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Wait With Me
Something isn’t right with Jade O’Reilly. She’s felt this way since that strange trip to an abandoned hospital where her Dad told her Mom had Stage-4 cancer. In the following days, and while drifting in and out of consciousness, Jade wonders if she hit her head, or if she’s slowly losing her mind. Desperate for answers she visits an urgent care clinic and two hospitals and is treated inhumanely as her crisis escalates. Her mismatched friends and a well-intentioned cousin try to help, yet frequent episodes of dissociation continue to pull Jade into a hellscape of her own. Will she find the answers she seeks? Will any of her friends wait it out with her? Or is Jade meant to navigate this desert alone?
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 31, 2025
Wait with me is a book that drew me in not long after reading the first few lines! As someone who is disabled and has had to navigate the healthcare system in general and the mental health system to an extent, I felt for Jade's struggles. I also connected with conversations about having to deal with family issues amid everything. Emily did an amazing job world building as a writer and I highly recommend this book that I enjoyed thoroughly!
October 23, 2026
Wait With Me by Emily Ava Gillespie and Emily Gillespie sounds like an unsettling, emotionally charged story about uncertainty, isolation, and the desperate need to be understood when reality itself begins to feel unreliable.
Jade O'Reilly's ordeal begins with a disturbing experience connected to her parents and her mother's devastating cancer diagnosis. As Jade struggles with episodes of altered consciousness and dissociation, her search for answers becomes increasingly frightening. Her visits to urgent care and hospitals, where she feels inhumanely treated rather than helped, add another layer of distress to an already disorienting experience.
What makes the premise especially compelling is the loneliness at the heart of Jade's struggle. She is surrounded by people who want to help, including an unconventional circle of friends and a well-meaning cousin, yet their support may not be enough to make sense of what she is experiencing. The question of whether anyone will stay beside her through the uncertainty gives the story its emotional weight.
The title is particularly evocative. Wait With Me suggests that sometimes what a person needs most is not an immediate explanation or a quick solution, but someone willing to remain present while the answers are still out of reach. That idea gives the story a deeply human dimension beneath its unsettling atmosphere.
For readers drawn to psychological fiction, emotionally intense character journeys, and stories that explore vulnerability, isolation, and the struggle to find answers during a personal crisis, this book offers a thought-provoking premise. Jade's journey raises difficult questions about how we respond when someone is suffering and how much difference compassion and patience can make when certainty is nowhere to be found.
Jade O'Reilly's ordeal begins with a disturbing experience connected to her parents and her mother's devastating cancer diagnosis. As Jade struggles with episodes of altered consciousness and dissociation, her search for answers becomes increasingly frightening. Her visits to urgent care and hospitals, where she feels inhumanely treated rather than helped, add another layer of distress to an already disorienting experience.
What makes the premise especially compelling is the loneliness at the heart of Jade's struggle. She is surrounded by people who want to help, including an unconventional circle of friends and a well-meaning cousin, yet their support may not be enough to make sense of what she is experiencing. The question of whether anyone will stay beside her through the uncertainty gives the story its emotional weight.
The title is particularly evocative. Wait With Me suggests that sometimes what a person needs most is not an immediate explanation or a quick solution, but someone willing to remain present while the answers are still out of reach. That idea gives the story a deeply human dimension beneath its unsettling atmosphere.
For readers drawn to psychological fiction, emotionally intense character journeys, and stories that explore vulnerability, isolation, and the struggle to find answers during a personal crisis, this book offers a thought-provoking premise. Jade's journey raises difficult questions about how we respond when someone is suffering and how much difference compassion and patience can make when certainty is nowhere to be found.
July 16, 2025
Ava Emily sucks you into the story of Jade O'Reilly from the moment you step into her reality. She paints a true reflection of the current state of psychiatric care in Ontario, wrought with rejection and systemic trauma. They show the jarring reality of experiencing severe mental illness - one that no medical professional seems to care to understand. This novel gives the phrase "rock bottom" a whole new meaning for those who have never seen inside the mind of a traumatized person. I literally could not have stopped reading this even if I tried; the way Emily writes keeps you guessing, and needing to know what happens next. Though not for the faint of heart, Wait With Me is worth it to show you what it takes to come back from the harsh yellow line that delineates life and death, in a way that keeps you breathless. In the age of AI slop, fake news, and perfectly curated online personas, this novel is the perfect opposite in how raw and real it is. You need to read this book! I know I'll be reading it again.
October 24, 2026
Wait With Me sounds like an intense and thought-provoking story about uncertainty, isolation, and the desperate search for answers when reality itself begins to feel unreliable. Jade O’Reilly’s struggle, combined with the challenges she faces while seeking help, creates a deeply unsettling premise. I’m especially drawn to the role of friendship and family when someone is going through a frightening, confusing experience. This sounds like an emotionally powerful read for those who appreciate character-driven stories exploring vulnerability, resilience, and the importance of having someone who will stay when life becomes overwhelming.
July 13, 2025
“Authentic storytelling combined with a thoughtful critique of the broken Canadian health care system makes this novel a significant contribution to the dialogue on mental health.”
Lisa Anita Wegner, Artistic Director at Haus of Dada
Lisa Anita Wegner, Artistic Director at Haus of Dada
December 17, 2025
Wait With Me is a fabulous, personal story about how the main character is mistreated by the mental health system. Her journey back, with the help of her friends, makes this story hard to put down. I loved Wait With Me!
June 13, 2025
If you want a quick summer read that keeps you engaged, try "Wait with me". A mental health Odyssey that takes you on a wild journey through healthcare, recovery, and friendship. Worth the read!
July 11, 2025
Incredibly thought provoking! The author does a great job keeping you hooked on the protagonist’s journey.
June 22, 2025
Incredibly thought provoking! The author does a great job keeping you hooked on the protagonist’s journey.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews