I was not really sure what I was expecting when I grabbed for Outside the Lines, but I previously read a book by the author and loved it.

This is a really raw look at the relationship between a father and daughter and the impact mental illness can have on a family. This does deal with mental health, suicide, and some other series issues around mental health. I liked how the author really took the story to a dark place for David. However; the middle did get a little repetitive and I was ready for something else to happen.

This jumps from the past and present of the family relationships. You get to see a glimpse of when Eden was a child and what happened with her father and his mental health needs. You also get his perspective while he was dealing with his demons. The third is the present where Eden is looking for her father after not seeing him since she was a child.

There is also a romance for Eden but it is not at the forefront of the story.

Yes, this was emotional but I was just waiting for that moment for it to blow me away. It never really happened. I was waiting for that moment where my stomach would drop and the tears would just come, and again it did not happen. It just was a little to flat in the end.

Overall, it was ok. ( )

I always love finding an author who writes the way this author does---and no wonder---she is good friends with other authors I like and they review each other's books. I found her when another author recommended her books. ( )

This is my third book by Amy Hatvany, and each one of them is sooooo deserving of 5 stars . I am delighted I found this author through my reading of Sarah Pekkanen’s books (another one of my favorites)!

I could not put “Outside the Lines” down- Amy did an outstanding job of capturing the experience of mental illness, with the alternating perspectives of David (father) and Eden (daughter), as well as moving back and forth in time. It gave much insight and depth to each of the characters, feelings, and emotions. Amy’s subject matter is so real with raw emotion--the family dynamics, making each of her books so unique.

I could really sympathize with all the characters, and put in this situation, not sure how I would have reacted. Lydia did all she could do in protecting her daughter and at some point in time you become an enabler. In the end David did not enjoy being trapped and being on the streets, gave him the freedom.

The character of Jack was amazing and the dynamics of his relationship with Eden, as well as her relationship with step brother and stepfather. In a way, I feel Jack could sympathize with David, as he too chose a path of freedom away from this own controlling father.
I do believe highly talented creative artistic minds work differently, and they demand a lot of solitude in order to create their masterpieces; being drugged and hospitalized would take away that inspiration.

The ending was brilliant and loved everything about this novel – it will bring tears. The love the author put into this book, the research, and her background working in shelters,--definitely reflected throughout. (I can just picture the Garden of Eden) and have a few of the cast members in mind for a possible movie!
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Listening to OUTSIDE THE LINES stirred up all kinds of emotions in me. The story is about a woman's quest to find her father, missing from her life for 20 years. Eden was 10 when her parents divorced, her father David's suicide attempt was the last straw for her mother. David, a very talented artist, suffered from mental illness most of his adult life, and he was unwilling to stay on medication. After the divorce David disappeared from mainstream society, earning a few dollars for alcohol by sketching portraits of tourists and living on the streets.

I enjoyed how the story was told from Eden's and David's POVs, and the time period alternates between 2010 and the late 1980s forward. It took several chapters for me to warm up to Eden and become invested in her quest. Just hearing about David's behavior and how it affected Eden made me angry. He was a man who did not want to be helped. As the story progressed, I began to understand and sympathize with Eden. I particularly loved seeing her relationship with Jack develop. Jack was the founder and director of Hope House, a homeless shelter in Seattle. (Eden described him as looking like Tom Cruise without the "crazed look" in his eyes. Ha ha.) Jack helped Eden see the situation with her father in a new and realistic light.

Overall, I liked the audio performance by Candace Thaxton as Eden and Corey Brill as David. Both captured the temperament and emotions of their character very well. My only complaint was there was little or no variation in voices of the secondary characters, and sometimes it was hard to tell who was speaking.

OUTSIDE THE LINES is a poignant story about love, trust, forgiveness, and acceptance. The bittersweet ending made me teary-eyed. Amy Hatvany is an amazing storyteller, and I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

Source: Review copy from publisher ( )

Good but not great. Too happily-ever-after, but did have many more realistic components and could have been a lot worse! A somewhat romantic view of father-daughter relationships. ( )