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Finding Dad: From "Love Child" to Daughter
"Think what her father would have missed if Kara hadn't been tenacious enough to pursue, not just her own identity, but his as well."—Mika Brzezinski, MSNBC's Morning Joe Kara Hewes had never seen her father, Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun, until one transformational moment when she awoke in the middle of the night as a TV news anchor announced his candidacy. One look at his picture and she knew she needed to find him. Her letters and phone calls went unanswered, so at seventeen, Kara hired a lawyer and announced her paternity suit before a packed press conference. In the middle of the media frenzy, Governor Sundlun did the unexpected and invited Kara to come live with him so he could get to know her better. Kara knew that in order to move forward with her father, she had to make the choice to forgive the past. It was her unconditional love that broke down the barriers separating father and daughter. Kara Sundlun is an Emmy Award–winning television journalist. She anchors the news for WFSB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Connecticut, and hosts two shows—the popular daytime talk show Better Connecticut and Kara's Cures , a guide to health and spirituality. Kara is also a contributor for the Huffington Post . She was named "Best Reporter" by Hartford Magazine and "Top 40 under 40" from Hartford Business Journal and Connecticut Magazine . She and her husband, fellow news anchor Dennis House, live in Hartford, Connecticut, with their two children.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2014
7 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 2, 2015
Kara (Hewes) Sundlun’s book Finding Dad From ”Love Child” To Daughter immediately captured my interest. It was not only that she is a local celebrity, news anchor on our CBS news channel, or that she is a Connecticut author but that the memoir she writes is a quest for identity and validation.
”Love Child” is a catchy phrase and I suppose it explains the conception without marriage or commitment of this child. Kara Hewes grows up knowing minimal facts about her father, Bruce Sundlun. A brief meeting of biological father and baby ended in his statement that Kara was ”going to have personality” and that was the end of his involvement. Kara’s mother filed a paternity suit that was settled out of court for $35,000. That could have been that and yet Kara’s curiosity about Sundlun was always with her. She knew he was a war hero, a businessman and politician. At the age of thirteen she sees him on TV when the 1988 gubernatorial results for Rhode Island are announced. Bruce Sundlun lost that race but didn’t know he was about to gain a daughter.
The telling of her story answers questions that must plague children who do not know or are not recognized by birth parents. It should provide encouragement to others to have the bravery and determination to believe in yourself and your right to know. Kara not only wants this but also expects to have a relationship with the man who fathered her. Through spits and starts and perseverance it becomes clear to Bruce Sundlun that Kara Hewes is not going away. How lucky for both Kara and Bruce that she did not give up.
Finding Dad From ”Love Child” To Daughter is an engrossing read that explains the need to connect and understand the biological parent. The writing is good, not great, but that is not what is important here. The background story of Kara Sundlun’s accomplishments as Emmy Award Winning News Anchor and Talk Show Host are interesting but really that’s not what is important here. It is Kara’s story, her journey, her relationship with her “dad” that is.
”Love Child” is a catchy phrase and I suppose it explains the conception without marriage or commitment of this child. Kara Hewes grows up knowing minimal facts about her father, Bruce Sundlun. A brief meeting of biological father and baby ended in his statement that Kara was ”going to have personality” and that was the end of his involvement. Kara’s mother filed a paternity suit that was settled out of court for $35,000. That could have been that and yet Kara’s curiosity about Sundlun was always with her. She knew he was a war hero, a businessman and politician. At the age of thirteen she sees him on TV when the 1988 gubernatorial results for Rhode Island are announced. Bruce Sundlun lost that race but didn’t know he was about to gain a daughter.
The telling of her story answers questions that must plague children who do not know or are not recognized by birth parents. It should provide encouragement to others to have the bravery and determination to believe in yourself and your right to know. Kara not only wants this but also expects to have a relationship with the man who fathered her. Through spits and starts and perseverance it becomes clear to Bruce Sundlun that Kara Hewes is not going away. How lucky for both Kara and Bruce that she did not give up.
Finding Dad From ”Love Child” To Daughter is an engrossing read that explains the need to connect and understand the biological parent. The writing is good, not great, but that is not what is important here. The background story of Kara Sundlun’s accomplishments as Emmy Award Winning News Anchor and Talk Show Host are interesting but really that’s not what is important here. It is Kara’s story, her journey, her relationship with her “dad” that is.
February 1, 2015
Kara Hewes was a struggling young teenager until she discovered that she was the love child of then Gov. Bruce Sundlun. Once she confronted Sundlun with her identity, her life significantly changed. Poorly written and Kara's selfish, egotistical personality comes through in this tale of discovering one's identity and using it to step up in life.
January 2, 2015
When I asked for this book for Christmas, I had no idea how much Kara's story would be similar to my own. Although my own father did accept me since day one, I did not get an opportunity to meet him until I was 16. Sadly, I only had 14 years to spend getting to know him before we lost him unexpectedly. Reading "Finding Dad..." showed me that my story is not as rare as I would have expected. I was amazed at Kara's determination at such a young age to find her father and to build a relationship with him. Reading about that relationship and all of the ups and downs of it was touching, numerous, and even educational. Kara did a beautiful job sharing such personal details about their growth together while still honoring her father's memory. I am envious of the relationship Kara built also with her brothers and the rest of the Sundlun family. It is rare that I read a book in just 3 days, but in this case, I had to force myself to put the book away several times to go to bed, go to church, or go to New Year celebrations. This was a beautiful story shared by a beautiful woman. I'm sure Governor Sundlun would be very proud.
January 22, 2015
Very interesting story. The ending was so good that I stayed up very late to finish the book, and now i'm very tired. I couldn't stop reading at the end. Having elderly parents myself, I could really relate to what Kara was going through as she was with her father until the end. This is definitely a book I would recommend you pick up.
November 14, 2014
The Power of Love
This is a heart-warming story of a daughter determined to find and love a famous father who abandoned her to her birth mother. Governor Bruce Sundlun was the 'John Wayne' of Rhode Island politics. This courageous war hero, very successful business tycoon, and notorious womanizer inherited a financial credit union crisis upon becoming governor. Governor Sundlun was a larger than life personality who wasn't hesitant in making decisions - controversial or not. It was really nice to read a book with a positive ending that emphasizes forgiveness and spiritual love.
This is a heart-warming story of a daughter determined to find and love a famous father who abandoned her to her birth mother. Governor Bruce Sundlun was the 'John Wayne' of Rhode Island politics. This courageous war hero, very successful business tycoon, and notorious womanizer inherited a financial credit union crisis upon becoming governor. Governor Sundlun was a larger than life personality who wasn't hesitant in making decisions - controversial or not. It was really nice to read a book with a positive ending that emphasizes forgiveness and spiritual love.
May 21, 2023
Yet another book I’d hoped to like but just couldn’t.
Kara is a long time fixture at channel 3 in CT.
The book is just appallingly hypocritical. Kara says it was never about her father being a multimillionaire. In the next paragraph it’s all about how much she hoped to extract from him.
When gov Sundlan refused to provide any additional money after an initial $35,000 to her mother, Kara stepped up her demands and got an aggressive lawyer. Now she had DNA proof.
Everyone in the book is despicable. Kara was the result of an affair her mother, a stewardess on sundlan’s private jet, while he was married to wife no 3. [He went on to marry 2 more times].
Birth control was easily available in 1975 when she was born.
Kara forces her way into his family and claims they soon came to love her. Her story contradicts this.
Although her mother encouraged the suits and contacting tabloid media, she failed to see Kara would be so smitten with the lifestyle of her multimillionaire father her mother gained nothing. Kara spent every available moment with her new, wealthy family in Newport, Jamaica and hunt country, VA.
They had also filed a defamation suit against him but dropped that.
The book ends giddily. I was left wondering where the mother was.
It reflects so badly on Kara I wonder who encouraged her to publish it.
It’s nearly as embarrassing to read as it was to write. Try Mark Haddon, a young English writer, who’s written a couple very amusing novels.
This is just depressing.
Kara is a long time fixture at channel 3 in CT.
The book is just appallingly hypocritical. Kara says it was never about her father being a multimillionaire. In the next paragraph it’s all about how much she hoped to extract from him.
When gov Sundlan refused to provide any additional money after an initial $35,000 to her mother, Kara stepped up her demands and got an aggressive lawyer. Now she had DNA proof.
Everyone in the book is despicable. Kara was the result of an affair her mother, a stewardess on sundlan’s private jet, while he was married to wife no 3. [He went on to marry 2 more times].
Birth control was easily available in 1975 when she was born.
Kara forces her way into his family and claims they soon came to love her. Her story contradicts this.
Although her mother encouraged the suits and contacting tabloid media, she failed to see Kara would be so smitten with the lifestyle of her multimillionaire father her mother gained nothing. Kara spent every available moment with her new, wealthy family in Newport, Jamaica and hunt country, VA.
They had also filed a defamation suit against him but dropped that.
The book ends giddily. I was left wondering where the mother was.
It reflects so badly on Kara I wonder who encouraged her to publish it.
It’s nearly as embarrassing to read as it was to write. Try Mark Haddon, a young English writer, who’s written a couple very amusing novels.
This is just depressing.
