Stuntwoman's Fall, Daughter's Drift

Victoria, a fearless Hollywood stuntwoman, is hospitalized after a dangerous accident, her body battered and her career in question. Her father insists she recover at her parents' Bel Air home, reigniting old family tensions. Meanwhile, Shannon, a twenty-four-year-old adrift in her mother's real estate office, is paralyzed by indecision about her future. Her boyfriend Aaron proposes, but she hides the engagement, fearing her mother Cindy's tendency to take over. Both women, though outwardly strong, are caught in cycles of self-doubt and dependency, setting the stage for a collision of family secrets and personal reckonings.

Homecomings and Hidden Wounds

Victoria's return to her childhood home is fraught with pain—physical and emotional. Her mother Ava's perfectionism and coolness clash with Victoria's rebellious spirit, while her father Milton tries to mediate. Victoria's injuries force her to rely on her parents, exposing the cracks in their relationship. Simultaneously, Shannon's guilt over hiding her engagement grows as she helps her mother plan a wedding, feeling both enmeshed and invisible. Both women are haunted by the sense that they are disappointing their mothers, and both mothers, in turn, struggle with their own regrets and unspoken griefs.

Mothers, Daughters, and Distance

Ava and Cindy, each successful in their own right, are defined by their relationships with their daughters. Ava, a foundation director, is haunted by her inability to connect with Victoria, while Cindy, a nurturing single mother, fears she's failed to launch Shannon into adulthood. Both mothers hover, criticize, and try to fix, but their daughters push back—Victoria with sarcasm and distance, Shannon with avoidance and secrecy. The emotional chasm between mothers and daughters widens, even as love and longing persist beneath the surface.

Engagements and Secrets

Shannon's engagement to Aaron is a bright spot, but she hides it from her mother, terrified of being swept into a double wedding. Her secret becomes a symbol of her struggle for independence. Meanwhile, Victoria, isolated by injury, questions her career and her own capacity for intimacy. Both women are surrounded by supportive men—Aaron, steadfast and patient; Milton, loving and wise—but it is their mothers' approval and understanding they crave most, even as they resist it.

The Garden Wedding Collision

While touring a wedding venue, Shannon and Cindy unexpectedly cross paths with Ava and Victoria. The encounter is electric with unspoken history. Ava and Cindy recognize each other from decades past, and the truth emerges: Cindy once chose Ava and Milton to adopt her unborn child—Shannon—but changed her mind after birth. The revelation stuns both daughters, shattering their assumptions about their origins and their mothers' choices. The emotional fallout is immediate and profound.

Truths Unravel, Pasts Revealed

The adoption that never was—and the one that followed—reshapes everyone's understanding of themselves and each other. Victoria learns she was the "backup" child, adopted after Ava lost the baby she'd hoped for. Shannon grapples with the knowledge that her mother almost gave her away. Both women feel unmoored, questioning their worth and their place in their families. The mothers, too, are forced to confront the pain of old decisions and the ways those choices have echoed through the years.

Adoption's Aftershocks

Ava and Cindy are haunted by what might have been. Ava mourns the loss of the child she never had and the friendship with Cindy that ended in betrayal. Cindy is wracked with guilt for hurting Ava and for the struggles she and Shannon endured. Both daughters, meanwhile, spiral—Victoria into anger and self-pity, Shannon into guilt and confusion. The families are left to reckon with the emotional debris of choices made decades earlier, as each woman tries to find her footing in a world suddenly made strange.

Parallel Lives, Parallel Longings

Victoria and Shannon, now aware of their intertwined histories, reach out to each other. Their tentative friendship becomes a lifeline as they share their fears, frustrations, and hopes. Both struggle with the legacies of their mothers' love—Victoria with Ava's relentless drive for improvement, Shannon with Cindy's smothering support. Meanwhile, Ava and Cindy, after years of silence, begin to reconnect, seeking forgiveness and understanding. The parallel journeys of mothers and daughters highlight the universality of longing for acceptance and the difficulty of letting go.

Memory Boxes and Old Scars

Ava's memory box for the daughter she never had becomes a symbol of both love and pain. When Victoria discovers it, she is devastated to learn she was never the "chosen" child, even inheriting the name meant for another. The revelation reopens old wounds, forcing both mother and daughter to confront the truth of their relationship. Meanwhile, Shannon's secret engagement is exposed, shattering Cindy and forcing a reckoning between mother and daughter. Both families are forced to confront the artifacts—literal and emotional—of their shared past.

Facing the Past Together

Ava and Cindy finally meet to talk openly about the past. Their conversation is raw and honest, filled with regret, apology, and a longing for forgiveness. They acknowledge the pain they caused each other and the ways their choices shaped their daughters' lives. Victoria and Shannon, too, confront their mothers, demanding honesty and space to define themselves. The process is messy and painful, but it opens the door to healing and new understanding.

