Julia's Daughters

by Colleen Faulkner

A novel that explores the surprising ways that families—even the most fractured—can save each other, over and over again by the author of Finding Georgina . Julia Maxton can’t imagine anything worse than losing one of her three daughters—until the day seventeen-year-old Haley runs a stop sign, killing her younger sister Caitlin. Six weeks after the crash, the family is falling apart. Julia struggles not to show hostility toward Haley, but her deep-rooted anger won’t go away. Her husband, Ben, has drifted away emotionally. Their youngest daughter, Izzy, is lost in the shuffle. And despite Haley’s insistence that she’s fine, her actions scream otherwise. Fearing that she’s about to lose a second child, Julia decides to take Haley on a cross-country drive. Maybe somewhere between Nevada and Maine they can bridge the gulf between them. But first there will be painful questions to face—is Julia a good mother? Did she secretly love responsible, respectful Caitlin more than defiant Haley? Can Haley ever find peace with her mother—and herself—again? In Colleen Faulkner’s most thought-provoking and complex novel to date, an unthinkable tragedy becomes the starting place for a powerful journey toward healing and hope. Praise for Colleen Faulkner’s Just Like Other Daughters “This deeply moving story of maternal love and renewal will touch your heart. It’s a celebration of the capacity of the human heart to heal itself and embrace change, beautifully written with rare insight.”—Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times –bestselling author “Be prepared to weep tears of sorrow as well as tears of joy. This is a novel you won’t soon forget.” —Holly Chamberlin, author of Barefoot in the Sand

Genres: Fiction, Womens Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Marriage, Death, Grief

306 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2015

About the author

Colleen Faulkner is the daughter of best-selling author Judith E. French. She sold her first novel at the age of 23 and has been publishing ever since. A Southern Delaware resident, Colleen has published a hundred historical romance, contemporary romance,mystery, suspense and women's fiction novels, and won numerous awards, including The Diamond Award for literary excellence in the state of Delaware. When Colleen isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren and traveling the world.

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sat and read this today, took it with me in the car and listened to it.
Boy this is a heartbreaking sad little story.
There were parts that made me tear up, I can’t lie.

The position of an event that’s causing a rift between mother and daughter is purely palpable. I could hear my heart beating in my ears.

It’s not all doom and gloom although it may sound like it.

There is hope.


Loved this and loved the style of writing. I literally got washed up into it all.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A while ago I read Just Like Other Daughters by the same author and really enjoyed it so I was keen to get stuck into this one. Just like that book, Julia’s Daughters focuses on the mother/daughter relationship and in this case, bereavement and how we grieve. At the start of the book, Julia is grieving for her 15 year old daughter Caitlin who died a few weeks before the start of the read. She was a passenger in the car when her 18 year old sister Haley ran a red light and the car was hit by a truck. A few weeks on and Julia is poleaxed by grief, having taken to her bed and shut out the outside world, as well as her own family. Haley in the meantime seems to be going off the rails, 10 year old Izzie has retreated to the silence of her bedroom and refuses to acknowledge Haley in any way, and husband Ben is growing more distant by the day.

I must admit that after a few chapters I wasn’t sure that I was going to enjoy this read after all. It is very intense, with a lot of grieving going on. Most importantly, I really wanted to shake Julia and remind her that she still had a family who needed her. Having said that, I have never been in her position so I don’t know how I would act in her shoes. Luckily, for the sake of the read, events transpire which mean that Julia is forced to get her head out of the sand before its too late, for Haley in particular.

The story turns into something of a road trip and from that point on it just felt that little bit lighter and easier to read. I really wanted to know whether Julia was going to be able to save her relationships with the rest of her family and whether or not she was going to be able to pull Haley back from the edge or whether Haley would succumb to a drop out lifestyle of drugs and casual sex.

