Do not let the summary that is provided for this book deceive you. Simply by reading the synopsis one would assume this is a modern romance. Yet, the focus is actually on domestic violence and its affect on relationships.
It follows the story of Lily Bloom, a young adult who seeks to avoid marrying an abusive man like her father. The reader peeks into her life as a teenager in an abusive home through the journal entries that she wrote as a teen. We see her mother stay with her father after abusing her time and time again, but Lily is only able to reconcile her mother’s past when she is put in the same situation as a young adult.
The reader is taken on a rough ride with Lily as she tries to navigate romance in young adulthood. She realizes that many people question the woman and not the abuser– asking why does she stay with him, rather than asking the question why is he being abusive and why is it okay for him to do that. She comes to understand that it is not easy to leave and a multitude of factors must be considered. The character Lily Bloom gives these women of domestic violence a voice. It was bittersweet to see these words expressed on paper through the character of Lily for others to read, hear, and try to understand.
If you have ever been in an abusive relationship or an abusive home, then this book will really hit home for you. Have a tissue box ready. This is a hard book to get through and deals with a variety of distressing events.
The Author’s Note is a must read as it explains the author’s personal accounts that led to this story, but do not read it until the end since it contains spoilers.