This review originally appeared in the book review blog, justonemorepaige.wordpress.com.

I've never read anything written like this before. The style was observational, almost distant. I mean, there was dialogue and character thought processes, the same as with an third person POV writing, but it was all presented in an almost detached way. Like the person telling the story had a lot of details and wanted to tell them, but was also maybe thinking about something else while they did it or wasn't entirely sure that their details were all correct. That is not a commentary on the plot or story development - it was all done clearly and smoothly, with great pacing, but the feelings and emotions behind it all seem to be hazy. That's it, exactly. The emotional basis for the story, of which there is quite a bit, seemed to be far away from the words I was reading. Which is just an interesting feel for a story all about love and relationships. And it's interesting considering that many of the "blurbs" I read talked about the humor in the story, the way you empathize with all the characters... And while it wasn't not funny, it was actively humorous. Or while I did come to appreciate and understand each character's perspective, and enjoyed the journey of learning and accepting each of them, I did not feel close enough to the characters to feel their emotions/thoughts as my own. Overall, the almost ephemeral feel of the writing in the novel was intriguing and, though it seemed at odds with the topic, also fitting in some ways.

I very much liked the story itself, the exploration of a type of relationship, opwn, that is frowned upon, not understood, by most people. I think Sharon's reactions are likely the most realistic to life for most of us. But I definitely found myself more in the Chris/Kathryn camp, personally. I get Chris's perspective - being super happy in the relationship you have, but wanting to have that closeness with other people too, and certain people drawing you into that. And I get Kathryn too - being happier with a group of four than she maybe ever was with just one other person. Both of them, in their own way, just looking for the closeness and comfort and reliability you get from your family, from people you love, with as many people as possible. And both of them willing to put themselves into uncomfortable positions/out of their comfort zone, to make the other one happier. It's an exploration of a different kind of love, one that is less explosive and sexual than you find in the early stages of relationships (though that part is there too), and more about the commitment, the understanding, the proximity, the contentment. That kind of love, of connection, is one I personally identify with. A lot. That is what matters more to me. And so I respect Chris and Kathryn for searching it out for themselves.

And then there's another type of love explored, the family type. As Kathryn had no family, really, growing up, we can see here how she is trying to fill those spaces inside her with more people, including Emily, and then Moss, and then everyone at Ahimsa. And Emily is there for the changing scenery, the differences, the excitement within the comfort. But for them both, the more people that are there in the lives, the happier they are.

There were some other small, but notable, pieces of this novel that I think really added to the originality; the occasional section headers, within the chapters, in particular cause my fancy. Also, the fact that a few months were left blank, throughout the year, was quirky and really fit the atmosphere of the book. I also loved that March was just sections of "what everyone wants" spelled out specifically - even if in some cases those specifics still seemed unsure or vague. I'm not at all sure what the title means or how it's related...maybe I missed something or it's just that the events took place over a year and I'm reading too much into it, but I am not a fan of not knowing where the title comes from.