Reviewer Comments: This story focuses on the Tobias family, Calvin, Chloe, Marshall and Meghan, who live in the Everglade region of Florida. Cal is a fisherman; Chloe, a stay at home mom who dabbles in art restoration; Marshall, a college student and Meghan, a school student. Marshall is home for the spring break and brings his new girlfriend, Ada. Ada creates dissention as she is involved in an incident that threatens to tear the family apart.
Meghan suffers from allergies but particularly peanuts and Ada feeds her a biscuit that has peanuts in it and suggests to Marshall that a small amount will only help to build up tolerance so when the reaction happens, and Meghan is near death, Ada suggests they pray for her to get better. Meghan ends up in a coma and Marshall and Ada are charged with child abuse. Marshall is also trying to find religion or his faith after his best friend was killed by a train.
The story is written from two perspectives, Chloe, the mother, in the first person, and Marshall, the son, in the third person. It does take a little time to get used to the change of person but eventually you get the flow which initially might be off putting.
This story was an interesting read as the reader is able to see how an event like this is able to tear a family apart. Cal and Chloe separate as she questions his love for his son and daughter due to the level of support and what she sees as criticism of the way she has over-nurtured their son, Marshall. There is always such interconnectedness with the catalyst event, the characters and also the secondary characters.
This story is not light-hearted but makes for interesting reading in terms of the way in which Chloe thinks about her life and how her perceptions change and the unconditional love there is for children regardless of what they have done and religion or faith, is a focal point. Unfortunately, the blurb on the back highlights the trials of Marshall after his friend died. However, this does not come through as much in the story as I thought it would and still do not really know how Marshall felt about his friend’s death, as it has become a minor event.
