Goodreads Summary:
Bea has barely been scraping by since her husband died. After falling for a telephone scam, she loses everything and is forced to abandon her trailer. With only two-thirds of a tank in her old van, she heads toward the Pacific Ocean with her cat—on a mission to reclaim what’s rightfully hers, even if it means making others pay for what she lost.
When fifteen-year-old Allie’s parents are jailed for tax fraud, she’s sent to a group home. But when her life is threatened by another resident, she knows she has to get out. She escapes only to find she has nowhere to go—until fate throws Allie in Bea’s path.
Reluctant to trust each other, much less become friends, the two warily make their way up the Pacific Coast. Yet as their hearts open to friendship and love from the strangers they meet on their journey, they find the courage to forge their own unique family—and begin to see an imperfect world with new eyes.
My thoughts:
This was initially a very difficult read, emotionally. Bea's tale of woe killed me. I had to set the book down for a while, and go back. Bea is a senior citizen, barely scraping by, living with her cat in their trailer, when she falls victim to a phone scam and loses what little money she has. In secret under cover of night, she transforms her van into a sort of mobile home for herself and her cat, and heads out of the trailer park, basically penniless and homeless. This image broke my heart - and is such a truism of what can befall seniors today. My own mother is 70, living on a fixed income, and not too long ago called me alarmed after receiving the same type of phone call as Bea. I stressed to her that it was a scam, and to never ever give any of her info over the phone to anyone who calls.
Allie is taken under the care of CPS after her parents are sent to jail - another instance of the failure of our world to care for our elderly and young people, as Allie is not sent into the best of situations. The two meet after Allie escapes, and from there the story becomes a bit more lighthearted and heartwarming as they embark upon an unconventional road trip of sorts.
I highly recommend this emotional read, that spans a roller coaster of highs and lows, but ultimately ends on a high, a win for people and demonstrates that not all is bad in this world, if we give people a chance. Everybody needs somebody, and Allie and Bea are an unlikely duo who are just what the other needs.
This sounds like a sweet, and bittersweet, tale! I would like to read this one. Do you remember the author is the one who wrote Pay It Forward, a trend which still continues on to this day. She sounds like a good person herself.
ReplyDeleteI saw that! I never read it, but I am familiar with the story. What a wonderful trend to begin! It was a good book, although it had some tough stuff to get through.
DeleteThis does sound good, and my mom is much the same. She's gotten calls like that too! The fact that people prey on senior citizens... grr. Anyway- Bea's story does sound heartbreaking and amazing, and I like the sound of her and Allie traveling up the Pacific coast. Glad it has a nice ending too.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me so sad that people are so cruel to others, especially our most vulnerable populations, like seniors. It is definitely different from what I usually read, but worth it. :)
DeleteI hate scammers. My friend's MIL got scammed big time. What a mess it was. I never answer phone numbers that aren't identified and block them. We tell my parents that also who know better thank goodness; they've just given up their landline because they're tired of solicitors and scammers.
ReplyDeleteI never answer them either - I told my mom to do the same thing. I couldn't believe that I read this book then my mom got the same sort of phone call. She called me, and said "Erin, the IRS just called!" all upset. :(
DeleteThis does sound tough. If you enjoy stories with elderly people and young ones teaming up, have you ever read Lost and Found by Brooke Davis?
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard to read some things. Elder abuse makes me so sad. Our culture treats its elderly so wrong - not everyone of course, but to some, when you get old its like you should be thrown away like the last model phone. However, there are just as many good people out there too.
DeleteI have not read that! I will have to give it a look-see!