Inside Out Girl

by Tish Cohen

Rachel Berman wants everything to be perfect. An overprotective single mother of two, she is acutely aware of the statistical dangers lurking around every corner—which makes her snap decision to aid a stranded motorist wholly uncharacteristic. Len Bean is stuck on the shoulder with Olivia, his relentlessly curious, learning disabled ten-year-old daughter. To the chagrin of Rachel's children, who are about to be linked to the most-mocked girl in school, Rachel and Len begin dating. And when Len receives terrible news, little Olivia needs a hero more than ever. But the world refuses to be predictable. When personal crisis profoundly alters Rachel's relationship with a wild, very special little girl, this perfectionist mother finds herself drawn into a mystery from her past and toward a new appreciation for her own children's imperfect lives.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Canada, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Adult Fiction

317 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 2008

About the author

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
Anais Nin quote from Oprah's website inspired Tish Cohen to write her first adult novel.

Tish Cohen is the author of TOWN HOUSE, a 2008 finalist for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize – Best First Book Award (Canada and Caribbean region), and in development as a feature film with Fox 2000. Ridley Scott’s Scott Free is producing and John Carney, the award-winning, critically acclaimed director of ONCE is directing. TOWN HOUSE was released to massive media interest in Canada and has been published in Italy and will soon be released in Germany.

Cohen has also written the middle-grade novels THE INVISIBLE RULES OF ZOE LAMA, and its sequel THE ONE AND ONLY ZOE LAMA

Cohen has contributed articles to some of Canada’s largest newspapers, including The Globe and Mail and The National Post. Having grown up in Los Angeles, Orange County and Montreal, Cohen now calls Toronto home. INSIDE OUT GIRL is Cohen’s second novel for adults.

Reviews

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

This not only had a lot of potential, but also a really good start, which made the rest of it super disappointing.
When the novel first opens, I, who didn't bother reading too much of the back of the book, thought to myself, sheesh this writer does not know ten year olds at all, the only way this scene makes sense is if the kid is special needs - and a quick check on the back and yes, she is - so I had a lot of respect for her ability to capture something so tricky.
The writing was strong and remained so, in some respects throughout - however, the plot did the following things that bothered me:
1 - I was primarily interested in the conflicts involved with raising a special needs child, especially this sort, but the author was more taken by fairy tale romance and teen angst, both of which detracted heavily
2 - it took on way more twists than were necessary or effective for one story, the premise of which was already a lot
3 - the novel went from far fetched to downright fantasy
4 - the author has read way too much Jodi Piccoult and as such the characters are simpering, one dimensional do gooders with smooth perfect one liners and there is basically no diversity to any of them
It's an easy read, and not painful, but pretty silly overall which was sad considering what a huge undertaking this would have and could have been.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally love Tish Cohen's writing style. She definitely tells both sides of the story. When reading you get a sense of the characters not just from the protagonists opinion but there is usually good story telling that allows the reader to establish an opinion of the character without forming too much of a bias.

This book is incredibly touching. It focuses on two adults, both of whom had been through a lot in their lives, and how upon first meeting each other really liked each other but both had their reservations. I love how both considered their children before taking the first steps in getting involved in a relationship. I loved how the author brought all the characters together. The little girl in the story who had a specific form of autism, really touched my heart. I have a lot of respect for parents that take on autism with fortitude, strength, forgiveness, and love.

The book flows gently but it is easy to read at a fast pace because it is never boring. I definitely recommend.

[Celia Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read several of the other reviews before writing this to see what others thought. For some reason this is a tricky book to review. I would agree with others when they say that there are too many plot lines and that expanding on one or two more would have been better than adding the rest.

Rachel Berman is the editor of a parenting magazine that is going under, as well as the mother of a 12 and 14 year old. So, not only is she dealing with professional crisis, she is dealing with snarky pubescent children.

Len Bean is a successful lawyer whose life was perfect until his wife died, leaving him with the solo challenge of dealing with a special needs child.

