Keeping Lucy

Her rich in-laws expect perfection, so when Ginny's baby is born with Down Syndrome, the family whisks the child off to an institution. Two years later (1969), Ginny learns that this school is under investigation for mistreatment of the residents, and goes there to see for herself. She and her best friend Marsha wind up taking Lucy from the institution, then taking off to Florida with the toddler and Ginny's six-year-old while they desperately try to figure out how to protect the child. An excellent suspense novel, coming August 2019. (Netgalley review)

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this title in exchange for my honest review. This passed the mark of an excellent book- I started it at bedtime, thinking I'd just read a chapter or two. I ended up reading long into the night and didn't put it down. The plot goes back and forth to the time before Lucy was born and to the current time in the book. It's a sad story, a sad realization about how in the past, children with Down's Syndrome (who are the sweetest) were thought of as people who needed to be institutionalized. This story has one mom realizing the truth about her precious baby girl, and against the odds, sets out on a path that could cause her to be jailed, or worse, for her daughter to be returned to the institution. I highly recommend this book.

An absolute must read! This book drew me in from the first page until I reluctantly finished. The story of Lucy, who gives birth to a daughter only to find out she has Down’s syndrome. Her powerful father in law convinced her husband that the baby would be better off in an institution. What follows is a story of a mother’s love and the lengths she’d go to to save her child.
I wish Ab would have been a stronger character to stand up to his father. At times Ginny seemed weak, but finally found her strength in the end.

Wow! That is all I can really say about this book! So good. Suspenseful, creepy, mysterious all into one. I was very excited to receive this book in exchange for a review because I have heard great things about this author's previous novel and wanted to see what all the hype was about. The author did a fantastic job of leading off the story in the prologue. I was instantly hooked from the first page! As a mother myself, I was so heartbroken for Ginny as I could not imagine what she must have been feeling when her baby girl was taken from her. I would definitely recommend anyone and everyone to read this!

Keeping Lucy begins with the birth of a baby girl in 1969. I was immediately captivated, because I could see myself in the young mother. Her world, her time was familiar because I also gave birth to a daughter in 1969. Like Ginny, I stayed at home every day with my children while my husband went away to work. Like Ginny, I didn't drive and my husband made all the decisions about our family. Fortunately. my daughter was "normal" when she was born. I don't know what I would have done if she came into the world with Down Syndrome. I don't know what I would have done if my husband had told me we had to send her away to an institution and pretend she was stillborn. If she were already gone before I woke up after her birth, would I have stayed with my husband and my older child? Would I have tried to put my daughter from my mind, to make the best of it like Ginny did?
Ginny might seem shamefully weak and submissive to most of today's readers, but I knew that young woman. She was like me and most of my friends. When she began to take charge of her own life, to make decisions for herself and her children, I knew how hard it was for her. Ginny was lucky to have a lifelong girlfriend, Marsha, who had a car and a decidedly un-submissive attitude. Keeping Lucy is a road trip story about female friendship and the strength and power of a mother's love. Beautifully written.

Oh.my.goodness. This book is truly amazing. It is written with such compassion for those who have disabled children. I truly loved every page. I will read every single book by T. Greenwood from now on. What an amazing author! ##netgalley #keepinglucy

T. Greenwood has done it again. She's written a story so complex, so emotional that it sticks with you long after the last page has been turned.
The year is 1969. A different time, different beliefs. Ginny is heartbroken when her newborn is ripped from her arms and given over to a "special school" before she even knows what's happening. Her husband, Ab, and his father convince her it's for the best. After all, what do they know about raising a child with Down Syndrome?
So Ginny tries to move on. She continues to be a good wife and mother to their other child. But Lucy is always in her heart and on her mind. Then she sees an article on Willowridge, the school where Lucy has been sent. And the stories coming from Willowridge are not good.
Acting on instinct, she takes a trip to see it for herself. What she sees isn't good. It certainly isn't a place anyone should willingly want their child to live. Determined to save Lucy this time, she sets out on a cross country journey while trying to convince Ab that their baby belongs at home with them. Along the way she finds that, while Lucy may have been out of her hands for the last two years, she's never been out of her heart.
This is another outstanding story from one of my favorite authors. It's heartbreaking but also historical in that it captures the attitudes from the time period perfectly. It's a story of despair and hope, a story of family and love. This is one I won't soon forget!

I really enjoyed this book! I'm sure places like Willowridge and stories like that of the Richardson's were very prevalent in the 1960s and 1970s and I'm thankful T. Greenwood brought one to life to make it more personal! I really empathized with Ginny. Her passion and love for her children was at the forefront of her mind in all of her decisions and her maternal instincts just went to show that mothers will do anything for their children. Her relationship with Ab and her in-laws was raw and captivating, and one I enjoyed following along with. I read the book in a day as the story is both captivating and heartbreaking from the beginning. Super easy read and well written! After reading this, I want to check out more by T. Greenwood. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Amazing writing, amazing story telling and I could not stop reading it until the last page!

Honestly, I was just going to "preview" a bit of this novel, and planned on reading it next month. That never happened. - I became so absorbed in the story and so invested in the characters that I simply couldn't put the book down !

It was such a compelling story line and I just fell in love with little Lucy and truly cared about her and her mom, Ginny. I had to see the story through to the end.

It was 1969 and Ginny's baby girl, Lucy was born with Down's Syndrome. Ginny was tricked by her high and mighty family into committing Lucy to an institution named Willowridge .

Oh, the horrors that come out about what has been taking place at Willowbridge, prompt Ginny and her bestie, Martha (who I also loved)! to grab baby Lucy and take off on a Thelma and Louise inspired road trip! I found myself cheering these ladies on and wanting to cuddle Lucy myself!

I teared up, I took deep breaths, I whooped, and I delighted in everything Lucy!

Okay..... I Loved Lucy! xoxoxo

Highly recommend you read it and fall in love too.

Blog review to come....

I have loved each book I have read by T. Greenwood, Finding Lucy was no exception. A mother’s love is incomprehensible and there are no boundaries on what she will do to protect her children. Ginny went to incredible lengths to keep her daughter Lucy from harm, and the story is amazing! Highly recommend!

This book captivated me from start to finish!

Very mild spoiler(s)

It's 1969 and Ginny has just given birth to her second child, a baby girl with down syndrome. The moment she's born, Ginny's doctor tells her that she won't be able to keep the baby, and that her baby will likely die within a few years from a heart condition or something else. Her husband wants to protect the family by sending the baby to a school for children with needs. Ginny doesn't agree with her husband Abbott, but she feels she has no choice and all of it seems to be facilitated by her horrible, controlling, father-in-law. The baby is snatched away while everyone but Ginny seems to forget it ever happened. Over the next few years, life moves forward, but Ginny hasn't forgotten about her daughter Lucy. It still eats at her as she continues to wonder about the condition of Lucy and if this was the right choice. She tries to be a satisfactory mom and wife regardless of all her concerns. In 1971 a report surfaces with claims that Willowridge--the school where little Lucy lives-- has been neglecting the children. The report is horrible and parents have now filed lawsuits against the school. It rips at Ginny's heart and she knows she has to make haste and get to the school to find out the condition of her daughter. Against her husband's wishes, she heads on a trip with her friend Marsha to examine the conditions of the school and to check on Lucy. It turns out the report is true, and Ginny is shocked. She resolves that there's absolutely no way she can allow Lucy to stay at Willowridge any longer. What will Ginny do? With no job and not much money, how can she fix this situation? How can she be the mother Lucy needs and still care for her six-year-old son without the support of her husband?

I felt so much emotion with this story because of how well-developed the characters were. I grew to really love Ginny after her character flourishes and she finally gets enough courage to stand on her own two feet. I could even relate to the in-law pressure. Marsha (Ginny's best friend) was one of my favorites as well. She's the kind of friend everyone wants, one who's there when you need her, and one who would sacrifice anything for you. My only issue with her was her irresponsibility when it came to her reckless behavior. With that said, there were other characters in the story that I had extreme dislike for and even hate at times. I had to reluctantly put the book down more than once and ask myself repeatedly: What in the world is wrong with these people? It felt that real to me.

At times the book reminded me of one of my favorite movies Thelma and Louise, primarily because of Marsha. I couldn't help but think about these two characters and how their 'trip' felt similar. I was on edge often, as the book just kept getting better and better. I was captivated and it felt believable. The writing has a sense of urgency to it and I just couldn't stop until the end. I also loved that the author went back into the characters' histories so that you learn about their family relationships from the beginning. This jumping back and forth between the present 1971 and their past kept it interesting and yet the story remained seamless.

My absolute only complaint with this book was the ending which felt really rushed after how drawn out the story was, however, I did appreciate the conclusion with how everything turned out. I was willing to overlook the rush, but it just seemed like a few of the characters have a change of heart in an instant--which isn't impossible--just highly unlikely so quickly after how they'd been throughout their history. It was wrapped up so quickly after all that intensity and just seemed a tad too abrupt.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and think I may have found a new favorite author, even with this being my first book by T. Greenwood. I loved the articulate writing and how I was pulled in to this story. There's nothing better than a book you simply can't put down--one that you can't wait to gush about to everyone. This is that book. I couldn't resist spilling the entire story to my mom after I finished. With themes of love, friendship, courage, fear, family, and most of all, hope, this is a favorite for 2018!

5*****

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed Keeping Lucy. It was heartbreaking to read about the conditions of the institution and cheered on Ginny as she developed her backbone. I think some of it seemed a little too unbelievable and that Ginny could be so naive and trusting...

It was a quick read and I didn't want to put it down!

Wow! Keeping Lucy is such a powerful story. Learning about Ginny, her powerless loss of Lucy as she is sent to a school for the 'feeble-minded' at birth, and her struggle to get Lucy back while fighting her family and the law is such a strong story of redemption and love. I have noticed that some reviewers who disliked Ginny for her initial passivity; however, I couldn't disagree more. Ginny was a victim of the times, societal ignorance, and the power of her family. Through finding herself, she rose above these issues and had a strength like no other.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was a great story. It had me at the first chapter! It was a great reminder of how much change has happened for women in society in the last 50 years. It is hard to imagine not having any control of your life outside of your kitchen. I can’t believe that a woman could have a child and not have any say to their well being even from the delivery room. I really loved Ginny and her will to fight for Lucy. There were also many great supporting characters in the book that you wanted to hug, cheer on or slap across the face throughout the book. It was heartbreaking to read about the treatment and dismissal of special needs children. You know it happened in real life and I It has hard to believe humans were treated that way. The author did a good job organizing the book back and forth between flashbacks and the present.. Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The book was a compelling story about a young mother just trying to be the best mother that she can be. Yet at the time, early 1970's she is controlled by her husband and has to give up her baby daughter because the baby has down syndrome. With heartbreak the young mother is forced to see the institution her daughter lives at.
She steals Lucy and runs away.
With clear, concise writing, the author weaves the story and the heartbreak throughout the book.
A great book.
A champion for challenged babies everywhere.

