Title: Little Big Love by Katy Regan
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Penguin’s First to Read Program
Summary:
About a Boy meets Parenthood in this smart, big-hearted love story about a family for whom everything changed one night, a decade ago, and the young boy who unites them all.
Ten-year-old Zac Hutchinson collects facts: octopuses have three hearts, Usain Bolt is the fastest man on earth. But no one will tell him the one thing he wants to know most: who his father is and where he went.
When Zac’s mother, Juliet, inadvertently admits that his dad is the only man she’s ever loved, Zac decides he is going to find him and deliver his mom the happily ever after she deserves.
But Liam Jones left for a reason, and as Zac searches for clues of his father, Juliet begins to rebuild what shattered on the day that was at once the happiest and most heartbreaking of her life.
Told through the eyes of Zac, Juliet, and grandfather Mick, Little Big Love is a layered, heartfelt, utterly satisfying story about family, love, and the secrets that can define who we are.
Review:
Written from three distinct points of view, Little Big Love by Katy Regan is a poignant and heartwarming novel that touches on serious issues such as addiction, grief and bullying.
Ten year old Zac Hutchinson and his best friend Teagan O’Brien have embarked on a scheme to find Zac’s dad whom he has never met. He has been told by both his mum Juliet and his grandparents Lynda and Mick that his father, Liam Jones, took off before Zac was born and in fact, he’s “a waste of space”. Zac is certain that if Liam just meets him, he will want to be part of his son’s life. What Zac does not realize is that his mum and grandparents have not told him the complete truth about Liam’s departure and his quest is unknowingly going to lead to some heartrending revelations.
As one of the story’s three narrators, young Zac is a breath of fresh air as he navigates through life’s challenges. He is a sweet, compassionate young man who handles the bullying of his classmates with aplomb. Zac adores his mum and his grandparents and his relationships with each of them are quite special. With his Nan, he enjoys replicating the tempting recipes developed by his much loved Uncle Jamie. Zac and his granddad share a special bond as they fish, watch sports and informational shows on the telly. He knows how hard his mum works so Zac tries to keep out of trouble so as not to cause her any further stress. He realizes his mum and grandparents will not support his quest to find Liam, so he and Teagan keep their search under everyone’s radar.
Juliet has never really recovered from the events that occurred around the time of Liam’s disappearance. She works hard to provide for herself and Zac, but making ends meet is a struggle. Juliet has very unhealthy ways of coping with her anxiety but she is doing her best to be a good mum so she is quite distressed to learn about the issues that Zac is facing at school. She must sometimes walk on eggshells around her mum, but when Juliet becomes aware of Zac’s search for Liam, she knows she has to put her son first.
Mick’s chapters are written as diary entries and these passages are quite reflective as he tries to pinpoint how and why his life took such a wrong turn. He is quite honest as he ponders the impact his alcoholism had on his wife and family and he is regretful of the choices he made. Mick is building up to confessing his role in the events that lead up to Liam’s departure but these events are so painful he only confronts them in the novel’s heartfelt conclusion.
Little Big Love is an emotional yet uplifting journey of healing for the Hutchinson family. Zac’s optimism is a stark contrast to his mum’s unhappiness and his Nan’s unhealthy inability to let go her anger and grief. Mick is trying to understand how he ended up at this juncture in his life and his ruminations offer surprising insight and a bit of suspense as he builds up to a shocking revelation. Readers who enjoy family-centric storylines are sure to enjoy this captivating novel from Katy Regan.
