Familiar Ground was an emotional read about the ravages of addiction and the effects of an addict on the rest of his or her family. 

Adam and Leah had an immediate connection upon meeting: their niece, Dani. Neither knew she even existed until Adam’s sister dies and Leah’s brother leaves Dani with her to check in to a treatment facility. But beyond the tie of their niece, there is an attraction simmering under the surface of all their interactions.

Leah is more or less on her own. She tries to take care of Dani herself, but within the first week realizes she needs to let Dani meet her uncle and grandparents in case something happens because her long time boyfriend is less than supportive when it comes to dealing with a 3 year old. 

Adam and Leah have immediate chemistry but because of the difficult ties between their families, they each hesitate to go beyond flirting. From the beginning Adam is a good guy. I loved the first two scenes Leah meets Adam in, as humorous moments before the connection is made. 

I really enjoyed this. There were parts that were hard to read, the pain of the characters so close to the surface and so clear in their actions. But the overarching themes of family and healing past hurts give hope to even the hardest scenes. 

This was one of those stories where it felt like most of the plot lines were coming together in such a way that the worst of the emotional turmoil was over, when a final twist threatened everything Leah and Adam had been working towards - with each other, with Shane, and with their futures. I read the end like I was watching a horror movie, wishing I could keep my eyes shut until it passed, but unable to look away. 

This story is a glimpse at the lengths a family will go to save each other and provide safety. I loved that over the course of the book, the safety net around Leah grew exponentially and in ways I couldn’t have predicted. This is not a story about addicts, it is the ripples that flow through an addict’s family because of the actions of one member, but the treatment of addiction is handled sensitively without romancing the illness behind it.

Michelle Lynn

Facebook/Twitter/Website/Goodreads

Michelle moved around the Midwest most of her life, transferring from school to school before settling down in the outskirts of Chicago ten years ago, where she now resides with her husband and two kids. She developed a love of reading at a young age, which helped lay the foundation for her passion to write. With the encouragement of her family, she finally sat down and wrote one of the many stories that have been floating around in her head. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found playing with her kids, talking to her mom on the phone, or hanging out with her family and friends. But after chasing around twin preschoolers all day, she always cherishes her relaxation time after putting the kids to bed.