Maddy and Ben have been married for several years. Maddy works with women who have been abused, or drug problems. Ben is a public defender. The one huge problem in their marriage is Ben's temper. Ben has a habit of going into a fit of rage over the littlest things. Maddy has always tried her best to protect herself and their three children from this.
One day when Maddy is just finishing up one of her cases, she is stopped by the police because she forgot to update her registration on her car. Maddy standing there without a ride calls Ben to pick her up. Of course Ben goes into a rage when he picks her up. Everything is Maddy's fault, probably even the fact that it is raining. While driving, fast and reckless as Ben always does, a car behind him is tailgating them. Ben is really in a rage now and he also speeds up. Ben decides to go into a different lane, at the same time that the other does. What happens next changes the life of the whole family.
Ben is trapped in the car, and Maddy is thrown from the car. The other driver is hurt with minor injuries. As Ben wakes up, his first concern is where is Maddy? The ambulance arrives and they are taken to the hospital. Ben only has broken ribs; Maddy is in critical condition with head injuries.
Forward to several weeks later, Maddy wakes up from her coma. The doctors have warned Ben that she has a long road a head of her. The accident has affected everyone in the family. Emma the oldest child has now taken over the responsibility of taken care of the two younger children. Gracie is the second child, now believes in prayer. Caleb the youngest, at five, is back to wetting the bed. Everyone is blaming Ben because they all know how he drives and his temper. Ben is trying everything to make things right with his family.
As Maddy starts to recover, somethings are coming back to her. One is Ben's temper. Even though Ben is trying his hardest to make things right, Maddy can't deal with him and has had enough, and asks Ben to leave the house. Ben is shocked. As much as they love each other, theirs is an ACCIDENTS OF MARRIAGE
What a great book. Randy Susan Meyers has tapped into a marriage that hasn't been right for a very long time. The interaction of all the characters is wonderful. I read ACCIDENTS OF MARRIAGE in two days. Not wanting to put it down as I was very involved in this tragic family story.
I would really like to see a sequel to this book.
From the bestselling author of The Comfort of Lies, an engrossing look at the darker side of a marriage—and at how an ordinary family responds to an extraordinary crisis. Maddy is a social worker trying to balance her career and three children. Years ago, she fell in love with Ben, a public defender, drawn to his fiery passion, but now he’s lashing out at her during his periodic verbal furies. She vacillates between tiptoeing around him and asserting herself for the sake of their kids—which works to keep a fragile peace—until the rainy day when they’re together in the car and Ben’s volatile temper gets the best of him, leaving Maddy in the hospital fighting for her life. Randy Susan Meyers takes us inside the hearts and minds of her characters, alternating among the perspectives of Maddy, Ben, and their fourteen-year-old daughter. Accidents of Marriage is a provocative and stunning novel that will resonate deeply with women from all walks of life, ultimately revealing the challenges of family, faith, and forgiveness.
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