A Week of Warm Weather - Lee Bukowski
I have to say that while I couldn’t put this novel down it was very triggering for me. If you grew up with a parent(s) who were addicts, or have/had a partner who is/was an addict this book may be very triggering for you. At the same time it will also make you feel heard - because unless you have lived through a similar situation, you won’t understand why you can’t “just leave”.
Tessa Cordelia has just given birth to her first child, and her husband has recently opened his own dental practice which appears to be going quite well. She lives near her close family and has a good group of friends and family members who can provide support whenever she needs. And then she discovers that her husband has developed an addiction to nitrous oxide, an addiction that turns her life upside down while she tries her best to hide the addiction, the pain, and the way her marriage is falling apart from everyone around her. In addition to this, the trauma of having an alcoholic mother who left her at the age of 9 resurfaces, and while Tessa tries to hold it all together, everything still comes tumbling down around her.
Lee Bukowski paints a very realistic image of the long lasting effects of childhood trauma, and growing up with addiction - trauma that causes a rippling effect long into adulthood. I felt so much for Tessa and identified with so much of her thoughts and actions. It was sometimes very difficult for me to read this, but also very necessary. A Week of Warm Weather is such a well-written book about how addiction harms us all, and that also, it can happen to anyone. Also, Tessa’s husband is awful, but Bukowski shows just how hard it is to detect a narcissist until you are entrenched within their grip.
Highly recommended read!!
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!