Book Review: Pulled Beneath by Marni Mann

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Pulled Beneath surprised me. Typically, I don’t choose this kind of book for myself. The whole broken promises, secrets better left alone, and find a way to forget thing hits a little close to home for me, but this one, this one definitely “pulled” me in. I identified with Drew in a way that surprised me. Though I’ve not lost a parent (thankfully), I have suffered the shock that comes along with discovering a truth that changed my life, who I am, and how I see myself, and even while I couldn’t empathize with her escape mechanism, I understand the need to find . . . something to numb the confusion and, in the process, find yourself. The love story was beautiful, not just because of Saint’s description—although that was quite appealing—but because he is just as broken and lost as she. By searching for truth, she manages to rescue them both.
I did, however, get a little tired of Drew’s indecision, but that is only a difference in personality. She spent so many wasted hours thinking about her past instead of searching for the proof that rested within her grasp. I also began to skim her swimming sessions because they became a lengthy trudge through the same waters of indecision each time. I also found it hard to believe that someone as close to her mother would know nothing of her mother’s past. Drew seems to have had an intense relationship with her mother, a mother who confesses her devotion to her child through letters Drew discovers, yet she disclosed little to nothing of her past? But that didn’t dampen my overall enjoyment of the novel.
4 stars