Most of this book is filled with Victoria's memories of her time with the hippies in San Francisco, the trip to Woodstock, the heartbreaking aftermath, and the descent into darkness that will be faced and resolved, hopefully, in book 3.
One thing I have to say about Deb's writing style and voice -- and I'm not saying this as her friend and publishing partner -- I'm saying this as an editor first, and then a reader.
DANG, this book is easy to read! Once I picked it up, I just wanted to keep reading. Everything flows, the scenes make sense, everything keeps building. I got really frustrated when life kept getting in the way and I couldn't pick up the book and continue reading!
Love makes people do crazy things, self-destructive things, and sometimes in the name of love they have to let go and let the people they love destroy themselves. No matter how much it hurts. At least, that's the painful, bitter lesson Victoria learns during her time trying so hard to fit into Robbie's lifestyle. She made good friends and earned their love during her time in San Francisco, and it was a sacrifice to leave them all behind -- but she had to save her own soul.
The research, the accuracy of detail is tangible. I don't know much about Woodstock, but the little incidents and references to real people and events, the timetable of concerts, the weather ... yeah, Deb did her homework. Those who were there, who were involved, can attest to how real that portion of the story feels. Those crazy hippie kids meant well, they wanted to fix the world, they thought love would heal everything, but they learned the sad lesson that so many generations before them learned -- it takes more than love. People are broken.
And the broken, diseased, dark parts that came out of that period of Victoria's life are about to fall on her and the town of Compton in a thick, brutal tidal wave. Take a deep breath and brace yourselves, and prepare to dive into book 3!
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