RATING 4 out of 5 stars
Two men who meet in a psychiatric institution couldn’t possibly find happiness together—could they?
The world seemed to be telling disgraced former child star and singer Cameron Fox that he would never be happy again. A drunken car accident gets him sentenced to a work release program at Riverbend Behavioral Health Facility.
Reclusive, traumatized writer Jonah Radley has an entire graveyard of skeletons in his closet. Jonah regularly hospitalizes himself for psychotic episodes caused by a horrific childhood trauma, his biggest secret—one he refuses to speak about in therapy.
Jonah and Cameron form a bond inside the hospital, forged in mutual pain and hope for a better life. Once they leave the hospital, they must decide if they are brave enough to explore the intricacies of living with mental illness—and find a new normal together.
Strong Medicine was my first book by JK Hogan and it really surprised me. Reading the blurb I have to admit I was a little scared at the start, afraid it was going to be hard to take. It was exactly what I was expecting, I hurt so much through all the story. Still it was so worthed.
Cameron and Jonah are completely different: the first is a former child prodige, just being excluded by his whole big family from their band and sent by a judge to a behavioral health facility, where he will work for a year and learn to never drive after having drinking. Here Cameron is soon attracted to Jonah, the young man who will later steal his heart (and mine). Jonah is a survivor, each time he needs to committee himself, afraid to hurt not only himself, he comes back to life, sure he is more shattered than ever but he is working on his illness. And hoping for a better life.
I think what I loved more were the characters, they were real and flawed just like us. And this is something I really need in books like Strong Medicine, true and painfully beautiful stories. Yes it scared me and brought tears to my eyes more than one, following Jonah in his psychic breaks wasn’t easy, seeing through his eyes what he was seeing. But I have to say everything, every single detail, was IMO well delivered, I enjoyed a lot.
This book is not for everyone, if you like sweet and romantic stories, it is really none of that. It’s almost unbearable in some parts but the changes in Cameron and Jonah’s lives were emotional and believable. I feel to recommend Strong Medicine to everyone but please keep in mind my previous words.
I like the cover art by Wilde City Press, the style and colors are different from the usual covers and so it’s a winner to me.
Sales Links: Wilde City Press | ARe | Amazon
BOOK DETAILS
Kindle Edition, 289 pages
Published May 18th 2016 by Wilde City Press (first published May 11th 2016)
ASIN B01FEH1GL0
Edition Language English
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 