I never felt like I engaged with the story or the characters. The 12 year old was a brat which I know a lot of 12 year olds are but considering all that happened in the story I was hoping for some growth for her but she was as self focused at the end of the story as she was at the end. The husband told his wife he didn't love her and then wondered why she didn't write to him while she was in Iraq. What was he expecting and why couldn't he come down off of his high horse to write to her, to reach out to her, to put someone else's needs above his own? I liked the main character until she was hurt and then she refused help at every turn. I was losing my sympathy for her.

Side note: I didn't like the reader for this audio book. Some of her voices set my teeth on edge particularly that of Lulu. Maybe she isn't good at children voices?