In 1969, Ginny gives birth to a second child, a daughter with Down’s Syndrome. The baby is immediately placed into a facility which was, sadly, the norm at that time in our history. This novel is the story of Ginny finding the strength to reunite with her daughter, stand up to the system, and to the powerful men in her life.
That simple description doesn’t begin to do this book justice. Ms. Greenwood has created characters that are more than just believable. Her insight into Ginny’s drive as a mother pulls the reader in deeper and deeper. With the help of a very loyal friend and some kind strangers along the way, Ginny persists. Not everyone is supportive however, including family and some not-so-kind strangers.
The plot is engaging, surprisingly fast tempoed given the story line, and had me up late turning the pages as fast as I could. The only thing that slowed me down was that on more than one occasion, I had to put it down and remind myself that it was a novel, these were not real people I was getting so emotional about.
Sincere thanks to Netgalley, St, Martin’s Press and author T. Greenwood for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well this certainly was an eye opening and moving story to read. As a person works with children with special needs I can’t even imagine the conditions at institutions 50 and more years ago. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press & Netgalley for the chance to read this novel!

I really, really enjoyed my first book by T. Greenwood! Admittedly, I was nervous about reading this one. My feelings were mixed on the blurb and I didn’t know if it would be a hit for me. Luckily, as I started reading, I found I flew through several chapters in a flash. When I picked it up again, I read the final three-fourths in one day! I simply couldn’t put the book down and was surprised by just how much I loved it!

I loved that this story didn’t neatly fit into any one genre. When I began, it almost had an eerie, Thriller vibe. That continued in small doses throughout the story, but as I dug in further it gave off more of a Kristin Hannah/Women’s Fiction feel. I enjoy both, so I call that a win-win.

My favorite thing about this book was just how uniquely Lucy’s story was shared with readers. I can’t say I’ve ever read a book with a character having Down’s Syndrome and it shed plenty of light on the disorder. I hadn’t given much thought to women being encouraged to place their disabled children into permanent care facilities. I wish the book could have elaborated a bit more on this topic because I still have some questions I will have to research later on. Nonetheless, it was an eye-opening and well-crafted story. It evoked empathy and the fierce mama-bear inside of me, allowing me to relate to Ginny on a deep level.

I was torn between 4 and 5 stars, but decided to knock one star off of my overall rating due to the subtle slant of the tone of the writing that I didn’t completely care for. I felt like this was a modern view of women’s lives in the ’60s and ’70s, rather than a realistic representation of how women felt about their roles in the world. Society’s modern views often muddy the waters between factual history and fiction. I think this is a challenge for all writers of Historical Fiction because we live in this world, not the past, but it’s still something I struggle with as a reader. Despite my minor hang-ups, this was a page-turner I would eagerly recommend. I loved reading Keeping Lucy and want to keep her myself.

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for a digital galley of Keeping Lucy.

An emotional tale of a mother’s love, T Greenwood’s new novel tells the story of the lengths one woman will go to keep her daughter. 1969, Ginny gives birth to a daughter, but just as quickly as the baby is born, she’s taken away. Told by her husband and their doctor that the child was born with special needs and would likely not live, she finds that her daughter Lucy has been sent to Willow Ridge to be raised. Devastated by the loss, Ginny spends the next two years grieving her daughter. But when a local paper runs an exposé on the school Lucy was sent to live at, she goes to visit her daughter finding that the conditions of the school are every bit as bad as reported. Immediately she checks Lucy out for a weekend and tries to get her daughter back. Her husband and his family opposing Ginny’s wishes leads to Ginny taking off as far away as she can to keep her daughter.

This is an emotional book at times; the descriptions of child neglect and abuse are horrifying and made my blood boil. I didn’t love Ginny, I felt she lacked a backbone throughout the majority of the story. While the premise of the book is great, the execution of the plot felt shaky to me. I wanted to see everyone and the plot better developed. This one lacked some of the depth that I think would have made it so much more powerful. Even so, it’s a great testament to one woman’s love for her child. I think there will be a great number of people who enjoy this story.

This is the first book I have read by this author. You can bet that it won't be the last one. I could not stop reading this book. In fact, I started and finished it in one afternoon.

Ginny and Marsha were like the original Thelma and Louise. I loved these two women. Marsha was the strong, solid shoulder that Ginny needed. If not for her, Ginny would have lost her battle against her husband and his family and maybe never seen Lucy again. Speaking of Lucy, she really blossomed into a beautiful butterfly by the end of the story. Yes, sweet Lucy the moon is yours.

