Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

Title: Something Like Normal
Author: Trish Doller
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: June 19, 2012
Source: Thanks Netgalley and Bloomsbury
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Summary: When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.


Review: Something Like Normal is a fantastic book. It has the ability to make you smile, hurt, but most of all it has the power to make you care something fierce about the characters. 


I automatically liked Travis. He's more than a bit sarcastic, funny, and he's been through more things that I can even begin to imagine. Sometimes male points of views come off wrong and fake sounding. This never happened once in Something Like Normal. Travis had the most realistic voice of a guy that I've read in a long, long time. I also loved watching Travis grow throughout the book. It's amazing how much character development was packed into such a quick read. 


The romance in this one is downright adorable. I doubt Travis or Harper would appreciate me saying that but it's just so true! Ever minute they spent together was sweet and just so unexpected. I was hoping Something Like Normal would have a good romance but it's even better then that. 


Something Like Normal does a great job with showing what life is like with post-traumatic stress disorder is like and what it's like overseas. It doesn't sugarcoat things it just shows the way things really are, and I loved that aspect.


Something Like Normal is a book that can change your mood from elated to sad in a moment. It has gorgeous writing but an even better main character in Travis. If you're into contemporary I think you'd really be missing out if you didn't read this one. 

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