Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood is another tug at your heartstrings book. So much of this story will break your heart as you root for certain characters. It's a fast read one that you won't soon forget. The fact this book is based on a real story will make you start googling what is true and what is not.

Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. I felt every emotion. Kept me intrigued from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

From the author of Rust & Stardust comes this heartbreaking story, inspired by true events, of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter.

Dover, Massachusetts, 1969. Ginny Richardson's heart was torn open when her baby girl, Lucy, born with Down Syndrome, was taken from her. Under pressure from his powerful family, her husband, Ab, sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a special school for the “feeble-minded." Ab tried to convince Ginny it was for the best. That they should grieve for their daughter as though she were dead. That they should try to move on.

My thoughts;
Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. It hooked me from the beginning. I love the authors writing and the worlds she creates. Characters are well written and relatable. Keeping Lucy is definitely a book that will make you emotional. Well at least it did me.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for sharing a copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest opinions

Heart wrenching and beautifully told story. Though not a thriller by any means, I couldn’t stop reading until I knew how it turned out.

Rust & Stardust was one of those hard-to-read-but-can't-put-down type of book so I was thrilled to read an advanced copy of this book. The author does such a fantastic job of writing a compulsive, captivating story. Much like her last book, it was hard to read at times, however, I simply couldn't put it down. Lucy was such a fantastic character and loved the story of motherhood and friendship.

If I needed to describe this book in two words: Beautifully heartbreaking! 3.75 stars rounded to 4!

You guys. This book wrecked me! It's such a testament of a mother’s love 🧡And I wept like a baby.

Review coming soon. Fell behind due to illness, amd working on all of the old ones now.

This one will not be forgotten. Tough read, very serious.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.


Pub Date was August 6, 2019
#KeepingLucy #TGreenwood #NetGalley

This book is a total tug on your heartstrings, way to go momma kind of story! I loved how our main character stands up for her disabled daughter, in a time where women didn't speak up and those with any disabilities were institutionalized. I love that she fought for what was right for her and didn't stop. Very wonderfully written story!

Absolutely a page turner about how the rules have changed in the world of mother child laws. I could not put this book down and made me go back and read this author's other work. All opinions are my own in exchange for my honest opinion from netgalley.

I am so glad I was sent a widget to read this. I now follow Funny Farm on social media and am grateful for Laurie's heart and this rescue. Some of Laurie's journey is heartbreaking and I took a few breaks while reading. It's a beautiful story and she is an animal hero for sure.

I had not heard of this sanctuary and I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about rescues. I am grateful for her compassion and tenacity. A lot of what she has done has not been easy. I enjoyed reading about her journey to open the farm and rescue Funny Farm has become. Some stories were hard to read as she did not shy away from writing about the death of some of her beloved rescues. Her father was an evil man and it was hard to read some of what he did to some of their pets growing up to get back at her mother, who left him due to abuse.

I highly recommend this and wish to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to read for review. It is a beautiful story.

Just when you think this book can't break your heart more, it does. I am awestruck by this novel. Every plot twist, every revelation, every character is absolute perfection for such a deep, wonderful story. I loved Ginny immediately with her hard upbringing and her current privileged life that leaves her feeling as though there's more out there. I felt so proud of her throughout the story as she grows stronger and more confident because she always was strong, she'd just forgotten. I was rooting for her so much throughout the whole journey.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the free book.
This book, set in the early 70s, was a wild ride. Ginny never felt right about her baby being taken to an institution after she was born with Down Syndrome, but her husband and father-in-law had other ideas. The book follows her courageous journey to take her daughter and not return her. Along the way, she examines her marriage, friendship, and parenting of her six year old son. I liked the reflections in this story. They were vulnerable and honest. I do wish there was some more focus on the horrible treatment of these children. This book revolves around a major injustice - inhumane treatment. I wish there had been more revelation around this - especially with Ab. But it was a story that I didn't want to stop once started.

There has long been an issue with what to do with special needs children. In this book, in 1969, Ginny has a problem. Her second baby is not as was hoped. She has Down's Syndrome. Heartbroken, Ginny is told her baby will not live, or will not live long, and the whole family pushed her to send her baby away. So Lucy is whisked away. It's easy for the rest of them to pretend she didn't exist, but not for Ginny. Her heart is a true mom's heart. She can't forget her child, or stop missing her.

That alone would have been a book, just about, but this goes deeper. Ginny finds out that the place they took her Lucy is being sued. That her child might be in dire straights, and need her more than ever. Her husband is against it, but she leaves anyway with a friend. She's going to find Lucy and then what? I can't share that part, because I don't want to give away anything. This fictional story was based in reality though. I know there has been more than one place shut down, but this book was based on Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded, in Massachusetts It gives this emotional and historic story a great deal of addition depth. This is an excellent, though gut wrenching story.

My digital copy came from Net Galley and the publisher. This review is mine and contains what I think about this book. A positive review is never required.

3.5 stars, rounded down
This was my book club read for this month, but it has also been on my TBR for a long time.
I found many parts of this book to be of equal measure infuriating, uplifting, frustrating, and heartwarming. It made me amazed at how far we've come, but also concerned that we were even at that point in the first place.

While I liked this book, I didn't feel like the focus was always in the right place. Yes, we see how Ginny, and definitely Lucy later, suffer due to their lack of choices. We see Ab, living under his father's thumb, but also saying how much he adored Ginny and would go anywhere with her or do anything for her. Then later he threatens to report her for kidnapping. The spotlight was shining so brightly on the patriarchal society that existed in the early 70s, but I just couldn't believe that it was really that bad. The police always seemed to be there, these women seemingly had no freedom to travel alone much less make decisions about their lives. I think I really need to talk with my mom and see what her memories of those days were.

I did admire Ginny's growth and the backbone she grew over the course of the book. Her standing up to her father-in-law at the end was great. Overall the writing is a bit simplistic, but there are some touching moments that made up for some of the more eye-rolling ones. This author chooses some intriguing subjects to write about and I can't wait to read some of her other books.

Not sure why it states I did not post review for this book because I have it on Goodreads as a 5 star book read back in Dec 2019

"read this in one day from start to finish, loved it! I mean, considering the subject matter, I love it But it was the time period where people just did not know enough about down snydrome children. Excellent-Go read it"

Received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley.

This was a lovely book. Heartbreaking for the conditions of that school and the children that couldn’t have been saved. Thanks to this book it brought the Belchertown State School to my attention.

3.5 stars.
In 1969, it was not uncommon for babies born with Down's Syndrome to be taken at birth and placed in homes for the "feeble-minded". Ginny's son was placed in such a home, but two years later she learns that the home is filled with neglected children. She and her best friend head there to check out the conditions and are appalled. They flee with the child and wild race across the states ensues.

Historically, I found this novel very interesting, but I found too much time spent on the fleeing with the child. It almost felt like a Thelma and Louise style adventure.

Ginny's baby is whisked away to an institution right after birth because she has Down's Syndrome. Blame the rich in-laws for this action. Two years later, Ginny finds out the institution has bad BAD reviews.
The story was set mainly in 1971. I wondered at times why the author used this year as the setting, instead of the current year. Back in 1971, there was no internet, no cell phones, no GPS; therefore it was easier to be on the run.
An enjoyable book, thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press!

This story had a very interesting plot, but it was hard to understand that a father would just accept a horrible fate for their child without a fight.

Ugh my heart. Hard to read especially as a mom but such a great story. So many feelings. I definitely won’t forget this one anytime soon.