A lighthearted look at family dynamics that is truly just plain fun to read! This will make a great vacation read.

Take a stubborn (cranky?) grandma, a woman frustrated in an unhappy marriage, a pair of young adults with huge aspirations, and toss in a man stuck in a job he's just not good at, a semi-closeted aunt and her partner who speaks fluent French when provoked, and you've the cast of characters of "Better Choices."

These are not typical family dynamics, but these are not typical people. Allison (the woman frustrated in an unhappy marriage) is just beginning to open her eyes to the truths that surround her. Whatever we may be overlooking in our own lives, Allison’s rebirth is almost certainly more entertaining than real life.

This story started out a little slow, but I really enjoyed the characters. By the end of the book, I couldn't put it down. It's pretty much a story about family, but there is also a whole lot of side stories going on. Some family secrets come out during the book, but the biggest one isn't revealed until almost the end. I would definitely read another story by this author. I really enjoyed it!

I received an ebook Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my review. I wish to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was my first book by the authors, though I now see that they have several other titles available. I don't usually go for regular adult fiction genre, so I may have missed their books before, but I will keep my eye out for them now. This was a fairly quickly and easy read, and once I got started, I read it fast. Though not a mystery or thriller, I was curious to see what would happen next in the lives of the characters. And there was the hint of 'what secret is the mom holding on to?' And keeping with just one narrator really helped the enjoyment of this book.

Starting out, I was a bit worried about the character of Allison, and I can't say I ever really warmed up to her, But overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others looking for a good, single narrator book. I"m rating this as 3 stars, because I did like the book, but I don't know that I liked it enough to say I 'really liked it'. But I will keep an eye out for others by the authors. Sometimes multiple writers can leave for a choppy book, but this one felt pretty smooth and the story seemed consistent and to flow.

Another fun and interesting book by this pair. While there is fiction involved they always manage to toss in a little food for thought and maybe even a meal. There is family, friends, relationships and how we manage them all presented in some fun characters and their antics. Not to be excluded is our 'lizard brain' that is sometimes responsible for placing us where we probably never should have gone. Think about it or take it at face value, either way it's a really fun read.
I received this book as a complimentary copy.
Thanks to the authors,the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I was under no obligation to provide a review of the book.

A light story on taking charge of your life during tough times. Magically, isn’t it always magic in fiction, nothing goes amiss and outcomes just get better and better all the time. People are rescued from themselves and the rich become richer and more successful. A pleasant diversion.

This was a fun and quick book to read, especially now. Although it's a light read, it also brings up some difficult issues. The characters are quirky albeit not always believable. Then again, I suppose it is not so far-fetched. Thanks for an enjoyable afternoon.

Better Choices by Rod Pennington and Jeffery A. Martin
This was my first book by Rod Pennington and Jeffery A. Martin. It was a great read. The language and the dialogue flowed.
It is the story of a family, right down to the crazy aunts, and the dynamics that make it function. The lessons we learn as parents as we watch our children grow from child to teen to dare I say it – adult. There are complex relationships in life and families. The authors explore the choices we make and why we make them.
The authors are able to weave a tale that is believable, humorous and thought provoking. This was a great read. Definitely should be on your “To Be Read” pile. Pick it up today!

Allison Clark has her hands full. She is on the brink of divorce, her high school seniors are in trouble at school, and her mother is dying. To top it all off, her mother has a huge secret that is just about to come into the light.
While this could all drag her down, instead it becomes the impetus for her to discover herself and find her happiness.

This was a cute story. I recognize that this wealthy family may seem unreachable or hard to relate to, but I fully enjoyed the banter as well as all the different events they go through. There were some nice life lessons in there and overall it was just a quick, fluffy read. There were a few things that maybe I didn't agree with, but it was a fairly classic Women's fiction. Quick, light, easy.

Thank you NetGalley and Integration Press for an ARC for my honest opinion.

Netgalley and Integration Press provided me with an ARC of this book. The comments and review are my honest opinion.
Allison Clarke is on the threshold of divorcing her philandering husband, being an empty nester as her twins are off to college and she, as she looks back over her life just might make some better choices than before. That is until some parts of her new life become quite different than what she expected. But in the end, she would not have had it any other way.
Colorful characters with a touch of insight into what Allison should have done versus what she did, Better Choices is a fast paced, entertaining book by two authors I have not read before. But if their other books provide the entertainment as this one did, I’ll be sure to read them.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This book offers so much insight into things going on not only today but also times gone by. I learned a lot about, lizard brain and so did Allison Clark. It was nice to see this woman who was trying to take care of her dying mother and watching her twins getting ready to graduate high school not only learn about the books her aunt wrote but started reading them. It was in one of her aunt's book that she learned about, lizard brain. She thought about it and realized this was why she made some of the decisions she made. The book is about family and some made mistakes, some we watched grow and some I could and did learn from. It is a wonderful book that inspires me to think about my choices and learn to sometimes make better choices.
There is something special about this book because I am still thinking about it. The book doesn't give you answers, it just asks a question, do you have lizard brain? I find myself thinking about the decisions I make a little more now. This book has definitely had an impact on me. I am so hoping he writes another one like this real soon. I read What ever happened to Mr. MAJIC? which was as good as this. They are different but has so much to them.

