{Book Review} "Perfect Strangers: Friendship, Strength and Recovery after Boston's Worst Day" by Roseann Sdoia

Rating: 3/5

Perfect Strangers tells the story of four strangers who became family after April 15, 2013. On that day, two bombs exploded on Boylston Street in Boston during the Boston Marathon. Among the many injured, Roseann Sdoia suddenly found herself bleeding out on the sidewalk, unable to move on her own. Many people helped her that day. Three of them became family to her after they played a part in saving her life. 

In Perfect Strangers, Sdoia recounts what happened on the day her life, along with many, many other lives, changed forever. As she tells her story, she also tells the stories of Shana, Mike and Shores. Each of these people played a role in her survival, and telling their stories is just as important as telling her own. Sdoia takes readers through her months and years of recovery as an amputee, and highlights how Shores, Shana and Mike helped her heal emotionally and physically. Not only did they help her heal, they all helped each other heal emotionally as well. In the midst of many difficulties, Sdoia made close friends that love and protect her fiercely. Perfect Strangers tells a story of "friendship, strength and recovery" as a result of unthinkable tragedy

Sdoia does a wonderful job sharing her story of survival after great tragedy. Not only does she share about her recovery, she shares about how Boston as a city recovered. While her story is tragic, Sdoia tells it with raw honesty. With each part of her story that she reveals, readers see what a fighter she is. Sdoia's strength truly reveals how the tragedy on Marathon Monday didn't break her; rather, she learned to step up and face the challenges she faces. . 

Sdoia's writing style is simplistic, and strong language is used in abundance. While far from a literary masterpiece, Perfect Strangers succeeds in telling an incredible story. The theme of the book will leave readers encouraged to face whatever difficulties that they face by having good friends help them along.Overall, this is an inspiring, emotional retelling of one of America's hardest days, and it is worth reading. 

I received an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.