Same as it Never Was by Clarie LaZebnik

• Title: Same As It Never Was: A Novel
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Realistic Fiction
• Format: Paperback, 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 1, 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0312312504
• ISBN-13: 978-0312312503 
• Notes: Contains language some may take offense to, but I felt it was appropriate for the character.

     "Olivia." he said. "Your father and, Alicia, too...they named you guardian. Of Celia. You're now your sister's legal guardian."

 Life can change in the blink of an eye. That's what happened to Olivia. When her father and stepmother were killed in an automobile accident, she found out she was named guardian to her 3 year old sister, Celia.

     "You should take care of Celia, anyway."
     "Stop saying that."
     "What else can I say?" he said. I swear the lines under his eyes had darkened since we'd gotten there. "I have to get yo to see this, Livvy. That this may not be what you wanted, but it's the right thing to do."
     "I don't do things because they're the right thing to do."
     "You should. You can start now."
     "You're not going to let me out of this office until I say yes, are you?"
      "I can't force you to do anything," he said. "If I could, I probably would, though."

Taking care of a three year old is a big responsibility for a 21 years old college student who's never babysat a child in her life. Not particularly close to either of her parents or sister, she's kept herself guarded from the world.With a father who was scarcely around and a mother whose philosophy was, "A glass of wine will make everything better." Olivia practically raised herself. While taking care of her sister, she'll finally get a sense of what having a family is truly like, although not your typical one, and find that sometimes it's the unexpected things in life that turn out to be the best.

I liked seeing Olivia grow as a person. I also liked her quick wit and sense of humor. I liked how she takes her responsibility seriously and didn't resent her sister for the predicament she finds herself in. I liked how Olivia's attitude toward relationships changed and how she opened up to the possibility of love. I loved how Dennis helped out more than he needed to and took care of so much. I also liked how Joe and Dennis were in sharp contrast to each other. I gave this book a 4 out 5 roses.

An added note: This book was later made into an ABC Family movie entitled, 'Hello Sister, Goodbye Life'.