Embraced by Love Book

Grade B

Embraced by Love (awful name that has nothing to do with the book, really) is a surprisingly good story. The premise sounded interesting so I picked it up at a used book store some time back and put it on my shelf. The more I thought about reading it, the more I feared it would be maudlin or melodramatic. Instead, it was a believable and moving story.

Josie and Cooper are a young married couple who have a solid relationship. Some tension develops, however, about the many hours Josie puts into her software company. Just about the time the tension between Cooper and Josie is starting to cause some problems, they find themselves the guardians of her niece (4) and nephew (6 mo). The rest of the book is about how they come to terms with their new responsibilities, and how to balance work and personal time. Josie's near pathological fear of being poor drive a wedge between her and Cooper and threatens to tear the newly-formed little family apart.

Some readers may find Josie's fears unrealistic, but they are quite realistically portrayed. Josie has a true psychological problem. Phobias like this don't go away simply because they aren't logical. Her fears and Cooper's reactions are believable.

I don't generally care of children in books, but Lucy and Ben were very well done and age appropriate. Lucy's struggles to feel safe again after losing her parents was especially poignant.