Catherine Ryan Hyde has hit it out of the park with yet another cast of flawed characters who you can’t help but fall in love with. Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is the story of motherhood, an unlikely friendship, and overcoming stereotypes placed on certain groups in society. This author tackles real-life problems in our world, in this case homelessness and poverty, and tells the story on a personal level.

Brooke is a single mom, struggling to provide for her two-year-old daughter, Etta. Molly is a teenage girl who was thrown out on the streets after revealing a secret to her overly strict parents. Their lives intersect when Brooke survives a violent carjacking, and her car is stolen with Etta still in the backseat. When the carjacker discovers the toddler, he abandons her on the side of the road, still buckled into her car seat. Luckily, Molly discovers Etta, and does what she can to care for the girl until she is able to find a way to return her to safety.

This novel tells the emotional journey of the formation of an unlikely friendship between two characters in less than ideal situations. It is both heartwarming, heartbreaking, and absolutely powerful in the lesson it teaches. I think there’s something in this book for most readers.

If you’ve never read a book by Catherine Ryan Hyde, do yourself a favor and pick one up!

I read "Have You Seen Luis Velez?" in January, so when I saw this one available for request from Lake Union, I was excited to put in for an ARC. Catherine Ryan Hyde sucks her readers in from the very start with the perfect setup of a missing toddler, and the desperation of a mother when their child goes missing.

I was anxious to find out if Brooke would get her daughter Etta back. Etta is found by Molly, a homeless teen stuck in a rough situation, that wants to take care of Etta until she can get ahold of the police. But when you're homeless and broke, getting to a phone isn't an easy task. We watch the story unfold from both Brooke and Molly's perspective.

Not only was this a great storyline, but I appreciated the inclusion of the real-world issue regarding homeless teens. Specifically, those that fall into the LGBTQ category and the struggles they face at home regarding their sexuality, especially in religious households. I found myself drawn into Molly and her struggle, and I cheered her on from the start.

Molly and Brooke were wonderful characters, there was a lot they learned from each other. I liked how well the author wrote Brooke's mother, who was less than stellar. This was such a thoughtful read about healing and forgiveness, about finding light where the dark seems overpowering. A heartwarming read.

4.5 stars. A beautiful story of heartbreaking rejection and unexpecy events that lead to the purest form of love. This book will make you evaluate how to treat others and want to do better in your snap judgments of people.

Brooke is a divorced single mom, financially strapped, living with her mother, and holding tight to the one thing that matters most: her two-year-old daughter, Etta. Then, in a matter of seconds, Brooke’s life is shattered when she’s carjacked. I then thought the whole book would be about finding Etta but in a refreshing twist it becomes a story about love and kindness and about being lost and found.

Its about even with family you can feel alone and without family you can feel loved and wanted. A truly heartwarming story that had tears in my eyes and hope in my heart. Great book by Ms. Hyde, a must-read. Release date May 19, 2020. Thank you #Netgalley for this ARC of #BraveGirlQuietGirl #fivestars

Where do I start? This book grabbed me immediately. I couldn't put it down. It's 3:30am, and I just finished it! You will fall in love with baby Etta immediately. I wanted to embrace both Etta and 16 year old Molly as if they were my own. This is a must read! Be prepared to lose sleep, because you won't want to put this book down! Another wonderful book by this great author!

Thanks to the author and publisher for an ARC of this AMAZING and special book. Grabs you on the first page and keeps you on the edge of your seat to the very end. A carjacking with a baby in the back seat. A distraught mother. A homeless struggling teenager who finds the baby sitting on the sidewalk abandoned in her car seat. How will this all work out ? Can these strangers be friends, family even ? Just a beautiful story. Sad and heartwarming. This is a must read ! If you are a fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde you must read this when it comes out.

This book by Catherine Ryan Hyde is very good. It is a story of homelessness and a need to be redeemed. The characters are so well fleshed out that they come alive on the page. It is sad, and at the same time filled with hope. A sixteen year old girl that is wise beyond her years. Thank you to Net Galley for the ebook. I would recommend it to anyone who loves women's fiction.

I'm a big fan of Catherine Ryan Hyde and this latest, well, it just took my breath away. So many things we should all do and say, or not do and not say, but mainly it's about thinking, assessing, before speaking. And doing. And definitely before judging. I think this book's arrival is one of those things that happens at the appropriate time, especially with all that is going on in our world.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Ms. Hyde for allowing me to read this amazing book early in exchange for my honest opinion.

Oh my goodness, this book was so good. The author always has a way to bring forth life issues in a touching manner. This story was emotional but also had suspense. This book will make you think twice about your impressions of strangers and how you interact.
Many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Interesting read from an author I have never read before. I much enjoyed this one. While the story seemed strange, one could understand how everything that took place unfolded.

