Family Law: A Novel
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Family Law: A Novel Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Gin Phillips (Author), Joshilyn Jackson (Narrator), Grace Experience (Narrator),
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 63 ratings
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When an ambitious female lawyer becomes the victim of harassment, she must decide what's more important: her family's safety or the rights she's fighting for.

Set in Alabama in the early '80s, Family Law follows a young lawyer, Lucia, who is making a name for herself at a time when a woman in a courtroom is still a rarity. She's received plenty of threats for her work extricating women and children from troubled relationships, but her own happy marriage has always felt far removed from her work. When her mother's pending divorce brings teenaged Rachel into Lucia's orbit, Rachel finds herself captivated not only with Lucia, but with the change Lucia represents. Rachel is outspoken and curious, and she chafes at the rules her mother lays down as the bounds of acceptable feminine behavior. In Lucia, Rachel sees the potential for a new path into womanhood. But their unconventional friendship takes them both to a crossroads. When a moment of violence - a threat made good - puts Rachel in danger, Lucia has to decide how much her work means to her and what she's willing to sacrifice to keep moving forward.

Written in alternating voices from Lucia and Rachel's perspectives, Family Law is a fresh take on what the push for women's rights looks like to the ordinary women and girls who long for a world redefined. Addressing mother-daughter relationships and what roles we can play in the lives of women who aren't our family, the novel examines how we shape each other and how we make a difference. The funny, strong, and yet tenderhearted female leads of Family Law illuminate a new kind of timeless Southern fiction - atmospheric, rich, and with quietly surprising twists and nuances all its own.

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  1. Listening Length
    8 hours and 39 minutes
  2. Author
    Gin Phillips
  3. Narrator
    Joshilyn Jackson, see all
  4. Audible release date
    May 4, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Penguin Audio
  7. ASIN
    B08TPWN6YH
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 8 hours and 39 minutes
Author Gin Phillips
Narrator Joshilyn Jackson, Grace Experience
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date May 04, 2021
Publisher Penguin Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B08TPWN6YH
Best Sellers Rank #330,646 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#347 in Southern United States Literature
#2,042 in Southern Fiction
#2,600 in Legal Thrillers (Books)

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
63 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

#EmptyNestReader
5.0 out of 5 stars A well-written look at women's rights and mother daughter relationships/
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2022
Verified Purchase
Lucia is a young lawyer working to make a name for herself. She has worked in other practices but is now on her own. The story takes place in Alabama in the 1980s, a time when very few women were practicing law. This is why Lucia’s practice is primarily women wanting to remove themselves and their children from unhappy and possibly violent marriages. Lucia has two strikes against her: 1) she is a woman working in a man's field and 2) she is helping women obtain divorces and leave their husbands. Thus she endures plenty of harassment and sometimes threats from other lawyers, judges and the spouses of her clients.

When a potential client comes into her office Lucia meets the woman's 17 year old daughter. Rachel, whose own mother is insecure, fearful and obsessive, is quite taken with Lucia, a strong, outspoken, successful lawyer who is not afraid to go against the status quo. The lawyer and the young woman develop a friendship and Rachel spends as much time with Lucia as she can. Until now, the idea that she could be a strong woman who knows what she wants and seeks it has never occurred to Rachel. When a threat becomes reality Lucia must determine if she is strong enough to stick to her values and still protect those she loves.

A well-written book addressing women’s rights and mother-daughter relationships as well as the family's we have and the ones we make. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Andrea George
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Topic
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2021
"Family Law", by Gin Phillips, takes place during the 1970's-1980's. The main character, Lucia, is a young female lawyer working on family law cases. She also conducts speeches on the topic of human/civil rights. Lucia is definitely a woman ahead of her time.
The other main character is a young girl by the name of Rachel. She first meets Lucia in Lucia's office lobby. Rachel's mother had met with Lucia to seek advice on obtaining a divorce.
Lucia and Rachel form a friendship, even though Rachel's mother is not a client of Lucia's. They form a strong bond, until an incident causes Rachel's mother to ask that Lucia no longer see or communicate with her daughter.
I loved how Gin Phillips developed the characters of Lucia, Rachel and the others. The characters actions were very believable based on the 1970's-1980's. Where this book lost points with me, was the plot. It just seemed that this book never "got off the ground". The plot went around in circles, and never really went anywhere. The ending was also a major disappointment, as it left a lot of unanswered questions.
It was an okay read, just not one of my favorites.
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HOOP BOARDING
5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters
Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
Poignant story about growing up and the powerful impact a female role model can have on a young girl. Great characters and lots of powerful observations. Worth a read!
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Pam Walter
2.0 out of 5 stars A real disappointment
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
I have read all of Gin Phillips' books and this one really missed the mark for me. I kept thinking it was going somewhere and when I got to the end I was nowhere. Still can't figure out where it was headed.
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Polly
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2021
Verified Purchase
Highly recommend!
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CBrock
3.0 out of 5 stars The Narration is not great
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2021
I might have enjoyed reading this book instead of the storybook voice I listened to. I have heard this narrator before and it is like she is reading a bedtime story. The book is set in my home state of Alabama. I borrowed it from my public library. I appreciate the correct geography that many authors take liberty with. This book is set in time when I would have been in college in the 70’s and is pretty spot on with a couple of exceptions. While women were still bumping the glass ceiling in many areas most homes were 2 working parents not “Leave it to Beaver”. I get pretty aggravated with stereotypes but perhaps my experiences growing up were different than the main character. I will say this, the ending leaves you no where.
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kathleen g
4.0 out of 5 stars a good read
Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021
It isn't easy being a female attorney in early 1980s Alabama, especially if you, like Lucia represent women. Lucia meets young Rachel when the latter accompanies her mother to an appointment; they develop a relationship which is cleaved when Lucia's home is attacked. Told alternately from Lucia's 3rd person pov and Rachel in the first person, this has some very good spots. Lucia's relationship with her parents is strained but she's got a good one with her husband (there's a gratuitous and incongruous steamy scene). Rachel becomes obsessed with her, largely because Lucia's life is so different from her own. But who is harassing Lucia and why? The answer comes at the end of the book and while it makes sense, the actual ending left me rereading the pages to see what happened and yet still scratching my head. Read this as a story of two women and the people in their orbits. The characters, even the minor ones, are well drawn (and I loved the dog, who really needed training imho). Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. Despite my issue with the ending, this is a very good read.
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C. Brad Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars Great characters from Phillips
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2021
Family Law is a new book from Gin Phillips. And your going to want to read it this summer.
“It’s the early 80’s. Lucia is a lawyer at a time when there aren’t many women in the courtroom. Lucia has become a family lawyer helping women and children navigate the system and leave abusive relationships. Rachel, the daughter of a potential client, becomes enamored with Lucia and begins visiting. A moment of violence puts them both in danger. Lucia must decide what she is willing to sacrifice.”
This is told from the POVs of Lucia and Rachel and set in Montgomery, AL. If you were not around in the 80s you will shake your head at what Lucia went through. There are a couple of men that are okay (Her husband, Evan) The relationship between Lucia and Rachel is great to see - one forging a path and the other beginning to believe they can. Phillips takes a moment in time and puts these characters in it. Characters that life happens to. I wanted some more time with them. I want to know what happens next.

This is one of those books I didn’t want to end. Great characters from Gin Phillips. Go read it.
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