I think Harper Bliss is a very interesting author. That may not come off as enthusiastic, but I truly am about her. I have read many of her books. She writes books that regularly deal with controversial topics such as alcoholism, suicide(tendency), body positivity, extreme sex, polyamorous, to name a few 😉. Age-gap is also often a trope in her books. They are not all direct hits for me, but there are also a lot of favorites of mine. Even a few classics like In the Distance There is Light. And also, this novel in which the subject of depression plays a leading role.

After one of the darkest periods in her life, Ella returns to her hometown. She comes back to heal and to look for answers. She is staying in her family’s log cabin. At the local store, she runs into Kay, an old acquaintance. Kay becomes more and more a handhold for Ella during this difficult time of her life. A time when she also tries to reconnect with her estranged parents. And how do you do that when you come back after a suicide attempt? How can you make someone understand what it is like to be depressed?

Ella’s path is tough. I know because I’ve been through it too. Harper herself is clearly familiar with this as well. How Harper describes this in At The Water’s Edge shines a beautiful light on a dark subject. It gives hope and a look forward to a future that is becoming ever brighter. Especially when you can accept and allow a great person like Kay into your life 🥰.