The Ties That Bind
When two childhood buddies, Brice and Christian, fall for the same girl, their friendship is tested. On a military leave, Brice returns home to Georgia and meets a college student, Mia. After only 30 days, they fall in love and marry. It isn't until their return to North Carolina that Mia really gets to know her husband, who believes that because he wears the pants, Mia should abide by his rules. Because Brice is a Marine recruiter and travels frequently, he encourages his best friend to spend time with Mia in his absence. She is so in love that she accepts her husband's authority until he becomes violent. In Christian's role as friend and babysitter, he realizes that he is also in love with Mia. To stay true to his friendship with Brice, he remains steadfast yet supportive of Mia. When Christian is forced to choose between Brice's friendship and Mia's safety, he chooses Mia. This effective novel shows that the ties that bind are painful for all three individuals, and each has to live with his or her actions and choices.Lillian LewisCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved