He Belongs to Me

by Theresa Rizzo

[Cocktails and Books]

He Belongs to Me by Theresa Rizzo has all the makings of a good soap opera. After attending college Catherine Boyd believes she will be given back custody of the six year old son she allowed her parents to raise while away. Her parents are clearly enamored with their grandson and refuse to give Catherine back her son. With no other options left the young mother must obtain assistance from the estranged husband accused of killing Drew’s twin to fight for custody. What follows is a custody trial where secrets long kept in the dark come barreling to light and old wounds are brought back to the surface.

Although the book was a good read, I had a big issue the characters. Catherine is eighteen and Thomas, her husband, is twenty when Drew and his twin Bobby are born. When Bobby dies as a newborn the young couple is torn apart from the emotional strain that follows, leaving Drew in the care of his grandparents for almost five years. Although Catherine and Thomas may now be able to care for their son, they are really young to have to deal with such emotional issues from both their separation as well as the custody trial. This was an emotional read exploring the complex relationships among families with an ending that you didn’t see coming.

Reviewed by Lucy for Cocktails and Books