Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers
Why did you choose this book? I’ve read other books by this author and this one sounded good!
When did you read this book? October 2014
Who should read this book? readers who enjoy stories of family drama
Source: Goodreads First Reads
Accidents of Marriage explores a topic rarely shown in fiction: the destruction left in the wake of spouse’s verbal fury. Ben never meant to hurt Maddy. He never imagined his recklessness would lead to tragedy.
Maddy is a social worker trying to balance her career and three children. Years ago, she fell in love with Ben, a public defender, drawn to his fiery passion, but now he’s lashing out at her during his periodic verbal furies. She vacillates between tiptoeing around him and asserting herself for the sake of their kids – which works to keep a fragile peace – until the rainy day when they’re together in the car and Ben’s volatile temper gets the best of him, leaving Maddy in the hospital fighting for her life.
Randy Susan Meyers takes us inside the hearts and minds of her characters, alternating among the perspectives of Maddy, Ben, and their fourteen-year-old daughter. Accidents of Marriage is a provocative and stunning novel that will resonate deeply with women from all walks of life, ultimately revealing the challenges of family, faith, and forgiveness.
ACCIDENTS OF MARRIAGE explores a topic rarely shown in fiction: the damaging effects of a spouse’s emotional abuse.
My Review
This one is a good one and the book kept my interest from the beginning! It is not always an easy read, but it is a good read. I chose to read this book because I had previously read and enjoyed The Murderer’s Daughters by the same author. While I enjoyed that one, I can say without hesitation that I enjoyed this one so much more!
Maddy and Ben have been married long enough to be settled into their marriage and to take each other for granted. Maddy is a social worker working full time and Ben is an attorney. With three children, one of them a young teen, things are not always easy and when Ben is stressed, he is not a pleasant person to be around. He has a temper and at times his anger is abusive. Emma, the oldest child, sees the effect this has on her mother and is resentful. Ben’s anger leads to tragedy, and Maddy ends up in the hospital with her survival in question. The rest of the book follows the struggles the family faces while watching Maddy fight for her life. It would be very easy to give some spoilers here, so I’m not going to say anymore about the actual storyline.
I really liked the way the story was told in alternating points of view, with each chapter giving voice to a different character. This is not a new technique but it is very effective in this book. I particularly liked the character of Anne, Maddy’s mother, and the way she interacted with both Ben and her grandchildren. This is a story about our capacity to forgive, and Anne is a big believer in forgiveness. One thing I didn’t like so much was the ending. It felt more like a ‘to be continued’ with the reader as the one responsible for continuing the story. That will not bother most readers, but if you read here much, you know I like nice neat endings. Truly though, that doesn’t take away from the story or how much I liked the book. If you enjoy reading about family drama, pick this one up. You won’t be sorry you did!
My Rating: ★★★★ 4 Stars
I received a review copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads program in return for an honest review.
I really liked the different perspectives here too, but I wished there had been more about why Maddie feel in love with Ben or any redeeming features in his perspective. As is, I felt like this was a very morally black and white story, when it could have been a bit more complex.
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