Twenty-one Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks

A special thank you to Edelweiss, NetGalley, Macmillan, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dan is an obsessive list maker—he tries to solve all of his problems by making lists.

This story unfolds entirely through Dan's lists where he uses them almost like journal entries in his hopes of saving his family, his bookstore, and ultimately himself.

I devoured this book in one sitting.

I'm not going to lie, at first I was disappointed when I discovered that the whole book was made up of lists, I mean...who wants to read lists? Well, when they are written by Matthew Dicks you do.

Dan is completely overwhelmed with life and is suffering from anxiety. It was suggested to him by his former therapist that he log his feelings—this is where the lists come in. And he pretty much records everything from the day-to-day mundane, to what is plaguing him.

Having left his career as a teacher to open a bookstore, Dan is feeling tremendous pressure to succeed. He has yet to turn a profit and this is causing him anxiety and guilt since he hasn't disclosed this information to his wife, Jill. Not only does she thinks that everything is going swimmingly, she's also basking in the glow of pregnancy—having a baby is another source of stress for Dan.

Jill was a widow when they met, and Dan has always felt competition with her dead husband, Peter. He feels like he can never measure up and is incredibly insecure where Peter is concerned because he wouldn't be married to Jill if Peter was still alive.

We learn so much about what it is like to be flawed and human through Dicks' unique book. This narrative style could have easily failed, but instead, readers will be utterly enchanted by the raw beauty of Twenty-on Truths About Love. It was moving, funny, and incredibly real.

MATTHEW DICKS is a writer and elementary school teacher whose novels have been translated into more than 25 languages worldwide.

Dicks lives in Newington, Connecticut, with his wife, Elysha, and their children, Clara and Charlie.