I did not know this book was based around true events. It makes this story that more intriguing and sad at the same time. Even today, people judge others with a disability. I have a friend that has CP and you would never know that it affects her. She could still play when we were younger and now she is married. Keeping Lucy will tug at your heart strings and maybe having you shed a few tears of happiness in the process.

This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Heartbreaking because in those times - 1969 - it was considered 'normal' to place children with Down's Syndrome in institutions. It was 'normal' to refer to them as retarded. And sadly, it was probably 'normal' that some of those institutions were as horrible as the one depicted here. But the book is also heartwarming in how it shows the mother of this Down Syndrome child fighting against the system and against her own family to do what was right for her child.

The writing is excellent in the way it goes back and forth in time, giving the reader a sense of what the times were like and how much there was at stake. The characters were vivid and sympathetic. It was easy to visualize Ginny and Marsha and Peter - and baby Lucy. The story developed naturally and believably.

Thankfully, times have changed though people who are 'different' are still sometimes treated badly. It's an ongoing progress and hopefully one day we will see all people treated equally.

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Keeping Lucy” by T. Greenwood, St. Martin’s Press, August 6, 2019

WOW!! T. Greenwood, Author of “Keeping Lucy” has written an emotional, controversial, thought-provoking, novel that pulled at my heartstrings. The Genre for “Keeping Lucy” is Fiction, but has such a realistic feel. The timeline for this story is 1969 and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in this novel. The author describes her characters as flawed, confused, each having their own set of problems and conflicts.

Ginny lived a very simple life when she met Ab Richardson. The two come from different backgrounds. Ab’s family is wealthy, and his parents” expectations are that he goes to law school. and finally, join his fathers lucrative law-practice. Ab and Ginny get married and they have their son. Ginny and Ab move to a bigger home and prepare for the birth of their daughter.

Ginny is totally distraught when she gives birth go a little girl with “Down Syndrome”. She names her Lucy but is told by her doctor that the baby has a heart defect, and won’t live for long. Before she knows it, Lucy is placed in “WIllowridge” a special school for the “feeble-minded”. It is 1969, and there is not as much information about caring for “such children” as there is in 2019.

Marcia, a good friend of Ginny brings a newspaper clipping about an investigation into WIllowridge, showing abuse and neglect of children. The worst possible conditions exist there. As a mother, Ginny realizes that she has no choice but to go and save Lucy, no matter what the consequences.

I appreciate that the author discusses the importance of caring for disabled children, and the importance of courage, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking novel. I would also suggest you keep Kleenex on hand!!

If I needed to describe this book in two words: Beautifully heartbreaking! 4.5 stars!

You guys. This book wrecked me! It's such a testament of a mother’s love 🧡And I wept like a baby.

Synopsis: Keeping Lucy is a historical fiction novel about a mother, Ginny, and her your daughter, Lucy, who has Down Syndrome. Taking place in the late 60s through the early 70s, the stigma against children with disabilities was horrific. And Lucy fell victim to this and was institutionalized immediately after birth. After two years of being cared for by the state, newspaper articles started to surface that the facility in which Lucy called home was accused of misconduct and child neglect. And as soon as Ginny caught wind of this, she would do everything in her power regain custody of her daughter.

I gotta be honest, this was a heavy read. There were multiple times where I set my kindle down because I was floored and livid at what I was reading. And the shitty part is, this story is based on true events. I hate injustice and I hate marginalizing people, and this is just one of those stories that really opens your eyes.

But overall, this book showcased that love does heal wounds. And that tugged on my heart. 🧡 There were beautiful examples of friendship, forgiveness, redemption, and love littered throughout these pages. So with that, I give Keeping Lucy a 4.5-star ⭐️ rating and highly recommend you seek out a copy! 🙌🏽

Trigger warnings: this book does contain child neglect, child abuse, and inappropriate language towards the intellectually disabled.

