I got this hardcover at Barnes and Noble, attracted by the title and the dramatic cover-art. It's a collection of poems that tell the story of a relationship - often rocky; the author included a list of trigger-warnings up front - with very evocative black, white and red illustrations sprinkled throughout. Among the poems that impressed me most: "Little lovesick me" talks about the youthful author watching Tuck Everlasting, about a family who became immortal after drinking from a magical spring; in the story, a young girl meets the family and falls for the son, who invites her to drink and join him. The poem describes the author wondering why she refused; what else is there to live for but one's own true love, forever and ever until the world catches fire? But the author's experience caught up with her, and the poem ends "& now I would tell her, 'everything'".

The third section of the book deals with the author's gradual getting-over the breakup and finding new love; it includes a couple of "letters I never sent" that describe the process of discovering that the old pain has gone and life looks very different. I have to wonder how I'd have reacted to these if I'd read them before I got over my first huge heartache - would I have found it hopeful, or horrifying? (I suspect that it would have been the latter; there are some things we have to learn for ourselves, and no amount of advice, anecdotes, or poetry will speed up the process...)

I left this book in the Little Free Library; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in NH here.]

*** Released for the 2019 Mothers Day release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2019 April Showers/May Flowers release challenge. ***