Equilibrium by Lorrie Thomson

Good morning, everyone! As promised, here's my second TLC tour for the day: Equilibrium by Lorrie Thomson.

It's been almost one year since Laura's husband, Jack, killed himself. A writer who suffered from bipolar disorder, he'd attempted suicide twice before but the third time, in this case, really was the charm. While Laura struggles to take care of her two teenage children and pull their lives back together, she lived with Jack and his disorder long enough to know it was the sickness. But her own two children face the possibility of this genetic roll of the dice and Laura fears for their future, watching intently for any signs they may suffer like her late husband. It doesn't help that thirteen year old Troy seems to be reeling without a father figure and fifteen year old Darcy is dating the new bad boy in school. 

I kind of loved Lorrie Thomson's debut! The time I spent with this family was heartbreaking but also touching. Laura and Darcy both come into their own in the story: Laura finally examining her relationship with her husband and starting to move on and Darcy, a true daddy's girl, coming to the realization that her father wasn't at all perfect. 

What I think I liked most was Thomson's ability to integrate so many different aspects of the family and their lives here. It's not just the family facing the year since Jack's suicide and it's not just the fear that one or both of the kids could also be bipolar, it's Darcy's teen angst and revelations about her own friends, it's the effect Adain - the family's tenant - has on the family as well. It's Laura's challenge of being a single parent, something she comes to realize she kind of always was, and gaining more self confidence in the things she let slide while Jack was in their lives. And of course it's Laura's and Darcy's love stories - Laura beginning to consider the possibility of love once again and Darcy's first serious relationship. Thomson masterfully weaves all of these elements into one cohesive and captivating read. The Kleins and the characters that revolve around the perimeter of their story are all so vivid and real that I left Equilibrium feeling a bit as though I'd become friends with a new family in the neighborhood. Very close friends that I wanted to wrap up in a big hug!

Rating: 4/5

To see more stops on the tour, check out the official TLC tour page here.  

For more on Lorrie Thomson you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.