The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks (Montague Siblings #3) by Mackenzi Lee

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Adrian Montague has a bright future. The sole heir to his father's estate, he is an up and coming political writer and engaged to an activist who challenges and inspires him. But most young Lords aren't battling the debilitating anxiety Adrian secretly lives with, or the growing fear that it might consume him and all he hopes to accomplish. In the wake of his mother's unexpected death, Adrian is also concerned people will find out that he has the mental illness she struggled with for years.

When a newly found keepsake of hers-a piece of a broken spyglass-comes into Adrian's possession, he's thrust into the past and finds himself face to face with an older brother he never knew he had. Henry "Monty" Montague has been living quietly in London for years, and his sudden appearance sends Adrian on a quest to unravel family secrets that only the spyglass can answer.

In pursuit of answers about the relic, the brothers chart a course to locate their sister Felicity. But as they travel between the pirate courts of Rabat, Portuguese islands, the canals of Amsterdam, and into unknown Artic waters, the Montague siblings are thrown into one final adventure as they face a ghostly legend that threatens their whole family.

Return to the enchanting world of the Montague siblings in the finale to the New York Times bestselling and Stonewall Honor-winning series, featuring a teenage Adrian Montague as he desperately seeks the now adult Monty and Felicity-the older siblings he never knew he had. 

Source: NetGalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

There was no shortage of excitement when I found out I was approved for the arc of this book. The Henry "Monty" Montague and Felicity Montague are probably my favorite fictional siblings because their humor and dry wit speak to my soul. I'm so glad Lee takes us back to introduce us to the youngest Montague, Adrian whom the siblings left behind when they left to seek adventure and carve their own paths.

The instant we meet Adrian we learn he's unlike his older siblings. He suffers from anxiety and OCD and has a difficult time with things that most of us would assume are mundane. His spitfire of a fiance, Louisa not only loves Adrian to pieces but also knows how to help him through his challenging moments. He's an aspiring social justice warrior, writing articles anonymously to draw attention to the plight of workers, much to his father's chagrin. After his father gives him a box of his deceased mother's belongings, Adrian becomes curious about one item in particular - a broken spyglass. For some reason, he feels that this spyglass is the key to finding out why she was "sad" and why she died. His curiosity leads him to finding Monty. He didn't even know he had an older sibling, much less two. Explaining his thought process and suspicions about their mother to Monty, Monty agrees to accompany him to Portugal to learn more about the shipwreck that his mother had been involved in. Obviously, this means a detour to find Felicity is in order. Adrian, who's never ventured far and who isn't exactly made of X Games material is thrust into a whole new world of pirates, espionage and family secrets. 

I enjoyed this high flying adventure! Monty is always a blast and I was so happy to experience his special brand of Monty-ness again! He is all melodrama and jokes whereas Felicity is quietly effective and biting. Poor Adrian, his entire world thrown upside down and these two non-conforming people to lead him through it. Aside from the thrill and danger of their epic travels, Adrian's story is about his own self-discovery. His concerns that he might suffer from the same ailment that plagued his mother is constantly weighing on him. Monty and Felicity recognize that Adrian is different and do tend to tread lightly around him when the moment calls for it. I so appreciated that they never sought to tell him to get over it. They simply tried to gently lead him to clarity or ride through the wave with him. 

Lee says in her notes that NGSS centers heavily around mental health issues and that she pulled from her own her own experiences to tell Adrian's story, and that while they might resonate with some, they do not speak for all. She goes on to explain from a historical context how anxiety and depression were labelled, diagnosed and treated within the constraints of the medical knowledge of the time. As always, the historical details are what bring me to Lee's novels and this time the Montague siblings are embroiled in the myth of The Flying Dutchman - the legendary ghost ship. I had heard of The Flying Dutchman but was not familiar with much else about it. Adrian's desperation to find it spurs the adventure into dangerous waters and life-threatening situations, all so he can understand the mystery that is his mother and what changed her years ago. In understanding what happened to her, he hopes it will help explain why he is the way he is, and possibly avoid the same fate as her.

I love this series for its adventuresome fun, intrigue and let's face it, whenever Monty is involved, shenanigans. Never a dull moment is had when he's around, though with this family reunion, Monty does revisit his unhappy childhood and tries to come to peace with where he's at in his life. He's happy with his love, Percy but still feels unworthy thanks to many years of toxic treatment at his father's hand. So while the overall tone of The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks is that of breathtaking exploits, there is some gravitas to it, as well. I think Lee handles it very well and I'm sad that the series is now over, but I am oh so grateful for the ride along!

~ Bel

Content Warning/Trigger Warning:

- anxiety, OCD, (on page; Adrian throughout the story), depression (memory; the siblings' mother), suicide (inferred; the siblings' mother), physical abuse (memory; Monty's memory of what his father did to him)

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

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When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.



When History opens, you're immediately hit with the reality that someone is dead which sets the tone for the sombre, heart-wrenching read about love, loss and regrets that follows. 

I found the protagonist, Griffin easy to like. He's simultaneously charming and self-deprecating, capturing your attention at once. He and Theo have this effortless connection that many people yearn for. But it's a sucky time to be in love at seventeen when everyone inevitably moves away or on to something new. So it is with Theo who ends up going to college in California. If you love something set it free, and that's exactly what Griffin does for him, believing that their bond is strong enough to carry them through the next few years until they can come back together. That's always been the end game in Griffin's mind. The best intentions can sometimes go awry and it happens when Theo meets someone else while away. And when he unexpectedly dies, the only person who can truly understand what Griffin's going through is Jackson, Theo's new boyfriend. Griffin has no choice but to censor his bitterness and grief in order to come to terms with Theo's death, his own role in the fragmenting of their relationship and what Jackson's presence meant for their future. 

Here's something I've discovered recently: I have an appreciation for authors who can describe love and being in love in all its various degrees. Silvera captures the joy of crushing on someone, then falling in love and within that, the complexities of falling in love at such a young age when there's still more of life to explore. A shattered, grieving heart that also hopes for a reconciliation. Finally, what seems like the irrevocably broken soul that only comes with losing a beloved and that dreadful feeling that one can never be whole again. 

History's unexpected gift is how Silvera opened my eyes to OCD. Griffin has a few "quirks" and while they don't inhibit him from functioning like most people, they're things that occupy his mind. For example his need for things to be in even numbers or being to the left of someone. It's common to picture OCD as extremely debilitating or blatantly obvious. But in Griffin, I learned that there are different forms and he simply preferred a certain symmetry to things. Theo knew this and accepted them as is, even accommodating him.

Adam Silvera knows how to write, how to tap into those emotions and express them in his stories. His characters aren't outlandish heroes but lowkey and introspective. Their bravery comes through when their walls come down and they can no longer hide behind them. For a second time thanks to History Is All You Left Me, I find his characters becoming a little part of me.

~ Bel

Under Rose-Tainted Skies by Louise Gornall & Interview

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Norah has agoraphobia and OCD. When groceries are left on the porch, she can’t step out to get them. Struggling to snag the bags with a stick, she meets Luke. He’s sweet and funny, and he just caught her fishing for groceries. Because of course he did.

Norah can’t leave the house, but can she let someone in? As their friendship grows deeper, Norah realizes Luke deserves a normal girl. One who can lie on the front lawn and look up at the stars. One who isn’t so screwed up. 

Source: e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Norah's life has been negatively impacted by agoraphobia and OCD. Her debilitating illness has severely limited her mobility and ability to sustain relationships. Her mind can be easily consumed with endless facts, fears, anxieties or worries eventually spiralling out of control. There are ways for her to avoid some triggers while there are some that she can't help but be drawn to. She hasn't always been this way. Norah was seemingly "normal" until one day she wasn't. Since then, she's been homeschooled and watched her once close friends drop away. From the safe distance of social media she sees life happening and people evolving in the world outside her house, everything her illness has stolen from her. When a new family moves in next door, Norah is thrown off by her new neighbour, Luke. His friendliness is so foreign to her that she can't even begin to process it. Not to mention that she's so out of practice interacting with another real life person who isn't her mother or therapist. 

