This is the story of NIck, a teenager trying to deal with the fact his parents have split up. In the first part of the book, we follow Nick and his family as he grows up.

It’s a good life, and both his moms bring balance to their parenting, while Erin his birth mom, is the more reserved parent, more likely to back down and put her head in to the sand when problems crop up, and Jo his other mom is a much more, sparky character, and will fight for what she think is right.

They live a pretty happy life until Nick’s teenage years, when first Erin, develops cancer. The worry and fear for the future this causes, starts the problems, Jo’s drinking, starts to worsen and eventually, Erin meets and falls for someone else, tearing the family apart.

When Nick attempts to keep his relationship with Jo, the parent he’s always been closer to, Erin digs her heals in and refuses to let him see his second mother.

Because they were never able to marry, and Jo never foresaw the need to adopt Nick. She has no rights, to see the son she has brought up.

The last part of the book is incredibly painful to read, your heart just breaks for Nick and Jo, as they fight to be allowed to see each other.

Thank God for book-blogging! That’s all I can say.

Because without it, this fantastic book would never have appeared on my radar. Not only is it not readily available here in the UK (apart from places like The Book Depository that is) but, well I’ll be honest, even it was it’s not likely one I’d pick up. I tend to steer clear of anything that sounds remotely like an ‘issue’ book…

If this is an ‘issue’ book then it’s not the one you might think. The only issue that is important in this book is the utter, desperate pain, the disintegration of a family unit can cause. Whatever the make-up of that family unit may be.

It was of course Amanda from The Zen Leaf, who hard sold this to me and a few others and I can thank he enough for having done so.

If you haven’t already done so, go out and grab a copy of this as soon as you can!

Other Reviews to Consider

The Zen Leaf | The Little Bookworm | Stuff as Dreams are Made on | Bookshelves of Doom | Big A Little a | Dear Author

Buy: Between Mom and Jo by Julie Anne Peters from The Book Depository