Accidents of Marriage

By: Randy Susan Meyers

Narrated by: Susan Bennett

Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Maddy is a social worker trying to balance her career and three children. Years ago, she fell in love with Ben, a public defender, drawn to his fiery passion, but now he's lashing out at her during his periodic verbal furies. She vacillates between tiptoeing around him and asserting herself for the sake of their kids - which works to keep a fragile peace - until the rainy day when they're together in the car and Ben's volatile temper gets the best of him, leaving Maddy in the hospital fighting for her life. Accidents of Marriage is a provocative and stunning novel that will resonate deeply with women from all walks of life, ultimately revealing the challenges of family, faith, and forgiveness.

©2014 Randy Susan Meyers (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"Beautifully written, poignant and thought-provoking, this novel refuses to succumb to stereotypical reader expectations, making it even more memorable." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"Many books are an absolute pleasure to read, but slip straight from your mind. Accidents of Marriage is one of those rare novels that is both unputdownable and unforgettable. I just loved it, and I'll now read everything Randy Susan Meyers writes." (Liane Moriarty, NYT Bestselling author of T he Husband's Secret)

Good but

This wasn’t my favorite of hers, but it was definitely a good one. It did drag a bit at times, but it was worth it. Push the slow parts, and you will be glad you did.

Best Narration I have ever heard!

What did you love best about Accidents of Marriage?

I could relate to it in so many ways

Which character – as performed by Susan Bennett – was your favorite?

The Mom, Maddy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Made me laugh and cry in so many different ways.

Any additional comments?

Just listen, so worth it.

Entertaining

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend his audio to a friend, as most of my friends read from this genre-Women's Fiction. The alternating points-of-view keep the book moving along.

What did you like best about this story?

I love a female lead who finally finds herself and her voice.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Is anything in life ever an accident.?"

Not what I expected

I thought the story would have been a little more eventful when I was listening to it. I felt the story lacked excitement. The narration was well done but this particular story was not the best in my opinion.

Wished it not to end.

This book was engrossing from start to finish. Though I longed for a happy ending, I am glad that the author didn't take the easy route and wrap up the story in a pretty bow.

I found myself laughing, thinking, and exploring each character in my mind. I found myself hooked. and I listened to the entire book on 1.5 speed because I wanted to discover what lied deep within the story. The book was done in the course of a day.

An Honest Portrayal

Most of this book were very engaging. It seemed to deliver an honest portrayal of a fairly common relationship flaw that can have devastating effects. The author has obvious skill and her plot was interesting and somewhat unique. I thought some of the characters, especially that of Ben and the eldest daughter Emma were well developed. If anything I think too much time was spent hashing and rehashing Ben's faults. One chapter into the book and the reader knows that Ben has serious anger issues that are escalating rapidly. And shortly after that we realize he has the ability to justify to himself even his worst actions. But the author keeps providing examples of these defects over and over. Not because it was necessary to the plot It almost seemed like "filler" to make the book a little longer.

The character that I felt was poorly developed was Maddie. And that was a shame because she remained so one dimensional, it was difficult to empathize with her. While I understand it is difficult to point out the personality flaws in a person after they live through a traumatic brain injury, there was plenty of time before the accident to understand what made Maddie tick. We got hints - she was evidently disorganized and often forgot important deadlines. But that hardly fleshes out a character.

No other person's behavior ever justified the way Ben treated his family. No matter what someone else does, you do not treat them the way Ben treated others. And I think the final resolution of the book was the only way it could end based on his character defects. But in real life there are two people in a marriage and to understand the marriage you have to understand both parties' motivations and actions. I never understood Maddie's and what affect they had on Ben and her children. I think this information would have been helpful, especially because despite of Ben's insurmountable flaws, he seemed to genuinely love his wife and kids. But we don't know why because we don't know Maddie.

One other issue that bothered me dealt with Maddie's sister. She was obviously the bad apple to Maddie's good. The author spends just enough time hinting at problems to pique your interest in the character. Then she is dropped and is never mentioned again. Why. It seemed especially strange that she deserted Maddie because she was uncomfortable around her and this resulted in a major disaster. And yet there were no consequences mentioned for her actions. I would have felt more satisfied if someone held her accountable. If her behavior had no bearing on the plot, why include her?

Susan Bennett narrated this beautifully.

Goes Nowhere

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

That's debatable. I think if you identify with abuse, it may be of interest. It did not hold my attention.

What could Randy Susan Meyers have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

There really were very few moments of interest for me. Basically a dysfunctional family all the way around. The book went nowhere.

Which scene was your favorite?

Nothing really stands out. That is why it was a tad humdrum.

Did Accidents of Marriage inspire you to do anything?

Be careful of how I treat my family???

Any additional comments?

It's a shame that the mom never really took responsibility for all her drug use. She, too, neglected her family because of her failure to address the issues in a healthy way.

Accidents of Marriage

What did you love best about Accidents of Marriage?

I found the book interesting and the characters were very well written

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Emma, and enjoyed her chapters of the book the most

What about Susan Bennett’s performance did you like?

She was fantastic to listen to, really bought the book to life for me

Any additional comments?

I felt quite torn listening to this book!! I changed my mind and views on some of the characters, especially Ben, parts of the book I hated him and other parts I was on his side and felt for him.
This book makes you think though! I makes you think you should always treat the ones you love the way they deserve to be treated, as well as not take things that your partners do for granted!
I enjoyed the story

Well worth reading!

What did you love best about Accidents of Marriage?

That it is so true to life. So many women today are married to selfish bullies. Walking on egg shells every day, never knowing what mood they will be in.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The wife.

Have you listened to any of Susan Bennett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no, but she did good.

If you could take any character from Accidents of Marriage out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The oldest daughter, who was a real trooper.

Any additional comments?

loved the book

Every Couple Should Listen. Eye Opener.

This book was really good from start to finish. Without giving away too much information, I have to say that every couple disfunctional or not should listen to this book. For me, it showed how, and why you should be considerate of your spouses feelings and position in the family. Whether you are the one working or the one that stays home with the children. It also shows how some people don't appreciate what they have until it's gone. It makes you think about if you have been your best self towards the people that you love. Eye opener for sure.