Books inspired by true events are always fascinating to me. While reading Keeping Lucy I was simultaneously heartbroken at how children with Down Syndrome were treated back in the day and so incredibly thankful that we’ve come so far. No longer are children with disabilities banished to homes or hospitals but are an active and integral part of our society. And we, as a society, are better for it.⁣
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Ginny’s beautiful daughter Lucy is born with Down Syndrome and taken from her immediately to go to Willowridge, a home for the “feeble minded.” Two years later there is an expose in the paper about the deplorable conditions at Willowridge. Ginny and her best friend go to see the conditions for themselves and set on a course to save Lucy. ⁣
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This beautiful novel about love and motherhood captivated me from start to finish. I was deeply invested in Lucy’s rights and her safety. While hard to read at times, this is a real and raw look at the deplorable conditions some children were sent to live in. I work in Special Education and had a deep investment in this book from the start. Thank you @stmartinspress for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited for this book to come out since I absolutely loved 𝘙𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵! 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘺 by T. Greenwood is well-written, beautiful, and heart breaking at multiple points in the story. I cried twice in the last quarter of the book, which hasn’t happened to me in who knows how long. As someone who has a brother with Down Syndrome, it is horrifying to think how these children were treated back then. Although there is still stigma and misunderstanding these days regarding Down Syndrome, it has changed so much with supportive communities and an effort to help young mothers understand the different needs these children have. And yet I could still relate to some of the situations where strangers first saw Lucy and how they reacted when they realized she had Down Syndrome. ⁣
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𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘺 is a book about family, loss, and love that I could not put down. It definitely stole my heart, which is why I would rate it 4.5 stars. Why not 5 stars you ask? I just wanted… more. I wanted to learn more about Willowridge State School (aka Willowbrook State School, a real place!) and the awful conditions that Lucy and the other children were in. Regardless, I would still highly recommend this book for the beautiful story-telling! This is one I’ll definitely need a physical copy of, especially since the author will be in Arizona next month for a book signing!
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Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the free advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press for the free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I DNFed this book at 25%. I was extremely sad for Ginny at the beginning, she had just given birth to her daughter and her husband and father-in-law have her sent away to an institution just because she has down syndrome. I understand it’s the 1960s and people treated mentally handicapped people a lot different back then but it still irked me.

But then I kept reading and find out that Ginny let her husband and father-in-law keep her from seeing her or bringing her home for 2 years. WHAT?!?! As a mother, you should never let your husband come before your children, that’s your flesh and blood that you created. If my husband had told me I wasn’t allowed to see my daughter or bring her home because of a mental disability I would have thrown divorce papers in his face. And then to top it all off, the lawsuit that’s been filed against the institution for neglect and abuse, he’s defending because he’s a lawyer and works for his daddy. Can you be any more up your father’s a**?

As I said, I understand this was supposed to be set in the 1960s and a lot of things have changed since then but for a mother to give up on her child and leave her in an institution just because of her husband and his father is not okay.

I’ve never read anything by T. Greenwood and I don’t plan on reading anything else after this.

A couple of reading friends have recommended T. Greenwood as a favorite author, but this is the first of her books I've read. It won't be the last. I'm a sucker for books set in the 60s/70s, having been born at mid-century myself. Often books set then show both the good and bad of that time period, and this is no exception. While there are the fun nostalgic elements, there are also the grim realities of how the mentally challenged were so frequently treated at that time. And then there's the reminder of how far women have come in the last 50 years. (It's still difficult to go "on the run" these days, the challenges are just different when trying to exist off the grid, as opposed the the challenges faced by a young mother on the run in 1969.) Both heartbreaking and uplifting, I loved the writing. I loved the characters and watching the challenges Ginny faced and overcame with a little help from friends both old and new, not the least of which is bonding with a baby she gave birth to but didn't meet until she was 2. It's horrifying to know that it's based on a real events, and that institutions like Willowridge existed even in my lifetime. And all that considered, I'll definitely be looking for more books from T. Greenwood.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free review copy.

This was my first book by T. Greenwood and I absolutely loved it. It was so well written, beautiful and heart breaking, at the same time. I found myself reaching for it, whenever I had a few moments to read.

Keeping Lucy is about Ab and Ginnys daughter. When she was born, Ginny was tricked into giving her up, as Lucy had Down Syndrome, and heart issues. Two years later, articles are written and exposing Willowridge, where Lucy currently is. Ginny takes matters into her own hands, and goes to check the place out. It is as horrible as the papers show. She checks Lucy out for a weekend, and decides to leave town.

This book hooked me from the beginning. While it is a hard story to read, it will stay with me for a long time. It truly shows a mother's love, to her young daughter.

Keeping Lucy is out today, and I highly suggest you give it a try! Or ask your library to purchase a copy. This will remain one of my favorite books, for the year. ❤

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for a copy of Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood for review. This beautiful story is out today.
Trigger warnings for child abuse.

