Return to Me

Gr 9 Up—Rebecca's father has a new job in New York and with Rebecca's imminent attendance at Columbia University, her mother decides to move the entire family to New Jersey from Washington. Rebecca has an overwhelming sense of foreboding and not just because she will be leaving her boyfriend behind. Shortly after moving, her father reveals that he is having an affair and is leaving her mother. Rebecca's whole world is thrown into chaos and she is no longer sure of what she wants. As she struggles to forgive her father, she forms new relationships with her maternal grandparents, brother, and mother. She learns to embrace her intuition and be true to herself. The author sensitively writes of the heartbreak involved in a betrayal of family without skipping any of the more gritty parts. Readers will feel the characters' pain as they are carried along with the engaging plotline. The story does bog down a bit in the abundance of healing and growth metaphors, but the conclusion is particularly satisfying.—Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT