Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love
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Love You Hard: A Memoir of Marriage, Brain Injury, and Reinventing Love Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Abby Maslin (Author, Narrator), Penguin Audio (Publisher)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 368 ratings
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Abby Maslin shares an inspiring story of resilience and commitment in a deeply affecting new memoir. After her husband suffered a traumatic brain injury, the couple worked together as he recovered - and they learned to love again.

When Abby Maslin's husband, TC, didn't make it home on August 18, 2012, she knew something was terribly wrong. Her fears were confirmed when she learned her husband had been beaten by three men and left for dead mere blocks from home, all for his cell phone and debit card.

The days and months that followed were a grueling test of faith. As TC recovered from a severe traumatic brain injury that left him unable to speak and walk, Abby faced the challenge of caring for - and loving - a husband who now resembled a stranger.

Love You Hard is the raw, unflinchingly honest story of a young love left broken and the resilience required to mend a life and remake a marriage. Told from the caregiver's perspective, this audiobook is a daring exploration of true love: what it means to love beyond language, beyond abilities, and into the place that reveals who we really are.

At the heart of Abby and TC's unique and captivating story are the universal truths that bind us all. This is a tale of living and loving wholeheartedly, learning to heal after profound grief, and choosing joy in the wake of tragedy.

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  1. Listening Length
    9 hours and 45 minutes
  2. Author
    Abby Maslin
  3. Narrator
    Abby Maslin
  4. Audible release date
    March 12, 2019
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Penguin Audio
  7. ASIN
    B07N7JHXY5
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 9 hours and 45 minutes
Author Abby Maslin
Narrator Abby Maslin
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date March 12, 2019
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07N7JHXY5
Best Sellers Rank #229,667 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#483 in Biographies of Medical Professionals (Audible Books & Originals)
#882 in Marriage & Long-Term Partnerships
#2,249 in Biographies of Women

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
368 global ratings
Bad things happen to good people, too.
5 Stars
Bad things happen to good people, too.
I thought I'd be partial to this book since part of the Maslin Family's journey took place in my hometown of St. Mary's County. I'm not a transplant, lol, I'm born and raised here, so this book is kind of a big deal! It was so exciting to know there was a book out there where people "came to the water" (especially the waters that I've grown up on and currently live on) for healing. When we are baptized, original sin (or the bad stuff) is washed away. How appropriate to turn to the St. Mary's River to "wash away" the bad stuff the Maslin Family experienced?!? I found out that this book is so much bigger than the excitement of hometown acknowledgements. It's even bigger than dealing with traumatic brain injury. "Love You Hard" made me realize that it doesn't matter what kind of heartbreak a person experiences, we just have to keep living and love hard. THAT hit home for me. It doesn't matter what happens (TBI, loss of loved ones, infidelity, money problems or family rifts) we just have to live it. I found myself crying at times, laughing out loud at other times and wanting to shake the author by her shoulders at times. I felt guilty about being annoyed by her but then she closed the loop of emotions so poignantly. It's true that no one is exempt from bad things. They happen to good people, too. I want to thank Abby for writing her book. It allowed me to look deeper at my own life experiences and how to handle them. Thanks Abby!! Sincerely yours, Kelly W. (Piney Point, MD)
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Top reviews from the United States

CBD
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and more than just a recovery memoir by a gifted author
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
It’s amazing that a couple can survive an ordeal like the one the Maslins went through. However, they didn’t just survive; they rebuilt themselves and their family. Despite the horror they endured - which Abby Maslin’s eye for detail helps her render in exquisite, painful detail - they seem somehow able to squeeze any drop of goodness they can from a situation that would break most people.

Reading this, I was amazed that such a beautiful, tragic, heart-wrenching story involved as one of its two main players someone with such an incredible gift for writing. Maslin’s play by play descriptions of the hours and days after the attack could have been a painful slog for her readers, who may already know some of the violent details from the news. Instead, her finely drawn descriptions - such as when she contrasted her healthy husband’s sweaty, capable body after a run with the broken shell she finds in the ICU - are paired with insightful observations of each circumstance they encounter. The way she describes the people in their lives and their relationships to each other and themselves is unique.

The moments when she observes and articulates subtle shifts (from TC’s mom to herself as the woman who cares for him most, or her allegiance from her dad to her husband) are relatable and demonstrate a keen interpersonal empathy.

