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Child of Mine
Bestselling Author Duo Delivers Heart-Stirring Drama
Jack Livingston has been raising his nine-year-old adopted niece, Natalie, since the accident that took her parents' lives. While he travels for work, Natalie is lovingly cared for by Laura, an Amish nanny who loves her as her own.
Kelly Maines is nearing the end of her rope. Her baby was kidnapped, the apparent victim of a black market adoption ring, and for eight years, Kelly has tirelessly pursued every lead to its bitter end. Now, there's one last lead from a private investigator: Just a few miles away lives a girl who matches the profile. Could this, at long last, be her beloved child?
Desperately, Kelly initiates a "chance" meeting with Jack Livingston. It goes really well. So well, in fact, that Jack asks her out. One date leads to another, and before she can come clean with her original motives, Kelly realizes Jack is falling for her--and she for him.
Now how can she tell Jack why she's really here? And having gotten to know Natalie, what if she isn't her long-lost daughter, after all? This was all supposed to be so simple.
But nothing in Natalie's world is simple...
Jack Livingston has been raising his nine-year-old adopted niece, Natalie, since the accident that took her parents' lives. While he travels for work, Natalie is lovingly cared for by Laura, an Amish nanny who loves her as her own.
Kelly Maines is nearing the end of her rope. Her baby was kidnapped, the apparent victim of a black market adoption ring, and for eight years, Kelly has tirelessly pursued every lead to its bitter end. Now, there's one last lead from a private investigator: Just a few miles away lives a girl who matches the profile. Could this, at long last, be her beloved child?
Desperately, Kelly initiates a "chance" meeting with Jack Livingston. It goes really well. So well, in fact, that Jack asks her out. One date leads to another, and before she can come clean with her original motives, Kelly realizes Jack is falling for her--and she for him.
Now how can she tell Jack why she's really here? And having gotten to know Natalie, what if she isn't her long-lost daughter, after all? This was all supposed to be so simple.
But nothing in Natalie's world is simple...
Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
487 people are currently reading
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About the author
Beverly Lewis
259 books3,013 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
February 18, 2020
My copy had 612 pages.
This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I had so many emotions while reading this story. Sadness. Happiness. Hopefulness. Shock. Joy. Heartache. This is definitely one that I would love to own and reread.
This is definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I had so many emotions while reading this story. Sadness. Happiness. Hopefulness. Shock. Joy. Heartache. This is definitely one that I would love to own and reread.
November 25, 2015
Going back and forth with how to rate this! I hate when I can't decide between half and whole stars! Overall I loved the story and the end was a surprise. For some reason I never grew to like Kelly, but others might very well like her. Jack and Nattie's relationship was sweet and I smiled at nearly all their conversation. I'm so glad to finally read a book where the hero has the name Jack. That and him being a fight instructor won me over :) Laura, Nattie's nanny, is probably my favorite character.
Other then not turning out exactly as I hoped and not a Kelly fan (which I blame myself...and doesn't mean the story was not good!), I wasn't really impressed with Jack dating several girls he hardly knew to find a wife. It was like, "Really?"
This book is not your usual Beverly Lewis book. Has just a hint of Amish culture. David and Beverly Lewis should definitely write more together. They come up with great stories!
Other then not turning out exactly as I hoped and not a Kelly fan (which I blame myself...and doesn't mean the story was not good!), I wasn't really impressed with Jack dating several girls he hardly knew to find a wife. It was like, "Really?"
This book is not your usual Beverly Lewis book. Has just a hint of Amish culture. David and Beverly Lewis should definitely write more together. They come up with great stories!
August 13, 2014
It's not very often that I tell other readers that a book is awesome, because when I do, I don't take the term lightly. For me to rank a book this way, I need to have my interest held all throughout the story; there needs to be several subplots expertly woven together with a few surprise twists that I don't anticipate. The characters need to be portrayed in such a way that I'm invested in their lives, while I come to care for them. When the book is finished, I still feel their presence and circumstances linger, so that I continue to think about them. Their lives and thoughts should influence my own. They should have something to say or experience that touches me right down to my soul. For me,
Child of Mine
delivers all the above criteria. I even went through a hefty pile of tissues in testimony of how stirred I was.
When I begin reading a story, there is usually a predominant question in my mind regarding the theme of the story. The cover of this book and its title suggested a few questions for me to ponder: Whose child? Which child? Who was claiming the child? When I opened the pages of the opening chapter, I was introduced to Kelly Maines. By the end of the chapter, I learned that Kelly has been seeking a specific child for the past eight years, but she was using methods that were not completely ethical. In the next chapter, the readers are introduced to Jack Livingston and his niece Natalie who likes to be called Nattie. Nattie was a precocious eight-year-old, lovingly cared for by her uncle and an Amish nanny, Laura Mast. At this point, I felt I knew where this story was heading.
In the final quarter of the book, circumstances take an abrupt turn, and for me instituted a series of new questions after the initial shock. Several times the expected became the unexpected, and I'm sure I said to myself, "Say...what?!" more than twice. The pace picked up dramatically, with frequent re-assessments of my original question of who's claiming whose child. The authors, after lulling readers into expecting one thing to happen and one history to have occurred, turn our expectations on their ears and switch directions entirely. I even flipped back pages a few times to see where I might have missed a clue or to verify what a person said. I love when an author does that, especially when it is written as smoothly as it was in this book.
Rest assured that while this book is not primarily a romance, there are portions of the story where romance is an important element. It just isn't the main feature. There is also some mystery that contributes to the twists and turns that reveal facts and change the flow of the story line. Happily, most loose ends are satisfactorily resolved. In addition, unlike many of Beverly Lewis's other books, having an Amish woman play one of the main characters does not mean this is a book about the Amish. It is just an incidental factor among many that makes this book so interesting to read.
Finally, the spiritual aspect of a book's plot is important to me. I look to see if life's tough situations are realistically portrayed, the reactions to them true to life, and the lessons learned over time contribute to a character's development. This can happen with or without a person acknowledging God's role in their lives. I admire when an author doesn't make transitions sound too trivial or too easy. I also realize how realistic it is that some people will not heed God's nudges toward a closer relationship with Him. I feel the authors in this story hit upon a balance between the many types of responses possible to God's prompts without sounding overly preachy, idealistic or syrupy. I loved their ability to write soul-stirring fiction that challenges their readers to be introspective. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves complex Christian fiction.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from The Book Club Network on behalf of Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.””
When I begin reading a story, there is usually a predominant question in my mind regarding the theme of the story. The cover of this book and its title suggested a few questions for me to ponder: Whose child? Which child? Who was claiming the child? When I opened the pages of the opening chapter, I was introduced to Kelly Maines. By the end of the chapter, I learned that Kelly has been seeking a specific child for the past eight years, but she was using methods that were not completely ethical. In the next chapter, the readers are introduced to Jack Livingston and his niece Natalie who likes to be called Nattie. Nattie was a precocious eight-year-old, lovingly cared for by her uncle and an Amish nanny, Laura Mast. At this point, I felt I knew where this story was heading.
In the final quarter of the book, circumstances take an abrupt turn, and for me instituted a series of new questions after the initial shock. Several times the expected became the unexpected, and I'm sure I said to myself, "Say...what?!" more than twice. The pace picked up dramatically, with frequent re-assessments of my original question of who's claiming whose child. The authors, after lulling readers into expecting one thing to happen and one history to have occurred, turn our expectations on their ears and switch directions entirely. I even flipped back pages a few times to see where I might have missed a clue or to verify what a person said. I love when an author does that, especially when it is written as smoothly as it was in this book.
Rest assured that while this book is not primarily a romance, there are portions of the story where romance is an important element. It just isn't the main feature. There is also some mystery that contributes to the twists and turns that reveal facts and change the flow of the story line. Happily, most loose ends are satisfactorily resolved. In addition, unlike many of Beverly Lewis's other books, having an Amish woman play one of the main characters does not mean this is a book about the Amish. It is just an incidental factor among many that makes this book so interesting to read.
Finally, the spiritual aspect of a book's plot is important to me. I look to see if life's tough situations are realistically portrayed, the reactions to them true to life, and the lessons learned over time contribute to a character's development. This can happen with or without a person acknowledging God's role in their lives. I admire when an author doesn't make transitions sound too trivial or too easy. I also realize how realistic it is that some people will not heed God's nudges toward a closer relationship with Him. I feel the authors in this story hit upon a balance between the many types of responses possible to God's prompts without sounding overly preachy, idealistic or syrupy. I loved their ability to write soul-stirring fiction that challenges their readers to be introspective. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves complex Christian fiction.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from The Book Club Network on behalf of Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.””
May 15, 2018
I rated the book Child of Mine 3 out of 5 stars because it seemed to interest me, but there were some parts that didn’t catch my eye as much. However, I also feel as if this book could be a bit of a teacher to some people. The main purpose of this book is to simulate how two parents attempt to give only the best to their children. This book could advise adults about noticing their children’s feelings about things. Although the main demographic of this book is adults, teenagers may also enjoy this book as well. They can be put into the perspective of a parent, and they can also learn from the main characters, Jack and Kelly, about how to take care of children of their own.
