Marylee MacDonald

Mid-life mom, Colleen Gallagher, would do anything to protect her children from harm. When her daughter's husband falls ill with ALS, Colleen rolls up her sleeves and moves in, juggling the multiple roles of grandma, cook, and caregiver, only to discover that even her superhuman efforts can't fix what's wrong.

In this novel about a mother who finds herself on the front lines of a war with Fate, the protagonist, Colleen Gallagher, throws herself in the trenches to become a dying man's caregiver, but discovers that even her best efforts can't fix what's wrong.

Here are some reviews for the novel.

An affecting, deeply honest novel; at the same time, a lacerating indictment of our modern health care system.—Kirkus Reviews

A heartrending story of love, loss and the endurance of the human spirit.—Literary Fiction Book Review

“Montpelier Tomorrow” by Marylee MacDonald is an insightful, sometime humorous look at the serious issue of ALS. The characters interaction throughout the book is awesome and the story is well written and constructed. “Montpelier Tomorrow” is the kind of book that once you pick it up you won’t want to put down...
   The book is not short and while excellent it is a serious read. That being said anyone who wants to know what it is like to live with someone who is disabled should read this story. More importantly if you like well written books, wonderfully developed characters, and a story with a greater purpose you should read “Montpelier Tomorrow” by Marylee MacDonald. I cannot stress enough how good this book is. Just make sure you have some time on your hands because this is not the kind of book you will knock out in two or three sittings. The author has experience as a caregiver and this experience become clear with the amount of detail put into this book.--Ben Green for http://ReaderViews.com

Each time I have reread this fine novel, I have felt rewarded by the connection it offers to the central character, Colleen. She is that kind of character for which the large scale of the novel is made: her external and internal dilemmas have many dimensions; her relationships with other characters are shaped by complex past and present plot tensions; her viewpoint is transformative, that is, it presents the world as she alone perceives it. I can think of no single page in which her voice is not an irreplaceable gift to the reader.—Kevin McIlvoy, author of The Fifth Station, Little Peg, and Hyssop

In her novel Montpelier Tomorrow, Marylee MacDonald illuminates a seemingly dark, hopeless story with light, humor, and compassion. In the aftermath of her son-in-law's devastating diagnosis, Colleen Gallagher becomes increasingly driven to save her daughter and grandchildren even as she struggles to forge a life of her own. Montpelier Tomorrow is at once an engrossing account of the impossible choices faced by caregivers in the United States and a moving portrait of one close-knit, memorable family.—Katherine Shonk, author of The Red Passport and Happy Now?

It [the novel]took me along a road I hope I never have to travel. Not necessarily an easy read, but one that will cause you to thank your lucky stars it is not your life.--Patricia Day for Readers' Favorites

An engaging and heartfelt novel about the intricate relationships among family dealing with disease and disability. Characters are vivid, relatable, and all too imperfectly human. An emotional read.—Jewell Parker Rhodes, author of Douglass’ Women and Ninth Ward