keep other couples apart more than we are. Still, he's my absolute best friend, and the plain truth is: I miss all of our time together.

I miss our random, Monday trips to Target. I miss our hour rants about our days right when I would get home. I miss our dinners together and our Lunchables on nights we didn't feel like cooking. I miss the constant companionship, the simple moments, the shared laughs.

I miss him.

Over the past few months, though, we've learned that to make love work, you have to choose to invest in it.

Even though we don't have a lot of time together, the simple fact is we make time. He gets up at the crack of dawn with me to see me off to work, and I stay up super late to talk to him when he gets home. We both are running on "E" in many ways, our sleep schedules totally dysfunctional and lacking. But we do it, not because we're okay without our eight hours (we both are super grouchy without sleep), but because our time together is more important than a few extra hours.

Sacrifice. It's something we've learned over the past few months.

And we also stay in touch through texting. We make a point to send each other messages, to chat when we get a free moment.

And, every single day, I get this text: How are you?

It's a simple phrase, just a few words, but it's really become symbolic of who we are.

He's not around for my day now. He's not here for me to vent or to share in the joys with. Still, even when he's not here, he still wants to know how my day was.

He still takes the time to check in, to find out what's going on in my life, even if it has to be reduced to the words on a phone screen.

These past few months have sucked in a lot of ways, but they've also reinforced the fact that keeping love alive is a choice--and it's not always about grand gestures. Keeping love alive is about simple moments, small gestures of sacrifice that go a long way.

It's about choosing to find any and every way possible to stay connected. It's about showing care for the other person even when you can't physically be there.

Most of all, it's about truly wanting to know how the other person is and caring enough to ask.

How do you keep love alive throughout the drudgery of the work week? Have you ever dealt with different schedules? How did you keep the connection going?

Join me on Facebook to keep the conversation going.

Xoxo,

Lindsay Detwiler

I love Valentine's Day.

Not the commercialized, Hallmark-y version. Not because I think it's the only day of the year you should celebrate your loved ones.

In truth, I love it for this simple reason: I love pink and sparkles....and the stores are filled with pink and sparkles.

Okay, so that is the main reason I love the holiday. An excuse to make adorable pink cookies (that, let's be real, are usually burnt and gross, but it's the thought, right?) and a reason to buy glitter... since I was a little girl, it's been right up my alley.

However, as I get older, I've come to realize that Valentine's Day IS important, even though it gets a lot of negative publicity.

Over the years, my husband and I have been through quite a few different versions of Valentine's Day. We've done the traditional roses/candy/cards Valentine's Day. We've done the going out to eat for a candlelit dinner celebration. Our first year of marriage, we did the "we're on a majorly tight budget" and spent only $5 on each other while cooking at home. We've done the "we've-been-married-a-while-now-let's-get-massages-instead" Valentine's Day. We've done the Netflix and pizza celebration. 

We've changed our celebration for the day of love as we've changed, and I have good memories from all of them.

However, I've come to learn this over the years: Married or single, the beauty of Valentine's Day is simply the belief in the value of love.

I agree that the holiday has been over-commercialized, like so many things. Still, I think the power of the holiday is in the fact that we as a society still value love.

Love is something we often overlook in life. We get so busy making money, working on our careers, and just trying to keep up with life. We often forget to celebrate the most beautiful, most complex emotion around us.

And I'm not talking beautiful on the outside. As you know, I believe that it's the imperfect kind of love, the sometimes ugly-crying, messy versions that are the most beautiful.

But love is something that heightens our human experience, whether it be romantic love or any other type.

So this Valentine's Day, whether you're a proponent or an opponent of the holiday, I hope you'll take a minute to think about those you love in your life. I hope you'll take a moment to remember that the importance of the holiday is to take a moment and celebrate the emotion in all its forms in your own life. 

I hope you remember that Valentine's Day isn't about how much money you spend or putting on a big show one day a year. It's about remembering all year long how powerful love can be... and how it can bring a richer, fuller experience to our lives.

Happy Valentine's Day, however you celebrate,

XoXo,

Lindsay Detwiler

Head over to my Facebook Page to enter to win this awesome Valentine's Day Sweet Love Prize Pack!

I write my truth.
In the beginning, I didn't plan on being a published author. I wrote Voice of innocence partially to prove to myself I could write a book and partially because Emma and Corbin's story wouldn't stop haunting me. Still, from the beginning, this writing journey hasn't been about writing what will sell or what people want to hear.
It's about telling the story that's inside. It's about telling the journey of the characters who often take on a life of their own. It's about writing my truth.
As I grow as I writer, I'm coming to learn that just like in life, not everyone will love everything about you or your work. Some books just aren't for everyone, and that's okay. It's what I love about literature, and it's part of the beauty of it. We all read literature in different ways. Some books connect with us. Some don't.
So, as I continue writing stories, I continue to write my truth. My characters sometimes do things that bother readers. They are sometimes indecisive, they make mistakes, they get confused. They are sometimes vulnerable, naive, and blinded by love.
My stories are sweet, but they've got their spice. Some might be bothered by the lack of sex in my books. Some might be bothered by my tendency to curse... because in my experience, women curse. A lot sometimes. It makes my characters feel real to me.
At the end of the day, I hope you connect with my stories. I want my readers to find themselves in my books. I pride myself on making readers connect emotionally with my stories, with my characters, and with their journeys to love. The proudest moments in my career are when a reviewer or reader says, "I really connected with that character." It's the best feeling in the world.
However, I also don't write with marketing in mind. I write the story I feel, the story inside. I write the words that strike me, that move me. I write about the love stories and plots and situations that haunt me.
I write my truth, just like I try to live it.
At the end of the day, as a writer, I think that's the best lesson we can learn... write your truth. Write your passion.
And, if you're fortunate, your truth will speak to someone else.
Isn't that the true magic of writing?