The genre of this book is realistic fiction and a bit of religious fiction. One of the characters, Laura, is Amish. However, she drives a car. She would also wear modern clothing at times. Laura may not follow the exact rules of being Amish, but Jack, a father, sees that she is kind to his daughter, Nattie. Jack starts to realize that Laura won’t be living with them forever, and Nattie yearns for a mother day after day. She would sometimes ask questions about her birth mother. So, Jack tries to date girls from church and Nattie’s school. Jack loves Nattie so much because she “was an intuitive child. She had a talented way of perceiving situations, sensing emotions, putting two and two together.” Jack appreciated how she had many, many gifts. Nattie seemed to be an extraordinary child in Jack’s eyes. This portion of the book can really demonstrate the struggles of a single parent, praying for another person to support his or her child with them.
The other main character, Kelly, wants to find her child that was taken away from her by her ex. The introduction of the book involves Kelly at the park, acting as if she is watching a child of her own. She then meets a child at the park and starts to entertain her with magic tricks. She has put so much time and effort into finding her child, Emily. Kelly would ask around the city and church. She even had some friends help her find her child. This is a representation of how a parent would try to find their children and have hope in their safety. A parent could have many thoughts when concerned about missing children. They would think about if their child was happy, safe, and healthy.
I would recommend this book to many different types of people, such as those who need to find their children, single parents, parents with depressed children, or even teenagers. The thought of taking care of a child in a teenager’s mind can be troubling. They would worry about the common thoughts of any parent at any age. This book may give some tips about how they can take good care of their children.
The genre of this book is realistic fiction and a bit of religious fiction. One of the characters, Laura, is Amish. However, she drives a car. She would also wear modern clothing at times. Laura may not follow the exact rules of being Amish, but Jack, a father, sees that she is kind to his daughter, Nattie. Jack starts to realize that Laura won’t be living with them forever, and Nattie yearns for a mother day after day. She would sometimes ask questions about her birth mother. So, Jack tries to date girls from church and Nattie’s school. Jack loves Nattie so much because she “was an intuitive child. She had a talented way of perceiving situations, sensing emotions, putting two and two together.” Jack appreciated how she had many, many gifts. Nattie seemed to be an extraordinary child in Jack’s eyes. This portion of the book can really demonstrate the struggles of a single parent, praying for another person to support his or her child with them.
The other main character, Kelly, wants to find her child that was taken away from her by her ex. The introduction of the book involves Kelly at the park, acting as if she is watching a child of her own. She then meets a child at the park and starts to entertain her with magic tricks. She has put so much time and effort into finding her child, Emily. Kelly would ask around the city and church. She even had some friends help her find her child. This is a representation of how a parent would try to find their children and have hope in their safety. A parent could have many thoughts when concerned about missing children. They would think about if their child was happy, safe, and healthy.
I would recommend this book to many different types of people, such as those who need to find their children, single parents, parents with depressed children, or even teenagers. The thought of taking care of a child in a teenager’s mind can be troubling. They would worry about the common thoughts of any parent at any age. This book may give some tips about how they can take good care of their children.
May 25, 2014
Child of Mine by David and Beverly Lewis is the story of a woman who is looking for her daughter who was kidnapped as a baby. Jack is the uncle of Nattie who he is raising after the death of her parents. Laura is the Amish nanny who has been with Nattie four years and is more like family to her than a babysitter. San is Jack’s sister who sometimes stickers her nose in where she shouldn’t but seems to have good intentions. Their lives all intertwine when Kelly pursues a lead from her private investigator that Nattie may be her daughter.
I hate to say it but I just didn’t enjoy this book. I found it way too long and drawn out. With a good bit of editing this book could have been shorter and perhaps more interesting. There was just too much detail at times that wasn’t needed. They added nothing to the story.
I couldn’t connect with the characters and found Nattie bordering on being a spoiled brat. I have read many Beverly Lewis books before and have enjoyed them immensely. This one though was different. I feel the Amish nanny was just an afterthought to keep her fans of the Amish fiction genre she is known for. She didn’t even seem all that Amish at times.
I do not think I will be recommending this book to family or friends.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review which I have given.
I hate to say it but I just didn’t enjoy this book. I found it way too long and drawn out. With a good bit of editing this book could have been shorter and perhaps more interesting. There was just too much detail at times that wasn’t needed. They added nothing to the story.
I couldn’t connect with the characters and found Nattie bordering on being a spoiled brat. I have read many Beverly Lewis books before and have enjoyed them immensely. This one though was different. I feel the Amish nanny was just an afterthought to keep her fans of the Amish fiction genre she is known for. She didn’t even seem all that Amish at times.
I do not think I will be recommending this book to family or friends.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review which I have given.
February 3, 2016
This was my first book I've read by Beverly Lewis, as I'm just getting into Amish fiction. I loved it. (Although I don't think that this book should even really be classified as an Amish fiction book - Nattie has an Amish nanny . That's it.)
Nattie was the sweetest little kid. She just made me smile. :) I really liked Jack and Kelly. Basically all the characters. Except San. For some reason I just don't like her...
It has a heavier note to it as far as the backstories of both Kelly and Jack, and San's as well.
The beginning was definitely a little bit disjointed, and I also thought the part where Jack was dating three girls was just unnecessary and a bit boring. I didn't want to read through his pointless dates with girls he would never even talk to again! (Sorry).
When I finished the book, I felt a mixture of happy and sad, a feeling I only get when I've finished an amazing book deserving of a spot on my "favorites" list. Therefor, it must get five stars. I will definitely be reading this book again!
Nattie was the sweetest little kid. She just made me smile. :) I really liked Jack and Kelly. Basically all the characters. Except San. For some reason I just don't like her...
It has a heavier note to it as far as the backstories of both Kelly and Jack, and San's as well.
The beginning was definitely a little bit disjointed, and I also thought the part where Jack was dating three girls was just unnecessary and a bit boring. I didn't want to read through his pointless dates with girls he would never even talk to again! (Sorry).
When I finished the book, I felt a mixture of happy and sad, a feeling I only get when I've finished an amazing book deserving of a spot on my "favorites" list. Therefor, it must get five stars. I will definitely be reading this book again!
March 27, 2022
Great, satisfying enjoyable read!
June 28, 2014
Child of Mine was my second foray into Christian fiction and my first time reading a book by the authors. While the premise piqued my interest I found the end less than satisfying.
The story follows Jack the father of eight year old Nattie adopted as an infant and Kelly who's baby daughter, Emily, was kidnapped around the same time. So ya see where it's going...
Jack is a pilot who runs a successful small business during the day and spends his evenings dating various women in an effort to find a mom for Nattie while Kelly flies around the US searching for her daughter. In the meantime, Nattie spends most of her time with Laura the randomly Amish nanny.
For the most part, Jack comes across as a superficial opportunist who is powerfully attracted to Laura when she dresses fancy (a.k.a. everyday American) but who can't bring himself to kiss her when she dresses plain (a.k.a. Amish) and even goes so far as to admit that he's embarrassed by her clothing. Moreover, he vacillates between his crushes more than a typical school girl fawning over her favorite pop stars. Jack's troubling behavior is somewhat explained away by the fact he has deep-seated mommy issues. Attractive??? Ummm... not so much.
Then comes Kelly... She works third shift at a gas station selling beef jerky and lottery tickets despite having a college degree while living in a hovel and flying around the country tricking unsuspecting girls into licking lolly pops which she sends off for DNA testing. To the authors' credit she only comes across as slightly creepy. Despite her myriad of poor choices I can muster up huge amounts of sympathy for her. I mean her daughter was kidnapped by her husband and sold for drug money which led to his subsequent death by overdose. So, yeah, I have some feels for her. I especially appreciate the fact the authors took time to address the fact that parents of kidnapped children are often crucified by the media and made to be villains. Doing so gave the story a modicum of realism. Yet, that shining moment was quickly overshadowed by the very unrealistic subplot revolving around Kelly's multi-millionaire benefactors who bankroll her trips across America.
Really??? Millionaire parental figures who lovingly instruct her in maintaining integrity while financing the expenses... That all-too-convenient means to an end nearly caused me to quit reading the first 100 pages into the novel. The fairy godparents ummm, I mean, multi-millionaires were my first real indication that I was leaving the real world and diving headfirst into the realm of fairy tales. Prior to that I found the book interesting and well-written.
So, there were a lot of is she or isn't she questions. Is Nattie also Emily? Is Kelly her birth mom or is Laura? Which "lucky" lady gets to spend a lifetime with Jack the closeted misogynist? All these questions were quickly summed up in the last few chapters as randomly Amish Laura was quickly and conveniently reunited with her long lost love all the while Kelly miraculously finds her daughter, Jack finds some humanity, and we all find out the true albeit creepy identity of Nattie's birth mom.
I guess I have higher expectations of fiction especially fiction based upon the truest and most realistic facet of my own life namely Christianity. Is it too much to ask that someone write realistic Christian fiction?
This book along with the other I read a while back (Atonement Child by Francine Rivers) make God out to be the great, grand fairy god-mother in the sky and it annoys the heck out of me. The resolution to every problem was quickly tied up in the last few chapters without providing any recognizable points of character development. Literally, each and every one of them just decided to change without explanation. New characters were introduced out of the blue. Every kidnapped child ended up in ridiculously wealthy Christian homes while prevailing attitudes changed on the fly. The last fourth of the book was incredibly choppy as if the editor got tired and put paragraphs together willy nilly.
The very plain and tragic truth is that most kidnapped children are killed or sold into slavery. They're not living the dream as the sole heir to millions being raised to wholeheartedly love Jesus. Most parents don't find their missing children and those who do find them broken, in pain, and facing major uphill battles. While that didn't necessarily need to be addressed in this book it would have been much more plausible to find at least one of these kids in less than ideal situations.
I can't see this book appealing to anyone outside of upper middle class white people harboring unrealistic world views. All in all it just wasn't my cup of tea.
*****
Five stars mean I love it, plan to regularly read it, probably own the deluxe edition, recommend it to everyone and will give it as a gift. (To Kill A Mockingbird, The Lord of the Rings, Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, A Christmas Carol, The Taking)
****
Four stars mean that I like it and plan to read it again at some point. I recommend it to most people and probably own it as a book. (The Hunger Games, The Screwtape Letters, Gone With the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, The Fifth Wave)
***
Three stars mean I'm not sorry I read it. I don't plan to read it again but wouldn't object to doing so. If it's a series I'll read them all. I recommend it only to people who I feel certain would enjoy it. If I own it it's on my Kindle. (The Host, 1984, The Di Vinci Code, What Crazy Looks Like on an Ordinary Day as well as most books that I read.)
**
Two stars mean I didn't like it. I have no plans to read it again and wouldn't enjoy doing so. I feel like I wasted the opportunity to read something better. I don't recommend it but I'm not ashamed to have read it. I don't own it, don't plan to own it, and would strongly suggest that anyone wanting to read it wait to get it from the library. If it's a series I may give the second one a shot but I'll quit reading it immediately if I'm not enjoying it. (Atonement Child, The Great Gatsby, Stolen)
*
One star means I hated it. I probably didn't finish it or deeply regret doing so. I find it to be either poorly written, utter trash, or damaging. There's no way I own a copy or recommend it. I rarely rate anything with one star but when I do I feel there is absolutely no redeeming value to be found within its pages. (Fifty Shades of Gray, Fascinating Womanhood)
The story follows Jack the father of eight year old Nattie adopted as an infant and Kelly who's baby daughter, Emily, was kidnapped around the same time. So ya see where it's going...
Jack is a pilot who runs a successful small business during the day and spends his evenings dating various women in an effort to find a mom for Nattie while Kelly flies around the US searching for her daughter. In the meantime, Nattie spends most of her time with Laura the randomly Amish nanny.
For the most part, Jack comes across as a superficial opportunist who is powerfully attracted to Laura when she dresses fancy (a.k.a. everyday American) but who can't bring himself to kiss her when she dresses plain (a.k.a. Amish) and even goes so far as to admit that he's embarrassed by her clothing. Moreover, he vacillates between his crushes more than a typical school girl fawning over her favorite pop stars. Jack's troubling behavior is somewhat explained away by the fact he has deep-seated mommy issues. Attractive??? Ummm... not so much.
Then comes Kelly... She works third shift at a gas station selling beef jerky and lottery tickets despite having a college degree while living in a hovel and flying around the country tricking unsuspecting girls into licking lolly pops which she sends off for DNA testing. To the authors' credit she only comes across as slightly creepy. Despite her myriad of poor choices I can muster up huge amounts of sympathy for her. I mean her daughter was kidnapped by her husband and sold for drug money which led to his subsequent death by overdose. So, yeah, I have some feels for her. I especially appreciate the fact the authors took time to address the fact that parents of kidnapped children are often crucified by the media and made to be villains. Doing so gave the story a modicum of realism. Yet, that shining moment was quickly overshadowed by the very unrealistic subplot revolving around Kelly's multi-millionaire benefactors who bankroll her trips across America.
Really??? Millionaire parental figures who lovingly instruct her in maintaining integrity while financing the expenses... That all-too-convenient means to an end nearly caused me to quit reading the first 100 pages into the novel. The fairy godparents ummm, I mean, multi-millionaires were my first real indication that I was leaving the real world and diving headfirst into the realm of fairy tales. Prior to that I found the book interesting and well-written.
So, there were a lot of is she or isn't she questions. Is Nattie also Emily? Is Kelly her birth mom or is Laura? Which "lucky" lady gets to spend a lifetime with Jack the closeted misogynist? All these questions were quickly summed up in the last few chapters as randomly Amish Laura was quickly and conveniently reunited with her long lost love all the while Kelly miraculously finds her daughter, Jack finds some humanity, and we all find out the true albeit creepy identity of Nattie's birth mom.
I guess I have higher expectations of fiction especially fiction based upon the truest and most realistic facet of my own life namely Christianity. Is it too much to ask that someone write realistic Christian fiction?
This book along with the other I read a while back (Atonement Child by Francine Rivers) make God out to be the great, grand fairy god-mother in the sky and it annoys the heck out of me. The resolution to every problem was quickly tied up in the last few chapters without providing any recognizable points of character development. Literally, each and every one of them just decided to change without explanation. New characters were introduced out of the blue. Every kidnapped child ended up in ridiculously wealthy Christian homes while prevailing attitudes changed on the fly. The last fourth of the book was incredibly choppy as if the editor got tired and put paragraphs together willy nilly.
The very plain and tragic truth is that most kidnapped children are killed or sold into slavery. They're not living the dream as the sole heir to millions being raised to wholeheartedly love Jesus. Most parents don't find their missing children and those who do find them broken, in pain, and facing major uphill battles. While that didn't necessarily need to be addressed in this book it would have been much more plausible to find at least one of these kids in less than ideal situations.
I can't see this book appealing to anyone outside of upper middle class white people harboring unrealistic world views. All in all it just wasn't my cup of tea.
*****
Five stars mean I love it, plan to regularly read it, probably own the deluxe edition, recommend it to everyone and will give it as a gift. (To Kill A Mockingbird, The Lord of the Rings, Mere Christianity, The Chronicles of Narnia, A Christmas Carol, The Taking)
****
Four stars mean that I like it and plan to read it again at some point. I recommend it to most people and probably own it as a book. (The Hunger Games, The Screwtape Letters, Gone With the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, The Fifth Wave)
***
Three stars mean I'm not sorry I read it. I don't plan to read it again but wouldn't object to doing so. If it's a series I'll read them all. I recommend it only to people who I feel certain would enjoy it. If I own it it's on my Kindle. (The Host, 1984, The Di Vinci Code, What Crazy Looks Like on an Ordinary Day as well as most books that I read.)
**
Two stars mean I didn't like it. I have no plans to read it again and wouldn't enjoy doing so. I feel like I wasted the opportunity to read something better. I don't recommend it but I'm not ashamed to have read it. I don't own it, don't plan to own it, and would strongly suggest that anyone wanting to read it wait to get it from the library. If it's a series I may give the second one a shot but I'll quit reading it immediately if I'm not enjoying it. (Atonement Child, The Great Gatsby, Stolen)
*
One star means I hated it. I probably didn't finish it or deeply regret doing so. I find it to be either poorly written, utter trash, or damaging. There's no way I own a copy or recommend it. I rarely rate anything with one star but when I do I feel there is absolutely no redeeming value to be found within its pages. (Fifty Shades of Gray, Fascinating Womanhood)
October 28, 2017
Cute little story!!!
August 11, 2025
I was captivated by the first page. A fully engaging story filled with hope, mystery, and inspiration. Plot twist filled the gaps of unpredictability, while the love between a parent and child bloomed everywhere!
I highly recommend this book to all my readers!
I highly recommend this book to all my readers!
August 11, 2014
About this book:
“Jack Livingston has been raising his nine-year-old adopted niece, Natalie, since the accident that took her parents' lives. While he travels for work, Natalie is lovingly cared for by Laura, an Amish nanny who loves her as her own.
Kelly Maines is nearing the end of her rope. Her baby was kidnapped, the apparent victim of a black market adoption ring, and for eight years, Kelly has tirelessly pursued every lead to its bitter end. Now, there's one last lead from a private investigator: Just a few miles away lives a girl who matches the profile. Could this, at long last, be her beloved child?
Desperately, Kelly initiates a "chance" meeting with Jack Livingston. It goes really well. So well, in fact, that Jack asks her out. One date leads to another, and before she can come clean with her original motives, Kelly realizes Jack is falling for her--and she for him.
Now how can she tell Jack why she's really here? And having gotten to know Natalie, what if she isn't her long-lost daughter, after all? This was all supposed to be so simple.
But nothing in Natalie's world is simple…”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Prayers & Scriptures are said; Church going & talks about God.
Negative Content- Minor Cussing including: a ‘blasted’; Like the back-cover says, Kelly’s daughter was kidnapped but what it doesn’t say is that her husband kidnapped Emily and sold her for money (Which he used to buy drugs and died of an O.D. of them).
Sexual Content- Many not-detailed kisses & a semi detailed kiss; *Spoiler* Laura says her & her beau “got the cart before the horse, if you know what I mean”; A baby was born out of wedlock (not what you would think, no details) *End of Spoiler*
-Kelly Maines
-Jack Livingston
P.O.V. switches between them.
403 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
{So. Many. Plot. Twists.}
Some other reviewers have said this book started slow, which I can see because Kelly & Jack didn’t meet till half-way through the book, but once they did it went much faster. ;)
Have you see our post about Meeting Mrs. Beverly Lewis? Click here to see!
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House through Book Fun) for this review.
“Jack Livingston has been raising his nine-year-old adopted niece, Natalie, since the accident that took her parents' lives. While he travels for work, Natalie is lovingly cared for by Laura, an Amish nanny who loves her as her own.
Kelly Maines is nearing the end of her rope. Her baby was kidnapped, the apparent victim of a black market adoption ring, and for eight years, Kelly has tirelessly pursued every lead to its bitter end. Now, there's one last lead from a private investigator: Just a few miles away lives a girl who matches the profile. Could this, at long last, be her beloved child?
Desperately, Kelly initiates a "chance" meeting with Jack Livingston. It goes really well. So well, in fact, that Jack asks her out. One date leads to another, and before she can come clean with her original motives, Kelly realizes Jack is falling for her--and she for him.
Now how can she tell Jack why she's really here? And having gotten to know Natalie, what if she isn't her long-lost daughter, after all? This was all supposed to be so simple.
But nothing in Natalie's world is simple…”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Prayers & Scriptures are said; Church going & talks about God.
Negative Content- Minor Cussing including: a ‘blasted’; Like the back-cover says, Kelly’s daughter was kidnapped but what it doesn’t say is that her husband kidnapped Emily and sold her for money (Which he used to buy drugs and died of an O.D. of them).
Sexual Content- Many not-detailed kisses & a semi detailed kiss; *Spoiler* Laura says her & her beau “got the cart before the horse, if you know what I mean”; A baby was born out of wedlock (not what you would think, no details) *End of Spoiler*
-Kelly Maines
-Jack Livingston
P.O.V. switches between them.
403 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
{So. Many. Plot. Twists.}
Some other reviewers have said this book started slow, which I can see because Kelly & Jack didn’t meet till half-way through the book, but once they did it went much faster. ;)
Have you see our post about Meeting Mrs. Beverly Lewis? Click here to see!
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House through Book Fun) for this review.
December 16, 2018
3.5 Stars!
Child of Mine was such a enjoyable read with themes of love and forgiveness woven throughout the pages. First off, I love the cover... and the detail in the formatting! I am so glad to have this sitting on my shelf! My favorite character was by far, Nattie! She was adorable!
I would recommend this book to those 15+ just for some of the complicated relationships.
There are a few things that made me take off 1.5 stars. I felt like the pacing of this story was a little on the slow side, it took me a little bit to get into the story, and when I did, I was slightly confused as to what was happening.
Jack rubbed me the wrong way because he couldn't seem to make up his mind on which woman he liked/loved. There was Laura, Nattie's nanny, who at first I got the impression that she liked him, but then when he liked her, things didn't work because he was stuck on her being amish. But then he started dating another girl who didn't have anything to do with the story plot. After one date gone wrong, he seemed to shift back to Laura until Kelly came along. You can see how this was confusing!
I also felt like Nattie adjusted to Kelly almost too quickly... right after Angela who she clearly did not like and feared another woman would take her nanny's place. But there was no transition period, she automatically liked Kelly because of a magic trick?
The plot twist at the end was unexpected, and yet, after a while, I had it figured out.
I like reading a occasional amish fiction, but with my personal experience (I live near a Amish community), I believe some of these books can give you the wrong impression of the Amish culture.
I also felt like the ending was rushed compared with the first 3/4 of the book.
So, those were some of my reasonings for not making this a 4-5 star review. But in the end, I am glad to have read Child of Mine, and the next Beverly Lewis book that is on my TBR is The Redemption of Sarah Cain! (Which I am very curious about since I have watched the movie!)
Child of Mine was such a enjoyable read with themes of love and forgiveness woven throughout the pages. First off, I love the cover... and the detail in the formatting! I am so glad to have this sitting on my shelf! My favorite character was by far, Nattie! She was adorable!
I would recommend this book to those 15+ just for some of the complicated relationships.
There are a few things that made me take off 1.5 stars. I felt like the pacing of this story was a little on the slow side, it took me a little bit to get into the story, and when I did, I was slightly confused as to what was happening.
Jack rubbed me the wrong way because he couldn't seem to make up his mind on which woman he liked/loved. There was Laura, Nattie's nanny, who at first I got the impression that she liked him, but then when he liked her, things didn't work because he was stuck on her being amish. But then he started dating another girl who didn't have anything to do with the story plot. After one date gone wrong, he seemed to shift back to Laura until Kelly came along. You can see how this was confusing!
I also felt like Nattie adjusted to Kelly almost too quickly... right after Angela who she clearly did not like and feared another woman would take her nanny's place. But there was no transition period, she automatically liked Kelly because of a magic trick?
The plot twist at the end was unexpected, and yet, after a while, I had it figured out.
I like reading a occasional amish fiction, but with my personal experience (I live near a Amish community), I believe some of these books can give you the wrong impression of the Amish culture.
I also felt like the ending was rushed compared with the first 3/4 of the book.
So, those were some of my reasonings for not making this a 4-5 star review. But in the end, I am glad to have read Child of Mine, and the next Beverly Lewis book that is on my TBR is The Redemption of Sarah Cain! (Which I am very curious about since I have watched the movie!)
July 25, 2020
A very twisty little story about a mother searching for her stolen baby and an adoptive father who needs a wife to help him raise his daughter—twice adopted, since she was left to Jack in his brother’s will, and it was the brother and wife who had adopted the baby. Kelly is searching for all traces of where her daughter could have ended up, and she’s making contact with multiple adoptive parents in a hope of finding a trace. This ends up leaving the romance as a rather back-burner plot element, which is fine by me.
June 4, 2014
Nine years ago, Kelly had everything she ever wanted - a husband and a beautiful baby girl called Emily and then within a flash , it was all gone . Her husband had died of a drug overdose but not before he had taken their baby girl and sold her on the black market. Now years later Kelly has travelled all over looking for her baby girl and testing DNA of children that could be her Emily but none have matched. That is until she is thrust into the world of Nattie Livingston , a girl that could be her daughter and this time it looks positive. In order to get closer, Kelly strikes up a relationship with Jack and soon the pair of them start to fall in love and start dating. Soon Jack discovers what Kelly is up to via his sister discovering the website and decides to do a DNA test himself. The results though will shock him as to who the true identity of Natalie's biological mother is . Laura the Amish Nanny has been keeping her secrets and past hidden, but what will happen when a simple DNA test throws her into the crosshairs and forces Laura to come clean about her past life in the Amish Village. Will Kelly ever find her daughter or will she have to resign to the fact that it is a lost cause ?
Find out in the Lewis's new novel "Child of Mine" - a fast-paced and edgy read that targets the issues of black market baby-selling, missing children, DNA tests and adoption.
This book is definitely worth reading and one to add to your 2014 TBR Piles.
Find out in the Lewis's new novel "Child of Mine" - a fast-paced and edgy read that targets the issues of black market baby-selling, missing children, DNA tests and adoption.
This book is definitely worth reading and one to add to your 2014 TBR Piles.
July 28, 2014
I had the privilege of reading Child of Mine by David and Beverly Lewis. I love Ms. Lewis’ books and I knew I would thoroughly enjoy this book too. I read it in one day - not because it was too short, but because I had to figure out how it all ended.
It was great - it had enough twists and turns in it that I was surprised up until the very end. I didn’t suspect the outcome which made it even better. Yet, it wasn’t the suspense of the book - it was the way Ms. Lewis and David wrote the characters that pulled me in and kept me coming back for more.
Jack, Nattie, Kelly, Laura, San - all of the main characters were written so well that I felt like I was in the living room with them watching Disney movies and eating popcorn, flying in the airplane, working at the convenience store, or sitting around Chet and Eloise’s grand table eating soup. The depth of the characters and the way the story unfolded naturally was beautiful and made me want more.
I highly recommend this book to many different readers. Those who like a little mystery when they read, those who love to get to know the characters in a book deeply, and those who just love a great story. Beautiful from start to finish.
I received this book for free from Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
It was great - it had enough twists and turns in it that I was surprised up until the very end. I didn’t suspect the outcome which made it even better. Yet, it wasn’t the suspense of the book - it was the way Ms. Lewis and David wrote the characters that pulled me in and kept me coming back for more.
Jack, Nattie, Kelly, Laura, San - all of the main characters were written so well that I felt like I was in the living room with them watching Disney movies and eating popcorn, flying in the airplane, working at the convenience store, or sitting around Chet and Eloise’s grand table eating soup. The depth of the characters and the way the story unfolded naturally was beautiful and made me want more.
I highly recommend this book to many different readers. Those who like a little mystery when they read, those who love to get to know the characters in a book deeply, and those who just love a great story. Beautiful from start to finish.
I received this book for free from Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
September 16, 2015
Beverly Lewis has been a favorite author of mine for years. And now, her husband, David, has co-authored Child Of Mine with her.
The story centers around a young girl who lives with her adopted uncle. Natalie is a sweet child and Jack is a great and kind uncle but there just seems to be something missing in both of their lives.
The Amish Nanny, Laura, is a wonderful asset to both Jack and Nattie since they both lean on her for care...Jack so her can have help with Natalie and Natalie because she needs a mother figure. But what secrets does Laura hide? What is hidden that needs to be brought to light for the good of each family?
And then there's Kelly who had a baby girl who was apparently sold on the black market but with her husband's death did the "secret" go to the grave with him? The question seems to be is Natalie one of those babies?
And did Kelly really have a baby that was kidnapped nine years ago? How will Jack and Natalie find the truth? Does Laura hold the answer?
This is an interesting read that includes the black market of selling kidnapped babies, DNA test, and faith.
An intriguing story!
The story centers around a young girl who lives with her adopted uncle. Natalie is a sweet child and Jack is a great and kind uncle but there just seems to be something missing in both of their lives.
The Amish Nanny, Laura, is a wonderful asset to both Jack and Nattie since they both lean on her for care...Jack so her can have help with Natalie and Natalie because she needs a mother figure. But what secrets does Laura hide? What is hidden that needs to be brought to light for the good of each family?
And then there's Kelly who had a baby girl who was apparently sold on the black market but with her husband's death did the "secret" go to the grave with him? The question seems to be is Natalie one of those babies?
