Book Review: Watching Glass Shatter by James J. Cudney

James Cudney has weaved a superb poignant family drama, with intricately woven characters, a stealthy family plot, reconciled painstakingly to the last tear producing page. I laughed, cried, and ached with the main protagonist, Olivia. An author producing these emotions is truly a gifted writer.

Genre:  Contemporary Fiction,  Social  & Family Issues

Published: October 8, 2017

Kindle Edition: 298 Pages

Goodreads Synopsis:

The wealthy Glass family lost its patriarch, Benjamin Glass, sooner than expected. Benjamin’s widow, Olivia, and her 5 sons each react to his death in their own way while preparing for the reading of his will. Olivia receives a very unexpected confession from her late husband about one of their sons that could shatter the whole family.

Prior to revealing the secret to her children, Olivia must figure out which boy Ben refers to in the confession he left her in his will. While the family attorney searches for the mysterious Rowena Hector whom Ben says holds the answers, Olivia asks her sons to each spend a week with her as she isn’t ready to let go of the past. When Olivia visits her sons, she quickly learns that each one has been keeping his own secret from her. Olivia never expected her remaining years would be so complex and life-altering, but she will not rest until her family is reunited after Ben’s untimely death.

We all need family. We all want to fit in. We’re all a mix of quirky personalities. Will Olivia be able to fix them or will the whole family implode? What will she do when she discovers the son behind Ben’s secret? Check out this ensemble cast where each family member’s perspective is center stage, discovering along the way who might feel the biggest impact from all the secrets. Through various scenes and memories across a six-month period, you’ll get to know everyone, learning how and why they made certain decisions. Welcome to being an honorary member of the Glass family where the flair for over-the-top drama pushes everyone to their limits.

My Review:

James Cudney has weaved a superb poignant family drama, with intricately woven characters, a stealthy family plot, reconciled painstakingly to the last tear producing page. I laughed, cried, and ached with the main protagonist, Olivia. An author producing these emotions is truly a gifted writer.

A sense of urgency, present from the first page, continues with one devastating blow after another. The main character, Olivia Glass, is dealt a life-shattering secret that could devastate a family already mourning their deceased father. Olivia thoughtfully orchestrates a plan that throws the reader into the lives of each of her lovable, realistic five sons. I love the angle Mr. Cudney weaved skillfully as Olivia reenter her son’s imperfect worlds, discovering more secrets, and one heartache more dire than the first.

Mr. Cudney addressed many contemporary issues that plague modern-day families—depression, anxiety, drug abuse, infidelity, homosexuality, breaking away from a career chosen by family and pursuing one’s own passion, and more. And from each issue, this book reminds you how important family is. No matter how far we fall, they are our anchor, our security.

Watching Glass Shatter is a page-turner I couldn’t and didn’t want to put down. The Glass family shards will prick your mind and scrape your heart. I highly recommended this book to all readers.

Author’s Bio:

James J. Cudney

James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I spent 15 years working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Although I enjoyed my job, I left in 2016 to focus on my passion: telling stories and connecting people through words. I tend to write in the contemporary fiction and family drama genre with elements of mystery, suspense, humor, and romance.

Connect With Author:

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Book Available at:

Amazon.com