This story is about a mother’s love for her daughter, and the struggles she has facing up to the fact that all is not well with her daughter. It tells how she overcomes her problems and accepts what is wrong, going though all this without support because her husband leaves her to cope alone. I think this is a story which a lot of people will relate to, and hopefully will make them realise they are not alone and there is help available

The cover simply melted my heart. I had to read this story. Innocence was never so clearly depicted as on this cover. Armed with tissues, I started reading this story by Emma Robinson. I didn't require the tissues. This book was all about courage and hope.

Sara loved her daughter Ruby, but in her heart knew that something was different with her. She shared her concerns with her escapist actor husband Mike, who was ever ready to brush her concerns away. He didn't want to face the challenges. Both lived in his mother, Barbara's home and one day, he left. He found things too difficult. THE ASS!!

Relationship between Sara and Barbara was rocky, to say the least. The syiry took some turns, revelations and secrets were shared, and a new pathway was forged. Sara learned to find her own way and realized that she had the help if she could just lean into it.

The first thing I realized was that Emma's writing was very soothing, welcoming. I knew I could spend time in this story, getting to know the characters and understand what the mother and daughter duo were trying to tell me.

The story was of a mother's fight for her daughter. It showed her struggle and her love along with her warring dreams and aspirations. Her daughter might be on the autism spectrum. And it took all her courage to wrap her fears in and find a way for her daughter.

The author has written every word authentically. The story portrayed all of Sara's feelings. It showed her constant worry, the criticism by other mothers, the fear for her daughter's future. Every sentence in the book touched my heart.

Emma Robinson is a masterful storyteller who has taken a difficult subject and written a story dipped in the ink of love. Sometimes mothers have to paint a different picture with their daughters in mind. But all of them would be beautiful and pure, just like her love.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Sara is more than pleased to be a mother. However, she knows her three-year-old Ruby is unique. She met several milestones as expected, but has stopped speaking. Furthermore, Ruby's play is guided by order - she color codes her toys, lines them up perfectly, and will repeat playful tasks repeatedly.

Mike thinks Ruby is a typical child. What is more, so does Mike's mother, Barbara. Currently, Mike has returned to acting, his first love that he gave up after marriage and fatherhood. Partly due to this, Mike has convinced Sara that moving in with Barbara will be best for the family financially. Mike can work hard on the play he just got hired to, and the couple can save money for a home of their own.

So, not only is Sara worried about Ruby, she is now living in the home of a woman who never showed her much consideration or respect. As a matter of fact, she second-guesses Sara at every turn, whereas Mike can do no wrong.

Sara takes a huge step, actually more than one. Not only does she find a part-time job, she even enrolls Ruby into a pre-school. This opens the door for Sara to act on her suspensions that things are not quite right with Ruby. After all, Sara is concerned for Ruby's happiness and future, as any well-meaning mother would be. Not only is Sara living in Barbara's home, she wakes up to discover that Mike has left them and that she is now a single parent.

What a touching story! Where I Found You not only focuses on Sara working on obtaining a diagnosis for Ruby, and where she might be on the autism spectrum, she also works on her dream of being an artist, finding friends she can rely on, and even growing in her relationship with her mother-in-law.

Emma Robinson has delivered an effective story and has handled it with grace. As I have a grandson and nephew who are autistic, I felt very comfortable with how Ms. Robinson wrote this story, including expressing how isolated Sara felt at times. I truly enjoy her writing and do look forward to reading much more in the future.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

First, I want to thank Emma Robinson, Bookouture, and NetGalley for providing this book so I may bring you this review.

Emma Robinson’s Where I Found You was an incredibly gripping, powerful, uplifting story of a mother’s love. This book is full of lots of drama, secrets, betrayal, infidelity, a lot of high emotions. However, in all that you get to meet a very sweet 3-year-old Ruby who will pull on your heart strings.

Kudos to the graphic designer who designed this cover. You definitely pulled on my heart strings and it made me curious to see what the book was about.

I am not a Mom but a very proud Auntie. I don’t know what I would do if my daughter could not talk at that age. Sara is one of the strongest characters in this book and my heart went out to her. I don’t know how I would have stayed that strong through all she was dealing with. I felt every emotion that Sara went through. Everytime that Ruby learned something new like climbing up to go down the slide I smiled ear to ear.

