Better Choices by Rod Pennington and Jeffery A. Martin
Source: NetGalley and Integration Press
Rating: 5/5 stars

Allison Clark previously believed she had her life and her sh*t together. Now, facing a divorce, the eighteenth birthday of her secretive twins, and a mother ready to drop bombshells now that her husband is dead, Allison isn’t at all sure about anything. In fact, Allison is on the verge of facing up to her bad choices and making significant changes in her life.

Like many parents, Allison is having a hard time seeing her twins as near-adults. Though her divorce is relatively amicable, Allison believes her twins know nothing about it; of course, her twins know all about the divorce and are on board with her decision. What’s more, in recent months, the twins have been secretive about their movements and activities. Though they have been careful, the jig is up when the high school calls Allison to report them absent without cause. When Allison tracks down the twins, she is blown away by what she discovers, and it takes everything in her and a stern talking to from her best friend (and lawyer!) not to lose her mind.

Up next on the agenda, Allison’s mother is in critical condition and the writing is on the wall with regards to the end of her life. As is typical, Allison’s mother has no interest in going quietly into the night and fully intends to live out her remaining days in any damn way she sees fit. To accommodate her mother, Allison, her aunt, and her aunt’s life partner all move in and then the fun really begins. Allison’s aunt’s life partner suffers from Alzheimer’s though she still has many wonderfully lucid hours each day. Between the bouts of memory loss, Allison’s coming to grips with the figurative loss of her twins, and the actual loss of her mother, Allison isn’t certain she can handle much more.

The Universe cares not for your emotional state.

On top of everything else, Allison’s ex is throwing a hissy fit about finances which forces the hand of Allison’s mother. When Allison’s mother finally spills the beans, the entire family is impacted and so many things from the past begin to fall neatly into place. With the future of her family radically altered, Allison does everything in her power to keep her sh*t together and not lose her damn mind.

The Bottom Line: Yet again, I find myself befuddled by the Goodreads star rating for a book! I found this book to be refreshingly light and rather wonderful despite all the crazy that occurs. In fact, it is all that crazy that occurs that makes this such an interesting and completely entertaining read. To get through the madness, Allison has to change her mindset and that opens up a whole new world for her. Her relationship with her mother and her twins greatly improves, she learns to be more open and accepting of life and its possibilities, and she finally finds her own voice and begins to use it, forcefully. There isn’t a character in this book I didn’t like, to one degree or another, and I found the blending of the sometimes wildly different personalities to be well-written and beautifully combined. In all, I found Better Choices to be an excellent read with a whirlwind of scenes, secrets, and clever maneuvering. This was a one-sitting and highly recommended read for me! ( )

Better Choices by [Rod Pennington, Jeffery A. Martin]This book centers around Allison and her life. Each day she deals with an unhappy marriage, as she awaits her divorce when her twins graduate high school and turn 18. The girls are intelligent however trouble seems to always be on their heels. Allison knows something is going on with them but is unsure what it is. Included in the story is Allison's mother, who had a heart attack and cannot live alone any more. Robert is her brother who inherited most of the family business. Whereby Allison's father loved the business, Robert does not share this passion
One of the things that makes this story enjoyable is the characters are complex, just like we are. Each story is included in such a way that it makes a great voyage. Watching Allison grow in confidence as she faces each trouble is enriching. The writers have a gift with storytelling and developing rich characters. I recommend this book.
I was given this book by NetGalley and Integrated Press in exchange for my honest review. ( )

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. Well, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved that it is a multi-generational set of characters. They are bright and witty and work well with each other. I didn't know where the story was going which always makes it more fun for the readers. If you enjoy Debbie Macomber and Patricia Wiggs then I think you will be equally pleased with this feel-good story. ( )