Is Tough Love Bullshit?

A devoted mother spends many years trying to save her daughter. From the moment she was born, Ava was a whirlwind-fiercely independent, wildly unpredictable, and deeply troubled. Diagnosed with ADHD and ODD, she tested every limit, fought against every boundary, and grew into a woman whose battles with alcohol use disorder and mental illness threatened to consume her.

Ava's mom did everything she could- doctor visits, therapy, support, tough love- but her daughter's path led her through toxic relationships, financial instability, and a relentless cycle of self-destruction. When Ava's final relationship isolates her completely, she spirals beyond her mother's reach. Then, a tragic fall takes her life, leaving behind two young children and a family shattered by grief.

Raw and deeply personal, this fiction memoir explores the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, the painful realities of alcohol use disorder, and the resilience it takes to love someone through their darkest moments. It is a story of loss, but also of strength, hope, and the power of letting go without giving up.

When faced with a disease of the trifecta- mind, body and spirit all intertwined- it is not easy to heal from and it is cloaked in stigma. Ava is finally free from her troubled life and some in her family believe she has finally found the peach she could not find in life.

Although her disorder robbed her of a future with her growing children, her story has been written to help others. The book is designed for the average person who is searching for answers to better understand substance use disorders and susceptibility in a society that is sometimes heartless and punitive.