I loved this book. I related to it in a lot of ways. While my father wasn't an abusive man, he was an addict who wasn't around during my childhood and still not a lot even now though I'm in my 30's and have learned to just accept who he is. The abuse came from a later marriage. Unlike Andrea's mother who kept her personal life away from her daughter by never openly dating (unless she was back on again with Andrea's father), my mom wanted to find a father figure for myself and two brothers. The fact that Andrea's mother kept returning to Nick (the abusive, alcoholic father) didn't really surprise me. My own mom stayed in the abusive marriage with that husband for over 13 years only finally breaking free a few years ago. But like Andrea's mother, she still responds to him when he gets in contact...not really willing to accept that she can finally be whatever she wants to be without him.

As far as Andrea's relationship with Nick...well...there wasn't one when she was a child. He didn't come back into her life until her teenage years. Where he was charming but bordering on inappropriate. Never seeming to want to let go of his glory days when he was almost a celebrity. My father never really grew up either. He still acts like a teenager and is more "pal" to my brothers and I than "dad".

I wonder if things would have been different for her if she wasn't an only child. I had my older and younger brother looking out for me my whole life. They may both have their own issues and we may still fight from time to time, but when it comes to the three of us, nothing could ever come between us. But perhaps because it was just the two of them, that's why they always had a pretty good relationship. "Just us two" her mother always said to her. My relationship with my mom was always strained. I'm 34 now with a daughter of my own who has just turned 15. I think about how lucky my husband and I are that she is so well behaved and smart and funny and just awesome. But sometimes the teenager in her comes out and I remember how much my mom and I used to butt heads. But over time, old wounds and hurts have faded and we are slowly building our relationship back up.

I also found her marriage to Brad relatable. They went through a lot and came through stronger. Their love and desire growing instead of fading as the years then decades went by. My husband and I will be celebrating our 15 year wedding anniversary in May and our marriage has definitely been tested. But we continue to make it through stronger and more united.

Something I couldn't relate to though was the constant traveling. Oh how I wish that could have been us, but we were more the typical divorced family of 4 with only one parent to support us the best she could. Of course, it was the 80's and 90's for us. 60's and 70's for Andrea and her mother. And I imagine there is a HUGE price difference in raising one child alone instead of three.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I would definitely recommend this to someone.