This is a story about a cheater. Cathy. She cheats. On a husband that is perfect and sweet and I think while I was reading I felt jealous that she has someone like that. That she was able to find someone that loved her like that. In fact while reading all I kept hearing in my head, like it's own sound track, was John Legend's All of Me.
I felt she was selfish and I hated her. I almost stopped reading. I kept thinking, "who rated this so high?" But, I did keep reading, it was like a train wreck, all over the place. Not the story, my emotions. First I hated Cathy, then I felt bad for her. How can I feel bad for her? I felt bad for her like you would a person that has an addiction, because Arsen was her addiction. Then I felt bad for Ben, actually all the way through I felt bad for Ben. And there was soooo much sex in this story. Which would be right, because it's about Cheating.
There were several spots in the book where I got teary-eyed. (seriously I can't believe I did)
Love is never supposed to hurt.
Love is suppose to heal, to be your haven from misery,
to make living fucking worthwhile.
But as I stare at my wife, I know it's all fucking bullshit.
Love has the power to destroy you.
Love has the power to bury you alive in a coffin full of pain and despair,
robbing you of air,
of the will to live.
At the end,
I was so wrapped up in Cathy, thinking it was her story, that I forgot the title of the book. Arsen: a broken love story.
Yep, cry again.
“Love can destroy you.
Love can erase you.
Love can heal you.
Love can reinvent you,
And, if you are lucky enough,
Love can make you whole again.
That's what Cathy has done to me.”
Check out the author's Playlist. (which includes 200 songs!)
Songs I would add:
Say Something - A Great Big World
Glorybox - Portishead
Cold by Crossfire
Broken Open - Adam Lambert
It's been awhile - Staind
Do what you have to do - Sarah McLachlan (Let's be honest, every one of her songs could fit this book: Stupid, Fallen, Hold on..)
Bleeding out - Imagine Dragons
White Flag - Dido
Blurry - Puddle Of Mudd
Make This go On forever - Snow Patrol
Let it Go - Blue October