Only Temporary

Here's Nicole Dyke's "Only Temporary." Yet another book by Nicole that talks about really, real stuff, no matter how hard is it (and yet another book that made me sob).

["Kellan
She’s gone. And I don’t care. At least that’s what I tell myself, but she also left me with a really big mess to clean up. My siblings hate me. As they should. I may be twenty-four, but no part of me feels up to the task of taking care of my four younger siblings. I barely have my life under control, but it doesn’t matter now. I have temporary custody, and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure it’s not only permanent, but also the best thing for these kids.

Phillip
I haven’t been a social worker long, but I already know, without a doubt, this case has the ability to break me. Four minors left with their oldest brother—a brother still fighting with addiction and so much bitterness, it’s stifling. But I won’t give up on them like the rest of society. No matter what, I’m going to find a way to make sure this arrangement isn’t merely temporary—I just need to make sure I don’t lose my head or my heart in the process."]

Kellan was living with sooo much guilt. Some of it could maybe be (maaayyybbbe) justifiable, but he didn't leave his family for the hell of it. He left to get himself clean, to better himself, to eventually get his siblings safe and together. They certainly didn't make it easy on him...which made them fighting for him back all the sweeter (oh, spoiler alert...maybe...I mean, it's a guaranteed HEA; you had to know that was going to happen).

Just like we knew that, no matter the trouble and the drama and the waiting (or not waiting), Kellan and Phillip would end up in love and together. Even though they gave me constant angina. I barely breathed through half of this book, always on edge that the other shoe would drop, that they would get caught, that the kids would freak out, that the kids would be taken. 

Also, I want a Tatum HEA now. Really bad. 

I did reeeaaally love the "it's only temporary" mantra. If something bad is happening, if you're in a horrible mood, if life seems impossible: it's only temporary. 

Trigger Warnings (nothing on-page): addiction, drug use, child endangerment, child abuse, and more.

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