Rolling Toward Clear Skies by Catherine Ryan Hyde @catherineryanhyde @catherineryanhyde.bsky.social @kate_rudd_reads @katerudd.bsky.social @brilliancepublishing #RollingTowardClearSkies

the setup…
Margaret (Maggie) Blount is a 41-year old physician, divorced and the mother of two teens, Willa and Gemma (sixteen and fourteen, respectively). She and her romantic partner Alex are also part of Doctors on Wheels, an organization he founded and fundraises for, that responds to natural disasters. Her thriving practice allows her to take these leaves. Sounds perfect, right? Maggie is concerned about her daughters who she loves but doesn’t like very much. They’re spoiled, entitled and she’s unsure of how to fix things. But when she returns from a hurricane disaster in Louisiana with two orphaned teens (Jean & Rose) and a dog she decided to foster and adopt, her household turns into a battlefield.

the heart of the story…
There’s no doubt that Maggie’s decision to bring those traumatized girls home with her was for all the right reasons. But deep down, it also was true that they provided her with the affection and respect she yearned for from Willa and Gemma. Yes, they were truly awful (and mean) young girls but Maggie had to own responsibility for how they turned out. Her lack of a plan was stunning and even though I didn’t like those brats, I sympathized with their reactions.

the narration…
Kate Rudd managed to give Maggie perfect voice while managing the same for four teenagers. She nailed Willa & Gemma as well as Jean & Rose, all while being an excellent storyteller.

the bottom line…
Blended families can be difficult to navigate under ideal circumstances and there certainly were excessive minefields here. I appreciated that Maggie was an imperfect parent and owned it, allowing others in her life to give her much needed advice, including her own mother. Willa & Gemma may have been presented as villains initially but their underlying issues were given validation. There were no easy answers or solutions, just commitment and hard work to create a loving and respectful family. There’s a lot to learn here.

Book Info

• Release Date: November 12, 2024
• Narrator: Kate Rudd
• Audio Length: 8 hours, 5 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)