Family Tree

by Susan Wiggs

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Book Review: Family Tree by Susan Wiggs From the moment we are born, we are faced with risks and opportunities. As we mature, we have dreams about the life we would want to live and so we begin to make plans. However, as time progresses we come to realise that at times things don’t generally go the way we planned. Nevertheless, no matter the outcome, there is a lesson to be learnt. “Life is a Circle’ We always end up where we started.We may find ourselves being diverted from our goals by what we consider to be roadblocks. These generally come in the form of distractions, loss, and mistakes. However, as we try to push past these blocks we will come to realise that they had a purpose in our journey through life. These blocks were placed to teach us a valuable lesson. What we choose to do with this knowledge will determine the type of person we become in the end. I believe that it is on this premise that Family Tree by Susan Wiggs is based on.Family Tree tells the story of Annie Rush a big-time producer of the cooking show “The Key Ingredient”. Her husband, Martin Harlow was the celebrity chef on the show. Annie appeared to be happy and this happiness would increase exponentially when she found that one her biggest wish had been granted. She rushed to tell her husband the good news but little did she know that her life was about to change in a way she never for a moment could imagine. Fast forward one year later, Annie is awaking from a coma. At this point, she has come to realise that everything she has worked for was gone in the twinkling of an eye.The story moved slowly, but in a good way. It’s a story of rebirth, healing, family and love. I found the characters relatable. The story had a realistic feel and for a time I forgot I was reading fiction. It moved seamlessly between the past and the present. This allowed me to have an understanding of how Annie’s life unfolded between her teen and adult years. I learnt that she was bold, warmhearted, determined, goal-oriented, hard-working, strong and feisty. When she loves, she does so fiercely. I saw how much she loved her family. I loved how she was determined to follow her dream, but what I didn’t love was the fact that she was willing to sacrifice love to achieve this. By the time she realised how wrong, she was, it was too late. However, fate would step in and offer her a second chance. Will she seize this newfound opportunity?I found this to be a compelling and inspirational read. It is a stark reminder that life can be uncertain and it doesn’t often go has planned. Nevertheless, there is always hope, and when we choose to rise above the obstacles we open the door to something brighter and better.This is my first Susan Wiggs book and I will be looking to read more of her work. Received an eArc courtesy of the publisher via Edelweiss View all my reviews