A tender, enjoyable read that was part friends-to-lovers, part second chance romance, and mostly an exploration of the impact a chronic mental illness can have on lives and relationships. It reminded me a little of Glitterland by Alexis Hall, mostly because the MCs in both books are writers struggling with bipolar, but that's about where similarities end. I wouldn't say one book is better than the other; they're just different stories with different characters, and each has its own value.

The writing style in this one took a bit of getting used to, but it grew on me quickly enough; I felt it did a great job of showing what it's like in Alex's head. I loved the focus on healing and rebuilding, and all the warm family feels. This story felt like somewhat of an intersection of the past and the future, with the character standing on the border between the two, re-examining what brought him to this point he's in and slowly letting his hopes for what comes next become reality. There were a lot of sweet moments here, but the book also didn't shy away from the dark parts of living with a brain that's actively working against you. The disorder I live with is different, but a lot of Alex's experiences (especially his feelings about going on medication) felt extremely relatable.