EMBRACE THE WHIRLWIND
By Laurel-Rain Snow
Book Surge
ISBN 9781419660757
Paperback, 365 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction

Abused at a young age by her mother’s boyfriend, Amber Cushing has lived a chaotic life, leaving home at an early age, wandering from job to job, using drugs, and working for a short time as a prostitute. Amber harbors resentment toward her mother because of the abuse and keeps her mother and grandmother at a distance, sporadically interacting with them. When she discovers she’s pregnant, Amber begins a long journey to find herself and make some sense of where her place is in the world. But Amber’s journey is filled with diversions and only when she comes under the gentle guidance of a former social worker who runs a boarding house does Amber begin to understand who she is and what she needs to do to have a happy, successful life.

The author, a retired social worker, offers much insight into the dynamics within families and the pressures young women face as they make their choices in today’s world. Snow provides a compelling read, filled with characters revealed in great depth that readers will easily identify with, enfolded within a powerful, edifying plot. Her skill as a writer serves to enhance the important message she delivers with this wonderful story.