Review: Somebody's Daughter

Somebody's Daughter by Rochelle B. Weinstein

Publication Date: 04/17/2018
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Imprint: Lake Union
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pages: 320
ISBN-13: 978-1503949256

(Received for an honest review from Lake Union via Netgalley)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound

Rochelle B. Weinstein on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Excerpt from Somebody's Daughter, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

From USA Today bestselling author Rochelle B. Weinstein comes an emotional novel for mothers, daughters, and anyone who has ever felt imperfect.

Emma and Bobby Ross enjoy a charmed life on the shores of Miami Beach. They are a model family with a successful business, an uncomplicated marriage, and two blessedly typical twin daughters, Zoe and Lily. They are established members of a tight-knit community.

Then, on the night of the girls’ fifteenth birthday party, they learn of Zoe’s heartbreaking mistake—a private and humiliating indiscretion that goes viral and thrusts her and her family into the center of a shocking public scandal.

As the family’s core is shattered by disgrace, judgment, and retribution, the fallout takes its toll. But for Emma, the shame runs deeper. Her daughter’s reckless behavior has stirred memories of her own secrets that could break a marriage and family forever.

Thoughts:

Rochelle B. Weinstein brings readers a poignant tale of one daughter's indiscretion and it's impact on her entire family. Somebody's Daughter delves into internet harassment and scandal. We all makes mistakes but nowadays if you do, you better hope nobody has their cell phone out. This is a very relevant and heartbreakingly common subject and Weinstein, does not shy away from the pain it causes. Not only readers with children, but anyone who is involved in social media in any way should read this book!

What I liked:

Having teenage daughters of my own, I was particularly interested in how this situation would be portrayed by the author. Weinstein was a new author for me and I was somewhat skeptical at how she might treat it. I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of understanding and compassion the author showed to this young character. Zoe is thrust into a situation she never expected to be in. She meets a boy at a party where alcohol is being served and the situation deteriorates from there. She's a fifteen year old girl who does a stupid thing. And I'm glad the author didn't disregard her feelings in all this. If something like this happened to one of my daughters I would hope that people be compassionate. 

What happens to Zoe at the party is not really what the book is centered on. It's the aftermath. In today's society with social media and the internet being used by just about everyone, this is a common problem. If you screw up it's likely caught on video by someone. Weinstein delves into the issues created within a family when one person is disgraced and it's all over social media. The laws regarding this kind of thing are lax and there is often no recourse. The author is about to really get to the heart of how something like this not affects the people involved but their families as well. 

I really felt tied to Emma and her pain in this situation. Not only is she dealing with what is happening to Zoe but it is also bringing up some old secrets within her own life that she must deal with. Weinstein gives the reader a mom who loves her child and is willing to do anything to protect her, but she also gives us a woman in a crisis of her own. I liked this very layered approach to the character and I thought it was wonderfully done. The reputation of not only her daughter was at stake but her entire family.

Weinstein has such good voice. Her writing style is smooth and seamless. I liked the way she was able to take a current and relevant subject and present it in a way that was engaging as a novel, but also compelling in human way. It made me rethink how I approach viewing 'scandalous' stories on the internet and how my own action of buying into the sensationalism of the story is in a way fueling the storm that this person or individual is dealing with. This one will make you think...

What I didn't like:

This is a tough subject and readers might find it a little heavy. It's not light reading because it could happen to anyone. I like books like this but if escape from the headlines and your daily grind is what you are after, this one might not be the ticket. 

Bottom Line:

Great plot. The story was engaging and really kept my interest throughout. I liked that it was current and relevant. Having daughters of my own made it strike a cord with me that doesn't often happen in fiction. The author is able to make the story come alive and allow the reader to share in it. I will definitely be reading more from Rochelle B. Weinstein in the future. Give it a try. I think you will really like her style.

Somebody's Daughter is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag

About the Author:

Rochelle B. Weinstein is the USA Today bestselling author of Where We Fall, The Mourning After, and What We Leave Behind. Weinstein lives in South Florida with her husband and twin sons. She is currently writing her fifth novel, a love story based in the Florida Keys. Please visit her at www.rochelleweinstein.com.