September 26, 2019
I recommend this book because it's well written and keeps you interested throughout. I always noticed how good looking Kara Sundlun was on channel 3 news in Connecticut and personal memoir books are my favorite so it was worth reading.
July 23, 2022
For anyone who didn't in believe The Orphan Annie story, read this. Fascinating.
July 17, 2015
I need to get more copies of this book in stock, because I am going to recommend it to everyone! You know how sometimes you are drawn to a book? I usually refer to that as 'books falling off the shelves'. If you are meant to read it, it will make you take notice even if it has to jump right off the shelf. I'm being metaphorical, but since I work in a bookstore, books falling off shelves in front of me is quite common, so the universe had to come at me from a different angle for me to notice.
I moved to RI from CT 3 years ago, but still keep my doctor in CT. At a recent checkup, he asked me (he knows I work for Barnes & Noble) if I'd heard anything about that book about the Governor of RI. He couldn't remember much about it, just that it was by a reporter who was his daughter. I politely said that that sounded interesting and I'd have to look for it. Then I forgot about it.
Recently, putting away books at work, I saw the name Kara Sundlun and recognized her immediately on the cover because I watched her when I was in CT. When I read the back and saw the Governor connection, I realized that it was the book my doctor had been referring to. I put it on my To Be Read list, but there were so many ahead of it! So one day when I finished reading a book I had borrowed from the library on my NOOK, I knew I should pick up one of the two physical books I had right next to me that I couldn't wait to read, but I figured it couldn't hurt to browse the available titles (I'm a bit of a library junkie). On Page Two was Finding Dad.
The other books could wait.
I like memoirs of any kind, and "knowing" Kara Sundlun from tv, I thought it would be interesting. I had no idea it would be FASCINATING!!! So inspirational how relentless she was. It is a story of following your heart and doing what you know you need to do, no matter the obstacles in your way. She battled through the shell of a warrior to find a marshmallow, and got what she wanted: a relationship with her father. I cried a lot as read the final chapters today, as yesterday was my mother's funeral. I knew mom wanted us to be happy and celebrate, so I never shed a tear. Today I cried for the loss of Kara's father, releasing tears that I had held inside for the past few days. I'd thank her for sharing that moment with me. Her words helped me to grieve, so I know now why I had to read this book.
So now that I've brought you down, read the book! It's very uplifting! I don't usually read the blurbs in the beginning of books because I'm too excited to start the book, but for some reason I read these, and was psyched to see a glowing endorsement from my hero, Gabby Bernstein! Also, as a writer myself, I have to tip my hat to Kara for crafting an extremely well written memoir.
As a side note, toward the end of the book when her father was in the hospital, she was going off to do a story with her camera man, Peter McCue, who happens to be my cousin...whom I just saw yesterday. Totally bizarre. :)
I moved to RI from CT 3 years ago, but still keep my doctor in CT. At a recent checkup, he asked me (he knows I work for Barnes & Noble) if I'd heard anything about that book about the Governor of RI. He couldn't remember much about it, just that it was by a reporter who was his daughter. I politely said that that sounded interesting and I'd have to look for it. Then I forgot about it.
Recently, putting away books at work, I saw the name Kara Sundlun and recognized her immediately on the cover because I watched her when I was in CT. When I read the back and saw the Governor connection, I realized that it was the book my doctor had been referring to. I put it on my To Be Read list, but there were so many ahead of it! So one day when I finished reading a book I had borrowed from the library on my NOOK, I knew I should pick up one of the two physical books I had right next to me that I couldn't wait to read, but I figured it couldn't hurt to browse the available titles (I'm a bit of a library junkie). On Page Two was Finding Dad.
The other books could wait.
I like memoirs of any kind, and "knowing" Kara Sundlun from tv, I thought it would be interesting. I had no idea it would be FASCINATING!!! So inspirational how relentless she was. It is a story of following your heart and doing what you know you need to do, no matter the obstacles in your way. She battled through the shell of a warrior to find a marshmallow, and got what she wanted: a relationship with her father. I cried a lot as read the final chapters today, as yesterday was my mother's funeral. I knew mom wanted us to be happy and celebrate, so I never shed a tear. Today I cried for the loss of Kara's father, releasing tears that I had held inside for the past few days. I'd thank her for sharing that moment with me. Her words helped me to grieve, so I know now why I had to read this book.
So now that I've brought you down, read the book! It's very uplifting! I don't usually read the blurbs in the beginning of books because I'm too excited to start the book, but for some reason I read these, and was psyched to see a glowing endorsement from my hero, Gabby Bernstein! Also, as a writer myself, I have to tip my hat to Kara for crafting an extremely well written memoir.