"How can I expect people to empathize with a sickness they can't see?" Tears sting my eyes.

"You don't expect anything. You talk, you teach."

~ Under Rose-Tainted Skies

ROSE is an authentic and unapologetic look inside mental illness. Author, Louise Gornall who herself suffers from it, courageously shows us the good, the bad and the ugly, and in reading this book I took stock of what I take for granted. Throughout the story, Norah constantly seeks control over her environment yet can't control what happens in her head. Therein lies the rub. Sometimes things make no sense at all such as Norah's need for fresh air yet the inability to step outside without feeling like everything will cave in on her. Patience and know-how are needed to redirect Norah when she starts to spiral. Her mother is a pro at talking her down but it does require finesse. Luke as a potential love interest feels almost too good to be true but he is a hopeful reminder that there are good-hearted and sincere people out there. His presence highlights the difficulties someone like Norah can have when it comes to bringing newcomers or strangers into the fold. He isn't put off by her behaviour though, instead seeking to understand her by letting her dictate the pace. I felt as if Luke represented us readers by asking the questions for us, even stumbling along the way. His perseverance demonstrates that it's worth the time to learn from and empathize with the other person. We need more Lukes in the world! 

It wasn't too far into the book that I abandoned the notion of some dramatic Hollywood-type ending. That would only trivialize the issue. I thought that Norah got the ending befitting her emotional growth. Mental illness is not an easy concept to grasp and I'm so grateful to Gornall for not censoring the truth. UNDER ROSE-TAINTED SKIES offers insight and also hope that good things can happen, too. It should be on everyone's TBR list!

~ Bel

I was so impressed with this story that I wanted to know more about Louise Gornall. I didn't realize until after the fact that she was speaking from personal experience. I thought, "That's it. I have to reach out to her." I am in awe of her honesty and especially thankful to her for sharing her thoughts on the book with us.

There is plenty of talk about the need for diversity in books, and that includes the differences that can’t be seen such as mental illness. How important for you was it to write this story?

Real talk? I want to tell you it was great, but at first, it was the exact opposite. Rose is built on my own experiences with mental illness, and I was embarrassed to share the things that happen inside my head. There were a lot of nightmarish insecurities to overcome before I could really appreciate how important a book like Rose could be.

You’ve mentioned at the end of your book that you inserted quite a bit of yourself into Norah. What did it feel like as you were writing and sharing parts of yourself with your character?

It was uncomfortable, frightening, and at times, soul destroying. There were days when I would spends hours and hours deleting and undoing certain scenes because I was so scared to reveal some the ways my brain worked.

One of the many things that I liked about the book is the support system that surrounds Norah, that being her mother and her doctor. And then there’s Luke who befriends her. Her mother and doctor understand how to work with Norah, whereas Luke is new to it. I liked his patience and desire to get to know her, and I also liked that he made mistakes showing that it’s not always a straight line towards progress. Would you say that’s an apt description of their growing friendship?

Yes! It’s perfect. Luke is a treasure. Real trivia? He’s actually based on a boy I know in real life. The thing I love most about Luke is that he doesn’t want to fix Norah, he wants to understand her and the way she thinks about things.

Let’s lighten things up a little. Can you tell us two truths and one lie about yourself?* 

I once had to have a chunk of my brain removed because it was too big to fit in my skull.

I came first in a key-lime pie eating contest.

I’m an identical twin.

Our final question ties in to our motto: we Bibliojunkies enjoy our books, boys and pie. So….

What’s your favourite childhood book?

Oooh! I like this. So my favourite childhood book was/is The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend.

Your first celebrity crush?

My first celebrity crush was Freddie Prinze, Jr. (I covered my school art folder with his picture.)

And finally, your favourite go-to dessert?

My favourite go-t-o dessert is sticky toffee cheesecake.

Connect with Louise:

Louise Gornall (source: Goodreads Profile)

Website     I     Goodreads     I     Twitter     I     Facebook     

*The second statement is the lie.

