Her rich in-laws expect perfection, so when Ginny's baby is born with Down Syndrome, the family whisks the child off to an institution. Two years later (1969), Ginny learns that this school is under investigation for mistreatment of the residents, and goes there to see for herself. She and her best friend Marsha wind up taking Lucy from the institution, then taking off to Florida with the toddler and Ginny's six-year-old while they desperately try to figure out how to protect the child. An excellent suspense novel, coming August 2019. (Netgalley review)

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this title in exchange for my honest review. This passed the mark of an excellent book- I started it at bedtime, thinking I'd just read a chapter or two. I ended up reading long into the night and didn't put it down. The plot goes back and forth to the time before Lucy was born and to the current time in the book. It's a sad story, a sad realization about how in the past, children with Down's Syndrome (who are the sweetest) were thought of as people who needed to be institutionalized. This story has one mom realizing the truth about her precious baby girl, and against the odds, sets out on a path that could cause her to be jailed, or worse, for her daughter to be returned to the institution. I highly recommend this book.

An absolute must read! This book drew me in from the first page until I reluctantly finished. The story of Lucy, who gives birth to a daughter only to find out she has Down’s syndrome. Her powerful father in law convinced her husband that the baby would be better off in an institution. What follows is a story of a mother’s love and the lengths she’d go to to save her child.
I wish Ab would have been a stronger character to stand up to his father. At times Ginny seemed weak, but finally found her strength in the end.

Wow! That is all I can really say about this book! So good. Suspenseful, creepy, mysterious all into one. I was very excited to receive this book in exchange for a review because I have heard great things about this author's previous novel and wanted to see what all the hype was about. The author did a fantastic job of leading off the story in the prologue. I was instantly hooked from the first page! As a mother myself, I was so heartbroken for Ginny as I could not imagine what she must have been feeling when her baby girl was taken from her. I would definitely recommend anyone and everyone to read this!

Keeping Lucy begins with the birth of a baby girl in 1969. I was immediately captivated, because I could see myself in the young mother. Her world, her time was familiar because I also gave birth to a daughter in 1969. Like Ginny, I stayed at home every day with my children while my husband went away to work. Like Ginny, I didn't drive and my husband made all the decisions about our family. Fortunately. my daughter was "normal" when she was born. I don't know what I would have done if she came into the world with Down Syndrome. I don't know what I would have done if my husband had told me we had to send her away to an institution and pretend she was stillborn. If she were already gone before I woke up after her birth, would I have stayed with my husband and my older child? Would I have tried to put my daughter from my mind, to make the best of it like Ginny did?
Ginny might seem shamefully weak and submissive to most of today's readers, but I knew that young woman. She was like me and most of my friends. When she began to take charge of her own life, to make decisions for herself and her children, I knew how hard it was for her. Ginny was lucky to have a lifelong girlfriend, Marsha, who had a car and a decidedly un-submissive attitude. Keeping Lucy is a road trip story about female friendship and the strength and power of a mother's love. Beautifully written.

Oh.my.goodness. This book is truly amazing. It is written with such compassion for those who have disabled children. I truly loved every page. I will read every single book by T. Greenwood from now on. What an amazing author! ##netgalley #keepinglucy

T. Greenwood has done it again. She's written a story so complex, so emotional that it sticks with you long after the last page has been turned.
The year is 1969. A different time, different beliefs. Ginny is heartbroken when her newborn is ripped from her arms and given over to a "special school" before she even knows what's happening. Her husband, Ab, and his father convince her it's for the best. After all, what do they know about raising a child with Down Syndrome?
So Ginny tries to move on. She continues to be a good wife and mother to their other child. But Lucy is always in her heart and on her mind. Then she sees an article on Willowridge, the school where Lucy has been sent. And the stories coming from Willowridge are not good.
Acting on instinct, she takes a trip to see it for herself. What she sees isn't good. It certainly isn't a place anyone should willingly want their child to live. Determined to save Lucy this time, she sets out on a cross country journey while trying to convince Ab that their baby belongs at home with them. Along the way she finds that, while Lucy may have been out of her hands for the last two years, she's never been out of her heart.
This is another outstanding story from one of my favorite authors. It's heartbreaking but also historical in that it captures the attitudes from the time period perfectly. It's a story of despair and hope, a story of family and love. This is one I won't soon forget!

I really enjoyed this book! I'm sure places like Willowridge and stories like that of the Richardson's were very prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s and I'm thankful T. Greenwood brought one to life to make it more personal! I really empathized with Ginny. Her passion and love for her children was at the forefront of her mind in all of her decisions and her maternal instincts just went to show that mothers will do anything for their children. Her relationship with Ab and her in-laws was raw and captivating, and one I enjoyed following along with. I read the book in a day as the story is both captivating and heartbreaking from the beginning. Super easy read and well written! After reading this, I want to check out more by T. Greenwood. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Amazing writing, amazing story telling and I could not stop reading it until the last page!

Honestly, I was just going to "preview" a bit of this novel, and planned on reading it next month. That never happened. - I became so absorbed in the story and so invested in the characters that I simply couldn't put the book down !