Read this book for its honesty, its message of hope and to be inspired by regular people who did extraordinary things.
8 people found this helpful
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Brijet - SoNo Fest
5.0 out of 5 stars Profound Reflection, Incredible Story
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2019
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Abby Maslin has delivered a profound reflection on what it truly means to be a caregiver. This book is not only about witnessing her husband’s tragic transformation, but about how two people can learn to transform together in the aftermath and become something stronger.

Yes, Love You Hard is the unbelievable story of her husband TC’s assault and journey through his new life with a brain injury, but it’s also about the strength of a marriage and what it means to see each other through the toughest times imaginable. I really believe everyone can receive something positive and personal to their own life from this book.

Abby’s honest account of her story, her wit, and her smart writing style made this a page-turner for me. I hope she keeps writing, I can’t wait for another book by this author.
One person found this helpful
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Christina Gabrielle
5.0 out of 5 stars I NEVER leave reviews but I can't stop raving about LOVE YOU HARD!
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2019
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I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!! Seriously, the second I started reading I was glued to it. Reading on the go, in public, even at a rock concert! (Sorry, Animal Collective!) Abby hooked me with her blog back when TC's assault first happened. The way she writes, it's like she's speaking directly to you. Like you're the most intimate of friends. She bares her whole soul in her writing, sparing no detail of the attack and the aftermath. Not just on TC's health, but their marriage and her own mental well-being. You will not make it through this without being moved to tears. While TC's assault and recovery from the resulting traumatic brain injury are unique, the way Abby reflects on love and humanity is universal. Everyone can benefit from reading this book. You will be forever changed. For the better. Order this now - and get an extra copy for your mom, your best friend, your local library... oh, and also be sure to follow Abby on social media. She is one of the most compassionate, genuine, inspiring and brilliant voices of our tumultuous generation.
17 people found this helpful
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E. Gillian
5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable story of resilience in the wake of tragedy, that will give you ALL the feels.
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2019
Verified Purchase
The story of Abby and TC Maslin could potentially be reduced to one incident; a random act of violence that left TC fighting for his life. Fortunately for the readers of this beautiful memoir, "Love You Hard" refuses to allow that to happen, and instead invites us into a much bigger story of human resilience, both physical and emotional. Maslin leads us through the events following TC's attack in a way the makes you eager to turn the page and discover what happens next for this family, on their road to recovery and a new normal. Her candor is striking.... heartbreaking at some points, playful at others, but always engaging.

I loved reading this book. I think we will all be squeezing our loved ones a little tighter after "Love You Hard", but will ultimately leave this story feeling hopeful. Maslin has gracefully illustrated that as humans we can endure great turmoil, and even use these events to discover personal strength and capabilities previously unknown.
4 people found this helpful
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Allison Punch
4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful memoir on marriage, identity and more
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2019
Abby Maslin’s memoir LOVE YOU HARD is about so many people’s worst nightmare: her responsible husband doesn’t come home after a night out, and she finds out he was mugged & left to die with a traumatic brain injury. She’s a young wife & mother to a toddler, suddenly turned into a caretaker & essentially single parent, as her husband relearns everything.

I read this book over thanksgiving & have been thinking about it frequently since. A lot of what I read deals w large societal structures & oppression in society and this isn’t that. Abby’s story resonated bc she is like me in that we have lived privileged lives. She suddenly had to grapple with something horrible that she never suspected would happen to her. The portrayal of mental health struggles as a caretaker moved me to tears. She had to learn to be intentional with every aspect of her life, in ways she wasn’t previously - there is a lot in here about how marriage, love & partnership are choices we have to make every day. She also addresses her own identity as a woman separate from her roles as caretaker. If you’re a fan of Cheryl Strayed’s WILD, I definitely recommend picking up this book.

Thank you Dutton for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Top reviews from other countries

Donna Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars Real people and an honest raw account of how they survived a family tragedy.
Reviewed in Canada on December 4, 2020
Verified Purchase
Very well written, an amazing true storey that was recommended for our book club. We all loved the storey and were able to video conference with the author. I highly recommend this book, you will not be disappointed and you will have a new appreciation for life as you know it!
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2019
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Beautiful written and such an amazing book to read and leave you with love and hope
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H. Pettifer
3.0 out of 5 stars interesting but not gripping
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2019
Verified Purchase
This isn't a bad book - it's interesting and I'm sure there's bits everyone can identify with (even if you haven't been through something so awful). At the start, I read quickly, wanted to know what happened, but then I found I lost interest. It's not a bad book, and is interesting, but I just wasn't gripped by it - you know it's going to be a slow recovery and no big twists! I feel the author is quite honest, but a lot of the time I also didn't identify with her or feel her pain - the writing didn't quite draw me in.
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