What do readers think of Accidents of Marriage by Randy Susan Meyers? Write your own review.

I had trouble engaging with this novel. The characters seemed one-dimensional, at times almost stereotypes of particular character types used by the author to make her point. Very early in the story the husband accuses his wife of "social working" him. I felt this way while reading much of this book.

So much for expectations: I expected Randy Susan Meyers' latest book to be a run-of-the-bill novel about how an ordinary family is crippled by the father's poor anger management control. In other words, a "lesson" book.

Yes, in the very loosest sense, that's what Accidents of Marriage is about. But I'm pleased to say that it also includes the psychological acuity, beautifully-rendered insights and strong character development that causes it to soar to the top of its genre.

Accidents of Marriage will not win any literary awards. But not every book has to. There's something that's also valuable in books that tell a good story and make the reader want to turn pages well into the night. Accidents of Marriage is that kind of book.

It does not take long to be drawn into the families dynamics. Family life with children can be very hectic. Randy Meyers has written this book, having the reader actually feel the emotions of each of the characters.

We find out how each family member deals with the stress of their abusive father and Maddy's accident and healing. This book was written so I could get into Maddy's mind, to feel her thinking, frustrations and exasperation.

The reader will see how parenting conditioning reflects on the children and adult children. Physical and verbal abuse not only affects the poor or uneducated.

Definitely a book club read to be discussed.

A very satisfying read.

Families with an angry member can become very dysfunctional and everyone suffers. Written very well and I didn't want to stop reading. I now want to read other books Ms. Meyers has written.

This could have been a really good book; it grabbed my attention right away and drew me in, but there were glaring implausibility that ruined it for me. The events that led to Maddy being in the car at the time of the accident would not have happened, and the fact that the other driver was drunk would not have negated Ben's culpability especially with so many witnesses in a high profile case. If you want to read a really well researched book that deals with brain injury in a realistic way I suggest "Left Neglected," Lisa Genova .

The book was readable, but predictable in the storytelling. You knew what was going to happen, just not when. The story was drawn out, fewer words would have been better. A lot of family dynamics, a story of a very dysfunctional family. Ben, the dad, didn't seem real with his I'll be good now" persona. The meddling parents of Ben & Maddy were the most realistic. The ending seemed abrupt.

Accidents of Marriage tells the story of the Illica family, Ben, Maddy, Emma, Gracie and Caleb, before and after a tragic traffic accident severely injures wife and mother Maddy. It is a story of the troubled 'accident' of marriage between Ben and Maddy and the actual accident that changes the lives, not only of Maddy, but also of Ben and the children, especially fifteen-year-old Emma. The characters of Ben, Maddy and Emma are fully developed in alternating chapters devoted to each individually. We feel the anxiety, the anger, the worry, the hate, the love each experiences as Maddy begins the long road to recovery and Ben tries to conquer his moments of rage. Theirs is a fragile relationship which all are struggling to preserve.

Meyers' writing style is reminiscent of that of Anne Tyler in the way it paints a realistic portrait of a family confronted with real problems to which one can truly relate.

Book clubs would find much to discuss after reading and enjoying Accidents of Marriage.

I'm afraid I needed more in order to really like this book - more plot, more rounded characters, and, frankly, more editing to keep up the pace. While it picked up in places, very often the book lagged and begged me to put it down. With a little more editing and more well-rounded characters, this could easily be one I recommend to friends.