I received a copy of this book to review from Netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity.
An amazing book with so much heart. I really enjoyed this colorful cast of characters and there was so much love in this story. There was plenty of twist and turns as well as great prose. 
A fabulous story.

This book surprised me in the best way! I dont think I have ever read a book with this premise/story before and that was very welcome and fun! It did go back and forth between several perspectives but it was easy to follow after you caught the rhythm of it. This book was just beautiful. I cried several times while reading it.

The Edge Of Belonging by Amanda Cox is the most serenely beautiful Christian contemporary debut novel about love and family.
The novel consumed my every waking moment. Amanda Cox drew realistically flawed characters who took up residence in my soul. “It’s okay to stumble… God isn’t looking for pretty, He’s looking for real.”
We all have a past and baggage that weighs us down. We were never meant to journey through life alone. “God puts people in our lives to have and to hold.” There will always be those whom we meet and find we have an instant soul connection. There are the people God places to intersect our lives at just the right time.
The novel shows the effects that early life and traumatic events have on the whole of our lives. Trauma will send us back to a moment in time, no matter how many years have passed.
We are never too old not to need a mother. As mothers our children will always find a safe place in our arms no matter how old we get. The novel explores the emptiness felt in several female arms and the desperate need and longing to fill those empty arms.
Children are a gift from God. “You were fearfully and wonderfully made. And God does not make junk.” No matter what the circumstances of our conception, God planned each and every one of us.
There are some wonderful characters who leak love, care and kindness from every pore. They see the hurt in others and are kindness personified. However in contrast they often view the face in the mirror as undeserving and not worthy. Their eyes need to be opened so they can see themselves as God sees does.
Depression is a terrible illness. It is hard to watch others suffer. Love, kindness, time and health professionals are needed.
There are the themes of infertility, fostering and adoption. These are viewed from various angles and ages throughout the years. All bring people challenges, to hard places and to great rewards.
I absolutely adored The Edge Of Belonging. Amanda Cox is a fabulous new author with a masterful pen – remember her name, I predict she will become a big new voice in Christian fiction.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

It is hard to believe that this is a debut book. I was blown away by the emotions that seeped through the pages and the characters that I began to feel like I knew. Hands down my favorite character has to be Harvey. This sweet homeless  man embraces a baby that someone tossed away and protected it as his own. I wondered why the baby was left and why a mother would abandon her baby? His story tugged in my heart so much I wanted to give him a hug. Maybe he thinks there is no hope or reason for his life, but God in His perfect time will reveal the call He  has on his life. 

I love dual time stories and this one was one I will never forget. The author handles the time slips with ease and allows readers to grasp the intensity the story will take. It was easy  to cheer for Harvey because he loved the child with everything he had. His protectiveness was priceless and I loved how people reached out to help him. 

When we go to the present we are introduced to Ivy. My very first thought as I got to know her was that she needed to run as fast as she could away from her boyfriend. He is emotionally and physically abusive, rude, arrogant and unpleasant. 

The author delivers a story filled with abandonment, PTSD, secrets, pain and the knowledge that we all belong to God. As Ivy uncovers her past, she realizes that her life does matter and soon she comes to accept that God was watching over her. There are other characters in the story that bring wisdom, hope, longing for family and forgiveness. This is a must read for everyone who loves a great story that not only illustrates kindness, hope and family, but twists that will surprise you. 

I received a copy of this book from The Librarything Early Reader Program.

The Edge of Belonging is a fabulous debut for author Amanda Cox. I adored this story. My favorite type of books are time slips and this one does not disappoint. I enjoyed Ivy and Harvey so very much. The is such a beautiful tale of love, faith, and inspiration with the lessons of letting go, forgiveness and redemption.

I am giving The Edge of Belonging a very well deserved five plus stars. I am looking forward to the next release by Amanda Cox next fall.

I received The Edge of Belonging from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

The Edge of Belonging is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in years. It’s a dual timeline story where the past and present are only twenty-four years apart and feature the same characters.

In the present day, Ivy Rose Lashley is a school counsellor who loves her job and the children she works with, and is engaged to the handsome Seth. But that all unravels after her grandmother’s death, and she returns to her hometown where she finds her grandmother has left her a puzzle to solve—the mystery of her birth and subsequent adoption.

In 1994, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn, so takes her back to the camp he calls home.
But he doesn’t have baby milk or diapers or anything needed to care for a newborn, and he doesn’t have money to buy any. He finds supplies in an unlocked church, and proceeds to name the baby Ivy Rose, and to care for her as his own.

I know this is supposed to be Ivy’s story, but I thought Harvey was the more interesting and sympathetic character, because his problems were not problems of his own making. Having said hat, nor were Ivy’s. At first, I thought Ivy’s problems with Seth were the result of her own bad judgement, but as the novel progressed it became obvious that their relationship was the result of her own emotional needs weaknesses, many of which stemmed from being adopted.

But Harvey was the character who tugged at my heartstrings. He’s had a rough deal in life but hasn’t let it turn him bitter. In fact, he doesn’t seem to realise how bad it’s been. Instead, all he wants to do is love and protect baby Ivy, and you can’t hold that against him. At the same time, the present story gave an idea of the direction the past story would take, and that tugged the heartstrings even more.

There were lots of twists in the story, most of which only became obvious towards the end so I won’t give spoilers. Let’s just say that I started by saying this is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in years, and I stand by that opinion.

Edge of Belonging has a great dual-timeline plot, wonderful characters, a strong underlying Christian message, and writing that is good enough to make the strongest person weep. Recommended.
Thanks to Revell and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

__________________________________________________________________________
Story Notes

Amanda Cox debuts her writing career with a story of hope, forgiveness, family and love.

I read this book before I understood that this was Ms. Cox’s debut in writing and I must say that I never would have thought it. The story was excellently written and the characters are those kind that stick with you long after you finish the last page. The story is told with alternating time periods but the same characters. I loved the “mystery” feel that the story had about Harvey, Ivy, Pearl and the Lashleys and the slow but perfect reveal of Ivy’s history. And adding in the elements of tension with her ex-boyfriend was a good way to help Ivy grow and learn about herself and her strength. I loved the character of Reese, Ivy’s longtime friend. He was such a good compliment to her and challenged her to see things in a better light that she was normally inclined. The rest of the story includes some truly deep concepts about love, forgiveness and family that many will find they identify with all too well. I’m going to stop with my discussion of the story because I think its too good to spoil with my writing. I am certainly going to be sharing about this wonderful book as I hope as many people as possible will read it. I am definitely looking forward to the next writings of Ms. Cox and am very hopeful that I’ve found a new favorite author to read. 

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Revell Publishing via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

The Edge of Belonging is Amanda Cox's debut novel. That thrills me. Because if this is what her first novel is like, I can't wait to read her tenth! 

The story is told by flipping between two time periods, the present day and 1994. The characters are a homeless man, an abandoned baby, a widow, and a childless couple. What unfolds is a beautiful tale of how a family is born. 

I cried and smiled and read until I couldn't read anymore. The story just gripped me. I wish I could tell you how it all comes together but that would ruin the surprise. I definitely don't want to do that because the ending is so beautiful and worth every minute of reading it took to get there.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a story of hope in a hopeless situation. You'll be reminded that man makes his plans but God guides his steps.

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee her late Grandma Pearl's estate sale and to escape an abusive relationship. But she finds clues about her mysterious adoption, and the only person who knows the truth is reluctant to talk about. Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James found an abandoned newborn who gave him a human connection. He doesn't want to jeopardize that connection by talking with Ivy about the past now. 
Told in a dual-time format, the book unfolds the story of Ivy and her family in small increments that allows the reader to digest what is happening to each character and builds suspense around what might happen next. I enjoyed trying to guess the ending.
The book does include quite a few triggers: domestic abuse, emotional abuse, drug and alcohol use, reference to a musical artist found guilty of sex crimes with children, suicide, PTSD, and infertility. 
The ending felt rushed and disappointing. I also didn't care for the romance between Ivy and Reese that dominated the last half of the book and the fact that Reese is so perfect rather than a real-life person with faults and foibles. The book makes him out to be perfect and Ivy to have all the problems, which is unrealistic and unfair.
I appreciate the real-life look this book provides regarding infertility, foster parenting, adoption, suicide, PTSD, and grief. In places, the story breaks my heart. Yet it also reminds me that love transcends biological family ties. Love can break through bondages of all kinds.

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox is an excellent, heartwarming, tug-at-your heartstrings novel that weaves together a story of how a young woman named Ivy was found discarded on the side of the road, and how through her and a divine will, a family of lost and  lonely strangers were made a family. 

Ms. Cox truly has a gift. I enjoyed every moment of the multiple timeline story taking place in rural Tennessee (1990s-present) of Harvey, Thomas, Miriam, Pearl, Reese, and Ivy and how through divine intervention, they that were lost in a multitude of ways, were found again with renewed hope, love, and purpose in life. In this story, we find that family is created by relationships, love, acceptance, and forgiveness and not from just “blood” and genetics. 

