The unexpected death of her husband smashes Char Hawthorn's idyllic world into pieces, leaving her with myriad fragments, lacking the adhesive that once held them firmly together. Char and her stepdaughter, Allie, flounder as they try to find their way. Instead of handing Char a tube of super glue, however, Julie Lawson Timmer (Five Days Left) grinds the remnants of her protagonist's existence even further.
The prefix "step" meant nothing before Bradley's death. Char had taken on the role of mother completely, but now Allie's previously uninvolved biological mother wants custody and to move her daughter across the country. For her part, Allie is acting out, and Char struggles with her, too. Is Allie just a child mourning the loss of her father and needing space? Or is she crying out for a parent to enforce boundaries? What authority does Char have with Allie now? When the unlicensed 15-year-old steals her father's convertible and takes off with the 10-year-old girl she tutors, Char can no longer remain passive.
Untethered is a complex story about a nontraditional but often familiar family. It's about making choices in no-win situations. Readers may find themselves frustrated with Char's lack of action at times, but Timmer creates a legitimate, believable scenario for Char's paralysis. More importantly, Timmer handles the sensitive, emotionally charged nature of her plot with reverence and openness, avoiding harsh judgments. Untethered is a beautiful mosaic of love's many fragments, no matter how shattered. --Jen Forbus of Jen's Book Thoughts