It is an intense read told from multiple viewpoints that deals with the complex emotions of bereavement and in the end I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the review copy.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A special thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Colleen Faulkner returns following As Close As Sisters delivering an emotional journey on the road to healing from life’s challenges with JULIA’S DAUGHTERS - a family, a mother attempting to pick up the pieces suffering from grief over the death of a daughter, under extremely difficult circumstances. The other remaining daughter happened to be the one driving the car, and is lost mentally; and the third daughter is not speaking to the other, plus her marriage is falling apart. INTENSE!

As the novel opens, 47 days after the tragic car accident, Julia, the mother is bed ridden. She cannot function, and all she can do is cry, day and night, never leaving her bed. Ben her husband, is back at work and taken over the duties, to try and hold the family together; showing no emotion. They are growing further apart by the day, since he is sleeping on the sofa and they are not communicating.

Seventeen year-old daughter, Haley was driving the car which killed Caitlin. Izzy the other daughter has not spoken to her older sister, Haley since the accident. She calls her the evil one, the killer, or “She Who Shall Not Be Named”. She instead talks to her dead sister.

Haley is acting out in all kinds of ways with self-mutilation, drugs, piercings, dyed dark hair, dark makeup, constant trouble, drug dealing, and the latest --now expelled from school for drugs, and smoking pot at school. She is miserable. She has a no care attitude and everything is a joke to her. She hates her life. However, she is hurting on the inside, with guilt and expresses her anger through destructive behavior. Angry and defiant. After all, her sister was the one everyone loved. Haley feels she should have been the one to die.

Julia has lost one daughter, and now she feels she is losing another. Her entire family is falling apart. She no longer has the time to grieve, she has lost control of her life. The only person she can talk to is her old friend Laney who lives in Maine. Laney’s husband died in service; a single mom, raising her boys. She has her own family to take care, but will drop everything to be with her, constantly telling her she has to get out of bed to take care of her family.

The final blow, after Haley is grounded from being expelled, she once again sneaks out of the house and in a panic, calls her mom to rescue her from the bad side of town in a crack house. Haley is astounded at how her mom comes in and takes control in front of all these bad guys…under pressure her mom is fearless. Her dad wants to send her to boarding school; however, Julia will not lose another daughter.

Something has to be done, so Julia decides it is time for a vacation, to get away with her daughter. Her husband thinks she has lost it; no way he can take off. 2800 miles, from Nevada to Maine, to see her friend; cross country—a road trip? He says she is insane. Resign from her job. She is doing this. This way they can get Haley away from the dope dealer and outside influences, to keep a closer watch on her.

Initially she was taking only Haley with one on one time, since Izzy had school. Of course Haley does not want to be stuck in a car with her mom on a road trip to go cross country. Since she is not eighteen, her mom forces her. She tells her she is going, or she will have her committed. (the loony bin)…this part was funny. Was this her weak mom? Haley had no clue she had in her. Here Haley thought she was going off to boarding school and instead a road trip with her mom—which is worse?

Izzy wants to go, has a meltdown so they both go—the girls who hate one another, with nowhere to run; they will either kill one another, or try and work on healing, and putting together their life. Now this is one brave mom! Of course the next morning Hayley is thinking maybe it would have been better to be committed to the nut floor. After all Caitlin gives her the stares---- M for Murderer.

Faulkner writes of strong women, mother/daughter relationships, in dire circumstances in the face of adversity. When faced with difficult situations, they have the capacity to become extraordinary women. As in her other books her characters tackle some pretty difficult life challenges. (cannot even imagine). Sometimes, as the novel reiterates, when faced with these extreme dire circumstances, we find out how strong we can be, in order to repair a relationship and heal from life’s tragedy.

Since the book is heavy with grief, sorrow, and drama, the author does a good job with the humor and wit, to balance out the moods from six weeks to nine months after. A roller coaster ride. Being a mother raising five sons, can relate to the whirlwind, even though not under these dire circumstances. (boys are a lot easier than girls, as well).

The novel also demonstrates the lack of communication which occurs in families in times of grief---the tearing apart of relationships, especially when there is more emotional desperation, as in this case with Haley. Everyone reacts differently to the death of a daughter and sister.