Just a good old story that is made even more compelling by the fact it was inspired by real events. It's a great reminder of how far society has come in regards to children with disabilities in just one generation. The current day story is interspersed with short chapters providing insights into the characters earlier years that are very informative although I was so caught up in the current day story at times I found the flashbacks a bit intrusive! This is definitely a book that can be read in a day or two - it reads fast and although it is a bit predictable in didn't impact my reading enjoyment at all.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

You HAVE to read this one! So touching, and warm, and special! I fell in love with the story and the characters. The most unusual part for me is a major character who I hated, I actually changed my mind about- now that's a great author! Don't miss this one..

This was my first book to read of T. Greenwood, Keeping Lucy. I loved it! T. Greenwood takes you back to the 60's and early 70's when institutions were the thing to do with your "unwanted" children. We meet Virginia, or Ginny as she is called for much of the book, and she is pregnant with her second child. Ginny and Ab are living the perfect life with one son and another child on the way. Like many women in this time, Ginny was a stay at home mom and she loved the thought of possibly having a daughter soon. Shortly after her shower, her daughter is born and is quickly taken away. Ginny is sedated without her consent and sleeps through most of her time in the hospital. She only sees her daughter briefly. Ginny is told her daughter will most likely die very soon and that putting her in Willowridge is the best for all. Greenwood shows us what a mothers love can do. We find Ginny taking Lucy two years later from the institution and running with her. This book pulls at your heartstrings and doesn't let go. You will root for Ginny the whole way through. I highly recommend this book! I read this book in two days. Very easy read. Greenwood does jump from past to present time, but the chapters are clearly labeled and I was able to keep up with no problem. Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley

In 1971, a time when women were navigating the waters of independence apart from their children and husbands, Ginny Richardson -wife of attorney Ab and mother to son, Peyton - learns that the institution where her disabled daughter Lucy was committed is being accused of abuse and neglect. Ginny and her best friend Marsha- a woman who, in the parlance of the day, is "loose", as well as unmarried and possibly pregnant - take off for the institution to sign the child out for a long weekend. This is the first time Ginny has visited her daughter with Down syndrome and she is horrified to see the conditions. Her feelings of maternal neglect for two years are made even greater when she realizes her daughter is a beautiful, sweet child who has likely been subject to physical abuse. She and Marsha (and Peyton) abscond with the child to Florida, at first unaware that the little girl is a ward of the state of Massachusetts and that, thanks to her husband's controlling father, Ginny is not legally Lucy's parent.

I absolutely loved this book. Of course we are meant to sympathize with Ginny and her innocent daughter, and we do, but we also feel for her husband, who was himself bullied by his father into forgoing the life he truly wanted in favor of following in his father's footsteps. I appreciated the nuance in character development and the authenticity of details for the time period (for instance, the fear that Ginny has when she uses her husband's charge card for the first time, or when she admits to not knowing much about local news because she spends her time ironing pajamas and so on; Ginny doesn't drive and she doesn't have her own bank account, all things we will take for granted just a couple of decades later). Greenwood does a terrific job with the details for the Sixties and early Seventies; it all feels genuine and real, especially the characters.

A story like this (mother kidnaps disabled daughter after being overcome by her maternal love) could easily have been cliche or filled with tropes that would have made me roll my eyes and put it down but it wasn't. It was heartfelt yet heartbreaking. We truly feel for Ginny. And neither does Greenwood shy from the facts about raising a disabled child: Ginny makes it very clear that the kind of money her husband's family has will make it possible for her daughter to have the care she needs while others without her affluence will suffer. The limitations of a child with Down syndrome, as well as the genetic problems like being born with a hole in the heart, are also explored. Life with Lucy will not be easy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc to review. I highly recommend this book to others who enjoy contemporary fiction.

I was excited to receive a copy of T.Greenwoods newest book as I was a big fan of th authors previous work and I was not disappointed.
This was a tough read at times. I was aware of how much progress we have made regarding disabilities, but wasn’t aware of how much progress we have made. To think that not that long ago children who were not born “perfect” were sent away never it be seen or heard from again.
Back in the late 1960’s early 1970’s it was so different for mother’s... many just did what there husbands said .... like it or not.
I was so proud that Ginny, as hard as it was...fought for her daughter. A mother doesn’t disability but sees instead the ability.
It was a joy to see someone in Ginny’s position, who couldn’t even drive go after what she believed was right!
This author writes beautifully.
If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a book by T.Greenwood do yourself a favour and grab a copy of her latest work. What a treat.

This is EASILY the best book I've read this year.

When Ginny has her baby daughter, she's immediately taken away from her. Her husband and father-in-law spirit baby Lucy away to a "school," insisting that it's the best thing to do because Lucy has Down Syndrome. Ginny is heartbroken, but she learns to live without her daughter, believing that she's in good hands.

Two years later, Ginny learns that Willowridge, the special school, is criminally neglecting their children wards. She travels there without her husband's knowledge and finds that the situation is even worse than she thought. She and her best friend, Marsha, take Lucy for a weekend visit, but soon Ginny resolves never to let her daughter return to that asylum of horrors.

What happens next is an epic road trip with young children in tow, threatened by kidnapping charges and the wrath of Ginny's father-in-law. What kind of monster would submit their flesh and blood to those conditions? What kind of man is Ab, Ginny's husband? There are so many questions and so many decisions to make for Ginny, naive SAHM Ginny, who has been shuttled into a lifestyle she doesn't want, away from what she really needs. I loved Ginny, and Marsha too - I felt a little bit of a Thelma and Louise vibe with their road trip. And baby Lucy stole my heart from the first scene at Willowridge. All in all, I thought this was a perfectly plotted, written, and executed novel.

T. Greenwood's Rust & Stardust was heartbreaking, and this novel will break your heart too, yet fill you with equal measures of hope. I think that Greenwood is easily becoming one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to what she writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Reading Keeping Lucy is an emotional roller coaster of a read. I was enraged and repulsed by the school and Lucy's physical condition and thoroughly disgusted by Ab's father's attitude and treatment of others. On the flip side, I loved Marsha's fiesty, take charge, we'll figure it out approach to life and applauded Ginny's drive to do what was right for her daughter. Keeping Lucy is about making difficult decisions, about doing what is right, and about learning to live life on your own terms. In many ways, it is a coming of age book for most of the main characters - Ginny, Marsha, Ab, and even Sylvia.

This is a heartbreakingly beautiful novel about Ginny and her husband Ab who are "forced" to give up their newborn, Lucy after she is born with Down Syndrome. Ab's controlling father convinces his son that she would be better off institutionalized as she may have heart problems and developmental difficulties. And while it was difficult to read as people are so callous and refer to her with derogatory language not acceptable anymore, I loved seeing Ginny and her friend, Marsha as they attempt to rescue Lucy after several newspaper articles expose the injustices and poor living conditions in the institute. It's a tribute to parenting and the lengths to which one will go to keep a family together!

Wow!!! This book is superbly written courtroom drama that examines Life's Big Questions with empathy and leaves you spinning. Trust me, this is one you don't want to miss—it's going to be huge!! Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy.

This book was sent to me to be read over Christmas break.
I have read all of T. Greenwood's books and bought several of them to read repeatedly
and pass through friends which created new fans of T. Greenwood. I enjoy her books!
Upon reading the description- I knew I had to read this one!

I had a short time to read before work one day, so I opened it to start reading to just get
started--- I could not stop reading- I was late to work and I kept trying to read it while I
was working. It was a terrific read, I could not stop reading!!

I have enjoyed T. Greenwood's other books, but, THIS one blew me away.
It is such an excellent book, everyone needs to be reading this book.

I want more of this story, these characters, and this author to bring it to me.

A well written,heart-wrenching story.
People did not know what to do with "not"perfect babies that were born in the 1960's. Families felt shame and blame as they placed these little ones into facilities to live out their days. They were called "residential schools" aka institutions.
Parents went on and tried to forget.
The children were better off, weren't they?
Lucy was born with Down's Syndrome. Her Dad gave up parental rights the day she was born and she was placed into an institution. It was the right decision.
This is a story of a mom who could not forget her little girl.
Ginny had always wondered about Lucy. Was she happy, healthy and receiving adequate care?
When she learns that there have been deficiencies in the "Home" Lucy lives in, Ginny sets out on a mission to right the wrongs. Ginny will not stop nor will she ever give up fighting for her child.
It is a novel of hope, love, courage, despair, tragedy and yet inspiration.

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review

This book was so heartbreaking that even the obligatory happy ending didn’t put me to rights. It’s a well-written, enjoyable book, but it’s also a very important book, as it shows us who we have been as a society to the most vulnerable. Keep your hanky handy

Beautiful heart wrenching story.A book that stays with you long after you finish.Highly recommend for book clubs, #netgalley #Keeping Lucy #St.Martins

I couldn’t put this down! A fantastic book. Sad and happy at the same time and easy to follow. It made me want to know more about what happened to Lucy as well as the other children in the institution! A definite recommend.

This book was emotional roller coaster of a read. The condition of Lucy's school made me angry, Ginny's fight for her daughter was both heartbreaking and uplifting and Lucy's father Ab's demeanor was disgusting.. At the core,
Keeping Lucy is about coping with child's diagnosis, making difficult decisions and overall a mother's unwavering love for her daughter.
Thank you to T. Greenwood, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this great book.

Loved this story about a topic that I haven’t seen covered in books. Ginny is a housewife with two children. When her second child is born with Down Syndrome she is quickly taken away and put in an institution. Two years later, Ginny sees articles on the deplorable conditions of the institution and decides to meet her daughter.

This book was hard to put down and the story went fast. It illuminates a problem that I had never thought too much about even with my prior employment with adults with developmental disabilities. Great read!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins press for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Keeping Lucy was an easy, enjoyable read. The subject matter was tough in parts but the author kept me interested throughout and I was always eager to continue reading and learn what the next chapter would contain. I would recommend this book as a poolside read. It was not difficult to follow and the characters were highly credible and it was easy to pick up and continue where I left off. I enjoyed Greenwood’s writing and would be interested in reading more from this author.

Keeping Lucy is a must read! This story was amazing and heartbreaking all at the same time. I couldn’t put this book down once I began reading it. I was completely captivated by Ginny and her longing to be reconnected with her daughter Lucy. Her feelings during the book for the decisions she had made were so real and you could feel her pain. I kept holding on to her connection with her daughter. This book is powerful and captivating. I can’t wait to read more by T. Greenwood!

A lovely, moving story about how one parent’s decision to give up their Down Syndrome baby affects the entire family. When Ginny finds out the special school her daughter, Lucy, is being kept is squalid, she decides to take Lucy and run. But her husband and his domineering father are after her, and willing to fight to keep Lucy locked away.

Beautifully written, this is an enjoyable, character-driven story about motherhood, families, and how far a mother will go for her child, even when she’s made a series of mistakes in the past. I think it would be perfect for fans of Diane Chamberlain.

Keeping Lucy, started with an intense and horrifying story of Lucy, just hours after being born with down syndrome was ripped from her mother’s arms and taken to an institution. As this novel unravels you will find yourself gasping for breath, on the verge of being sick, but ultimately leaving your heart full with love for these characters. Thank you, T. Greenwood for another heartwarming and very well written novel.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the story was great and the emotion it wrung from you was well done. The writing style and the characters were excellent, although some of the writing a bit unpolished. But some aspects of this book were just extremely unrealistic and that always makes me enjoy a book less. If it couldn’t really happen that way in “real life”, then really, just don’t write it happening like that in a book. I don’t want to give examples as it would cause spoilers, but all in all this was a good book and worth the read.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking book! T. Greenwood captivated me with “Rust & Stardust” so I was excited to read and review her new novel, “Keeping Lucy”. She did it again. With the stroke of her pen, she breaks my heart then mends it.
This book hit close to home for me. My aunt had Down Syndrome and both my children work with mentally challenged adults.
I was heartbroken and shocked when, without her consent, Ginny’s husband takes her newborn daughter Lucy immediately after her birth, strips away Ginny’s parental rights and places Lucy in an institution. Even more heartbreaking is Ginny’s meek and mild acceptance of her husband Ab’s actions. For two long years, Ginny keeps waiting for the day they can visit her daughter.
The wait abruptly ends when Ginny learns that the institution Lucy is in is under investigation for the appalling, inhumane and illegal treatment of its patients. This is when Ginny’s “Mama Bear” instincts kick in high gear. With the help of her friend Marsha (who you’re just going to LOVE), they take matters into their own hands.
What follows is a test of wills that will run you through the emotions of anger, sympathy, and revulsion and of course, the undying and unbreakable love of a mother and her child.
This is a must-read for anyone with any compassion. I’m hooked now; I must go back and read all of T. Greenwood’s earlier books.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to Jordan at St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)

I've always loved books that are based off of true events and "Keeping Lucy" did not dissapoint. Ginny's daughter Lucy is ripped from her arms and taken to an institution just after being born because she has Down Syndrome. Two years later she discovers the institution is neglectful and sets out on a mission to save her daughter. This is sad and disturbing, but I'm glad this story was written. If you are a fan of historical fiction you will probably enjoy this.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

I loved KEEPING LUCY!

Many of you have read (2018) T. Greenwood's award-winning, Rust & Stardust, a fictional retelling of the kidnapping said to have inspired Nabokov's classic Lolita. My Top Books of 2018.

T. Greenwood returns with KEEPING LUCY, a story once again inspired by true devastating events.

"The Moon for all her light and grace
Has never learned to know her place."
—Robert Frost

In 1969, A mother heartbroken when Lucy, born with Down Syndrome is snatched from her and institutionalized. Two years later, she discovers the school, Willowridge has neglected the children and her worst nightmares become a reality.

With her six-year-old son Peyton in tow, Ginny and her best friend, Marsha takes Lucy. Racing from their home in Massachusetts, they travel through the beaches of Atlantic City, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, to a roadside mermaid show in Florida.

From social injustice to overcoming insurmountable obstacles, including her husband, legalities, authorities, and her high powered father-in-law attorney representing the school. In KEEPING LUCY, Greenwood presents a searing portrait of how far a mother's love can take her.

You are going to fall in love with little Lucy and admire the courage of Ginny and Marsha while following this entertaining and suspenseful road trip.

Based on actual events from a tragic time in history, a remarkable reimagining, and blending of fact and fiction. Told with compassion, lyrical prose, pitch-perfect pace, and memorable characters —only T. Greenwood can master.

These characters linger long after the book ends. I particularly loved Ginny's friend, Marsha. She and Ginny are opposites; however, they balanced one another. What a great friend to have especially when Ginny did not drive. They risked it all. And the memorable road trip and all the people (strong women) they met along the way. Reminds me of Catherine Ryan Hyde's Take Me with You and Sonja Yoerg's True Places.

KEEPING LUCY brilliantly showcases a woman who courageously stood up to fight for her rights and her daughter against all odds, in a time when their voices were seldom heard. T. Greenwood once again is at the top of her game! Highly Recommend! Top Books of 2019

An avid fan, having the pleasure of reading all her books—each year she continues to be on my Top Authors and Books of the Year. I hope you enjoy KEEPING LUCY as much as I did.

**Please join me August 6 for a special interview with T. Greenwood to learn more about the inspiration behind the book—sparked by the horrific conditions at Belchertown State School for the Feebleminded, a state-run institution in Belchertown, Massachusetts.

JDCMustReadBooks

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

Down Syndrome:
In the US, until the 1980s and in some cases as late as the 1990s, the way in which people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities were treated represents a shameful chapter of inhumanity and discrimination in our country. They were kept in inhumane institutions often as infants or young children where they were deprived of education, healthcare, and even plumbing. They suffered cruel and unusual punishment for innocents whose only crime is to have been born differently.

But society began to shift during the 1970s and 1980s – people with Down syndrome and other differently-abled populations were deemed “human” and institutions inhumane. The institutions were closed down, and it was now expected that people with Down syndrome would live at home, go to school and have fundamental human and civil rights. Today, the average lifespan of someone with Down syndrome is 60 years old.

These gains have been made because of the human and civil rights movement for the differently-abled that various individuals and organizations fearlessly led in the 1970s and the 1980s.

I was married and had my children during the 1970s and recall these events. During this time period when we built our first house, banks and mortgage companies did not accept a woman's salary during childbearing years. I cannot even imagine having your child ripped from you at birth.

For further reading: Down Syndrome Human and Civil Rights Timeline (blog)

This is the first book book i have read by this author and will not be the last. This book was wonderfully written. You see someone become a strong woman on her own and learn to fight back. you get this sort of Thelma and Louise style friendship. Anger, tears and laughter in all the right parts. This book is filled with fear, persistence, friendship, and shows what it means to rise above for the ones you truly love!

Ginny Richardson was devastated when her baby daughter, Lucy, was born with Down syndrome, and in 1969, many families sent their children to a care home or treatment facility, believing that was best for the child. Her father-in-law, the socially prominent Abbott Richardson, Senior, had a good friend on the board at Willowridge, and finally Ab signed the papers without consulting Ginny. An expose in the newspaper, detailing the abuse and neglect at Willowridge, galvanized Ginny into action, and without telling Ab, she and her best friend Marsha sign Lucy out of the facility and along with Ginny’s six-year-old son Peyton, the women take a road trip where Ginny discovers first-hand the extent of the damage done to Lucy.

I really appreciated the portrayal of women’s rights in 1971, or the lack of them. Ginny had no identification, she didn’t drive, her husband had given her a credit card that she had never used, and she had no legal right to either of the children she had given birth to. The story felt realistic, and I loved Ginny’s inner strength and her determination to protect both Lucy and Peyton. Marsha was a great sidekick, another strong woman who was also independent and smart. I wasn’t sure about Ab, being under his father’s thumb the way he was, but I was pleased at the finale.

Very well written and suspenseful story. What lengths does a mother go to to save her child? This book puts that question at it's center.

A beautiful and heartwarming story about the bonds between a mother and child. T. Greenwood has written a story that illustrates what lengths a mother will go to protect her child. A child whom she has had no relationship with other than carrying her for nine months.

Ginny gives birth to her second child, Lucy. Lucy is born with Down Syndrome and doctors insist that she will not live long. Ginny’s husband and father-in-law sign away parental rights and institutionalize Lucy without Ginny having any knowledge. Despite having no connection with a daughter who was taken from her two years prior; Ginny learns of the appalling and disturbing ways in which children, including her own daughter, Lucy, are being treated at the Willowridge School. Immediately, Ginny seeks to find out for herself and to her disbelief, finds that the allegations against the school are credible. She removes her daughter from the school and ventures on a journey with her son and her friend to try and work out a plan to keep Lucy and regain full parental custody.

Greenwood illustrates the bonds that form so naturally between mother and child despite being apart for so long. She also sheds light on the gruesome horrors of institutions many years ago. The neglect and abuse that many children endured in these institutions are unfathomable but a part of our history. Greenwood did a great job in depicting these circumstances while minimizing any sensationalism.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The first 40 pages of this book absolutely wrecked me! The image of Lucy being taken away from her mother, Ginny, and then going inside Willowridge will stay with me for a long time. To think that a place (or places) like this ever existed chills me to the bone. From there we follow Ginny and Marsha's road trip to protecting Lucy at all costs. While I enjoyed the road trip, I wanted more of a fight against the school. I understood why she left. It was a different day and age than we are in today, but I wanted to see her stand up against them more than I wanted to read about her running away. However, it was very endearing to experience the relationship develop between Ginny and Lucy. The author writes in such a relatable way that it really stood out. The ending felt rushed and tied up a little too nicely in my opinion. Overall a very solid novel and I look forward to picking up more books by T. Greenwood in the future.

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. It made me happy yet sad at the same time. I recommend this book to everyone.

Keeping Lucy
by T. Greenwood
due 8-6-2019
St. Martins Press
5 / 5

In 1969, Ginny Richardson has just given birth to her second child, Lucy. Lucy was born with Downs Syndrome, taken from Ginny and placed in a special school for ¨mongoloids¨ and ¨feeble-minded¨, and was told it was the best thing for everyone. She should get over it and move on. Her in-laws, powerful in the community, assure her it is a reputable school. Ginny is a passive, complacent librarian, who has no real voice, much like most housewives at that time. She has no reason to question them.
When Ginnyś best friend, Marsha, shares with Ginny a newspaper article about the neglect and abuse happening at Willowridge, where Lucy was placed, Ginny can´t let it go, and decides to visit Willowridge to see if the stories are true.
When Ginny arrives, she is outraged and humbled by the living conditions and attitude of the staff. Her guilt for allowing Lucy, now 2 years old, to live there without knowing the truth consumes Ginny with guilt. She signs Ginny out for a weekend visit, and decides she will never allow Lucy to return to any home again. When Lucy does not return Lucy at the scheduled date and time, Ginny´s mother tells her that when she was in the hospital after giving birth, and was under sedation, and had signed a form that gave up all her legal rights to Lucy. She could be arrested for kidnapping and child endangerment(since she also had her young son, Peyton, with her.) if Lucy is not returned.
She also learns that her father-in-law, a powerful attorney who her husband works with, are the defense lawyers in pending cases against Willowridge for abuse and neglect, so Ginny knows she can not return home.
With Marsha, Peyton and Lucy, Ginny is on the run, trying to remain anonymous, and underground.

