Something Good

The enjoyable if familiar latest from Miller (Once upon a Dream) follows three women who are connected by a car accident. Alexis Marshall swerves into oncoming traffic while texting and driving, and the ensuing crash leaves college football player Jon-Jon Robinson paralyzed. Jon-Jon’s mother Trish quits her job to care for him while her husband picks up extra shifts. Disagreement over whether to accept the settlement offer from Alexis’s insurance policy and Jon-Jon’s deepening depression strain Trish’s marriage. Alexis, meanwhile, in a bid to avoid court, reaches out to the Robinsons to persuade them to agree to the settlement offer. Then there’s single mom Marquita Lewis, who struggles to hold down a job and faces eviction, driving her to reconnect with her baby’s father, a decision that ripples across the lives of the Robinsons and the Marshalls. A prayer for “something good” brings together the three women in an unlikely friendship, changing hearts and restoring marriages. Well-realized characters, meanwhile, bring pathos to a predictable family drama. Miller may not bring much new to the table, but her account of the triumph of faith over tragedy will resonate with inspirational fans. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency. (Mar.)