“... a deeply personal memoir … navigates the challenges of mental health stigma, medical red tape, and family complexities ... LaPera brings to life the raw emotions and challenges of searching for a loved one lost to mental illness with extraordinary grace and honesty ... a harrowing and deeply resonant experience ... strikes a perfect balance between powerful storytelling and deep empathy, making the reader feel intimately connected to her journey, and there’s such a warmth in the narrative style ... how she handled the complex family dynamics that mental illness creates, showing both the strain and the enduring bonds that persist through such challenges. The way she weaves together her personal experiences with broader insights about mental health stigma and systemic barriers gives a real sense of crucial context for the wider world ... What touched me most deeply was her portrayal of unconditional love and relentless hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, creating connections that stayed with me long after finishing the book ... an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the impact of severe mental illness on families and the power of persistent love, and I would certainly recommend it. 

—K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite (5-Star Review)

“… sequel to Losing Dad, traces the long, winding road to finding her father ... as much a testament to resilience as it is a pointed critique of the American mental healthcare system ... exposes a bureaucracy that fails those it should protect. Despite her emotional turmoil, LaPera writes with profound empathy …. with interwoven memories, the pain is palpable as it offers a poignant account of ... how mental illness drastically impacts family relationships … 'It’s amazing how we can take the simplest things for granted. When a family member struggles with their mental health, any little victory can mean so much,’ LaPera muses. This memoir is a bittersweet reflection on the endurance required to love someone lost within themselves.”

—BookLife Reviews 

“Knowing her father’s fate is only half the battle … surveys the legal and investigative efforts LaPera engaged in, the snafus and barriers of a system designed to protect privacy at the cost of putting up barriers to a family’s inquiry, and the lasting impact of this search and discovery mission … From issues of legal and psychological control to… interpersonal conflicts and clashes, LaPera’s story is replete with insights and progressive discoveries. These will especially resonate with readers struggling with their own family member’s mental condition.

How she narrates this journey, these contrasting perceptions and experiences, and the specter of mental health amidst the backdrop of COVID’s threat makes for a compelling memoir especially highly recommended for readers facing their own impossible family journeys … Libraries will find it easy to recommend to psychology and book club reading groups interested in schizophrenia, from altered perception and family interactions to the disparate incarnations of suffering and connection which rise from mental illness.”

—D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review