Just Don’t Mention It

Gr 9 Up–Seventeen-year-old Tyler Bruce seems to have it all. He’s got a great car, a hot girlfriend, and is the life of every party he attends. It’s all a mask. He drinks and does drugs to dull the memories of the abuse he experienced as a child. He can’t stand his girlfriend, Tiffani, but she blackmails him to stay with her. Tyler knows the front he puts on makes him look like a huge jerk, but that’s what everyone expects, and no one stops to ask him questions. With so much anger and shame rolling around him, it’s a wonder he can keep his temper at all. Then Eden, Tyler’s stepsister, comes to visit. She questions everything and refuses to take Tyler’s attitude and behavior as normal. The two dance around each other in the same circle of friends as Eden plans on spending the summer with her dad, Tyler’s stepdad. The attraction between them is a surprise that complicates everything. This is a companion novel to the author’s “Did I Mention I Love You?” trilogy. The narrative mirrors Did I Mention I Love You?, told from Tyler’s point of view instead of Eden’s. While readers don’t have to read the earlier series to know what is happening in this book, fans of the trilogy will get more out of the story by seeing Tyler’s point of view. Tyler is relatable and self-aware of his behavior and actions.