New Friendships, Old Patterns

Victoria and Shannon's friendship deepens as they support each other through heartbreak, career uncertainty, and family drama. They challenge each other to be braver, more honest, and more independent. Meanwhile, both mothers struggle to let go—Ava of her need to control, Cindy of her need to protect. The old patterns persist, but new possibilities emerge as each woman begins to see herself—and her family—more clearly.

Breaking Points and Breakthroughs

Shannon's secret engagement is revealed, devastating Cindy and forcing Shannon to finally assert her independence. Victoria, after pushing away a potential relationship with Javiar, realizes her fear of vulnerability is holding her back. Both women reach breaking points that become breakthroughs, as they begin to take responsibility for their own happiness and choices. The mothers, too, are changed—Ava by the realization that she must let Victoria be herself, Cindy by the need to let Shannon grow up.

Healing, Hurting, and Hope

Slowly, the families begin to heal. Apologies are made, forgiveness is sought, and new boundaries are drawn. Victoria and Ava find a tentative peace, grounded in honesty and mutual respect. Shannon and Cindy, after a painful reckoning, begin to redefine their relationship as adults. Both daughters move forward—Victoria with her writing and a new openness to love, Shannon with a clear career path and a wedding that reflects her own desires. The hope of new beginnings emerges from the ashes of old hurts.

Redefining Family

The two families, once linked only by a secret, now become part of each other's lives. Victoria and Shannon's friendship bridges the gap between past and present, while Ava and Cindy's renewed connection offers a model of forgiveness and growth. The meaning of family is expanded—no longer defined solely by blood or adoption, but by choice, effort, and love. Each woman learns that belonging is not about perfection, but about acceptance and the willingness to try again.

Choosing Independence

Shannon, inspired by Victoria's example, finally takes charge of her own life—pursuing a career in horticulture and planning a wedding on her own terms. Victoria, after years of defining herself in opposition to her mother, embraces her own ambitions as a writer and opens herself to the possibility of love. Both women learn to balance the need for connection with the need for autonomy, forging identities that are both separate from and connected to their mothers.

Letting Go, Moving Forward

Ava and Cindy, after decades of holding on—Ava to grief, Cindy to guilt—finally let go. Ava paints over the nursery mural, symbolically releasing the child she lost and embracing the daughter she has. Cindy steps back, allowing Shannon to make her own choices and mistakes. Both mothers learn that loving their daughters means trusting them to find their own way. The families move forward, not unscarred, but stronger for having faced the truth together.

Love, Loss, and Second Chances

Romantic love, once a source of pain and fear, becomes a possibility again. Victoria, after much resistance, allows herself to pursue a relationship with Javiar, risking vulnerability for the chance at real connection. Shannon and Aaron, after weathering family storms, plan a wedding that reflects their true selves. The mothers, too, find new joy—Ava in her marriage to Milton, Cindy in her upcoming wedding to Luis. Each woman learns that love, though risky, is worth the chance.

The Gist of Forgiveness

In the end, the women of both families find forgiveness—for themselves and each other. They accept that the past cannot be changed, but the future is theirs to shape. The story closes with new beginnings: Victoria's screenplay, Shannon's career, Ava's remodeled kitchen, Cindy's wedding. The emotional arc is one of pain transformed into understanding, and loss into love. The lesson is clear: family is not about perfection, but about the courage to face the truth, forgive, and move forward—otherwise engaged in the messy, beautiful work of living.

Characters

Victoria Rogers

Victoria is a fiercely independent, athletic woman whose career as a Hollywood stuntwoman mirrors her emotional risk-taking and physical courage. Adopted by Ava and Milton after a failed adoption, she's always felt like the "backup" child, never quite fitting her mother's mold. Her relationship with Ava is fraught—marked by criticism, misunderstanding, and a deep longing for approval. Victoria's defense mechanisms are sarcasm, bravado, and a refusal to show vulnerability, especially after a devastating romantic betrayal. Her journey is one of learning to accept her own worth, risk emotional openness, and redefine her relationship with her mother—not as adversaries, but as two strong women learning to love each other as they are.

Shannon Van Horn

Shannon is a kind-hearted, anxious young woman paralyzed by indecision and a deep-seated fear of disappointing her mother, Cindy. Raised by a single mom who sacrificed everything for her, Shannon is both grateful and suffocated by their closeness. Her engagement to Aaron is a secret she can't bring herself to share, symbolizing her struggle for independence. The revelation that her mother almost gave her up for adoption shakes her sense of self, but also propels her toward growth. With Victoria's friendship and Aaron's support, Shannon learns to claim her own desires, set boundaries, and step into adulthood on her own terms.

Ava Rogers

Ava is a powerful, elegant woman who channels her energy into philanthropy and control. Her inability to have children led her to pursue adoption, and the loss of the child she hoped for (Shannon) left a wound that never fully healed. Her relationship with Victoria is complicated by her own emotional reserve and a tendency to show love through criticism and improvement. Ava's journey is one of reckoning with her past—her grief, her mistakes, and her need to let go. Through painful honesty and acts of repair, she learns to accept her daughter as she is and to forgive herself for the love she struggled to give.

