Imaginative Hugo & Rose A Haunting Novel About Fantasy vs. Reality

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Ever since the day Rose knocked herself out in a childhood bicycling accident, she's dreamed of a magical island.  Each night when she falls asleep, she's transported to this wonderland, where exciting adventures wait behind every palm tree.  She's never alone in these dreams.  Hugo, a brave, handsome hero, is always by her side.  Over years of countless nocturnal exploits, Rose has watched him grow from an exuberant child into a fearless, capable adult.  He's her best friend, literally the man of her dreams.  If only he actually existed outside of her vivid, slumbering imagination.  

In reality, Rose spends her days tending to her nice suburban home, her three small children, and her surgeon husband.  With Josh constantly at the hospital, the bulk of the work falls to her.  Overwhelmed and bored with the mundane life she leads in her waking hours, Rose longs to feel as alive as she does in her dreams.  To be the beautiful, bold woman she is when she's with Hugo.  

As she grows increasingly discontent, Rose makes an incredible discovery—Hugo is real.  The man she sees at a local fast food restaurant may not look exactly the way he does in Rose's dreams, but it is him.  She's sure of it.  When her curiosity about this real-life Hugo turns into an all-consuming obsession, Rose risks everything she holds dear to connect with a man she's met only in her dreams.  Is he really Hugo?  Does he share her mysterious island dreams?  With him in her life, can she finally rise above her humdrum existence to embrace her real self, the one she inhabits in her island dreamworld?

Hugo & Rose, a debut novel by screenwriter Bridget Foley, tells an intriguing story about one woman's quest for fulfillment—not just in her dreams, but in her normal, everyday life.  It's about the lengths to which one might go to make fantasy match reality and the disparities that often exist between the two.  Ultimately, Hugo & Rose is about what is truly real, truly important, truly worth fighting for.  The book's unique premise, as well as its relatable characters, make it both haunting and memorable.  This one might not be blow-you-away amazing, but it's definitely the kind of novel that you'll keep thinking about long after you finish it.  

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't really think of anything.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, sexual content and violence

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Hugo & Rose from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press.  Thank you!