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Forever Beach
From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Colors and Breakwater Bay comes this heartwarming story of love, family, and redemption. Two young girls pledged to be best friends forever. Separated by circumstance and hurt, they are reunited years later as they struggle to put their differences aside for the sake of a special little girl—perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Jane Green, and Kristin Hannah.
Two women…
One little girl…
Can they forgive the past in order to ensure the future of an innocent child…?
Once a foster child herself, Sarah Hargreave can’t wait to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Sarah longs to give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. She’s put her own friendships and even her relationship with Wyatt, her longtime lover, on hold in order to give Leila her full attention.
When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she’s come to love as her own. Convinced the mother is still addicted to drugs, Sarah and her social worker enlist the help of high profile family lawyer, Ilona Cartwright. But when they meet, Sarah recognizes her as Nonie Blanchard who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward Sarah who she believes abandoned her when she needed her most.
Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.
Two women…
One little girl…
Can they forgive the past in order to ensure the future of an innocent child…?
Once a foster child herself, Sarah Hargreave can’t wait to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Sarah longs to give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. She’s put her own friendships and even her relationship with Wyatt, her longtime lover, on hold in order to give Leila her full attention.
When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she’s come to love as her own. Convinced the mother is still addicted to drugs, Sarah and her social worker enlist the help of high profile family lawyer, Ilona Cartwright. But when they meet, Sarah recognizes her as Nonie Blanchard who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward Sarah who she believes abandoned her when she needed her most.
Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.
416 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2016
268 people are currently reading
3183 people want to read
About the author
Shelley Noble
31 books1,224 followersShelley Noble is a multi published fiction author whose books have been translated into seven languages. She writes women’s fiction as Shelley Noble and is also the author of several amateur sleuth mystery series, written as Shelley Freydont.
A former professional dancer and choreographer, she most recently worked on the films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. She also consults on various dance and theatre projects, most recently the world premiere of a full length Tom Sawyer ballet commissioned by Kansas City Ballet.
Shelley is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and Liberty States Fiction Writers.
She lives near the New Jersey shore. In her spare time she loves to discover new beaches and indulge her passion for lighthouses and boardwalks with vintage carousels.
A former professional dancer and choreographer, she most recently worked on the films, Mona Lisa Smile and The Game Plan. She also consults on various dance and theatre projects, most recently the world premiere of a full length Tom Sawyer ballet commissioned by Kansas City Ballet.
Shelley is a member of Sisters-in-Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Romance Writers of America, and Liberty States Fiction Writers.
She lives near the New Jersey shore. In her spare time she loves to discover new beaches and indulge her passion for lighthouses and boardwalks with vintage carousels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
August 10, 2016
Forever Beach by Shelley Noble is a 2016 William Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
As other reviewers have pointed out, this book cover suggests this novel is one you might pack up for a day at the beach. This story is not a typical ‘beach read’, as the subject matter is much weightier.
However, one I finished the book, I understood why the cover was perfect for this story and how important the beach outings became for Sarah, Leila, Reesa, Karen, Stu, Wyatt, and eventually ‘Nonie’.
Sarah was put into ‘the system’ as a child by protective services due to her mother’s many issues. Her best friend and ‘sister’, ‘Nonie’, was adopted by a nice wealthy family, but the girls vowed to always stay in touch. However, they soon lost track of each other, each blaming the other for letting the relationship go.
Now, as an adult, Sarah is adopting a little girl named Leila, but the very system she knows all too well is working hard to make that adoption impossible.
Reesa works in social services and is terribly burned out with her work, and fed up with her husband, who has refused to recover from a work related injury, sitting around the house all day eating pizza, drinking beer, and watching television.
Ilona Cartwright is a lawyer who fights for children’s rights, so Reesa decides to put Sarah in touch with her, never dreaming the two women once shared a sisterly bond. However, Ilona still harbors resentment toward Sarah, even after all these years, and refuses to help her, even going so far as to work against the best interest of the child in order to make Sarah pay for the hurt she caused.
Will Sarah lose Leila again? Can her friends and the love of a good man to help her let go of her anxieties and live in the moment? Can Sarah and ‘Nonie’ move away from their painful past and forge a new friendship?
While everyone knows the foster care and adoption system has many flaws, the author did a terrific job of showcasing the many aspects to be considered when a parent relinquishes their parental rights, then changes their minds. The goal of keeping a child with the birth parent is a priority, but is the child’s best interest really at heart?
This book doesn’t come off as preachy, nor is it some kind of scathing portrait of the system and its many issues and bureaucratic red tape, but does show the flawed thinking these case workers are forced to adopt, and gives the reader a nice peak into all the heartbreak and trauma these kids end up having to endure as a result of that.
But, the main theme throughout the story is the bonds of friendship, and Sarah’s inability to let go of her worries and just enjoy life, to stop pushing Wyatt away, and accept help and support from her friends.
I really struggled with Ilona’s character, and her vindictiveness sent a chill down my spine, I have to tell you. While childhood hurts do leave scars behind, I felt that holding a grudge that long was ridiculous and it certainly had no place in her heart when it came to doing her job objectively. I never forgot her initial cruelty, but she does manage to redeem herself nicely.
This is a very emotional story, and I have to admit I felt a lump forming in my throat a time or two, and ran through many of the same emotions Sarah must have felt, ranging from frustration, anger, sadness, and fear.
But, in the end, as I read the last paragraph, I was left with a feeling of contentment, knowing that this great group of people, who have gone through so very much, will be happy and healthy, will help each other through the good times and bad times, and will always be like family to each other.
4 stars
As other reviewers have pointed out, this book cover suggests this novel is one you might pack up for a day at the beach. This story is not a typical ‘beach read’, as the subject matter is much weightier.
However, one I finished the book, I understood why the cover was perfect for this story and how important the beach outings became for Sarah, Leila, Reesa, Karen, Stu, Wyatt, and eventually ‘Nonie’.