The absolute best part of this book is the tenderness and exhaustion that expresses Len's love for his daughter Olivia. While I'm certain to those who have challenged children this book does an inadequate job at explaining the real ups and downs, I think for those of us who don't, it painted a better picture than we might be able to do on our own.

Rachel and Len's worlds intersect both by accident and because their children attend the same school. A bond forms between them, which requires that they help the three children deal with each other and their own issues. Both Len and Rachel have private issues that they must reveal to the other, which adds to the extreme complexity of their lives.

For the most part, the plots all wrap up neatly, which is actually unfortunate. I'm not sure that Tish Cohen intended for the book to end this way, it feels like she stopped writing. Walking through the pain of one or two of the story lines would have been more emotionally fulfilling and the book would have been richer for it.

[Louise]

Another cast of oddball characters from Tish Cohen, this one is a keeper. Like Turtle in 'The Bean Trees', Olivia Bean is great kid character. Goofy, tragic and funny at the same time, it makes for an easy read.

Olivia suffers from a Non Verbal Learning Disability, she doesn't recognize tone, facial expression or humour cues, strictly verbal ones. Makes her completely charming and unintentionally funny. I learned a lot about rats too, as she's obsessed with rodents. Rattus rattus.

[Kara Babcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a parent. And in the last couple of years, I haven't had much interaction with children (although that will change as my nephew grows up). As I began reading Inside Out Girl, my first challenge was to try and see everything through a parent's eyes. I had to work hard not to dismiss Rachel as an over-the-top mother figure and not to roll my eyes at the behaviour of Olivia, Janie, and Dustin. This is a world I have never really inhabited—even my childhood was atypical, as I tended to get along with my parents more so than makes for an interesting work of literary fiction.

Thus, I first laud Tish Cohen for opening my eyes and making me empathize with parents, both those of "ordinary" teenagers and of children with special needs. It's a tough job. I knew that, but I haven't always comprehended it. Cohen manages to portray Rachel as obviously overprotective yet make it seem like this is the most natural reaction to the world. I can glimpse now the worry some parents experience when letting their children confront the world.

The motif of confrontation runs through all the various plots in Inside Out Girl. There's so much more to this book than the vicissitudes of life of Olivia Bean, a ten-year-old with non-verbal learning disorder. In addition to being a mother, Rachel is the owner of a parenting magazine that, owing to its refusal to change with the times, is about to go bankrupt. Olivia's father, Len, must deal with the fact that he has cancer. And Janey, Rachel's daughter, explores her sexuality and her crush on the girl next door. With these plots in place, Cohen creates dynamics that make Inside out Girl more than just a feel-good book about having a child with special needs. It's a story about a family, or two families that become one family, and how parenting—and life—can't be perfect.

Janie's subplot was one of my favourite parts. I loved the various episodes Janie experienced as the book progressed, from crossing out "guy" and replacing it with "goddess" in her Seventeen article to planning the perfect sleepover with Tabitha Carlisle (and we all knew how that was going to turn out). Sure, it was a little predictable. But Cohen gets us inside Janie's mind, lets us understand what she's going through—not just in regards to her sexuality, but her feelings about her mother, and about Len and Olivia. And as Janie grows, becomes more confident and a better person by discovering a desire to stand up for Olivia, we are more affected by this process than we would be had Cohen kept Janie closed off to us.

Were that the case for her brother, Dustin! If there is a neglected character in Inside Out Girl, he is it. Unlike his sister, we get very little access to Dustin's thoughts. He mostly serves as a stereotypical 12-year-old boy, into skating and irking his sister. His purpose is more to make Rachel worry about his obsession with attending a skate camp than any character development on his part. I view that as a missed opportunity; boys have problems too! It's not that Dustin remains disconnected from the dynamic. We understand how he feels about Len, at least initially; however, we're always more detached from Dustin than we are from Janie, Rachel, or Len.

I did get attached, too. Inside Out Girl played me like a well-tuned fiddle, and I found myself caring and my heart breaking even when some aspects of the plot were very contrived. The ending, overall, could have been better. It was both rushed in terms of pacing and unfulfilling. The attempt to abduct Tabitha, and Olivia's subsequent prevention of the act, was blatantly foreshadowed and not all that inspirational. Moreover, what happened to the Peytons? After emphasizing how much they wanted to adopt a child, Cohen just drops them as soon as Rachel offers to take Olivia. In her rush to arrive at what was obviously the ending of the book from the first page, Cohen skips over details that could have made the difference.

