I read 20% of The Pink Bonnet before deciding it was too emotionally distressing. I anticipated a historical crime novel not a vivid portrayal, from both the children and parents perspectives, of the horrors of committed by Georgia Tann. These included selling children into abusive homes. Whilst the story concludes somewhat happily, the truth behind the story is far less cheery. For 25 years children were kidnapped from the streets of Memphis. I enjoyed the first in this series because it mixed mystery, romance, crime and humour. This one has a different tone entirely. It is far more brutal. Because it is well-written, I feel I can’t give it less than three stars but definitely not for a sensitive reader and not my cup of tea.

While I was excited to read this, I was a little disappointed because it took a long time to draw me in. I had a really hard time getting into this book and had a hard time sticking with it. I liked the concept of this story. I found the secondary characters a bit more fascinating. I am looking forward to reading more of this series.



I was given a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author, but was not required to write a review. The thoughts and comments are my own.

This is a difficult book to read.I had heard of operations like Miss Tann ran before but she is a new character for me.The depression era setting adds to the gloominess.Ceclie is a strong woman who wants to do what's best for her daughter.Her relationship with Percy seemed to come about too soon as did his change of alliance. I did end up liking him in the end .Miss Tann is a supervillain.She is motivated by money but also seems to believe she is doing what's right.Both protagonists and antagonist are fleshed out and the writing skims over some of the more disturbing aspects while giving needed information.

My first book to read by this author who has based her “True Colors” series of historical stories of American crime on true happenings. While the main characters are fictional, the books are based on actual events. “The Pink Bonnet” is based on the Tennessee Children’s Home Society and Georgia Tann, the woman who ran it. The year is 1932. It is hard to believe that this woman could actually get away with the crimes she committed and the people who helped her. This story will touch your heart as a young mother frantically searches for her child who was taken by this woman. There is much suspense and dangers as the plot thickens and you keep turning the pages to see if the child is found. I was given a copy via Netgalley and the publisher and the review is my own words.

Emotional! Liz Tolsma has written a fictional story of Cecile Dowd whose three year old child, Millie, was stolen by Georgia Tann of the Memphis Tennessee Children's Home Society! My heart went out to Cecile and Millie as well as the other mothers and children involved in this true scandal. Cecile's husband has passed away and Millie is the only family she has. You will also meet some of the adoptive families who unknowingly adopted a kidnapped child who they love. The story moves quickly and keeps your attention. I recommend The Pink Bonnet to others. I received an advance copy of the Pink Bonnet from NetGalley and Barbour Books. This is my honest opinion.

Absolutely loved this book thrilling and twisty!!

Fantastic characters and the story moved with so much pace!!

Cannot wait for more from this author!

The Pink Bonnet is the second book in the True Colors a series of Historical Crimes written by different authors so they each standalone. I plan on reading each of the books as they release because so far they have both been so good.
In this novel, author Liz Tolsma tells the true story of Georgia Tann who ran an adoption agency in Memphis, Tennessee from 1924 to 1950. Unfortunately the children she took were taken without their parents permission or knowledge. I have to admit that I was unaware of this corrupt practice she and others were engaged in and it really angered me..

Young widowed Cecile Dowd and her three year old daughter, Millie stole my heart as they fall prey to this horrible practice and are suddenly separated from each other. The author wrote the emotions of both mother and daughter so realistically that I teared up several times while reading this well crafted story. We meet several really horrible characters in this book but there are a few good ones who I liked so much and who helped Cecile as she searched for her child.
I quickly got caught up in the storyline as the search continued to find Millie and the pure love Cecile had for her as she searched tirelessly for her.

I loved the action and suspense that had me sitting on the edge of my seat as the search continued and had me turning pages as fast as I could. If there are any readers out there looking for historical stories of true crimes or a great book in general, I highly recommend this one because it truly well worth the read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

This was a very emotional read for me. But once I got past the first few chapters I couldn’t put it down. It was filled with heartache. Especially knowing that this was based on a true story of Georgia Tann and that this took place in Memphis, TN. Knowing and reading about it are two different things. The author said it well, “Adoption is messy” It is hard on all parties involved. There was mystery involved with this book as well. I received a copy of this book from the author. All views stated here are my own.

Very well told story of the kidnapping of a young child and an illegal adoption ring 1933 Memphis. Most incredible is that it's an illustration based on true happenings. This is the story of one young mother and her search for her daughter throughout the intense corruption of the city. Widowed in Depression era Memphis during 1932 and no family to help her, Cecile Dowd is having a difficult providing for her three-year-old daughter and herself. Since she is a single mother, what she has is precious, what she doesn't have is too far away from her reach. Trusting a neighbor while she is looking for work and food turns out to be a mistake. She returns to find her daughter has been taken. An organization called Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society is at the root of over 5,000 kidnappings from 1924-1950, with deep roots in the city government. Some who adopted were celebrities. Cecile is able to get help from a young lawyer, but nothing is easy. Riveting. Heart wrenching. Grief and love on both sides of these adoptions. Liz Tolsma never fails!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This book is part of the True Colors series of Historical Crimes written by different authors. This is the story of Georgia Tann, the Director of the Tennessee Children's Home Society in the 1930s. I had previous read a book about this despicable time and crime, but this was a very different story. In this book, three year old Millie Dowd is signed over to Georgia Tann by a neighbour who is babysitting her while her mother is out looking for a better job. Cecile is a single mom, barely making ends meet after the death of her husband. When she realizes that her daughter has been stolen from her, she refuses to give up looking for her. Gaining some support from a couple of lawyers, she follows the clues.

I really liked the character of Cecile. She could have easily given up, but Millie was the only thing she had left from her husband. She uses whatever she can to find information about Millie. When she is able to convince a lawyer who works for Tann to help her, he risks losing his job, his home and even his life to right this wrong. This book is an historical mystery romance based on true events. It is also Christian fiction, but a bit lighter than others I have read. This is a very sad story, sadder still because it is based on real events and real corrupt officials who stole children and sold them to line their pockets, not caring what kind of home they ended up in. Once I started this story, I could not put it down. I wanted to find out if Cecile found her daughter or not and I will not spoil the story by telling you the answer to this question. There were a few niggles for me: I found the characters of Percy Vance and R.D. Griggs about face pretty quick. I am glad they did, but it was a bit unrealistic. The instalove between Cecile and Percy is another thing that I am not a fan of, but it does work in the story. Overall, this was an enjoyable story about a terrible tragedy in Tennessee history. Make sure to read the author's notes following the story where the author shares some of her actual research and experiences with legal adoption.

This is the second in the True Colors series, novels of historical American crime. This one deals with a woman who ran an adoption agency in Tennessee from 1924 to 1950. It is estimated she kidnapped five thousand children and sold them to the highest bidder. Tolsma did a good job of imagining Cecile, whose child was taken deceptively in 1933 and then adopted out. We see the length a mother would go to find her daughter.

There is lots of suspense in this novel as Cecile teams up with a fellow. I felt the action was a bit repetitive. The same kinds of near successes happened again and again. I almost felt the plot was better suited for a novella length. Tolsma portrayed well the situation in the south during the Great Depression. The power wielded by a few in the city was also well presented. The contrast between a loving mother and a heartless adoption agency owner may have been a little overdone.

I am enjoying this series on historical crimes in America as it has introduced me to different historical settings and events about which I knew nothing. I will be looking forward to the next in the series.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Before I began this novel I had never heard of Georgia Tann or the Tennessee Children's Home Society. I quickly learned though that this was not a nice woman and the things that she and her cohorts did were absolutely appalling. This story is one I won't soon forget.

This story takes place during the early 1930s when times were hard due to the recent depression. Although the story centers on the real-life Tann and there is mention of two other real-life people, the rest of the characters are fictional. Yet they are so well-written and developed that it is easy to believe they were real and the entire story laid out in the pages of this book was real. The author does a fantastic job of capturing the personalities of the characters and making them totally believable. It was easy to visualize Tann as a monster with her orthopedic shoes and odd odor. It was equally as easy to imagine the fear the children faced as they were torn from their homes and placed with strangers, some nice and some not nice.

It was hard for me to believe that this was a debut novel. The author's writing style is wonderful and she has a way of telling a story that kept my interest. I do admit I had to set the book down from time to time because this isn't a light read. Sometimes the subject matter got to be just a bit much. I'm not sure I've ever read a book where I've despised so many of the characters.

If you like true crime stories I believe you will enjoy this book. Although it falls in the genre of Christian fiction there isn't too much of a religious tone to the story. It's just a really well-written fictional story set around real events and people.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

Cecile Dowd is the widowed mother of an active three-year-old girl named Millie. They resided in Memphis, Tennessee in 1933, a time when cautious parents kept a close watch on their children. The reason? Children around Memphis and other nearby towns were disappearing, and it wouldn't be publicly known until years later that this was happening under the direction of Georgia Tann of the Tennessee Children's Home Society.

Percy Vance, a lawyer who came up from a life of poverty, was indebted to Georgia Tann. He believed that she was saving children from a childhood like his own, pairing them with loving parents. Only after meeting Cecile Dowd did he truly begin to doubt Tann's motives and methods.

Liz Tolsma, an adoptive mother of three, does a wonderful job of exposing the atrocities of Tann's exploitation of the adoption process, the children and the families while reminding readers of the good that can come from adoption handled by those with everyone's best interest at heart. She also expertly keeps the reader wondering about the story's great question. Where is Millie Dowd?

I am grateful to have received a copy of The Pink Bonnet from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.

This is based on a true story. The Children's Home and Ms. Tann were real. Cecile & Millie are fictional but that's not to say that their story isn't real. This woman impacted many, many lives and a lot of them not for the better. The story is good as are the characters. There is mystery, romance and lots of angst. If you like historical fiction and true crime then I think you will enjoy this book.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley & the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it

My Review:

My Rating: 4 stars.

My Thoughts: WOW!!! I am heart broken by this story!