Sarah was put into ‘the system’ as a child by protective services due to her mother’s many issues. Her best friend and ‘sister’, ‘Nonie’, was adopted by a nice wealthy family, but the girls vowed to always stay in touch. However, they soon lost track of each other, each blaming the other for letting the relationship go.
Now, as an adult, Sarah is adopting a little girl named Leila, but the very system she knows all too well is working hard to make that adoption impossible.
Reesa works in social services and is terribly burned out with her work, and fed up with her husband, who has refused to recover from a work related injury, sitting around the house all day eating pizza, drinking beer, and watching television.
Ilona Cartwright is a lawyer who fights for children’s rights, so Reesa decides to put Sarah in touch with her, never dreaming the two women once shared a sisterly bond. However, Ilona still harbors resentment toward Sarah, even after all these years, and refuses to help her, even going so far as to work against the best interest of the child in order to make Sarah pay for the hurt she caused.
Will Sarah lose Leila again? Can her friends and the love of a good man to help her let go of her anxieties and live in the moment? Can Sarah and ‘Nonie’ move away from their painful past and forge a new friendship?
While everyone knows the foster care and adoption system has many flaws, the author did a terrific job of showcasing the many aspects to be considered when a parent relinquishes their parental rights, then changes their minds. The goal of keeping a child with the birth parent is a priority, but is the child’s best interest really at heart?
This book doesn’t come off as preachy, nor is it some kind of scathing portrait of the system and its many issues and bureaucratic red tape, but does show the flawed thinking these case workers are forced to adopt, and gives the reader a nice peak into all the heartbreak and trauma these kids end up having to endure as a result of that.
But, the main theme throughout the story is the bonds of friendship, and Sarah’s inability to let go of her worries and just enjoy life, to stop pushing Wyatt away, and accept help and support from her friends.
I really struggled with Ilona’s character, and her vindictiveness sent a chill down my spine, I have to tell you. While childhood hurts do leave scars behind, I felt that holding a grudge that long was ridiculous and it certainly had no place in her heart when it came to doing her job objectively. I never forgot her initial cruelty, but she does manage to redeem herself nicely.
This is a very emotional story, and I have to admit I felt a lump forming in my throat a time or two, and ran through many of the same emotions Sarah must have felt, ranging from frustration, anger, sadness, and fear.
But, in the end, as I read the last paragraph, I was left with a feeling of contentment, knowing that this great group of people, who have gone through so very much, will be happy and healthy, will help each other through the good times and bad times, and will always be like family to each other.
4 stars
June 7, 2016
This is a book that you probably shouldn't judge by the cover. If you do, you might think you are getting a beach read. This is not a beach read, unless you are a lucky person that can hold back tears. I'm not. By page 25 I was crying and that was only just the beginning.
This book is heartbreaking at times and nerve wracking. I'm not usually one for books that make me nervous, but I became emotionally invested in Sarah and Leila's story and I really wanted to find out what happened to the letters both Nonie and Sarah wrote to each other but never received. I had some ideas, but I really wanted to know the truth.
Sarah is a woman who has been through the foster system and is now looking to adopt her foster daughter, only the bio mother wants her back. That brings a whole new level of angst to the story. My heart raced every time Leila had to spend time with her bio mother. I wanted to shake the young caseworker who was handling her case.
This is no light read. It kept me on the edge of my seat, more so than if I were reading a thriller, because a child's life was at stake here.
There's more to the story than Sarah and Leila. We also get the point of view of Reesa, Leila's original caseworker and Sarah's friend. To a lessor extent, we see Nonie. I would have liked to have got to know her a bit better. I wish I could have liked her more. She was really a cold woman. Sure she was shaped by her upbringing, but there was no heart there at all. Though things will get resolved, and you will get answers, and they were a little obvious as well, but I wanted more between Sarah and Nonie. These women considered themselves sisters at one point, I think they deserved better resolution.
I really enjoyed this book, which is unusual for me, since I don't usually love books that take me on a huge emotional roller coaster the way this one did. I shed many tears while reading this book, but at the end I was crying my eyes out.
This an emotionally charged book. You will shed more than a few tears while reading this one. It was a truly beautiful read.
This book is heartbreaking at times and nerve wracking. I'm not usually one for books that make me nervous, but I became emotionally invested in Sarah and Leila's story and I really wanted to find out what happened to the letters both Nonie and Sarah wrote to each other but never received. I had some ideas, but I really wanted to know the truth.
Sarah is a woman who has been through the foster system and is now looking to adopt her foster daughter, only the bio mother wants her back. That brings a whole new level of angst to the story. My heart raced every time Leila had to spend time with her bio mother. I wanted to shake the young caseworker who was handling her case.
This is no light read. It kept me on the edge of my seat, more so than if I were reading a thriller, because a child's life was at stake here.
There's more to the story than Sarah and Leila. We also get the point of view of Reesa, Leila's original caseworker and Sarah's friend. To a lessor extent, we see Nonie. I would have liked to have got to know her a bit better. I wish I could have liked her more. She was really a cold woman. Sure she was shaped by her upbringing, but there was no heart there at all. Though things will get resolved, and you will get answers, and they were a little obvious as well, but I wanted more between Sarah and Nonie. These women considered themselves sisters at one point, I think they deserved better resolution.
I really enjoyed this book, which is unusual for me, since I don't usually love books that take me on a huge emotional roller coaster the way this one did. I shed many tears while reading this book, but at the end I was crying my eyes out.
This an emotionally charged book. You will shed more than a few tears while reading this one. It was a truly beautiful read.
July 12, 2016
WARNING: This is not a light, fluffy beach read despite the cover unless you want to sit on the hot beach, totally immersed in a book and crying your eyes out.
What this is, is a fantastic book about love and family and friendship. Sarah grew up in the foster care system and stayed there until she aged out at 18. She is in the process of adopting 4 year old Leila, until the girl's biological mother decides that she wants her back. Sarah tries to work within the system, despite the fact that Leila was returned to her mom twice in the past with disastrous results. Sarah gets through this with the help of her friend Karen, who understands the foster care system and her former case worker Reesa, who is close to burnout from all of the unimaginable things that she has seen on her job. There is also a light romance with a man who wants to be more to Sarah than she will allow him to be. Along with this, there is a dual story line about Sarah's best friend from her days in foster care who comes back into her life and causes lots of emotional pain.
