Guest Review: Concussion and Contentment (Vivian Chastain #3) by Liz Faraim

Vivian, an adrenaline junkie and U.S. Army veteran, goes about her life as a bartender, avid runner, and polyamorous lesbian. Her life in Sacramento, California, is going well until she is blindsided by unforeseen financial issues that lead her to consider a new career.

In an attempt to recharge and take a break, Vivian goes on a motorcycle trip with her best friend, Bear, but the adventure does not turn out to be the carefree break Vivian had hoped for. She returns to Sacramento where her partner, Ang, tries to push her down rather than help her pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, Vivian takes big steps with her other partner, Audre.

Vivian has an epiphany about what line of work she wants to pursue. As things start to stabilize, one of Vivian’s partners commits an act of grave violence, resulting in life-changing consequences for all concerned.

Surrounded by friends, Vivian turns over a new leaf and finally finds the contentment she has sought for a lifetime.

Reviewer: Shee Reader

I should say up-front that I had not read the previous books, so Vivian was a new character to me, but the book does work as a stand alone.

Vivian is trying to find her place of happiness in the world as an army veteran. She has a circle of friends and a couple of lovers but things are often just hard. The situation with her family was very difficult to read, but I really enjoyed her rediscovering a relationship with the brother by the end of the book.

Viv is a complicated character that didn’t grab me in the feels from the outset. Maybe the fact that I struggled to relate to her made my reading of the book much slower than normal. The writing was good and intricate, but a lot of it felt like I was watching lives played out through a window rather than being in it with the characters. There was a lot of descriptive writing which I found harder to emotionally connect with, until the tragedy strikes. Then I was all-in.

The change in Viv as she finds her alternate career is super and the post-tragedy acceptance of herself, her relationships with friends and her partner Audre were joyful.

Not an easy read, but a fascinating journey with Viv and her chosen family.

I was given a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.