INTO THE FOLD: A NOVEL

by Christine Hedrick

Young, driven Carrie had always been confident of who she was and what her perfect life would look like. Until she wasn’t. Fleeing from egregious roommates, she finds herself living with a group of strangers. The four complicated women from three seperate generations are brought together under one roof by a no-nonsense elderly widow named Hazel, who believes they were sent to her by her late husband. After discovering disturbing realities about the career she had always dreamed of, Carrie's future is anything but clear. With refreshing honesty, this book pulls back the curtain on life from a veterinarian's perspective in a way that few people outside the field have understood - until now.Readers will laugh at Carrie's embarrassing moments, root for her to bravely confront a life-defining choice, and thrill in the joys of her tender romance with the kind and attractive next-door neighbor, Lincoln. This inspiring book celebrates female friendships, true love, the wondrous animal world and the beauty of nature. A heartwarming story of women lifting up women and the transformative power of acceptance. From the wild shores of Lake Michigan to the beautiful campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the midwestern landscape is described with intoxicating details. Readers who love animals and nature will delight in this book which showcases the human-animal bond and the importance of preserving our beautiful planet. A number of intelligent and sensitive animal characters add to the fold of diverse personalities surrounding Carrie. This is a story of women empowering women. It is exactly what we all want to read right now, and what we want our daughters to read. Both funny and heartbreaking, with celebrations of friendship, love, nature and human kindness, this book is a positive force to add to any reader's library.

241 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2021

About the author

Christine Hedrick is a writer, a biology teacher, a veterinarian, an imperfect wife, a mother of two rapidly growing humans, an enthusiastic consumer of chocolate and an avid lover of books.

Reviews

[Sarah Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming and emotional

Into the Fold by Christine Hedrick is a captivating and heartwarming tale of the bonds of sisterhood. Beautifully written, it evokes powerful emotions as Dr. Hedrick’s unique characters tackle life’s challenges and find strength and support in one another. The story skillfully depicts the veterinary profession, exposing both the joys and the grim realities of the career. Into the Fold is a commendable debut novel that had me bursting out in laughter in one chapter and crying in the next, so entangled was I into each woman’s triumphs and heartaches. I give this novel 5 stars because 10 isn’t an option. 
Thank you for penning this intense and heartfelt story,  Christine!

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Into the Fold very heartwarming and true to life with four women of different ages finding happiness by helping each other through a difficult period of their life. They learned to be accepting of each other even though they had different personalities and viewpoints. The descriptions were so vivid that you felt that you were there feeling the same emotions as the women. It describes a sweet romance of two young people as well as the kindness of a much older woman. It also gave me an insight into the dedication of Veterinarians and their kindness.

[Samantha Blakely · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you need a hug, read this book; you won't want it to end. It offers an eye-opening look into life as a veterinarian. I was surprised to learn about some of the hardships there. This story is a journey into the many different types of relationships women have and how supporting each other makes all the difference. The characters are easy to relate to and I learned a lot of incidental facts about animals while I was reading.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really heartwarming story.