Review: Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon

When Simon Connolly and his wife made the decision to start a family, it was quickly determined that Simon would take the non-traditional route and stay home with the children.  Now Jake and Laney are in high school, they don't need the constant supervision. Yet Simon is aware of the statistics and realizes that by playing an active role in his children's day-to-day lives, they are more likely to have a successful, and safe, upbringing.

Simon thinks he has a plan for everything, until the unthinkable happens. A shooting at his children's school sends Simon and his wife into a tumultuous downward spiral.  When Jake is the only student unaccounted for, Simon begins to question everything in Jake's upbringing: did he have enough friends? Was he social? Were they too strict? Not strict enough?  Within a matter of moments, the Connolly's seemingly perfect life is torn to shreds.

In this incredibly engrossing  psychological thriller, one family is forced to confront and evaluate their lives as they know it, to examine choices made and the potential consequences.  As parents, how well do we know their children? Their friends?  What are they capable of?

While devastating at moments, Finding Jake is ultimately the tale of parents’ undying and unwavering love and trust for their child.  The courage this one family had to exhibit to survive in a town in which lifelong friends became instant enemies, their lives and very future threatened by what is to come. Yet through the thick and thin of it all, their strong bond never faltered.

I have this bad luck lately of reading books in public that send me on an emotional journey riddled with loud, nasty sobbing. While this book evoked a similar response, by the end my sobs of sadness and anxiety eventually evolved into sobs of happiness.  I truly felt for this family, immediately putting myself into their position.  How would I deal with a similar situation? Could I?

Without a doubt this is a book that will grab hold of your heartstrings, specifically if you are a parent to a teen. As a parent of a teen myself, this book made me remember that being an active and needed part of their lives doesn’t falter or decrease as they get older.  More often than not, they need you more as they get into their teen years.  A strong family bond and connection filled with trust and love will truly pay off in the end.

This is a book that has truly had a lasting impact on my life. It has reminded me of the importance of keeping an open and honest level of communication with my children, despite how difficult that may be at times. Every little moment matters and should be savored.

Highly, highly recommended.