An absolute GEM of a book! I was drawn into this book right away and became thoroughly invested in the lives of the characters. It does take a while for the author to reveal certain things about the characters, so while I had guessed a portion of it, there were still surprises when she finally directly addressed a lot of the secrets that were being hinted at throughout the book. This is another book written alternating between not only characters but also between time periods in those characters' lives. I was cheering for and aching for and wanting to meet and be a part of everyone of their lives. While the book is set in Dublin, Ireland, and a commentary about the homeless situation in that city and country, I still felt that it's a very real social situation that we can all be aware of and work to not judge anyone based on simply a look at their outward appearance because there are layers to everyone and their situation. This book also deals with the autism spectrum and makes some very important observations about autistic individuals and their lives as well. Again, I absolutely loved this book and I look forward to reading more by this author.

Content: Strong language throughout (frequent, regular F bombs)

***Spoilers for Once Upon a Book Club Box***

**Warning-- Do NOT read these spoilers if you want to be surprised about the gifts if you purchased this subscription book. This list also contains some book spoilers as well.**

I received this book as part of my subscription to Once Upon a Book Club, which includes gifts to be opened as you come upon certain spots throughout the book. For this book, the gifts were as follows:

p. 7 - A hug coupon (printed like a ticket to a play/sporting event/etc.), representing the hug coupon DJ gives to his mom (Ruth) on his birthday to thank her for his birthday presents from the hug coupon book
p. 67 - headphones (Beats-style but not Beats, ha ha), like Ruth wears when she has her meltdown in the hotel room and DJ helps her cope
p. 227 - a pink and gold spoon, representing the one Tom uses to stir his coffee in the coffee shop while he's visiting with Ruth
p. 398 -a gray and white patterned decorative pillow cover, representing the one Tom remembers when he's dreaming about Cathy and their argument about the pillows on the bed

Bonus: Autographed bookplate from the author.

Printed Quote: "Home isn't a place, it's a feeling." - Carmel Harrington, "A Thousand Roads Home"