Izzy chose to talk to her dead sister, as a way of communicating, with hatred toward her sister. Haley was self-destructive taking it inward. Ben, buried himself in work, and his mother and family. Julia wanted to sleep, cry, and disconnect until she saw she needed to be strong enough for everyone-- to pull her girls back before losing another one.

Laney was a wonderful friend and being in this setting also offered support away from their environment. Julia will have to learn to trust Haley again with her younger sister, with driving and other things. From pain so intense you think you cannot go on…..and hope for the strength to carry on, despite the past. The author definitely takes you on an intense ride with raw emotions, testing a mother's strength with tough love.

This is not a fluff "feel good" women's chicklit fiction. Be prepared for a woman's tough journey. If you enjoy Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain, you will appreciate the depth, and intensity of the strong mother/daughter dynamics. An ideal choice for book clubs, or group discussions with a reading guide and discussion questions included.

Faulkner always has the "best" front covers!

JDCMustReadBooks

[Maggie61 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free from the publishers and Net galley in exchange for an honest review.
Ben and Julia had what they thought was a normal family relationship. Sure, Ben worked too much and was a Mama's boy but they had a good life with three wonderful daughters. Until they didn't. One night with a single mistake that changed everything; with Haley driving there was accident that killed Caitlin and the family fell apart. The youngest daughter Izzy refuses to speak to Haley since she "killed" Caitlin, Haley, who also blames herself is on a path of self destruction and Julia, for almost two months doesn't get out of bed long enough to know what's going on around her. After more of Haley's self destruction Julia finally wakes up and sees what the family has become and putting her own pain aside, she plans to "kidnap" Haley and take her across the country to her friend Laney's place in Maine and try to heal.
This book was a little hard to read at times; the pain was so real, such an accurate portrayal of a family in so much pain, I couldn't help caring about them all, loving them and feeling along with them. Well except for Ben, he's an idiot? I wasn't terribly concerned with what happened to him. He lost a daughter too but seemed to stand in the way of the rest of the family's healing.
It wasn't all gloomy though, there were some funny moments, comments from Izzy or Haley's smart mouth and once they were on the road, it was less intense. Ms. Faulkner has a way of hooking you in, her descriptions so real it's like you are there..
Like in another of Colleen Faulkner's books that I also gave a 5 stars too, As close as sisters, a strong female friendship is an important part of her novels. I would love to have a friend like Laney, always there, ready to drop everything to help Julia, not judgy.
I highly recommend this book, it's not too long, I read it in part of a day, but it's emotion packed for those pages.
Thanks again to the Kensington and net galley for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

[Jayme C (Brunetteslikebookstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading the "sample" of this book and when it ended I felt compelled to press the "buy now" button so that I could continue reading all afternoon. Very hard to put down! 4.5 stars!!