It was such a compelling story line and I just fell in love with little Lucy and truly cared about her and her mom, Ginny. I had to see the story through to the end.

It was 1969 and Ginny's baby girl, Lucy was born with Down's Syndrome. Ginny was tricked by her high and mighty family into committing Lucy to an institution named Willowridge .

Oh, the horrors that come out about what has been taking place at Willowbridge, prompt Ginny and her bestie, Martha (who I also loved)! to grab baby Lucy and take off on a Thelma and Louise inspired road trip! I found myself cheering these ladies on and wanting to cuddle Lucy myself!

I teared up, I took deep breaths, I whooped, and I delighted in everything Lucy!

Okay..... I Loved Lucy! xoxoxo

Highly recommend you read it and fall in love too.

Blog review to come....

I have loved each book I have read by T. Greenwood, Finding Lucy was no exception. A mother’s love is incomprehensible and there are no boundaries on what she will do to protect her children. Ginny went to incredible lengths to keep her daughter Lucy from harm, and the story is amazing! Highly recommend!

This book captivated me from start to finish!

Very mild spoiler(s)

It's 1969 and Ginny has just given birth to her second child, a baby girl with down syndrome. The moment she's born, Ginny's doctor tells her that she won't be able to keep the baby, and that her baby will likely die within a few years from a heart condition or something else. Her husband wants to protect the family by sending the baby to a school for children with needs. Ginny doesn't agree with her husband Abbott, but she feels she has no choice and all of it seems to be facilitated by her horrible, controlling, father-in-law. The baby is snatched away while everyone but Ginny seems to forget it ever happened. Over the next few years, life moves forward, but Ginny hasn't forgotten about her daughter Lucy. It still eats at her as she continues to wonder about the condition of Lucy and if this was the right choice. She tries to be a satisfactory mom and wife regardless of all her concerns. In 1971 a report surfaces with claims that Willowridge--the school where little Lucy lives-- has been neglecting the children. The report is horrible and parents have now filed lawsuits against the school. It rips at Ginny's heart and she knows she has to make haste and get to the school to find out the condition of her daughter. Against her husband's wishes, she heads on a trip with her friend Marsha to examine the conditions of the school and to check on Lucy. It turns out the report is true, and Ginny is shocked. She resolves that there's absolutely no way she can allow Lucy to stay at Willowridge any longer. What will Ginny do? With no job and not much money, how can she fix this situation? How can she be the mother Lucy needs and still care for her six-year-old son without the support of her husband?

I felt so much emotion with this story because of how well-developed the characters were. I grew to really love Ginny after her character flourishes and she finally gets enough courage to stand on her own two feet. I could even relate to the in-law pressure. Marsha (Ginny's best friend) was one of my favorites as well. She's the kind of friend everyone wants, one who's there when you need her, and one who would sacrifice anything for you. My only issue with her was her irresponsibility when it came to her reckless behavior. With that said, there were other characters in the story that I had extreme dislike for and even hate at times. I had to reluctantly put the book down more than once and ask myself repeatedly: What in the world is wrong with these people? It felt that real to me.

At times the book reminded me of one of my favorite movies Thelma and Louise, primarily because of Marsha. I couldn't help but think about these two characters and how their 'trip' felt similar. I was on edge often, as the book just kept getting better and better. I was captivated and it felt believable. The writing has a sense of urgency to it and I just couldn't stop until the end. I also loved that the author went back into the characters' histories so that you learn about their family relationships from the beginning. This jumping back and forth between the present 1971 and their past kept it interesting and yet the story remained seamless.

My absolute only complaint with this book was the ending which felt really rushed after how drawn out the story was, however, I did appreciate the conclusion with how everything turned out. I was willing to overlook the rush, but it just seemed like a few of the characters have a change of heart in an instant--which isn't impossible--just highly unlikely so quickly after how they'd been throughout their history. It was wrapped up so quickly after all that intensity and just seemed a tad too abrupt.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and think I may have found a new favorite author, even with this being my first book by T. Greenwood. I loved the articulate writing and how I was pulled in to this story. There's nothing better than a book you simply can't put down--one that you can't wait to gush about to everyone. This is that book. I couldn't resist spilling the entire story to my mom after I finished. With themes of love, friendship, courage, fear, family, and most of all, hope, this is a favorite for 2018!

5*****

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed Keeping Lucy. It was heartbreaking to read about the conditions of the institution and cheered on Ginny as she developed her backbone. I think some of it seemed a little too unbelievable and that Ginny could be so naive and trusting...

It was a quick read and I didn't want to put it down!

