Gabriella West

An exciting historical M/M romance. A riveting story that contains politics and romance. I was happy to follow the relationships and politics within the castle along with William’s platonic friendship with a fellow squire, Tom. I wished there had been more action and more into his training as a squire. There was a lot more telling than showing in almost every area except the sex scenes. I like that we watched William struggle with his feelings and the impact they would have on him in regards to the time period and the piety of his relationship. I did find the acceptance of their relationship was more accepted than would have been historically accurate. I would recommend this book to someone who likes M/M romance, likes politics in their romance, and doesn’t mind or enjoys explicit descriptions of sex.… (meer)

Connecting the Dots: My Midlife Journey with Adult AD/HD is a short, booklet-length book, but it is packed with information, tips and resources about adult AD/HD as well as the related but different condition known as Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, or SCT, which is something I had never heard of before but has its own set of symptoms.

Gabriella West tells her story in an accessible, easy-to-read way. In the introduction, she explains that her goal is "to help midlife women navigate through the challenges of living with newly diagnosed ADHD," as well as to help women feel empowered to be able to make positive changes in their lives. In this book, she provides the reader with tools to do just that.

She examines her childhood, recalling being a "spacey" kid, quiet and chubby, and her parents' behavior, wondering whether her undiagnosed mother did in fact suffer from AD/HD, which is often inherited. As an adult, she begins to notice the woman she is dating exhibiting certain behaviors such as chronic lateness, and in attempting to get help for her, she begins to eventually question her own behavior and to connect the dots.

West describes how women in the past have often gone undiagnosed, finding themselves floundering in their adult lives, unable to find fulfilling work or lacking focus without really knowing why. I learned so much reading this book. Girls and women primarily have the inattentive form of ADHD, which manifests itself in feelings of not being smart or that something is wrong with them. "Women struggle in particular with clutter, hoarding, organization, filing, taxes, cleaning house..."

Something I picked up reading this book was the freedom that a diagnosis of AD/HD can give a woman because a diagnosis and treatment can help her to live up to her full potential. What a wonderful thing, to know why you do the things you do and to have answers!

The appendices include recommended books as well as drug information, and a check list "Do I have ADD?"

This is a valuable guide for any woman who thinks they, or someone they care about, may have undiagnosed AD/HD.
… (meer)