The Way It Should Be

Title: The Way It Should Be

Author: Christina Suzann Nelson

Narrator: Cindy Kay

Source: Hoopla

My Review:

This is one of those books where I do not know what to say for the review. My words will not do it justice.

At the beginning, I did not find Zara relatable. Her (estranged) sister's kids need foster care, and she is not sure if she should do it. I would move heaven and earth if one of my siblings' kids needed care. She acts like the kids are strangers (which they are because she has never met them), but come on, they are family. And, I know some families are not close, and some people don't even like kids (Zara is not one of those people).  As a previous foster parent, this topic is very near and dear to my heart. 

This book tugged on my heart-strings. The author realistically portrayed Eve's drug addiction, the hard and frustrating sides of foster care, the goals of reunification, and the grief a family struggles to move past after a devastating loss. I felt it all. And this is just the tip of the iceberg! 

I was not ready for this story to end. It is deep and moving, and I will not say more because it is a book to be experienced firsthand. I was completely invested in this story. I started out listening to the audio narration with Cindy Kay, and she has a great narrating voice. Then, when I was able to read, but not listen to audio, I switched to the Kindle edition so I could continue the story. I couldn't gobble it up fast enough. It is so incredibly well-written.

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads):  

After years of estrangement, the lives of Zara Mahoney and her twin sister, Eve, are suddenly and completely intertwined again. Eve's troubled lifestyle causes the state to take custody of her two children and contact Zara and her husband, asking them to consider foster care. Newlywed Zara thought she'd finally been given a fresh start and feels wholly unprepared to care for a niece and nephew whose existence she wasn't even aware of.

Meanwhile, Eve may have a real chance to start over this time with the help of Tiff Bradley, who's dedicated to helping women everyone else has given up on after facing a heartbreaking tragedy in her own family.