Title:The Rules of Half
Author:Jenna Patrick
Published:June 2017, SparkPress
Format:Paperback, 376 pages
If Will Fletcher’s severe bipolar disorder isn’t proof he shouldn’t be a
parent, his infant daughter’s grave is. Once a happily married,
successful veterinarian, he now lives with his sister and thrives as the
small-town crazy of Half Moon Hollow. But when a fifteen-year-old
orphan claims she’s his daughter, Will is forced back into the role he
fears most: fatherhood.Her biological dad isn’t the hero
Regan Whitmer hoped for, but he’s better than her abusive stepfather
back in Chicago. Still haunted by her mother’s suicide and the
rebellious past she fears led to it, Regan is desperate for a stable
home and a normal family―things Will can’t offer. Can she ride the highs
and lows of his illness to find a new definition of family?The Rules of Half
explores what it is to be an atypical family in a small town and to be
mentally ill in the wake of a tragedy―and who has the right to determine
both.
What readers are saying:
“The Rules of Half is easily the most captivating and emotionally
harrowing family drama of summer, and it’ll keep you guessing until the
captivating conclusion.” ―Redbook, “10 Books You Have to Read This Summer”
“In
her debut novel, Patrick writes with sensitivity about the trials of
mental illness for both sufferers and caregivers….[A] novel that’s
strengthened by its attention to how people forgive and connect.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“For
those who crave the deepest of feels, this is your perfect
entertainment pairing. These two heartbreaking but hopeful tales combine
dysfunctional families, human connections, and unthinkable tragedy in
the best way possible. There isn’t a chance these dazzling dramas (set
in completely different eras) won’t move you to the core.” ―Popsugar
“The perfect trifecta of a dysfunctional family, mental illness, and inescapable small town dynamics, The Rules of Half will steal your attention mercilessly from the first page to the last.” ―Redbook
“In her debut novel The Rules of Half,
Patrick flawlessly delivers both a deeply thoughtful depiction of
mental illness, and a heartwarming, and dare I say humorous, story about
the scars people carry, the healing power of human connections, and the
wondrous child that lives in us all. Rules will have you feverously turning pages, and in the end, wanting to know what Jenna Patrick has planned for us next.” ―Brady Stefani, award-winning author The Alienation of Courtney Hoffman
“Both hopeful and heartbreaking, The Rules of Half
explores how one man’s mental illness can impact an entire town, and
how the bonds of family, however strained, can pull you through even the
darkest of times.” ―Kristin Contino, author of The Legacy of Us
“A story rich in complex characters, Jenna Patrick’s debut novel The Rules of Half
is a darkly compelling and ultimately redemptive tale of loss and
regret, and the often-painful truths we must confront in order to heal.”
―Barbara Taylor Sissel, author of Faultlines
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The Rules of Half by Jenna Patrick is one of BookSparks “Summer Reads” reading selection picks.
Follow the #SRC2017 hashtag on twitter to read reviews on this book as well
as reviews on the other summer books! Also, be sure to check out the BookSparks Facebook page for the#SRC2017
and other fun links. You can participate in weekly secret missions for
chances to win signed copies of selected books and more! There’s a new
secret mission each week 🙂
