As readers, oftentimes we have triggers that we just can’t cross. That mess with our mental health. We adhere to those boundaries to protect ourselves.

Now, I don’t read books about cheaters– either male or female. It isn’t a trigger though– I just have little to no respect for the characters. There are exceptions, but it’s a generally held line.  I just don’t see the appeal .

Triggers are different. The reason for not reading those stories has more to do with your own mental health. About content that can cause you to spiral. For many of the women I know, that includes violence (in all forms) against women. In addition, I have triggers that have to do with drug and alcohol use. Those mentioned above are actually my personal biggest triggers.

However, I can no longer say I will not read a book with those triggers. I’m just very very careful about which authors I’ll trust with those issues.

Jillian West.

Jenn Bullard.

Jillian West pushes sometimes on my drug use trigger. Not often, but it does happen. It was handled so well, I started reading everything she wrote. Most of her work doesn’t phase me, but when it does she has trigger warnings outlined and it makes sense in the book. Honestly, like probably 90-95% of her work gives me the warm fuzzies. They are like stepping into a movie with your besties.

Jenn Bullard is a different beast entirely. And I do mean beast. If Jillian is like going out with your bestie– Jenn is the friend who is going to push you to your limits, hold you when you fall apart and then put you back together again.

Why am I telling you this? Welllll….. Jenn Bullard has a new book coming out in two days. In a previous book, “Forget”, oh it took me so long to pick it up and a little while longer to open it. In the forward, she tells readers it’s going to be a rough journey. Be careful of breakable objects. She ends the forward with “Okay, deep breaths, friends. Come yell at me later.”

I needed those deep breaths. Her work wrecks me in the best way possible. Bullard does what so few others can do– break a readers faith in a character and then bring them back into a reader’s good graces so we start rooting for them.

Jenn’s books mean many tears for me.

They are cathartic.

Oh, so cathartic.

Bad things happen to good people and still they survive. They find a way to thrive. To get to a Happily Ever After. And sometimes that HEA includes therapy, and that’s ok.

Her newest comes out on the 20th. I won’t be around for a bit– maybe I can be brave and meet it on Day 1 this time.

So, my Lovelies, do you have authors who break you & put you back together again?

Talk to you soon!