Search This Blog









2023 Literary Escapes Challenge





2023 Build Your Library Reading Challenge







Tense Family Drama Convinces Me Riggle's A Writer to Watch

Considering the mistakes she's made in the past, Edna Leigh Casey can hardly believe she's landed someone as stable as Michael Turner. Despite the ten year difference in their ages, 26-year-old Casey feels understood and valued by Michael, so much so that she's agreed to marry him. In the meantime, they're living together in the quaint Heritage Hills area of Grand Rapids, Michigan, playing house with Michael's three children. Although the kids react to Casey's presence with varying degrees of disdain, she's determined to make the situation work. Even when she wants to scream, she keeps her lips tightly sealed. After all, Michael appreciates Casey so much because she's the opposite of his hysterical ex-wife, Mallory. But all the tongue-biting is starting to wear on Casey and she wonders if it's time to come clean to her very exacting fiancee - about her dubious past, about her doubts concerning stepmotherhood, about his moody silences, even about her real name.
On the day Casey decides to leave Michael, breaking their engagement in order to keep her secrets buried, Michael's 14-year-old son disappears. Dylan's always been a quiet, responsible kid, not the type to skip school or take off without telling anyone where he's going. Lately, Casey had even been getting him to open up a little. Knowing she can't abandon the Turners at such a terrible time, Casey stays, determined to help bring Dylan back home. Mallory also insists on "helping," which involves moving her drama queen derriere in for the duration. Her presence stirs up the kids, pushes Casey and Michael even farther apart, and generally makes Casey want to scream. When Casey reaches her breaking point, she has to make a crucial decision - she either has to find her voice or stick to her original plan and leave. Either way, she could lose Michael and the kids. Forever.
Things We Didn't Say by Kristina Riggle is one of those tense family dramas that keeps me riveted while making me feel totally depressed at the same time. There are lots of things I like about it - the portrayal of a patient, loving father with full custody of his kids, for one - but the overall tone of the book left me a little blue. I don't even know why, really. Overall, the story kept my attention, the characters grabbed my sympathy, and the skilled writing helped me feel like I was right in the middle of the action. The novel didn't knock my socks off, but it did convince me that Riggle's a writer to watch. And you know I'll be watching.
(Readalikes: The writing style reminds me a little of Jodi Picoult's.)
Grade: B-
If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language and a small amount of sexual content
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Things We Didn't Say from the generous folks at Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours, for whom this review was written.
4 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!




Reading
Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center

Listening
Empty Mansions by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell, Jr.



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
November Reading Wrap Up 20232 hours ago
-
-
Time Travel Thursday4 hours ago
-
-
-
-
A Review of A Winter’s Night8 hours ago
-
My Tel Aviv Table By Limor Chen9 hours ago
-
-
The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill12 hours ago
-
Shades of Death by Angela Ransom12 hours ago
-
November Reflections15 hours ago
-
On the Run 920 hours ago
-
WIP Wednesday for 29 November 202323 hours ago
-
-
The Fourth Rule - Jeff Lindsay1 day ago
-
-
-
-
Nonfiction November: New to my TBR1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
I have been reading...3 days ago
-
Sunday Salon: November 26, 20234 days ago
-
-
-
2024 Motif Reading Challenge1 week ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 month ago
-
Reading Recap August 20232 months ago
-
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra5 months ago
-
-
Dotty Beanie with Ears6 months ago
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
I think I might like this author if she reminds you of Picoult. I'll keep an eye on her. This does sound like a good read. Thanks for your honest review.
ReplyDeleteWow, really surprising and interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteYou can visit my also and follow/subscribe if you want :)
http://bianchii.blogspot.com
This sounds like a great read. I have been looking for some non-paranormal fiction to read. I have never read this author before but sounds like I might like the writing!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you'll be looking for more by this author even though this one didn't knock your socks off.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour.