Monday, December 15, 2014

Little Mercies by Heather Gudenkauf

As cozy and snugly the fall & winter seasons are for curling up with a good book - they're also insanely busy!!  I really do want nothing more than to be able to get some more books under my belt before the end of the year and it's just not looking likely that I'll meet my 35 book goal for 2014. *sniff*  I might have been a teensy bit too ambitious this time.  Even still, wrapping up with Little Mercies brought me in at #25 for the year and it's been a great year of reading for me!!

A massive part of why I've had such a wonderful year of reading goes to NetGalley and all that they offer for everyday readers like me to be able to request advance copies of books online. Seriously, when things get slow at work - they.save.me.

I actually finished Little Mercies back earlier this month, but only have a free moment to write a little something of my thoughts on it.

It was so good y'all!!!

I've even passed it on to my Mother-In-Law who also loved it and then on to one of my best friends, Jessica. Intense, moving, heart-breaking, mind-blowing...and you know what's the most sobering aspect about this story?  It happens a lot.  I can't really go into details, I just don't believe in sharing more than what the synopsis already gives you.  But let me say this - I'm not a mom, so I can't relate on a personal level of how tragic and devastating something like Ellen goes through.  But even still, just imaging it is traumatizing enough.

Seriously, pick this one up you won't regret it!  I received my copy compliments of NetGalley and Harlequin.  I bought The Weight of Silence, by Heather Gudenkauf a while back and now am anxious to dig into it even more now!   Little Mercies is already out now, so don't hesitate and grab yourself a copy here!

Description: 
Veteran social worker Ellen Moore has seen the worst side of humanity; the vilest acts one person can commit against another. She is a fiercely dedicated children's advocate and a devoted mother and wife. But one blistering summer day, a simple moment of distraction will have repercussions that Ellen could never have imagined, threatening to shatter everything she holds dear, and trapping her between the gears of the system she works for.

Meanwhile, ten-year-old Jenny Briard has been living with her well-meaning but irresponsible father since her mother left them, sleeping on friends' couches and moving in and out of cheap motels. When Jenny suddenly finds herself on her own, she is forced to survive with nothing but a few dollars and her street smarts. The last thing she wants is a social worker, but when Ellen's and Jenny's lives collide, little do they know just how much they can help one another.

A powerful and emotionally charged tale about motherhood and justice, Little Mercies is a searing portrait of the tenuous grasp we have on the things we love the most, and of the ties that unexpectedly bring us together.


Rating: *****

Recommend: Yes!  But do keep in mind, if you're a mom to little ones this could be hard to digest.