From my brief description above, you can see that this isn't a light read but it's a book that will make you think a lot about what it takes to make a family - more than blood, family is the people that you love and that you want in your life. Fantastic book!
(Thanks to LibraryThing for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.)
What this is, is a fantastic book about love and family and friendship. Sarah grew up in the foster care system and stayed there until she aged out at 18. She is in the process of adopting 4 year old Leila, until the girl's biological mother decides that she wants her back. Sarah tries to work within the system, despite the fact that Leila was returned to her mom twice in the past with disastrous results. Sarah gets through this with the help of her friend Karen, who understands the foster care system and her former case worker Reesa, who is close to burnout from all of the unimaginable things that she has seen on her job. There is also a light romance with a man who wants to be more to Sarah than she will allow him to be. Along with this, there is a dual story line about Sarah's best friend from her days in foster care who comes back into her life and causes lots of emotional pain.
From my brief description above, you can see that this isn't a light read but it's a book that will make you think a lot about what it takes to make a family - more than blood, family is the people that you love and that you want in your life. Fantastic book!
(Thanks to LibraryThing for a copy of this book for a fair and honest review.)
June 6, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sarah Hargreave grew up in the foster system, in and out of foster homes. She didn’t find her forever home until she aged out of the system and met a wonderful man who ran a clock repair shop. Sarah has brought Leila into her home and doesn’t want her to go through what she did so she starts the adoption process. The biological mother has signed off her parental rights and Sarah is just waiting for the adoption to be finalized. Then the bio mom changes her mind and the court grants her visitation. This is not the first time this has happened and Sarah knows it will be a huge step back in Leila’s progress.
Ilona Cartwright also grew up in the foster system but she was adopted by a well to do family. She and Sarah were just like sisters and it was so hard for them to say good-bye. They promised to stay in touch but Ilona “Nonie” didn’t write to Sarah and Sarah was devastated. Ilona did go to law school and she does works fighting for the rights of children. Can Sarah and Nonie get together to provide Leila a forever home?
What a moving story! A picture of the foster system and the adoption process. They do go to great lengths to keep families together but there are times that the child needs a new family. There are a few dark and scary moments but they show us both sides of these issues.
I found Sarah so interesting. Her life was in her hands and she met a man with a huge heart and no agenda or shifty plans. She made the decision to stay with him and he became like a father/grandfather to her. It took a long time to trust him and she still has huge trust issues. She doesn’t let anyone get to close to her or Leila because things could fall apart at any time. She does have “friends” and a man that would like to be more than “friends”, but she has put up huge walls to protect herself and her heart.
These characters are natural and believable. This story becomes a huge story of friendship and self growth. Building relationships, trust, and trying to forgive. Superb writing!
The story is also set in an amazing place. Near the beach, there are several shops, most more touristy than Clocks by the Sea. The funny thing is Sarah can’t swim and hates the water. The beach is a great meeting place and she is fine planting herself in a chair under an umbrella while Leila builds sand castles.
I really loved this book. It was a wonderful escape. The cover looks like is definitely belongs on my blog. If you need a beach read this summer this is a perfect one, to sit back, put your toes in the sand and enjoy! My definition of Paradise!
Sarah Hargreave grew up in the foster system, in and out of foster homes. She didn’t find her forever home until she aged out of the system and met a wonderful man who ran a clock repair shop. Sarah has brought Leila into her home and doesn’t want her to go through what she did so she starts the adoption process. The biological mother has signed off her parental rights and Sarah is just waiting for the adoption to be finalized. Then the bio mom changes her mind and the court grants her visitation. This is not the first time this has happened and Sarah knows it will be a huge step back in Leila’s progress.
Ilona Cartwright also grew up in the foster system but she was adopted by a well to do family. She and Sarah were just like sisters and it was so hard for them to say good-bye. They promised to stay in touch but Ilona “Nonie” didn’t write to Sarah and Sarah was devastated. Ilona did go to law school and she does works fighting for the rights of children. Can Sarah and Nonie get together to provide Leila a forever home?
What a moving story! A picture of the foster system and the adoption process. They do go to great lengths to keep families together but there are times that the child needs a new family. There are a few dark and scary moments but they show us both sides of these issues.
I found Sarah so interesting. Her life was in her hands and she met a man with a huge heart and no agenda or shifty plans. She made the decision to stay with him and he became like a father/grandfather to her. It took a long time to trust him and she still has huge trust issues. She doesn’t let anyone get to close to her or Leila because things could fall apart at any time. She does have “friends” and a man that would like to be more than “friends”, but she has put up huge walls to protect herself and her heart.
These characters are natural and believable. This story becomes a huge story of friendship and self growth. Building relationships, trust, and trying to forgive. Superb writing!
The story is also set in an amazing place. Near the beach, there are several shops, most more touristy than Clocks by the Sea. The funny thing is Sarah can’t swim and hates the water. The beach is a great meeting place and she is fine planting herself in a chair under an umbrella while Leila builds sand castles.
I really loved this book. It was a wonderful escape. The cover looks like is definitely belongs on my blog. If you need a beach read this summer this is a perfect one, to sit back, put your toes in the sand and enjoy! My definition of Paradise!
May 29, 2017
Loved this story! While the cover may give you the impressions that this is a light and fluffy beach read, don't let first impressions fool you. This story will have you personally invested after the first few pages and wanting to read way past sundown. It's the story of one girls journey through the foster system, the people she met along the way, and her desire to adopt and save the life of a child.
I won this book through a GR giveaway and I'm happy I did.
I won this book through a GR giveaway and I'm happy I did.
July 14, 2016
A special thank you to HarperCollins and LibraryThing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review to follow.
June 22, 2017
Started a little slow but once I got into it I couldn't put it down. I liked the character development even though sometimes I was so frustrated with the story between Ilona and Sarah, but I also think that's part of the reason I couldn't stop reading. Overall I loved this book! And 5 stars for making me cry at the end there.
August 19, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It was in places a touchy subject but it was all about relationships, my favorite kind of books. Sarah was raised in the foster care system. As an adult of 18, she finally found a home with an older gentleman, Sam, who took her in and taught her all he knew about clock repair and also about how to love and trust. Now she is trying to adopt a child from the system whose mother is a drug addict who has already tried to get her daughter back twice and the system decides to give her one more chance. This is about Sarah, her 4-year-old "almost forever" daughter, Leila, and their friends. The relationships in this book were good and the story kept me turning the pages late into the evening. Great read!
January 27, 2020
I took this on vacation thinking it was a light beach read. I had not read the reviews ahead of time. Good thing I didn't get to it on vacation because it was actually a story dealing with deep and emotional subjects - foster care and adoption. While I didn't find it to be a tear jerker, it definitely pulled at my heartstrings. The story did drag on a bit - probably could have cut about 100 pages out of it. But I did enjoy it and getting a better understanding of what it means to be in the foster system.
April 8, 2022
Not terrible. Cute story of a mommas love with a side of annoying.
December 5, 2023
The story is set around a single mom trying to adopt a little girl out of foster care. The mom was also in the system so knows that everything does not happen as it should. The book contains some passages which are rough to think about but which are true to life as much as we hate that it does happen. The book was very enlightening on how the system protecting children works both good and bad.
October 6, 2017
I could not put this down. Life intervened but it was a heart-warming book, even though the adoption process was stalled by a drug addicted biological mother. I might try more of Shelley Noble's books.
July 21, 2019
I’m not sure why I finished this book. These characters faced the same issues and complained about those issues for 398 pages. Only the last 5 pages did things magically come together. Which these whiners didn’t deserve. Added insult to injury.
July 20, 2023
It was really good and worth the read! I just wish some of the characters relationships had developed a little more.
June 27, 2017
This is not a light, beach read.The story is about 2 girls who grow up in the foster system.That being said, I loved it!
January 21, 2019
I think the meaning behind this book is right on. It clearly portrays what is wrong with the adoption system these days, where we are forcing kids to go back in to homes with unfit parents and then bad things happen. The characters were well defined, but there is so mich going on with this book that you have to really stop and think what is occurring and who is the author talking about at the moment. I think this book was poorly written, and could have been wrapped up in about 100 pages less. Seemed to drag on for a long time.
March 13, 2018
Forever Beach is the story of Sarah, a former foster child who is waiting to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter, Leila. Without notice, Leila’s biological mother decides she wants her daughter back. Sarah, who is certain the mother is still using drugs, leaps to action in order to save Leila. Along with her caseworker, she hires Ilona Cartwright, a high powered and successful family attorney. When the two meet, Sarah realizes Ilona is actually Nonie… the young girl she grew up with in the foster system. They promised to be best friends forever, but when Nonie is adopted by a wealthy family, both feel betrayed by a turn of events. Now, many years later, the two must reunite to help save the life of a young girl.
This was a powerful story about love and what it means to be family. The women all discover that family can mean a great deal of things, including that family doesn’t always have to be blood.
I definitely grew to understand a lot about the foster system and adoption process through reading this one. The amount of work, love, and dedication that people put into the children is inspiring and at turns heartbreaking. Another storyline that crops up is that of Reesa, a caseworker who is struggling not only in her home life, but in her career. She questions how she can continue to see damaged, abused children day in and day out for the rest of her life. Then she remembers how when she sees a successful adoption or a loving family reunited. Really, it’s gut-wrenching stuff!
I enjoyed the main story of Sarah, Leila, and Ilona, but also appreciated the side stories such as that of Reesa, as well as a potential romance for Sarah and Wyatt, a man she constantly pushes away in fear of upsetting Leila. It was also interesting to see some flashbacks of Sarah and Nonie’s time in the foster system, and what became of their relationship.
A dramatic story with a vivid beach setting, I’d recommend this one to those who enjoy family drama and women’s fiction.
This was a powerful story about love and what it means to be family. The women all discover that family can mean a great deal of things, including that family doesn’t always have to be blood.
I definitely grew to understand a lot about the foster system and adoption process through reading this one. The amount of work, love, and dedication that people put into the children is inspiring and at turns heartbreaking. Another storyline that crops up is that of Reesa, a caseworker who is struggling not only in her home life, but in her career. She questions how she can continue to see damaged, abused children day in and day out for the rest of her life. Then she remembers how when she sees a successful adoption or a loving family reunited. Really, it’s gut-wrenching stuff!
I enjoyed the main story of Sarah, Leila, and Ilona, but also appreciated the side stories such as that of Reesa, as well as a potential romance for Sarah and Wyatt, a man she constantly pushes away in fear of upsetting Leila. It was also interesting to see some flashbacks of Sarah and Nonie’s time in the foster system, and what became of their relationship.
A dramatic story with a vivid beach setting, I’d recommend this one to those who enjoy family drama and women’s fiction.
June 14, 2017
This was a wonderful book. At times heartbreaking, then heartwarming, sad, then happy. Great character development, plot, setting and a fantastic ending. The main character Sarah is a tough as nails woman, yet is still a broken child underneath. She's lucky to be surrounded by such loving friends and advocates. The author did an amazing job in describing the sad, hard world, of child protective services, but there are triumphs to celebrate, as well. This is one of the best books I've read in a while.
January 9, 2018
" Fix the Now "
Fix the Now is a piece of advice I will always have in my mind when I have any decision to make. The story is a wonderful reprepresentation of how inadequate our child protection services really are. Too many abused children in foster care who are still being abused and unloved. Shelley Noble made me think about things I knew were going on, but would not really think about because it would hurt too much. The adopting mother and child were so real that it made me cry. That is unusual!! I would recommend this book to anyone who has a heart...
