Review: Ducks in a Row by Michelle Garren Flye

Title: Ducks in a Row by Michelle Garren Flye
Publisher: Michelle Garren Flye
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 239 pages (estimated)
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author

Summary:

Cady Summers thinks she has all her ducks in a row: great house, beautiful family. Then her estranged twin sister Cam shows up…pregnant. Envious of her sister’s condition and lonely with a teenage daughter and a workaholic husband, Cady’s life no longer seems to have the perfect order she has always cherished.

A recovering drug addict and absentee mother of two, Cam Taylor has never had any order in her life. Afraid of his reaction to her pregnancy, Cam flees the man she loves, seeking refuge in the only home she still knows.

Can the love between the two sisters provide a healing balm for the wounds of her scarred marriage or will Cady seek solace in the arms of another man? Can the reunion with her sister give Cam the courage she needs to face the man she loves or will she let her past mistakes come between them?

The Review:

In Michelle Garren Flye’s Ducks in a Row twin sisters Cady Summers and Cam Taylor are at very different places in their lives. Stay at home mom Cady puts her marriage at risk as she becomes increasingly resentful of her husband’s grueling work schedule. Cam’s unexpected pregnancy gives her the opportunity to repair her damaged relationships with her family. Despite their differing opinions on what the other should do, Cam and Cady provide one another unwavering support as they try to figure out what direction their lives are going to take.

While Ducks in a Row is about both sisters, the story mainly focuses on Cady. She is a well-developed character but I had difficulty connecting with her and the decisions she makes. Cady is full of righteous indignation at her husband Neil’s long hours, but instead of discussing it with him, she continues to seethe over his neglect. I am not laying all of the blame at Cady’s feet; Neil is equally guilty of not talking about the stress he is currently experiencing. Neil senses Cady’s unhappiness, encourages her to make some changes in her life and Cady makes the fateful decision to work for her close friend Will Hubbard.

Underlying Will and Cady’s friendship is a strong attraction for one another. Cady is soon basking in the attention that Will showers on her and their relationship is becoming more and more intimate. Cady does not want to hurt either Neil or Will, but she is unable to walk away from what she has found with Will.

Michelle Garren Flye does not hesitate to tackle some pretty uncomfortable subjects in Ducks in a Row. This well-written and thought-provoking novel provides a realistic look into how two people who love one another can find themselves on the verge of losing everything when they stop communicating and begin taking each other for granted.