I started this book as I got on the train headed home from work and I don't think I looked up from that moment till I finished it, 5 minutes before I had to get off the bus (besides the obvious transfer between the two). Suffice to say this book hooked me in and was absolutely amazing.

It is 1969, and when Ginny delivers a baby girl with Down Syndrome the doctors and her husband quickly sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a "special school" for people like her. But Ginny never forgot about Lucy and two years later when she hears that the school was under investigation for how they were treating the children she backed up her son and with her sister goes to meet her daughter.

Within moments Ginny knows that she never should have left Lucy and she never will again. What transpires is a cross-country journey that turns Ginny into a fugitive from the law, and her husband.

From the first page of the book I was hooked and I loved following Ginny and Lucy on their journey to each other and to finding out more about life. It shows the depth of a mother's love and fighting for it.

I don't think I'm the target audience for this book and it did not interest me. I ended up not finishing this book.

Wow. This was a powerful, moving story which showed the great lengths a mother would go to protect her children. While uplifting at times, this was also a heavy read to a new(ish) mother. I couldn’t imagine what this family went through.

It was nice to read something out of my norm, and I enjoyed this read!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of Keeping Lucy, by T Greenwood. As a retired Special Education teacher, grandmother, and mother, this book touched me in many ways. I look forward to sharing this book with my friends, book club, and colleagues. When Ginny and Ab fell in love, they planned a beautiful simple life, but that all changed when their daughter, Lucy, was born and whisked away from her family before Lucy recovered in the hospital. Where was her daughter? Why was she gone? How can Lucy bring her home? Ab was under his fathers influence in a prestigious law firm that only cared about money and their good name, a place where Lucy would not fit in. As Ginny and her friend Marsha come up with a plan to find Lucy, Ab must decide what family means to him and make important decisions that will change all their lives forever.

I’ll start with saying I hate books and movies that go back and forth from the past to the present. But this book. Wow. I’m 12% in on my Kindle and it’s gotten SO good! Seriously this book needs to be a movie. I can’t put it down. Thank goodness for the weekend so I can stay up and read it all. The writing is awesome and the story. Wow.

From start to finish, this book was incredible.
The subject matter was an important look into how special needs children were cared for in the early 70’s and how we have evolved in that direction. The emotions of the characters, especially the mom, Ginny were so well developed you could feel her pain. The ending was exactly as the reader would hope it would turn out. I hope to read more by this author.

Many thanks to Netgalley and to St. Martins Press for allowing me the opportunity to read a free digital copy of Keeping Lucy.

Synopsis: In 1969, Ginny Richardson has the perfect life. She is married to a wonderful man, a lawyer, Ab, and they have a son whom they adore. When she gives birth to her baby girl, she is told the baby has Down Syndrome and is whisked away before Ginny even understands what is happening. Ab's father insists the baby by enrolled immediately in Willowridge, a school for the feeble-minded. Ginny knows she doesn't have the knowledge of the medical professionals who told her it was for the best; her daughter would be cared for by those who know just what she needs. And, as per the school's rules, Ginny is not allowed to visit. But Ginny feels the hole left in her heart every day. Two years later, Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her an expose on the horrendous conditions of Willowridge. Ginny decides she must go see for herself. Marsha agrees to drive Ginny and her now six year old son to the school for a visit. Once there, Ginny quickly realizes that she can't leave her daughter there. She checks her out for a weekend visit, but as she discovers more of the truth of the school, she must make a decision. Follow the rules or risk everything for her daughter.

My thoughts: From the beginning, I was captivated by Ginny. Greenwood's descriptions were horrifyingly vivid. There were moments in which I felt ill. I felt Ginny's struggle, and it was heart wrenching. Ginny felt powerless. She was at the mercy of her husband's family (and their idea of image at the expense of everything) and yet she knew she needed to protect her child. Yet she also needed to think about what was best for her son. Ab, her husband, also had to decide what was most important: his wife and children or the pressures his family and high society were putting on him to uphold the family's perfect image. Greenwood crafted a beautiful and gut-wrenching story based on true events.

I loved rust & stardust so I was super excited to read T Greenwood’s newest book. I enjoyed watching Ginny grow her confidence throughout the book. Also enjoyed how it was set in the 70s and helped me realize how far we have come in terms of Down syndrome and stigma. On the other hand, it’s pretty depressing to see that we’re right back to the 70s when it comes to a woman’s right to choose her own future.

The story that Tammy Greenwood tells in her newest book, Keeping Lucy, grabbed me from the first page and didn't let go until the last word. Even now, days later, I find myself thinking about Ginny and Ab and the challenges they faced with their marriage and family. We have all struggled, at some point in our lives, to define ourselves as adult children of our parents yet also as parents in our own family.A balance is not easy to achieve. Ms. Greenwood portrays Ginny and Ab as flawed but relatable people who care very much for each and their children. But Ab, especially, has to decide if he can break away from his father's control and do what is right for Lucy. What makes this story even more gripping is that is is based on a true story. It is horrifying to think that people can behave so cruelly toward the most vulnerable people in our society.

The description of this book drew me in. A parents love should always be absolute. If you think of yourself as someones parent than you are to hold on and never ever let go. Your love should always be absolute even during the horrible teenage years! Someone who loves, protects and will do all that is best no matter what. Seems so obvious to me, but then I turn on the news. As a society we still have this ideal of what “perfect” is and make it so very difficult for those who don’t meet some irrelevant uncaring, unloving, heartless standard. Though a lot has changed, not nearly enough has. This story is heartbreakingly sad. A woman having no say in what do with her child, being bullied and lied to by her husband and father in law was unfortunately what happened in the time of the story. Women couldn’t get a loan, a credit card or make legal decisions without their husbands approval. Scarily enough it often still is happening today in many families and facilities that are supposed to be curative, helpful and loving. This book brought reminded me of everything I ever read, heard and learned about Willowbrook. To me it seems that this story was seemingly drawn from it or it is a very least it was used as a blueprint for it. I remember the news reports and the hellish conditions that included neglect, abuse, clandestine testing that was not for the benefit of the patients etc. It has haunted me ever since. This book is about what happens when one haunted woman is made aware of what is happening to her daughter and decides to rescue her. To take back her power and be the woman and mother she knows she can be. She takes a road trip with a trusted friend, “steals” Lucy and knows in her heart she isn’t bringing her back and she will do better for her no matter what is costs her. Her journey is one of love and redemption and doing what a warrior mother does to save her family. I highly recommend this book, but know it touches on some tough issues that are sadly relevant and accurate to today. A interesting, compelling read that you won’t put down once you start reading.

A heart rending story of a mother’s love. Ginnie barely gets to lay eyes on her second child, a daughter named Lucy. Born with Down’s Syndrome, the baby is wished away with the urging of her husband and father-in-law to be institutionalized. Common during that era, Ginnie is left bereft and longs to be rejoined with her child. Following appalling newspaper accounts of the abuse and neglect at the facility Lucy, now two, has been living, Ginnie enlists the aide of an old friend to take Lucy for a weekend visit. Once she has seen both conditions of the facility herself as well as her daughter’s, there is no turning back for Ginnie. She takes her son, daughter and her friend and they flee to Florida. Unsure that Ab, her husband can separate himself from his father’s wealthy and powerful grasp, Ginnie is determined to do whatever it takes to keep Lucy. Fast paced and brilliantly told, every mother’s heart will ache along with Ginnie.

A heartbreaking story of what a mother will do for the love of their child. This author writes beautifully and kept me engaged throughout the entire book. I can’t imagine living in a time like this where men are the decision makers but it is fascinating to read about the perspective of someone from this time and to see how far we have come - the beauty of historical fiction like this. I would recommend this book to friends.

( 2.5 Stars )

I've read a lot of stories about missing or abused children, about institutions and family secrets, and a lot of it blurs together, but this felt refreshing to me at first. A mother trying to save her abandoned daughter from a neglectful institute she was forced into. But then it turned into more of a random road trip book, which felt a little strange to me. Being on the run fits the story, but everything that happened along the way seemed a bit odd given the circumstances and the most interesting part of this story – Lucy and the institution she was forced into – is hardly touched upon.

The combination of friends Ginny and Marsha on this random runaway road trip - which actually seemed a little Thelma and Louis-ish, but with kids – just created a combination of bad choices and ideas. I know it was meant to represent the lengths at which a mother will go to save her child, and I respect that, but some of the choices these women made were questionable and as such, made this seem a bit more like a wild tale than an anything else.

They were also pretty flimsy characters. Ginny was naïve and spineless, Marsha was the one who was supposed to be liberated and the epitome of a strong woman, but Ginny acted more like a 1920’s housewife than someone in the 70s and Marsha’s strong will was represented by her smoking and swearing and promiscuity, which just seemed a bit lazy to me.

The ending had characters do complete 180s, which is something you like to see, but it felt more like whip lash than proper character growth and everything just came together far too easily for the complications and conflicts that were built up to exist in the first part of the book.

I clearly had a mix of feelings about this book. I whipped through it rather quickly and the story itself held a lot of promise and was interesting, I adored Lucy and my heart broke for her experience, and I rooted for Ginny the further she ran, but I just had a hard time losing myself in this, everything just seemed to stick out too much, too conveniently, a constant reminder that this was a story nicely put together and not at all a reflection of what actually happened to shape these characters.