Wow! Keeping Lucy is such a powerful story. Learning about Ginny, her powerless loss of Lucy as she is sent to a school for the 'feeble-minded' at birth, and her struggle to get Lucy back while fighting her family and the law is such a strong story of redemption and love. I have noticed that some reviewers who disliked Ginny for her initial passivity; however, I couldn't disagree more. Ginny was a victim of the times, societal ignorance, and the power of her family. Through finding herself, she rose above these issues and had a strength like no other.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was a great story. It had me at the first chapter! It was a great reminder of how much change has happened for women in society in the last 50 years. It is hard to imagine not having any control of your life outside of your kitchen. I can’t believe that a woman could have a child and not have any say to their well being even from the delivery room. I really loved Ginny and her will to fight for Lucy. There were also many great supporting characters in the book that you wanted to hug, cheer on or slap across the face throughout the book. It was heartbreaking to read about the treatment and dismissal of special needs children. You know it happened in real life and I It has hard to believe humans were treated that way. The author did a good job organizing the book back and forth between flashbacks and the present.. Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book was a compelling story about a young mother just trying to be the best mother that she can be. Yet at the time, early 1970's she is controlled by her husband and has to give up her baby daughter because the baby has down syndrome. With heartbreak the young mother is forced to see the institution her daughter lives at.
She steals Lucy and runs away.
With clear, concise writing, the author weaves the story and the heartbreak throughout the book.
A great book.
A champion for challenged babies everywhere.

Just a good old story that is made even more compelling by the fact it was inspired by real events. It's a great reminder of how far society has come in regards to children with disabilities in just one generation. The current day story is interspersed with short chapters providing insights into the characters earlier years that are very informative although I was so caught up in the current day story at times I found the flashbacks a bit intrusive! This is definitely a book that can be read in a day or two - it reads fast and although it is a bit predictable in didn't impact my reading enjoyment at all.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

You HAVE to read this one! So touching, and warm, and special! I fell in love with the story and the characters. The most unusual part for me is a major character who I hated, I actually changed my mind about- now that's a great author! Don't miss this one..

This was my first book to read of T. Greenwood, Keeping Lucy. I loved it! T. Greenwood takes you back to the 60's and early 70's when institutions were the thing to do with your "unwanted" children. We meet Virginia, or Ginny as she is called for much of the book, and she is pregnant with her second child. Ginny and Ab are living the perfect life with one son and another child on the way. Like many women in this time, Ginny was a stay at home mom and she loved the thought of possibly having a daughter soon. Shortly after her shower, her daughter is born and is quickly taken away. Ginny is sedated without her consent and sleeps through most of her time in the hospital. She only sees her daughter briefly. Ginny is told her daughter will most likely die very soon and that putting her in Willowridge is the best for all. Greenwood shows us what a mothers love can do. We find Ginny taking Lucy two years later from the institution and running with her. This book pulls at your heartstrings and doesn't let go. You will root for Ginny the whole way through. I highly recommend this book! I read this book in two days. Very easy read. Greenwood does jump from past to present time, but the chapters are clearly labeled and I was able to keep up with no problem. Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley

In 1971, a time when women were navigating the waters of independence apart from their children and husbands, Ginny Richardson -wife of attorney Ab and mother to son, Peyton - learns that the institution where her disabled daughter Lucy was committed is being accused of abuse and neglect. Ginny and her best friend Marsha- a woman who, in the parlance of the day, is "loose", as well as unmarried and possibly pregnant - take off for the institution to sign the child out for a long weekend. This is the first time Ginny has visited her daughter with Down syndrome and she is horrified to see the conditions. Her feelings of maternal neglect for two years are made even greater when she realizes her daughter is a beautiful, sweet child who has likely been subject to physical abuse. She and Marsha (and Peyton) abscond with the child to Florida, at first unaware that the little girl is a ward of the state of Massachusetts and that, thanks to her husband's controlling father, Ginny is not legally Lucy's parent.

I absolutely loved this book. Of course we are meant to sympathize with Ginny and her innocent daughter, and we do, but we also feel for her husband, who was himself bullied by his father into forgoing the life he truly wanted in favor of following in his father's footsteps. I appreciated the nuance in character development and the authenticity of details for the time period (for instance, the fear that Ginny has when she uses her husband's charge card for the first time, or when she admits to not knowing much about local news because she spends her time ironing pajamas and so on; Ginny doesn't drive and she doesn't have her own bank account, all things we will take for granted just a couple of decades later). Greenwood does a terrific job with the details for the Sixties and early Seventies; it all feels genuine and real, especially the characters.

A story like this (mother kidnaps disabled daughter after being overcome by her maternal love) could easily have been cliche or filled with tropes that would have made me roll my eyes and put it down but it wasn't. It was heartfelt yet heartbreaking. We truly feel for Ginny. And neither does Greenwood shy from the facts about raising a disabled child: Ginny makes it very clear that the kind of money her husband's family has will make it possible for her daughter to have the care she needs while others without her affluence will suffer. The limitations of a child with Down syndrome, as well as the genetic problems like being born with a hole in the heart, are also explored. Life with Lucy will not be easy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc to review. I highly recommend this book to others who enjoy contemporary fiction.

