The Ocean Inside
Sep 23, 2009
The Ocean Inside
Author: Janna McMahan
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: April 1, 2009
ISBN-13:978-0758221971
When the story starts, we have a lovely family with enough money to live very comfortably on an island off of the Carolina coast, but not quite enough money to be considered wealthy. Emmett runs his own business and Lauren is the quintessential housewife.
They have two daughters, Sloan, about to turn 18 and Ainslie, who is 9.
The live a wonderful life, normal everyday wear and tear on the relationships, until it's discovered Ainslie has cancer. Now the struggles start.
An overwhelming issue on top of Ainslie's cancer is the fact that she went to the doctor a month or so before their new insurance kicked in for an issue which at the time was unrelated to the cancer. But now that the cancer has been discovered, the insurance company decides it's pre-existing and they are not required to pay for any of the medical treatment. As I mentioned, the family is comfortable but certainly not rich.
Suddenly life as they know it is turned upside down. Lauren is pressured to find a job for the first time in her life, Emmett worries constantly about money and what can he sell to bring in more. Sloan discovers that the pricey college may not be in her future that she wanted. She also finds herself pretty much on her own after years of dealing with overprotective parents. This leads to her getting into situations she may not know how to deal with.
Meanwhile Ainslie just struggles to be healed and remember what it's like to be a kid.
This is the story of a family struggling to survive, thrive and stay together during a crisis. Each of them feeling like their own little island at times when they need others to support and counsel them. Well written, good flow, a story that keeps you interested in the characters and what becomes of them all.