After thrilling to so many of CR Hyde’s books in the past, this one was just “not my story.” All of her books are geared toward youth and all of them preach a good sermon, using great object lessons. She’s very visual in her writings. This one was just a bit too YA for my enjoyment.

I appreciate the ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What a unique creation. This is not the typical Ryan Hyde book in that the story seems to build slowly with much more tension than in her other books. At least I certainly felt it, which is applicable to the situation these characters find themselves in. Ms. RH always seems to write about topics that affect/impact children in a unique way while still giving those children the ability and courage to take care of themselves and overcome or go around obstacles. I love that these choices in literature exist.
Edited 3/18/20 - I finally was able to finish this book. Wow, SO much emotion involved - my heart felt like a basketball in a pro game most of the time. I'm upgrading my rating to five stars, the first ever book to get that. Heads up: some people may find that several of the three plot points are personal emotional triggers. Bravo, CRH!

Catherine Ryan Hyde always writes about topical issues, in this case homelessness and motherhood. Sometimes I can find her books a bit predictable but this one was, I think, her best for a while.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

Thank you for allowing me to read the book for my honest opinion.
I found Brave Girl, Quiet Girl a very touching story. I loved that it was a very touching story that brought entangled the lives of two very strong women. The story involves two women, Brooke and Molly, how are both unknowingly at a crossroads. The book is told from both Brooke and Molly’s perspectives. I enjoyed the book a lot and will suggest it for our book club.

I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I did it was worth it. The dynamic between the 2 main characters, who meet up under different circumstances makes the book more interesting as you get into the depth of the book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. These are my honest thoughts.

Another good read by a favorite author, who is so good at writing about feelings and different issues that life can throw at you.
In this story, she breaches on the subject, of homeless people, gender identity, parent child relationships and a carjacking that brought it all together.
Brooke is a single mom, who one night after having taken her young daughter to a movie had her car carjacked with her baby still inside. Her daughter Etta, who is two years old disappears into the night.
That night a young homeless girl Molly finds the baby strapped in her car seat by the side of the road.
Scared and hungry she hid with the baby, until she felt is was safe enough to call the police. A lot goes on before she can reunite the mother with her child, and once that happens there is a lot of emotions and misunderstandings, before trust can be built between Brooke and Molly.
Great story of human fragility, strength and unbreakable spirit.
I cannot wait to read her next story.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. The book begins with the taking of a small child, but the story is mainly about the relationship between a young teen girl and a woman who learns to accept someone she never thought she would into her heart and home. Thank you Catherine Ryan Hyde for another wonderful book!
Brooke is a divorced single mom, financially strapped, living with her mother, and holding tight to the one thing that matters most: her two-year-old daughter, Etta. Then, in a matter of seconds, Brooke’s life is shattered when she’s carjacked. Helpless and terrified, all Brooke can do is watch as Etta, still strapped in her seat, disappears into the Los Angeles night.
Miles away, Etta is found by Molly, a homeless teen who is all too used to darkness. Thrown away by her parents, and with a future as stable as the wooden crate she calls home, Molly survives day to day by her wits. As unpredictable as her life is, she’s stunned to find Etta, abandoned and alone. Shielding the little girl from more than the elements, Molly must put herself in harm’s way to protect a child as lost as she is.
Out of one terrible moment, Brooke’s and Molly’s desperate paths converge and an unlikely friendship across generations and circumstances is formed. With it, Brooke and Molly will come to discover that what’s lost—and what’s found—can change in a heartbeat. #BraveGirlQuietGirl #NetGalley

“Brave Girl, Quiet Girl” by Catherine Ryan Hyde

What an intriguing and emotional read. The author takes the reader on a journey of two women who, due to very different reasons, are trying to survive in a world that has many roadblocks toward them surviving and in finding a place they can call home.

Brooke is an older woman with a two year old daughter. Molly is sixteen and living on the streets since her mother kicked her out of the house. Due to a circumstance, that neither could have predicted, they are brought together via the little girl.

Over time, these two women find they have a bit more in common then they realized. They also learn a lot from one another as Molly breaks down a lot of Brooke’s biases and assumptions and has a very good insight on life, while Brooke teaches Molly that people can change, life circumstances are not always permanent, and with a little help from one another they can both start to move forward.

“Brave Girl, Quiet Girl,” is a fascinating novel about two brave women and a very brave two-year old, all of whom learn that sometimes being quiet is the best thing, but not the easiest, and sometimes speaking out, even when it is hard, is not just brave but a necessity.

Rating: 4.7
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

** I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this novel. All thoughts and comments are mine alone.

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

I truly enjoyed this story. It made me think, and feel many emotions. I highly recommend it.

This book was better than expected. I didn’t think I could hold it out but the way it was written made it more interesting