Narrator: Kate Rudd
Brilliance Audio
ISBN: 9781662504457
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: 11/12/2024
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
A foster mother must contend with the emotional turmoil of her new blended family in a heartfelt novel of hope and second chances by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex―Maggie’s professional and romantic partner―wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a category five hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two sisters and their puppy, all orphaned by the storm. It’s enough to break Maggie’s heart, and she’s not leaving them behind.
Feeling blessed and looking forward to their new foster home in affluent Vista del Mar―a world apart from the one they’ve known―Jean and Rose are polite, appreciative, and humble. Frankly, polar opposite of Maggie’s own self-involved teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma, who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Soon enough, Maggie’s new blended family is in chaos.
Teaching Willa and Gemma about gratitude and empathy will be hard enough. Maggie must also admit her own role in their entitled upbringing, undo the damage, and anticipate the needs of all four girls and a puppy, all amid faraway natural disasters and those closer to home.
My Review
NYT Bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hydes (favorite author) returns following Life, Loss, and Puffins , with her latest family domestic drama, ROLLING TOWARD CLEAR SKIES— A foster mother must deal with the emotional turmoil of her new blended family in a heartfelt novel of hope and second chances.
LOVE SURVIVES ALL DISASTERS.
About...
Meet Dr. Maggie Blount, a 41-year-old divorced doctor and a mother of two teenage girls, Willa (16) and Gemma (14). She works as a GP in California and volunteers for Doctors on Wheels, going to disaster sites with a team where she experiences the extremes of life. Her journey is filled with emotional challenges that many can relate to.
Her daughters have lived a very privileged life, and Maggie thought she was giving them everything. But now she struggles with their behavior and expectations (like most teens), and her girls try to use the threat about going to live with their dad. (I liked how Maggie held her ground.)
There was a natural disaster leaving two teen girls (Jean and Rose Bradshaw) without parents and homeless and a dog, and it breaks Maggie's heart.
Despite their privileged upbringing, Maggie's daughters, Willa and Gemma, often display selfish, entitled, and uncaring behavior. In contrast, the foster girls, Jean and Rose Bradshaw, make Maggie feel loved, needed, and respected. This stark difference in the girls' attitudes is a significant part of Maggie's emotional journey.
Maggie decides to foster and later adopt the girls; however, there is a tough road ahead when her daughters resent their new blended family with many challenges and a good supply of tough love.
Broken into:
Part One: Two Girls
Part Two: A Different Two Girls
Part Three: All Four Girls
Epilogue: One Year Later
My thoughts...
ROLLING TOWARD CLEAR SKIES is a compelling tale that is heartfelt and relevant in today's world. There are two sides to a coin (good and evil) and as always, Catherine Ryan Hyde is a pro at getting to the heart of the matter and important life lessons and wisdom we gain from others.
Captivating! The author brilliantly explores challenging, emotionally charged themes, including the loss and tragic death of the girl's parents and a family friend, cyberbullying, identity, social media, jealousy, and self-discovery while exploring nature versus nurture.
I love the creative chapter titles.
Tragic events in our lives can often be a wake-up call. The novel is a great example of two different families blended with different backgrounds. In our age of social media, people often project a perfect life and happy family, which places pressure on others to live up to these ideals.
Knowing how much/little to give our children is tough for parents. There is a fine line between giving them too much and not enough. I enjoyed the contrast between the four girls and their backgrounds. If only all teens could look at life without all the stuff and those less fortunate.
A blending of family drama, domestic, sisters, friendship, humor, women's fiction, and coming of age. CRH is a long-time favorite author; I have read all her books. She is in a class all her own. This is an ideal book club pick (book club questions included). It is a must-read book with a strong takeaway message.
I am so glad I had sons, as I hear girls bring a lot of drama. (And four in one house with different personalities and backgrounds? You can only imagine.)
Recs...
This novel is for readers who enjoy tales of love, family dynamics, and uplifting stories of overcoming loss and tragedy with hope. Her fans and those who enjoy reading books by Fredrik Backman, T. Greenwood, Kristin Hannah, and Diane Chamberlain will adore.
Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for providing an advanced review copy for an honest opinion.
@JudithDColins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Nov 12, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
Praise
“Prolific and popular novelist Hyde (Life, Loss, and Puffins) produces another emotional roller coaster…A complex human story told in Hyde’s straightforward style, with plenty to discuss and disagree over in book groups.” ―Library Journal
About the Author
A foster mother must contend with the emotional turmoil of her new blended family in a heartfelt novel of hope and second chances by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
Maggie Blount, divorced mother of two and California physician, puts her private practice on hold when disaster strikes. Doctors on Wheels takes her and Alex―Maggie’s professional and romantic partner―wherever they’re needed. After rolling into rural Louisiana in the wake of a category five hurricane, Maggie immediately bonds with two sisters and their puppy, all orphaned by the storm. It’s enough to break Maggie’s heart, and she’s not leaving them behind.
Feeling blessed and looking forward to their new foster home in affluent Vista del Mar―a world apart from the one they’ve known―Jean and Rose are polite, appreciative, and humble. Frankly, polar opposite of Maggie’s own self-involved teenage daughters, Willa and Gemma, who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Soon enough, Maggie’s new blended family is in chaos.
Teaching Willa and Gemma about gratitude and empathy will be hard enough. Maggie must also admit her own role in their entitled upbringing, undo the damage, and anticipate the needs of all four girls and a puppy, all amid faraway natural disasters and those closer to home. WEBSITE