And did Kelly really have a baby that was kidnapped nine years ago? How will Jack and Natalie find the truth? Does Laura hold the answer?
This is an interesting read that includes the black market of selling kidnapped babies, DNA test, and faith.
An intriguing story!
June 26, 2014
This was a long book. I think the story could of been told in a 100 pages less.
It had some great parts in it and a few that I wonder why it was there.
We start with 2 main stories. Kelly, who is looking for her daughter that was kidnapped 9 years ago. In Kelly's life is Chet and his wife and the PI, Ernie, who are all trying to help Kelly find her daughter God's way. Oh almost forget Melody. Kelly's story starts with her being all consumed with finding her daughter then its like she quits but that doesn't sit well with me know how consumed she was with it for so long.
And Jack, who is raising his 9 year old adopted niece, Nattie. Nattie is awesome - she is probably my favorite character in the book with the way she speaks, etc. We also have her Amish Nanny Laura who is a joy to read about.
The story grabs you right at the start with Kelly doing some magic to get DNA on a little girl at the park.
I will say this book holds some mystery as well as Christian fiction, romance.
It had some great parts in it and a few that I wonder why it was there.
We start with 2 main stories. Kelly, who is looking for her daughter that was kidnapped 9 years ago. In Kelly's life is Chet and his wife and the PI, Ernie, who are all trying to help Kelly find her daughter God's way. Oh almost forget Melody. Kelly's story starts with her being all consumed with finding her daughter then its like she quits but that doesn't sit well with me know how consumed she was with it for so long.
And Jack, who is raising his 9 year old adopted niece, Nattie. Nattie is awesome - she is probably my favorite character in the book with the way she speaks, etc. We also have her Amish Nanny Laura who is a joy to read about.
The story grabs you right at the start with Kelly doing some magic to get DNA on a little girl at the park.
I will say this book holds some mystery as well as Christian fiction, romance.
July 11, 2014
Beverly Lewis is easily my favorite author of Amish Fiction and I eagerly await her new books. Child of Mine however, is not going on my shelf for rereading. I really struggled with this one. I liked the characters of Jack and Natalie and Laura. I never did connect with Kelly and found her part of the story implausible, especially wealthy benefactors who fund her search and her unorthodox and dishonest ways of getting DNA from potential children.
The feel of the book is different than her others which is probably due to the fact that this is a collaboration with her husband. As I've read reviews, I found that a lot of reviews for this one are mixed and I can understand why. There is something about it that is vaguely compelling and it is sweet. The ending was surprising and not quite what I expected, but it was fitting for the story. Everything wraps up neatly. The Amish element was almost an afterthought and the Christian elements are light.
The feel of the book is different than her others which is probably due to the fact that this is a collaboration with her husband. As I've read reviews, I found that a lot of reviews for this one are mixed and I can understand why. There is something about it that is vaguely compelling and it is sweet. The ending was surprising and not quite what I expected, but it was fitting for the story. Everything wraps up neatly. The Amish element was almost an afterthought and the Christian elements are light.
November 26, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. Flight instructor Jack Livingston has been raising his eight year old adopted neice, Natalie, since the accident that took her p parents lives. When he travels she is cared for by her Amish nanny, Laura Mast, who loves her like she's her own. Eight years ago, Kelly Maines baby was kidnapped. Determined to find her child, Kelly persues every lead to its bitter end. And now one last clue from a PI there is a young girl miles away who fits that profile. Can it be Kelly's long last beloved daughter?
May 9, 2023
Kelly’s husband sold their baby daughter for money for drugs and then overdosed and died. Kelly made it her mission to find her daughter. Nine years later she finds Nattie who looks like her and is being raised by her uncle after the death of her adoptive parents along with their Amish nanny, Laura. Their are many stories within this rather long story, but I did enjoy it.
November 25, 2014
Wow, what an ending! I did NOT see that one coming. David & Beverly Lewis have outdone their writing style again with this carefully woven tale of intrigue, betrayal, and deceit.
August 4, 2020
This book melted my heart.
For those who aren’t huge fans of Amish fiction, this is a good book to try, because the Amish angle is very back-burner. The nanny is Amish, so there is a bit of talk about Old Order Amish ways, but the Amish religion is not the focus of this story.
The father/daughter vibes were amazing. Jack and Nattie were amazing together, and I liked that there were good parenting skills on display. Each character had their own personality, and they played well off of each other. I liked that there were also moments, like in real life, when their personalities clashed. That created natural-feeling conversations, actions, and misunderstandings.
Dating was featured in a fun, entertaining way.
I especially loved the core story. The hunt for a kidnapped baby (who would now be around nine years old) was amazing and heart-wrenching, and it was easy to relate to Kelly’s heartache and the lengths to which she was willing to go to find her child. It was also great to see the papa bear come out in Jack, because he loved his little girl fiercely.
Wish I could say more, because this story was completely amazing and melted me, but I don’t want to spoil anything for you. Just do me a favor and read it. I think you’re going to love it.
Content: alcoholism as a backstory (handled beautifully), drugs (mentioned a couple of times), mention of suicide
For those who aren’t huge fans of Amish fiction, this is a good book to try, because the Amish angle is very back-burner. The nanny is Amish, so there is a bit of talk about Old Order Amish ways, but the Amish religion is not the focus of this story.
The father/daughter vibes were amazing. Jack and Nattie were amazing together, and I liked that there were good parenting skills on display. Each character had their own personality, and they played well off of each other. I liked that there were also moments, like in real life, when their personalities clashed. That created natural-feeling conversations, actions, and misunderstandings.
Dating was featured in a fun, entertaining way.
I especially loved the core story. The hunt for a kidnapped baby (who would now be around nine years old) was amazing and heart-wrenching, and it was easy to relate to Kelly’s heartache and the lengths to which she was willing to go to find her child. It was also great to see the papa bear come out in Jack, because he loved his little girl fiercely.
Wish I could say more, because this story was completely amazing and melted me, but I don’t want to spoil anything for you. Just do me a favor and read it. I think you’re going to love it.
Content: alcoholism as a backstory (handled beautifully), drugs (mentioned a couple of times), mention of suicide
June 25, 2021
Rating: 5 Stars!! (Wish i could rate it 10 Stars!!)
Review:
This was my 2nd time reading this book so i kind of remembered what it was about.
The Characters are still so enjoyable to read about. The Setting is still so beautifully told about Ohio and the area's surrounding the storyline.
Overall a great read with many life lessons in it.
Review:
This was my 2nd time reading this book so i kind of remembered what it was about.
The Characters are still so enjoyable to read about. The Setting is still so beautifully told about Ohio and the area's surrounding the storyline.
Overall a great read with many life lessons in it.
July 12, 2018
This is my first Beverly Lewis book, and I believe that I am already addicted to her books. It's one of the cutest books I've ever read; it makes me want to have a child just like Nattie, even if she could not possibly exist...
I'll not reiterate all of the wonderful things that have already been said about the book and which I agree with, but I do want to express a major gripe I had with the book. Sadly, it seems to be a shortcoming which is quite common...
I warn you: this vent is huge—get the popcorn, and get comfortable...
*** Extremely Unrealistic Communication from an 8 Year Old! ***
The child in this novel, Nattie, speaks well beyond her years. Simply put, she is far too witty for an 8 year old; so, if I could but share a few examples, perhaps you'll agree?
Early on, Nattie (an 8 year old child) is said to be 'precocious'. Okay, it'll bite; but, I do question if the author said this just to make Nattie's comments seem not so far-fetched. In any case, the chances that a child her age would say such witty, eloquent, and intelligent things so often are extremely slim; I've yet to see it myself. On the surface, it may seem that the things Nattie says are quite plausible... I argue, they are not.
I've helped assist children for over 10 years with reading and literacy related activities (grades SK-4, but usually around 8 years old—yes, Natties age!). It's safe to say that I've had hundreds of these little monsters read with me. I've also read much pertaining to child psychology; so, even though I cannot claim to be an expert, I do feel that I am qualified to make the forthcoming observations due to my level of experience alone.
We know that kids often parrot things they hear; so yes, it is possible that they could make any comment, no matter how clever. They don't have to understand the words to say them. I get this; but, Nattie says witty things on just about every page, such that require far too much brain processing for a girl her age, and she does this seemingly on the spot. Such children are simply not equipped with the reasoning, language skills, and capacities to do this. Even given time to think about what to say, they likely could not think of such clever things.
I believe that Nattie speaks around the level of an exceptionally bright 12-16 year old. People who (unfortunately) have had experience with grade 6 kids will likely agree that they have the capability to be smartypants, talk back, and question authority (regardless of the senselessness of it). Even at this stage, their witty comments are generally thought of beforehand and their delivery quite awkward—strongly verging on 'cringe' (in their words!). They appear as if struggling to draw a load which is far beyond their capacity to bear, crushed by its weight, as they hopelessly attempt rein in the qualities of 'clever' and 'cool', which don't even exist (on their map, anyways).
In summation, teens suck.
Thankfully, this is not an issue which affects 'precocious' Nattie...
Let me give you 3 quotes of what Nattie says to illustrate my point:
SENTENCE #1. Nattie makes a list of her top 5 summer foods. One of her items on the list is written as:
"Green beans — Ha, Ha! (You know I'm kidding, right?)"
