The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson

Happy Monday, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC book tour for Joshilyn Jackson's latest, The Opposite of Everyone.

Paula hasn't spoken to her mother for quite some time. And yet she never neglects her monthly check. The money is to atone for something Paula did long ago, and she has no idea how long that atonement will take. Then her latest check arrives voided and returned to sender with a note saying that her mother is dying and she doesn't want to see Paula. 

The news is a shock that isn't lessened by the passing of time. And when a surprise visitor arrives, a brother Paula never knew about, she finds her life turned completely upside down. 

This is a super simplified in a nutshell description of Joshilyn Jackson's latest. Paula is a divorce lawyer who had a very atypical childhood. She was born while her mother was in jail, they hopped around place to place with the changing of her mother's whims and boyfriends. Her name, never meant to be Paula, was taken from Eastern religion as were the bedtime stories she grew up with.

But the break between her and her mother is huge. Life changing and life shaping - not just for Paula. The relationship between her and her mother and exactly what happened between them make up the real meat and bones of the story - the base for what Paula becomes and the catalyst for how her life changes later on.

Paula has remade herself seemingly to spite her mother. A divorce attorney, one who is ruthless in her job, is so far removed from the wanderlust lifestyle she and her mother shared years ago. And as we get to know Paula the reasons behind this become so much more clear. The interesting thing, though, is that the path she's put herself on and the insular existence she's created for herself begins to change almost the instant she believes her mother has died. Some of that change is subtle, so much so that Paula doesn't even notice, but it's clear by her panic attacks that she's not ok.

Obviously Paula affected me. I loved her, I sympathized with her, but there's so much more to The Opposite of Everyone than just Paula. And that's what I love about Joshilyn Jackson's books. (I should note that Paula is a returning character from Someone Else's Love Story.) There are so many facets and layers to the story and the characters. And while Paula is our main character, I loved Birdwine and Julian equally as much. I could go on and on for days about them! Her stories are so rich and her characters so genuine that it's easy to slip inside their world and lose yourself in their story!

If you haven't read Jackson before, you're in for a treat. And if you're a fan, you're going to love this one just as much as the others!

Rating: 5/5

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Joshilyn Jackson and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble