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Review
4 stars!
Wow, this book took me by surprise. Something very different from Sawyer Bennett, but a beautiful, raw, heartbreaking, heartwarming and profound story that is still lots of fun, and that sucked me in from start to finish.
In a feel reminiscent to The Breakfast Club, we have a mis-matched group of misfits thrown together in a road-trip across the country as part of their group therapy.
The book is written from the sole POV of Christopher Barlow. An ex-soldier, he is struggling to come to terms with a tragic incident while on deployment that killed his friend and left him permanently disabled. He is angry and bitter at the world, and it practically oozes out of him, and his bad mood and quick temper landed him in therapy for his anger management – hence his current predicament.
Along for the ride are – as Christopher dubs them – “Goth Chick”, “Dead Kid” and “Sexy Eyes”. Barb the Goth is suicidal, a loner, and buried under a mound of baggage. Connor is a sweet 17 year old who is dying of cancer, and he is the reason they are travelling together as he ticks items off his bucket list. Sexy Eyes is Jillian, a gorgeous, eternal optimist who is slowly going blind.
The reason I made a stupid decision and came on this trip is that I’m as equally intrigued by Jillian Martel as I am repelled by her. My intrigue won out, and I agreed to this ludicrous idea of a group journey so I could be near her.
I agreed because I need to know how she does it.
How can she have such a grim future and still smile as if all is right with her world.
It’s a unique group, each with their unique issues, and the dynamics are absolutely fantastic as we are thrown into their journey. Each of them have their reasons for being on that trip, and I loved getting to know them as, through Christopher’s eyes, their layers are revealed, and they begin to impact each other’s lives in a way that none of them expected.
It’s not always easy reading and there are some very serious issues discussed so beware of triggers…
…but know that even though it’s heartbreaking at times, the subject matter is sensitively handled with emotion and realism, and it brings light to very relevant issues.“Do you still want to die?” Jillian asks…
Barb actually gives a genuine smile in return as she nods. “Every damn day.”
None of us know what to say, so silence envelopes the table.
And then… in a voice that’s barely audible, Barb adds, “But I also want to live every damn day too. I’m just not sure which I want more.”
But there is an underlying message of hope which is beautifully written.
“I love when the sun comes out after a dark rain … How it just brightens everything.”
Jillian makes me want to believe in the possibility of happiness, and I vow to myself that I’m going to have her show me how it’s done.
And through it all there is a gorgeous message of friendship and love as their trip forces the four of them to open up, share, and experience life in a way that they haven’t done before. It sets the scene for lots of deep and meaningful conversations, but also some laugh-out-loud moments, adventure and fun, and it was all blended together really well.
“The one thing you can never do is give up the belief that it will all be okay. And you’ll know it will all be okay because regardless if you’re up or down, I’ll be with you through it all.”
Christopher is a wonderful narrator. He is candid and unfiltered, and I loved how his distorted view of the world gives us a unique perspective on these characters, and then slowly begins to change as he does too. It’s really well done, and I’m glad that we got his side of the story from start to finish, showing us some great character development along the way.
Yes, there is romance, but it’s more of a side story and it’s not in your face. The emotion and intimacy is beautifully sweet, and there is sex but it occurs off the page, leaving this one to be all about the feels.
“You were my bucket list and I didn’t even know it.”
Written with a lot of heart, this story immediately drew me in, and I came to care so much for each of these characters. I laughed with them and cried with them, and I thought their journey was really beautifully written.
4 stars.