Keeping Lucy is based on a true story. Set in the 1970s, Virginia wakes up from childbirth to find that her daughter has Down Syndrome and at that time, those children were institutionalized at birth. Taken before her mother could see her or fight for her, Virginia never forgot her daughter. Later, when the institution she was sent to is the feature of an exposè in the newspaper for neglect, she vows to make sure her daughter has all the love and understanding she needs.

T Greenwood is an artist. I loved Rust&Stardust and Keeping Lucy is infused with the same heartfelt characters and a journey to keep a child safe. Completely different subject matter and this one was told mostly from the mother’s point of view. I really enjoyed reading it from her perspective and seeing how she grew along the way.

Keeping Lucy was an interesting story about a terribly difficult subject and time in the country. By that I mean, the era that found people who had a child with any abnormalities being pressured to institutionalize the child and told to move on with life, almost as if that child was never born.

I found Ginny to be rather stereotypical, as she embodied most of the 1950s era "good wife" expectations - dinner on the table when hubby comes home, do as your husband says to, take care of the house, the kids and the hubby, put yourself last in all things and don't complain.

I get it. I know that was the norm. I guess that's something that led to 3 stars rather than 4 or 5. I felt as if this character was more from the 50s and not the 60s when people were tending to experience a new normal. I also wish we'd heard more about Lucy, her life and the ways in which she was affected by living as she did.

Keeping Lucy was a good read, I just wish it had gone deeper. It's one that I probably won't reread. This is a book I'd recommend with some caveats. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC at my request. My thoughts in this review are my own and freely shared.

This heart-warming tale of motherhood, families, and the female voice is so beautiful–it captured my heart!

This past week I finished reading T. Greenwood’s novel Keeping Lucy, which tells the story of a mother who is learning to rediscover her voice and follow her instincts. Set in the 1970s, Ginny is advised to send her second child Lucy to a home for children born with downs syndrome. She’ll need special care, particularly because of a heart defect that likely means Lucy won’t live out of childhood.

Two years later, Ginny reads a shocking news story about the home they sent Lucy to, speaking of unclean living conditions and poor care of the children there. Ginny checks Lucy out for a weekend trip, and the more she discovers about Lucy’s mistreatment, the more certain she is that she can’t bring her daughter back. But Ginny’s husband Ab isn’t exactly on the same page. Ginny follows her instincts as a mother, crossing state lines and falling in love with the daughter that she once allowed to be taken from he, and who now may no longer be hers to keep…

This book was such a beautiful story! Ginny’s life and struggles really spoke to the feminist in me. What I loved most about her story was that Ab wasn’t a bad guy or even a bad father. It would be easy to take the story there, to make it how Ginny realizes who Ab truly is. But the fact remains that Ab is filled with love for Ginny and his family. And like her, Ab is doing his best to make good decisions for the family.

I loved learning about Lucy through Ginny’s eyes. It was easy to fall in love with Lucy! Despite her illness, Lucy is filled with love, curiosity, and light. Ginny herself is questioning her path in life. Did she make the right decision to marry and stay at home with the kids? Despite how much she loves Ab, Ginny is on the cusp of the women’s movement, and she’s questioning whether she slipped into the traditional gender role that she admittedly was happy with. But in doing so, maybe she lost her voice a bit.

This book is the type of story that is good for my heart. Beautiful!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

Not so long ago, children with special needs were hidden away to live in institutions with no contact with there families. This is the story of a little baby born with Down Syndrome into a family who wanted a perfect baby....everyone except her mother who was heartbroken when her little girl Lucy was sent away. Her mother Ginny was heartbroken and decided to fight against this powerful family and find her little girl. It's the story of how she struggled agains that, fled from one place to another and proved to the world that Special can be so special. Loved this book!

Ginny felt anxious. Ab had called earlier to let her know he’d he’d be late but he’d been late every night for the last six months. But tonight, like every night she and their son Payton sat at the table alone. Payton would be in first grade this fall. Than Ginny got a call from her good friend Marsha who still lived back home, and she said things were going on at Willowridge. Ginny had been pregnant and had a little girl with Down’s syndrome two years ago and Ab and his dad had Ab Sr. had sent Lucy to Willowridge right after she was born without Ginny’s consent. Ginny had wanted to raise Lucy herself but wasn’t given the chance. Ginny kept Lucy in her heart. Now there was very bad things going on at Willowridge. After the first thirty days Ginny had wanted to go see Lucy but Ab changed the subject and brought up maybe trying for another baby- it might even be a daughter. But Ginny replied they had a daughter -Lucy. Ab said they had to choose but Ginny knew the choice had already been made Lucy was gone. Marsha came to Ginny’s house the next day and had a four page expose on Willowridge on how horrible it was there and the horrible way the children were treated. Ginny packed a bag and her and Peytom went with marsha to see Lucy. Ginny got to take Lucy for the weekend and when she first changed her daughter she saw a horrible case of weeping diaper rash on her two year old daughter and she wasn’t clean on her bottom. Ginny was determined Lucy wasn’t going back to that horrible place. Ginny called her mother and found out Ab had signed all parental rights away when he signed Lucy over to the state that was the only way Willowridge would take her. If she didn’t return Lucy the next day she could be arrested. Instead Ginny and Marsha headed to her aunt Virginia for an overnight stay on their way to Florida where Marsha’s sister lived.
This was a great read but had some very harrowing information about the state institution where Lucy had been taken and how the kids were treated. It pulled at your heart strings and I was able to picture the horror that was Willowridge. My heart broke for Lucy and I choked up several times. But I loved the mom Ginny was and how she refused to take Lucy back to that place. She knew she could go to jai; for a long time but her daughter was the important person here. I loved how Loyal Marsha was to Ginny and helped all she could with Lucy and getting her away knowing she could get in trouble also. I loved the pace and plot. I loved that Ginny refused to give up on Lucy. This shows how deep a mothers love can be and the strength to do whatever she had to do to make sure Lucy would be okay. I loved the ending. This was a very special book but at times was very hard to read. But also brought tears to your eyes at the people going out of their way to help Ginny for Lucy. I loved the characters and the book and I highly recommend it.

This was my second book by T. Greenwood and I can firmly say that I will continue to read her work. Keeping Lucy is absolutely heartbreaking and drew me in from the very first page.

Ginny is very passive in the beginning of the book and is your typical 1970s housewife—she doesn’t drive and blindly does what the men around her tell her to. When her daughter is taken away from her minutes after giving birth, Ginny is forced to deal with the decision that was made by her husband and father-in-law while she was sedated.

As Ginny got to know Lucy and witness her resilience she found the strength to stand up for herself and to fight for the right to keep her daughter. Her confidence blossomed as she advocated for and bonded with Lucy, who she never saw as anything less than perfect.

This was a fast read and I enjoyed how the story was told: mainly in the present with some flashbacks to the past to develop how Ginny and Ab met and fell in love. It helped to humanize Ab as a man who loves his family but sways under the control of his domineering father.

This book pulled at my heartstrings in so many ways. The description of the way these children were neglected shed an important light on the mistreatment of those with mental disabilities in the 1970s. It has led me to have important conversations with friends who are Special Ed teachers about issues that I never knew existed prior to reading this book.

I do not remember the last time I've read a book that I disliked so strongly. I think what made this feeling even worse was that I was so excited for it, and was given an early copy to review. The premise sounded right up my alley: Gina gives birth to a baby with Down-syndrome, and is convinced to let her live at a "school" that will provide better care to her. Two years later, Gina reads an expose about the school, and learns of the atrocious conditions of the facility and the abuse the children experience. This plot sounded a bit like one of my favorite books of 2018, The Home for Unwanted Girls, and I would have loved to learn more about this facility, as it was based on a true location. I don't want to totally bash this book, but I'll just say that the main character, the mother Gina, irritated me so much, that I was actually rooting against her through much of the book. She was on a quest to rescue her daughter Lucy from the horrible school, which she had every right to do, but why did it take her two years? I don't know much about mental health treatment in the 1970's, but couldn't she have visited to the facility long before the school was exposed as such a terrible place? Also, she dragged her 7 year old son, Peyton, through the whole wacky road trip, pulled him out of school, and seem to do a really poor job communicating with him about her sister's condition and what was happening and where they were going (details that are VERY important to children!). He was basically kidnapped by his mother, as she refused to tell the father where they were for most of the book (spoiler: they had driven MANY states away). Towards the end of the book, as I was reading by myself, I was actually rolling my eyes and audibly saying, “UGH” as I read on. This woman, in my opinion, was just not a great parent, and I was frustrated reading about her terrible decisions. Would not recommend, sorry for such negativity but this one really boiled my blood!