A Family Affair
by Robyn Carr
Publisher: MIRA
Release Date: April 5, 2022
Reviewed by PJ
Life’s biggest dilemmas can provide its sweetest rewards
Anna McNichol knows how to take charge. Raised by a single mother, she’s worked to ensure her three children have every advantage she didn’t. And while her marriage has its problems, she values commitment and believes in "till death do us part." Now an empty nester, she’s at the peak of her career and ready to seize the opportunity to focus on her future.
But life can change in an instant, and when her husband dies suddenly, Anna’s carefully constructed world falls apart. The mysterious young woman at the memorial service confirms her husband had been keeping secrets, and Anna is determined to get to the truth.
For once, she doesn’t have the answers. Her kids are struggling with their grief, her mother’s health is in decline and Anna needs closure. Faced with one challenge after another, she finds support from an unexpected source. And as she puts her life back together, Anna realizes the McNichols may not be perfect but they’ll always be family, and family is forever.
PJ's Thoughts:
Robyn Carr has a way of drawing me into her stories, immersing me into her characters' lives and developing connections between them and me, the reader, that convinces me I have an actual stake in what happens to them. I share their emotions, empathize with them when they find themselves in difficult situations, celebrate their progress, and root for them to find a better way, even when they're at their worst. I was surprised that the character who is definitely at her worst in the first half of the book turned out to be one of my favorites by the end. That's another of Carr's skills. She's skilled at peeling away layers, facing a character's flaws and fears head on, then working through those flaws to find that better path.
In A Family Affair, Carr explores the impact an unexpected death can have on multiple people. It's a fascinating study of a close family who each feels the loss in a different way. And when details of the secrets held by the deceased come to light, how they handle that as well. The characters are beautifully developed, with all the strengths, weaknesses, and flaws we humans hold. That's one of the things I most enjoy about Robyn Carr's characters. They are so real. I always feel as if they could be someone I meet in the course of a regular day in my life. I enjoy how each member of the family is explored in depth, both as an individual as well as a critical spoke in the family wheel.
While this book deals with some heavy topics, the story itself never felt heavy or burdensome to me. There's a strong thread of hope that prevails throughout. Anna, in particular, knows the freedom to be found in uncovering the truth, the healing power of forgiveness, and the joy of opening one's heart to the possibilities of new, and unexpected, love. The admiration and respect I feel for her are tremendous, especially in light of how she handles the life-altering challenges encountered during her journey. Those of you who enjoy mature characters (she's 57) with the perspective of a full life lived but also the courage to embrace a new chapter are likely to appreciate her character as much as I did.
This book is women's fiction, with the primary emphasis on the journeys of the four members of Anna's family, all different, all important. Romance is not at the forefront. However, Anna and her three children all have romantic threads that affect their lives to different degrees and the book ends with happy, hopeful prospects for each.
Do you read women's fiction novels? What do you like about them?
Have you read Robyn Carr?
Do you respond differently to mature characters in romance than younger ones?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, April 7 will receive print copies of Virgin River, Shelter Mountain, and Whispering Rock. (all signed by the author or with signed nameplates included).
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
*Void where prohibited
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buy Links:
Social Links:
Twitter: @RCarrWriter
Facebook: Robyn Carr
Instagram: @robyncarrwriter
