In my head, this story has always been about loving someone enough that you trust them that you’re worth the trouble. This book has been very personal to me, and not just because I’ve listened to Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner more times than I care to count.
I’ve seen the devastation of addiction. The addict in my life had a happy ending. But that isn’t always the case. Ends for addicts are often tragic and fast. Way too fast. The downward spiral wrecks lives, families, jobs. It’s ugly.
If you are struggling, please get help. If a loved one is struggling, please seek resources to help the two of you.
It is hard to write about mental health in a way that offers shades of grey. If you’ve read my books, you know that I’m not afraid of tackling difficult subjects. I always hope to present them in a realistic way, without judgement or sugar coating. But the nature of romance is that the books tend to be romantic. Love conquers all. Everyone gets their happy ending. In reality (and hopefully in my books too), love can’t cure mental health problems. But I’d like to think that love can be enough to inspire someone to start to fix themselves (with or without professional help).
Okay, with all of that said, let’s move on to the rest.