It's funny I always seem to read books in blocks-almost without meaning to. This seems to be my week to read stories based in the Bay Area, about women facing heartbreak, and how they handle it.The Miller women are having a tough time. The very same day Janice's husband's company struck financial gold, he served her with divorce papers. Reminiscent of Starter Wives, June Cleaver clone SAHM Janice is at a loss as to handle her life once she's no longer Mrs. Miller. Older daughter Margaret is also facing her own heartbreak, when she's forced to admit her own baby, a magazine she's spent $100,000 of others' money to get off the ground is dead in the water. Lizzie, the youngest Miller woman, is struggling with womanhood itself. At fourteen years old, she's using sex to combat low self-esteem.
Completely ill-equipped Janice escapes into the world of drugs reveling in the escape of cleaning, cooking, and being high, leaving Margaret in charge. Lizzie rebels in her own way falling into Church and the Bible in a way to repair her damaged psyche and to repent for her sins of the flesh.
Despite the trite cliche of the topic- I mean, do we really need another Silicone Valley High Society New Money Tale of Betrayal? Yawn. However Janelle Brown's writing style redeems the lackluster subject matter. Believe me it wasn't because Janice is such a sympathetic character. Most of the book I wanted to shake the holy bejeezus out of her. Margaret, a wonderfully dynamic character, for the most part carries the story. Poor Lizzie, you want to gather in your arms and smother.
If I have any complaints it's the end-there isn't any. It's as though the author looked at her word count and decided she'd written enough. It simply ends, abruptly. Huh? Still a worthwhile read. We never sure how we'd handle the situation until we're faced with the horror. I have to think I would do a better job but who knows?
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