After they go - J. Mercer

After They Go
J. Mercer
Publication date: May 15th 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

“…Mercer’s prose is lucid and her themes of redemption and reinvention are resonant…” — Kirkus Reviews

A large family saga set in a coastal tourist town:
One sister chained by family tradition.
The second stunted by her sister’s shadow.
The youngest propelled by desperation.

Gwen is the oldest of four children in the Aaldenberg family, and the one who seems to have it all. She’s also most desperate to escape. Betta, having nursed their dying grandpa for the past three years, is anxious for Gwen to go, so she can finally have reins to the family business. And Esmerelda, viciously determined to follow in Gwen’s footsteps, vies for popularity as a freshman in high school, only to learn she must sell her soul, reputation, and most prized possession for acceptance.

As their father struggles with retirement and their mother with depression, Gwen discovers the debt her grandfather’s passing left them in–and during a time of year when their coastal town, dependent on tourists, can barely sustain itself. Gwen and their father agree Betta can’t take over the store under such stressful circumstances, not when she’s been carrying the load for so long, and to protect Betta, they play it off that she needs some time to rest.

When Gwen’s fiancé moves to town, Gwen does her best to resign herself to a local life, while Betta struggles for meaning without the store. In order to carve out a place for herself, Betta must decide to what lengths she’ll go in order to become her own person, and Gwen must decide what’s more important: her sister or her future. Can this family pull through their disappointment, jealousy, and regret? Or will they cling so tightly to their desires that it ruins them?

Goodreads / Amazon

Author Bio:
J. Mercer grew up in Wisconsin where she walked home from school with her head in a book, filled notebooks with stories in junior high, then went to college for accounting and psychology only to open a dog daycare. She wishes she were an expert linguist, is pretty much a professional with regards to competitive dance hair (bunhawk, anyone?), and enjoys exploring with her husband–though as much as she loves to travel, she’s also an accomplished hermit. Perfect days include cancelled plans, rain, and endless hours to do with what she pleases. Find her on Facebook @jmercerbooks or online at www.jmercerbooks.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

My Review

This book is a little different to anything that I've read recently. It is the story of a family, mother, father, three sisters and a brother. For the most part, the book focuses on the three sisters. The eldest, Gwen, is desperate for her life to begin, to get away from the small town where she grew up. The middle sister Betta, longs to take over the family business and her role in the small society. The youngest sister, Esmerelda, longs to be popular and fit in with the in-crowd at school. (Part of me can't help but wonder if half her problem isn't her rather out there name.) Over the course of a year, they struggle to find their way and place in life.

As with many books, I think that they would probably have all had a much easier path if they had trusted one another more and talked to one another. Of course, life is often like that and communication would prevent all kinds of conflict. I really enjoyed reading about their fumbling attempts to do the right thing and discover who they really were and what they actually wanted.

Yeah, life was a bitch. Always making you choose between the people you loved and the life you needed to live for your soul's sake.

Much of this book is about the struggle between doing what you feel you should do and what you want to do. All of the characters learn the importance of being true to themselves and following the path in life that is right for them. 

This was a fantastic read and the characters were well drawn and easy to relate to. I was really willing all of the characters to find happiness and where they wanted to go in life. If you're looking for something a little different then I highly recommend this.  

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway