Under the Influence

 

Under the Influence by Joyce Maynard

Fiction

2016

Finished on August 11, 2025

Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

When Helen meets Swift and Ava Havilland at an art gallery opening, her life is at an all-time low. A DUI conviction caused her to lose her driver's license and custody of her eight-year-old son, Oliver. Now she sees Ollie on Saturdays, but he hasn't forgiven his mother for messing up their life. She's got a dead-end job and goes on occasional dates, but spends most evenings at AA meetings. The Havillands change all that.

Ava and Swift are wealthy, charismatic philanthropists who fill their home with valuable art, unlikely friends, and over-the-top parties. The Havillands quickly become the center of Helen's world, as she takes on jobs for them and joins their glamorous inner circle. Then Helen meets Elliot--a quiet, uncool accountant the Havillands dismiss as boring. Helen might be falling in love with him, but her new best friends disapprove--and cause Helen to distrust her own heart.

Most compelling, for Helen, is what her friendship with the Havillands has meant to her relationship with her son. Ollie looks up to the larger-than-life man who treats him like a second son. And Swift has promised Helen the services of a high-powered attorney to help her regain custody. But when tragedy strikes, Helen and Ollie must pay for the generosity of Helen's new friends. Or pay dearly if they refuse.

Oh, Helen. Why didn't you trust your gut? Why were you so blind to how your so-called friends were treating you. The writing was right there on the wall, but you chose to ignore the red flags. Sigh.

Under the Influence is the proverbial train wreck. I could see where Maynard was leading her readers, and I distrusted Ava and Swift from the get-go, but I couldn't stop reading despite my impatience with the sluggish plotting. Thankfully, it's a quick read, and somewhat satisfying, but the heavy foreshadowing dragged on far too long before the finale. Unlikeable characters in an unrealistic situation. This is one to borrow from the library. 

How the Light Gets In (3.5/5)

The Bird Hotel (4.5/5)

Count the Ways (5/5)

After Her (4/5)

Where Love Goes (4/5)

Labor Day (4.5/5)

The Usual Rules (5/5)