A story for anyone who ever had to rebuild, one brick at a time, while learning to live in their own skin. . - Independent Book Review
Amelia Glickman has it all: a trust fund, a shiny red Range Rover, a serious equestrian hobby, and a brand-new house on Wethersfield Road. But lurking in the basement of her existence is the ache of depression and the torment of life as an addict. At least she has her besties by her side: bottle and a bong, the binge-purge cycle, and risky hookups. She's the cross-faded chaos queen of nobody's dreams.
Despite feeling utterly lost, a meaningful bond with her horse Hope seems to be the only reason for Amelia's will to live. Yet she gradually deteriorates in her self-imposed thousand-thread-count holding cell on Wethersfield Road. After a shameful series of unfortunate events-including domestic violence, cringeworthy sexual exploits, and everything in between-a brutal equine wake-up call propels Amelia on a journey to save herself in the way only she can.
As Amelia begins to sift through her designer brand piles of emotional baggage, a life worth living seems to blossom right before her eyes. If only she can resist her default setting: self-sabotage. Although she attributes the void in her chest to life circumstances like her parents' divorce and her botched Hollywood dreams, the truth is that she has felt completely defective from the very beginning. The island of misfit toys promises salvation, if only she can allow herself to be part of something.
Through a special connection with animals and nature, her willingness to be broken and brave at the same time, and the essence of the new house itself, she ventures into the real world, stumbling blindly through early sobriety, in search of a happily ever after that's somewhat serene.
Reardon makes Amelia a witty guide through the drama and pain. It's an involving, well-written debut. - Kirkus