I was excited to receive a copy of T.Greenwoods newest book as I was a big fan of th authors previous work and I was not disappointed.
This was a tough read at times. I was aware of how much progress we have made regarding disabilities, but wasn’t aware of how much progress we have made. To think that not that long ago children who were not born “perfect” were sent away never it be seen or heard from again.
Back in the late 1960’s early 1970’s it was so different for mother’s... many just did what there husbands said .... like it or not.
I was so proud that Ginny, as hard as it was...fought for her daughter. A mother doesn’t disability but sees instead the ability.
It was a joy to see someone in Ginny’s position, who couldn’t even drive go after what she believed was right!
This author writes beautifully.
If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a book by T.Greenwood do yourself a favour and grab a copy of her latest work. What a treat.

This is EASILY the best book I've read this year.

When Ginny has her baby daughter, she's immediately taken away from her. Her husband and father-in-law spirit baby Lucy away to a "school," insisting that it's the best thing to do because Lucy has Down Syndrome. Ginny is heartbroken, but she learns to live without her daughter, believing that she's in good hands.

Two years later, Ginny learns that Willowridge, the special school, is criminally neglecting their children wards. She travels there without her husband's knowledge and finds that the situation is even worse than she thought. She and her best friend, Marsha, take Lucy for a weekend visit, but soon Ginny resolves never to let her daughter return to that asylum of horrors.

What happens next is an epic road trip with young children in tow, threatened by kidnapping charges and the wrath of Ginny's father-in-law. What kind of monster would submit their flesh and blood to those conditions? What kind of man is Ab, Ginny's husband? There are so many questions and so many decisions to make for Ginny, naive SAHM Ginny, who has been shuttled into a lifestyle she doesn't want, away from what she really needs. I loved Ginny, and Marsha too - I felt a little bit of a Thelma and Louise vibe with their road trip. And baby Lucy stole my heart from the first scene at Willowridge. All in all, I thought this was a perfectly plotted, written, and executed novel.

T. Greenwood's Rust & Stardust was heartbreaking, and this novel will break your heart too, yet fill you with equal measures of hope. I think that Greenwood is easily becoming one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to what she writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel about Ginny and her husband Ab who are "forced" to give up their newborn, Lucy after she is born with Down Syndrome. Ab's controlling father convinces his son that she would be better off institutionalized as she may have heart problems and developmental difficulties. And while it was difficult to read as people are so callous and refer to her with derogatory language not acceptable anymore, I loved seeing Ginny and her friend, Marsha as they attempt to rescue Lucy after several newspaper articles expose the injustices and poor living conditions in the institute. It's a tribute to parenting and the lengths to which one will go to keep a family together!

Wow!!! This book is superbly written courtroom drama that examines Life's Big Questions with empathy and leaves you spinning. Trust me, this is one you don't want to miss—it's going to be huge!! Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy.

This book was sent to me to be read over Christmas break.
I have read all of T. Greenwood's books and bought several of them to read repeatedly
and pass through friends which created new fans of T. Greenwood. I enjoy her books!
Upon reading the description- I knew I had to read this one!

I had a short time to read before work one day, so I opened it to start reading to just get
started--- I could not stop reading- I was late to work and I kept trying to read it while I
was working. It was a terrific read, I could not stop reading!!

I have enjoyed T. Greenwood's other books, but, THIS one blew me away.
It is such an excellent book, everyone needs to be reading this book.

I want more of this story, these characters, and this author to bring it to me.

A well written,heart-wrenching story.
People did not know what to do with "not"perfect babies that were born in the 1960's. Families felt shame and blame as they placed these little ones into facilities to live out their days. They were called "residential schools" aka institutions.
Parents went on and tried to forget.
The children were better off, weren't they?
Lucy was born with Down's Syndrome. Her Dad gave up parental rights the day she was born and she was placed into an institution. It was the right decision.
This is a story of a mom who could not forget her little girl.
Ginny had always wondered about Lucy. Was she happy, healthy and receiving adequate care?
When she learns that there have been deficiencies in the "Home" Lucy lives in, Ginny sets out on a mission to right the wrongs. Ginny will not stop nor will she ever give up fighting for her child.
It is a novel of hope, love, courage, despair, tragedy and yet inspiration.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was so heartbreaking that even the obligatory happy ending didn’t put me to rights. It’s a well-written, enjoyable book, but it’s also a very important book, as it shows us who we have been as a society to the most vulnerable. Keep your hanky handy

Beautiful heart wrenching story.A book that stays with you long after you finish.Highly recommend for book clubs, #netgalley #Keeping Lucy #St.Martins

This book was emotional roller coaster of a read. The condition of Lucy's school made me angry, Ginny's fight for her daughter was both heartbreaking and uplifting and Lucy's father Ab's demeanor was disgusting.. At the core,
Keeping Lucy is about coping with child's diagnosis, making difficult decisions and overall a mother's unwavering love for her daughter.
Thank you to T. Greenwood, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book.

I couldn’t put this down! A fantastic book. Sad and happy at the same time and easy to follow. It made me want to know more about what happened to Lucy as well as the other children in the institution! A definite recommend.

Loved this story about a topic that I haven’t seen covered in books. Ginny is a housewife with two children. When her second child is born with Down Syndrome she is quickly taken away and put in an institution. Two years later, Ginny sees articles on the deplorable conditions of the institution and decides to meet her daughter.