There were several times that I honestly teared up at the true happiness and warmth that the characters found despite the obstacles and experiences they faced. There is some heavy material in this book, but it is needed, appropriate, and respectfully written. Ms. Cox has a real talent, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future. 

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Revell for this wonderful ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Amazon, B&N, and Instagram accounts immediately.

The Edge of Belonging is the debut novel of Amanda Cox, but one would never know it just from reading the story.  The book draws the reader in with its almost poetic introduction to Harvey James.  The description is so real the reader can picture exactly how things looked and felt through his eyes.

Don't worry though, the author doesn't leave you with just one set of eyes to see through.  You soon get to meet many other characters in both the past and the present.  Cox switches off between the two in a way that brings the reader much closer to the characters.  The ending may be rather obvious, because the book has a dual timeline, but it is a heart-wrenching pleasure to read about how the ending came about.

It is clear from reading this story that the author has much experience with people who are broken and hurting.  There are so many positive and uplifting messages wrapped up into a non-preachy novel that allows readers to glean the lessons from the experiences of the characters.  If reading well written emotional stories about heartache and redemption cause you to be weepy, you might want to be prepared with a box of Kleenex.  Can't wait to read the next story Cox writes!

Not often is there a story where three of the main characters are a homeless man, an older widow and an orphan.  And it also is a story that involves domestic abuse, infertility, adoption, PTSD, depression and suicide. But that does not mean it is a sad story. On the contrary, it is full of light and hope and the overwhelming realization that God makes all things work together for our good. And He has a plan... always.

It is hard to believe that this is the debut novel for Amanda Cabot. It is so well written. 
And it is a dual timeline novel which I am not usually fond of. But of all the ones I've read, this story flows back and forth seamlessly. I usually prefer one time period to another but for this story, I was always glad to go back and forth as the timelines were so well balanced.

I recommend this story highly. You will not be disappointed.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.  Thank you. All the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Wow.

Sigh.

I just l-o-v-e it when a story grasps my heart as soon as I begin reading. I love it even more when it refuses to let go and squeezes every ounce of emotion from me.

So. Many. Feels.

The Edge of Belonging is a gorgeous, raw, and emotional time-slip novel with themes of family, friendship, faith, and spiritual healing. The imagery, writing style, emotions, and setting are spot-on, but for me, the key characters are what truly makes this story come to life. Each character's flaws, damages, and hurts make them so easy to connect with. Their healing pierces me the deepest.

Though readers have diverse lives and circumstances, it is effortless to connect and empathize with each life and circumstance portrayed. I enjoyed learning about Ivy’s journey and getting to know Pearl, Reese, and the other secondary characters, but Harvey… Harvey James is unforgettable. He made a home in my heart on page one. 

It’s amazing how there are many tragic aspects of this story, but it’s far from depressing. It’s heart-breaking yet mending, painful yet sweet.

Beautiful cover art. Memorable characters.  Brilliant storytelling.

This heart-breaking and heart-mending tale is on my 2020 Favorites list, and I’ll be watching for more work from this debut author. I did not want this story to end. ♡

I was blessed to receive a complimentary copy of this book.

The Edge of Belonging covers a vast array of topics elegantly. The dual timelines were done masterfully and as much as I love a book with a happy ending can you imagine my glee when this one held several separate yet coinciding happily ever afters. Pure gold.

The Edge of Belonging covers abandonment, PTSD, infertility, homelessness, depression, anxiety, domestic abuse, and suicide to name a few, but it covers them all with grace. These could be triggers for many, but they were handled cautiously and at a level that was not so fixated that it became insensitive. I did not realize just how many topics were covered until writing this review and reflecting on everything this story covered because it was braided together so effortlessly. I didn’t even notice the natural addition as each topic was intertwined into the plot. I felt like I was highlighting a passage every other chapter. There are some great quotes at the end of my review that resonated first for their diversity from one another to show the breadth of this novel but also to capture the depth of this piece.

The Edge of Belonging was hard to put down. It was one of those books that I was so engrossed in that I caught myself skimming sentences because I NEEDED to know what came next as soon as possible, but also enjoyed the writing so much I’d have to intentionally slow myself down so I wouldn’t miss a single detail. The Edge of Belonging was everything I could hope for in a book. It was somehow both fun yet heartwarming and mysterious yet revealing at the same time.

It’s hard to believe this was a debut novel. Amanda Cox has a way with words, and I cannot wait to see what she releases next. She will be on my radar, especially after reading the little sneak peak at the end of The Edge of Belonging. Fall 2021 cannot come soon enough! I would recommend The Edge of Belonging to anyone that loves a good romance, mystery, happily ever after, family drama, and/or contemporary fiction. It does have a sprinkle of religious sentiment throughout, but it felt natural and was well balanced, so it was not intimidating even if you usually stray away from religious pieces, I would give this one a try. I have confidence you will enjoy it.

