Mother Of Pearl by Kellie Coates Gilbert ~ review

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (September 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1426733437
• ISBN-13: 978-1426733437

This book is also available as an e-book.

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Barrie Graeber has two great kids, a loving husband, and a respected job as the high school counselor in her close-knit community. Without warning, everything unravels when her teenage daughter, Pearl, is betrayed by friends and lashes out.

Nothing prepares this mother for the helplessness that follows when her attempts to steer her daughter back on course fail and Pearl shuts her out . . . or when she discovers the unthinkable about her nemesis, the football coach. Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Mother of Pearl brings us into the heart of a mother bound by an incredible burden, who ultimately finds she must recognize her own vulnerability and learn to trust in something much bigger.

My take on this book:

Barrie Graeber seems to have the ideal life two kids,Pearl and Aaron, a wonderful marriage and a job as the high school counselor at the high school.While she doesn't have favorites with her children she has always felt a special connection with her daughter Pearl. Pearl has always been so responsible, she has dated Craig a boy from a good family for the last few years. When Craig betrays Pearl with her best friend Callie she takes it really hard. Soon she starts to change, she goes from an outgoing girl, reliable and dependable to someone whom Barrie doesn't know. Barrie decides to try and help Pearl, but Pearl pulls further away. 

When I picked up this book I was pretty sure that I knew where the story was headed, but I was surprised,at the direction the author took the story.Heartwrenching at times, I found this story touched on a topic that sadly happens all to often in today's society. I enjoyed seeing the story thru the eyes of Barrie, a counselor, but more than that a heartbroken mother who is determined to see justice done. This was a touching, thought provoking story while sad, provides a positive ending. This was one of those stories that I continued to think about long after I finished reading the final page. 

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher and Glass Roads PR in exchange for  an honest review.