Fix the Now is a piece of advice I will always have in my mind when I have any decision to make. The story is a wonderful reprepresentation of how inadequate our child protection services really are. Too many abused children in foster care who are still being abused and unloved. Shelley Noble made me think about things I knew were going on, but would not really think about because it would hurt too much. The adopting mother and child were so real that it made me cry. That is unusual!! I would recommend this book to anyone who has a heart...
July 19, 2018
From the very beginning this book drew me in. The characters' pasts quickly revealed the connection to the present. It is truly a love story about how much a mother is willing to do to protect her child as she is going through the adoption process. Having known someone very close and the trials she faced with her own family and adoption, this book made me even more emotional and connected to the mother in this book.
October 20, 2019
When I picked this book up, I thought it was going to be a light beach read based on this cover. It was clear within the first few pages of the book that there was much more story within these pages than a light beach read. And that's okay, because I like stories that have some meat to them.
Forever Beach is the story of Sarah and Leila. Leila has been fostered by Sarah for a while now, several years, and is going through the adoption process. Leila's birth mother had seven children and a history of drug abuse and abusing her children, so they were all removed from her care. There have been multiple instances in which Leila has been through visitation with her birth mother, all resulting in regressive behavior and really, just trauma to Leila. (All of this happened prior to the start of the book.) As a child that aged out of "the system" herself, Sarah wants nothing more than to adopt Leila and give her a steady, loving home where she can feel peace and safety.
In the first few pages of the book, we find that Leila is waiting not-so-patiently for the papers that let her know that the adoption is drawing near to finalization, but instead the papers that come through the mail indicate that the birth mother has come off of drugs, has gotten safe housing, and is requesting reunification with Leila.
Sarah is heartbroken. And outraged. And scared for Leila. She's seen this before - the regressive behavior, etc - but she's also torn. Isn't reunification with the birth mother the best thing for families? Isn't that the ultimate goal? But she was so close to adopting this sweet girl that she loves so much! SO CLOSE. How should she feel? What should she do?
Lucky for Sarah, one of her best friends works with Child Protection - Reesa - and is able to give good insight. She immediately begins to make some phonecalls but BOOM - things actually get a little crazier before they begin to get better.
****
I've never really read a book that is this extensively about adoption/fostering. So this was, I think, an eye-opening story for me. The story is mostly from Sarah's perspective, so I was able to get the glimpse of everything from the eye of the adoptive mother's view, and her interest was that of Leila's best care. I enjoyed this book, but it was intense at times.
This cast of characters was a good one, and they all brought to the story their own set of circumstances - too extensive to list out for a short review, but for example: Sarah had baggage from her childhood that she brought into her adulthood, and this affected how she raised Leila. Not necessarily in a bad way, but I think she definitely over-stressed herself. Thankfully, she had great friends to help her through the trials of fostering/adopting (because she did not have any family, you see). She needed their constant reminder that they were there for her, they were there for her, they were there for her. She sometimes sabotaged their efforts whether she meant to or not, because she was not used to so much unconditional help and kindness and love. This carried forth into the romantic relationship she had with Wyatt also, which I'll talk about more in just a bit.
Sarah's friends were great. Reesa worked with the local social services as a social worker (she was GREAT at her job) which meant that she had a small amount of sway or push with getting information when Sarah needed it regarding Leila's case. But not too much. The thing with Reesa was that 1) she was incredibly burned out by the horrific cases she has had to deal with over approximately twenty years on the job and 2) her marriage was really stressful for her at the moment. Her portions of the story were captivating to me! I like her so much - great heart, great friend - but she has a lot going on. She could really have an entire book about her own life. Sarah's other friend Karen - great mother, great marriage, upbeat attitude - just great. I liked them both and the three friends together - great friendships, which I love in a book. I love the support that they all three gave one another, and I like that their significant others were included as well, in whatever capacity they were able to be/were needed.
As far as romance goes, Sarah has a thing for Wyatt, but she doesn't want to commit until she knows for sure how things will play out with Leila. This is a good thing and a bad thing. She brings Wyatt around for a while, and then when things with Leila heat up (when there are visitations and Leila regresses, etc), she pushes Wyatt away. There is a point at which Sarah has to make a decision about Wyatt because either he won't wait forever or he will declare his true feelings or someone will snatch him up - or all three of these! I love the way that the romance was more of a side-plot and never the main focus of this story. Wyatt was a great character throughout the story, but the romance portion of the plot was just never the main focus. YES TO THIS! And I absolutely adored the relationship that Wyatt had with Leila.
The big elephant in the room for me is Ilona Cartwright, Leila's attorney. Ilona Cartwright IS Nonie Blanchard, who used to be Sarah's roommate in their group home when they were children. The two loved each other so fiercely when they were children that they called one another sisters and pledged to write each other weekly when Nonie was adopted and Sarah was not. But the writing never happened for some reason, and the two never forgave one another when their friendship/sisterhood was not maintained. THIS is there I had a teensy bit of trouble.
Ilona was a bit of a character. When she was first introduced, I liked her! I thought she would come in with her high-profile self and help Sarah out with Leila's best interests at heart. But the more we get to know Ilona, the more I grew to dislike her because of her misplaced motivations...
The Ilona/Sarah portion of the plot takes up a large chunk of the story, and I understand this because it shaped so much of both Ilona's life and Sarah's life. But with Leila's little life in the balance, and with her birth mother such a danger to her in the past and threatening her future, it drove me bananas waiting around for so much drama to unfold between these two. So really, if I could change anything about this book, it would be something about the Ilona/Sarah story arc - I'm not sure what - but I can't really put my finger on why it didn't work for me. Other readers may love it the way that it is (because there is great resolution!) but I felt like I was about to have a heart attack while I was waiting to see if Leila would be okay, and it largely had to do with two grown women acting like children.
