title: Accidents of Marriage: A Novel
author:  Randy Susan Meyers 
description: "This novel's unsparing look at emotional abuse and its devastating consequences gives it gravity and bite, while a glimpse into a physically damaged mind both surprises and fascinates." (<i>People</i>)<br /><br />Meyers novel explores how destructive emotional abuse by itself can be. . . [and] deftly deploys a large cast of major and minor characters in telling this complex story. Her painstaking description of both emotional abuse and brain injury are impressive. Accidents of Marriage isnt for anyone who insists on happy endings, but it rewards readers in deeply satisfying ways. A complex, captivating tale. (<i>Boston Globe</i>)<br /><br />Meyers puts a Boston family overwhelmed by a tragic accident under the literary microscope. Meyers, who has a background working with victims of domestic violence, examines the effects anger and violence can have on family members, as well as the courage that can be born from a new perspective and the lack of happily-ever-after in these real-life situations. The characters labor under intense pressure, and some crack while others rise to the challenge, giving Meyers tale both realism and a bittersweet quality that, in the hands of a lesser writer, could have ended up simply maudlin and contrived. Beautifully written, poignant and thought-provoking, this novel refuses to succumb to stereotypical reader expectations, making it even more memorable. (<i>Kirkus (starred review)</i>)<br /><br />"Sensitively written." (<i>Library Journal</i>)<br /><br />"Meyers is quickly taking her place among the ranks of womens fiction authors who write big-issue novels that explore the inner lives of women in crisis without descending into melodrama or clich. Readers who enjoy Barbara Delinsky, Amy Hatvany, and Jodi Picoult will want to add Meyers to their to-read list." (<i>Booklist</i>)<br /><br />"A deft exploration of the borders of abuse and the aftermath of tragedy, the triumphs and disappointments of recovery, and the possibilities of faith and forgiveness." (<i>Star Tribune</i>)<br /><br />"Meyers writes compellingly; Maddys recovery is detailed and wrenching, as are vivid portraits of the childrens reactions to their familys turmoil." (<i>Concord Monitor</i>)<br /><br />"Many books are an absolute pleasure to read, but slip straight from your mind. Accidents of Marriage is one of those rare novels that is both unputdownable and unforgettable. I just loved it, and I'll now read everything Randy Susan Meyers writes." (Liane Moriarty <i>New York Times bestselling author of The Husband's Secret</i>)<br /><br />"Maddy and Ben have a complicated marriage. Hes got anger issues; she is messy and forgetful. One fateful morning these character traits clash  with devastating consequences. In this beautifully written novel, Randy Susan Meyers traces how the repercussions of a car accident expose fissures and long-held resentments from the past that force these characters to question everything. This is a wise and penetrating book. (Christina Baker Kline <i>#1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train</i>)<br /><br />"An incredibly accomplished and satisfying read, with an important message." (Jane Green <i>New York Times bestselling author of Tempting Fate</i>)
zlib_text: 
  
  The Drive-By Wife
  
  
  
  Books 1, 2 & 3
  
  ­­
  
  by
  
  
  
  Mike Wells
  
  
  
  Smashwords Edition
  
  
  
  Copyright 2013 Mike Wells
  
  
  
  [ http://www.mikewellsbooks.com/ ](http://www.mikewellsbooks.com/)
  
    
  This book is a work of fiction.  The names, characters, places and incidents
  are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and
  are not to be construed as real.  Any resemblances to persons living or dead,
  actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
  
  
  
  All rights reserved.  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any
  form whatsoever without written permission from the author.
  
    
  NOVELS BY MIKE WELLS
  
  
  
  Baby Talk
  
  
  
  The Drive-By Wife
  
  
  
  Lust, Money & Murder (series)
  
  
  
  The Mysterious Disappearance of Kurt Kramer
  
  
  
  Passion, Power & Sin (series)
  
  
  
  Secrets of the Elusive Lover
  
  
  
  The Wrong Side of the Tracks
  
  
  
  Wild Child (series)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  Prologue
  
  
  
  Somewhere in the Midwestern United States, a lone tractor-trailer truck roared
  through the