The second book by professional writer and producer, Marlene Hauser, is inspired by many women and men who have overcome challenging childhoods to become contributing and outstanding adults.

Lily Preston, clever beyond her years, is only four when she realises her family is headed for disaster. While she, older sister Mags and younger brother Artie are dragged around America and the world during the 1960s and early ’70s by their military father Jack, he propels their mother, gentle, green-fingered Lauren Rose, to the edge of insanity through mental and physical abuse. A cat-and-mouse game of escape and entrapment ensues, testing Lily’s resilience, resourcefulness and family loyalty to the limit.

#Geraniums @mhauser_author @BookGuild #RandomThingsTours  @annecater @RandomTTours #BlogTour

Jack, an emotionally scarred war veteran, enlists the help of his equally formidable mother Emma to turn his children against the fragile Lauren Rose and drive her away. Their next mission is to make Lily and her siblings conform to a strict, unforgiving code of behaviour and crush their spirited natures. Rebellion is met with increasingly harsh penalties.

Jack brings new women into his children’s lives, but Lily vows that, no matter what, she will one day trace her real mother, compelled to by the enduring bond between them. Love arrives in the form of high-school sweetheart Diego, who helps her in her quest to break free from Jack and Emma’s control.

When their persecution of her reaches bizarre new heights, Lily is forced to stand up to them in public and assert her right to independence, a college education, the chance to fulfil her dream of becoming a writer… once she has achieved the longed-for reunion with her mother.

My Review

The treatment of Lily, her older sister Mags and younger brother Artie, meted out by their emotionally scarred father Jack Preston and his horrendous mother Emma is insane. I know Jack suffers from PTSD, but the way he treats them is unforgivable.

Emma, crippled in her back by childhood polio, is a monster. My grandmother also had what we called a ‘Dowagers Hump’ and was only 4’9″. I never really knew what caused her spinal deformity, but she was the sweetest, kindest lady I ever knew. Emma’s disability is no excuse for her unbelievable behaviour, particularly towards Lily.

Jack meets Lauren Rose, beautiful, gentle and kind. She loves flowers, particularly geraniums, which Emma thinks are common (how dare she), and grows them in terracotta pots. Jack can be very jealous and controlling. Emma thinks Lauren Rose isn’t good enough for her son.

They have three children, but their marriage is falling apart. Jack is driving his wife to the brink and Emma is actively encouraging him to divorce her and even have her committed. It’s heartbreaking.

For the children, there is a pattern emerging that will almost destroy them. A series of ghastly women, Jack is vulnerable as well as controlling. He controls his wife and the children, while his mother and his women control him. As far as Lauren Rose is concerned, he tells the kids that she is dead to them.

Lily is determined to be reunited with her mother, who she is sure is alive somewhere. Mags believes that Lauren Rose could have done more to help them. Artie is threatening to go off the rails. It’s a difficult dilemma, because I can see where Mags is coming from. Even if her mother was mentally incapable of doing anything (I know this from personal experience), their other Nana and Granddad could have done far more to rescue them from the dysfunctional situation they were in.

I don’t know how anyone could be so cruel to their children and their grandchildren. It’s a staggeringly good story, emotional and gut wrenching – at times I just couldn’t believe what was happening. I became so invested in the children, I didn’t want it to end.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours

About the Author

Marlene Hauser is the American author of Off-Island and originated the award-winning TV film Under the Influence. Marlene holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in the City of New York. She lives in Oxford. Marlene says, “I wrote this book because I thought it was a story that needed to be told, especially from that post war or baby boomer era. I took inspiration from the many women and men who have overcome challenging childhoods to become contributing and outstanding adults. I also took inspiration from my paternal grandmother, who bought herself a typewriter back in the day and never wrote, and for my father, who was a great storyteller.”