Such a beautiful and heart-warming, but difficult to read at times. This is a story of motherhood, love, hope and self-awareness. A very passive and complacent Ginny is a typical housewife in 1969. She does not drive, is given an allowance and never questions, willing to toe the line. Part of the beauty of this novel is watching Ginny grow into herself, become more aware and able to be her own person.
It was also nice to see how, in comparison to the past, much more health conscious we have become. Ginny drank, smoked and kept an active lifestyle throughout her pregnancies. However in the 60ś and 70ś these behaviors were not considered to as unhealthy/irresponsible as they are today.
It was most beautiful to see the change in attitude and acceptance of the disabled, and those born with birth defects or other health challenges. We no longer refer to them in derogatory terms like feeble-minded or mongoloid.
The difficult parts was how the newborns, infants, and children were treated at this facility. The dirty little secrets are now being talked about and confronted, in hopes the neglect and abuses that have been ignored in the past, never will be again. I hope more schools and facilities are diligently monitored, as well as the employees, by people not afraid to care and we one day have a government that is not afraid to feel.
I found myself immersed in the life of these characters, they felt very accessible and real. It made the story compelling and addicting and I wonder what Lucy, Ginny and Peyton are doing today. The way she brought them to live was amazing, esp. Lucy.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and T. Greenwood for sending this e-book ARC for a fair and honest review.
#netgalley #KeepingLucy

This wonderful story, Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood, tells of a mother who will go any length to protect her child. She has dealt with the sheer agony of loss and is determined to take control of herself to and her children and to break boundaries and if needed, the law. It’s a story of absolute desperation and the unbreakable bond of a mother and child. Read in one because I could not put it down. Lots of tugging at your heartstrings while it also shares the blessing of a best friend who will do anything for you. Thank you! #NetGalley #StMartinPress #KeepingLucy

Keeping Lucy is the first T Greenwood novel that I have read and it is one that grabbed me, pulled me in and still will not let me go. It is heart breaking and heartwarming, historical and timely all at once. It's a book that I highly recommend.

Keeping Lucy begins with Ginny Richardson giving birth to her daughter, Lucy, who is born with Down Syndrome, known as " a mongoloid" at that time. Ginny's husband and father in law make the decision to put Lucy in a state-run facility called Willowridge where she will be cared for until she dies. Those are their words. For several days, Ginny is given "twilight," the drug most women were given during that time to forget the pains of childbirth and her loss. Remember, natural childbirth was not in vogue at this time. When my own daughter died in-vitro, I was given "twilight" so that I would "forget" everything. Trust me, you don't forget. Your body remembers everything and your mind desperately tries to fill in the pieces that it was forced to black out. This drug is horrific. I cannot believe and entire generation of women were routinely given this drug. For two years Ginny is forced by her husband and her father in law to pretend her daughter did not exist until her best friend brings her news articles about the horrors that have been uncovered at Willowridge: children lying in their own feces, roaches in the food, children malnourished and far worse. Ginny and her friend, Marsha, decide - finally - to go to Willowridge only to discover that, while she can visit Lucy, her parental rights have been terminated by her husband. Ginny takes matters into her own hands at this point and a battle for Lucy's survival ensues.

I actually loved Keeping Lucy for multiple reasons and many of those reasons are the very ones for which other readers are disparaging the book. First, Keeping Lucy is based on an actual place called Willowbrook. You can read more about it HERE. It was so horrific that legislation was passed in the late 70s that allegedly altered the way that we in the US care for the "disabled." I use the word allegedly because I grew up in the south near a facility aptly called the Conway Human Development Center. It was a place of filth and horror where people with mental and physical disabilities were sent just like Lucy was sent in this story. It still exists in one of the poorest states in the US and the residents are not developing anything other than bedsores and diseases. It's a disgrace. If you doubt that, then you can read this article from today's news. Nothing has changed. Nothing. Books like Keeping Lucy are necessary to educate readers about these horrors then as well as now.

Furthermore, every time I read a book set in the late 60s and early 70s and that book is historically accurate regarding the plight of women, I am utterly amazed at the number of female reviewers who write scathing reviews about the passivity of the female protagonist. Here's a reminder for you strong women of today. My daughter and I purchased a home two years ago, We literally had to jump through hoops in the state of Indiana to get a bank to approve a home loan to two women without a male co-signer! This is the 21st century. Until 1978, it was legal to fire a woman from her job if she got pregnant. An abortion was not legal until 1973 - and in some states in the southern US it still is not regardless of what you might think otherwise. Until 1977, you could be fired for reporting sexual harassment in the work place, a woman could not apply for a credit card on her own without a male co-signer until 1974, and could not refuse to have sex with her husband under any circumstances until the mid 1970s. Are you beginning to get a picture here ladies!? Ginny was not passive. She was living her life according the law of the land. While most others were guaranteed rights in 1965 and 1966, women were not granted any rights, other than the right to vote, until the mid to late 70s and we still obviously are fighting for the right to decide what is best for our own bodies! In Keeping Lucy, Ginny literally had no rights. Furthermore, everyone smoked!! They smoked in restaurants, they smoked in their cars, they smoked in stores, they smoked when pregnant and they smoked around kids! My doctor, whom I adored, smoked every time I visited - in his doctor's office! I don't know where you were in the 50s, 60s and 70s but there were advertisements for cigarettes extolling the benefits of nicotine! You are looking at the behavior of these women through your 21st century glasses and missing some very valuable lessons that we all need see and learn. Primarily this - nothing has changed!! We have politicians and religious leaders who want babies born at all cost. These children are then put in institutions like the Human Development Center and no one ever considers the toll that it places on the women who have given birth. No one EVER thinks about the women - period - much less these poor children!

So, with all of that said, please read Keeping Lucy without blinders, with an open mind and with the idea that there is more here than two women on a joy ride across the south. This book is available for pre-order now.

Thank you very much #Netgalley, @tgwood505 and #StMartinsPress for my advanced copy of #KeepingLucy.

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood is such a bittersweet story. The book is set in the late 1960's and is a retelling a true events. Lucy is born with down syndrome and her mother Ginny has been pressured into giving Lucy away to a school that can take better care of her. Ginny struggles with this decision for two years and finally decides after hearing about unsafe living conditions to go visit her daughter, against her husband's wishes. What she finds there is heartbreaking. So off sets Ginny on a journey to save Lucy and finally keep her as her own.

This is the second book I have read by T. Greenwood, and she has an art for telling a heartbreaking story in a powerful way. I love the way she was able to bring closure to the end of the book is such a beautiful way. Make sure to pick this one up in August 2019!

I received Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood as an ARC from NetGalley. This is an interesting historical novel about what happened in the 60's with special needs children. Ginny's daughter, Lucy, is born with Down's Syndrome and her husband and his powerful family convince her to put the baby in a home, Two years later, Ginny's friend Marsha shows her a newspaper article about the horrible conditions at the home. This story follows Ginny as she tries to bring her daughter home, The story was well written and I enjoyed the characters.

Keeping Lucy was my first T Greenwood novel, but it will not be my last. This book had me hooked from the minute I picked it up!

Ginny Richardson knows the true meaning of heartbreak. It’s 1969 and after giving birth to a baby girl (Lucy) who was born with Down syndrome, doctors warn “This condition comes with many, many challenges. Heart defects, hearing and vision problems. Thyroid malfunctions. She may never talk. She will never, ever live on her own. She will never be a normal girl.” Ginny’s husband, Ab, takes the advice of doctors and his affluent family, signs over their parental rights, and sends Lucy to Willowridge School for the Feebleminded, convinced it was in the best interest of everyone involved.

Two years later, Ginny’s best friend shows her several articles written by a reporter who investigated Willowridge and came away with some disturbing findings— neglect, abuse, and horrid living conditions for the children confined to the “school”. Ginny knows she can not leave her daughter there, and will do whatever she can to take back her parental rights and keep Lucy safe.

This story is about a mother’s love for her child and the lengths she will go to to protect her. As a mother myself, my heart was breaking for the unthinkable situation that Ginny found herself in. It is hard to imagine that a place like Willowridge ever existed and how uneducated the public was when it came to people with handicaps. This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride and I enjoyed every minute. It was beautifully written. Ginny was well-developed, relatable, and I loved how much her character grew from the beginning to the end.

I will definitely be picking up another T Greenwood book in the near future!

I loved this book! I was hooked right from the start and was able to totally immerse myself in Ginny’s world!
Her story is heartbreaking and heroic all at the same time and I was cheering her on in every chapter! What a fantastic read!!!

Oh my goodness! This book was absolutely fabulous and so beautifully written. T. Greenwood is one of my absolute favourite authors and I never hesitate in picking up one of her novels. A totally absorbing and captivating read from start to finish.

A thoroughly enjoyable, unputdownable and fascinating read! Would recommend!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & T. Greenwood for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Keeping Lucy, by T. Greenwood, almost reads as an historical document of how our society responded to those who were not “normal”, just 50 short years ago. Lucy is identified at birth as having Down's Syndrome and is immediately signed over, by her father, to the state where she will be raised in an institution. Unfortunately, this happens while Lucy's mother, Ginny, is virtually unconscious having endured a difficult birth while in a state of twilight sleep – yes, that is how child birth was practised in North America by the affluent.

In an accurate portrayal of American society during the late 60s and early 70s, Ginny stays home to cook, clean and do good while her husband works long hours. She has never stopped missing and grieving for her baby but is constantly told that it is for the best. Ginny's husband does not allow her to visit Lucy. After a newspaper does an exposee of the conditions in the institution where Lucy is being raised Ginny finally asserts herself and embarks on a great quest, with her girlfriend, to save Lucy.

Greenwood takes us through the horrible living conditions at the institution by describing not only the environment but the actions and appearance of some of the patients there. After kidnapping Lucy the two friends take an epic journey driving to Florida which brings one to mind of Thelma and Louise. They experience cheap hotels, slimy truck drivers, traffic jams, car trouble and thunder storms before arriving in Florida.

Although Greenwood treats us to a happy ending this reviewer was put off by the rapidity of Lucy's acceptance of the situation and quick learning of language as well as other skills. But that is the beauty of novels – anything is possible!

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

When Ginny Richardson's daughter, Lucy, is born with down syndrome, her husband has her taken to Willowridge, a school for the "feeble minded” Ginny is heartbroken, but her husband convinces her that Lucy being in Willowridge is in everyone's best interest - including Lucy's. Ginny was expected to grieve and move on. But then Ginny's friend Marsha find a newspaper article detailing neglected children, despicable living conditions and poor treatment at Willowridge, Ginny knows she must do something, anything to protect her daughter. Against her husband her father-in-law's wishes, Ginny decides to act.

I really enjoyed this book which felt as if it were set in the 1950's and not the early 1970's to me. Ginny is very passive in the beginning of the book. She does not drive, she pretty much does as her husband and her father in law want. She really does not appear to have a voice. But kudos to her for finding her voice when she knew her daughter was in a horrible situation. The reader is right there with Ginny and Marsha as the two women go on a journey with Ginny's six-year-old son and Lucy in tow. I really liked the character of Marsha but did take issue with the choices she made in this book.

Entertaining and captivating. This book pulled at the heartstrings in many ways. Ginny, as I previously mentioned, did not seem to have a voice at the beginning of this book. By the end of the book, she grew a backbone and was almost a totally different woman. She still wasn't tough as nails, but she found some inner strength and stood up for herself and fought for what she thought was right. her confidence blossomed as she advocated for her daughter. Lucy, alone and without love at Willowridge, met her mother and older brother and was able to bond with her.

I found this book to be a fast read and enjoyed how the story is told mainly in the present time but also in the past, showing how Ginny and Ab met and fell in love. It was nice to see Ab in a different light. He is a man who loves his wife and son. It was a different time then. Was he acting on information he was given, was he embarrassed by Lucy, or was he bowing to his father's pressure? Decide for yourself.