The Edge of  Belonging by Amanda Cox is a multi=timeline novel set mostly in Tennessee. It shifts from 1994 to 1998-1999, and back to Present Day.  

 In 1994, Harvey, homeless and living by the highway, finds an abandoned baby girl.  He connects with her immediately, trying to care for her in his lean-to by the side of the road.   Abandoned as a boy, he hopes to make a family with this lost little girl.

In the Present Day, Ivy, who is in an abusive relationship with a controlling fiance, returns home to Tennessee to settle her grandmother's estate.  Her grandmother has left her a message and pointed her to a journal which will explain more about her adoption.  With the help of her friend Reese, she starts to try and find out more about the first three months of her life.

The beauty of this book lies in the simple message of family and what constitutes a family.  Ivy's family has always been her parents, her grandmother, and her Uncle Vee.  But who are they really?  

This book also hits some hard issues.  It looks at domestic abuse, sex trafficking, drug abuse, the foster care system, and PTSD.  It shows how important it is to love each other, and how love can transform a life.  And it shows how God answers prayers, but not always in the way you would expect.  

The Edge of Belonging is well written and hard to put down.  The characters are so well developed that they will permanently touch your heart.  The message of hope amidst sorrow and tragedy abounds through the book.  I highly recommend this to anyone who has experienced loss, or anyone who just wants to read a well written novel.  

I received a free copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley.  My review is voluntary.

The Edge of Belonging is one of my favorite reads of this year. I loved the journey all the characters take as they process what makes up the value of a person, and how God leads us to be part of a family because we are marked by Christ and we choose to love one another. As a woman walking through a lot of grief this year, this tender story also met me in my grief and made space for the fact that we do live in a broken world full of loss, but our hope is found in belonging to our Creator, here and forevermore.

I can't even.  I don't even know what to say. The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox blew me away. Y'all! It had ALL. THE. FEELS! I couldn't fall asleep last night from processing it. This book had me ugly crying in a good way. It filled me up and now I am overflowing. The love that was expressed in this book was so Christ like. There was a romance, and yet so much more than that, These characters will be with me for a long time.  In fact, it has been a while since a book as affected me so much. I guess you could call me a romantic, or a bleeding heart, but I think whether you or or aren't, this book will impact you. I can't believe this is a debut book. All, I can say is I look forward to more amazing stories from this author and I can't encourage  you enough to get this book. This will definitely be my top pick of 2020 for sure.
*I received a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox is a dual timeline story that bounces between present day and 1994. The story tugs at the heart of the reader. Harvey is a homeless man living in a lean-to on abandoned property who finds an abandoned baby and cares for her as his own. Without money, he attempts to get food and necessities for her from a church and ends up becoming the janitor and living with the elderly lady living next to the church. Present day, the baby is grown and has now come home to clean out the elderly lady's home after her passing and is trying to find out more about who she really is.
I loved this story. It is a story that will stay with me for a while. The story is well written and easy to envision. The characters are dealing with issues of their own, but form to make up a strong family unit. The topics of foster homes and abuse are hard to read but show how Harvey could become so attached to the baby immediately.
I received an e-book copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

Tissue alert! This novel will tug at your heart strings and tears may flow – especially as the story comes to an end.
This is the first time I’ve read something by Amanda Cox and it definitely won’t be the last.
I love the author’s engaging voice. She was able to pull me right into her story world as she recounts the early beginnings of an abandoned baby who earns the name of Ivy. The story bounces between her tragic start and her life as a twenty-four year old counselor – her first few months of life of which she is blissfully unaware.
The death of her grandmother provides Ivy with the chance to escape an abusive relationship and learn about the power of love, strength of family and how our humble beginnings can shape the rest of our lives.
Each character is so wonderfully created that each one goes through something the reader can relate to. A devoted pastoral couple struggling with infertility. A widowed mother who lost her son to suicide and her husband to cancer. A homeless man who becomes a ghost in the night so no child – or person – will ever feel alone when tragedy strikes.
I could gush about this story, but it’s best if you go grab a copy for yourself. 
You won’t regret it.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is such a heart touching story.  It is multi generational, which I truly love and it also shows how people come together as a family without any.blood ties.  It shows how wonderfully and completely God works in our lives.  Although the plot was pretty predictable early.on it was still interesting to see how they got to the end.  I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely recommend it.