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Dr. Aaron Dispenmore is a young widower on an evening stroll with his daughter Laurie when he encounters a young woman named Rosie. Rosie asks for money for a bus out of town. Laurie gives her money, and the grateful Rosie gifts Laurie a book of her poetry. Aaron doesn’t give Rosie another thought until he reads the book and becomes smitten with her. Soon after, Aaron learns she is a mental patient with multiple personalities. Still, Aaron is consumed with knowing her and perhaps counseling her. He reintroduces himself to Rosie at a poetry reading, and shortly after that, they begin an intense relationship. However, Aaron doesn’t really know who Rosie is until he meets her guardian and doctor, Ashot Petrosian. Ashot has been treating Rosie and believes he can cure her schizophrenia with Aaron’s help.
The author’s book is an intense fictional drama about love, life, and the burdens of mental illness. The work’s heart revolves around the often obsessive love Aaron and Rosie share for each other. While Aaron truly loves Rosie, his stubbornness clouds his judgment. Ashot’s plan to cleanse Rosie of all other personalities is bold and harrowing. Aaron’s reluctance to accept Ashot’s methods forms an overarching and compelling conflict throughout the book. Author Valery has written an epic novel about the frustrations in love, the heavy toll of caring for someone afflicted with mental illness, and the desire to locate a cure, no matter how painful the cost. An emotionally charged narrative from start to finish, this story will resonate with many looking to enjoy an unorthodox love story.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review