As a side note, toward the end of the book when her father was in the hospital, she was going off to do a story with her camera man, Peter McCue, who happens to be my cousin...whom I just saw yesterday. Totally bizarre. :)
July 28, 2015
I do not like to read mushy, touchy-feely books. So why on earth did I read this book which is not at all my cup of tea?
Four years ago, out of the blue, I received an e-mail from someone living near me who wanted to know if I was his 3rd cousin. Turns out we are cousins, and he is the keeper of the extended (over 300 people) family tree. The family is originally from Rhode Island but have scattered over the years. This cousin, Bob, has discovered 7 of us who live in the Phoenix area and 2 in California. So 3 years ago he organized our first family reunion in Phoenix and I met Tracy Sundlun, my 3rd cousin and Kara Sundlun's half-brother.
I always knew I was somehow related to Governor Sundlun but didn't know how. Thanks to the printed family tree, I now know that his first wife, mother of Tracy and his two brothers, and I share the same great-great- grandfather.
We have now had 3 annual reunions. Tracy comes every year and regales us with unbelievable (but true) stories about this way larger than life character who was his father.
As for the book, I've never met or seen Kara on TV, but I have a feeling she should stick to what she does best which is probably journalism. The book was very good at telling me the facts and what sort of man Bruce was, but I can't give the writing any more than a C. It just feels way too long and too drawn out in the emotions category FOR MY TASTE. There are a lot of you who love this sort of book and you are entitled to read, weep all you want and enjoy. It just isn't a book for me.
Four years ago, out of the blue, I received an e-mail from someone living near me who wanted to know if I was his 3rd cousin. Turns out we are cousins, and he is the keeper of the extended (over 300 people) family tree. The family is originally from Rhode Island but have scattered over the years. This cousin, Bob, has discovered 7 of us who live in the Phoenix area and 2 in California. So 3 years ago he organized our first family reunion in Phoenix and I met Tracy Sundlun, my 3rd cousin and Kara Sundlun's half-brother.
I always knew I was somehow related to Governor Sundlun but didn't know how. Thanks to the printed family tree, I now know that his first wife, mother of Tracy and his two brothers, and I share the same great-great- grandfather.
We have now had 3 annual reunions. Tracy comes every year and regales us with unbelievable (but true) stories about this way larger than life character who was his father.
As for the book, I've never met or seen Kara on TV, but I have a feeling she should stick to what she does best which is probably journalism. The book was very good at telling me the facts and what sort of man Bruce was, but I can't give the writing any more than a C. It just feels way too long and too drawn out in the emotions category FOR MY TASTE. There are a lot of you who love this sort of book and you are entitled to read, weep all you want and enjoy. It just isn't a book for me.
December 9, 2014
I watch Kara fairly regularly on her show, Better Connecticut. Being a new viewer of the show, I didn't really know much about her father other than the fact that he was in World War II. When I heard she was writing a book, I knew I'd definitely read it. I was not expecting such a powerful story. It's a story of hope and determination. Maybe I don't have a strained relationship with a family member of my own, but the things I learned while reading Finding Dad made me think. They were things I could apply to my own situations. I'd recommend this book to everyone.
May 24, 2015
Fascinating!!
I saw Kara Sundlun on FOX2 news yesterday morning. She was so engaging with Amy Andrews that I had to read her book. Her authenticity comes through and I could feel her disappointments and accomplishments. Having a great relationship with my dad I celebrated Kara's with Governor Sundlun. Anyone seeking to develop a relationship with or forgive an estranged parent will be buoyed by this book.
I saw Kara Sundlun on FOX2 news yesterday morning. She was so engaging with Amy Andrews that I had to read her book. Her authenticity comes through and I could feel her disappointments and accomplishments. Having a great relationship with my dad I celebrated Kara's with Governor Sundlun. Anyone seeking to develop a relationship with or forgive an estranged parent will be buoyed by this book.
March 6, 2015
Started off repetitive, in then her story sucked me in!
I saw Kara speak briefly at an author talk at Renbrook School and someone asked her if she ever considered writing the story as fiction. It would have been a fantastic novel, but now I feel like I really know Kara and the great true things that she and her dad overcame and accomplished.
I saw Kara speak briefly at an author talk at Renbrook School and someone asked her if she ever considered writing the story as fiction. It would have been a fantastic novel, but now I feel like I really know Kara and the great true things that she and her dad overcame and accomplished.
February 17, 2015
Excellent story..Recommend highly.
January 13, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. Ms. Sundlun is a beautiful writer and very courageous for sharing her story. Definitely recommend this one.
May 18, 2015
Great read. Honest, straightforward.
April 19, 2015
Well worth reading.
December 22, 2015
Fantastic story and honestly told. Found that I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.
December 26, 2015
Enjoyed reading about how a daughter discovers her Dad and how he learns to show love.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews