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Skylar lives with constant pain and relies on her online support group to get her through the bad times. She’s given up on dating men who think she’s exaggerating her pain and limitations. On New Year’s Eve, she is watching the online group as an administrator when she spots one of the group members, Pike, post a poem. It sounds sad. Then someone else logs on and goes after him about his feelings. It turns out that it is Pike’s mother, and she is basically harassing him. Skylar steps in, and when asked by his mother why she cares, she informs Pike’s mother that she is his girlfriend. Pike is shocked by Skylar stepping in, but maybe having a fake girlfriend is the best way to handle his mother’s meddlesome ways. He makes contact with Skylar, and they agree to “fake date” for a few weeks and then announce a breakup to his mother. Meeting him for the first time, Skylar is stunned at how handsome he is. She learns that he used to be a snowboarder, and he got injured while at an event. He will never be able to go snowboarding again. What he doesn’t mention to her at first is that he is an Olympic gold medal winner. Skylar and Pike are becoming attracted to each other. But their lives are so far apart, even though both know what it means to live with daily pain. Can their relationship be saved? I will note for readers that IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD can be hard to read. You will learn that Skylar and Pike (aka Brandon Pike) live with constant pain that is sometimes so difficult that they end up in bed for days. They have to learn to accept and control the pain as best as they can. Meanwhile, Skylar wants a particular procedure, but her doctor has been nixing it, saying she’s “too fat.” Well, Pike likes her just the way she is. Her parents, especially her mother, are critical of Skylar. Yes, even accusing her of manifesting the pain. Of course, dating a non-disabled man is hard when he doesn’t understand what she’s going through. Pike knows exactly what she’s dealing with and is the type of person who wants to help her. He is protective of Skylar, though she continues to want to remain independent. The romance between Skylar and Pike in IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD starts slowly, but readers will see the connection between them. We will watch them get to know each other and learn more about them. As I said, Pike grows protective of Skylar, which comes in handy on a trip to Whistler for a snowboarding awards ceremony. It brings their relationship out in the open, which, of course, has his friends and colleagues asking questions. But the downside is that it attracts too much publicity. Skylar isn’t ready to be at the center of attention. Traveling is difficult for both, and they will soon have to lean on each other. Will they find love together anyway? An emotional tale right from the start, you won’t want to miss IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD if you love to read about people who fight to reach the top again after hitting rock bottom. Patti Fischer |
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IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD – Sabina Nordqvist