Synopsis

Unexpected friends, Mimi and Grace, have had a sisterly bond since their sons were in diapers despite their differing opinions on lifestyle and parenting. But when their now teens’ attendance at a party  has a tragic outcome for Grace’s son, their friendship is publicly tested.

Accusations, litigation, and the judgements of her neighbors in Potomac Point prove to threaten Mimi’s business and more importantly, her current custody agreement. Grace, whose marriage is crumbling, is only tormented further when a handsome police officer turns out to not only be Mimi’s only hope, but her second chance at love. As both of their lives unravel under the stress, guilt, and blame,  the former friends stand to lose everything if they fail to embrace forgiveness amidst challenging consequences and unimaginable grief.

As a mother, Jamie’s goal was to write this book in a way that would spark conversation around a topic she wants to see come to the surface for the sake of keeping teenagers safe: drinking. For All She Knows explores the reasoning and repercussions of both strict and permissive parenting when it comes to the drinking age. The story provides a vehicle for productive conversation between parents of opposing views, encouraging both sides to find common ground for discussion.

Review

This is a powerful story about love, friendship, faith, and forgiveness.

I had such mixed emotions reading this book. I think all of the characters are flawed in one way or another and their lives will be forever changed due to an unforeseen event. This event has the power to change lives, rip apart friendships, and potentially break up marriages.

While I do not have any children, this book was hard for me to read. I can only imagine how I would feel if I were in Grace or Mimi’s shoes. Grace has some baggage from her childhood that has caused her to be rigid and unbending when it comes to the accident. There were many times I wanted to shake her and ask her why she was torpedoing everything in her life. I think she was the most frustrating character for me. At the same time, I can understand her side of things and her emotions, mostly guilt, about not keeping her son safe. But can we ever truly keep someone from harm?

Mimi has her own issues as a single mother dealing with an ex that doesn’t seem to care much for his son except when it might benefit him. Mimi has a heart of gold and it is no wonder she and Grace were fast friends. But this accident puts their friendship to the test and it will come down to whether Grace can move forward or not. But the incident is not without consequences for Mimi as well and it has her rethinking her views on raising her son.

There are some strong supporting characters including Grace’s husband Sam, Grace and Sam’s son Carter, and Mimi’s son Rowan. I didn’t really like Grace’s daughter, Kim. I know she is only 10 but she seemed spoiled and entitled for someone that young.

The book also delves into small-town politics in the respect that people tend to take sides in an issue or situation without knowing all of the facts or because they are short-sighted and perhaps don’t want to admit to their own shortcomings.

Overall, this was a fantastic book and brought forth so many emotions, and had me thinking about how I would handle certain situations. We give the book 5 paws up.

About the Author

National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She’s a Booksellers’ Best Award and National Readers’ Choice Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing, the author of the Cabot novels, the Sterling Canyon novels, and the St. James series enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.

Fans can learn more about her on her website, www.jamiebeck.com, which includes a fun “Extras” page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook.

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