Published January 6, 2015 by NAL Trade
In this compelling and poignant debut novel, a woman
skilled at caring for animals must learn to mend the broken relationships in
her family.…
For veterinarian Geneva Novak, animals can be easier to understand than people. They’re also easier to forgive. But when her mother, Helen, is injured in a vodka-fueled accident, it’s up to Geneva to give her the care she needs.
Since her teens, Geneva has kept her self-destructive mother at arm’s length. Now, with two slippery teenagers of her own at home, the last thing she wants is to add Helen to the mix. But Geneva’s husband convinces her that letting Helen live with them could be her golden chance to repair their relationship.
Geneva isn’t expecting her mother to change anytime soon, but she may finally get answers to the questions she’s been asking for so long. As the truth about her family unfolds, however, Geneva may find secrets too painful to bear and too terrible to forgive.
For veterinarian Geneva Novak, animals can be easier to understand than people. They’re also easier to forgive. But when her mother, Helen, is injured in a vodka-fueled accident, it’s up to Geneva to give her the care she needs.
Since her teens, Geneva has kept her self-destructive mother at arm’s length. Now, with two slippery teenagers of her own at home, the last thing she wants is to add Helen to the mix. But Geneva’s husband convinces her that letting Helen live with them could be her golden chance to repair their relationship.
Geneva isn’t expecting her mother to change anytime soon, but she may finally get answers to the questions she’s been asking for so long. As the truth about her family unfolds, however, Geneva may find secrets too painful to bear and too terrible to forgive.
My Thoughts…
I have to start with the cover. I am not a huge animal person, but that
puppy on the front cover is adorable and pulled me right in. The white picket fence symbolizes the American
family to me. I was intrigued before I
even started the book, while hoping that this was not just a cute dog
story. House Broken is a family
story. The Novak family has been torn
apart by secrets and is working at getting back together.
Geneva, the main character, has secrets that she doesn’t
even know about. When her life comes
crashing down, starting with her husband and continuing with her kids, mother,
and siblings, Geneva knows that she has to toughen up and work through it. I feel like her mother is the worst of the
problems. She is an adult and should
know better, yet with every decision she makes Geneva’s life harder and
harder. I wanted someone to tell her
to grow up and fend for herself. At
no point did I feel like Helen took anyone into consideration other than
herself. Yet, Geneva managed to work
through all of her family’s problems and become a strong, healthier, and more
understanding mother, wife, and overall person.
This is the first book of Sonja Young’s I have read. I love that she pulls the reader in from
the very first page and keeps the reader engaged until the story is entirely
told. Sometimes I had to put the book
down and just think about what had just happen or been said. I believe this is a story that will stay with
me for a while. It will definitely make
me appreciate how drama free my family is (at least most of the time).
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