First of all, I've yet to see a child of 8 who would use an em dash in a sentence. Or brackets. Or a comma. Not to mention, an em dash, exclamation mark, question mark, comma, and brackets, all in one uninterrupted line. Nope, too much of a stretch. Children of this age barely ever use question marks, though have been taught them in school. Nor can they usually explain (in a quick and coherent manner) what they are used for, what they mean, or when to use them. I know this because whilst reading with children, we often come upon question marks (and very rarely have I seen an em dash in a child's book), and I'll quiz them on why they are there and what they do. Generally, I'm given either a very jagged response which, for the most part, is incorrect (having only a very slight connection to the proper meaning), or they will just remain silent for a moment and then tell me they don't know (perhaps because the effort expending such is just to great to even try, so they save time by keeping quiet—little buggers.)
I was teaching a girl who was in grade 3 (approx. 9 years old) how to use an em dash. This girl was exceptionally bright; she tested at a grade 7 level in spelling. She went on to take an intelligence test, given by her school, which came back with her being something to the tune of 1 in 100000 for her IQ. She was then accepted into the school's enrichment program. He mother was telling me that she, herself, was reading simple things at age two. Smart cookies! And still, teaching this girl how to use the em dash was a struggle. She would really have to take her time and think about it, and would almost always parrot something resembling my example, even having been told not to. This is not something that a child learns in grade three, or even thinks of using, for the most part. Not to mention that this is just a thing Nattie seemed to do on her on initiative.
Okay, lets be fair and say that this is just the author's grammar—one must be but a trifle eloquent for their readers now and then, right! (...but, will I bite?) There are contradicting issues, right off the bat: her usage of the em dash, with a space before and after it, is incorrect, leading me to believe that it was not the author who was meant to be seen as having wrote it, but the child. But, lets just put that aside. Again, I'm pulling all resources to be fair here.
It's still not believable.
Why? Because children, at 8 years old, don't use/understand sarcasm that well, at all. How do I know? Because I've spent that past several years working one on one with grade 1 and 2 students, and I'm big on sarcasm. It seems that unless the sarcasm is completely ridiculous (eg., "you are made of green cheese", *giggles emitted from the child, the reply often being along the lines of: "No, that's silly! That's not true!"*), children simply don't take it in jest, much less think to make up such a thing and use it. I've once said in a completely silly and very obviously sarcastic voice to a child (referring to her friend who was being silly at the time), "Sometimes, she can be a little... nuts..." The child was quite offended, thinking it was said in truth. Of course, I apologized and said it was just a silly joke, and the child was instantly happy again (just knowing it was a joke is often enough for a child to laugh at it). This is but a small example to show that the concept of sarcasm is one that is not yet fully understood at that age. The fact is that such a concept, as well as other words with complex meanings, such as 'irony', are generally not learned until high school.
Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself! In the comments and explain the meaning of the word 'sarcasm' in a manner that an 8 year old child could easily grasp. Type it all in one go—don't take any breaks to think of it, but just write it down 'as is,' because, if it's that easy to understand, and if little 8 year old Nattie understood, surely you (likely, a preteen, teen or grownup) should be able to do such a simple task? The catch is that an 8 year old's attention span is quite short; the younger the child, the shorter, and the faster the child will 'tune out.' That being said, in my experience, an eight year old kid has about 5-10 seconds (at the absolute most) to explain a complex thing before that child just completely loses you, either due to complexity or boredom or both. Likely a very good reason why grownups so often tell their kids "Because I said so!"
SENTENCE #2. Nattie replies to her guardian, Jack, about how she wants him to marry Laura (the pretty Amish girl on the front cover):
"She's just Amish, silly. Besides, what would be so different? She's over here all the time, and she acts like a mom, and you guys act like you're married."
Far too complicated for any 8 year old to think of (even if they were given days to think of it and write it down) much less to spit out in its entirety right on the spot. And it's said far too perfectly: even many adults wouldn't be able to join so many proofs and comments so quickly and eloquently. The logic and reasoning which accompany this sentence are more indicative of what a very bright 12-14 year old might say. It is a rather non-disputed fact in child psychology (and, well, I'm sure most parents would agree) that a child does not process things completely logically before the age of 12; that part of the brain simply isn't mature enough yet, so they are still quite animalistic in their thinking. This goes doubly for things which have emotional value tied to them; which, as the story led me to believe, Nattie has a very strong desire for her Uncle to marry Laura and has manifested this in many ways.
Yes, kids do have to use simple logic, but for an 8 year old to put together all those points and proofs so well would be akin to an adult orating a perfect essay on a random subject on the spot; yes, perhaps it's possible, but not without a few ummm's and ahhh's, some awkward air, and disjointed sentence structure that would make the whole process seem rather cringe-worthy. The thinking and processing, adding the proper grammatical conjunctions (eg., 'and'), and the usage of several contractions, all done at once, no forethought, are just too much for a child—pray, show me a child that regularly speak at this level! Come now!
So, what would be a more realistic reply for a girl of her age and emotional ties?
This:
"She's... like... Amish, you know—WHY are you guys not married? WHY!!! You should be married! You just... should!"
As you see, there really wouldn't be much rationality coming from an 8 year old; it would be mostly emotions, and rarely would they provide actual facts which could be tied with logical reason.
Also, it wouldn't be apparent to a child of this age that they even needed to offer proof to their statements, nor that their arguments were theirs alone; to them, if it's felt strongly, it's truth. But why is this? Because at the age of 8 they haven't learned how to think and respond in such a manner; these are things that have to be learned. Children learn to provide facts and proof through means of writing essays and doing book reports at school. And at 8 years old, Nattie is in grade 2/3. If the teacher told Nattie to write an essay (she wouldn't even know what the word 'essay' meant, to begin with) about why Jake and Laura should be married, she would not even approach the eloquence of the quote above. Instead, it would be disjointed, grammatically incorrect in several places, and likely offer a few unrealistic ideas. This is even if Nattie were to be given a week to come up with this alone (obviously, she was not receiving help at the time to speak such things, but was just speaking her mind as it came to her on the spot). We all know that we can write more eloquently than we can speak. The time taken allows us to better process what we want to say, so it comes out more clear.
And at that age, a child tends to think that you already know why, that you have the same views already and, in essence, see through their eyes. An example of this is how, when reading with children, they often hold the book in such a way that makes it impossible for others to see the text (this is more indicative of a 0-7 year old, but you get the idea). They assume that because they can see it, we can too, nor would they even think to check. The same goes for thinking: they simply would not offer a reason for their thinking. It's unrealistic, unlearned, and unexpected.
SENTENCE #3. Nattie, having just decided to play a game with her guardian, says:
"But I have to warn you. I'm out to win!"
If I were to hear a child say this to me, I would be quite amazed. It carries such strong implausibilities that it saddens me. It's possible that the phrase, "I'm out to win!" could be parroted; I'll allow for that, but this was said as if on cue and without err; it's simply too quick for a child's mind to produce. And, this phrase is an idiom (eg., "I'm out"). Idioms are a whole different realm; they involve a whole different level of thinking and knowing.
Children of 8 years generally don't use idioms, and if they do, they tend to be very short independent one-liners (just the idiom itself with nothing attached) that they heard their parents saying over and over. Children tend to say things that are simple and concrete, leaving out the abstract, almost completely: "Yeah! I'm gonna win!" Note that even the 'and' is omitted between 'Yeah!' and "I'm gonna win!", as children just don't think to include that conjunction.
The biggie, though, is not the aforementioned phrase, per se, but the combining with, "But I have to warn you," which is another phrase that children generally wouldn't think of saying. The two, together, make it unbelievable. Seems so simple, yes, but it really does take some serious brain power to pump out idioms on the spot and combine them in such a manner. This has to be learned, and at 8 years, no.
I find it bizarre that the author decided to use two separate sentences to say the one thing, and not just use a colon (or even just to replace the middle period with a space, would be fine); but, whatev's. The first time I read this, it came across to me that Nattie was actually saying
"But I have to warn you [that] I'm out to win!" This being just a straight sentence. But, in retrospect, it is even more inconceivable, as now I believe that the author meant the period in the middle to be a pause.
What's wrong with that, you say? Well, now you are forcing me to be sad, but if it pleases you, I'll explain: aside from the aforementioned implausibility, the child now adds a dramatic *pause* for effect. She, apparently, having devised the whole sentence, on the spot, and with no time for forethought, has also added drama to her words. No. Children haven't learned such a technique of dramatics. The school system hasn't taught it to them yet, nor would they think to use it in a crunch so smoothly. Even if they heard their parents using such a technique, it would have to be heard over and over and when the child was to use it, they would need a little time to plan its execution. Per se, this is actually plausible, but combined with all the other complexities of the sentence, it's verges on impossible.
Combine this with the usage of the conjunction 'but' (which has not only several common senses, but several grammatical classifications)—to begin the sentence. In this case, the sense meaning either 'contrary to [your] expectation' or 'with the exception that'. Pray, for the love of Jupiter, what child would even know such a thing? Come now!
Lets say she knew—shes made the sacrifice and eaten from the tree of knowledge. I can say that, at least in the presence of grown-ups, she'd feel incredibly naked to speak such.
Why?
Well, the word 'but' sounds like 'butt', and though as adults we don't usually make that connection, children do. They spot these types of homophones all the time because their mind is still learning to separate such words and meanings.
As an example, I often see the word 'but' in sentences whilst reading with children. Generally, a short pause is noted before they say the word (sometimes they will not even say it and make me say it, not even repeating after I've said it, as they would usually do when being corrected.) But, children usually would not consider using such a word anyways. They just don't wanna 'go there'. They know beforehand, from previous experiences, that it is 'embarrassment territory.'