An enjoyable read which sucked me in and had me turning the pages. There were some situations which seemed a little implausible, but I was able to overlook them as I was enjoying the story and the epic car/road trip of the women and children. The abuse and neglect of the children is deplorable and the reader will root for Lucy and Ginny.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have heard many good things about Rust and Stardust. I was happy to be able to read her new book Keeping Lucy. It was a beautiful heart wrenching story about the love a mother has for her child who has Down Syndrome. the child is taken to a special school that turns out to be a horrible place. Ginny's strength and determination to save her daughter is such a profound story. I will defiantly order this book for the library.

Keeping Lucy is a story about life choices or lack of. Set in a time and place where women are submissive to their superior husbands. Whose main duties is to tend to housework, laundry and childcare.

The story may have had it's romantic moment when Ab meets Ginny, but it has it's spins and turns. Marrying into a rich family where the patriarch makes all the decisions has the reader convinced that Ginny is just a gutless common housewife who simply goes about her day without complain.

However, her in laws don't think much of her, and Abbot Senior dictates all of their decisions with the intent to keep his son in the same law firm. With promises to make him a partner, and providing for this couple's home, but when Ginny gives birth to their second child, who is less than perfect. Ab Sr takes control and sends the child away to be raised at an institute for the disabled, all the while pretending she was a stillborn.

But all Ginny needs is a splash if reality when she's informed that the institute where her Down Syndrome daughter has been taken to is a terrible place that's when her maternal instincts kick into gear and the story picks up.

She's lucky to have a friend, Marsha, who accompanied her on this journey to rescue her baby girl..
Beautifully written, very believable characters.

It had me in tears as well as angry and finally endeared to this couple who reconnect and let's us know that love will always prevail.

I love feel good endings. Thank you for allowing me to express this honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Pres for an advance read in exchange for this review. 

It is 1969, and Ginny's heart is broken when her baby, Lucy, is born with Down Syndrome.  Due to pressure from her husband's family, Lucy is taken from her and put in a special school for "the feeble minded".  A few years later, a friend shows Ginny articles about the school.  The conditions is terrible, and the residents are being neglected.  Ginny then sets out to see for herself and essentially becomes a fugitive.  She has her husband's family to fight as she sets out on the road to save her daughter.

This book is gut-wrenching.  I admired Ginny's strength as she was powered by the love for her daughter.  The story is quite complex and emotional.  Be prepared for that.  A great, solid read.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Netgalley.com and the publisher St. Martin's Press. Thanks to both for the opportunity to read and review!

Keeping Lucy is set in the late 60's/early 70s. In it, we meet the Richardson family: two generations. The younger living by the rules set down before them by the older, specifically the patriarch of the family. Ginny has just given birth to a girl with Downs Syndrome and we learn that her daughter has been sent away for the best care. This eats at Ginny until she can't take it anymore and after learning about what kind of facility Lucy has been sent to, Ginny takes matters into her own hands.

Incredibly relevant to the current era obsessed with choice and women's rights. Here is a story about choosing to love a disabled child and fight to keep her. Incredibly detailed and emotional, the author has recreated what happened regularly to families with disabled children. The common recommendation was to send them away, today the common recommendation is to terminate the pregnancy. A cruel choice against the gift of live and love.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended. Add to your TBR today!

When Ginny an Ab are expecting their second child, they are thrilled.
They already have a son, Peyton, and are looking forward to adding to their family. But their happiness is quickly overshadowed with sadness and despair when their daughter is born with Down Syndrome. Without much consultation with Ginny, decisions are made to send the baby, Lucy, to an institution to live. A few years later, there is a newspaper report about the living conditions of the institution where Lucy has been living. Ginny, and her friend Marsha, decide to save Lucy. But what I’ve learned, is that Ginny was also saving herself and her marriage.



I enjoyed the author’s use of Ginny’s memories and reflections to tell the story of her life and marriage. It was interesting to see Ginny's character evolve. This was a fascinating story with real and flawed characters. Thank you Net Galley and St.Martin's Press for the opportunity to review book.

I was fortunate enough to receive Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood through Netgalley and this is my honest and fair review.


I adored reading this book from start to finish ! I grew up in Long Island New York and worked with many clients from Willowbrook institution, so when I read the description on Keeping Lucy I was absolutely captivated and couldnt wait to read it. I was hoping I wouldn’t be disappointed because I was so excited to read the story. First, I was not disappointed at all. It was very well written, heartfelt and I finished it in a couple of days.

Although there were a few parts that didn’t ring realistic to me ,it didn’t take anything away from the story. Thank you Netgalley and thank you T. Greenwood for writing this beautiful tale

I have a two year old daughter named Lucy and I think a part of that made my heart break reading about two year old Lucy with Down’s Syndrome in the late 60s early 70s. I did not think I would be able to finish this book. I cried so hard just in the beginning because I can’t imagine the pain this mother (Ginny) was going through.

Synopsis: Dover, Massachusetts, 1969. Ginny Richardson's heart was torn open when her baby girl, Lucy, born with Down Syndrome, was taken from her. Under pressure from his powerful family, her husband, Ab, sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a special school for the “feeble-minded." Ab tried to convince Ginny it was for the best. That they should grieve for their daughter as though she were dead. That they should try to move on.

But two years later, when Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her a series of articles exposing Willowridge as a hell-on-earth--its squalid hallways filled with neglected children--she knows she can't leave her daughter there. With Ginny's six-year-old son in tow, Ginny and Marsha drive to the school to see Lucy for themselves. What they find sets their course on a heart-racing journey across state lines—turning Ginny into a fugitive.

For the first time, Ginny must test her own strength and face the world head-on as she fights Ab and his domineering father for the right to keep Lucy. Racing from Massachusetts to the beaches of Atlantic City, through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to a roadside mermaid show in Florida, Keeping Lucy is a searing portrait of just how far a mother’s love can take her.

Even if this book was 100% fiction, a mother could never read it and think of it as that. An innocent child is an innocent child regardless of their health. T. Greenwood did SUCH A GREAT JOB with this book, it was so well written. But, what a hard story to tell. I just don’t understand how anyone could live it, let alone gather facts and write this story.

I’m so glad I pushed through my tears and heartbreak and finished this book. It was so worth it. Thank you netgalley for the book In exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved this book. Can't really explain why; It just grabbed me from the beginning. It was a heart warming story of what it would be like to raise a Down's baby. Interesting to me because I've heard stories from my husband about a similar institution in MA where I thought the people were treated terribly. Some people argued it was a necessity to treat then that way. I always disagreed. Times have changed so much for the better. At least I like to think that. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.

This story is initially a sad condemnation about what happened to Down's Syndrome babies before society began to understand they each have worth as a person. There is much more going on in this story as it progresses from the meeting of Ginny and Ab, their marriage and the birth of Lucy. We also see how much has changed since the early 1960's.

Keeping Lucy is expertly crafted from beginning to end to highlight how strong a mother's love is. The characters are multilayered and believable. The book clearly shows that taking risks and fighting for what you want is far more rewarding than passively accepting what is given to you. My congratulations to the author for telling an important story that demands attention.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley.The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#KeepingLucy #NetGalley

This book is truly a love story. In 1969 a daughter is born with down syndrome. This little girls grandpa decided she needed to be institutionalized. But will the mother of this sweet girl go down without a fight? Their love story unfolds- mother and daughter. This story is sensitive to me as I work with individuals with disabilities. I watch mothers fight their hardest to see their children know love, freedom, and a full life. This book shows that struggle. It is so beautiful!

I would like to thank the publisher and author for giving me a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn in by the beautiful cover of this book and requested it without knowing anything about the author or the book. I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed the writing, the story, the characters, the history. I was quickly drawn into the story and was invested in finding out what would happen to Lucy. I cannot imagine living in a time when it was so accepted and usual to send away children with disabilities. How heartbreaking that must be, especially to find that they were sometimes mistreated at these facilities. The author did a good job portraying the different thoughts and emotions of the character while including the social norms and beliefs of the time. I'd definitely recommend this to friends to read and would be interested in more by this author.

A thought provoking tale set during a different time when disabled children were torn from families and misunderstood. Heartwarming, lovely and well written with lots of action, relationship exploration, and heart string pulling.

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to T. Greenwood, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book totally tugged at my heartstrings. It was about a family in the late sixties that had a Down's Syndrome child, the institutionalized child, class, family, and good friends. It just had it all for me. The characters were beautifully developed and thoroughly included throughout the plot-line.

This is a wonderful book. It could have been ME who was Lucy as I was born in that time period.

Definite recommend.

I loved this book and would have given it 5 stars except for one thing that kind of annoyed me. I was super mad that it took so long for Ginny to find her backbone. This book moved me in so many ways. I have spent time working with little ones who have Down Syndrome and they are all so very precious. The way Ginny was lied to and manipulated by her husband, their doctor, and her father-in-law is unthinkable. I cried when I read the scene where she actually gets to meet Lucy for the first time since giving birth to her. The description of the asylum was so realistic and horrifying that I felt like I couldn't breathe until they got in the car and drove away. I dare anyone to read this moving book and not feel emotionally connected to the characters!

WOW! WOW! WOW! Keeping Lucy is a beautiful book and I loved everything about it!
This is based on a true story. Set in the late 1960's/Early 70's, it's about a woman, Ginny, whose daughter Lucy, was born with Down Syndrome. As a newborn, Lucy is sent away to a "school" for special needs children by her husband and father-in-law, who believed this was the best place for her. Ginny didn't agree and wanted to keep Lucy, but she was forced into this decision and was forced to lie and tell others that Lucy had been stillborn. 2 years later, Ginny discovers that Lucy had been living in filthy conditions and her and the other children at the "school" were being neglected there. Ginny retrieves Lucy from the school for a weekend visit and ends up taking her across the country to Florida to avoid having to return her to such an awful place.
This is my second book from the author, T. Greenwood, both based on true stories, and I am simply amazed at what a gift she has of taking such terrible circumstances and turning them into something beautiful. I highly recommend all book lovers pick up a copy once this book is released in August!

Really enjoyed this one!! It grabbed me from the very page until the last . Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the book for an honest review.

A look at a mother’s pain of losing a child, but her child is not dead, just taken from her, and we are on a journey to find her.
There is a reason all of those homes have closed, a place for unwanted children, but as you read this book, you may want the tissues handy, you quickly realize that this is something that you are not going to get over. This is a mother that two years later still has empty arms, and yes, she has a little boy to raise, but when you learn what happened to the lost child you are going to cringe.
This book quickly became a page turner, and the story just kept getting better and better, but the possibility of jail is always in the back of your mind.
What will be the solution here, and will Lucy have to go back to that horrible place? There are answers here, but there are also so surprises, a little boy that finds a sister, and a mother who has her arms filled, but will this last, or will big brother have its way?
Once the last page is turned here it will not go away, this one lingers.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin’s Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

In today's society, women are still trying to get rights in the eyes of the law, the right to birth control,  the right to abortions, and the right to equal wage.This historical fiction is still relevant today because it's about a woman struggling for the right to keep her child.
The story centers on Ginny, who only wants the simple things in life, a husband, a couple children, and a quaint little house in the country. Unfortunately for Ginny, she marries Ab, a upper-class man whose parents are rich and influential. They already have Ab's life planned out to join the family firm.
Ab's family do not accept her with open arms as they see her as beneath them. So when Ginny's second child is born with Down Syndrome, Ab's father decides that she should be sent away to a home for the mentally challenged and Ab complies without Ginny's consent.
When Ginny discovers the horrific conditions of the home, she decides to take Lucy and go on the run with her friend Marsha and her two children. In Ginny's travels, she discovers strengths that she never knew had and regains her sense of individuality.
This story is full of action and tugs at your heartstrings. It makes you root for Ginny and cry for Lucy. It is a wonderful story that you can't wait to finish.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.

Might be a new favorite author. Loved the characters in this well written story. GInny and her friend Martha are absolutely lovable to say nothing of just wanting to go and hug Lucy! Their road trip adventures when they rescue Lucy from an institution named Willowbrook, are awesome. Lucy is Ginny's daughter who was born with Down's Syndrome and GInny's husband insisted that Lucy be placed in WIllowbrook. The year was 1969. Thanks so much to Net Galley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read the advanced copy.

Keeping Lucy is a beautiful tale that is heartbreaking as well as full of love.
Ginny gives birth to a daughter with Down's Syndrome but this is 1969 and those with disabilities are treated than less than human. Ginny is unaware of that her daughter is sent away to school until it is too late. Her husband and his powerful lawyer father brush it all aside; it is what is best. Two years later a series of articles expose what is going on at the school: horrible conditions, suicides, and uncared for children. Ginny goes to see for herself and see her daughter for the first time. Even though her husband disagrees, she takes Lucy for the weekend. What she finds horrifies her and she knows she cannot take Lucy back to the school. Ginny finds herself at war with her husband and his family while trying to take care of her precious daughter.
T. Greenwood brings the same humanity to these characters that she did with Rust & Stardust. Ginny's reactions to what was done to her child were mine. I felt her heartbreak and her determination and cheered her own. Marsha was amazing and I was so glad Ginny had her in her life. These characters were so real to me. Especially little Lucy who couldn't walk because she was neglected in that "school." The ending brought tears to my eyes. This journey had gutted me.
I will recommend this anyone who loves a good tale but isn't afraid to see the ugly and feel despair. I know there will be those who this is too much for; there will be people who understand the struggle from experience.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

Beautifully written book that I truly loved. It is a story told with such compassion and such empathy that you can truly feel the mother's thoughts and heartbreak. The characters are complex, but written so well, they're easy to understand and empathize with. Loved the writing style and this book does a wonderful job of keeping you entertained and reading to see the next page and the next page and the next page...Highly recommend this book! I will also be reading any and everything by T. Greenwood from now on....wonderful author!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow! This is a very emotional read. The novel takes place in the late 60's following a family whose newborn baby was born with down syndrome and was sent away immediately. As years go by, news unfolds and Ginny, mother, has the urge to see her daughter. This book shows the power of a mothers love. I don't want to spoil the read, but be prepared to shed a tear.

I could not put this one down. The story was engrossing. Although when I started reading it, I more envisioned a 1950’s or early 1960’s world where fathers lord their opinions over their families, forcing children into careers they don’t love and into making horrible decisions–like institutionalizing a gorgeous little baby just because she was born with an extra chromosome.

Then I realized as I was reading the book that it took place in the late 60’s, early 70’s which makes the events so much more horrifying. Although I suppose that is when children began to fight back en masse against their parent’s ideals and wives began to question their husband’s authority and craved independence.

Ginny is a somewhat forward thinking woman–partially due to the fact that she was raised by a single mom, finds herself living a life she didn’t sign up for. Her husband, who had respected her dreams when they were dating had given in to his own father’s dreams for him and they were living the pampered lives of city folk instead of living in the country or in a commune like Ginny had imagined.

So when her daughter is swept away, sent to a home by her father-in-law just because she was born with a disability, Ginny is unable to fight the decision, though she mourns it everyday. It makes me so mad that Ginny’s husband, Ab, is unable to stand up to his dad. But I suppose people get comfortable and even if they don’t love their lives, they fear the unknown.

I would recommend this to fans of Lisa Genova and anyone who can appreciate a good based-on-a-true story read. Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-galley in exchange for my honest review. This review will be published on my blog July 8, 2019.

A stunning novel about love, guilt, grief and redemption. See my full review here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2687700873

Keeping Lucy is a sad depressing story. Ginny,a model wife and mother in the 60s era, gives birth to Lucy. She is told that Lucy is retarded and will never live a normal life. Lucy has downs syndrome. Thanks to her father in law who has friends in high places, her baby is immediately taken away to live in a home. Two years later, Ginny reads an expose about the deplorable living conditions in the home where her baby Lucy lives. Ginny goes to this terrible place and sees her baby. She knows everyone lied because Lucy is beautiful. Ginny also sees the truth about the living conditions. It's filthy and disgusting. Ginny takes Lucy on the run. It's terrible to think of this actually happening. I know doctors had less knowledge of downs syndrome at that time, but this type of situation is intolerable. Ginny is strong intelligent and intuitive. She knows the truth. It's a sad story about a mother's love. I do find it depressing despite the possibility of hope. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

A beautiful but sad story about a mother's connection to her child as a young women struggles to regain custody of the daughter she thought she had lost forever.

A beautiful but sad account that takes place in the late 60’s.
Ginny Richardson has just delivered a baby girl who is quickly taken from her. She is told her daughter is retarded, has heart failure and can never live a normal life. Her daughter who she names Lucy was born with Downs Syndrome. The choice to raise Lucy is taken out of her hands when she is placed in a sanitarium by Ginny’s husband and father in law a well known senator telling her this is best for the child. Three years later an expose on Willowridge, where Lucy is placed, comes out. The reporter tells of horrible living conditions within the sanitarium along with abuse of patients. Against her husband’s wishes Ginny along with her son and her best friend decides to finally go see Lucy and see her living conditions in person. Everything the reporter spoke of was true and even worse than she could of imagined. The minute she lays eyes on Lucy she knows how wrong she’s been and how mislead she was. Lucy is a beautiful little girl with a smile that melts your heart. She is also filthy, unhealthy from lack of care and non vocal. Determined to bring her home where she belongs, Ginny soon discovers obstacles that may land her in jail.
A heart rending read about a mother’s love and the length she’ll go to save her child from injustice and the ignorance that once was believed about these beautiful sweet children.
I’m so glad I read this! Very well written with wonderful feeling and characters!

I am not sure where to start with this review because my heart still hurts! This is a story which will break your heart, mend it and then just simply, melt it. This story takes place in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Ginny is the wife of Ab, an affluent lawyer in his father’s firm. She is the perfect wife of that era, staying at home, keeps house for her husband and has a young son, just a toddler. Ginny is pregnant again, and gives birth to Lucy, who has Down’s Syndrome. The doctor tells Ginny that Lucy won’t live long, has many problems and before Ginny has recovered from the anaesthetic, her husband’s powerful family take Lucy and commit her to Willowridge. What they don’t tell Ginny is that they have also taken away her parental rights and Lucy now belongs to the State. Two years later, Ginny reads an expose in the paper about the horrific, inhumane conditions at Willowridge. She rushes down there with her best friend Marsha, rescues Lucy and virtually becomes a fugitive. Ginny was prepared to do anything to rescue her daughter. I fell in love with the characters and with the story. Easily one of the best books I have read this year so far.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Keeping Lucy is a tale of mother’s love and how powerful it could be. Ginny’s heart was broken when she was told that her baby had Down’s Syndrome. It was broken even more when her powerful father in law arraigned for the newborn to be taken to Willowridge, a school for feeble-minded people. Ginny was never allowed to see Lucy and was told that she should mourn for Lucy like she was dead. Two years pass. Then Ginny’s friend Marsha shows her a series of articles that expose Willowridge as a hell on earth for its residents. Horrified at what she saw and read, Ginny, can’t leave Lucy there. After seeing the school and the conditions for herself, Ginny is determined never to bring her back. But her actions have consequences that soon have her and Marsha racing towards Florida with the children. What will happen to Lucy? To Ginny?

Keeping Lucy was a hard book for me to read. As a mother, I couldn’t even begin to fathom what Ginny went through in the 2 years after Lucy was taken from her. I don’t know how she could live with her husband after he forced that decision on her. But, then again, this was the late 60’s/early ’70s. Men still made the decisions and women’s feelings were not thought about.

Ginny’s character development through the book was amazing. She went from being this meek, compliant housewife to a person who stood her ground when threatened. I loved it. She became an enraged mama bear protecting her cub. The ultimatum that she threw down to Ab was epic. Even better was what she said to her overbearing, control freak of a father in law.

I didn’t care for Ab. He let his father rule his life. In doing so, he allowed his daughter to be placed in a “school” with deplorable living conditions. He did love Ginny and Peyton. I also understood where he was coming from when he made the decision to send Lucy away. But, it was everything after the fact that made me go “WTF“.

Lucy was the innocent victim in all this. I shared Ginny’s horror when she saw (and smelled) the conditions of that “school“. The scene when Ginny first changed Lucy’s diaper broke my heart. How long did she sit in that diaper for the rash to get that bad?? There are other examples of the severe neglect that she endured but I won’t go into them.

I didn’t like Ab’s father. He was a controlling jerk. I don’t understand why he thought that he could separate a mother from her child. I don’t understand why thought that bullying his son into complying was alright. I do think that he was one of those rich people who thought money and connections solved everything. He was a jerk and deserved a good knee to the crotch.

The main plotline, Ginny going on the run with the kids, was well written. It did get off to a slow start but it gained steam. By the time everyone reached Florida, it was flowing nicely. I could taste her desperation. I could feel her horror and fear. But, more importantly, I saw the fierce love that she had for her children. She was willing to do whatever it took to prevent Lucy from going back to that hellhole.

The end of Keeping Lucy was different. All I have to say about it is that I am happy with how things ended up.

I would give Keeping Lucy an Adult rating. There are sexual references but sex is not described outright. There is mild language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be extreme child neglect. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Keeping Lucy. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Keeping Lucy.

All opinions stated in this review of Keeping Lucy are mine.

T. Greenwood has a talent unlike any other author. Creating a story from true events and turning it into a masterpiece. Within 24 hours of starting this, I have already finished. From the first page, it pulled me in and I didn’t want to leave.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to enjoy this novel for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
After giving birth to her second child, Lucy, Funny is dismayed to find out that she has Down's syndrome. The doctors convince her and her husband, Ab, that the baby suffers from a heart condition that, combined with her disability, would be impossible for them to manage at home. The baby would be better off in a "school". Ab tells Ginny that it would be better for their family to treat it like a death and take time to grieve properly. Two years later, Ginny finds out the horrible truth of the institution where her daughter is imprisoned and neglected. A weekend visit with Lucy turns into a kidnapping across state lines when Ginny is determined not to return her child to her abusers.
I started out really disliking Ginny's character in this book. She is so intimidated by her husband and his parents. I can understand being convinced into thinking you're doing the best for your child when you don't know anything about her medical conditions, but she let her husband convince her not to even visit for two years! But by the end, she found her strength to do anything for her children.