[Zołza_czyta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seria „Kobiety to czytają” to swego czasu był mój must have do kupienia od razu po premierze. Ale jak wiadomo w przypadku książkoholika nie oznacza to przeczytać od razu, więc „Julia i jej córki” czekały kilka lat na swoją kolej.
Julia musi mierzyć z ogromną stratą. Jedna z jej córek nie żyje. To, co jest w tym najgorsze, to, to, że wypadek, w którym zginęła Caitlin spowodowała Haley – jej pierworodna. Jak poradzić sobie ze stratą? Jak nie obwiniać Haley? Jak zatroszczyć się o najmłodszą córkę Izzy, która nie chce odzywać się do Haley? Jak uratować umierające małżeństwo? Czy podróż z Las Vegas do Maine pomoże? Czy trzy kobiety w jednym aucie odnajdą sposób na poradzenie sobie z żałobą po siostrze i córce?
Nie chcę nigdy znaleźć się w skórze Julie, która musiała radzić sobie z utratą córki. I jeszcze mierzyć się ze świadomością, że to inna córka spowodowała wypadek. Caitlin była przeciwieństwem Haley. Ułożona i spokojna. Ale czy na pewno? Czytając retrospekcję Haley dowiadujemy się, że rzeczywistość mogła być zupełnie inna. Zarówno Julia, Haley jak i Izzy inaczej przechodzą stadium żałoby. Początkowo wydaje się, że Julia nigdy nie wróci do „normalnego” życia, że na zawsze pogrąży się w żałobie po stracie dziecka.
Julia chce uratować rodzinę. Musi jednak wybierać między mężem, a córkami. Taki wybór nigdy nie powinien mieć miejsca. Zarówno Julia jak i Ben cierpią, ale tak naprawdę to Julia po mimo swojego bólu dostrzega niebezpieczeństwo, jakie wisi nad Haley. To ona, a nie jej mąż. Ben stwierdza, że najlepiej byłoby wysłać obie córki do szkól z internatem, aby nie żyły w miejscu, gdzie, kiedy była ich piątka. Ignorancja Bena i przekonanie, że Julia popełnia błąd zabierając córki w podróż przez prawie całe Stany Zjednoczone była irytująca. Kobieta czuła, że ich dzieci potrzebuję wsparcia i bliskości, a nie tylko odesłania z domu. Ben i jego bracia byli maminsynkami. Zawsze wybierał matkę i słuchał jej zdania.
„Julia i jej córki” ruszają w drogę. W drogę żałoby, aby ją przeżyć i pogodzić się z tym, co miało miejsce, aby nie winić się za to, co się wydarzyło i nie opłakiwać Caitlin, a cieszyć się, że była częścią ich życia. To niesamowicie trudne, bo Julia i Izzy musiały nauczyć się myśleć, że śmierć Caitlin to wypadek, a nie celowe działanie siostry. Natomiast Haley musiała przestać się obwiniać i zrozumieć, że wypadki się zdarzają.
Dobrze, że zakończenie tej powieści jest takie, jakie jest. Pokazuje prawdę o małżeństwach w trakcie takiego dramatu. Jak trudno jest małżonkom utrzymać i zrozumieć swój ból wzajemnie.
Podziwiam, że autorka była w stanie napisać powieść, gdzie matka straciła dziecko i jeszcze pisać z perspektywy takiej kobiety, kiedy sama jest matką.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional story that was very hard to read at times. This story deals with a topic no parent would want to face, the death of a child. When you think there could be nothing worse, losing a child because of an accident caused by another family member would add so much more pain and anguish to the situation.
This book took me a little longer to read than I expected. The writing was good and I really liked the previous book I read by this author (Just Like Other Daughters). More than anything else, I think the first 9 books I read this year were very dramatic stories that kept me turning the pages. Although some of these books also dealt with difficult topics (Abandonment, Mental Illness, Child Molestation and Slavery) they told the story at a quicker pace that kept you reading to find out what was going to happen next. This story takes its time revealing how the family comes to terms with their loss and how they begin to heal.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm trying to think about what I could say about this book that would be different than what other three, four, and five star reviews have said. There are plenty of books on the contemporary fiction market that have tackled the subject of a family coping with the loss of a child.

What I believe that the author does well in this particular case is that all three narrators are distinctive and none of them overpower one another during the story. As a reader, I was equally invested in what Julia and her daughters, Haley and Izzy were experiencing. The ending might not be what every reader expects, but it really fit the rhythm of the book.

[Cyndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid account of an incredibly difficult topic: the death of a daughter/sister. I liked the raw honesty throughout and the unexpected resolution at the end. 3 1/2 stars.

[Heather McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book,very well developed characters.

[Bookworm LLC · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I LOVED this book! Julia's Daughters is a story about a family who loses a child to a car accident and how they cope with the loss.
Having this happen in my family it was amazing how accurate Colleen Faulkner was on the effects of this tragedy on the family left behind. The guilt they have and how they try to get through it.

Well don Ms. Faulkner!

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of gut wrenching sorrow experienced by a family after the middle daughter dies in a car accident caused by the oldest daughter. Thankfully I have never experienced anything this tragic but I think it was a very believable portrayal of grief. Each person handled the loss in a different way.
And there was light at the end of the tunnel.

