Found this downstairs last night, and will release it soon.

RELEASE NOTES:

birthday release at meetup
stabucks (29th and park)

I caught this book yesterday at a Meetup in New York (thanks, danadoodle!). Dananoodle brought a lot of books with her. Some I had; some I didn't. Marian Keyes is an author whose books I've read in the past. She writes in the chicklit genre although from the English perspective. Her characters all eat, drink and smoke way too much and have a great joie de vivre that makes them irrepressible and memorable. With the notable exception of "Last Chance Saloon" (deeply depressing; I don't recommend it), I've enjoyed the few books of hers I've already read. I'm hoping this will join the list of favorites.

Blurb taken from back book cover: "The fast lane is much too slow for twenty-seven-year-old Rachel Walsh, who is always the last one still standing whenever there's a party. And New York City is the perfect place for a young female to over-do...everything! But her love of a good time is about to land her in the emergency room and alienate her best friend and her boyfriend.

Soon the Walsh caln has come to hustle their daughter home to check her into the lcoal version of the Betty Ford Clinic. Just when another million hours of group therapy are about to drive her crazy, Rachel meets a new man and resolves to ride this wild dream to love--or wherever else her heart may lead her."

As much as I hated this author's novel "Last Chance Saloon" I found that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This novel is a harrowing, hilarious journey while we follow our protagonist's (and sometimes her own antagonist) life as she battles low self esteem, an angry roommate, bewildered parents, wisecracking siblings, a gorgeous unhappy ex-boyfriend and her own addictions.

Marian Keyes spares no detail as we see Rachel battle her out-of-control emotions and her denial as she belittles and then understands the room of fellow addicts she finds sharing her new existence.

This book is different from other books about the return from drug addiction in that it's not entirely shown from the addict's point of view. We see how the addict's behavior affects those around her, how non-addicts aren't all self righteous creatures, proud of the fact that they could never sink that low. Her friends and family are frustrated and frightened by how Rachel's life is spiralling out of control. But even when they're trying to help, they feel incredibly guilty for what they're doing to her.

This book obviously had a lot of research backing it up, not just in the physical minutiae of therapy but in the point-by-point plotting of characters' emotions, conversations and healing processes.

Unlike "Last Chance Saloon" which I was eager to pawn off to the first interested party, I think I'm going to have to keep this one. I could only consider parting with it for a long-desired book on my wish list.

I've decided it's time to let this book go. I only hope that someone appreciates it as much as I did.

I miss you at our meetups, Dana. It would be great to see you this Thursday so you can see where your book is going.

I released this last night in One on One at the NYC Bookcrossing meetup.

Released in Union Square in Manhattan.

Released in New York City.