In every book there seems to be one person I am not a fan of. In this book it was Sara’s husband. I wanted to smack him so hard! He is a boy not a man. Running away from responsibility because he couldn’t handle it! Couldn’t face the truth about his daughter! Oh he upset me so!

This book started off a little on slow side for my liking. However, it has a shocking revelation that I never saw coming!!

A completely belting book from Emma Robinson! Loved getting an insight into a mother of a child with autism. I think she got the balance beautifully right and I love a book that educates me too! A total winner! Very talented author!

A beautiful and emotional read.
This was a nice and enjoyable but would love a sequel.
I will be checking out other books by this author

What's wrong with Ruby? She was perfect, just perfect, and then......Sara is coping with the changes I her four year old when her husband Mike announces that they are going to move in with his mother Barbara. Barbara is not a fan of Sara and Sara doesn't like her either. Mike, an actor, thinks he's got a big break and then, well he creates a big break. All this as Sara copes with the changes in Ruby and working like crazy. Barbara turns out to be less rotten than she appears at first (good thing) but Mike, well he's useless (and absent). How Sara, Barabara, and Ruby come together is well done- they are all very realistic and sympathetic characters- and the story is well told. Thanks to net galley for the ARC.

This is the beautifully written story of motherhood, family and friends. Sara and Mike are married and their daughter, Ruby, is 3 years old. Ruby is prone to temper tantrums, has quit speaking and is quite difficult at times. Sara suspects something is wrong but Mike refuses to believe it or even help here with their daughter. He wants to pursue his acting career so they move back in with his mother. I really enjoyed this very touching story. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this heart-warming book.

A few days ago I read a wonderful emotional book. I thought I had spent every tear I had, but while reading this one, I found I had several left.

As a parent you want to do everything you can for your children and when something does not seem quite right, the best way to deal with it is as a team. But what if you are not on the same wavelength? Who is right and who is wrong? What if your partner is convinced that you overreact? Will you let it go or are they playing ostrich and burry their head in the sand? Does mum know best?

This is a very beautiful tale. Did the author keep us a bit in the dark because she is working on a sequel? I would not mind that at all. I was not ready to say goodbye. I wanted to stay and see what happens next. Maybe, just maybe ...? 5 stars.

Thank you, Emma Robinson and Bookouture (via Netgalley)

A beautiful, moving and compelling story about a mother’s love and how she’d do anything for her child. It’s also a story of family, friendship, letting go and about how there is often so much more going on underneath the surface than we know. This book will break your heart, make you angry and challenge you. Can you paint a different picture and see all the different shades of colour that are waiting to be found?

This was my first time reading this author’s work but it won’t be my last. I’ll admit, part of my interest in this book was the comparison to my favourite author, Jodi Picoult, and I think that is an accurate description of Emma’s beautiful writing style. I was quickly immersed in the story and characters and felt invested in Sara and Ruby.

Sara loves her daughter and loves being a mother. She didn’t have a great upbringing so she’s determined to give Ruby everything she didn’t - which is mostly love and security. She as a difficult time making friends, feels anxious and like everyone is judging both Ruby and her as a mother and is very defensive. She hopes to finally make friends after the move and I enjoyed seeing her find her confidence in herself and her abilities as a mother as she found some lovely friendships over the course of the book. I particularly loved her friendship with Leonard from the art gallery and the positive effect this had on their lives and Ruby’s too.

Reading how Sara felt as she realised something might really be wrong with Ruby and how helpless she felt was heartbreaking. As a mother I could relate to some of what she was feeling.Though I’ve not ever had to go through the trauma of battling to get a diagnosis for my child’s autism - my stepson is autistic and had an easier journey to diagnosis - I do know the helplessness of not knowing how to help them when they’re struggling to deal with their illness and that feeling of loving who they are while aso wishing they weren’t born with something that makes their life harder. I also know the pain of their being something wrong with your child that you can’t fix. My son was diagnosed with a hole in his heart at a few days old and I’ll never forget coming home from the hospital with a list of what to do if he turned blue or grey and sitting in tears watching him sleep in his moses basket convinced I’d lose the baby I’d struggled to conceive and carry. Thankfully he is fine now but you don’t ever forget those feelings or lose the desire to protect you children.

I didn’t like either Mike or Barbara from the start. MIke is a useless, selfish deadbeat dad. His refusal to ever really parent Ruby was sadly familiar and while I hated him for abandoning his wife and child, I also think the are better without him so I was rooting for Sara to find her strength and realise she’s a better mother without having to walk on eggshells and essential parent him too. Barbara was the typical disapproving mother-in-law who can’t let go of her adult child. My heart went out to Sara having to deal with all her judgements and sly shenanigans, how she ignored Ruby’s problems and wanted to control everything. There was a lot of deja vu for me in her character and I’ll be honest in saying I know that made me dislike her more than I would have otherwise. Even so, I did begin to warm to her after Mike left and I hoped that she would support Sara how she needed.

The characters in this book were multilayered and the author reminds us that there can be reasons for a person’s behaviour, however bad it may seem, by showing us what’s behind the mask. While I liked that this is a reminder that no-one is dimensional or just good or bad, I must admit that I did think that giving Sara the answers to almost everyone’s behaviour difficult to accept. Not everything gets tied up in neat bows and we are often left without closure or an answer for the wrongs others do to us or the reason they aren’t good people. Not everyone will see a problem with their behaviour and make amends, and while we did see this in the book too it was to a lesser extent.

Where I Found You is a wonderfully written book that will stay with me. Though I wouldn’t describe this as a twisty book, it did contain some surprising twists. I thought these were fantastically written and helped create an even greater depth to the book. I loved how it reminds us that life doesn’t work out how we planned or pictured it but that’s ok, we just need to paint a new picture and make the most of the life in front of us. I highly recommend this book. Just make sure to have some tissues handy when you read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookoture and Emma Robinson for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

Mike and Sara have a young pre-school daughter called Ruby. Mike is desperate to pursue acting as a career and thinks his big break will come as a result of the next production he has auditioned for and was chosen for. He believes that it will make a new, better life for his family. He relocates to his family home from London, to the quiet village that is his mother’s home, reasoning that his mother will support Sara by babysitting, so that Sara can go back to work part time to add to their savings for a new family home. She will look after his family and does not want them to pay for their keep. She is desperate to spend time with her granddaughter and is more than happy to have them all stay as her guests. What Sara does not know is that his mother is in cahoots with Mike whose next production is with a company touring the country. He has neglected to share this information with her.
Nobody knows Ruby as well as Sara, who is worried about Ruby’s progress. She used to be like an ordinary small girl, chattering, playing, responding to them by using words and gestures, holding eye contact and smiling happily. More recently her behaviour has changed. She likes everything to be done in a certain way and she likes to watch ‘Nemo’ and play with her bricks, lining them up precisely and in colour order. She no longer says any words, only ‘parrots’ Nemo’. Sara is deeply concerned by her lack of warm responses and reactions. But her mother-in-law Barbara and her husband Mike think she is too hard on Ruby, who never uses eye contact and is a very fussy eater. She can also be really insistent and can soon fly into a tantrum if thwarted in what she wants. When Mike leaves for rehearsals he is no longer a doting Dad who helps out with childcare, he is a totally absent father. He has left Sara and Ruby before, but this time it feels different. He didn’t even tell his wife where he was going. He left it up to his mother to break the news. Barbara kept his secret loyally until he is ready to leave. But in fact she is keeping other, more telling secrets from Sara as well.
This is the involving story of Sara and Ruby’s life both pre and post Mike’s desertion of them. It tells of their struggles, Sara’s part time work, her new friends, her new jobs and Ruby’s pre-school experiences and her progress. It sees the revelation of Barbara’s secrets and of their growing relationship and mutual respect. It is a really well researched story of mother love, the fight for a diagnosis for Ruby and of a family in need of support. My favourite character is Sara. She is full of concern and love for little Ruby. She is both brave and compassionate. Her new circle of friends is lovely, accepting and empathetic. I enjoyed reading this story and my heart went out to both Barbara and Sara. I felt their pain. Running alongside this story were other very strong story lines that are well worth mentioning, and equally absorbing. They definitely added to my overall enjoyment of ‘Where I found You’ and made the story feel more rounded.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from publisher Bookouture and through my membership of NetGalley. I would like to thank them for my copy, sent out to me in return for an honest review. I enjoyed this novel and recommend it as a good read. It’s a 3.5* review from me.

Choose a young woman, a toddler, a mother-in-law, and an uninterested husband, and you have a great plot starter for a novel. Emma Robinson has written a book for these characters. It is a story of a mother's intense love and fear. She is alone in caring for Ruby, a child that begins to seem different than other children her age.

Sara gave up her art studies and married Mike when she became pregnant with Ruby. Mike is an actor, and from the beginning, gave more attention to his acting auditions and making excuses for not getting a job. Sara worked part-time jobs, anything to bring in some cash. The couple became so cash strapped that they left London and moved in with Mike's mother, Barbara, who lives in a little village.

Barbara has a tidy little home. There is a tense feeling when Ruby's temper tantrums occur regularly. Ruby has a specific order for her toys, her food, her bath, and her bedtime. She is not flexible and lets everyone know when she is unhappy. Sleeping is another area of contention. Sara often has to put Ruby in her pram and walk so that she will nap. Sara is so exhausted that she refuses to let Ruby give up a nap.

Meanwhile, Mike is happy to be at home and treated like a king. Barbara doesn't expect any help in the kitchen and insists on taking care of him and Ruby in her way. Sara keeps reminding Mike they must save for a down payment on a rental, even in the same village, but something that is theirs alone. He isn't in any hurry and insists that Sara take a week off and let Barbara help her so he can go to London. Mike has landed a role in a play that will appear on the West End. Sara is unhappy with his absence but pleased that he will soon have a salary to help them. Meanwhile, Sara winds up taking a part-time job at a pub. She couldn't find anything else and was able to begin immediately.

Sara's fears about Ruby begin to take shape when Ruby begins attending a local pre-school group. The school notices Ruby's sensitivity to other children in the group environment, and Sara's saga begins. This story is not an uncommon one but I fell in love with Sara and her child. Even as things improve a little with Barbara, Sara has a long journey to putting her daughter's life on the right track and finding out what she wants for herself.

EM's story is sad but hopeful. I connected with Sara and was very invested in the outcome of her quest. As secrets unfolded in this well-written novel, I pushed on, needing to finish the book quickly. It was suspenseful but insightful and endearing. Even if you are not a mother, I recommend this novel. You will be glad you read it.

Thank you to Emma Robinson, NetGalley, and the publisher for an ARC of this novel (August 16th).

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Where I Found You’ by Emma Robinson in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Since Ruby’s birth Sara and Mike’s three-year-old daughter has been different to other children. Mike is an actor and often away from home and he arranges for them to move out of their flat in London to live with his mother Barbara who disapproves of just about everything Sara does. When Mike walks out on them he sends Sara a text saying he needs time to himself and although she realises she's going to need Barbara’s support with taking care of Ruby, Sara’s life gets even more difficult.

‘Where I Found You’ is a remarkably poignant novel written with sensitivity and tenderness. I loved the character of Sara and admired her strength in coping as the single parent of an autistic child, and my heart went out to Barbara who had a secret that she felt unable to reveal until the end. I couldn’t stop reading as I wanted to know more about Sara and Ruby, and the writing flowed so easily I finished it in less than a day. Emma Robinson is to be congratulated for producing a wonderfully moving story which had a perfect ending. I can wholeheartedly recommend this novel which will stay in my thoughts for a long time.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. This book was just okay for me. Sara realizes that there could possibly be something wrong with her daughter, Ruby, when she is still not speaking by the age of 3. Sara and her husband Mike move in with his mom to try to save money so they can some day buy a home of their own. He is no help with their daughter and ends up leaving. It was boring.

Oh this was a fabulous book that every mother should read-especially the “judgy Judies!!” It’s a book written from the heart with a beautifully composed storyline that felt current and realistic. Don’t go into it with any preconceived ideas, just read and become involved in the uphill struggle that Sara faces following her move to her mother in laws house with husband Mike and toddler Ruby. It’s a heartbreaking book but at the same time full of optimism as the author completely nails the bottomless love of a mother for her child.

I haven’t read any books by this author before so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but knew I really wanted to read this one due to its subject matter. Not only do I work in a school with a provision, I also have a personal interest in SEN children due to having gone through many of the steps that Sara has to go through with a member of my own family. And it’s tough!! Not just the process of diagnosis which can take years for you to reach the top of your mountain but then instead of coming down the other side someone always sticks another mountain in your way!! But there is also the fight to change perceptions of SEN in others and to be honest that’s a battle that I wouldn’t even bother with because you will be wasting your time! Sara has the right attitude here but I did feel so sorry for her as I know exactly what was coming up for her and she needed to be supported by those closest to her for her own sanity! But as in real life, you find your “tribe” and those people are worth their weight in gold. I knew exactly how Sara felt when the issues surrounding Ruby were brought up by her preschool and have experienced it from both sides of the educational fence. Advising parents to seek advice is a difficult and very fine line to walk as you need to advise without worrying them but still need to convey the seriousness of the situation. And as a parent it’s a form of bereavement when you finally have to face up to the death of the future you had foreseen in your head. It’s so easy to panic as a parent if your child isn’t hitting targets (and why oh why does everything have to be targeted nowadays?!) as a child is an individual so Sara was so brave to take everything onboard especially as she had no support. Her husband and mother in law wound me up so much but eventually I was able to look at things from a different angle and see that once again Emma Robinson had portrayed a different side to parenting so that eventually all became clear.

The letters written by Barbara added a change of outlook and although I worked out why they were there, sometimes I felt they weren’t really needed. For me the best part of the book was watching how Sara gradually opened herself up to others. I know that feeling well, thinking that everyone else is living the perfect life with their perfect children so learning not to be a “judgy Judy” herself was probably the making of her!

This is a bittersweet tale that is clever, funny and heartbreaking at the same time but ultimately it is full of hope for the future. I loved it.

Wonderful l enlightening book.

The story of Sara her husband Mike and their 3 year old daughter Ruby who doesn't speak.

When Ruby was born Sara vowed to keep Ruby safe.

Mike suggests they move in with his mother and they can save money for a house and his mother can babysit Ruby. Sara is jealous of Lisa her mother in law's perfect neighbor.: who appears to have the perfect life.

Sara worries that Ruby is behind on her speech and language since she doesn't talk. She is a fussy child and cries easily and a picky eater ( will only eat certain foods and they all have to be colorless in appearance). She is still in diapers and shows no interest in potty training.

Life is difficult for Sara and her husband doesn't help her much with Ruby's care and doesn't seem worried about Lucy's not speaking.. Her mother in law is judgemental and Ruby doesn't bond easily with her since she wants Ruby to try new things.

Sara finds a preschool for Ruby and they bring up the idea that Ruby may be autistic. They suggest a speech therapy for Ruby and having her diagnosed..

The doctor Sara takes ruby to (a general practioner) doesn't seem concerned about Ruby and suggests she be monitored for progress and return in a few months time.

Sara meets other women at the preschool who have autistic children and they have formed a Sen playgroup for their children (Special education needs) which is a relief for Sara: she has an understanding sounding board.

Sara discovers that her mother in law had a daughter that was autistic who looked like Ruby. This helps the two women to bond.

Sara's husband leaves as he is feeling overwhelmed.

Ruby is diagnosed as being autistic. Sara is shown new ways to communicate with Ruby, getting Ruby to indicate what she wants.

This book isn't solely about a single mother with an autistic child but rather about a mother wanting a perfect life for her child and realizing that the perfect life turns out to be something entirely different and Sara will have to accept that.

Very good story about a family dealing with very real life issues. The characters are well developed and thought out and I loved them all. Hard and emotional at times to read. My first book by Emma Robinson, but definitely won't be my last.

Thank you to net galley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

A very simple book, I found this storyline quite simple and slow. Sara and Mike are the parents to 3 year old Ruby and this story leads us through the discovery of a diagnosis for Ruby that both Sara and Mike seem in denial about. While billions of people around the globe go through the same diagnosis for their own kids, it seems that this was made to be bigger than it needed to be with a strong streak of denial for Mike who weakly walks out on his family when they need him most, I thought this book passed the time but I wasn’t blown away by it by any means.

Excellent book. Hard subject but dealt with superbly. Was right into this one, couldn't put it done. Was the first for me from this author will be looking for more from her.


Thanks to the publisher and net galley for an early release of this book.