[jade 🥯 · Rating 3 out of 5]

writing itself wasn’t the best but SO RELATABLE it made me cry so bad

[Haley_Allen_5]

IT was amazing. I loved every part of this book

[Denise MacDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an emotional read- sad, funny, hopeful, heartbreaking. The characters were great. They were well developed, all with very different personalities. The relationships between the characters were very deep and intricate. Izzy was my absolute favorite character. All were true to their age. I liked that the author wasn't afraid to throw in some humor about the situation in the form of Izzy's thoughts. She showed that there are many ways to deal with grief and what works for one person may not work for another.

[Pam Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julia's Daughters brought out the raw feelings of a familly in distress after a heart wrenching event that changed the shape of their future. I loved the format that allowed the mother & two daughters to speak individually from their own point of view as the story wove it's sadness and healing through their eyes. The book spoke to the reader who, whether had experienced tragedy or not, could relate to every character and emotion.

[Miriam Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heartbreaking, wonderful, inspiring book! As a mother, I cannot even imagine how the death of a child would change me. The devastation the characters in this book experience made me sad, and I felt I was a part of it. I thought this book was so good! The characters felt real, flawed and anything but perfect, yet, they were written perfectly. I definitely recommend this book! Amazing book!

[Stacey Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would love to see this made into a movie!!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tragic aftermath of a car accident which kills one sister while the other sister was driving.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I orginally acquired this book last year. It took me a year to finish reading it. I started it last year, but it was too much for me to handle at the time. This is probably going to be the toughest review I have had to pen in a while. There was supposed to be a personal post between the previous book review and this one, but not everything goes according to plan and I don’t know what I want to say on a personal level just yet.

The writing style of Colleen Faulkner is incredible. This is my first novel by her, so I am not sure if it is the same throughout all of her stories, but this one impressed me enough that I will be checking out some more of her work. The story is told from first person point of view, from the alternating viewpoints of the mother and two surviving sisters. It just starts two weeks after the tragic car accident that took the life of the middle daughter, Caitlin. The oldest daughter, Haley, was the one driving during the accident.

I found myself relating to these characters throughout the whole story. They are so realistic that more than once, I found myself crying and laughing with them. The grieving process is not sugar-coated in this novel. It’s so real that I could feel the pain the characters were going through. Izzy, the youngest, constantly reminded me of my youngest sister. Nothing I could put my finger on exactly, but it was there. This book also left me thinking: what if? If I was the mom and this happened to my family, how could we deal? Could I help my oldest when she needed me the most? Would I blame her? It’s only human nature to do so, right? It’s something I personally hope I never have to find out.

The emotions throughout this book are raw and real, it is a very moving story. It deals with grief, moving on, being their for each other, and the importance of family. It has made its way to my favorites shelf and it earned it’s five-star rating. If you like literature, women’s fiction, or novels about the importance of family – check this book out. You won’t regret it.

PLEASE NOTE – this book does deal with some heavy situations and may not be appropriate for kids or young adults. Such situations include self harm, drug use, disrespectful behavior, and sexual references.

Sandra

Some of my FAVORITE Quotes from the Book:

“But it’s just one stupid thing I’ve done, in a whole lifetime of stupid things.”
“Somehow, somewhere in that burning sting, I can breathe again.”
“I’m youre mother. You don’t have to like me. You don’t even have to love me, but you’ll show me the respect I deserve. Do I make myself clear?”
“I don’t want to feel better. I deserve to feel shitty. I deserve it forever.”
“Mom’s blind to her daughter’s shortcomings. All of ours. She’s always been that way.”
“A person can only give what they have.”
“‘No, I don’t want you to stop talking to me,” Haley tells me. ‘I don’t want you to ever do that again. Okay? I don’t care if you’re mad at me. Because we’re still sisters. Okay?'”

