When Susan becomes pregnant at 16, it seems the odds are stacked against her. Despite the fact that boyfriend Phil refuses to commit to either her or the baby, Susan decides to raise her son, Tom, on her own. It's not easy, but she is determined to get her nursing degree and make a better life for her new family - a life away from Phil's extremely dysfunctional relatives. Tom is a very affectionate, happy-go-lucky child, and the deep bond he shares with his mother makes her feel that the hard work of single parenting is well worth it. His natural aptitude for basketball and ease with schoolwork only make her more proud, and his winning personality even gets him featured on national TV. But despite the fact that things seem to come easily to Tom, difficult times are in store for him and Susan.
After a life-changing accident, Susan begins to sense a change in her son. Then Tom becomes the victim of a horrifying assault, and starts to shut his mother out of his life. Turning to alcohol and drugs in his teens, Tom lies to his family time and time again, heading down a path which will lead him to a failed suicide attempt, and ultimately, to jail. Susan's efforts to save her son from himself are heroic, but she will eventually discover that the only way to help Tom is to let him face his demons on his own terms.
The Trouble with Tom is an emotional rollercoaster which will make you feel Susan's joy and anguish as intensely as if you were there. It will speak to anyone who has watched a loved one go through a difficult or self-destructive time. A touching and bittersweet story of motherhood, The Trouble with Tom reminds us all that as difficult as raising a child is, the hardest part of parenting is learning to let go.