This is a light family drama peppered with a bit of suspense. There are a number of colorful characters to entertain the reader. The O’Connor family is privileged and most of the story revolves around a business started by the late Charlie O’Connor. As his grandchildren come of inheritance age, the plot begins to thicken. The story branches out in several directions with the different interests of the diversified list of characters. There is no “WOW” factor here but a good, quick, light read that we are all sometimes in need of.

For me, this was just not my kind of story. It was an easy read, but took me awhile to read it, because I just couldn’t get into the story. Characters were quirky and interesting, but the kids were obviously steering the ship, with a clueless mother, meekly following behind.
The writing was good and the plot was different, if unbelievable. I think it will attract the YA crowd and those looking for a fun beach read.
I received this ARC from #NetGalley and #IntegrationPress for my independent opinion.

Allison wants out of her marriage. Her husband has run around on her almost from the beginning and then begs forgiveness. She is only waiting until the children graduate from high school. The kids are in trouble at school most of the time, still graduating as the top two students. Just when Allison thinks it can't get any worse, her mom ends up in the hospital with heart issues. Allison's brother Robert is on his second marriage to a a much younger woman and has a child from his first marriage, Robert. The family owns a business which Robert Sr runs and is running into the ground. Charles and Angela, the twins, turn out to be the financial wizards of the family. Everything ends up being put into neat little packages and most of us realize real life does not usually run that way. Allison's aunts add a nice little sub-story to the main event.

Often in life it is hard to see how the choices one makes can affect the rest of their life. In the book “Better Choices” the main character Allison has the opportunity to see how her choices have influenced her entire life. I had never heard of this writing duo prior to this book, but I will keep an eye out in the future. Faced paced and well written this is an excellent choice for a lazy summer weekend.

I enjoyed the book. I saw the answers a mile away (about 1/3 of the way through), but enjoyed it anyway. I wish there was a little more conflict in the story. All the challenges were a little too easy to solve.

Hmmmmmm I had never heard of this duo author pair until I just happened to see an ad on facebook for their upcoming book. The sypnosis doesn't even hit on all the great points and characters of this story. Really enjoyed this family drama with some feisty & smart characters!!!
We have Allison Clark, a woman who has stayed married to a philanderer of a man for 20+ years because of the twin children they share. What Allison doesn't know is her twins would have much rather their parents got divorced years ago and made each other happy. Alison's family is a self made family who have some feisty and amazingly strong women amongst them. Dealing with her mother's down spiral of health and finally setting herself free, she will finally listen to those amazing women and discover herself in ways that she never imagined. Thank you to Netgalley and Integration Publishing for my honest review.

I was surprised by this one! It was a quick read and generally an easy one, but dealt with some interesting family dynamics, to say the least. I highly recommend it.

I read this thanks for an ARC from Netgalley. With that being said, this isn't a genre of books I would pick myself. The Women's Literature category isn't my favorite or something I have a desire to read.
Better Choices follows a complex family, with many strong women through a few month period of trials and tribulations including uncovered secrets, family turmoil and divorce as well as teenage children. It wasn't necessarily a page tuner; more like reading a movie script for a Hallmark Movie. Overall, it was a feel good read, I enjoyed the simplicity of it.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Allison Clark is thinking about divorcing her two timing husband when their twins graduate from high school. Her mom has always perfected her brother over her. Her brother has always bullied and manipulated her. But, finally in one summer she finds her stride. She gets rid of her lizard brain, if you read the book you know what I mean, if you haven't, read the book to find out. Her mother gets sick and decides to tell a life long family secret. All the while, Allison is becoming more like her mother and may just finally divorce her husband.

I enjoyed all the characters of this book. They were well written. My favorites though are Aunt Tellie and Aunt Jolene. This book will make you laugh out loud, as well as maybe shed a tear. I feel as though I am leaving behind a group of friends in this book. I also think I may need to get rid of my Lizard Brain 😊

I received the Kindle version of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

First, thanks to NetGalley and the authors Rod Pennington and Jeffery Martin for this ARC.
Better Choices is a book with the main character, Allison, being a woman (person) who has basically let life just happen to her. She has pretty much gone with the flow and letting others make choices for her to keep the peace. It was as if she had never learned or accepted the fact that it was HER life to make. She is waiting for her upcoming divorce which is already drawn up and waiting to be signed once her twins turn 18 which is very soon. Who does that? It is not as if her kids don't understand what is going on around her! Then her mother has a health crisis and is dying so Allison, of course, takes her in to care for. The book was an easy read and the many diverse characters and storylines made it interesting and fun. Allison was difficult for me to like towards the beginning of the book as I saw her as weak but she was also a woman who grew as the story went on. She, in fact, began making Better Choices.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes women's fiction with lots of crazy family dynamics thrown in.