Book Review: Soaring Alone by Vickie S. Miller

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Soaring AloneSoaring Alone by Vickie S. Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Soaring Alone, Rachel James is one emotionally bottled individual. She’s in therapy – something her husband insisted on if she intended to go through with the adoption – but opening up to even the therapist is an impossible feat.

And then she finds out that she’s not Rachel James. Born Maggie Dawson, Rachel was stolen and raised in a family not her own. The Watkins – the family that raised her – are incredibly dysfunctional, and when she says she’d like to meet the Dawsons, the Watkins basically disown her. But the Dawson’s aren’t the fairy tale family she’d always hoped for either.

With her marriage starting to crumble under the pressure of an old secret and a baby dependent on her, Rachel’s emergence from her emotional cocoon is fraught with danger and disappointment.

Somehow, she must find the reality of her new life and in the process, find herself as well.

Review

This was an interesting read. I think I got it for free as a bonus somewhere, because I don’t recall purchasing or requesting it, but the cover was gorgeous. I found myself a little confused at times, as the story see-saws between present and past events (even mid event) and skips between characters. The viewpoint changes aren’t bad, so much as they’re not always clear, and since the author had a propensity to use pronouns, it could be a while before you realize that the viewpoint had been changed and who was talking.

Overall, though, there was a very real emotional pull that kept me turning pages. I wanted to hurt the Watkins and the Dawsons for what they did to Rachel. I nicknamed the story the “series of unfortunate people,” because it seemed like everyone who put their hands on that child were kind of horrible. Infidelity, selfishness, anger, drugs, manipulation – you name it, it probably touched the child in some way. Obviously, the child survives, but if you’re sensitive to babies in vulnerable positions, this may not be the book for you. If you like the horrific kind of scandal that keeps you glued to the drama, then you’ll love Soaring Alone.

There was little language (I don’t remember having to alter it often while reading it aloud to my son), and despite being a married couple, I don’t think they have sex at all.

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