Empty Arms

by Erika Liodice

Catharine Chase's entire life is built on a secret. In 1972, at the tender age of sixteen, she got pregnant. An embarrassment to her parents, Catharine was exiled to a maternity home to carry out her pregnancy far away from the watchful eyes of their tight-knit community. What they didn't tell her is that she wouldn't be allowed to keep her baby. With her daughter's screams still echoing in her ears, the medical staff told Catharine she'd move on with her life and have more children, they promised she'd forget. But they were wrong. Catharine never forgot Emily. And when she and her husband, Paul, learn that they can't have children, she risks her job, her marriage, and her family's reputation in a desperate attempt to find the daughter she never wanted to give away and reclaim her only chance to be a mother.

**Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook**

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Family, Realistic Fiction, Womens Fiction, Relationships, Drama

326 pages, Paperback

First published November 12, 2011

About the author

Erika Liodice is an indie author and founder of Dreamspire Press, where she is dedicated to following her writing dream and inspiring other writers to follow theirs. She is the author of the new children’s chapter book High Flyers: Rookie of the Year and Empty Arms: A Novel for adult readers. She is also a contributor to Author In Progress, the Writer Unboxed team’s first anthology. To learn more about Erika and her books, visit erikaliodice.com.

ErikaLiodice.com
TeamHighFlyers.com

Reviews

[Rossy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart-wrenching book, I ended crying!
I figured out the ending, it was a little predictable, but nonetheless, a great book you won't be able to put down!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was glued to this book all day. I started reading it as soon as i could after getting it in the mail and just finished. I had mixed feelings entering to win this because this IS VERY close to home. You picked a good one to let me read this book and it helped me a lot. I was forced to give up 2 babies over a decade ago when I was 19-20. This book gave me hope for the future. I cried at parts and admit sneaking to the end to read a page or two because SINCE its so close to my past, I badly had to find out the end. Anyway, Thank you for giving me a chance to hope for the future and win this book. You didnt know it, but it went to someone who it could have, and did, help a lot. Thank you. 5 stars easily!!!!!!! Seriously Erika THANK YOU :)
ps this is a MUST READ for anyone like myself and Catharine Chase

[Stacey Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine giving birth as a teen, to a baby you already loved, only to have it taken away from you. That was Catharine Chase's story, a story that she hid from her husband. She is haunted by the sound of her daughter's cry and her arms forever ache for a chance to hold her child again.

Empty Arms takes a hard look at the pain that many women suffered during a time when birthing homes were all too common. From the very first word, I was hooked! I couldn't stop reading and my heart bled for Catherine and I held my breath with every page.

Erika Liodice has written a heart wrenching story, that will fill your eyes with tears and open your heart to the possibility that happy endings are still possible!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I won this book from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
This book was amazing! I absolutely loved Empty Arms! The characters are believable, and the situation is all too real. The ending pulled the story together neatly.
I rooted for Baby Glass to fight, I cried with Cate as she encountered dead-ends and heartbreak, and I rejoiced as Emily finally found her way home.

5/5 stars for a powerfully moving novel.

[Aliesha Fullerman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was TERRIBLE. I cannot for the life of me understand how it got such great reviews. Badly written, juvenile, simplistic plot. Maybe if it had been about twice as long and had spent any time developing characters or plot points it would have been believable and a decent story. In its current form though - do not waste your time!

[Ena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow!This is a story that happened many times over years and years ago. Today there isn't so much of a stigma about being a single unmarried mother.
I loved this book. Shed a tear or two and smiled at some parts too. Definitely well worth reading.

[Susan Haught · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming

As an infertile woman, I was blown away at the spot-on emotions Ms Liodice writes of. Not many who haven't experienced infertility know what it's like, let alone are they able to write about it. Well done.

I loved the ending. Not as most would have predicted, but the author pulls off a satisfying ending that isn't sugary sweet. It fits.
It tugs at the heartstrings. It's just right.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who wants a heartfelt, well-written story of the magnetic love between mother and child. It's a story of persistence and the lengths a mother will go to, to keep their child from the pain of their mistakes. It's the story of love lost, love found, and of love's healing power.

Kudos, Ms. Liodice. Kudos.

[Ayesha Mashiat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very different from the books I usually read so I went in with no expectations. I can say I quite liked it.

There's a rawness to Cate. The mistakes, the desperation, the willingness to go through everything for her daughter - all these emotions have been captured beautifully. What I loved about her was the willingness to correct her wrongs, that makes her character more humane.

Though I admit that the story was a little predictable at times but I didn't exactly predict the big reveal which is good.

All in all, a very good read. But please people, just because the guy is leading on, shouldn't mean that you should give in your 100% as well. Give it up only after he takes responsibility.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Great first book for this author. The ending seemed rushed and wish there would have been more. I also felt like some parts just nicely wrapped up without much explanation. Overall, I enjoyed it and would read another book by this author.

[Mary Shafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's difficult for me to believe that this is a first effort from a new author. The characters are so well drawn, the plot so subtly complex that you don't realize it till the end, and the writing so vivid and satisfying. Erika Liodice manages in her debut what many authors never achieve: the ability to place you almost bodily into a setting you can feel, hear, taste, smell and see, with characters so real you'll swear you've actually met them. Better yet, her protagonist is a real human being, with character flaws large enough to make you not exactly love her all the time, but with whom you can't help identifying because she's...like you.

I had some foreshadowing of the twist at the end, but not enough to have it really figured out in a way that made it less enjoyable. In fact, just the opposite: I had figured out enough to know there was going to be a real eye-opener, and savored the slow build to that final climax. Wow. That kind of pacing, with just the right amount of revelation to keep you turning the page, is another skill that many writers pray for and never achieve.

This is just really good writing. I have to admit that it's not a story I'd originally have picked up on my own, but it was recommended to me by someone I trust, so I gave it a shot. I'm so glad I did. I'd really have missed something if I didn't read this book. The characters stayed with me long after I'd finished that last page.

[Donna McBroom-Theriot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empty Arms is a powerful story with a well-developed plot and characters. The story captures you and makes it impossible to put the book down. Empty Arms is full of surprises that catch you off guard. The author has the extraordinary ability to bring you to tears and then mend your broken heart. It is impossible to give you more information about the story without spoiling the book. Empty Arms deals with adoption, post traumatic syndrome, infertility, and complex relationships. Re-read the book blurb and I guarantee you will be clamoring to read Empty Arms. It will touch your heart as no other book has. The book is well-written and it is obvious that the author took the time to research the subject. Empty Arms has a beginning, a middle, and a definite end. I enjoy reading this book. I am a constant learner (my own term) and I like when an author teaches me something. In my opinion, this book is a well-rounded book and well worth the read.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Chase struggles with a secret and suffers from nightmares and emotional scars. In the innocence of young love, catherine finds herself pregnant at 16. At the insistence of her parents, she is shipped off to a maternity home. The girls console and support one another, but the staff is harsh and unsmypathetic. What the girls don't know is that they will not be allowed to keep their babies. When Cate and her husband Paul find themselves unable to have a baby, Paul pushes for adoption. Cate cannot accept adopting a child in the wake of memories of her daughter being ripped from her arms. The fallout results in her and Paul separating. Finding no support from her mother, Cate is lost and vows to search for her daughter. With revalations that occur after the death of her mother, Cate has enough information to find her daughter. It left me considering how our lives can be shaped by a moment, a choice, a secret kept, and perceptions of others.

[The Babbling Book Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads First Reads Giveaway
A very snowy Minnesota day allowed me the greatest pleasure. To curl up by the fire, drink hot chocolate and pass the day away reading Empty Arms by Erika Liodice.
A haunting yet beautiful tale of Catharine Chase who is struggling to connect with a shattered past of a child that she lost at sixteen when she was forced to give her up for adoption. Now married, and struggling to conceive, Catharine finds herself and her marriage hanging by a thread of secrets that she is desperately trying to conceal. The anguish and longing projects from the pages and envelopes you in the unimaginable heartache that this woman feel. As Catharine's world spins further into despair, she finds herself searching for the one thing that will make her whole again. A page turner in the finest sense by an author who is a force to be reckoned with. Empty Arms is a beautiful and noteworthy novel that I will wholeheartedly recommend.

[Phoenix Carvelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book won on Goodread.com on 5-13-12.

Empty Arms is an emotionally moving read. Ms. Liodice beautifully describes the raw emotion felt by Catharine throughout the book, especially when baby Emily is pulled from Catharine's arms at the hospital. For twenty three years, Catharine lives with the nightmares and grieves for the child she was forced to give up.

Empty Arms is a reflection of the terrible and shameful treatment of unwed mothers in years past and the continuing pain that it caused these women. Through different characters in the book, readers are also given insight into the viewpoints of adoptees and others involved in the adoption process. The emotions described are very real and leave a lasting impression long after the book ends. Very well done - very real and very emotional!

[PRINCESS · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kind of true stories which we see or read: a new born infant taken away forma teenage mother not to embrace her parents, family and society but no one care in this middle about the mother and child’s feelings!
When she was 16, Catharine gets pregnant and her parents decides on behalf of her to give away her child but they do not tell her that. She was sent away to another place during her pregnancy period and when she gives birth to her baby they take away her crying baby and she will realize that she is not allowed to keep her child with her.
She grows older and marries and finally she finds out that she cannot be a mother any longer therefore she decides to search for her baby girl. While fighting to find her baby girl she jeopardize her marriage, new life and of course –again- family’s reputation.

[Allyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely engrossed in this book from the very start and finished it within a few days. It was a story you don't read about often (a woman is forced to give up her baby for adoption as a teenager and battles with that decision and finding her long-lost daughter into her adulthood) but is one that should be read by people, especially women. It's an empowering, heartbreaking and super emotional journey, but it's well worth the experience. The novel doesn't only deal with the main characters personal discovery, but also the effect one (not so small) decision had on her past and future relationships—and in a very relatable way deals with lifelong relationship and their dramas (between a mom and daughter, husband and wife, and more).

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time putting this book down. Cate gives birth to a girl when she is sixteen. this is back in 1973 and her strict mother and dad send her away to a maternity home until she gives birth. she is forced to give the baby up for adoption. she NEVER gets over giving up her little baby she named Emily. fast forward to 1996 Cate is married and a nurse.and married. her spouse Paul and Cate find out she cannot have a baby. now it is more important than ever she find a way to find Emily who is now about 23. won't give away anymore details but this kept me turning the pages until I found the answers. A GOOD READ!

[Catherine Symchych · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate when authors add details to their story, going for more authenticity, and end up with less. There’s a whole scene in this book where a guy rents a stallion and then they ride together. She gets on first than scoots to the back of the saddle and then he gets on. I’ve been on a lot of horses and have never seen anyone other than a trick rider get on without swinging a leg over the butt of the horse. And they don’t rent stallions! Most of the book was good, however. Not fine literature, but absorbing and tugs at the heart strings. I can’t quite figure out the mother, and am not sure if her contradictions are intentional or if the character wasn’t fully thought out.

[Linda Visman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book by a wonderful writer. This is a story for all those who wonder about adoption; the process, the adoptee and the adoptive parents, but mostly about the natural mother.
Liodice really captures the anguish of the mother forced to give up her baby in the 1970s. The story is also about her search for that child, and there are several twists and turns along the way.
The story, the anguish, the search are not over-written, and we live the whole story with the protagonist Kate, hoping she will be successful in her quest.
Well recommended.

[Michelle Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. For a debut novel, I found the sentences surprisingly poetic and the plot suspenseful. Not to mention, it's an interesting topic that needs more attention. My mother was born in a very similar situation. Liodice touched my heart to the core in her scenes with this young new mom and her baby girl. It took me back to that first love I ever felt for my own little one. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has felt this love. Not just mothers and daughters.

[Lynn H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although at times heart-wrenching, this was a really enjoyable story. There were a couple coincidences that seemed a little farfetched and it was pretty easy to guess how the story was going to end, but overall a good book. The book kept a good pace so there weren’t any “slow parts” and I enjoyed almost all the characters, even the ones who weren’t very likable. I definitely recommend this book.

[Nancy Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I received the review request from the author, I had a good feeling that I was gonna love this book. When I finally started reading it, I was hooked to it. It's one of those kind of books which you just can't put down. I loved the author's writing. She has written it beautifully.
Through the protagonist, Empty Arms tells the story of every women who was forced to give up her baby as teen pregnancy was a taboo back in seventies in America.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book interested me from the first sentence on the back cover to the very last sentence of the epilogue. I loved the raw emotion the reader felt for Catharine, the main character, as she struggled in her search to find her biological daughter, Emily. I was surprised so many times by the twists and turns Liodice decided to take that I never saw coming! I can't wait for more by this author!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, by a former colleague and friend of mine, Erika Liodice. It's her first novel, and for a 1st novel.. it's really a good book. I thought the ending could have been stronger... it sort of dropped off and didn't give me the detail I was looking for... but overall .. I enjoyed it!

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this for a book group. Otherwise, I wouldn't have picked this one. The story was ok, a birth mother looking for the child she had given up years ago. The characters are rather one dimensional and the plot formulaic. The twist was easy to figure long before the book ended. It was a quick, somewhat entertaining read.

[Laura Keels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book as it had a few twists and turns that I did not expect. The character development was very in depth and I could really empathize with the main character. I appreciated the emotions of Catherine and the tensions that were in her marriage and relationships with her family, especially her mother. I would definitely read another book by this author.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very easy to read and enjoyed it. I liked the theme of relationships, family, and life. I thought it ended a little too abruptly and would have liked another chapter or two after the last chapter and before the epilogue. The book had me guessing a few times, so I was definitely intrigued. I didn't like the stuf about scabs! Overall it was a good and well written book.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read although I had my suspicions toward the middle of the book and they were proven in the end. In all it made for an enjoyable read and once again Good Reads got it right with their recommendation!

[Judy Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could, I would give this 4 1/2 stars--very good story about a mom who was forced to give her child up for adoption. My only gripe was that I thought the ending was a bit abrupt, but other than that, great book! Very quick and easy read.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a GoodReads free book. I liked the story very much and I found it a heart-breaking tale. The story illustrates how the maternity homes for unwed mothers were very misleading to these young girls and how a mother's experience can affect that of her daughter.