Keeping Lucy is the story of Ginny, a wife and mother who gives birth to her second child, Lucy, who is born with Down Syndrome. It’s the 60’s, and against her will, the child is sent away. Two years later the “school” is in the papers due to the horrible conditions the children in its care are living in. Ginny and her best friend, Marsha, remove the child for the weekend. Once she sees for herself how bad it is, Ginny insists that Lucy will never go back. As the situation escalates, Ginny and Marsha find themselves on the run with two small children. This was an eventful page turner, what Thelma and Louise would have been if they had children in tow. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Thank Wow ! Tears will be in my eyes for days! What a story of a different time in our lives. The way things were in the early 70s and the way the world viewed woman and children with special needs .
The story of a mothers love that made her braver than she ever was !
Ginny was told her daughter needed to be institutionalized because she was born with Down Syndrome. 2 years later her daughters “school” is the subject of an expose revealing the horrific conditions these children are living in. Ginny travels to see and finally meet her daughter and discovers the conditions are exactly as they have been described.
The author wrote the harsh reality of the time and this beautiful story of acceptance and love !

Wow! A well written moving story of the lengths a mother will go to for her child. Outstanding writing and the characters were very true to my memories of that time. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Keeping Lucy was undoubtedly an eye-opening novel and T. Greenwood provided insight into the time prior to the paradigm shift in the treatment of individuals with disabilities. I certainly enjoyed her skillful storytelling that allows the reader to appreciate what a long way we've come from our ignorant views about basic human rights. Her novel prompted me to further research this heinous history, and I was interested to find that the occurrences at the Belchertown State School for the Feeble-minded circa 1971 very closely paralleled those of her novel. I had heard of institutions such as these, but had no idea that children with Down's Syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities were ever relegated to such places, nor was I aware of the abhorrent conditions and inhumane treatment of patients. In writing this novel, Greenwood highlighted the importance of investigative journalism in our history, and how it has lead to major reform in both the public and private sector.

I also appreciated her nod to women's liberation, which was still in its infancy in this not-so-distant past. I'll admit that Ginny & Marsha's relationship made my heart swell. I would've preferred knowing what exactly happened to Marsha in the small town where their car broke down... that drama seemed a bit out of left field. Additionally, some of the writing seemed rudimentary: "Her mind spun like the lazy Susan she kept on the dining table at home." But generally speaking, this was a very valuable read, and one that I genuinely enjoyed.

Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

After the birth of Ginny’s daughter, Lucy, the doctors determined she is born with Down syndrome. Against her will, her husband and his father sign parental rights over to the state and Lucy is shipped off to a home for children with special needs.

Two years later and not a single visit to see her child, Ginny reads a newspaper article about the home Lucy lives in. Parents of other children there have started a law suit against the home for the mistreatment of their children and harsh living conditions. When Ginny decides to see for herself if it’s true, she’s in for a shock. Her daughter Lucy has been mistreated, abused and neglected.

With the help of her best friend, Ginny and Marsha flee the state with Lucy in tow with no means of returning her.

I LOVED this book!!! So so good. I would definitely recommend!

What would a mother do for her child? Anything. The characters in this book were so well developed and it was a story that was very emotional. I found it hard to put this book down. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was a big fan of Rust & Stardust, also by T. Greenwood, so I was really looking forward to this one and I was not disappointed! I love the authors writing style and the way she gives depth to characters without getting too slow or overwrought. I will continue to read all of T. Greenwood's books!

Oh my, I think I loved this book (it doesn’t happen that often as I find love to be a very strong word, hence the uncertainty). It was beautifully written and gave me a new perspective on motherhood and a not so long-ago time - so many feelings! And I loved the diverse cast of character personalities - it showed that most people truly are good. Would definitely recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and ARC on Kindle of T. Greenwood's newest book, Keeping Lucy. One of the best books I read in 2018 was Rust and Stardust, also by the author. T. Greenwood is the master of a heart-wrenching tale. Keeping Lucy is the story of Ginny, who is married to Ab. They have a son and then Ginny gives birth to Lucy. Lucy is born with Down's Syndrome and Ginny is told that Lucy also has a heart defect that will shorten her life drastically. After the birth, Lucy is taken (without Ginny's consent) to a facility for children with disabilities. Two years later, Ginny reads a news article, stating the facility where Lucy was placed is filthy and the children are neglected. Without telling Ab, she enlists her best friend, Marsha, to check the facility out to see the conditions. As stated in the news article, the conditions are abhorrent and Ginny checks Lucy out of the facility for a weekend visit and decides to leave the state with her son, Peyton, and Marsha, in order to keep Lucy from having to go back. The story of the friendship between Ginny and Marsha, their run from the authorities, Ginny's loving mothering skills and her 1960's type marriage to Ab are all so well-stated that I felt as if I were right there with the characters. Keeping Lucy is an absolutely absorbing book that I couldn't put down. Keeping Lucy has completely different characters and setting from Rust and Stardust but is an excellent companion book for it. T. Greenwood's writing style is absorbing and interesting. I can wait for the next great read by this author.

Dover, Massachusetts, 1969. Ginny Richardson's heart was torn open when her baby girl, Lucy, born with Down Syndrome, was taken from her. Under pressure from his powerful family, her husband, Ab, sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a special school for the “feeble-minded."
But two years later, when Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her a series of articles exposing Willowridge as a hell-on-earth--its squalid hallways filled with neglected children--she knows she can't leave her daughter there. Keeping Lucy is a searing portrait of just how far a mother’s love can take her.

T. Greenwood has done it again! I absolutely love the writing style of Keeping Lucy and how detailed it was. This is just about the only author that can get me so engrossed and involved with the characters that they feel like my own family and friends. This was another book that made me reach for the tissues multiple times!

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood
Pub Date: 06 Aug 2019

I can easily see why Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood is one of PopSugar’s must reads of 2019. Keeping Lucy tugged at my heartstrings from the moment the narrative began, and I just could not stop reading it. This is a touching story of the strength of a mother’s unconditional love for her children. When Ginny, the protagonist, discovers her daughter, Lucy, has been mistreated at a special school in which her husband entrusted Lucy’s care, Ginny does everything in her power to save her child. My empathy as a mother propelled me through this novel. Keeping Lucy is as much of a page turner as any thriller, and the environment Lucy was living in is depicted as equally horrific. The plot rotates between three parts of Ginny’s life helping the reader to better understand the time period and also Ginny‘s relationship with her husband. This rotation created suspense for me in that I really wanted to ensure that Lucy would be okay, but I also wanted to understand how Lucy had ended up in her horrible school. T. Greenwood did an excellent job of painting the sometimes horrific nature of institutions while also portraying our highly discriminatory society in the late sixties and seventies. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of Keeping Lucy in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy of Keeping Lucy from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Keeping Lucy is set in the late 1960s through 1971. Having a child with Down's Syndrome or cerebral palsy or any birth disorder was viewed as a failure and many parents were encouraged to institutionalize their children. Facilities were shockingly rundown and abuse, neglect, understaffing, and decay were the norm. In real life, state schools served to house these forgotten children. The children were housed not cared for. Parents and other family members were encouraged to forget about these children and move on with their lives.

Ginny and Ab are loving parents but they come from two very different worlds. Ab's parents are wealthy and, in many ways, have always controlled their son. Ginny comes from a much more modest background with a working mother and long-deceased father. Together they want a simple life filled with books and love. When Ginny becomes pregnant, he begins law school at Harvard, fulfilling his father's dream but causing Ab to abandon his own. Their son, Peyton, is a joy and they settle into suburban life. Ginny is restless, believing that the life she is living is a little too perfect.

Their second child, Lucy, is born with Down's Syndrome. Ab and his father quickly arrange for Lucy's institutionalization telling Ginny it is for the best. Ginny believes Willowridge to be a real school and a real hospital but she never loses the longing for her child. Two years pass before a friend alerts Ginny to a news expose about the conditions at Willowridge. Ginny knows she must see for herself, see the daughter she only glimpsed when she gave birth. Her first contact with Lucy sets off a multi-state trip to keep and care for her child.

The horrific conditions at Willowridge are based on real state schools like Willowbrook on Staten Island. Many readers may find it difficult to believe the description of Willowridge and the mild-mannered behavior of women like Ginny. It is important to recognize the societal attitudinal changes toward children with disabilities but even more important to realize the power of a mother's love.

A beautifully written story about a mother's undying love to keep and care for her daughter, Lucy, who has downs syndrome in the 1970's.

It’s the first time I read T. Greenwood, but it won’t be the last. Keeping Lucy captivated me from beginning to end. It’s very well written, it’s intricate and flows wonderfully in a way that each flashback chapter gives a great hindsight on the characters, so well developed.
It’s also Women Fiction as readers dive into what life was like for women back in the 60-70s and therefore what it took for Ginny to take back control. As a mother, you’ll feel for her, you’ll feel for her precious little Lucy, and just keep turning the pages. Highly recommend it.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me the opportunity to read and review this advance copy.

I read Rust and Stardust and absolutely loved that book - this one touched close to home - I could not put down this heart wrenching story of a mother fighting for herself and her child - Ginny gives birth to a child with Down Syndrome whom is immediately placed into an “institute.” This is one mother who refuses to be blinded further and once she opens her eyes shows the great lengths she will go to for her child. this was a wonderfully told story and probably eye opening for some as to the lengths people would go and the lack of care individuals received just for being “different” - I smiled - I cried - this should be on everyone’s list to read

Thank you to St. Martin Press for the ARC of this book. Ginny Richardson gives birth in 1971 to a baby with Down’s Syndrome. Her powerful father-in-law has the baby sent to Willowbrook School telling Ginny and her husband it’s the best thing. Two years later Ginny’s friend Marsha brings her newspaper articles detailing the horrific conditions and abuse at the school. Ginny sets out to check it out herself and what follows is a harrowing and heartbreaking tale as Ginny tries to save her daughter. This story had me on the edge of my seat and I read in one day as I could not put it down! This should be on your must be read list! Five stars all the way!

T. Greenwood has done it again, she brings the pages to life for me when I read her books. However, this book was not a happy page turner for me. Ginny's major struggles begin when her baby is born with Down's Syndrome and the story centers on what happens to that baby, Lucy. It is hard to read about at times. It is also hard to believe how close minded and self centered some people are when it comes to supposed disabilities-Furthermore, it is not easy to read about it as you get so frustrated at how Ginny's bond with her daughter is almost destroyed.

