A review by alyssadokusho
Invitation to the Blues by Roan Parrish

5.0

I cried because somehow I had landed somewhere I wanted to be and I realized perhaps it was the first time I'd wanted to be somewhere.

I cried because I finally knew what it was to love someone more than I hated myself.

[4.5] y’all know i relish books centered around mental health, and once again, Roan Parrish did not hesitate in bringing forward yet another poignant and accurate mental health portrayal, this time with Invitation to the Blues.

Jude, a recovering pianist back home after a failed suicide attempt. from the depiction of his downward spirals of depression, his anxiety’s impact on his day-to-day life, his ever-present negative self-talk, you can imagine his internal monologues aren’t a walk in the park, but they carry with it a real rawness that is bound to have you feeling for him, especially if you’ve been in a similar place.

i think it’s awfully easy to relate to Jude’s incessant fear of being a burden to our loved ones, and as a consequence of this belief, we either consciously or unconsciously put distance between ourselves and others to prevent our darkness from spreading and tainting them. but Faron, UGH what a soothing balm to the soul he was.

“I don’t want you out of generosity. Or because I’m some kind of angel or savior. I want you because something inside you vibrates just so with something inside me.”

he is just so remarkably accepting of and attuned to Jude’s everything. so what if he suffers from Perfect Boyfriend Syndrome (LET A GIRL DREAM