[spoiler]I quite enjoyed Rust & Stardust, a book based on a true crime story, so I shouldn’t be surprised to learn that this was also based on true headlines, something that I didn’t discover until after finishing it. Knowing that now, I wish this had focused a lot more on the institution, or had a stronger message about the treatment of disabled children. This book had a happy ending, but it seemed really fabricated and was the result of the characters having to make a choice to save their own child over exposing the school for what it was. It didn’t shine much light on the institution itself and they certainly didn’t get what was coming to them in the end, and that really frustrated me. [end spoiler]

A very touching story of the lengths a mother will go to for her child. Unconditional love at it's finest .

I struggled with this book. I realize things were done differently in the late 1960s, but a grandfather who could call the shots regarding his son's family, was, to me, a stretch. Ginny's baby daughter, who she named Lucy, was taken from her at birth and sent to Willowbrook School, where she would receive, according to her father-in-law, who was in cahoots with the big name politicians in the state, a first-class rearing in a boarding school setting appropriate to Lucy's developmental disability. The son accepted whatever his father chose to dish out, not only for Lucy, but in all other areas of his life as well.

Two years later Ginny learns through a friend that the school is actually an institution currently under investigation for all sorts of abuse. Her maternal instincts, which had apparently gone on hiatus, come to the forefront and she resolves to visit her daughter. The visit turns into a wild road trip/kidnapping with her best friend and Ginny's children.. Broken down cars, stolen license plates, no money should have led to a thrilling story. It sounded far-fetched at best, and just plain crazy. most of the time. Ginny goes from completely passive to tiger mom in the space of about 24 hours.

I wanted to learn more about Lucy, and more about the other children at Willowbrook.

I loved Grace and The Forever Bridge and so I was very happy to receive a digital copy from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. It is a good story and a good book, but I didn’t love it as I did with the previous T. Greenwood novels.
Even though I think that the author succeeds in describing the atmosphere of the late sixties and the different mindset about disabled the characters seem stereotypical described as “good” (Ginny and her friend), “bad” (the father in law and mother in law). Finally, sometimes “the road trip” appears a little unbelievable.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks NetGalley!

this book was so emotional . based in the 1960s, Ginny was pressured into giving up her little girl with down syndrome to an institute. six years later, ginny's friend marsha shows her some articles showing the institute for what it really is.. a squalid, neglectful place. ginny takes her son and marsha, and drives across the states to get her daughter back.

keeping lucy is based on true events, which makes this book THAT much better.

As the story unfolds I find myself holding back my attachment for the yet to be born child. The title frightens me, but I do not know why… Save Lucy from whom or what I'm unsure. My ambiguous feelings are torn further as the story progresses; love, angst, betrayal and frustration are all battering my mind as I want to shout out loud. Some actions and attitudes seem unbearable and I know I would never have allowed this path, but back in 1969, times were different. Based on a true story, I have a difficult time passing on anything to do with children.

Keeping Lucy follows a mother, Ginny Richardson, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as she learns her baby has Downs Syndrome. Immediately after the birth of Lucy, the dad, Ab, signs off on her being institutionalized. This was fairly common at the time. As was Ginny's behavior of being a submissive housewife. However, as she makes a road trip with her son, daughter, and best friend so much just didn't feel true even for the early 1970s. Marsha, the best friend, is a nurse and she is unmarried. Yet, when they're on the road she behaves as though she's been sheltered from the world just like Ginny. I don't want to give away parts of the story, but there were just too many contrived situations for me to enjoy this book. I really enjoy T. Greenwood's other books, including her last book, Rust & Stardust. Keeping Lucy just didn't feel like it was her writing to me. It won't stop me from checking out future books from her though.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and T. Greenwood. As always, an honest review from me.

Like:
- Another great historical fiction novel by T. Greenwood
- Such a sign of the times
- The police officers and friends that take a risk to help Lucy’s mom do what’s right for her daughter

Love:
- Based on true stories of that time period - love it!
- Her books are always great, very relevant to today even though they take place decades ago
- Make you feel so intensely - feel bad for Lucy and her mother and all the families that had to experience this in real life
- Completely captures my attention and makes me feel immersed in the book

Dislike:
- The horrific ways that children with disabilities were treated in institutions during that time period

Wish that:
- The ending was longer - very abrupt and leaves a lot unfinished

Overall, Keeping Lucy is a heartbreaking, relevant and almost indescribably great book filled with such love from a mother to a child. Another great read by T. Greenwood. She’s quickly becoming one of my must read authors!