Bringing Maggie Home is Kim Vogel Sawyer's latest novel and my favorite by far. It follows three generations of women Hazel Mae, Diane, and Meghan during their journey to find healing, but most of all find themselves.
Hazel Mae still remembers the day that changed her life forever. The day her younger sister, Maggie, went missing. She was ten years old and turned her back for a moment, when she turned back around Maggie was gone! She begged and pleaded with God to just bring Maggie back and fix her family, but that never happened. That was over seventy years ago and Hazel hasn't given up hope that someday, somehow she will be reunited with her sister.
Diane resents her mother who was always so overprotective and smothering. Diane couldn't even go to a high school dance without her mother wanting to be a chaperone. Her mother was out to ruin her life. Even though she is grown with a grown daughter of her own, Diane still clings to the resentment. That's why she took a vacation and followed her daughter, Meghan, to Las Vegas, Nevada. She couldn't allow Meghan and mother to spend the whole six weeks alone together. Mother will sink her claws deeper into Meghan and turn her against her for good. Besides, mother is in her 80's, if Diane can prove she's incompetent she can have her put in a nursing home and be rid of her for good.
Meghan was badly injured in a car wreck and forced to take a leave of absence from work. She misses her grandmother and longs to spend her recovery time getting to know her better. She's shocked and a little miffed when her mother shows up unannounced in Las Vegas. Mom and grandma can't stand each other. This is definitely going to be a long six weeks! Determined to make the best of it Meghan puts a smile on her face and plays mediator. She does everything she can to bring mom and grandma closer together, but she's not God. She's not even sure God exists, and, if he does why can't he make her family get along?
Bringing Maggie home is a a beautiful story that will pull on your heartstrings. Some parts are so sad that you will need to have you tissues ready. Others will have you laughing so hard that you will have tears of joy streaming down your face. I loved the story and how imperfect and believable the characters were. I'm sure you have someone in your family who is a Hazel Mae, Diane or Meghan.
Meghan was the one I felt sorry for. She loves both her mom and grandmother dearly! It seems no matter what she does her mother finds fault with it. She agreed with her grandma too much, or she hugged grandma to long or whatever. Meghan seemed to be the most level headed out of all three of them. On more than one occasion she had to play mediator between her mom and grandmother to keep peace in the house. She never understood what the issue was that made her mother resent her grandmother so, but she longed for peace between the two women.
My heart broke for Hazel Mae. She carried guilt over losing her sister, it seemed to color everything she did. That's why she was so overprotective of Diane. She loved her so much, she didn't want the same thing to happen to her that happened to Maggie. Of course Hazel never spoke of Maggie. Her parents forbid it when she was younger and perhaps she was afraid if she spoke about it her granddaughter would hate her. Whatever the case Hazel is a dear sweet woman who loves with all her heart and just wants to make right all the wrongs.
Diane reminded me of a spoiled brat. It's harsh but it's true. I could understand her resenting her mom when she was younger because that's what teenagers do. They always think they have the worst parents on the planet and believe the worst of them even when it isn't the case. I figured her attitude would change when she had a daughter of her own but that wasn't the case. She seemed to go in the severe opposite direction. Instead of coddling Meghan and loving her, she gave her way too much freedom. Meghan wasn't a wild child but she was fiercely independent and Diane felt pride in that. I'm not sure she ever stopped to consider her mother's point of view on anything. When she showed up to Vegas to stop Meghan from bonding with her grandmother I wanted to smack her. Diane was pretty self centered and never stopped to think how her actions might hurt someone else.
I so enjoyed Bringing Maggie Home. It has all the elements of a great story and a great movie for that matter! I love a book that will pull on your heart strings and won't let go until the very end. You will laugh, you'll cry, you may even find yourself wanting to smack a character or two! Either way I know you will love it and I hope you will grab a copy and take a trip to Vegas with the DeFord women.
*I was provided a free copy of this book and a review was not required. All opinions express are my own.
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