Compact and focused, The Chemistry of Connection reports on and interprets a great body of research about what goes on inside our brains and bodies in relation to our feelings of love, trust, fear, passion, and connection. The author makes a strong case that the parenting we received in our first months and years affects how we form relationships for the rest of our lives. She also sheds light on the landmine-studded terrain of puberty. Importantly, she gives hope, even if we did not get optimal care while we were developing, by documenting the plasticity of our brains and offering some activities and exercises we can perform to strengthen our oxytocin response and reprogram our responses so that we can learn to connect, no matter how old we are.