Title Details

Dionne Abouelela is a dreamer with a chronic case of wanderlust. She has an affinity for lukewarm coffee laced with cinnamon, eating ice cubes, petting puppies, and anything with a dinosaur. She now lives in Munich, Germany, with her Egyptian husband and adorably naughty street dog rescued during her six years living in India.

A story of self discovery while along a solo trip across the country, Blossom encounters both the simple goodness and desperate horrors in every day people of the present while also trying to escape from the hardships and toxic relationships of her past. Debut novelist Dionne Abouelela is a master at word-smithing and spinning a relatively average random scene into a journey in and of itself with a wealth of description and insightful observations. This story also subtly explores the ruthless underbelly of small road side towns across America and what ugly secrets they hold, right alongside some of the odd treasures that make small town America so beloved, revered, and even interesting, too. And isn't that the way it is? Just like the people who make these places run, the stories are right in alignment with both the best and the worst in which we all live, no matter where we're from. I highly recommend this ultimately charming story with its moments of abject hilarity for all readers. If you have never been Blossom yourself, you will want to know her and be her friend. -Dori Ann Dupré, author of the award winning 'Scout's Honor'

The Wrong Side of Twenty-five is a story that has been told before but is told so well by this author that I really recommend it! It’s the story of a young woman who runs away from her small town background in search of self.
See what I mean? Not a new concept. But the author handles this theme so well that it comes off as fresh and appealing. The story is narrated by the young woman herself and her voice—self-diminishing, angry, funny—is a big part of what makes the book. I was sucked right in by the contrast between anger and rollicking humor.
Then there’s her adventures. She meets a guy who gives her a list of odd roadside attractions to use as focus for her wanderings. So off she goes, lurching from a huge metal cross to a strange museum to a strip joint that is more than it appears…meeting people, good and bad, along the way. Like I said, this story has been told before—but this version is my favorite. I zipped right through the book, always looking ahead to her next eccentric adventure.
Highly recommended for readers who like books on this theme.
-Laura Koerber (GoodReads)