The Real Mother

I love all of Judith Michael's work and this one did not disappoint. I don't usually buy hard cover books but I treated myself since this was a vacation read.

I thought this book was very good. I don't understand the negative reviews. Yes, there are "swears" in the book, but Sara helps the children see that swearing is uncreative and asks them to use more appropriate language. I think this is an excellent message--because many teenagers do swear at times! I loved that the family wasn't the traditional 2 parent intact family. Maybe that's what the negative reviewers were upset about. The fact that Sara and her siblings were doing the best they could to stay together and love each other was very moving. Also, Sara found happiness and balance to her life with Reuben, but they both understood that "nothing's perfect" and that relationships take a lot of work. I loved the message of this book, loved the suspense, loved the romance--I recommend it highly.

Writing under the name of Judith Michael, the husband/wife team of Judith Barnard and Michael Fain have won a host of fans (A Certain Smile). They know just how much romance to blend with suspense to make readers happy. They've done it again with "The Real Mother." Daytime Emmy nominee Melissa Leo gives a virtuoso performance of this story of a giving young woman faced with difficult choices. She beautifully segues between the almost saintly Sara Elliott and the often foul-mouthed 20-year-old Mack. When Sara's mother suffers a disabling stroke, Sara returns to Chicago to take on the care of her step brothers and sisters. There is no one else. Her father is dead, her mother's second husband took off, and Mack, the eldest from her mother's second marriage, also took to the road - but not for long. Mack returns, rather nonchalantly just as if he had never deserted his responsibility for his younger siblings. He's a complex character, swinging between volatile and thoughtful. It's not long before the young ones align themselves with him against Sara. However, there's light on the horizon in the form of Reuben, a steadfast man from New York who wants to build a low-income housing project. As we best know, the best laid plans can go awry or made to go awry. An engrossing listen.

I really loved this book. My own family is struggling with some difficult issues, and this story really made me feel hopeful because it pointed out that "atypical" families can still be strong and loving. I'm a big Judith Michael fan. This book, like all her books, is well-written, sensitive, thoughtful, and a great read.