Xoxo,

Lindsay Detwiler

Are you following me on Facebook? Come join me for giveaways and talk about genuine, sweet love.

Life is hard. Really hard.

But sometimes love can help us find the beauty in the ordinary and find the strength to overcome pain.

This was the basis for All of You, a story of rescue and a story of hope. 

Alex Evans and Marley Jade come from two very different worlds. However, in their late twenties, both characters are floundering with their life paths and what they want. 

A crazy accident in the middle of the night brings them together... and they both come to realize that love might be just what they need to let go of the demons from their pasts.

Read on to meet Marley and Alex to see if they're your kind of couple. 

***
There’s a clinking of kayaks, a flailing of body parts, a hitting of my head on something. This time when I’m submerged, it’s not an easy flip maneuver that rights me, because with Alex and his kayak so close, I’m bumping into too many obstructions.
When I kick free of my kayak and surface, I’m gasping again, clinging to the floating kayak and trying to get my bearings. I’ll never get used to being dunked in the water.
Alex comes up from the water sputtering and coughing, also clinging to his overturned kayak. “What the hell happened?” he asks, out of breath.
“I don’t know. I think maybe I leaned too far?”
Realizing we’re both safe, we calm down, still clinging to the kayaks, smiles now painting themselves on our faces. “Of all places,” Alex says. “I almost had to save you again.”
My mouth opens. “Me? You were the one who wasn’t coming up for air. I thought I was going to have to save you.”
“Please. I was a lifeguard. I’m a pro,” he teases.
I raise an eyebrow. “Well, the almost kiss that didn’t happen says otherwise.”
“You’re the one who flipped us.”
“I think it was your fault. Who the hell tries to pull off a kiss in kayaks?”
Alex shrugs, making his way around his kayak toward me, both of us still bobbing in the river. He gets close enough to pull me to him, our kayaks awkwardly clinking at the ends. His free arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me close. We’re nose to nose, and I almost gasp, not from a lack of oxygen this time, but from the feeling of being this close.

***
What did you think of Alex and Marley? Feel free to comment below and tell me if they seem like a couple you'd like to read about.

XoXo,

​Lindsay Detwiler

All of You by Lindsay Detwiler releases January 27th. Treat yourself now while it's #99cents.
There’s no such thing as impossible when it comes to saving the one who holds your heart.
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yn3rXG 
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hnb2Ce 
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2hWPj10 
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2yLVsrp 
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ApHasT 
Apple: http://apple.co/2hhDMbJ
TBR: www.goodreads.com/book/show/35527988-all-of-you
A sexy doctor who’s restricted by expectations.
A quirky poet who’s defined by her dark past.
All it takes is Alex Evans saving Marley Jade one fateful night for their futures to be realigned. And when a passion sparks between them, they must decide if they can piece each other back together and make love work.
#AllOfYou_Reveal #LindsayDetwiler #HTPubs

Yesterday, I was fortunate to be on the "In the Mood for Love" panel at George Mason University'sFall for the Book with Ada Calhoun and Katy Upperman.

The event featured over 150 authors, including headliner Lev Grossman. I got to see him speak about The Magicians. His sense of humor and his humble nature really resonated with me and inspired me to pursue my dreams. Hearing his story of struggle in the writing field and also how he came up with the idea for the series resonated with me. I definitely recommend you check him out if you are a writer struggling with inspiration.

My panel with Ada Calhoun and Katy Upperman was equally as inspiring. These two women are passionate about what they write, which shows in their works. In addition, they are just genuinely nice people, which made the event so much fun.

I also got to meet Natalina Reis, who happens to be an author at my publishing house, Hot Tree Publishing. To see her willingness to drive just to support me really made me so grateful to be at a publisher with a true family feel.

Being an author can sometimes be lonely, but events like today really give you the motivation to keep going. Networking with other authors, hearing their struggles and triumphs, and just being around people with a similar passion as you really incites you to chase your own version of greatness. 

Thank you so much Fall for the Book for having me. And to all of the authors out there...get out there to events. Be social. You never know where motivation and inspiration will take hold.

Happy writing, happy reading, and happy weekend!


Lindsay Detwiler

"This is so stupid. I’m not going to see him again. I got my new tattoo, I’m ready to start over, and I’ve accomplished one of my goals.
As I walk toward home, I notice I have a little more bounce in my step. Despite the burning sensation on my shoulder and the pain, I feel better than I have in months.
I tell myself it’s the new tattoo, and not the man who gave it to me."~Lindsay Detwiler, Inked Hearts

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Inked Hearts, a sexy seaside romance, is releasing October 21st! Pre-order now for half-off and then get your invite to our exclusive Pre-Order party, happening October 20th. We've got giveaways, recipes, behind-the-scenes, and more.

$2.49 for a book and a party invite. Grab your copy today!
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