Ultimately, I liked this book a lot. This was my first book by Shelley Noble and I like that it had a beach setting and that the characters visited the beach often. I'd like to read more by Ms. Noble. I recommend Forever Beach by Shelley Noble to readers that enjoy good contemporary fiction and also to readers that are seeking out stories about adoption and/or fostering, because I do come across those readers from time to time.
Forever Beach is the story of Sarah and Leila. Leila has been fostered by Sarah for a while now, several years, and is going through the adoption process. Leila's birth mother had seven children and a history of drug abuse and abusing her children, so they were all removed from her care. There have been multiple instances in which Leila has been through visitation with her birth mother, all resulting in regressive behavior and really, just trauma to Leila. (All of this happened prior to the start of the book.) As a child that aged out of "the system" herself, Sarah wants nothing more than to adopt Leila and give her a steady, loving home where she can feel peace and safety.
In the first few pages of the book, we find that Leila is waiting not-so-patiently for the papers that let her know that the adoption is drawing near to finalization, but instead the papers that come through the mail indicate that the birth mother has come off of drugs, has gotten safe housing, and is requesting reunification with Leila.
Sarah is heartbroken. And outraged. And scared for Leila. She's seen this before - the regressive behavior, etc - but she's also torn. Isn't reunification with the birth mother the best thing for families? Isn't that the ultimate goal? But she was so close to adopting this sweet girl that she loves so much! SO CLOSE. How should she feel? What should she do?
Lucky for Sarah, one of her best friends works with Child Protection - Reesa - and is able to give good insight. She immediately begins to make some phonecalls but BOOM - things actually get a little crazier before they begin to get better.
****
I've never really read a book that is this extensively about adoption/fostering. So this was, I think, an eye-opening story for me. The story is mostly from Sarah's perspective, so I was able to get the glimpse of everything from the eye of the adoptive mother's view, and her interest was that of Leila's best care. I enjoyed this book, but it was intense at times.
This cast of characters was a good one, and they all brought to the story their own set of circumstances - too extensive to list out for a short review, but for example: Sarah had baggage from her childhood that she brought into her adulthood, and this affected how she raised Leila. Not necessarily in a bad way, but I think she definitely over-stressed herself. Thankfully, she had great friends to help her through the trials of fostering/adopting (because she did not have any family, you see). She needed their constant reminder that they were there for her, they were there for her, they were there for her. She sometimes sabotaged their efforts whether she meant to or not, because she was not used to so much unconditional help and kindness and love. This carried forth into the romantic relationship she had with Wyatt also, which I'll talk about more in just a bit.
Sarah's friends were great. Reesa worked with the local social services as a social worker (she was GREAT at her job) which meant that she had a small amount of sway or push with getting information when Sarah needed it regarding Leila's case. But not too much. The thing with Reesa was that 1) she was incredibly burned out by the horrific cases she has had to deal with over approximately twenty years on the job and 2) her marriage was really stressful for her at the moment. Her portions of the story were captivating to me! I like her so much - great heart, great friend - but she has a lot going on. She could really have an entire book about her own life. Sarah's other friend Karen - great mother, great marriage, upbeat attitude - just great. I liked them both and the three friends together - great friendships, which I love in a book. I love the support that they all three gave one another, and I like that their significant others were included as well, in whatever capacity they were able to be/were needed.
As far as romance goes, Sarah has a thing for Wyatt, but she doesn't want to commit until she knows for sure how things will play out with Leila. This is a good thing and a bad thing. She brings Wyatt around for a while, and then when things with Leila heat up (when there are visitations and Leila regresses, etc), she pushes Wyatt away. There is a point at which Sarah has to make a decision about Wyatt because either he won't wait forever or he will declare his true feelings or someone will snatch him up - or all three of these! I love the way that the romance was more of a side-plot and never the main focus of this story. Wyatt was a great character throughout the story, but the romance portion of the plot was just never the main focus. YES TO THIS! And I absolutely adored the relationship that Wyatt had with Leila.
The big elephant in the room for me is Ilona Cartwright, Leila's attorney. Ilona Cartwright IS Nonie Blanchard, who used to be Sarah's roommate in their group home when they were children. The two loved each other so fiercely when they were children that they called one another sisters and pledged to write each other weekly when Nonie was adopted and Sarah was not. But the writing never happened for some reason, and the two never forgave one another when their friendship/sisterhood was not maintained. THIS is there I had a teensy bit of trouble.
Ilona was a bit of a character. When she was first introduced, I liked her! I thought she would come in with her high-profile self and help Sarah out with Leila's best interests at heart. But the more we get to know Ilona, the more I grew to dislike her because of her misplaced motivations...
The Ilona/Sarah portion of the plot takes up a large chunk of the story, and I understand this because it shaped so much of both Ilona's life and Sarah's life. But with Leila's little life in the balance, and with her birth mother such a danger to her in the past and threatening her future, it drove me bananas waiting around for so much drama to unfold between these two. So really, if I could change anything about this book, it would be something about the Ilona/Sarah story arc - I'm not sure what - but I can't really put my finger on why it didn't work for me. Other readers may love it the way that it is (because there is great resolution!) but I felt like I was about to have a heart attack while I was waiting to see if Leila would be okay, and it largely had to do with two grown women acting like children.
Ultimately, I liked this book a lot. This was my first book by Shelley Noble and I like that it had a beach setting and that the characters visited the beach often. I'd like to read more by Ms. Noble. I recommend Forever Beach by Shelley Noble to readers that enjoy good contemporary fiction and also to readers that are seeking out stories about adoption and/or fostering, because I do come across those readers from time to time.
August 26, 2017
This is a story that will bring tears, as well as smiles. A story of love, and redemption, and how a grown foster child, Sarah has to recognize and adjust from feeling unwanted, while helping a little girl, Leila survive the chaotic life she was and still is in with a drug-addicted Mother. I enjoyed it, but also got mad at the courts and child protection agencies that think they know best.
From Amazon:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Colors and Breakwater Bay comes this heartwarming story of love, family, and redemption. Two young girls pledged to be best friends forever. Separated by circumstance and hurt, they are reunited years later as they struggle to put their differences aside for the sake of a special little girl—perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah, Elin Hilderbrand, and Karen White.