Sideswiped (Off The Map #2) by Lia Riley

* * * 3/4

It was only meant to last the summer . . .

Talia Stolfi has seen more than her share of loss in her twenty-one years. But then fate brought her Bran Lockhart, and her dark world was suddenly and spectacularly illuminated. So if being with Bran means leaving her colorless NorCal life for rugged and wild Australia, then that’s what she’ll do. But as much as Talia longs to give herself over completely to a new beginning, the fears of her past are still lurking in the shadows.

Bran Lockhart knows that living without the beautiful girl who stole his heart will be torment, so he’ll take whatever time with her he can. But even though she has packed up her life in California and is back in his arms for the time being, she can’t stay forever. 

And the remaining time they have together is ticking by way too fast. Though fate seems determined to tear them apart, they won’t give up without a fight—because while time may have limits, their love is infinite . . .

After a rather rough but eventually redeeming end in Upside Down, you’d think things would get easier. At least that’s what I was thinking for some reason. I was naively dreaming that Talia and Bran would somehow find a way to be together and that they’d be off in la-la-lovey-dovey land being all sickeningly new –coupley cute.  Not so much. It’s downright romantic to declare your eternal love and devotion to someone, but once in the thick of the relationship when problems arise, how devoted can you be?

Sideswiped follows Talia and Bran enjoying the newness of their relationship as reality begins to set in. Remember that Talia struggles with keeping her OCD in check and Bran has trust issues thanks to a previous girlfriend and his own parental drama. Now living together and being around each other 24/7 really draws the curtains back on their issues. They’re forced to learn to deal with those issues because turning away is not an option.  One of their biggest hurdles is communication. Either one will tend to shut down depending on the circumstance. It’s clear they love each other fiercely and their physical attraction is limitless (plenty of magic time). They just need to work out the kinks.

I had a love/hate thing going on while reading this. I loved all their silly banter and how much they were into each other. What got me upset was Bran. Because of his fear of losing Talia, he’s ready to resort to a short-sighted plan to keep her with him. He’s so consumed with this that he’s willing to give up an opportunity of a lifetime, something he’s been passionate about for some time. Talia knows this and has a hard time handling it. But he’s not the only one with dreams. She has her own and as she starts to find her footing, she begins to realize that may be she could have it all – her dream boy AND her dream calling. She’s willing to try but convincing Bran? That’s another matter entirely.  I admit that my being upset with the characters during this part of the story is simply due to the gift of hindsight on my part and a lack of it on theirs. Bran and Talia are in their early twenties and have so much to experience out in the world that I was concerned about them tying themselves to each other before fully taking flight.

Things work out in the end though not the way either of them envision. But that’s okay. By the time I was done with Sideswiped I felt renewed hope for this couple. They go through quite a bit of hardship that tests their resolve. The effect it has on each of them is interesting. For Bran, the more things feel out of control, the more stubborn and overbearing he gets. It's like he has this lasso around their relationship that tightens by the minute. Talia’s reaction is the opposite. With each new thing thrown her way, she demonstrates a growing confidence in herself and a willingness to step out of her comfort zone. So as Bran falters slightly, Talia is "finding her brave" as my kids like to say. 

I wasn't certain where things were headed while I was reading it, but I ended up liking Sideswiped even more than Upside Down. Bran and Talia had to be forced out of their bubble at some point to face their challenges head on. It's the inevitable part of growing up and I'm anxious to see how they tackle the next phase in their lives!

~ Bel

Upside Down (Off The Map #1) by Lia Riley Blog Tour & Giveaway

*** 1/2

Book #1 in the OFF THE MAP series

New Adult Contemporary Romance

If You Never Get Lost, You’ll Never Be Found

Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she'll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.

Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He's never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.

This is a story about two people who have been through intense experiences. One has loved intensely and one has been dealt an intense loss. Both of them wear emotional masks, building up walls and adopting personas that they feel are expected of them. For some reason when Talia and Bran meet, they are the only ones who can see past those layers and that’s scary. The vulnerability they bring out in each other is too much to handle. There is a lot of pushing away. But things that are meant to be will find a way to be.

