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)

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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This is a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers slowly begin opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.

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

Fredrik Backman has this remarkable ability to conjure up stories about every day people and present them in such unique ways. In Anxious People, he takes a bank robber who wishes to steal a specific amount of money but when the robbery itself goes awry, the robber runs and winds up at an apartment viewing that seems to have attracted the strangest people ever. Each person, including the bank robber gets to express their story where Backman delves into their background, showing us how they got to be where they are. It's through masterful storytelling that he puts in to perspective human behaviours. With this random group of socially-awkward individuals and by the author's description, idiots, the greater the insight.

One character in particular, Zara, stands out to me. She comes off to me as a cross between two of Backman's most beloved characters - Ove and Britt-Marie - but definitely way more prickly and blunt to the point of rudeness. I was so frustrated with her yet compelled to know more about her. Her sessions with her psychiatrist are so trying that they border on comical because Zara is who she is and even at her worst, she has the most remarkable observations about life. 

Anxious People requires a bit more concentration because there are so many characters and POVs, and the chapters tend to jump around so much. I usually have a harder go at reading stories set up like that but it's Backman, and I know he always has something good in store. The payoff is worth it when connections start making sense. This novel is a testament to his craft as he develops mini stories within a grander story and eventually has all the pieces mean something and fit together. The reader wonders what obsucre events have to do with anything but it all becomes clear at the end. Backman also includes a slight twist that deserves a tip of the hat.

Anxious People will have you run the gamut of emotions from anxiety to grief to forgiveness. As with some of his previous works there is mention of suicide. Yet the tone is balanced against all of the quirky details and tangents throughout the story. (Oh, just you wait until the rabbit comes into it!) Backman is simply incredible and he's gifted us with another impactful novel. All these characters feel real and I know they've resonated with readers who feel that there's a bit of them in here. As for me, I was charmed by everyone in the end, none more so than Zara.

~ Bel

Take A Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters #2) by Talia Hibbert

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Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral...

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review, Netgalley

The second book in The Brown Sisters series introduces us to the sassy, brazen and highly ridiculous Dani who livens up any space that she's in. She's intoxicating which is exactly how Zaf feels about her. The two of them work in the same building - she a professor, he a secruity guard - and when a video of him rescuing her during an emergency drill gone wrong goes viral, they're instant superstars. Couple goals, baby! They decide to egg it for what it's worth so they pretend to date, playing it up to the gawkers to gain publicity for his youth program, Tackle It. As a former rugby player who's been through his own fair share of emotional turmoil, he espouses the importance of mental health especially in young boys whom society tells it's wrong to show emotions. A relationship, even a fake one is untested territory to Dani who likes to avoid commitment. 

Talia Hibbert writes the BEST banter! Zaf and Dani flirt, bait each other and toss out quick retorts which amuses and keeps things lively. There's not a boring moment when these two have the most insane chemistry! Dani is straight up confident in her sexuality and her desires, and Zaf is equally honest. Attraction aside they do approach the concept of relationships differently, in part due to their personal struggles. Zaf suffers from anxiety but has developed ways to cope. I liked how Hibbert demonstrated the way his anxiety manifests showing that it differs for everyone. I was awed by how she had Dani be so patient and supportive through this because Dani isn't one to put someone ahead of herself. After a bad experience she vowed never to compromise for anyone ever so the fact that this vivacious person could be so quiet during one of Zaf's episodes and just be present with him is one of the little things that makes Hibbert's characters so lovable. Zaf's sensitivity and insistence on being in touch with his emotions is the anti-alpha move and I am all for it. Dani's effusive embrace of her femininity and sexuality makes her one of the most appealing characters I've ever read. Seriously, Dani and Zaf breathe new life for relationship dynamics. I'm not giving anything away here but let me just say that the ending is super sweet and shows how much they evolve.

Talia Hibbert is an enigmatic writer. I love how she phrases things, sets up situations and takes quirky to new levels. Though it's only the second book of hers I've read I know for sure that I can never know what to expect from her or her characters. Take A Hint, Dani Brown is genuinely hilarious, sexy and aspirational. It's good-feel vibes through and through.

