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Secrets #3

A Mother's Conviction

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Single mom Bethany Morris loves her 6-year-old foster daughter, Willow, as if she were her own. When Willow’s real mother is released early from prison, Bethany isn’t ready to let the little girl go. Trying to justify her reluctance to say good-bye, she digs into the mother’s shady past and struggles to deal with what she finds out. Across the state line, Willow’s half-sister lives with her dad, Conner Walker, a man who never stays in one place for too long. When he returns to the town where he grew up, he realizes he’s been cheating his daughter out of a place to call home. For the first time in years, he wonders if he should keep running or make a stand in court. How far will Bethany and Conner go to keep their families together?

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2015

488 people are currently reading
749 people want to read

About the author

Karen Lenfestey

17 books86 followers
Karen Lenfestey, a Midwest Writer’s Fellowship winner, writes “happy endings with a twist.”

Karen has a bachelor's degree in advertising from Purdue University and a master's degree in counseling from its rival school, Indiana University. (Please don't ask her to choose favorites!) During the week, she advises students, on the weekends, she writes and on vacations, she loves to travel.

She is active on Goodreads and Facebook and she loves to hear from readers on her website, www.karensnovels.com.

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5 stars
485 (41%)
4 stars
403 (34%)
3 stars
208 (17%)
2 stars
56 (4%)
1 star
23 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
Profile Image for Melodie.
589 reviews79 followers
September 7, 2015
A Mother's Conviction is the final installment of the Secret series. We pick up Bethany as a decision is forced on her with the release of her foster daughter's mother from prison. Bethany continues to struggle with her self esteem which affects her relationship with her boyfriend. Bethany just has a lot going on.
As always in this author's books there are plot twists and characters that seemingly come out of nowhere but fit right in. And this one is no different.There is actually a trio of moms and a single dad that all have different struggles to go through.
I enjoyed this series, but this one was my hands down favorite. The story was fast paced and too soon it was over. If you haven't read the other two books in the series, no worries. This one stands up well all by itself.
19 reviews1 follower
June 24, 2015
This book is the third in the Secrets Series but can be read as a stand alone. The story centers around Bethany, from Book 2, and her foster daughter, Willow, and (without giving away too much of the storyline) also includes other characters from the previous books in the series, as well as some new ones.

As with all of Karen's books, this one kept me up to the wee hours of the morning. The story is fast paced, does not drag in ANY parts, and I read it within two days.

I look forward to her new series that I understand she is currently working on.

Karen Misiaszek








Profile Image for Helen.
95 reviews4 followers
April 23, 2016
This book was brilliant but left me wanting more. Not because it was a bad ending but just because I wasn't ready for it to end
Profile Image for caroljordan.
191 reviews
June 11, 2016
You are my real mother

I loved this heartbreaking book. Loves grows in your heart. Giving birth does not make you a mother. Daily love does.
53 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2018
No, just no.

No one with even a passing knowledge of the social services system, foster care, or the prison system could have written this book. So many unbelievable(and not in a good way) plot twists.

Why did I finish it? Two words: train wreck.
1,135 reviews16 followers
June 5, 2016
A MOTHER'S CONVICTION

This was the best book of the series, everything came together. I love the main characters in all three books, in this one Bethany finally grows up and is making better choices.
Profile Image for hilda anaya.
14 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2016
Amazing

This series was so heartwarming and made you feel for the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Please continue it
Profile Image for Lisa Steiner.
9 reviews
July 24, 2016
Good clean book.

I've read all three books in this series and enjoyed each one. Clean books with a good meaningful story line.
92 reviews
August 25, 2016
This is true to life in showing how the mistakes of our youth can affect what happens later in life. Some of us choose to do better and some just can't put it behind us.
Profile Image for Patti.
91 reviews
February 26, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Shannon-I didnt read Books 1 or 2 didnt know it was a series. So you may not like the story.
2,017 reviews57 followers
February 27, 2018
What it got right: The emotions and general upheaval involved with foster care, and the idea that appearances can be very deceiving.

What it got wrong: Fairly much everything else to do with the foster care system.

Another issue for me was the lack of consistency. There were a few errors within the text itself, and the language when Conner was around kept veering into that more typically found in a romance novel, but the most glaring was the presence of the private investigator.

It got 2 stars for the story and being easy to read, but I won't read it again, nor will I read anything else by this author. Too many factual errors that would have been very easy to check.
Profile Image for Katie.
381 reviews1 follower
February 26, 2018
By the end of this book I just didn’t care about any of the characters. All of the adults were really self-righteous and incredibly selfish. I guess Melodie wasn’t horrible, just painfully naïve. There’s so much this book does poorly, and very little that it does right. A foster parent does not decide if a child is going to return to their biological mother. A judge, social worker, Guardian ad Litem would all be involved. Someone who can’t afford to buy soap would not have the money to hire a private investigator, yet Gola magically does! Conner’s parental rights hadn’t been terminated, and Bella/Kaylee/Skye’s mother was in prison. He would have legally had custody of his daughter, but he never bothered to figure that out. Instead he just decided to uproot her over and over, leave her home alone, change her name multiple times, and lie to her. And I’m supposed to think he’s a good father? He’s not.
Profile Image for Shirley Bottoms.
24 reviews3 followers
January 23, 2018
A Mother’s Conviction was a very good book, which I read twice. I was very impressed with the Father raising his child alone and the Foster Mother, who really wanted the best for the child she was keeping. There were four different women that the story was about, which made it kind of hard to keep up with them. It all came together and made for a very good read. It was hard for me to put the book down, even the second time of reading, so I finished it before going to bed. It was a free book, which will really be worth your time reading.
340 reviews3 followers
February 7, 2018
Maybe if I had read the first two books in this series first, I would have enjoyed this more. I kept filling like I was missing back story, because I was. I would not recommend this book as a stand alone.