One woman struggling to hold on to what she has,
One woman learning to forgive
Their lives entwined by one little girl.
Sarah Hargreave is anxious to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Once a foster child herself, Sarah longs to become Leila’s “forever” family and give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she loves to the drug addicted mother who abandoned her.
Having grown up in foster care, Ilona Cartwright fights for the rights of children who have no one to fight for them. But to Sarah she is Nonie Blanchard, who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward the past.
Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.
From Amazon:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Beach Colors and Breakwater Bay comes this heartwarming story of love, family, and redemption. Two young girls pledged to be best friends forever. Separated by circumstance and hurt, they are reunited years later as they struggle to put their differences aside for the sake of a special little girl—perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah, Elin Hilderbrand, and Karen White.
One woman struggling to hold on to what she has,
One woman learning to forgive
Their lives entwined by one little girl.
Sarah Hargreave is anxious to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Once a foster child herself, Sarah longs to become Leila’s “forever” family and give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she loves to the drug addicted mother who abandoned her.
Having grown up in foster care, Ilona Cartwright fights for the rights of children who have no one to fight for them. But to Sarah she is Nonie Blanchard, who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward the past.
Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.
December 7, 2020
I knew at the beginning of this book that I'd give it a 5 star rating. This book and all the players in it had me entirely invested. I read it through my own filter of my adoption process when I adopted my children. If the author didn't have personal experience, then she did a very thorough investigation of the topic and processes.
Sarah and Nonie/Ilona had a story interwoven into the main story and it all fit into the main story. Then, to add Wyatt to the story of Sarah then Leila and the dynamics of trust and fight or flight, it was something to behold. I found myself praying for Sarah to give him a chance.
I cried this entire book. The content can be triggering to adoptive parents and/or foster children, social workers, teachers, or anyone who may have to work with these children and/or involved in the system of removing and either reuniting or finding forever homes for children.
Then you have the A-team, Karen, Reesa, and Stu for Sarah, and you have Tammy, Jenny and Bessie for Leila. There were "home" for Leila and Sarah that they had yet to realize.
Then you have the angst: Carmen and DeShawn. Carmen had a vested interest but was true to form.
The beach. I was trying to figure out the cover. If you go by the cover, you never would connect the dots. The subliminal story behind all that was going on was that the beach represented respite, a way to resolve, a do over if you will. It represented consistency and so much more. It was at the end of the book that the significance of the beach dropped on me.
This book was excellently written. Even the parts that I knew would happen, I did not feel they were predictable. Although fiction, the components are very real. The age old question remains, is reunification the best for the children involved. What an amazingly written story. This book will remain with me for a long time.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. I am so glad I won this book.
Sarah and Nonie/Ilona had a story interwoven into the main story and it all fit into the main story. Then, to add Wyatt to the story of Sarah then Leila and the dynamics of trust and fight or flight, it was something to behold. I found myself praying for Sarah to give him a chance.
I cried this entire book. The content can be triggering to adoptive parents and/or foster children, social workers, teachers, or anyone who may have to work with these children and/or involved in the system of removing and either reuniting or finding forever homes for children.
Then you have the A-team, Karen, Reesa, and Stu for Sarah, and you have Tammy, Jenny and Bessie for Leila. There were "home" for Leila and Sarah that they had yet to realize.
Then you have the angst: Carmen and DeShawn. Carmen had a vested interest but was true to form.
The beach. I was trying to figure out the cover. If you go by the cover, you never would connect the dots. The subliminal story behind all that was going on was that the beach represented respite, a way to resolve, a do over if you will. It represented consistency and so much more. It was at the end of the book that the significance of the beach dropped on me.
This book was excellently written. Even the parts that I knew would happen, I did not feel they were predictable. Although fiction, the components are very real. The age old question remains, is reunification the best for the children involved. What an amazingly written story. This book will remain with me for a long time.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway. I am so glad I won this book.
July 12, 2020
Every once in a while you come across a book that enlightens you with the reality of life and pulls on your heart strings. Forever Beach is such a story.
Don’t let the cover fool you, for this is not a “beach read”. It is, what I can only imagine, the harsh reality of the foster care and adoption process in our country. I have absolutely no doubt that our system is understaffed and very vulnerable. And, I will adamantly admit, it takes a special kind of person who can handle the emotional aspect of this life on a daily basis.
With characters who are overwhelmed in their professional and personal lives, you simply will be placed smack in the middle of everything with them, and feel their emotions on a level probably deeper than you have ever been before.
I absorbed this book, or it absorbed me. All I know is I didn’t want to put it down. I didn’t want to “abandon” the characters who needed support - who have felt abandoned their whole lives. If sleep or work wasn’t important, I wouldn’t have stopped reading it until I finished the last page.
I want to say this is the perfect book for someone who is an adoptive or foster parent. But, they already know about the system, the requirements, and the commitment they have made. Instead, I think this is the perfect book for anyone who wants to foster or adopt a child, or for someone who wants to peruse a career in the social justice system. If they can read this book and not walk away, or better yet, have even a deeper passion for the path they are on, then I think the author will be pleased with getting her message across.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.
This book is currently available from your favorite Bookseller!
Don’t let the cover fool you, for this is not a “beach read”. It is, what I can only imagine, the harsh reality of the foster care and adoption process in our country. I have absolutely no doubt that our system is understaffed and very vulnerable. And, I will adamantly admit, it takes a special kind of person who can handle the emotional aspect of this life on a daily basis.
With characters who are overwhelmed in their professional and personal lives, you simply will be placed smack in the middle of everything with them, and feel their emotions on a level probably deeper than you have ever been before.
I absorbed this book, or it absorbed me. All I know is I didn’t want to put it down. I didn’t want to “abandon” the characters who needed support - who have felt abandoned their whole lives. If sleep or work wasn’t important, I wouldn’t have stopped reading it until I finished the last page.