Cindy Van Horn

Cindy is a warm, self-sacrificing woman who raised Shannon alone after deciding not to go through with the adoption. Her love is fierce but often smothering, as she tries to shield Shannon from every hardship. Haunted by guilt over her choices and the struggles they endured, Cindy hovers, fixes, and plans, sometimes at the expense of Shannon's independence. Her arc is about learning to let go, trust her daughter, and forgive herself for the past. Her renewed friendship with Ava offers a model of reconciliation and the possibility of joy after regret.

Milton Rogers

Milton is the loving, supportive husband to Ava and adoptive father to Victoria. He is the emotional glue of the family, offering warmth, humor, and unconditional love. His loyalty to Ava is unwavering, but he also sees and supports Victoria's need for autonomy. Milton's wisdom and patience help bridge the gap between mother and daughter, and his own journey is about balancing loyalty with honesty, and tradition with change.

Aaron Williams

Aaron is Shannon's devoted fiancé, a self-made businessman who provides stability and encouragement. He loves Shannon for who she is, not who she might become, and gently pushes her to claim her own life. Aaron's presence is a counterpoint to the mother-daughter drama, offering a model of healthy partnership and the possibility of love without strings.

Javiar

Javiar is Shannon's close friend and eventual romantic interest for Victoria. He is warm, funny, and emotionally intelligent, able to see through Victoria's defenses and challenge her to risk vulnerability. His patience and kindness are a balm to both women, and his own journey is about waiting for love on its own terms.

Luis

Luis is Cindy's fiancé, a widower who brings stability and joy into her life. He is understanding of Cindy's complicated past and supportive of her need to reconcile with it. Luis's presence allows Cindy to imagine a future beyond guilt and regret.

Prescott Jameson

Prescott is the actor who breaks Victoria's heart, serving as the catalyst for her emotional walls and fear of intimacy. His betrayal is a wound that shapes Victoria's choices, but also becomes the raw material for her creative work and eventual healing.

Ollie, Freddy, Ella (Writing Group)

Victoria's writing group provides both critique and support, challenging her to be honest in her work and in her life. They represent the importance of chosen family and the role of community in personal growth.

Plot Devices

Dual Narrative Structure

The novel employs a dual narrative, alternating between Victoria and Shannon's perspectives. This structure allows the reader to see the echoes and contrasts in their lives—both are daughters struggling with mothers, both are haunted by secrets, both are searching for identity. The parallelism is heightened by the mothers' own intertwined histories, creating a web of connection that is both literal and symbolic.

The "Adoption That Wasn't"

The central plot device is the failed adoption—Cindy's decision to keep her baby after promising her to Ava and Milton. This single choice reverberates through both families, shaping the destinies of four women. The device allows the novel to explore questions of fate, belonging, and the long shadow of regret.

Memory Boxes and Artifacts

Ava's memory boxes, especially the one for the daughter she never had, serve as tangible symbols of love, loss, and longing. The discovery of these artifacts triggers emotional crises and confrontations, forcing characters to face the truth of their histories and the pain of what might have been.

Secrets and Revelations

The novel is driven by secrets—hidden engagements, concealed adoptions, unspoken regrets. The gradual revelation of these secrets propels the plot and forces characters into moments of reckoning. The device is used to explore the costs of silence and the necessity of honesty for healing.

Foil Characters

Victoria and Shannon, as well as Ava and Cindy, are foils for each other. Their differences highlight their struggles and strengths, allowing the reader to see the many ways women navigate love, family, and selfhood. The device deepens the emotional resonance and underscores the novel's themes of nature versus nurture.

Metaphor of Stunt Work and Gardening

Victoria's career as a stuntwoman and Shannon's passion for gardening are more than professions—they are metaphors for their approaches to life. Stunt work represents risk, bravado, and the danger of emotional exposure; gardening symbolizes patience, nurturing, and the slow work of growth. The interplay of these metaphors enriches the narrative and offers insight into each woman's journey.

Analysis

Otherwise Engaged is a nuanced, emotionally intelligent exploration of the ties that bind—and sometimes strangle—mothers and daughters. Through the intertwined stories of two families linked by a failed adoption, Susan Mallery examines the long shadows cast by choices made in youth, the pain of secrets kept, and the courage required to forgive and move forward. The novel's strength lies in its willingness to show both the beauty and the messiness of love: the ways mothers can wound even as they nurture, the difficulty of claiming independence without severing connection, and the necessity of vulnerability for true intimacy. In a modern context, the book resonates as a meditation on the complexities of family—chosen and biological—and the ongoing work of becoming oneself. Its lessons are clear: forgiveness is a process, not a moment; identity is forged in both rebellion and reconciliation; and happiness is found not in perfection, but in the willingness to risk, to love, and to try again. Otherwise Engaged invites readers to reflect on their own family stories, to honor the pain and the joy, and to believe in the possibility of healing—even, and especially, when the past cannot be changed.

Last updated: January 11, 2026