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| A FAMILY AFFAIR - Robyn Carr Anna McNichol, raised by a single mother, is determined that her marriage, as imperfect as it is, will survive, and that all of the advantages she's made sure her three children have had will help them in life. To Anna keeping her marriage together, despite her husband, Chad's, admitted affair, is all important. But, just in case, Anna is also determined not to be left a single mother, so after Chad's indiscretion, she goes to law school, and has become a well-respected attorney in San Francisco. And now after being appointed to the bench, and with her husband's growing frustration with their marriage, Anna isn't sure she and Chad should remain together. All of that is moot now, however, after Chad dies in a river rafting accident. And just who was the pregnant young woman who attended his funeral? Just what secrets was Chad hiding from her? Anna and Chad's eldest daughter, Jessie, is a high-strung, no-nonsense internal medicine doctor who adored her father, respects her mother, although the mother/daughter relationship has been an issue all of their lives. Jessie is angry that her mother "allowed" her father to go on the rafting trip despite not being a swimmer. There is also the problem of Jessie's inability to maintain a relationship with a man. She and her latest have just broken up. And when a surgeon at her hospital shows interest, Jessie's possessiveness again rears its ugly head. Why can't she keep a man happy? Michael, the only son, is a teacher, sports coach, and, generally, a nice guy. He and his father were close, but he and Anna have a special relationship. Devastated by Chad's death, Michael is finding it difficult to move on. Plus, his fear of commitment is threatening his feelings for Jenn, a fellow teacher he's been involved with for a few months. Bess, the youngest, has Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism. She is in law school, is an over-achiever, and mourns her father in her own way. Not one to show emotion, Bess returns to her studies. Anna knows that her daughter is hurting, but also knows that Bess is handling this situation her own way. Finding her way as a widow, Anna struggles to come to terms with her feelings, or lack thereof, for Chad. He seemed to be pulling further away from her the last few years, and she blamed jealousy of her growing fame as a judge, and Chad's life-long narcissism. He had been a prominent clinical psychologist, adored by his children, and popular with their friends. But life was never perfect enough for him. What else could she have done? Families are all different, and the McNichols are learning how to live their lives without Chad, each in their own way. But when his will is read, it becomes clear to all of them that they didn't know him as well as they thought they did. All Anna wants to do is hold her family together, but different personalities make for differing reactions. Family dynamics, secrets, and love are what A FAMILY AFFAIR is all about. Readers will understand the emotions of losing a loved one, and what happens when someone hasn't been honest in a relationship. Robyn Carr is, once again, writing about real life. Jani Brooks |
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