So it's not perfect, but it does come close. The characters grow and change. Rachel loosens up in her parenting and (of course) manages to save her magazine. Len and Rachel find happiness, and Olivia's future is assured, at least for now. Janie doesn't win Tabitha Carlisle, but that's probably for the best. And Olivia finally gets the birthday party she's been wanting all summer (it's not her birthday). Inside Out Girl is exactly what it needs to be: warm, quirky, and wonderful.

[Drebbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

As publisher of Perfect Parent magazine, single mother Rachel Berman tries to live up to the title of her magazine and consequently she is at times overprotective of her children -Janie, 14 and Dustin, 12. Still trying to cope with a heartbreaking decision she made years earlier, she is not one to take chances and is surprised to find herself helping stranded motorist Leonard Bean and his ten year old daughter Olivia. Leonard is a single parent himself, struggling to raise Olivia who has NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disorder). Rachel and Len start dating but soon will be dealing with circumstances that will forever change both their lives.

"Inside Out Girl" is a moving if somewhat melodramatic novel. Author Tish Cohen has created two believable lead characters - Rachel and Leonard - who are doing the best they can as single parents. Len is the more believable of the two as Rachel sometimes seems out of touch with the real world and her children's feelings. Olivia, of course, is the real stand out character. Cohen paints a vivid picture of what a child with NLD is like and it's heartbreaking to see how she is bullied and misunderstood by the other children and adults (and it's hard not to cringe at times reading about Olivia's hamster). Janie is the other standout character - she hides her feeling behind jokes and it is at times painful to read as she struggles to attract the attention of her first crush. Dustin didn't really register as a character for me.

While the book is interesting and at times hard to put down, it is a bit overdone. There is not a lot of happiness in the book and a great deal of sadness. It seems like everything that can happen to these two families does - including illness, death, bullying, accidents, money worries, etc. A little of this goes a long way and a little humor would have made the book easier to read.

"Inside Out Girl" is a well written novel, but tough to take at times.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

NOT an awesome start to the new year. NOT really my cup of tea, though there were parts that were super-sweet and fantastic. Just not enough to go higher than 3 stars. Rachel was almost ALWAYS annoying, right up to the last 3 chapters and that made it a tough read. And the secondary storyline with the daughter Janie felt forced and contrived. Like the trauma of having a special needs child who lost her mother wasn't drama enough for the book. It made the book feel false and again, annoying.

[LeeAnn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, if you get into snarky children and mothers who allow anything and impossible situations and improbable lifestyles meshing, you'll like this book. I didn't. The relationship between Len and his daughter Olivia was the only part of this book I enjoyed. All the rest were one-dimensional twits. I made it to chapter 18 before quitting. At least I didn't pay for this book!

[Christine]

This book isn't out yet, but it is a wonderful novel about family and a little girl with Nonverbal Learning Disorder. Extremely well written and touching. I highly recommend it.

[Orla Hegarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gobbled it up. I was gonna toss at @ 50 pages in but that lesbian teenager peeked my interest.

It's a 2008 publication sent at random to me from my 'books by the box' provincial librarian and I am grateful she sent me this for a great 6 hours of escape.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4 stars

[Zinta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia refuses to allow Georgia Boy to be buried. The gerbil is stiff, dead that long, but little Olivia Bean can't quite register the idea of death. She has a learning disorder known as NLD (nonverbal learning disability, causing her to operate on a very literal level), but come to think of it ... most of us have trouble understanding death.

And so we are introduced, beginning with Olivia, to the cast of characters in Tish Cohen's "Inside Out Girl." They are not so very unlike the characters in our own lives, our own families or the families of our friends. The circumstances that tangle and untangle around them are a variation on many of today's typical families. Yes, there is the divorce. And the second chance. Two families patched together with two single parents at the helm, Rachel and Len, each with their own children, trying to make things work again.

