The Accidentals

By: Sarina Bowen

Narrated by: Kate Rudd

Never ask a question unless you’re sure you want the truth.

I’ve been listening to my father sing for my whole life. I carry him in my pocket on my MP3 player. It’s just that we’ve never met face to face.

My mother would never tell me how I came to be, or why my rock star father and I have never met. I thought it was her only secret. I was wrong.

When she dies, he finally appears. Suddenly I have a first-class ticket into my father’s exclusive world. A world I don’t want any part of - not at this cost.

Only three things keep me going: my a cappella singing group, a swoony blue-eyed boy named Jake, and the burning questions in my soul. There’s a secret shame that comes from being an unwanted child. It drags me down, and puts distance between me and the boy I love.

My father is the only one alive who knows my history. I need the truth, even if it scares me.

©2018 Sarina Bowen (P)2018 Sarina Bowen

Mixed Feelings

I have such mixed feelings about The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen. On one hand, I thought the storyline was really strong, and I especially loved the redemption arc for Frederick. Watching Rachel’s father try to step up after so many years of absence was powerful, but I also felt like he never truly grew up. He avoided the hardest conversations, and I wish he had shown more effort later in the book to face them head-on.

Rachel’s journey broke my heart—what she went through was scary and isolating, and I completely understood her fear. At the same time, I often wanted more from her. She held back so much, and it left me wanting her to voice her feelings more openly, especially with Hayes.

Speaking of Hayes—my heart ached for him. His actions weren’t always right, but it’s important to remember he was grieving too, and still so young. That said, he also needed to communicate better instead of assuming Rachel felt the same way he did. Their lack of resolution frustrated me; she was such a big part of his past, and it felt like she let that slip away without really fighting for it. Yes, he hurt her, but once she was in a stronger place, I wish she’d made more of an effort to bridge that rift.

And then there’s Jake—the golden retriever energy, the steady warmth, the safe place Rachel desperately needed after so much trauma. He was such a bright spot in the story and fit perfectly into the role she needed at the time.

Five Stars....and more if I could give them!

I love all of Sarina Bowen's books and this was right up there among my favorites. Her characters are wonderful and so real. I loved Rachel and her Dad and how they find their way together. I also loved and appreciated the relationship Rachel had with Jake and how well Sarina handled their more intimate moments. Sarina set a good example for young female readers for how things should go at that age. It was mature, but also realistic, and provided just the right amount of information. I'd feel comfortable letting my 14 year old read it. The characters face problems and situations that seem very organic and not manufactured to up the angst. One of my pet peeves is characters making poor decisions simply to drive the plot, and that never happens in Sarina's books. The story had a very satisfying ending, and yet I still wanted more, more, more! I wasn't ready to let these characters go, which is the highest compliment I can give. Kate Rudd was an excellent narrator.

One of my favorite Sarina Bowen books.

I’ve listened multiple times and love it each and every time. The characters are real, and flawed, and Bowen’s dialogue is perfection.

🌟🌟 5 Stars 🌟🌟

Oh Sarina Bowen knows how to pull on all my heart strings! I loved this book! I really liked Rachel, she is such a realistic character but she is pretty quiet and most of her emotions are locked tight on the inside! She goes with the flow and she doesn't really have great communication skills but hey she is young and her life was completely upended. I felt like she was a character I connected with from almost the first page. While I did enjoy the love story, I have to say the relationship between Rachel and Freddy is the best part of this book for me but that's because it hits home a little and I loved hearing their relationship grow. I especially loved that Freddie didn't just all of a sudden change, he had his set backs which made him real to me. This is a beautiful story about love, loss and a new overdue connection.

The narration was great! Kate Rudd is an awesome narrator and she not only give them all their own voices, does great with the accents but she also brings the characters to life and pulls you into the story completely!

A Wonderful Story

This book was a wonderful story of a young woman discovering her way after one parent is gone and another reenters her life. She has her ups and downs but holds steady with her way moving forward. Well done to the narrator conveying all the characters in this book.