Most parents, I believe, know that mentioning homophones which remind them of the most intimate parts of their bodies embarrasses them, so it perplexes me why this author seemed to include it.
I could list more examples and go deeper into the transient psychological and phonetic factors, but haven't you suffered enough? (in reality, I just ran out of characters) At this point, you deserve a gold metal just for listening *places a plastic gold metal on your neck and offers a genuinely heart-felt half hug for your loyalty and persistence*.
Anyways, aside from that one very trifling thing, an excellent review! The book is wonderful, and I'd love to elaborate on such, but alas...
...I'm all out of gold metals...
Thank you! :)
I'll not reiterate all of the wonderful things that have already been said about the book and which I agree with, but I do want to express a major gripe I had with the book. Sadly, it seems to be a shortcoming which is quite common...
I warn you: this vent is huge—get the popcorn, and get comfortable...
*** Extremely Unrealistic Communication from an 8 Year Old! ***
The child in this novel, Nattie, speaks well beyond her years. Simply put, she is far too witty for an 8 year old; so, if I could but share a few examples, perhaps you'll agree?
Early on, Nattie (an 8 year old child) is said to be 'precocious'. Okay, it'll bite; but, I do question if the author said this just to make Nattie's comments seem not so far-fetched. In any case, the chances that a child her age would say such witty, eloquent, and intelligent things so often are extremely slim; I've yet to see it myself. On the surface, it may seem that the things Nattie says are quite plausible... I argue, they are not.
I've helped assist children for over 10 years with reading and literacy related activities (grades SK-4, but usually around 8 years old—yes, Natties age!). It's safe to say that I've had hundreds of these little monsters read with me. I've also read much pertaining to child psychology; so, even though I cannot claim to be an expert, I do feel that I am qualified to make the forthcoming observations due to my level of experience alone.
We know that kids often parrot things they hear; so yes, it is possible that they could make any comment, no matter how clever. They don't have to understand the words to say them. I get this; but, Nattie says witty things on just about every page, such that require far too much brain processing for a girl her age, and she does this seemingly on the spot. Such children are simply not equipped with the reasoning, language skills, and capacities to do this. Even given time to think about what to say, they likely could not think of such clever things.
I believe that Nattie speaks around the level of an exceptionally bright 12-16 year old. People who (unfortunately) have had experience with grade 6 kids will likely agree that they have the capability to be smartypants, talk back, and question authority (regardless of the senselessness of it). Even at this stage, their witty comments are generally thought of beforehand and their delivery quite awkward—strongly verging on 'cringe' (in their words!). They appear as if struggling to draw a load which is far beyond their capacity to bear, crushed by its weight, as they hopelessly attempt rein in the qualities of 'clever' and 'cool', which don't even exist (on their map, anyways).
In summation, teens suck.
Thankfully, this is not an issue which affects 'precocious' Nattie...
Let me give you 3 quotes of what Nattie says to illustrate my point:
SENTENCE #1. Nattie makes a list of her top 5 summer foods. One of her items on the list is written as:
"Green beans — Ha, Ha! (You know I'm kidding, right?)"
First of all, I've yet to see a child of 8 who would use an em dash in a sentence. Or brackets. Or a comma. Not to mention, an em dash, exclamation mark, question mark, comma, and brackets, all in one uninterrupted line. Nope, too much of a stretch. Children of this age barely ever use question marks, though have been taught them in school. Nor can they usually explain (in a quick and coherent manner) what they are used for, what they mean, or when to use them. I know this because whilst reading with children, we often come upon question marks (and very rarely have I seen an em dash in a child's book), and I'll quiz them on why they are there and what they do. Generally, I'm given either a very jagged response which, for the most part, is incorrect (having only a very slight connection to the proper meaning), or they will just remain silent for a moment and then tell me they don't know (perhaps because the effort expending such is just to great to even try, so they save time by keeping quiet—little buggers.)
I was teaching a girl who was in grade 3 (approx. 9 years old) how to use an em dash. This girl was exceptionally bright; she tested at a grade 7 level in spelling. She went on to take an intelligence test, given by her school, which came back with her being something to the tune of 1 in 100000 for her IQ. She was then accepted into the school's enrichment program. He mother was telling me that she, herself, was reading simple things at age two. Smart cookies! And still, teaching this girl how to use the em dash was a struggle. She would really have to take her time and think about it, and would almost always parrot something resembling my example, even having been told not to. This is not something that a child learns in grade three, or even thinks of using, for the most part. Not to mention that this is just a thing Nattie seemed to do on her on initiative.
Okay, lets be fair and say that this is just the author's grammar—one must be but a trifle eloquent for their readers now and then, right! (...but, will I bite?) There are contradicting issues, right off the bat: her usage of the em dash, with a space before and after it, is incorrect, leading me to believe that it was not the author who was meant to be seen as having wrote it, but the child. But, lets just put that aside. Again, I'm pulling all resources to be fair here.
It's still not believable.
Why? Because children, at 8 years old, don't use/understand sarcasm that well, at all. How do I know? Because I've spent that past several years working one on one with grade 1 and 2 students, and I'm big on sarcasm. It seems that unless the sarcasm is completely ridiculous (eg., "you are made of green cheese", *giggles emitted from the child, the reply often being along the lines of: "No, that's silly! That's not true!"*), children simply don't take it in jest, much less think to make up such a thing and use it. I've once said in a completely silly and very obviously sarcastic voice to a child (referring to her friend who was being silly at the time), "Sometimes, she can be a little... nuts..." The child was quite offended, thinking it was said in truth. Of course, I apologized and said it was just a silly joke, and the child was instantly happy again (just knowing it was a joke is often enough for a child to laugh at it). This is but a small example to show that the concept of sarcasm is one that is not yet fully understood at that age. The fact is that such a concept, as well as other words with complex meanings, such as 'irony', are generally not learned until high school.
Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself! In the comments and explain the meaning of the word 'sarcasm' in a manner that an 8 year old child could easily grasp. Type it all in one go—don't take any breaks to think of it, but just write it down 'as is,' because, if it's that easy to understand, and if little 8 year old Nattie understood, surely you (likely, a preteen, teen or grownup) should be able to do such a simple task? The catch is that an 8 year old's attention span is quite short; the younger the child, the shorter, and the faster the child will 'tune out.' That being said, in my experience, an eight year old kid has about 5-10 seconds (at the absolute most) to explain a complex thing before that child just completely loses you, either due to complexity or boredom or both. Likely a very good reason why grownups so often tell their kids "Because I said so!"
SENTENCE #2. Nattie replies to her guardian, Jack, about how she wants him to marry Laura (the pretty Amish girl on the front cover):
"She's just Amish, silly. Besides, what would be so different? She's over here all the time, and she acts like a mom, and you guys act like you're married."
Far too complicated for any 8 year old to think of (even if they were given days to think of it and write it down) much less to spit out in its entirety right on the spot. And it's said far too perfectly: even many adults wouldn't be able to join so many proofs and comments so quickly and eloquently. The logic and reasoning which accompany this sentence are more indicative of what a very bright 12-14 year old might say. It is a rather non-disputed fact in child psychology (and, well, I'm sure most parents would agree) that a child does not process things completely logically before the age of 12; that part of the brain simply isn't mature enough yet, so they are still quite animalistic in their thinking. This goes doubly for things which have emotional value tied to them; which, as the story led me to believe, Nattie has a very strong desire for her Uncle to marry Laura and has manifested this in many ways.
Yes, kids do have to use simple logic, but for an 8 year old to put together all those points and proofs so well would be akin to an adult orating a perfect essay on a random subject on the spot; yes, perhaps it's possible, but not without a few ummm's and ahhh's, some awkward air, and disjointed sentence structure that would make the whole process seem rather cringe-worthy. The thinking and processing, adding the proper grammatical conjunctions (eg., 'and'), and the usage of several contractions, all done at once, no forethought, are just too much for a child—pray, show me a child that regularly speak at this level! Come now!
So, what would be a more realistic reply for a girl of her age and emotional ties?
This:
"She's... like... Amish, you know—WHY are you guys not married? WHY!!! You should be married! You just... should!"
As you see, there really wouldn't be much rationality coming from an 8 year old; it would be mostly emotions, and rarely would they provide actual facts which could be tied with logical reason.
Also, it wouldn't be apparent to a child of this age that they even needed to offer proof to their statements, nor that their arguments were theirs alone; to them, if it's felt strongly, it's truth. But why is this? Because at the age of 8 they haven't learned how to think and respond in such a manner; these are things that have to be learned. Children learn to provide facts and proof through means of writing essays and doing book reports at school. And at 8 years old, Nattie is in grade 2/3. If the teacher told Nattie to write an essay (she wouldn't even know what the word 'essay' meant, to begin with) about why Jake and Laura should be married, she would not even approach the eloquence of the quote above. Instead, it would be disjointed, grammatically incorrect in several places, and likely offer a few unrealistic ideas. This is even if Nattie were to be given a week to come up with this alone (obviously, she was not receiving help at the time to speak such things, but was just speaking her mind as it came to her on the spot). We all know that we can write more eloquently than we can speak. The time taken allows us to better process what we want to say, so it comes out more clear.
And at that age, a child tends to think that you already know why, that you have the same views already and, in essence, see through their eyes. An example of this is how, when reading with children, they often hold the book in such a way that makes it impossible for others to see the text (this is more indicative of a 0-7 year old, but you get the idea). They assume that because they can see it, we can too, nor would they even think to check. The same goes for thinking: they simply would not offer a reason for their thinking. It's unrealistic, unlearned, and unexpected.
SENTENCE #3. Nattie, having just decided to play a game with her guardian, says:
"But I have to warn you. I'm out to win!"
If I were to hear a child say this to me, I would be quite amazed. It carries such strong implausibilities that it saddens me. It's possible that the phrase, "I'm out to win!" could be parroted; I'll allow for that, but this was said as if on cue and without err; it's simply too quick for a child's mind to produce. And, this phrase is an idiom (eg., "I'm out"). Idioms are a whole different realm; they involve a whole different level of thinking and knowing.
Children of 8 years generally don't use idioms, and if they do, they tend to be very short independent one-liners (just the idiom itself with nothing attached) that they heard their parents saying over and over. Children tend to say things that are simple and concrete, leaving out the abstract, almost completely: "Yeah! I'm gonna win!" Note that even the 'and' is omitted between 'Yeah!' and "I'm gonna win!", as children just don't think to include that conjunction.
The biggie, though, is not the aforementioned phrase, per se, but the combining with, "But I have to warn you," which is another phrase that children generally wouldn't think of saying. The two, together, make it unbelievable. Seems so simple, yes, but it really does take some serious brain power to pump out idioms on the spot and combine them in such a manner. This has to be learned, and at 8 years, no.
I find it bizarre that the author decided to use two separate sentences to say the one thing, and not just use a colon (or even just to replace the middle period with a space, would be fine); but, whatev's. The first time I read this, it came across to me that Nattie was actually saying
"But I have to warn you [that] I'm out to win!" This being just a straight sentence. But, in retrospect, it is even more inconceivable, as now I believe that the author meant the period in the middle to be a pause.
What's wrong with that, you say? Well, now you are forcing me to be sad, but if it pleases you, I'll explain: aside from the aforementioned implausibility, the child now adds a dramatic *pause* for effect. She, apparently, having devised the whole sentence, on the spot, and with no time for forethought, has also added drama to her words. No. Children haven't learned such a technique of dramatics. The school system hasn't taught it to them yet, nor would they think to use it in a crunch so smoothly. Even if they heard their parents using such a technique, it would have to be heard over and over and when the child was to use it, they would need a little time to plan its execution. Per se, this is actually plausible, but combined with all the other complexities of the sentence, it's verges on impossible.
Combine this with the usage of the conjunction 'but' (which has not only several common senses, but several grammatical classifications)—to begin the sentence. In this case, the sense meaning either 'contrary to [your] expectation' or 'with the exception that'. Pray, for the love of Jupiter, what child would even know such a thing? Come now!
Lets say she knew—shes made the sacrifice and eaten from the tree of knowledge. I can say that, at least in the presence of grown-ups, she'd feel incredibly naked to speak such.
Why?
Well, the word 'but' sounds like 'butt', and though as adults we don't usually make that connection, children do. They spot these types of homophones all the time because their mind is still learning to separate such words and meanings.
As an example, I often see the word 'but' in sentences whilst reading with children. Generally, a short pause is noted before they say the word (sometimes they will not even say it and make me say it, not even repeating after I've said it, as they would usually do when being corrected.) But, children usually would not consider using such a word anyways. They just don't wanna 'go there'. They know beforehand, from previous experiences, that it is 'embarrassment territory.'
Most parents, I believe, know that mentioning homophones which remind them of the most intimate parts of their bodies embarrasses them, so it perplexes me why this author seemed to include it.
I could list more examples and go deeper into the transient psychological and phonetic factors, but haven't you suffered enough? (in reality, I just ran out of characters) At this point, you deserve a gold metal just for listening *places a plastic gold metal on your neck and offers a genuinely heart-felt half hug for your loyalty and persistence*.
Anyways, aside from that one very trifling thing, an excellent review! The book is wonderful, and I'd love to elaborate on such, but alas...
...I'm all out of gold metals...
Thank you! :)
May 6, 2019
Child of Mine is the story of Jack and his adopted niece/daughter Nattie. Jack's brother and sister-in-law adopted Nattie as an infant, and when they died in an accident, Jack was given guardianship. Jack employs a Beachy Amish (a type of Amish that is a little less strict) nanny, Laura, to care for her. Nattie has faced a lot of loss in her life, as she knows she was adopted. She is on a relentless quest for a mom, and hopes that Jack will marry her nanny, so they can be a traditional family. Nattie rejects any of the woman her aunt San places before Jack, because no one holds a candle to Laura. Then Kelly, who is on a quest for her daughter who was kidnapped as an infant, comes into their lives. Initially there to surreptitiously discover if Nattie could be her own daughter, Kelly and Jack form a real attachment—one that Nattie approves of. But will it all be blown apart when Jack finds out why Kelly came into his life? Will Nattie learn who her biological mother is?
So this is definitely Christian fiction. I was hoping I'd be more amenable to religious based writing because the focus was on the Amish culture, but honestly, Kelly and Jack's faith were more in the forefront. I'm just going to have to accept that these sorts of books aren't my cup of tea. Beyond that, I felt like the writers didn't give the characters enough time to develop the romantic feelings they display. In the course of one summer, Jack dates multiple "random" women, including his daughter's school counselor and a friend of his sister. Plus he gives thought to Nattie's suggestion of dating Laura, and develops a relationship with Kelly. That seems a bit much for the type of man Jack is portrayed as. Jack's actions toward Laura also irk me at points.
All in all, not a bad book by any means. I like how Kelly handles the situation with I also really like the ending, when the readers figure out who Nattie's biological mother is. It's a surprise, and a well-executed one. The book overall just wasn't really for me.
So this is definitely Christian fiction. I was hoping I'd be more amenable to religious based writing because the focus was on the Amish culture, but honestly, Kelly and Jack's faith were more in the forefront. I'm just going to have to accept that these sorts of books aren't my cup of tea. Beyond that, I felt like the writers didn't give the characters enough time to develop the romantic feelings they display. In the course of one summer, Jack dates multiple "random" women, including his daughter's school counselor and a friend of his sister. Plus he gives thought to Nattie's suggestion of dating Laura, and develops a relationship with Kelly. That seems a bit much for the type of man Jack is portrayed as. Jack's actions toward Laura also irk me at points.
All in all, not a bad book by any means. I like how Kelly handles the situation with I also really like the ending, when the readers figure out who Nattie's biological mother is. It's a surprise, and a well-executed one. The book overall just wasn't really for me.
June 22, 2014
Combining their efforts for a solidly entertaining read, husband and wife David and Beverly Lewis offer up an intriguing story in their latest book "Child of Mine". What would you do if your baby daughter was kidnapped? How long would you search before you gave up, if you did at all? Would you ever be able to move on? The authors have tackled this difficult "what if" scenario through the eyes of character Kelly Maine, and have done a wonderful job at dealing with something so heartbreaking while still having many light-hearted moments in the book. Kelly's story blends nicely with that of Jack Livingston and his niece, Natalie, and I enjoyed watching Jack and Kelly's relationship develop, along with Jack's relationship with nanny Laura as well. There were many unexpected twists and turns in this story where you are left pondering who is Kelly's long-lost daughter or who Jack will end up with. These mysterious elements kept the story moving along nicely, because I will say that I felt the book to be a bit detailed in some areas, to the point that the overall story did slow down. In fact, I would just be feeling tempted to skim ahead when another twist would show up, engaging me once again, and for this I commend the authors. I felt that the authors realistically portrayed Kelly's situation and I liked how they ended up resolving it, without a perfectly happy ending but rather one that reflects real life.
Those readers who have enjoyed previous books from these authors will find much to appreciate in "Child of Mine". I was left with a smile on my face, and I'm sure you will too. 3 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
Those readers who have enjoyed previous books from these authors will find much to appreciate in "Child of Mine". I was left with a smile on my face, and I'm sure you will too. 3 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
June 13, 2014
I got 99 problems and Amish romance novels are one of them. I don't go purposely looking for them or anything and more often than not I get kind of angry at the authors for assuming the Amish are these perfect, angel like creatures who fall into gentle, totally G rated love with each other and never experience problems worse than pissing off the bishop by daring to read a magazine. But that's also kind of why I love them. There's something comforting about the idea that faith in god and living a simple, mindful life will make everything utterly perfect. I think it reminds me of my childhood and the sort of mindless simplicity of simply believing because everyone told me to and that warm community that always liked me even though I was a weird, smelly little loony tune.
May 31, 2016
Read this on the Kindle
I enjoyed this book you had two stories which intertwined you had Jack who has adopted his adopted Niece Natalie after his brother & wife were killed Laura who is Amish she is the Nanny
Then you have Kelly looking for her daughter who was kidnapped when was only a few weeks old now nearly 9 years later she still looking
Is Natalie Kelly's daughter
This has a very good twist at the end with a nice ending
I enjoyed this book you had two stories which intertwined you had Jack who has adopted his adopted Niece Natalie after his brother & wife were killed Laura who is Amish she is the Nanny
Then you have Kelly looking for her daughter who was kidnapped when was only a few weeks old now nearly 9 years later she still looking
Is Natalie Kelly's daughter
This has a very good twist at the end with a nice ending
Read
July 21, 2014Another great book by David and Beverly Lewis. Surprises in store in this book! Recommended!
July 2, 2016
Great read
Love reading her books. Lots of twists to her stories but always a fantastic ending. Never what you excpect. Highly recommend.
Love reading her books. Lots of twists to her stories but always a fantastic ending. Never what you excpect. Highly recommend.
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