This book was hard to put down and the story went fast. It illuminates a problem that I had never thought too much about even with my prior employment with adults with developmental disabilities. Great read!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins press for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Keeping Lucy was an easy, enjoyable read. The subject matter was tough in parts but the author kept me interested throughout and I was always eager to continue reading and learn what the next chapter would contain. I would recommend this book as a poolside read. It was not difficult to follow and the characters were highly credible and it was easy to pick up and continue where I left off. I enjoyed Greenwood’s writing and would be interested in reading more from this author.

Keeping Lucy is a must read! This story was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time. I couldn’t put this book down once I began reading it. I was completely captivated by Ginny and her longing to be reconnected with her daughter Lucy. Her feelings during the book for the decisions she had made were so real and you could feel her pain. I kept holding on to her connection with her daughter. This book is powerful and captivating. I can’t wait to read more by T. Greenwood!

A lovely, moving story about how one parent’s decision to give up their Down Syndrome baby affects the entire family. When Ginny finds out the special school her daughter, Lucy, is being kept is squalid, she decides to take Lucy and run. But her husband and his domineering father are after her, and willing to fight to keep Lucy locked away.

Beautifully written, this is an enjoyable, character-driven story about motherhood, families, and how far a mother will go for her child, even when she’s made a series of mistakes in the past. I think it would be perfect for fans of Diane Chamberlain.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking book! T. Greenwood captivated me with “Rust & Stardust” so I was excited to read and review her new novel, “Keeping Lucy”. She did it again. With the stroke of her pen, she breaks my heart then mends it.
This book hit close to home for me. My aunt had Down Syndrome and both my children work with mentally challenged adults.
I was heartbroken and shocked when, without her consent, Ginny’s husband takes her newborn daughter Lucy immediately after her birth, strips away Ginny’s parental rights and places Lucy in an institution. Even more heartbreaking is Ginny’s meek and mild acceptance of her husband Ab’s actions. For two long years, Ginny keeps waiting for the day they can visit her daughter.
The wait abruptly ends when Ginny learns that the institution Lucy is in is under investigation for the appalling, inhumane and illegal treatment of its patients. This is when Ginny’s “Mama Bear” instincts kick in high gear. With the help of her friend Marsha (who you’re just going to LOVE), they take matters into their own hands.
What follows is a test of wills that will run you through the emotions of anger, sympathy, and revulsion and of course, the undying and unbreakable love of a mother and her child.
This is a must-read for anyone with any compassion. I’m hooked now; I must go back and read all of T. Greenwood’s earlier books.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to Jordan at St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)

I've always loved books that are based off of true events and "Keeping Lucy" did not dissapoint. Ginny's daughter Lucy is ripped from her arms and taken to an institution just after being born because she has Down Syndrome. Two years later she discovers the institution is neglectful and sets out on a mission to save her daughter. This is sad and disturbing, but I'm glad this story was written. If you are a fan of historical fiction you will probably enjoy this.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

I loved KEEPING LUCY!

Many of you have read (2018) T. Greenwood's award-winning, Rust & Stardust, a fictional retelling of the kidnapping said to have inspired Nabokov's classic Lolita. My Top Books of 2018.

T. Greenwood returns with KEEPING LUCY, a story once again inspired by true devastating events.

"The Moon for all her light and grace
Has never learned to know her place."
—Robert Frost

In 1969, A mother heartbroken when Lucy, born with Down Syndrome is snatched from her and institutionalized. Two years later, she discovers the school, Willowridge has neglected the children and her worst nightmares become a reality.

With her six-year-old son Peyton in tow, Ginny and her best friend, Marsha takes Lucy. Racing from their home in Massachusetts, they travel through the beaches of Atlantic City, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, to a roadside mermaid show in Florida.

From social injustice to overcoming insurmountable obstacles, including her husband, legalities, authorities, and her high powered father-in-law attorney representing the school. In KEEPING LUCY, Greenwood presents a searing portrait of how far a mother's love can take her.

You are going to fall in love with little Lucy and admire the courage of Ginny and Marsha while following this entertaining and suspenseful road trip.

Based on actual events from a tragic time in history, a remarkable reimagining, and blending of fact and fiction. Told with compassion, lyrical prose, pitch-perfect pace, and memorable characters —only T. Greenwood can master.

These characters linger long after the book ends. I particularly loved Ginny's friend, Marsha. She and Ginny are opposites; however, they balanced one another. What a great friend to have especially when Ginny did not drive. They risked it all. And the memorable road trip and all the people (strong women) they met along the way. Reminds me of Catherine Ryan Hyde's Take Me with You and Sonja Yoerg's True Places.

KEEPING LUCY brilliantly showcases a woman who courageously stood up to fight for her rights and her daughter against all odds, in a time when their voices were seldom heard. T. Greenwood once again is at the top of her game! Highly Recommend! Top Books of 2019

An avid fan, having the pleasure of reading all her books—each year she continues to be on my Top Authors and Books of the Year. I hope you enjoy KEEPING LUCY as much as I did.

**Please join me August 6 for a special interview with T. Greenwood to learn more about the inspiration behind the book—sparked by the horrific conditions at Belchertown State School for the Feebleminded, a state-run institution in Belchertown, Massachusetts.

JDCMustReadBooks

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

Down Syndrome:
In the US, until the 1980s and in some cases as late as the 1990s, the way in which people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities were treated represents a shameful chapter of inhumanity and discrimination in our country. They were kept in inhumane institutions often as infants or young children where they were deprived of education, healthcare, and even plumbing. They suffered cruel and unusual punishment for innocents whose only crime is to have been born differently.

But society began to shift during the 1970s and 1980s – people with Down syndrome and other differently-abled populations were deemed “human” and institutions inhumane. The institutions were closed down, and it was now expected that people with Down syndrome would live at home, go to school and have fundamental human and civil rights. Today, the average lifespan of someone with Down syndrome is 60 years old.

These gains have been made because of the human and civil rights movement for the differently-abled that various individuals and organizations fearlessly led in the 1970s and the 1980s.

I was married and had my children during the 1970s and recall these events. During this time period when we built our first house, banks and mortgage companies did not accept a woman's salary during childbearing years. I cannot even imagine having your child ripped from you at birth.

For further reading: Down Syndrome Human and Civil Rights Timeline (blog)

This is the first book book i have read by this author and will not be the last. This book was wonderfully written. You see someone become a strong woman on her own and learn to fight back. you get this sort of Thelma and Louise style friendship. Anger, tears and laughter in all the right parts. This book is filled with fear, persistence, friendship, and shows what it means to rise above for the ones you truly love!

Ginny Richardson was devastated when her baby daughter, Lucy, was born with Down syndrome, and in 1969, many families sent their children to a care home or treatment facility, believing that was best for the child. Her father-in-law, the socially prominent Abbott Richardson, Senior, had a good friend on the board at Willowridge, and finally Ab signed the papers without consulting Ginny. An expose in the newspaper, detailing the abuse and neglect at Willowridge, galvanized Ginny into action, and without telling Ab, she and her best friend Marsha sign Lucy out of the facility and along with Ginny’s six-year-old son Peyton, the women take a road trip where Ginny discovers first-hand the extent of the damage done to Lucy.

I really appreciated the portrayal of women’s rights in 1971, or the lack of them. Ginny had no identification, she didn’t drive, her husband had given her a credit card that she had never used, and she had no legal right to either of the children she had given birth to. The story felt realistic, and I loved Ginny’s inner strength and her determination to protect both Lucy and Peyton. Marsha was a great sidekick, another strong woman who was also independent and smart. I wasn’t sure about Ab, being under his father’s thumb the way he was, but I was pleased at the finale.

Very well written and suspenseful story. What lengths does a mother go to to save her child? This book puts that question at it's center.

A beautiful and heartwarming story about the bonds between a mother and child. T. Greenwood has written a story that illustrates what lengths a mother will go to protect her child. A child whom she has had no relationship with other than carrying her for nine months.

Ginny gives birth to her second child, Lucy. Lucy is born with Down Syndrome and doctors insist that she will not live long. Ginny’s husband and father-in-law sign away parental rights and institutionalize Lucy without Ginny having any knowledge. Despite having no connection with a daughter who was taken from her two years prior; Ginny learns of the appalling and disturbing ways in which children, including her own daughter, Lucy, are being treated at the Willowridge School. Immediately, Ginny seeks to find out for herself and to her disbelief, finds that the allegations against the school are credible. She removes her daughter from the school and ventures on a journey with her son and her friend to try and work out a plan to keep Lucy and regain full parental custody.

Greenwood illustrates the bonds that form so naturally between mother and child despite being apart for so long. She also sheds light on the gruesome horrors of institutions many years ago. The neglect and abuse that many children endured in these institutions are unfathomable but a part of our history. Greenwood did a great job in depicting these circumstances while minimizing any sensationalism.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first 40 pages of this book absolutely wrecked me! The image of Lucy being taken away from her mother, Ginny, and then going inside Willowridge will stay with me for a long time. To think that a place (or places) like this ever existed chills me to the bone. From there we follow Ginny and Marsha's road trip to protecting Lucy at all costs. While I enjoyed the road trip, I wanted more of a fight against the school. I understood why she left. It was a different day and age than we are in today, but I wanted to see her stand up against them more than I wanted to read about her running away. However, it was very endearing to experience the relationship develop between Ginny and Lucy. The author writes in such a relatable way that it really stood out. The ending felt rushed and tied up a little too nicely in my opinion. Overall a very solid novel and I look forward to picking up more books by T. Greenwood in the future.

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. It made me happy yet sad at the same time. I recommend this book to everyone.

