I really like stories featuring complex family dynamics, and this is what initially drew me to Sharina Harris's "Judge's Girls." There's Judge Joseph Donaldson, and the three woman in his life: his first daughter from his first marriage, his second wife, and her daughter/his stepdaughter. That's Maya, Jeanie, and Ryder in order. Sounds normal enough, except that his relationship with Jeanie was fairly scandalous, being that she's a lot younger than him, and white, and was his secretary.
As I was expecting, Maya and Jeanie weren't on the best of terms before Joseph's death, and after he's gone, they have little reason to remain family (there is Ryder, who Maya does care for). Which is why, when Maya inherits the family lake house, he has the stipulation that Jeanie can stay there, thus keeping them together by force from beyond the grave... Which could either save their relationship with each other, or totally destroy it. Just the kind of messy family dynamics I was looking for.
There are some subplots in this book I didn't care much for... It was especially hard getting through Jeanie's struggles with alcohol, and I felt like as a whole the story would've been stronger if Ryder wasn't one of the main POV characters; i.e. if it focused almost completely on Maya and Jeanie's contentious relationship. But the central story was strong enough as is, and everything came together to result in a good story about overcoming grief and truly becoming a family.
As I was expecting, Maya and Jeanie weren't on the best of terms before Joseph's death, and after he's gone, they have little reason to remain family (there is Ryder, who Maya does care for). Which is why, when Maya inherits the family lake house, he has the stipulation that Jeanie can stay there, thus keeping them together by force from beyond the grave... Which could either save their relationship with each other, or totally destroy it. Just the kind of messy family dynamics I was looking for.
There are some subplots in this book I didn't care much for... It was especially hard getting through Jeanie's struggles with alcohol, and I felt like as a whole the story would've been stronger if Ryder wasn't one of the main POV characters; i.e. if it focused almost completely on Maya and Jeanie's contentious relationship. But the central story was strong enough as is, and everything came together to result in a good story about overcoming grief and truly becoming a family.