Mad Love by Suzanne Selfors

The best part of Alice's day is watching "Skateboard Guy" cruise past her window, every day at 9:30 am. The rest of the day is devoted to hiding out, keeping her mother's secret, taking care of herself and her mother's business, and pretending that everything is ok. No one can know that Belinda Amorous, "Queen of Romance," suffers from bipolar disorder. No one can know that she's been practically comatose for the past three months. No one can know that Alice dropped out of boarding school to come home and take care of all the business that her mother isn't capable of handling...because then everything would fall apart.

At 16, Alice has been doing this for most of her life: taking responsibility for her mother's illness. She has been answering emails, and fielding phone calls. Today, she's standing in for her mother at a book signing (which she forged beforehand), and assuring everyone that Belinda is overseas, researching her next book. If her fans knew the truth...but Alice doesn't have time to think about that. While there, something weird happens. An alarming cute guy in a black hoodie (Errol) comes up to her, and insists that she write his book. Not sure what to do after he shoves a smelly envelope of notes at her, she gets stuck holding it. Great, all she needs is some weirdo trying to get his book published.

At home, there's a new problem: the publishing company is threatening to reclaim the $100,000 advance unless they receive a new book. In addition to not having $100 grand, Alice needs the royalty checks to pay the bills. In-patient care is far from reasonably priced...especially for a facility that offers massages and manicures. The hospital is threatening to kick her mother out if she can't pay by the due date. Mom's not exactly up to writing the next Hunger of the Heart.

Maybe she can kill two birds with one stone...write Errol's story and submit it to Heartstrings Publishing! Did I mention that Errol thinks he's Cupid, the real Cupid, and his story is about his love affair with Psyche? He insists that the true story needs to be told. She doesn't believe him until he flings something at her, and she can't stop thinking about him. Find Errol are the only two words that seem to fit inside her head. When she does find him, he's moved into her building, and forces her to drink Craig's Clam Juice...which he alleges is the only thing that can cure the love-sickness his arrows inspire. Yeah, you read that right: he is saying he shot Alice with an arrow of love. She must admit, it doesn't really make sense that one minute she can't stop thinking about Tony (cute skateboarding guy), and the next she's crazy for Errol...whom she thinks is creepy and crazy. Could there be any truth to his story?

"I wanted, more than anything, to be near Errol. Yes, that demanding, handsome guy in the black hoodie who believed he was Cupid and who had thrown something at me. That guy.
When I reached out, I wanted to find him standing there. When I listened, I wanted to hear his voice. When I inhaled, I wanted to inhale his scent. I didn't ask myself why I felt that way, didn't wonder why my thoughts had moved from Tony - who was clearly obsession-worthy - to Errol, who was clearly...weird," (Selfors pg. 98, 2011).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Saving Juliet by Suzanne Selfors
Babe in Boyland by Jody Gehrman
Temping Fate by Esther Friesner

Selfors, Suzanne. ((2011). Mad Love. New York: Walker.