Truth of the Matter (Potomac Point #2)

I loved this book, which had a more “romantic” feel than the previous novel in the Potomac Point series If You Must Know. While Truth of the Matter is clearly a women’s fiction novel, the romantic element involves the female main character, Anne Sullivan, while in the previous novel the minor romantic element involved he sister of the female main character. Anne’s growing involvement with the contractor (Dan Foley) renovating her house was integral to Anne’s story. Anne has moved to Potomac Point with her daughter Katy following the breakup of her marriage to her husband Richard, an unlikeable character. Katy has trouble adapting to the move, and Anne’s grandmother, who lives in assisted living, is affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The story of Anne’s rediscovering herself is the basis of the story. Jamie Beck excels at this type of story, as I found myself rooting for Anne to uncover mysteries of her past, her grandmother’s past, welcoming Katy’s healing and maturing, rediscovering her artistic prowess, and acceptance of herself and her attraction to Dan. A hallmark of Ms. Beck’s stories is dealing with substantial issues, and she certainly hits that mark here with Katy\’s anxiety, depression, and self-destructive behavior, and the grandmother’s dementia. Grandmother’s story and the dementia are skillfully woven into the story. Also, I don’t think I’ve read another romance novel or women’s fiction novel that discussed the impact of male infertility on the guy, which Ms. Beck does here with Dan. I heartily recommend this moving story of Anne’s discovery of past events, and rediscovery and appreciation of herself. A winning story! I received an ARC from NetGalley, am voluntarily reviewing the book, and the opinions expressed here are my own.

TRUTH OF THE MATTER is an absolutely stunning read! Jamie Beck provides readers with a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, heart-mending, emotional story. This book brought me to tears and astonished me with its complexity. From the pains of divorce to the need for mental health counseling through recalling and sharing past events of a mother/grandmother in the early stages of dementia, TRUTH OF THE MATTER is not your ordinary book. It is a glimpse through the window into family dynamics and how the decisions made by each family member effects the present as well as the future. Through all of this, the author weaves feelings of hope and healing, and I found myself longing for second book which follows the characters further on their life\’s journey…hint, hint, hint. TRUTH OF THE MATTER is a book many will definitely want to read. It is one of Ms Beck\’s best accomplishments and one which will leave an indelible mark on reader\’s hearts. Don\’t miss this one; it is exceptional!

While this is book two in the series there is no need to read book one first. They only have the town in common. While I like the story it is written in a style I do not like. I am not a big fan of a story going back in forth in time. There is a slight romantic story but it is more about Annie finding herself again after her husband cheats on her and leaves her and their daughter so he could be with his side piece and her kids. (Sorry) Annie moves to her family\’s old home and finds a box of pictures and wants to find out who is in the pictures. Her grandmother has dementia and Anne is trying to stay in touch with her to help her out. She is also dealing with her daughter who has had struggles before and now the divorce is making her so much worse. Can Annie help her daughter, be civil with her husbands new fiancé and learn to enjoy life again?

I am a huge fan of Jamie Beck\’s work and was looking forward to this second installment in her Potomac Point Series. This series is a departure from her previous works, classified as women\’s fiction but still with some elements of romantic interest. The heroine, Anne, is going through a divorce caused by her husband\’s infidelity (no spoiler there as the book leads with this). Yet, from the beginning, Anne is able to admit that she is not completely blameless in the breakup of her marriage – she is not totally a victim. She is also dealing with her teenage daughter\’s anxiety and depression and her grandmother\’s dementia – truly a \”sandwich\” situation! At one point, I was overcome with tears – a little embarrassing when you are sitting on an airplane. I was impressed with how the author tackled the issues of depression, past treatment, and teenage cutting with truth and depth of subject and encouragement. As an \”older\” woman, I loved this book that dealt with issues that affect mothers and daughters, of dealing with dementia and how a loved one\’s unknown past has shaped them – and how that shapes us. Thank you, Jamie, for dealing with these subjects openly, honestly, and deeply and not glossing them over just to get a Happily Ever After ending – there is joy at the end of the book, but there are still a few loose ends that we readers can imagine the outcome.

The story involves three generations and compares the lives mostly of the women. We can all relate to these parents as we make sacrifices for our children and spouses. Some secrets have been kept and deep feelings brushed aside, while dreams get put on the back burner.

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