Book Review of a novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde, a favorite author who combines relatable dilemmas and interesting characters who often tug at your heartstrings. This is a heartfelt novel of hope and second chances.
A Synopsis of Rolling Toward Clear Skies
Maggie Blount is a California GP and divorced mother of two teenage girls. In addition to her private practice with 3 other physicians, she also works with Alex, her professional (and romantic) partner, running Doctors on Wheels. Their mobile non-profit vans provide free medical care in the aftermath of disasters.
The story begins as Maggie & Alex get ready to head to Louisiana where a hurricane is about to make landfall. Maggie’s daughters, Willa and Gemma, go to stay with their father for the duration, complaining all the way, as they have grown up to be very entitled, spoiled girls.
During their time in Louisiana, Maggie and Alex treat 2 loving teenage sisters whose parents were killed in the storm that destroyed their home. There is also a terrified puppy who becomes as attached to the girls as the girls do to him.
When it is found that these sisters' only remaining relatives are very elderly grandparents who are unable to care for them, Maggie decides to foster Jean and Rose. After some preliminary paperwork and home visits by social services, Jean & Rose come to live with Maggie and her family.
It is an emotional story that eventually finds Maggie’s new blended family in chaos. The foster sisters, Jean and Rose, are polite and appreciative and feel blessed to have found a safe new home. Maggie’s own daughters are self-involved teenagers who have grown up always having everything they wanted and who resist this intrusion by strangers into their privileged lives. Maggie knows she has made some mistakes in parenting her daughters, giving them too much to make up for her long work hours and the divorce.
Maggie seeks help through a therapist to admit her role in Willa & Gemma’s entitled upbringing, and to learn how to teach her daughters about gratitude and empathy. She begins to learn to undo the damage and anticipate the needs of all four girls, Alex, and the puppy.
Summary
Wise words and insightful observations combine to bring about a satisfying conclusion to this topical, thought-provoking, and appealing story.
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*Review of the book “Rolling Toward Clear Skies” was written by Wednesday Elf
