Claire > Recent Status Updates

The writing style screamed failed screenwriter.Every chapter opened with an info dump to set the scene. Hers were a staccato voluminous mound of a first paragraph, more akin to communicating to a set designer than a reader. The chosen details were crisp enough, but it completely pulled me out of the rhythm of the story—a particularly bad thing especially with an unsympathetic protagonist.

Holy Info-dump, Batman!

Jeannie- Pumpkin Spice café
Logan - produce farmer, resident grump/loner

Hazel — Cinnamon Bun Bookshop, Logan’s BFF, Mayor Kelly’s daughter
—Mac set-up to be enemies-to-lovers (he stole her chocolate milk QD 2nd grade)
Macaulay Sullivan — pub owner, trivia enthusiast

Annie — Gingerbread Bakery, teaches baking classes
Greg & Shawn — pet shop owners
The Sharmas — restaurant

WTF?!? Only on 6 and she’s already established how she disassociates and they victim-blame in the South. I don’t think this was ghost-written (despite rumours): the language is too simplistic for a professional and she unintentionally spills her guts like someone who has done WAY too much therapy.

It is interesting reading Merrill's discussion of truly loving your home. In a sense, loving your home is the only true love: they say to separate your love from the love you receive, and nothing does that more than objects that cannot love you back. I read a lot on the healing power of taking care of something, and never thought of home as fulfilling that like a plant or pet.

I've known Merrill to be naive from her YouTube channel, but her introduction re-enforces that, and I believe her assertions to be (understandably) wrong. While internal resources are inherently more stable (e.g. self-esteem) than external, I think her idea of home being inside you neglects the process of internalization: her cottage DID heal her, and now she can carry that elsewhere; she wouldn't have healed w/o it.

I've known Merrill to be naive from her YouTube channel, but her introduction re-enforces that, and I believe her assertions to be (understandably) wrong. While internal resources are inherently more stable (e.g. self-esteem) than external, I think her idea of home being inside you neglects the process of internalization: her cottage DID heal her, and now she can carry that elsewhere; she wouldn't have healed w/o it.

He talks about needing to let go for the bigger idea/picture, but what if part of the trauma/resentment is people always making you take it for the sake of others?

The highlights are getting fewer and farther between.

This is incredibly religious, very Christian and very biblical. I am trying to hold out a little longer to see if there is anything secular (and therefore purely forgiveness based) but, thus far, everything here matches the “warped view and definition “ my therapist says I have acquired from my religious education. Not sure this will bring me closer. Understand why it was on clearance!

A lot of pee stories.

I think, by the end, she was as bored writing this as I as reading this.

Some good advice, but pictures not my style. Transferable?

Very informative but I must read it in small bits because it is depressing to see we women are not thought of as people.