The first thing to say is that the publisher’s description of the book is quite misleading and don’t decide not to read it because of what’s said. I was pleasantly surprised by the real story.
Ruby Powell leads a seemingly nice life in an affluent Dallas neighborhood. But, behind closed doors, she relies on anti-anxiety meds to cope with a failing marriage, as well as trying to deal with a daughter who apparently detests her and a son who suffers some nightmares from a toddlerhood kidnapping. She knows her husband’s secret and decides to bide her time as problems with her children start to upend her life. Especially when she’s threatened.
This was quite the wild ride and totally not what I expected given the plot summary. The story is told from various points of view with some flashbacks that make sense at the climax and final reveals. I honestly didn’t see that coming and I love when a twist can shock me. The characters were sure interesting and I gravitated between disgust and empathy. I really had a hard time dealing with how Millie treated her mom so hideously beyond normal teenager bad behavior. I appreciated how the epilogues tied things up and all the loose ends came together. I liked the ending. What a messed up family for sure but the most interesting kind are the messy ones. It was a little heavier than I prefer with kid and teen drama but I enjoyed it. And, perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I liked Ruby even if she is really whack.
I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC given to me by the publisher and NetGalley. At first I wasn’t sure I was going to like her voice, but the narrator, Jessica Taige, ended up doing a fantastic job giving life to all the characters. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the book.
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre and tags: domestic thriller, adultery, family trauma and drama, mental illness. PTSD, teacher-student relationship with grooming, sexual assault, rape
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