I know. I know. Finding a book boyfriend in a book about a twenty something female with OCD is unusual. But after meeting Dr. Aiden Blake, clearly not impossible. Checked by Jennifer Jamelli is the story of Calista's struggle with obsessive/compulsive disorder and the doctor who tries to help her.
Callie's story appealed to me for several reasons. I can most definitely identify with obsessive and compulsive thoughts. Not to the extent that Callie does, but enough to really get her story.
Checked begins with Callie going to meet Dr. Keith Spencer, a psychiatrist, who is going to begin treating Callie for OCD which affects the quality of Callie's everyday life. Her days consist of rituals that take up 85% of her time. In addition to the rituals that she needs to get through her days, she also has obsessive thoughts about murderers, germs and a whole collection of other scary things.
By seeing Dr. Spencer, Callie is hoping to get some medication that will help quell her crazy. Unfortunately, Dr. Spencer is called on an emergency just as Callie arrives for her appointment. He asks another psychologist, (the swoon worthy, Dr. Aiden Blake) to do her intake meeting. The thing is Dr. Blake doesn't seem to want to meet with Callie. Well, you get the sense he doesn't see OCD patients at all. When Callie and Dr. Blake first meet he seems to be against medications and he barely looks Callie in the eye. At first I wasn't crazy about Dr. Blake. That thought changed fairly quickly.
I should mention something about Callie before I go on. Many of her thoughts are accompanied by particular songs that are fitting to events occurring at any given moment. I know, weird right? But then I thought, sometimes I think of songs that go with certain events in my life. One song you might have to listen to is The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice to get the meaning. I know I had to. I did enjoy the soundtrack to Callie's thoughts. Her brain plays lots of good tunes.
Somehow, instead of just doing her intake meeting, Dr. Blake begins therapy sessions with Callie. Dr. Blake's idea for Callie's therapy is sort of an immersion approach. He asks her to list her obsessions and compulsions, then tries to make her face them, eliminate them, and try to live with them. During their therapy, you learn that Dr. Blake's mother had OCD. You also learn that she has passed away (you'll find out when you read it.) These sessions take on a personal note. You know Callie is attracted to Dr. Blake, hence the Damien Rice song. But what surprised me was the feelings Dr. Blake developed for Callie. At the start of Checked he seemed almost afraid of her, not making eye contact, never smiling, then he makes it his mission to help her. Finally, he becomes Aiden instead of Dr. Blake and falls in love with her. Even with her OCD issues, Callie lets Aiden in and allows herself to love him. Aiden is so caring and protective of Callie, you can't help but fall in love with him. Even with Callie's OCD issues her relationship with Aiden is physical and has the potential to get pretty steamy.
I loved the dynamic of Callie's family. They care so much about her and want her to get well. Her sisters Mandy and Melanie support her and take care of her. Her dad and her brother try to use humor to help her deal with her OCD. No one makes her feel bad about herself or belittles her for her rituals. They love her the way she is and try the best they can to protect Callie.
Checked let's us see inside a world many of us are not familiar with. The rituals Callie performs to just get to bed are exhausting. One of her compulsions that stuck with me is the peeling off of her nail polish. The poor girl must go through bottles and bottles. Not to mention the amount of time it takes to keep repolishing. I also found her choice of employment interesting. Being a graduate assistant and working for a creepy professor seemed like something she wouldn't be able to handle, but she does. For all of the nonsense she deals with, Callie is a compassionate and an easy to like character. I know I rooted for her throughout her story.
I also rooted for Aiden and Callie because he is so damn hot and Callie deserves someone wonderful after the last awful boyfriend she dealt with. But.....just when you think everything is going to work out for Callie and Aiden......plot twist! And damn it's a doozy.
I can't lie. I cannot wait for the follow up sequel to Checked because I live for happily ever afters (hint hint Jennifer Jamelli!) Anyway, I have it on good authority that Callie and Aiden's story is not over and that it will be a trilogy. So pleaseeeeeeeeee release book two soon.
I learned something while reading Checked. I don't always have to go for the bad boy book boyfriend. I mean mostly I do because inevitably, I want a bad boy who turns into a good boy because of me (don't we all kind of want that?) But Dr. Aiden Blake is a new and refreshing book boyfriend for me. I can't wait to be up with him for another night during books two and three!
Anyway........a four lipstick print review for Checked
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