Writers and Lovers

Casey Kasem is a struggling writer with crushing student loan debt and the feeling that her life is a mess. She is the narrator and protagonist of the story. The book is told through her first-person narrative perspective, thus bringing the reader into Casey’s intimate inner world. Casey lives in cycles of self-sabotage. Her primary employment as a server is stressful and her low wages are insufficient to fulfill her basic needs. Her friendships become harder to maintain the older she gets, she’s been writing the same novel for six years, and she continuously falls in love with men who care more about themselves than her. Add to these cycles the fact that she is grieving her mother’s death, and it is truly no wonder why Casey becomes crippled by anxiety. The reader travels with Casey as she navigates different relationships, the ups and downs of her creative life, and her ultimate triumphs. Because Casey’s life changes so much and her narrative is such an intimate look into her heart and perspective, the novel traces Casey’s year as if it’s a coming-of-age story. Casey’s commitment to her lifestyle, her kindness, and her desire to love and be loved makes her a sympathetic narrator, even when she makes decisions that cause her to repeat past problematic behaviors.