BETWEEN THE BLISS AND ME

During the summer before college, a young woman questions what her future holds when she falls in love and learns about her dad’s mental illness.

Sydney Holman is planning to attend NYU in the fall despite her mom’s insistence that she live at home and go to nearby Rutgers. To escape the tension, Sydney goes to stay with her wealthy paternal grandparents, who are covering her college tuition. Although she doesn’t feel like she fits in with their opulent world, she’s determined to enjoy herself. Through her gay best friend she meets Grayson, a gorgeous, Juilliard-bound guitar player, and immediately falls for him. Grayson may have a girlfriend, but that doesn’t stop Sydney from finding ways for them to spend time together. When her grandparents reveal that her long-absent father is schizophrenic and homeless, Sydney’s life is upended. She knew about his drug and alcohol problems but not his mental illness, which there’s a possibility she’ll inherit. She becomes set on finding him and getting some answers. Mental illness is handled with sensitivity even if the book sometimes feels heavy with teachable moments. Several secondary characters lack depth, and their actions are contrived. However, this is Sydney’s story, wisely set when she’s on the brink of adulthood. Her authentic dilemmas during this transitional time drive the narrative, and while her choices can be frustrating, she’s all the more realistic for it. Primary characters present White.

Uneven but still strongly appealing.