All In The Family by Q Kelly

Allison knew from an early age she was a lesbian. She had been raped by her step father when she was only twelve years old. She gave birth to her son Allen when she was thirteen, now at sixteen she is working in The Addict coffee place to help her mother make ends meet. Susan, Allison’s mother, has claimed Allen for her own son. Allison is not happy about this, but doesn’t have any choice.

Susan has a new man in her life, lawyer Barry Cannizarro. Barry has a seventeen year old daughter Sam. Sam is deaf and she attends military school away from home. Allison has seen photo’s of Sam and likes what she has seen, more than likes in fact. Allison is set on her and Sam becoming friends and may be more in time and begins to learn sign language in preparation for Sam’s return home. She teaches Allen as well.

Will Allison and Sam get on as well together as Allison hopes?

When Sam arrives home from school, she finds that she has a ready made family waiting for her. A family that Sam doesn’t feel a part of. She likes Allison well enough though and gradually comes around to liking Allen as well. Who wouldn’t like the little bundle of mischief?

Sam finds herself more than liking Allison. But Allison has been pushed by her mother into dating boys, so Sam thinks she doesn’t have a chance. Will both Allison and Sam confide their feeling for one another? Or will each girl go on thinking the other is straight?

As always with Q Kelly’s books, she covers topics that most authors would avoid. I have to give Q Kelly credit for being fearless in her writing. This book is no exception with the varied topics she covers.

This book centers around Sam a young deaf lesbian. It tells of her life within a family where she feels unwanted. Sam’s father re-marries and Sam doesn’t get along with her manipulative step mother. When Sam and Allison get to know each other well, Sam finds it hard to stand back and watch Susan push Allison around.

The story covers over five years of Sam and Allison’s lives. It tells of the emotional turmoil suffered by both Allison and Sam due to interference in their lives and how life almost spirals out of control for both of them.

The story is well written and I loved the characters.

It would have been nice to have had at least a glimpse into Sam’s life at military school. She spent a lot of time there in between her home visits.

I also would have liked to see a little more on how Allison coped with her drinking problem.

All in all though, this was a good read.