Olivia, with a disability that translates into wearing her emotional "insides" on her outside - thus the title - is really the part of the iceberg that presses its tip above water level into bright exposure. She is the inside of all of us. Only Olivia isn't any good at wearing masks ... like most of us do. She is who she is, and so she is all of us in our most tender, tucked-away insides: vulnerable, open-hearted, eager to love and be loved, eager to belong. There is a wonderful innocence and naivete about this child that makes us ache to be more real. More like her. Hearts open to life again. Even as we can also identify (and wish we didn't) with the other children in this blended family who resist being associated with "the least popular girl in school," who hasn't a clue about how to be "cool."

"Inside Out Girl" is a story about two broken families taking a chance at being one family. Who says it has to be less than the original? The relationship that we see develop between the parents, Rachel and Len, is built on a learning from the past. Len, Rachel observes, is all that ex David was not. David was a bit obsessive-compulsive, too neat for comfort, a bit of a dandy. He "diddled" female colleagues while keeping the creases in his trousers straight. Len, perhaps by some influence from his daughter, Olivia, is more "inside out." He has compassion, he has heart, he is and understands imperfection. And Rachel, to him, is a new hope at making the broken places in him whole again.

The rest of the cast, a crew of lively teens and their school pals, with explorations of contemporary parenting issues (Rachel is an editor for Perfect Parenting magazine, which adds a note of irony and humor to her less than perfect parenting skills), brings the story neatly into our familiar living rooms. Those of us who are parents will have dealt with at least a handful of the issues Cohen explores in this family. Quite like home.

Which isn't to say this is an easy ride. Here we see the pain of social isolation (and not just among the children), of bullying (and not just between children), of giving in to peer pressure (and not just between children). Cohen deftly balances the common with the uncommon, plays on heartstrings without sounding a violin of melodrama. If the disability discussed here is less known, although not so very different from, autism, it serves to make the reader aware of how buried we can become in social norms, the pressures to not stand out from the crowd, or to stop taking the risks required to find a more lasting happiness. While this may not be a literary classic to withstand time, it does capture this moment in time, our contemporary everyday, and perhaps in that accomplishes a moment of warming sunlight. Yes, Olivia, we do all have hearts. Even if we tuck them safely away so much of the time. This little girl helps us see that we all struggle with some bit of disability in our life-worn hearts.

Tish Cohen was interviewed in the literary ezine, The Smoking Poet, fall issue 2008, in which she talks about this novel as well as her other work, wearing a little of her own inside out. The interview gives further insight into both author and novel.

~Zinta Aistars for The Smoking Poet

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com

Olivia Bean is an odd duck. She is ten years old, wears mismatched clothes sometimes inside out, never brushes her hair, and always talks about rats. She has NLV, which is Nonverbal Learning Disorder. It is a neurological condition that can prevent a person from understanding anything that is not verbal. They will comprehend your words but will not get subtext and can never understand sarcasm.

Len, her father, has been raising Olivia on his own ever since his wife died. It is a very hard life. Then in walks Rachel Berman and her two children, Jamie and Dustin. Jamie and Dustin go to the same school as Olivia and they don't openly tease her - but they wouldn't be caught dead in the same room with her.

As Rachel and Len's relationship becomes deeper, secrets held by all come apparent and empathy comes alive.

I really enjoyed this book. I am a teacher and I like trying to understand many types of learning disorders. My school is dealing with autistic children now more than ever, and since this is one form of autism it is good to understand it.

I feel that young people should read books like this to understand about those "weird" children that attend their schools and realize that they have feelings and can't help what they do. This story also spoke about bullies. Olivia is bullied and doesn't understand why. She isn't mean and wants friends but the other girls are cruel.

