Brick By Brick by Anna Hertel

A journey of self-discovery and reflection spanning over two decades. The narrator grapples with the complexities of identity, personal growth, and the impact of past choices on her present circumstances dictated by a third-culture childhood and upbringing in an environment padded by financial security, leading to the search for Love becoming the pinnacle of her life’s purpose.

When this search becomes unhinged, leading her into the claws of skilled manipulators, she hits rock bottom on more than one occasion.

Key elements include the search for self-understanding, the tension between external success and internal fulfillment, and the challenges of reconciling personal desires with societal expectations.

There's also a sense of urgency as the narrator enters her 40s, with a desire to make meaningful changes and avoid repeating past mistakes, in particular as she learns the struggles she faced were undiagnosed ADHD.

The theme of motherhood is introduced towards the end, adding a layer to the narrator's reflections and a sense of responsibility for the future, as the importance of healing the internal child is crucial when raising a child.

Through a heartfelt, authentic, and sometimes krass honesty, the multifaceted nature of identity, the search for purpose, and the evolving priorities that come with different stages of life unravel in this turbulent and relentless search for belonging, home, and love.