finished reading

Meredith Maggs has not left her house in over 1,214 days.  But she isn't alone or lonely because she has her ginger cat, Fred.  She has her books and hobbies. She has Sadie, Tom, and Celeste. This is the story of mental health issues: childhood abuse, dysfunctional families, depression, sexual assault, and PTSD. And the author handles these sensitive issues with compassion.   There are dual timelines that tell Meredith's story.  I loved Meredith's journey from crippling, raw fear to fearlessness. I loved the friendships.  Ultimately, this is the story of stepping back into life. This is a story that will stay with me.

From the publisher:

She has a full-time remote job and her rescue cat Fred. Her best friend Sadie visits with her two children.  There's her online support group, her jigsaw puzzles and favorite recipes, her beloved Emily Dickinson, the internet, the grocery delivery man.  Also keeping her company are treacherous memories of an unstable childhood, the estrangement from her sister, and a traumatic event that had sent her reeling.

But something's about to change. Whether Meredith likes it or not, the world is coming to her door.   Does she have the courage to overcome what's been keeping her inside all this time? 

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to rate and review this e-ARC title.