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haley is 17 and was driving Caitlin, one of her younger sisters, home one night when she ran through a stop sign. Haley wasn't hurt but Caitlin flew through the windshield and was killed. Six weeks later, Julia, their mother, hasn't left her bed and is crying all the time; Ben, their father, is working all the time or spending time with his mother and brothers; Haley feels guilty and is acting up (why didn't they get her help right away to deal with the accident?!); and 10-year-old Izzy hasn't spoken to her sister since "she killed Caitlin".

Once Julia realizes how out of control Haley has become, she figures the only way to straighten her out is to go on road trip with her ... drive across the country and spend some time with Laney, her best friend, who lives in Maine. Ben doesn't agree but Julia feels this is best for her and Haley. And off they go.

It's not a happy topic (I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child in an accident) but I thought this story was okay. It is written in first person perspective in Julia, Haley and Izzy's voices (the chapters are labeled). The ending was a bit of a surprise but I was okay with it ... it was the best way to end the story. As a head's up, there is swearing and self-harming.

There is a confusing timeline posted at the beginning of each chapter ... the story moves forward without jumping back and forth but the timeline posted didn't make sense to me. For example, the first chapter is "47 days" which I assumed was 47 days since the accident. But chapter two, in which the action happens right after the first chapter is "46 days, 13 hours". Chapter three is "still 47 days" and chapter four is "3 years, months" but is happening right after the preceding chapters. Huh?!

I liked Julia and surprisingly Haley. I felt nothing for Ben ... he was barely there physically and emotionally and provided zero support to his wife and daughters. I really disliked Izzy ... she was annoying and I cringed when I read her chapters.

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2025/02...

[Brenda Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Julia’s Daughters” is a deep and emotionally charged story of maternal love that will definitely touch your heart. It is a beautifully written story, proving that even the most fractured family that has been ripped apart by the unexpected death of a loved one can heal and move on. Julia lost a daughter and Haley and Izzy lost their sister. Caitlin’s death leaves them totally devastated, detached from reality, detached from life.

The plot of the story was well executed and I thought it was beneficial how the points of view changed with every chapter, giving insight into the thoughts of every character, each different in their own way, shedding light on their own thoughts, heartache but more importantly their mental health. The impact is profound.

The loss of a loved is traumatic, but in time one needs to find a way to break free, to slowly adjust to the changing circumstances, learning to find happiness again, minus any guilt associated with it. This book depicts the importance of family, proving communication is pivotal. It was a tremendously engaging read with lots of touching moments despite the struggles each character faced. I didn’t like Ben (the father) very much, he was spineless, detached from his own family. He was simply a momma’s boy.

This story takes its time revealing how the family slowly comes to terms with their loss and how they begin to heal. Despite the topic, it was a light read, raw with emotion. It could have been a little more descriptive, more intense, but it was a quick read. A fractured family can be put back together with a combined effort.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was easy to read despite the subject matter but also horribly annoying because of the same subject matter. It’s the story of a teenage girl who gets in a car accident that kills her sister. She goes into a shame spiral and begins all the usual self destructive behavior. Grieving mom finds out and decides she and the girl need some time alone to talk out the loss and blame she feels. But instead the mother sides with the youngest daughter who insults the girl and calls her a murder to her face. Not to mention sharing the secrets the girl confides in her with basically everybody. So the first half of the book she just sort of makes the girl feel worse but acts exasperated that it’s not curing her. The second half of the book is when everything falls into place despite the fact that NO ONE apologizes to this poor girl for contributing to her grief. But they’re all magically friends in the end. Because they all understand each other better.

[Sabiha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting story about a seventeen-year-old girl named Haley who accidentally kills her sister- and how she and the family deal with it. This is an emotionally intense read that deals with the issue of bereavement and grief. Julia, the mother, is left to pick up the pieces of her family while also still trying to grieve from the lost of her daughter under such unusual circumstances. It depicts the real-life situation of a family failing apart in times of grief. It is told from multiple viewpoints, allowing readers to get to know the inner thoughts and feelings of each character on the road of grief and healing. The book also brings in the notion of strength of mother-daughter relationships, even in the face of adversity. The author uses humour to balance the heavy mood in the book, and she does so in a tasteful well-played manner. I'd recommend this book.