While I enjoy historical fiction this one is based on true stories, and this is one scary story. Kids just disappearing from their homes? Yeah, I had no idea that it had been so bad during the Great Depression. The blurb doesn't even begin to show the true horror in this book, yes, it's about a mother searching for her kidnapped daughter but it's so much more. It's about standing up even when it doesn't feel like you can, it's about trusting God to bring you peace, in all this was a dark story that ended with hope.

Since it is dark I suggest that 17 up read it with caution, and 16 can possibly read it if someone that you trust screens it first. It is a very insightful story of a dark time in the not too distant past and things like this do happen still. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Review to post here: http://kayleeskindofwrites20.com/2019/06/06/book-review-of-the-pink-bonnet-by-liz-tolsma on 6/6/2019

I chose The Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma when I saw it was based on a true story. It is truly heartbreaking to know this is based on a true story in Memphis.
This story is about a widow who trusts her child with the wrong person. This person gives her child to Director Georgia Tann of the TN Children’s Home Society. Ms Tann was stealing children and selling them to the highest bidders whether it was a good home or an abusive working farm.
The widow is able to convince Percy, Ms Tann’s lawyer to help her. There was a lot of action and heartbreaking realizations of how many children were taken and what was done to them.
The author’s note in the back provided additional details of how many children were taken and what happened to the people that were helping or turning a blind eye to Ms Tann and her exploits.
I would recommend the book. I have not read Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate that also tells of the same situation in Memphis.

Sexual content – 1 kissing
Violence – 4 Children are kidnapped, mistreated and abused, people are trying to kill Percy and Cecile.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

This book plays hard on your emotions, sadness, anger, and wanting revenge, and all because of what a powerful woman does to families and children. In her time in Tennessee she is suspected of stealing over 5000 children, and when I think of the loss to the parents, grandparents, siblings and extended family, so many hurting people, and all for greed.
This is a fictional account, but it could be so true, and there are several real people named here, and they are all complacent and are fine with doing the evil work with this woman, Georgia Tann.
We put faces through the author of the what some of these people actually experienced, and it is so hard, you want to be able to help. The people we trust, i.e. the police and legal are not there to help, and this woman has so much power.
You don’t want to miss this one, once I picked it up, I didn’t put it down until finished and that included the don’t miss author’s notes.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

An Historical True Crime Mystery involving the Tennessee Adoption Scandal in the Early 1930s

The only thing widowed Cecile Dowd has left from her marriage is her daughter Millie Mae. It’s hard bringing up a child by yourself when you have no money and are having trouble finding a job. However, Cecile loves Millie and tries to do the best for her.

When Cecile leaves Millie with a neighbor while she’s job hunting, she returns to find Millie gone. The neighbor has signed her over to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society run by Georgia Tann. Cecile is appalled when Tann tells her that she’s an unfit mother and vows to do everything she can to get her daughter back.

The book exposes the story of Georgia Tann and the corruption of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. The children who were removed from their homes were sold. The money was used to line the pockets of Tann, a corrupt judge, and a scheming politician. The story follows Cecile’s attempt to find her daughter and get her back. In this she’s helped by an attorney for the society who risks everything to help her.

The is the second book I’ve read in the True Colors series of Historical Crimes. I thoroughly enjoy historical mysteries and this is well worth reading. I liked Cecile and her determination to get her daughter back. Tann and the characters connected with the society were suitably evil. They were almost caricatures of evil. I found that a little over the top, but the story was well done. The book has a Christian background, but it is subtle and not the main focus of the story.

I received this book from Barbour Books for this review.

I was very interested in the crimes of Georgia Tann due to a previous book that I read. I had never heard of her so I did some research, wanting to know more. This novel reinforced part of her crimes. I enjoyed the character of Cecile and her relentless search for her child.
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing Inc. and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Pink Bonnet was centered around Georgia Tann's directorship during 1924 through 1950. I had no previous knowledge of Tann or the Memphis Tennessee Children's Home Society. Reading about them for the first time took me on an emotional journey.

Right away the protagonist, Cecile, was relatable. She represented mothers from all walks in life and gave cohesiveness to a story that could have been confused by too many characters. Cecile and Millie, her daughter, give you enough reason to continue reading. As other characters are introduced the interactions among them easily move the story forward.

The plot was heart-wrenching and kept me emotionally invested, but the sense of reality was slightly interrupted by convenience. In spite of this, I couldn't stop reading. If you keep the perspective that this is a fictionalized account of a true crime then you won't want to miss this book.

Liz Tolsma handled this true crime delicately. Some events were implied and more horrific details were omitted. The reader doesn't need graphic details to understand the depth of corruption and lawlessness in this case. I could not have read about Georgia Tann if it had been handled any other way. I know it's a good book when I cry for real people while reading fiction.

I enjoyed reading this book, but the ending left me disappointed. It felt rushed and I'd have liked more closure concerning the lives of a few fictional characters. Of course, I would have wanted everyone to have a happy ending, so, perhaps the author's intentions were to leave questions because ,in real life , not everyone gets happy results.

I recieved an eArc from Barbour Books, via Netgalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.