It wasn’t necessarily the romance that grabbed my attention. It was the author’s note at the beginning about mental health, specifically OCD. Talia always needs to be in control and has developed a routine with many things from light switches to car radios. She’s well aware of how her issues can impair her social activities.  Therefore, this journey to Australia which will remove her from her present life is not only her chance to leave behind a very painful past but also an opportunity to reinvent herself into someone who is better or "well". You know people like to joke about having OCD very so often but it’s a serious subject. Fortunately in this case, Talia is functional because she’s had the benefit of counseling and medication to help her. However, there are various triggers that cause her to withdraw and fall back such as her uneasy and dysfunctional relationship with her mother.

Bran’s the commitmentphobe who goes through great lengths to keep up his jerk-like demeanor. Their initial meeting is not spectacular and he doesn't bother to ingratiate himself to her. Despite this, their interaction is just enough to get under each other’s skin. He notices immediately her quirks and calls her on them and that catches her completely off guard. Even those supposedly closest to her had never noticed.  So what is it about THIS guy that gets to her? In turn she calls him on his BS which only prompts him to kick it up a notch. Their flirty moments are fun and made especially entertaining because of Talia’s misunderstanding of the local vernacular that she’s still getting used to.

Upside Down offers plenty to get wrapped in from the beautiful sights of Australia to the growing tension and sometimes discord between Bran and Talia. In the end, it’s about deciding to face their shortcomings and fears to take a risk on falling in love with someone who can see right through them. This is the first in the Off The Map series and I’m looking forward to more.

~ Bel

* * * Excerpt * * *

“Is it true you have no regrets, not even one?” Hopefully he has no idea how dead serious I am in his response.

“There’s no point.” His fingers tighten infinitesimally on the wheel. “The past is the past. That’s it.”

“Like whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?”

“No, that’s a dumb-ass cliché. I mean there’s no meaning to life, despite what people pretend. Once I figured that out, everything got easier.”

“Has anyone ever said you are intense?”

“Since the day I was born.” He checks the rearview mirror. “So I got to ask you something. Maybe I’m presuming but—”

“If that’s your lead-in, then you’re probably correct.”

“You don’t fool me.”

He’s right. No matter how hard I try to hide and pretend away my crazy, Bran sees too much.

“But you try to fool everyone, don’t you?” He turns and catches me staring. “With the act. You, all breezy, cute as hell, always smiling like we’re at some big-deal party. You know what I think—”

“No, actually.” Wait, I’m cute? He thinks I’m cute?

“Not sure what your issue is, but—”

“I’m fine,” I mutter tightly. Reality wanders back, as unwelcome as a drunk uncle at a family picnic. Let’s face it, no one wants to be around a girl with issues. “Really, I’m all good.” Right, I sound like a five-year-old watching worms die in puddles.

* * * Meet The Author * * *

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, LIA RILEY scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c'mon, who doesn't love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Website      Facebook    Twitter    Tumblr    Goodreads

* * * Giveaway * * *

And finally, we can't have a blog tour without a giveaway, right? Since Upside Down is set in Australia, Forever Romance has put together this fantastic Australian-themed giveaway! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kaufman

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Oxford Messed Up is a unique literary love story that transports readers on a meaningful and emotional journey where the academic world of Oxford, the music of Van Morrison, and an old claw-foot bathtub serve as a backdrop for learning, self-discovery, and transcendent love. Rhodes Scholar Gloria Zimmerman is an academic superstar who has come to Oxford University to study feminist poetry. Yet the rigors of the academy pale in comparison to her untreated Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, fueled by her overachieving parents and manifested in a deathly aversion to germs and human contact. Her next-door neighbor (who is also, to her mortification, her loomate) is Henry Young, the appealing but underachieving musician son of an overbearing and disapproving Oxford don. Still mourning the death of his supportive mother while enduring the mockery of his disapproving and merciless father, Henry is haunted by the unexpectedly serious ramifications of a reckless and tragic youth. Gloria and Henry's relationship evolves from a shared obsession with Van Morrison's music into a desire on the part of each to fill in the gaps in the life of the other. Yet the constraints of a debilitating illness and the looming revelation of a catastrophic secret conspire to throw their worlds into upheaval and threaten the possibilities of their unlikely yet redemptive love.  


