This was another case of me taking a random chance in my book box this month and then having it really pay off. I loved this book, and I especially loved how the author sheds light on a different type of OCD. If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even cringe a little, then this is the perfect choice for you.

The book focuses on 20-something Eliot Beck, the youngest child by seven (I think) years. Eliot comes from a mixed family in that her wealthy, party-man father had children with a few other women before meeting Eliot’s mother and finally settling down with her. Eliot and her brother Henry were the only two who share both parents, but Henry died in an accident when Elliot was young, and since then, she has felt the divide between her and her siblings. No matter how badly she wanted to connect with them, she was always the kid, which left her feeling like an outsider – especially when intrusive thoughts began to fill her head.

After graduation, Eliot moved to New York and hasn’t been home in over three years, but the wedding of her brother has brought her and her OCD back home. Now, she’ll have to do her best to make it through the weekend with a family she feels doesn’t understand her. When she arrives to find her childhood best friend and crush in attendance, Eliot will be forced to face a few harsh truths before the weekend is over.

Noyes draws you in from the very first page with a unique voice and characters you can relate to. Eliot is a character that you can’t help but love. Her struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder is portrayed with sensitivity and authenticity and covers a type of OCD that we don’t often hear about. I have a few obsessive traits, but they all stem from anxiety and fall in line with the OCD we are familiar with – constantly checking to ensure the doors and windows are locked, the stove/oven is off, clicking the button on my car remote to ensure those doors are locked, wondering if I remembered to unplug the iron, etc. In Eliot’s case, her intrusive thoughts rule her, planting seeds in her mind that she obsesses over to the point that it destroys her relationships and self-esteem.

The rest of the characters are also well-drawn. Eliot’s family are all wonderful and relatable. I loved their quirks, their traditions, and the way they fought, but also had each other’s backs no matter what. Noyes has a knack for capturing the messy, imperfect beauty of family life, and she does it with a sharp eye and a generous dose of humor.

I also really enjoyed Elliot’s relationship with Manuel – her childhood best friend. Noyes structured the book so that we get alternating chapters from Eliot’s childhood and the current day at the wedding. As the book progresses, we experience Eliot and Manual meeting for the first time and Eliot’s OCD taking root and eventually ruling her life. They have the sweetest relationship, and I couldn’t help but root for them. I loved watching it all unfold.

In the end, this is a book that made me feel all sorts of things. I loved the characters, the storyline, and the way the author explored OCD. This is a story about love, forgiveness, and courage, and I ate it up from the very first page. This is easily one of my top reads of the month.