Could easily be entitled once a cheater but Robyn Carr decidedly took the higher ground with A FAMILY AFFAIR which is also a double entendre. I’ve never met a book by this intriguing romance writer that I didn’t love, and A FAMILY AFFAIR certainly lives up to my expectations. After her husband, Chad cheats on her, admits it, and swears to be forever true, Anna stays the course so to speak. After all, there are two very young children to consider. So although she secretly wishes to kill this cheat, she instead becomes a lawyer. After that, she candidly upstages Chad at every point in their lives, with one marked difference. When it came to cheating it appears Chad held the record.
Anna became an expert at handling this meandering husband of hers. Did that mean she accepted his roving eyes, no of course not. But with children to support Anna quietly took on the role of nurturing wife. His ego needed tender care so Anna provided that in spades. But at what cost? Anna was demeaned by this husband in wolf clothing. He minimized her success. And in the end when he died Anna still had to extol his virtues.
How do you build or maintain a family that is no longer supported by love? The children were loved and nurtured. The parents were partners, notice I didn’t say lovers. Love had somehow left the relationship. What remained was a determination to keep the family together. That became the new normal for Anna, Chad, Michael, Jessie, and Bess. Outward appearance was that of a devoted loving family. Anna was resolved to stay with Chad whose role was that of partner in parenting and support. Anna knew she could never again trust this man. Too many lies and secrets. So imagine her chagrin when at his funeral she becomes aware of still one more secret. Another child, now a grown adult.
A FAMILY AFFAIR is a remarkable study of strength and resilience. Robyn Carr knows how to mold her characters into folks that jump off the page with their realistic dialog and situations. In A FAMILY AFFAIR it’s not a leap of faith to accept the possible reality of a situation like this family’s. How many marriages lose their luster after a time and end up in cooler version of devotion? Robyn Carr created a woman with strong survival skills with her Anna. That didn’t mean that Anna was a goody-two-shoes. Anna was determined to not step into her mother’s shoes. And when her marriage starts showing wear Anna knew it was necessary to secure her family. Both emotional and financially. But of course there is a price.
Now with her husband’s death Anna is going to have to shoulder more responsibility. Her children are still reeling from his death. As facts unfold about Chad and his secrets, Anna is going to have to decide what to disclose. No matter what she chooses Anna feels certain there will be blowback directed at her. Chad made his happiness her job. When does Anna get her chance?
Again I state that A FAMILY AFFAIR is probably one of Robyn Carr’s best and that says a lot. The dialog and situations are so very realistic and current. These may just be some of the best characters this amazing author has created. Amid angst and emotional pain Robyn Carr reminds us to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine after all. And while her characters search for answers we share moments of glee and humor as well. Quite a judicious undertaking. That’s why Robyn Carr is in a class of her own.
Life’s biggest dilemmas can provide its sweetest rewards
Anna McNichol knows how to take charge. Raised by a single mother, she’s worked to ensure her three children have every advantage she didn’t. And while her marriage has its problems, she values commitment and believes in "till death do us part." Now an empty nester, she’s at the peak of her career and ready to seize the opportunity to focus on her future.
But life can change in an instant, and when her husband dies suddenly, Anna’s carefully constructed world falls apart. The mysterious young woman at the memorial service confirms her husband had been keeping secrets, and Anna is determined to get to the truth.
For once, she doesn’t have the answers. Her kids are struggling with their grief, her mother’s health is in decline and Anna needs closure. Faced with one challenge after another, she finds support from an unexpected source. And as she puts her life back together, Anna realizes the McNichols may not be perfect but they’ll always be family, and family is forever.
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