~ Bel

Girl Gone Viral (Modern Love #2) by Alisha Rai

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In Alisha Rai’s second novel in her Modern Love series, a live-tweet event goes viral for a camera-shy ex-model, shoving her into the spotlight—and into the arms of the bodyguard she’d been pining for.

OMG! Wouldn’t it be adorable if he’s her soulmate???

I don’t see any wedding rings [eyes emoji]

Breaking: #CafeBae and #CuteCafeGirl went to the bathroom AT THE SAME TIME!!!

One minute, Katrina King’s enjoying an innocent conversation with a hot guy at a coffee shop; the next, a stranger has live-tweeted the entire episode with a romantic meet-cute spin and #CafeBae is the new hashtag-du-jour. The problem? Katrina craves a low-profile life, and going viral threatens the peaceful world she’s painstakingly built. Besides, #CafeBae isn’t the man she’s hungry for...

He’s got a [peach emoji] to die for.

With the internet on the hunt for the identity of #CuteCafeGirl, Jas Singh, bodyguard, friend, and possessor of the most beautiful eyebrows Katrina’s ever seen, comes to the rescue and whisks her away to his family’s home. Alone in a remote setting with the object of her affections? It’s a recipe for romance. But after a long dating dry spell, Katrina isn’t sure she can trust her instincts when it comes to love—even if Jas’ every look says he wants to be more than just her bodyguard…

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


Kat, whom we met in The Right Swipe, is an intensely private person. Part of the reason for that is she suffers from anxiety and also experienced a traumatizing event that has made her extra guarded and slow to trust. Her immediate circle includes her best friend Rhiannon, Rhiannon's assistant and Jas, her bodyguard. She's happy to keep her circle tight and look after them. When her much-valued privacy and anonymity are blown thanks to a viral tweet, she panics and Jas' protectiveness kicks in. He takes her to his family's peach farm, far, far away from the prying eyes of the city where she can take a breath and wait it out until the public interest wanes. While Kat escapes the media hounding, Jas comes face-to-face with what he's been avoiding: his family. His grandfather's expectation of him and the weight of his inheritance has driven a wedge between them. After his tour of duty, Jas finds it hard to confide in anyone about his experience and the nightmares that torment him. Coming home is almost more than he can handle but he has to keep it together for Kat's sake.

Firstly, Kat and Jas are hopelessly in love with each other though neither has admitted that out loud. There's the sensitive employer-employee dynamic and also the fear of being that vulnerable and open to rejection and heartache. They're ridiculously attractive people and together they're basically blinding to our mere mortal eyes; we don't stand a chance. I have to say that I did enjoy the dance they'd do around each other, noticing the little things, being hyper aware of the shift in atmosphere whenever they were close or barely touched. I liked how that tension between them gradually built while they were hiding away from the rest of the world in their own tiny bubble.

Secondly, the social media angle felt to me like Rai was putting into words how I feel about it sometimes. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy scrolling through feeds and seeing all the pictures but I am also acutely aware that most of that is staged. Perfection sells. So do fairytales and these days fairytales are written differently. In this case, they're live tweeted by people detailing every bit of what they observe is happening in front of them. Now I'll admit, it can be cute. Who doesn't want to get behind two people falling in love and witness it happening in real time? But it's creepy when you think about it. There's someone there watching you intently, listening in on what should be a private conversation even if you are in public, putting things out there and spinning things into something it may not be. It is a total invasion of privacy. So I completely understood Kat's feeling about it and how the unwanted scrutiny further fueled her anxiety. 

Rai writes some spectacular romances and I like Girl Gone Viral and The Right Swipe for different reasons. Both offer pertinent commentary on social culture as you fall in love with the characters. They're entertaining reads with gratifying resolutions and I love every bit of them.

~ 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.

Waiting on the Sidelines (Waiting on the Sidelines #1) by Ginger Scott

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Nolan Lennox had things figured out. Named after a baseball legend, she enjoyed being the Tomboy, her closet filled with her brother’s hand-me-downs, cut-off jeans and soccer shorts. But when her first trip to high school results in a broken heart from the first boy to ever make her heart flutter and cruel words from an older girl she once thought a family friend, Nolan starts to question the very person she thought she was and wonders if her humble upbringing can compete with the afforded luxuries of her privileged peers.

Throughout the next four years, Nolan struggles to maintain herself throughout her path of discovery, learning just how cruel teenagers can be through the pressures of underage drinking, sexuality and class. And despite how life seems to continue to work against her, she still manages to listen to her heart, falling deeper and deeper for the guy the entire town adores, even if he only sees her as a friend. Can Nolan strike a compromise between her own integrity and the boy she loves? And can she make him notice her before it’s too late?

Reed Johnson came to Coolidge High School with a lot of fanfare. The son of a hometown football legend and the brother of a local football hero, Reed wore all the pressures of carrying a town without hope into the spotlight. Thankfully, he had the talent to back it up. But when he meets a girl who makes him think twice about exactly what being a hero means, he starts to wonder if following in his brother’s footsteps might be all wrong.

Nolan Lennox was everything that was opposite of expected. She didn’t flirt, she didn’t drink and she didn’t sleep around. Nothing about her was easy, but something about her made Reed want to try harder. Though she didn’t look the part, she seemed to be spending a lot of time in Reed’s thoughts, and he wondered if she could be the one who made it all worthwhile. But could Reed handle letting her down? And would breaking her heart break him beyond repair?

Waiting on the Sidelines explores young love to its fullest, exposing how real young heartbreak and passion is and how important it is to discover yourself and hold onto your own identity. The story follows two young characters as they deal with mature situations, including the prevalence of bullying and promiscuity in today’s high school setting. Ultimately, Waiting on the Sidelines is a story of hope, honesty and those powerful, first true loves—the ones worth holding onto at any cost.

I’m still on a high from reading this amazingly well-crafted story of a high school crush that evolves into friendship and then into something more.

It occurred to me as I read along that many of the YA novels I’ve read in the past have zeroed in on a specific aspect of that character’s life and everything else is just background noise. Waiting on the Sidelines works with a different formula. It follows Nolan and Reed over the course of their entire high school career. In doing so, Scott is able show their growth and the shedding of their innocence. She subtly introduces several high school-age themes from self-esteem issues to anxiety to peer pressure to bullying to sexual awakening to drinking and finally self-identity. The story develops organically and I really felt as if I went through four years of high school watching these two blossom.

Nolan is perhaps now one of my favourite YA heroines. While she may crush after the guy, she’s not entirely defined by it. She still has other things happening in her life that make up who she is – athletics, studies, family and friends. During this time when many teens are confused and exploring who they are, her core principles are intact. Believe me, she’s challenged a lot. She stands up for herself several times, including to Reed when he’s crossed the line. She’s strong — not perfect — and overcomes her shortcomings to be even stronger. This is a heroine I want my teen daughters to read!

And speaking of friends, they’re surrounded by some well-rounded, level-headed friends. The fact that their social circles remain a significant part of the story only enriches it and made me so happy.  It’s also a comfort considering the drama that comes and goes.

Nolan and Reed stumble spectacularly over the years on their way to each other. With the way their tale is spaced out, it allowed me the opportunity to experience all their milestones along with them. The high moments are sweet indeed and the low moments are crushing. This is my seventh Ginger Scott novel and she hasn't failed me yet. I admire her ability to write about real life issues and pull the reader into the journey at hand. I believe it’s because she’s not a narrow-minded writer. She’s always incorporating the bigger picture. In this case, it’s Nolan’s own self-discovery amidst AND outside the chaos of her relationship with Reed. The various themes contained within the story will resonate with many readers and elicit some strong emotions.

If you ask me to name my favourite YA novel, it would be this one. I can’t think of a single thing that I’d change about this story. It’s simply perfect to me.

~ Bel

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