[Liette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually 3.5 stars for this book. This book is about loss... The loss of a daughter/sister and what could go on after the death of said individual. So,
What do you get when your « perfect » child, who was not so perfect after all, dies in a car crash when her older sister was behind the wheel? Add to this a child (older sister/driver) who self destroy to punish herself and a younger child who is too spoiled and thinks too highly of herself.
On top of it, I just could not believe the spineless husband who is emasculated by his mother and who doesn’t give a hoot about his wife and girls, it would have made no difference if he had not be featured in the story. It’s no wonder Julia spent week crying her eyes out.
At first, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to slap Julia senseless or if I pitied her. But the moment she decided to pack the girls and hit the road, she became more sympathetic.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will put you on an emotional roller coaster.

Julia is a loving mother to three daughters. She knows she is blessed. Her world - and her family's - is shattered beyond comprehension when her older daughter Haley is driving with younger daughter Caitlin in the vehicle with her. Haley runs a stop sign and Caitlin dies in the horrible accident that results.

Julia tries her hardest not to make Haley feel any worse than she already does, but inside, she is extremely angry with Haley. Love and hate nearly tear her in two.

Healing must happen but Julia isn't sure exactly how. She decides to take daughter Haley on a long trip, a cross-country drive. During that time, she hopes they both can heal, or at least, learn how to live without Caitlin.

[Reading Fool · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book.

An unimaginable plot - Julia has three daughers, Haley, Caitlin, and Izzy. Haley, 17, is driving with Caitlin home from a party one night when she runs a stop sign, killing Caitlin in the accident. This is the story of a broken family: Haley, who cannot forgive herself; Izzy, who cannot forgive Haley and will not talk to her; Julia, who cannot get out of bed from the grief; and Julia's husband Ben, who keeps going to work and just wants to move on. Julia then has the crazy idea to go on a cross-country trip with her daughters as a way to begin to heal. This was an easy read - not because of the plot, but because the writing is down-to-earth and in the voices of the three female protagonists. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Asra23 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever read the back of a book and maybe the first chapter or two, and get a hunch that the story is going to be below your level of acceptability? I’ll be honest, when I decided to read “Julia’s Daughters”, I went straight down this road. For some reason, though, I continued reading, and I’m glad I did. The story isn’t perfect, and Faulkner avoided answering certain questions that I always thought were crucial in a book about a death in the family and the aftermath, but after finishing the not quite 300 pages, I felt strangely satisfied. It’s as if I could tell Faulkner devoted many, many hours to fabricating this tale, and now I can say that, if you decide to read it, you won’t be disappointed.

[Ania · Rating 2 out of 5]

Najsłabsza z przeczytanych przeze mnie do tej pory książek z serii "Kobiety to czytają". Nie przemówił do mnie ani problem poruszany w książce, ani historia przedstawiona na jego tle. Postać ojca potraktowana bardzo po macoszemu, sprowadzona do roli papierowej, nieczującej, przeźroczystej lalki, a nie żywego człowieka. Odniosłam wrażenie, że Autorka tak bardzo skupiła się na tworzeniu postaci Julii i jej córek, że na kreację ojca zabrakło jej pomysłu/polotu/talentu/koncepcji. Denerwowało mnie też notoryczne podkreślanie, że córki są inteligentne, mądre i piękne, a sposób zachowania i reakcje na niektóre wydarzenia, pokazywały coś zupełnie odwrotnego.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Julia's Daughters by Colleen Faulkner. This story deals with a family struggling with the death of their teenage daughter and sister during an accident, in which her sister was driving. It's a heartbreaking topic, but still Faulkner is able to work some heartwarming moments into the story. Most of her characters, I found to be rather likable, except the mother in law. I also found her characters to be well written. I felt like I understood their point of view and why each of them were struggling so badly. I'm excited to read more of Colleen Faulkner's work in the future!