About The Book
See the review on Kirkus Reviews: Boundaries: A Love Story on Kirkus Reviews
Introducing Christine Z. Mason’s new novel, Boundaries: A Love Story, a richly textured novel about the devastating effects of abandonment and the primacy of love. During a vacation on a small island off of Cape Cod in 1980, a young woman is drawn into the maelstrom of family secrets and dysfunction and eventually into a profound but imprudent love.
Sixteen-year-old Kaia Matheson hopes to confront her mother, Jean, about abandoning her in Berkeley, ostensibly in furtherance of a high-powered career in Manhattan. However, Jean remains aloof and offers no apology for leaving Kaia in the custody of her controlling, alcoholic father. Kaia turns to her 22-year-old cousin, Mark Karadonis, for companionship and is captivated by her rugged and intelligent cousin; despite his misgivings, Mark is irresistibly attracted to Kaia.
When Mark arrives in Berkeley to start law school, the two cousins’ involvement deepens. Kaia’s father enters a relationship with Chandi Gupta, a lawyer who handles cases of child neglect and abandonment. Through Chandi, Kaia becomes interested in children’s rights and a legal career. Eventually, a devastating secret is revealed that may unravel the lives of Kaia and Mark.
Through this East Coast-West Coast love story, Boundaries explores the extremes of abandonment and passion, and tracks the conflicts between individual desire and societal expectations.