Seventeen year old Maggie had big dreams for her future. Maggie was training for the Olympics. Maggie was a great swimmer and should make the team with no problem. The only problem is that she met Bill. They fall deeply in love and Maggie finds out that she is pregnant. They get married and both of their dreams are done. Bill was going to go on to college to make something of himself.

Fast forward twenty years. Maggie is a stay at home mom to their three children. Jake is the oldest, Aly the middle child and Stan is the baby. Bill works for his father, not what he had wanted for his future, but he is happy at his job. Jake and his friends have decided that before they head off to collage, they are going to take a trip to several different countries. Three days after Christmas, tragedy strikes. Jake is killed in a tsunami. Their lives are shattered. Maggie can't get over the loss of her first born. Bill has no idea what to do.

Their marriage can't survive. Bill decides it is time for him to move out and try to move on with his life. The loss of her oldest child is putting a wedge between Maggie and her other two children. Bill decides to go to a group that will try and help people with their loss. Bill meets Carrie. Carrie lost her husband Jason. At first they're just friends, trying to help each other get though this. Soon Bill and Carrie realize that there is much more to their relationship.

Maggie in the mean time, still doesn't know how to get over the death of Jake. Her daughter Aly is becoming more and more remote. Liv, Maggie's sister comes for a visit. Liv's real reason is to try and get this family back together. Liv see's an ad in the local paper from a woman named Kate. Kate has also had loss in her life, and is looking to get a job with a family. Liv and Kate meet and discuss what Liv would like Kate to take on. Kate agrees. Now they just have to talk Maggie into it. Maggie agrees and Kate becomes a godsend to this family. Kate helps all of them come together and to terms with their emotions.

At first BETWEEN A MOTHER AND HER CHILD is hard to get into because you are watching a happy family be torn apart. Soon you are sucked into the lives of this family. Losing a hard one is hard, and Noble's book has you thinking is it better to watch a loved one suffer and have a chance to say goodbye or to lose them in a tragic accident. Having lost a nephew in a car accident I don't think there is an easy answer to this question, but as the saying goes start with baby steps.

Be sure to have the tissues handy when you read this emotional story by Elizabeth Noble.