Joe Jr's death starts a series of unforeseen events for Ella who thought her life was so idllyic. This story is a true testament to the concept that there are no simple answers and each one of us is a complex entity composed of so many events and people that shaped our lives as we continue to shape the lives of others. Well done for debut novel; good for book discussion. ( )

For starters, I loved everything about this book! I read it in less than a day and wish it kept going!

This story is filled with heartbreak and happiness, sadness and joy and everything in between.

When Ella's husband Joe dies in a sudden accident, she is left in mourning and at the same time has to remain strong for her two step-children, Annie and Zack. Paige is Annie and Zack's mother and returns to the family after she hears of her ex-husbands passing. Ella and Paige love the children, but the story begs the question of what makes a mother? Is it the woman who gave birth to you and then had to leave for your own safety or the woman who steps in after this? Ella and Paige fight for custody of the children while dealing with other family members secrets and fears.

Fabulous book! ( )

Set in the richly described small town of Elbow, California, this novel tracks a family through grief and joy, exploring the complex bonds of family and the true meaning of motherhood. Halverson's prose is descriptive and emotionally charged, but never overly dramatic or forced. Her characters are real people with real faults and feelings, and she writes them in such a way that you feel each moment, good and bad, alongside them.

I strongly felt the author's desire to show empathy both for Paige and for Ella, though the story is told from Ella's perspective. As the two women navigate the very rocky and always dirty minefield of child custody following the loss of Ella's husband Joe, the reader feels for both women - there is nothing easy or obvious in that minefield.

The lush natural setting of vineyards and river imbue this novel with a warm and homey atmosphere, the ideal setting for a family story. I highly recommend this novel, it will make you question your ideas on family, on love and on grief - once I started reading I couldn't put it down, though I was dreading what might happen next. I give The Underside of Joy five stars. ( )

This novel the story of Ella and her fight for custody of her step-children after the unexpected death of her husband Joe. Their mother (Paige) walked out after the birth of her second child. They live in a small town, Joe’s family is Italian and Joe has been running the local store that has been in the family for 3 generations and has significant family history.

With the death of Joe, Paige reappears, wanting custody of the children. Ella wants to keep them safe and happy, she is the only mother they know. Yet she wants what is best for the children. She confronts inner conflict and conflict with Joe’s family in the process.

Ultimately the book was a fairly good read, tackling several contemporary issues. I quite enjoyed it. ( )

I was really drawn into this story of Ella, who loses her husband, Joe, and shortly afterwards risks losing her step-children, when Joe’s ex-wife Paige comes back onto the scene with a claim for custody. I liked the way the story was told, so that you could come to see the situation from the perspective of the many different characters involved: Ella, Paige, and Joe’s Italian family, who have their own silences about their own history. The contrast between the seemingly self-assured Paige and the grieving Ella – who is desperate to hold it together enough to prove that she would be equally as good for the children as their natural mother – was sympathetically drawn, and I thought there were interesting parallels between the silences in Joe’s family, and the silences between Joe and Paige. Ultimately, I felt sympathy for both Ella and Paige, and sadness at the way the custody case pitted them against each other. I’m not sure that I was entirely happy with the resolution of the story, but I don’t think there would have been a way to end this (for me) that was both realistic and satisfactory … ( )