After well-known Judge Donaldson dies suddenly from a heart attack, the three women closest to him emotionally fracture and are left reeling. It becomes even more complicated when they learn that in order to collect the nest egg, they must all live together. Oldest daughter Maya feels childhood hurts anew as past pain and memories of her stepmother Jeanie are brought up. Jeanie, meanwhile, is so focused on her own loss that she resorts to bad habits that quickly spiral out of control. Seventeen-year-old Ryder, while rebelling in her own way, shows that age does not equal maturity.
Each of the women is strong in her own way but won’t fully heal or find closure until she learns to lean on her family. This story is as much as character study as it is a journey of learning how to communicate with those in our lives instead of relying on our own perspectives and past memories for interpretation. There is also a thoughtful examination of race and interracial relationships that is especially relevant to this story (for instance, there is an incident where someone states that Maya and Ryder cannot be sisters since Maya is Black and Ryder is white).
This was a feel-good story that emphasized the importance of being honest not only with others, but with ourselves. Throughout the book, the women take deeper looks into their lives and ask themselves what is it they really want out of life and who do they want to be. While losing a husband and father, they gain a heightened self-awareness and healthier emotional outlook.
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy. This did not impact my review.
Each of the women is strong in her own way but won’t fully heal or find closure until she learns to lean on her family. This story is as much as character study as it is a journey of learning how to communicate with those in our lives instead of relying on our own perspectives and past memories for interpretation. There is also a thoughtful examination of race and interracial relationships that is especially relevant to this story (for instance, there is an incident where someone states that Maya and Ryder cannot be sisters since Maya is Black and Ryder is white).
This was a feel-good story that emphasized the importance of being honest not only with others, but with ourselves. Throughout the book, the women take deeper looks into their lives and ask themselves what is it they really want out of life and who do they want to be. While losing a husband and father, they gain a heightened self-awareness and healthier emotional outlook.
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy. This did not impact my review.