This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Jefto Pierre for Readers' Favorite
A Gift of Love is Tony Cointreau’s memoir about the twelve years he spent volunteering in Mother Teresa’s homes for the dying during the height of the AIDS crisis. The book follows him as he travels between Calcutta and New York City’s Gift of Love hospice, learning how to care for people who were often abandoned, isolated, or afraid. He describes daily moments in these homes—listening to people who want to share their stories, offering a caring hand to calm fear, and giving simple respect to those who feel forgotten. Alongside his volunteer work, he also helps his loved ones during their last days, which deepens his understanding of compassion. The book gradually shows how ordinary acts can change both the giver and the receiver. Will Tony discover the real meaning behind his calling to care?
Reading this memoir feels like someone quietly letting you into a very real, personal look at caregiving. The story moves between Calcutta and 1980s–90s New York, grounding everything in the AIDS crisis and its strong, unforgettable social reality. Cointreau writes in a plain, friendly way that helps you face challenging topics without losing their weight. The time he spent with others shows that people from many backgrounds can learn a lot from one another despite their many differences. The author gained insight into what it means to love others, even when loss was shaping the lives of the people around him. The volunteers, patients, and nearby friends he met all give the book a personal feel, and the way his understanding grows through the years comes across as very real. Anyone drawn to memoirs, end-of-life work, or stories that focus on compassion will likely find Tony Cointreau’s A Gift of Love sincere and meaningful.