INSIDE OUT GIRL is a wonderful story that sends a good message about how we treat others.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Rachel, an overprotective divorced mother of two and editor in chief of Parenting magazine decides to help out a fellow driver with a flat tire in the middle of morning rush hour, she has no idea this man, Len, and his peculiar little girl, ScarlettOlivia, are going to change her life dramatically. She quickly finds herself falling in love with Len and can’t help but feel a strong connection to Olivia, who has NLD – a non-verbal learning disorder. Similar to autism, children with this disorder have trouble interacting socially, yet are often extremely intelligent. For Rachel, Olivia is the bridge to a secret in her past, which will surprise readers and ultimately lead to a redemptive ending.

In addition to the parenting themes and budding romance between Rachel and Len, Cohen’s brilliant ability to write about our culture in a relatable way shines through with Janie – Rachel’s teenage daughter who has a massive crush on the girl next door. Cohen deftly portrays an adolescent crush while at the same time covering larger issues of teenage sexuality and perfectly handling Janie’s coming out to Rachel.

With her debut novel, TOWN HOUSE, readers were introduced to Tish Cohen’s endearing characters, fabulous wit, and punchy dialogue. And with INSIDE OUT GIRL, I’m pleased to say Cohen’s sophomore effort is even better.

[Levian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel was an overprotective single mother of Janie and Dustin. Len was lawyer struggling with his disabled daughter Olivia. Olivia had Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD), which caused her to have high verbal skill, but low social or visual skill. when the 2 adults got to know each other, Janie was horrified to find out that the most bullied girl in school was going to be her sister. while everyone was having trouble adjusting, Len found out that he had a tumor in his head, having only a few years left. desperate for someone to take care of Olivia after he died, he sought out perfect parents for his daughter.

the heartwarming, as well as heart-wrenching story circled around a special girl named Olivia. she reminded Rachel so much of the down syndrome daughter she gave up when she got pregnant at a younger age, and caused her to be filled with guilt often. Len helped her to move on bringing in Olivia into her life, it was like giving her a second chance. many times i found tears welled up in my eyes as i got absorbed into the story, completely influenced. it was definitely an awesome read.

my review: here

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a few surprises here and there, but I don’t want to give any away. This was a very enjoyable book about issues that most families are dealing with. I loved her writing style and the story moved at a fast pace. I think you will enjoy getting to know Olivia, as I did, and becoming a little more informed about a disorder that is closely linked to autism (but not the same). And Janie’s story will bring back the early teen years when whatever someone said about you at school one day had the ability to ruin your whole life. My only complaint is that some things were a little too convenient. As readers, we are agreeing to suspend our disbelief, but that only goes so far.

there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/200...

[Cassie Hager · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a cute, warm, story. It was predictable with a few minor twists. I enjoyed how tolerant and understanding the author was of the young female characters. Rachel's character development felt truthful and I liked the way it was played out with regards to her magazine. However I felt that a lot of the story could have been more in depth and developed more slowly. It was a very fast read and left me feeling like I had missed a lot of what wasn't written on the page. The biggest issue I had was that the novel started feeling somewhat true to life and ended in a "happily ever after," way too good to be true. In the end it will be very forgettable.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars
Rachel Berman, single mother if two adolescents, publisher of Perfect Parent magazine, likes her world organized and predictable. Widower Len Bean and his high maintenance, special needs daughter Olivia is not in her plan. The child reminds Rachel of the Down syndrome infant she was forced to relinquish at the age of eighteen. But Rachel and Len are drawn together. Crises bring Olivia closer to Rachel than she ever wanted to be.
Writer Tish Cohen does a nice job switching POVs of Len and Rachel between chapters. She tackles difficult subjects with a touch of subtle humor. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl, age 10, has what's called a Nonverbal Learning Disability which is similar to Asperger's. She is not good at reading nonverbal cues (facial expressions, tone of voice) and she is bullied at school. Her widowed dad meets a single mom of 2 slightly older kids and they hit it off. The older kids are mortified that they have to associate with this child who does not fit in. At the same time, the older daughter is going through some "love life" issues. And their mom is reminded of a handicapped child she gave up for adoption 16 years before.

[LizG · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A life-affirming novel...You'll find yourself cheering for Olivia Bean from the first page to the last." Michelle Richmond, New York Times

So says the cover, so say I. The book is real, funny, a little bit sad, and in the end uplifting. I couldn't help but be captivated by Olivia. Not sympathetic, not sorry for her, delighted by her.

