Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson.

I was excited to read this since the premise was so intriguing.

In 2015, Cecily Larson is 94 and has lived a fascinating, unconventional life. After a fall has left her immobilized, her daughter and granddaughter struggle to care for her while dealing with their own personal issues.

When Cecily's great grandson's school project on your family tree, the DNA the family submits on Cecily's behalf in secret yields surprising results, and shocking secrets.

The story is about family, not just the ones we are born into, but the family we create with the people we love.

We can never escape the traumas of our past, yet as humans we never stop searching for our identity, who we belong to and who we belong with and that's not a bad thing.

What we have endured in the past shapes our future and our identity for the person we will become, and that can yield extraordinary results.

Cecily lived a full and incredible life, full of excitement and adventure, love and sorrow, sadness and triumph.

I've read about the horrors young girls faced in those institutions Cecily was forced into in other books, and it never gets easier to read about.

I did find the flashbacks of Cecily's life far more interesting and exciting than her present life.

She was an interesting character, and I liked her far more than Liz and Molly, who I didn't connect with. I really just wanted to know how Cecily made a life for herself.

The ending is bittersweet, but a loving testament that family and love surpasses hate and betrayal.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson! While the story was at times bleak and sad, the finding light from darkness was a prevalent theme. The development of the two stories was clever and engaging with a fulfilling ending. The historical fiction parts were a true commentary on treatment of young females especially in the South during the 1920-50s and give a glimpse into those dismal times.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC.

I thought this was a great and emotional read. I do wish that some of the varying points of view were a little more fleshed out, but it was overall a good book.

A particularly good multi-perspective historical. The circus background made it especially interesting. Highly recommended.

The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is full of interesting characters in a readable and intriguing storyline. It was an engrossing story which spanned different lifetimes very well.

A really great read. Baker deftly walks us through two timelines and converging families in this novel about love, family, and DNA surprises. I was more riveted than I expected as the story went on - and though the ending was not a surprise, it felt solid and inevitable. An enjoyable story.

“The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson” by Ellen Baker is a highly emotional story about a family’s trauma after receiving the results of a DNA test. The result is a fascinating, tragic and powerful story of what happens when generations of hidden secrets and true facts are finally revealed. The backdrop of the early days of circus life was super interesting and really kept the story moving for me. This book is about the power of love, family and the resilience of the human spirit. I truly enjoyed this novel!

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I truly enjoyed this heartfelt novel. I appreciate a book that can give me all three emotions. It will make you laugh, cry and rejoice.
Cecily is one amazing woman and one I loved in getting to know.
Her journey through life wasn't an easy one for sure. I think her story is unique in a way because of the hand she was delt.
I've never been to Minnesota before and this authors descriptions made feel like I was there. A beautiful and interesting place.
I loved the circus scenes of the book but not how that poor girl ended up there. I believe that's how she became the strong and stalwart woman of 2015.
I can't say enough on how much I enjoyed this story because I really did.
What a wonderful adventure and I highly recommend it!
You'll fall in love with Cecily just like I did.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was an amazing heart felt story. I cried, I laughed, and I stopped to hug the book a couple of times. Having been born and raised in Northern Minnesota it was so fun for me when the characters visited places I have grown up with. At one point one of the characters is standing under the Lift Bridge in Duluth MN having the same thoughts I always did about the bridge. It made the story so much more amazing. For the parts of this book that talk about the circus... I have always had an interest in the early days of the circus and enjoyed Bakers descriptions of the trains and the performers.

My suggestion to you, should you decide to read this book (and you should) keep track of the names and who was with who. It really helped me throughout the book since it bouces back and forth between the 1920's/30's and 2015.

I loved this book and will keep a copy when it becomes available on my shelf.