Romance; Coming of Age; Mental Health
Book Summary
Cleo is a twenty-four year old avid painter, living in the sleepless city of New York which perfectly fits her chaotic, youthful lifestyle. At a different party each night and with a student visa that's swiftly running out, she finds herself in desperate need of a sense of security.
Frank is in his early forties, successful and charmingly handsome, searching for a life filled with beauty, art and freedom which Cleo is overwhelmingly happy to provide for him, in return for the financial stability she craves. After a chance encounter at a brash New Year's Eve party, the two are immediately drawn to each other's distinctive and cynical personalities, and develop a strong fondness for one another.
As the two rush headlong into an impulsive marriage, they are soon to realise that their much loved fantasies are far from the harsh reality of marriage. Their tumultuous relationship irreversibly changes both their lives and those close to them, as they both desperately try to navigate the complexity of marriage.
This painfully relatable novels both beautifully and cynically depicts an accurate portrait of the trials of marriage, the importance of mental health and the inescapable chaos that adulthood with it brings.
“When the darkest part of you meets the darkest part of me, it creates light."
Is this book perfect for me?
This book is perfect for readers that love a coming of age novel in which the intricacies of adulthood are captivatingly brought into light. Despite their 20 year age gap, Cleo and Frank have a entrancing sense of spontaneity, living a ravishing life full of parties, drugs and heaps of alcohol. However, this novel also illustrates a shattering depiction of how addiction and mental health warp our lives. With a strong sense of levity, the importance of mental health is conveyed luminously in this poignant yet enchanting novel.
This book is also perfect for readers that enjoy a tender, sophisticated and overall stellar narration of a complex relationship. From their blissful first encounter to their rushed marriage scarred with addiction, haunting pasts and the torture of mental health; this thoroughly engrossing novel presents a devastating and funny portrayal of two flawed human beings navigating the fragility of love.
"Fondness was the best word she could think of to describe what they felt for each other. Fondness was warm but not tepid, the colour of amber, more affectionate than friendship but less complicated than love."
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