I want to say this is the perfect book for someone who is an adoptive or foster parent. But, they already know about the system, the requirements, and the commitment they have made. Instead, I think this is the perfect book for anyone who wants to foster or adopt a child, or for someone who wants to peruse a career in the social justice system. If they can read this book and not walk away, or better yet, have even a deeper passion for the path they are on, then I think the author will be pleased with getting her message across.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.
This book is currently available from your favorite Bookseller!
May 15, 2022
Sarah was in the foster care for a very long time and she went through a lot and then she found someone who took care of her and showed her how to live her life
She became a foster mom as well I was trying to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila when her mom came back in the picture and wanted to petition the courts to return back her daughter
When Sarah was in the foster care she had a friend that she made IIona but she got adopted by a family while Sarah went through foster care year after year
IIona back in the picture who’s a lawyer who fights for the rights of children but they lost touch with each other because they adopted mother did not want Sarah in the picture so she never showed IIona the letters
The two form an alliance but not until after she told llona that she did try writing to her but she was the one that never reached back to her
It was hard to read about how this poor little girl Leila had to suffer with her biological mother who really didn’t want her but it was just about the money that she can get
But in the end it all came through with everybody coming together and saving the child
Reading this book foster care and the system is so difficult and how they treat some of the families
She became a foster mom as well I was trying to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila when her mom came back in the picture and wanted to petition the courts to return back her daughter
When Sarah was in the foster care she had a friend that she made IIona but she got adopted by a family while Sarah went through foster care year after year
IIona back in the picture who’s a lawyer who fights for the rights of children but they lost touch with each other because they adopted mother did not want Sarah in the picture so she never showed IIona the letters
The two form an alliance but not until after she told llona that she did try writing to her but she was the one that never reached back to her
It was hard to read about how this poor little girl Leila had to suffer with her biological mother who really didn’t want her but it was just about the money that she can get
But in the end it all came through with everybody coming together and saving the child
Reading this book foster care and the system is so difficult and how they treat some of the families
December 11, 2017
This book caught my attention because of the premise - a woman who had gone through the foster care system trying to adopt a young child. I think the author did a great job in showing multiple sides of this process - things that happen to children going through the system, overworked but passionate social services folks, attorneys and lawyers on both sides of the equation, the great importance of the friends you surround yourself with. The main character Sarah frustrated me, as she was both strong and incredibly whiney. I think this book would have been better with about 50 pages cut from it, where the author kept repeating herself about Sarah's trust issues. (Really, you told me five pages ago about trust issues - did you think the reader has already forgot? I lost count of how many times this was repeated unnecessarily. ) Having said that, I still recommend this book - great story, great premise, interesting characters.
Thank you to the author and Harper Collins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author and Harper Collins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2024
Forever beach
I feel like my review may not get a lot of likes. Although I believe the story line - the situation between Carmen, Sarah and poor children and all the drama about foster kids was right on the money ...:I cannot help but give this book 3 stars. The author does a phenomenal job drawing us into the characters and tying us into these intense relationships /family. I cannot help but get irritated at some parts. I felt the book dragged in a few spots constantly repeating some details I didn't necessarily have to read over and over. Along with cute between sayings that I found a little cheesy vs cute and unique (some might disagree). I also thought a few sections in the book were incredibly predictable and rushed; or I felt like came out of no where and not fully explained. All in all I will suggest this book to others to read. I also will follow the author and read more of her books!
I feel like my review may not get a lot of likes. Although I believe the story line - the situation between Carmen, Sarah and poor children and all the drama about foster kids was right on the money ...:I cannot help but give this book 3 stars. The author does a phenomenal job drawing us into the characters and tying us into these intense relationships /family. I cannot help but get irritated at some parts. I felt the book dragged in a few spots constantly repeating some details I didn't necessarily have to read over and over. Along with cute between sayings that I found a little cheesy vs cute and unique (some might disagree). I also thought a few sections in the book were incredibly predictable and rushed; or I felt like came out of no where and not fully explained. All in all I will suggest this book to others to read. I also will follow the author and read more of her books!
March 26, 2017
It's been a while since I read a book that really pulled me in and I had a hard time putting down. This book was primarily about the relationships between Sarah, her foster child, Leila, and her boyfriend, Wyatt and the previously severed relationship between Sarah and her foster sister who appears in her life again. But there were also the relationships between Sarah and her friends; Sarah and Sam, a deceased father figure with whom she finally showed her love; Reesa and her job; Reese and her husband; Ilona and her adoptive parents; Leila and her friends; Leila and Wyatt; and Leila and her bio mother. These other stories kept my interest during the lulls in the main stories. This was a wonderful book about interesting relationships and the reality of children in the system.
July 20, 2017
I would have read this book in one day had I not been working . I loved loved this book . It tore at my heart and yet restored hope . I get living life from a place of fear, trust issues and insecurity. In that regard I understood the main female character Sarah . I have no idea what it is like to be a foster kid or to be adopted but I understand how it can scar you .
That being said ; this was an eye opener to the child protection , social services , foster / adopting world and the children and workers in it . God bless them every one . If things are really like the author portrayed in this book the system needs a major over haul. Major .
This isn't a light beach read, not at all. It's so much more .
That being said ; this was an eye opener to the child protection , social services , foster / adopting world and the children and workers in it . God bless them every one . If things are really like the author portrayed in this book the system needs a major over haul. Major .
This isn't a light beach read, not at all. It's so much more .
February 19, 2018
The story of Sarah and Nonie... two girls who grew up in the foster care system. Both were adopted out in middle school and they promised to write every day. When they grow up, Sara lives in town and ends up trying to adopt a little girl out of the foster care system. Adoption is almost complete when the birth mom tries to get her back. Nonie was also adopted and lives in town. She goes by a different name has become a high priced extremely successful lawyer. A mutual friend asks her to take a look at this adoption case. She recognizes the name and feels extremely hurt that she thinks Sara never wrote to her so she tries to sabotage the adoption case
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