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It bugged me like crazy that Gola supposedly had money to hire a P.I. even though she had been in prison for years and was begging her 6 year old for money. Stupid. I can't get past that glaring mistake by the author. I won't be looking for others by this author. The book was just ok for me.
40 reviews
January 18, 2017
A silent surprise

I read all three books and the more I read the more I became entwined in Bethany 's journey. This book is so poignant and heart pulling that all you want is to make everything work out for her. The author did an amazing job with all three stories by captivating is in all the characters. There is no way you will not feel every word, every hurt every joy and every heartbreak.
Profile Image for Barbara "Cookie" Serfaty Williams.
2,705 reviews5 followers
May 7, 2018
A Mother's Conviction (Secrets Series Book 3)

Beth has become a foster parent, she has Skye's half sister Willow. Jim now Conner has move back to his home town and Skye want to stay. He has meet the next door neighbor and she is a lawyer. Gola is out of jail and want Skye. Will Conner lose Skye to Gola? Will Gola take Willow too? Great story, full on love, family drama, and lose.
Profile Image for Betty Hutchinson.
81 reviews6 followers
December 7, 2018
What is right is not always what is easiest.

Two sisters separated after a car accident. A mother just being released from prison. A father on the run. A foster mother who wants what is best. Will the girls be reunited? Who will they love with? What is best for these two little girls? Find out what happens to Willow and Skye in this story of twists and turns. You will be guessing until the last pages. Well written!
226 reviews3 followers
January 26, 2018
Not for Me

By page 10, I knew this was a mistake. Deleted at about page 30. For those who enjoy sappy romances and/or happy (whatever the insane situation) family soap opera genres, I'm sure this will be appreciated. My defense is that the book is not represented in its true genre in the reviews I read on Amazon. It's on me, but I have no time for this stuff.
282 reviews2 followers
February 2, 2018
Examined some tough, contemporary issues.

This story highlighted some tough real life challenges. We see the best and the worst of human nature, and how our mistakes and decisions have a ripple effect on those around us. Overcoming failure often comes down to choice, perseverance, support from others and loving another more than shelf.
Profile Image for Susan Cairney.
103 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2019
It was ok, I wouldn't recommend it to my friends to read but it was a simple read, if not a bit unconvincing that the judicial system would behave like the book reads it does! I usually give books 5 stars cos if they aren't doing it for me I stop reading - but I finished this one even though at times (more than once) I almost stopped to start something else
954 reviews2 followers
December 30, 2023
Amazing ending to the series. I read them as individual books many years ago, but when going through my Kindle and realized they were related, I decided to read them again in order. I remembered the first one completely, so did not reread it, but the second and now this one were like I'd never read them. Rereading them, in order, made them so terrific. Loved the stories
Profile Image for Brenda.
5 reviews2 followers
October 11, 2017
This book was great but left me wanting more. Not because it was a bad ending but just because I wasn't ready for it to end . I read all three and loved the story. It kept me up all night wanting to now what was going to happen next.
Profile Image for Rose Helg.
2,880 reviews28 followers
January 22, 2018
Good Book

This book was good. At first, I didn't know I was going to like it. Because, they had different people, but as you get into the book, it all came together. Because of two little girls. The ending was good. I couldn't put it down.
Profile Image for Teresa Teaford.
6 reviews1 follower
January 28, 2018
Not a big reader

I truly enjoyed everything about this book. The more I read the more I wanted to read. I was sad when it ended not because it left me wondering but because I just wanted more.
Profile Image for Timothy.
56 reviews
January 28, 2018
Confusing mix of characters

An alcoholic mother kills two and injures her children. When she's up for parole, everyone involved tries to adapt. If you can keep the characters straight, you might enjoy this. I couldn't so I didn't.
Profile Image for Deborah.
63 reviews5 followers
January 31, 2018
Very Good Series

Loved the characters in this series and hated to be done with the series. I do wish the sisters had ended up together but it's nice reading a book with no foul language and no violence.
25 reviews
April 29, 2018
Motherhood’ complexities

The author delves into the complexity of mothering. She deals with adoption, fostering, teen pregnancy, and divorce. All these affect families as they try to cope.
Profile Image for Sue.
14 reviews
April 16, 2020
Loved this book

This book exhibits many ups and downs. I love that it shows your past doesn’t define you and that some people change and some don’t. Definitely a great book to read.
31 reviews
May 31, 2020
Karen Lenfesty

I just finished my first book by this author. It was excellent. I intend to find other books of hers to read. Her writing style is very enjoyable and I liked her characters.
Profile Image for Laura.
721 reviews18 followers
March 31, 2024
The third and final installment in this series, and you definitely need to have read the previous 2 books first. I really felt sorry for Willow towards the end of the book but am happy she got to see her sister again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews

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