Interesting insight into NLD (nonverbal learning disorder), which I'd never heard of before. Thankfully, not a "poor kid" perspective at all. Rather, a view of the condition with a "hey, this is real life" not "woe is me" which was very refreshing.

[Lisa Mcbroom · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book has a promising start. Rachel Berman stops on the side of the road to help single father Len with his special needs child Olivia to change a tire. They start dating much to the chagrin of Rachel's punk rock daughter Janie and son Dustin. The first part of the book is wonderful. It is the second part of the novel that things bog down. So many unresolved issues.... A deceision Len must face, Janie's obsession with a neighbor, and a secret Rachel harbours. This almost needs a sequel to tie up loose ends. On the other hand Olivia is a delightful character!!!!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is clear to see why this book was a best seller in the "Globe and Mail" newspaper. Inside Out Girl is an easy page turner. Readers can sympathise with Rachel's attempts to be the perfect parent. Olivia is a real, realistic heroine with a disability, and Tish Cohen did a wonderful job of developing her character. While the subplot involving Rachel's daughter was weak, the conclusion is optimistic and well planned.

[Christy Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, this is a quick and easy read that tackles some tough topics including death, illness, special needs children, homosexuality and bullying. This is another book that I wanted to like more than I did.

The story moves along quickly but the characters seem oddly predictable and one-dimensional. Without giving anything away, I felt that the ending was too "pat" and lacked a sense of realism of what would likely come next, especially in regards to the life of ten year old Oliva.

[Michelle Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was busy and not able to evote my full attention to this book when I first started but as I got into it I liked it more and more. By the time I finished I wished it was longer. It's quirky, doesn't take the "safe" route on someweighty topics and though not a tear-jerking ending, it didn't wrap ti up with the perfect "happily ever afet" bow either.

[Laura Cobrinik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tish Cohen's book, "Inside Out Girl," is a heart-wrenching book about how parents cope with their problem and confused child, Olivia They try to find the right doctor, schools, and other children for Olivia to play with.
Set in modern times.

Although Cohen's book was a very painful book to read I was compelled to read it until its "bitten end." Luckily this book was a novel. I would not wish this problem on my worst enemy. I was able to cry and at some points laugh as I red through it....
Laura Cobrinik,

Boonton Township, NJ

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a likable, poignant novel filled with lifelike, realistic characters, and wrapped messily and with love and several awkwardly placed bows. I couldn't help but be charmed by Olivia and Janie (not so much with Dustin, but eh) and their single parents. The story of how these families find each other and help each other is more than a typical slice of life book, and instead is one with winding subplots and unexpected twists, while navigating themes of acceptance, death, and different kinds of love kept me engaged and sucked in as a reader. I really enjoyed this one. Four stars.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inside Out Girl is a wonderfully written story of families learning and growing from each other. Rachel tries to be the perfect parent: monitoring what her kids eat, having clear rules, and a 100% honesty principle. Everything should be perfect.
Len has had his share of imperfect moments as a widowed parent, raising a young daughter with a learning disability. The two meet, fall in love, and try to blend their imperfect families.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet, very humane, and I appreciated all the vintage punk rock references, but I thought it went a little overboard on stock characters and situations, in spite of the peculiarity of the title character's disability. It got to the point that I felt like I was reading a novel based on a Hallmark movie, and that's OK as an escape from a preoccupation with the icky, but that doesn't make it great literature, just decent entertainment.

[Jeannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this book, I feel that the characters lacked depth. For a character that owned a magazine about parenting I felt like Rachels character was so blind And underdeveloped. I feel like I’m in real life she would have had so much more to her. I liked the ending and feel there was some growth there. In the end it left me feeling that something was missing.

[Kaalatzvya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked this up at a Little Free Library in the neighborhood. Looked good and the author had some credits to her name. The book felt very contrived and I found myself thinking, these characters have worse luck than the Kennedys. Some parts of the books felt like notes the author meant to flesh out later. Still, it gave me a happy ending.