A heartfelt memoir and coming of age story of a 17 yr old girl from a small town on the tip of Cape Cod. Yvonne falls in love with Richard, a man eleven years her senior and an addict.
She gives us a glimpse of a world that is at times dark and heartbreaking, yet honest and full of compassion.
A complex story of love and addiction that spans many years.

Thank you to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

We Love Who We Love
This is a wonderful memoir. It is not all happy, nor all horrible, but it is real. To those of us who were young during those years, it is an honest description of caring deeply about our friends who became addicts. Many of our addicted friends succumbed to HIV/AIDS. But to be so in love with an addicted person is its own unique pain. And to have the person be your first, all-important love and soulmate is truly tragic. The story is told very well. There are many things that I could identify with, and many that I could not. The joy and pain and confusion are told very well! This is a haunting and realistic story that I will be thinking over for a long time.

The heart wants what the heart wants. Even if the heart belongs to a seventeen-year-old from a small town, who falls in love with a man eleven years her senior who happens to come with very shady past. Yvonne de Sousa’s beautifully written memoir Shelter of the Monument takes us on a journey of her love for Richard, which is tested many times, namely because of his drug addiction. Such a consuming love is not easy, and swings between passion and despair as Yvonne questions her own identity and her own purpose in life. This touching and heartbreaking memoir teaches us not only the power of love, but it is also a window into the times in which they lived and the picturesque setting of a quaint seasonal town. Thank you, Net Galley and to the publisher for an ARC. A strong five-stars!

A love story like no other!

Yvonne deSousa writes an interesting book about her life and falling in love with Richard. It's a very intriguing and endearing memoir, about what the author says is about a couple who weren't supposed to be together but refused to be apart. It's the authors memoirs, and how life afflicted both Richard and Yvonne. Richard is a complex man, with a lot of baggage, including the taste for cocaine. Yvonne is quiet, unsure of herself, and younger than Richard. When they say that opposites attract, it seems that no one is more opposite than this couple. I like this story because it is real, and how Yvonne tells the story, it brings you along on her real-life journey. Not just falling in love, but her life and self-discovery. You have to really love yourself before you can love others. This is a very touching and emotional book, as well as inspirational. The reader is introduced to both Richard and Yvonne, and their stories separate and together. The story is well told, and it brings in the realism of the events of their lives. Thank you for sharing your story with us. This book captures the reader's attention at chapter 1. It is definitely an unforgettable read. Shelter of the Monument is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.