Review:

When I first started reading Oxford Messed Up, I thought it would be a story that, due to subject matter and writing style, would take me a week to complete.  But I couldn’t put it down.  Less than 48 hours later I was done reading.  And after 8 hours of dreams containing a continuous Van Morrison soundtrack (from my limited Van Morrison repertoire), I HAD to put my thoughts to paper (or in this case, a word document that would be cut and pasted to Blogger).

The story starts out with Gloria traveling from Chicago to Oxford.  As her parents drive her to O’Hare we quickly learn about Gloria’s musical love affair with Van Morrison, her unhealthy friendship with her best friend Oliver and her obsessive use of hand sanitizer that has turned her hands into a raw, red, dry mess.  We also quickly learn that Oliver is not a person.  Oliver is the name Gloria has given her OCD.  I know this is fiction but I had a hard time containing the rage I felt toward the psychiatrist that convinced Gloria to give her OCD a name and in turn give it even more control.  I gathered the advice was given not yet knowing how severe Gloria’s OCD truly was or would become but you could tell it caused so much more damage that it was hard to contain my anger.

When Gloria arrives at her flat in Oxford she immediately runs to the loo.  No person with Gloria’s germophobia was going to use the airport or airplane bathrooms, which means that her need to use the loo in her private flat was absolute.  But she runs into the surprise of her life when she finds she shares a loo with the flat next door.  And that flat’s tenant is happily sitting on the toilet while playing his guitar.

Henry Young is everything Oliver hates.  He’s a perpetually unkempt musician with no desire to take his nepotistic doctoral work seriously.  An unshaven, non-hand washing, dirty clothes wearing musician with a filthy room – but Gloria (despite Oliver’s protestations) can’t help but accept Henry’s offer of friendship when she finds they share an obsession with all things Van Morrison.

Henry has his own demons, his own history and his own illness to contend with.  But none of those things can bring down the wonderful new friendship he has started with his “loomate.”   Henry immediately recognizes Gloria extreme OCD but it takes an unexpected breakdown to make him truly understand the severity of her disease.  At a time when many people would give up on Gloria, Henry does the opposite.  He enlists the help of his sister, a psychiatrist working at Oxford, to teach him what he can do to help Gloria combat her OCD.  But this is not a one-sided relationship.  Gloria, in return, has something to offer to Henry in exchange for his help. She helps him build the confidence he needs to realize that not only is he a doctoral student worthy of his position within the university but he also has the ability to live up to his own expectations.

This was different from most books I read.  You all know that I have a special obsession with all things romantic and angsty.  Although you might be able to argue that this book has its share of angst, I would argue back that, unlike other romances, it does not use that angst to manipulate the reader’s emotions.  The writing was very methodical and informative which fit Gloria’s narrative perfectly.  But it was never too technical or boring.  Kaufman switches seamlessly between telling the reader what is happening and showing the reader the dialogue and action.  There were times when I felt that I was being bombarded with unnecessary information but in the end this wasn’t a bad thing.  There wasn’t a word or sentence that I skipped or regretted reading.

This is a very special novel.  It would translate beautifully to film. If that ever happened, I can guarantee it would be one I would watch over and over again.  And to think it has its own amazing built in soundtrack.  Absolute perfection.

Thank you, Andrea Kayne Kaufman, for showing people how debilitating mental diseases can be.  For teaching people to understand that it’s not as easy as just turning it off.  For helping readers realize that no matter our struggles we still have the power to choose happiness; to be fatally optimistic - to steal from Henry’s dissertation on Van Morrison.

But most of all, Ms. Kaufman?  Thank you for tempting me to begin my own Van Morrison education.  For me, his music will always be entwined with Gloria and Henry’s story and I think that is a wonderful thing.

Nat