Keeping Lucy
by T. Greenwood
due 8-6-2019
St. Martins Press
5 / 5

In 1969, Ginny Richardson has just given birth to her second child, Lucy. Lucy was born with Downs Syndrome, taken from Ginny and placed in a special school for ¨mongoloids¨ and ¨feeble-minded¨, and was told it was the best thing for everyone. She should get over it and move on. Her in-laws, powerful in the community, assure her it is a reputable school. Ginny is a passive, complacent librarian, who has no real voice, much like most housewives at that time. She has no reason to question them.
When Ginnyś best friend, Marsha, shares with Ginny a newspaper article about the neglect and abuse happening at Willowridge, where Lucy was placed, Ginny can´t let it go, and decides to visit Willowridge to see if the stories are true.
When Ginny arrives, she is outraged and humbled by the living conditions and attitude of the staff. Her guilt for allowing Lucy, now 2 years old, to live there without knowing the truth consumes Ginny with guilt. She signs Ginny out for a weekend visit, and decides she will never allow Lucy to return to any home again. When Lucy does not return Lucy at the scheduled date and time, Ginny´s mother tells her that when she was in the hospital after giving birth, and was under sedation, and had signed a form that gave up all her legal rights to Lucy. She could be arrested for kidnapping and child endangerment(since she also had her young son, Peyton, with her.) if Lucy is not returned.
She also learns that her father-in-law, a powerful attorney who her husband works with, are the defense lawyers in pending cases against Willowridge for abuse and neglect, so Ginny knows she can not return home.
With Marsha, Peyton and Lucy, Ginny is on the run, trying to remain anonymous, and underground.

Such a beautiful and heart-warming, but difficult to read at times. This is a story of motherhood, love, hope and self-awareness. A very passive and complacent Ginny is a typical housewife in 1969. She does not drive, is given an allowance and never questions, willing to toe the line. Part of the beauty of this novel is watching Ginny grow into herself, become more aware and able to be her own person.
It was also nice to see how, in comparison to the past, much more health conscious we have become. Ginny drank, smoked and kept an active lifestyle throughout her pregnancies. However in the 60ś and 70ś these behaviors were not considered to as unhealthy/irresponsible as they are today.
It was most beautiful to see the change in attitude and acceptance of the disabled, and those born with birth defects or other health challenges. We no longer refer to them in derogatory terms like feeble-minded or mongoloid.
The difficult parts was how the newborns, infants, and children were treated at this facility. The dirty little secrets are now being talked about and confronted, in hopes the neglect and abuses that have been ignored in the past, never will be again. I hope more schools and facilities are diligently monitored, as well as the employees, by people not afraid to care and we one day have a government that is not afraid to feel.
I found myself immersed in the life of these characters, they felt very accessible and real. It made the story compelling and addicting and I wonder what Lucy, Ginny and Peyton are doing today. The way she brought them to live was amazing, esp. Lucy.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and T. Greenwood for sending this e-book ARC for a fair and honest review.
#netgalley #KeepingLucy

This wonderful story, Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood, tells of a mother who will go any length to protect her child. She has dealt with the sheer agony of loss and is determined to take control of herself to and her children and to break boundaries and if needed, the law. It’s a story of absolute desperation and the unbreakable bond of a mother and child. Read in one because I could not put it down. Lots of tugging at your heartstrings while it also shares the blessing of a best friend who will do anything for you. Thank you! #NetGalley #StMartinPress #KeepingLucy

Keeping Lucy is the first T Greenwood novel that I have read and it is one that grabbed me, pulled me in and still will not let me go. It is heart breaking and heartwarming, historical and timely all at once. It's a book that I highly recommend.

Keeping Lucy begins with Ginny Richardson giving birth to her daughter, Lucy, who is born with Down Syndrome, known as " a mongoloid" at that time. Ginny's husband and father in law make the decision to put Lucy in a state-run facility called Willowridge where she will be cared for until she dies. Those are their words. For several days, Ginny is given "twilight," the drug most women were given during that time to forget the pains of childbirth and her loss. Remember, natural childbirth was not in vogue at this time. When my own daughter died in-vitro, I was given "twilight" so that I would "forget" everything. Trust me, you don't forget. Your body remembers everything and your mind desperately tries to fill in the pieces that it was forced to black out. This drug is horrific. I cannot believe and entire generation of women were routinely given this drug. For two years Ginny is forced by her husband and her father in law to pretend her daughter did not exist until her best friend brings her news articles about the horrors that have been uncovered at Willowridge: children lying in their own feces, roaches in the food, children malnourished and far worse. Ginny and her friend, Marsha, decide - finally - to go to Willowridge only to discover that, while she can visit Lucy, her parental rights have been terminated by her husband. Ginny takes matters into her own hands at this point and a battle for Lucy's survival ensues.

I actually loved Keeping Lucy for multiple reasons and many of those reasons are the very ones for which other readers are disparaging the book. First, Keeping Lucy is based on an actual place called Willowbrook. You can read more about it HERE. It was so horrific that legislation was passed in the late 70s that allegedly altered the way that we in the US care for the "disabled." I use the word allegedly because I grew up in the south near a facility aptly called the Conway Human Development Center. It was a place of filth and horror where people with mental and physical disabilities were sent just like Lucy was sent in this story. It still exists in one of the poorest states in the US and the residents are not developing anything other than bedsores and diseases. It's a disgrace. If you doubt that, then you can read this article from today's news. Nothing has changed. Nothing. Books like Keeping Lucy are necessary to educate readers about these horrors then as well as now.

Furthermore, every time I read a book set in the late 60s and early 70s and that book is historically accurate regarding the plight of women, I am utterly amazed at the number of female reviewers who write scathing reviews about the passivity of the female protagonist. Here's a reminder for you strong women of today. My daughter and I purchased a home two years ago, We literally had to jump through hoops in the state of Indiana to get a bank to approve a home loan to two women without a male co-signer! This is the 21st century. Until 1978, it was legal to fire a woman from her job if she got pregnant. An abortion was not legal until 1973 - and in some states in the southern US it still is not regardless of what you might think otherwise. Until 1977, you could be fired for reporting sexual harassment in the work place, a woman could not apply for a credit card on her own without a male co-signer until 1974, and could not refuse to have sex with her husband under any circumstances until the mid 1970s. Are you beginning to get a picture here ladies!? Ginny was not passive. She was living her life according the law of the land. While most others were guaranteed rights in 1965 and 1966, women were not granted any rights, other than the right to vote, until the mid to late 70s and we still obviously are fighting for the right to decide what is best for our own bodies! In Keeping Lucy, Ginny literally had no rights. Furthermore, everyone smoked!! They smoked in restaurants, they smoked in their cars, they smoked in stores, they smoked when pregnant and they smoked around kids! My doctor, whom I adored, smoked every time I visited - in his doctor's office! I don't know where you were in the 50s, 60s and 70s but there were advertisements for cigarettes extolling the benefits of nicotine! You are looking at the behavior of these women through your 21st century glasses and missing some very valuable lessons that we all need see and learn. Primarily this - nothing has changed!! We have politicians and religious leaders who want babies born at all cost. These children are then put in institutions like the Human Development Center and no one ever considers the toll that it places on the women who have given birth. No one EVER thinks about the women - period - much less these poor children!

So, with all of that said, please read Keeping Lucy without blinders, with an open mind and with the idea that there is more here than two women on a joy ride across the south. This book is available for pre-order now.

Thank you very much #Netgalley, @tgwood505 and #StMartinsPress for my advanced copy of #KeepingLucy.

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood is such a bittersweet story. The book is set in the late 1960's and is a retelling a true events. Lucy is born with down syndrome and her mother Ginny has been pressured into giving Lucy away to a school that can take better care of her. Ginny struggles with this decision for two years and finally decides after hearing about unsafe living conditions to go visit her daughter, against her husband's wishes. What she finds there is heartbreaking. So off sets Ginny on a journey to save Lucy and finally keep her as her own.

This is the second book I have read by T. Greenwood, and she has an art for telling a heartbreaking story in a powerful way. I love the way she was able to bring closure to the end of the book is such a beautiful way. Make sure to pick this one up in August 2019!

I received Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood as an ARC from NetGalley. This is an interesting historical novel about what happened in the 60's with special needs children. Ginny's daughter, Lucy, is born with Down's Syndrome and her husband and his powerful family convince her to put the baby in a home, Two years later, Ginny's friend Marsha shows her a newspaper article about the horrible conditions at the home. This story follows Ginny as she tries to bring her daughter home, The story was well written and I enjoyed the characters.

Keeping Lucy was my first T Greenwood novel, but it will not be my last. This book had me hooked from the minute I picked it up!

Ginny Richardson knows the true meaning of heartbreak. It’s 1969 and after giving birth to a baby girl (Lucy) who was born with Down syndrome, doctors warn “This condition comes with many, many challenges. Heart defects, hearing and vision problems. Thyroid malfunctions. She may never talk. She will never, ever live on her own. She will never be a normal girl.” Ginny’s husband, Ab, takes the advice of doctors and his affluent family, signs over their parental rights, and sends Lucy to Willowridge School for the Feebleminded, convinced it was in the best interest of everyone involved.

Two years later, Ginny’s best friend shows her several articles written by a reporter who investigated Willowridge and came away with some disturbing findings— neglect, abuse, and horrid living conditions for the children confined to the “school”. Ginny knows she can not leave her daughter there, and will do whatever she can to take back her parental rights and keep Lucy safe.

This story is about a mother’s love for her child and the lengths she will go to to protect her. As a mother myself, my heart was breaking for the unthinkable situation that Ginny found herself in. It is hard to imagine that a place like Willowridge ever existed and how uneducated the public was when it came to people with handicaps. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride and I enjoyed every minute. It was beautifully written. Ginny was well-developed, relatable, and I loved how much her character grew from the beginning to the end.

I will definitely be picking up another T Greenwood book in the near future!

I loved this book! I was hooked right from the start and was able to totally immerse myself in Ginny’s world!
Her story is heartbreaking and heroic all at the same time and I was cheering her on in every chapter! What a fantastic read!!!

Oh my goodness! This book was absolutely fabulous and so beautifully written. T. Greenwood is one of my absolute favourite authors and I never hesitate in picking up one of her novels. A totally absorbing and captivating read from start to finish.

A thoroughly enjoyable, unputdownable and fascinating read! Would recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & T. Greenwood for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.