I highly recommend to anyone-T. Greenwood is an author to watch! Thank you to Net galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

This book captivated and moved me. To think of how things have changed in the world for women and for children with special needs. How it still has changed to be made, but to have faith those changes will come to fruition is moving. This book is heartwarming and heartfelt. It’s the journey of so many lessons and of great love, devotion and courage. I love how Ginny gains herself by trying to get her daughter. It’s all about being willing to take the risks necessary to create change. I’m so glad NetGalley gave me the opportunity to read this early edition of this book. I’m liking reading books more for their content and the power within their pages than to follow trends blindly. This was an emotional and powerful read. I loved the format, the characters and the heart behind the story and writing.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This heartbreaking story—inspired by true events—is a tale of how far a mother will go for her child. In 1969, Ginny Richardson gave birth to a baby girl with Down Syndrome. Her husband's family arrange to have the baby sent to Willowridge, a state-supported institution for children with intellectual disabilities. Abbott, her husband, tries to convince Ginny that it is for the best and that they should move on after they grieve for her daughter whom, they were going to claim, died at birth.

Two years later, Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her articles about Willowridge—the living conditions are nothing short of horrifying, and the children are severely neglected. Ginny, Marsha, and Ginny's six-year-old son visit the school to see for themselves if there is any truth to what is being reported and how Lucy is being cared for. With the circumstances being exactly as described, Ginny takes Lucy and flees. For the first time in her life, she is in control and in for the fight of her life against Ab and his powerful family.

Greenwood's writing is great, in fact, it's better than great. She effortlessly draws the reader in and deftly balances the delicate subject matter with the story—based on real events—that needed to be told. I felt that she kept the writing light on purpose given the horrific reports of institutions, like Willowridge, that actually existed. It could be argued that this did the novel a disservice however, in this case, I think it worked. Ginny was naive and passive and this type of character couldn't shoulder a heavier plot with a deeper exploration into both the depression that Ginny experienced as well as the deplorable conditions that Lucy was living in.

At first, I was a little thrown by the third perspective, and the sentence structure was distracting because every sentence seemed to start with "Ginny". Once I got past that and into the rhythm of the writing, I devoured this page-turner.

This was an incredibly emotional story to read following a mother's harrowing journey to reclaim her daughter. Several times (reading on my subway commute) I had to catch myself from spilling tears from the overwhelming emotions in this book.

The novel did a good job of demonstrating some of the stereotypes and prejudices that people with a disability must have endured in the 60s and 70s. It also did an incredible job of depicting the main character Ginny and demonstrating how this could have easily happened during the time period - losing the rights to your child thanks to a husband's decision.

What is really eye-opening is realizing that this didn't take place so long ago even though it feels like our society has changed and evolved so drastically. At the same time, it hasn't and most mental disabilities are still very misunderstood.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.*

Keeping Lucy is the third book by T. Greenwood that I've had the pleasure of reading. I LOVED Rust & Stardust, her 2018 offering and was hopeful that Keeping Lucy would be in the same vein.

While indisputably well written, Keeping Lucy didn't keep me up at night. Whether that is a good or a bad thing, I will leave to you to decide.

Keeping Lucy is the story of Ginny Richardson, a young housewife who gives birth to a daughter (Lucy) with Down's Syndrome in Delaware in 1969. Her powerful father in law and toe-the-line husband swoop in and convince Ginny that the only option is to send Lucy to an institution that can handle her issues. Wracked with guilt, Lucy trudges forward, continuing to raise their toddler son and go through the motions of life. Until her friend shows her an exposé in a newspaper they don't subscribe to detailing the neglect and abuse at the facility where Lucy had been housed.

Ginny and her friend Marsha decide to go to the facility to see for themselves. What they discover is worse than Ginny's fears and they decide not to return Lucy when the weekend is over. Fearing her father in law & husband, they embark upon a journey to safety and security.

I enjoyed this story and will continue to read T. Greenwood's library!

A mother’s love is powerful and this was embodied in Ginny. At times when I was reading this, I found I was questioning the “how’s” and “why’s” of the parental separation and mistreatment of a special needs child but I was doing so through the lenses of 2019, not 1969. Reading of Ginny’s transformation in just a few short weeks was rewarding as was the back story that led to the decisions made by the key characters.

Fantastic book!! I throughly enjoyed every bit of it. Sheds light on a time when women did not have equal rights. A time when women weren't free to make their own decisions, even when it came down to her children or body. The most alarming thing about this story is the truth behind how children born with physical/mental capabilities were treated back then. This story is about the true love a mother has for her children. This particular mother finds her wings and learns to put her foot down when it matters most. It was liberating to see Ginny change throughout the story. There is plenty of drama to keep the rollercoaster going, even in the low points. The best part? Nothing was crazy, out of this world, or unrealistic. This could truly be someone's story and probably was at some point in history. I would definitely recommend this book!

I really liked this book. I already knew, of course, that until relatively recently most kids with Down syndrome and other developmental differences were institutionalized and not given the specialized care and education they needed to thrive, and sometimes neglected, but I didn’t realize the extent of the issues not even very long ago. In that way, the book was hard to read but very eye-opening. At the same time, the story itself was very compelling. I could really relate to Ginny and how it must have felt to be caught between different parts of her family in that way, and I know how hard it can be on a marriage if one spouse isn’t willing to stand up to their domineering family. I felt that the author captured some of the types of common issues that many families struggle with, layered over this well researched recent history, in a way that was fascinating and well written. I also really liked the layer of feminism and women’s empowerment that underscored the whole story. I did feel like some of the plot points resolved a little too easily, that there was room in the story for more complexity and nuance over time, but overall this was a great and captivating read.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book. This was one I couldn't put down till I finished it. I have a cousin who's down syndrome and it's so touching reading this book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
After devouring “Rust and Stardust” (and being both infatuated and disturbed by it), I was excited to get the chance to read T. Greenwood’s newest novel, “Keeping Lucy”.
It’s 1969 and Ginny Richardson is living the life she always dreamed of. She has a loving, wealthy husband, a happy and elegant home, and a young son she adores. When she gets pregnant again, her happiness only continues to grow. However, when the child is born she is given devastating news; her daughter, Lucy, was born with Down’s syndrome. Her husband, Ab, suggests that they put Lucy into the care of Willowridge, a local school for the “retarded”, encouraging Ginny that it’s “for the best”. Two years later, Ginny starts to hear about atrocities being committed at Willowridge; children being abused, starved, neglected, and living in disgusting conditions. Soon Ginny and her best friend Marsha are on the road to Willowride, and when Ginny’s worst fears are confirmed, she takes Lucy with her and they are on the run. As a fugitive, Ginny is forced to think independently for the first time in her life, and make decisions for herself and her daughter.
“Keeping Lucy” reminds us of just how far we have come. Less than fifty years ago, women were subservient to their husbands, relying on them to make the large decisions (and the money), while they cared for the home and the children. It was a time when women having children was expected, when women having full-time jobs was rare and disapproved of by society as a whole, and “retarded” children were shut away in decrepit homes with incompetent caregivers. “Lucy” is a stark reminder of how far society has come in terms of “acceptance” (although yes, of course, we still have a long way to go).
This story started off strong, and I was addicted from page one. The storyline dwindled a lit bit somewhere in the middle, however, but I was so interested in the outcome of this novel that I pushed through. I could not help but cheer for Ginny and the adorable, Lucy.
Greenwood’s characters are honest and dysfunctional, from the stuck up Abbott Sr. and his elitist dreams, right down to Marsha, the unmarried best friend with “loose morals” (HA!). The women in this novel all come together to protect each other and keep the children safe, as the men seek to show that “they know what’s best”. There is no doubt this novel will make you think and self-reflect.
I found the ending to be unrealistic (it played out as a Lifetime Movie of the Week would, not as it would in reality), but it was endearing and charming, and left the reader feeling satisfied and content.
After a novel such as “Rust and Stardust”, it would be challenging to write another novel with the same passion and connection, but “Keeping Lucy” is heartwarming and heartbreaking, and the emotions and thoughts evoked in the reader are the same ones that “Stardust” brought out. This novel will make you think, make you cry, and make you cheer, and this seems to be Greenwood’s M.O. “Keeping Lucy” is a novel that is worth checking out!

I was not familiar with T Greenwood until reading this fantastic book. What a wonderful story. I especially enjoyed the setting (from Massachusetts to Florida) as well as the late 60s/earl;y 70s time frame. I could not put this down, and read it over the weekend. Our library will definitely be purchasing this title. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy.

This novel takes place in the late 1960s, early 1970's, and is about an infant born with Downs Syndrome, being whisked away to an institution without the mother's consent. Ginny's husband's father, a wealthy lawyer, decided it'd be best for the family. Two year's later, a friend tells her horror stories about this institution that had been reported on the news, and the mother takes her young son and sets off with her friend to find her daughter.

Marsha, her long time friend, is unmarried, independent, and introduces Ginny to her first lesbian, teaches her to drive her standard (Ginny had no license, which seems odd for 1970's), and brings her to her sister's house to hide with the children. I wish Ginny didn't seem like such a weak character since she was intelligent. How she remained so oblivious to the world around her, especially during this time period, is beyond me. She claimed to not like keeping up with the news, though the news was everywhere.

In this brief week together, the daughter says her first words: moon (this is the metaphor to much of the birth-related issues), mama, and Peyton (her brother's name). It seems unlikely she'd learn these three words, especially her brother's name, within that week after lying in a crib covered with lice, filled with parasites, and recovering from broken ribs from the hands of a male attendant with a beard, but apparently this had to happen to keep the novel moving along as she struggled to convince her husband and father-in-law to give her custodial rights again. Even though the novel was far from perfect, I admit that I felt compelled to keep reading. I wish it wasn't quite so cheesy, even though I am glad there was the "happy ending" after the adventurous road trip to reach that point, because the novel covers an issue that deserves to be remembered.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Imagine having a child taken away at birth without your consent and being told by those around you that it was the best course of action. It’s 1969 and this child, born with Down’s Syndrome will have needs that a ‘normal’ child won’t. This is the life that Ginny is given. Ginny has fallen in love with a man who comes from a family of expectations, one that moves the pawns on her own chess board. After reading an exposé on the possible life her child is experiencing and with the support from her best friend Marsha, Ginny follows her heart and the difficult road ahead. Forced to make difficult decisions about her marriage, her family and her life, Ginny enters an adventure to protect what matters most to her.
Coming out in August 2019, this fast paced narrative will grab at your heart strings and have you thinking about what is most important in life.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book should be added to your TBR lists and requested at your bookstores and libraries.

In the 60’s, Ginny marries Ab, from an affluent family in Dover, Massachusetts. They have a solid, happy marriage, a wonderful son, and are at the hospital when their world stands still. Ginny gives birth to a daughter that she names Lucy, who is born with Downs Syndrome. Ab’s Father makes arrangements for Lucy to be taken away immediately, sent to a top rated institution called Willowridge, where Lucy will receive the best care possible for the rest of her expected short life.

Ginny grieves for her daughter, but is not permitted to visit. After 2 years, her best friend Marsha tells her of an expose in the newspaper about Willowridge, describing horrific conditions and gross neglect. Ginny tries to talk to Ab, but he puts her off, saying it can’t be true. She decides she must visit Lucy, where she discovers this place is worse than she ever could have imagined. Thus begins the story of a woman who will go to any lengths to save her children, with the help of a loyal friend. They travel the Eastern US, learning more about each other, family, love, trust, and doing “the right thing” no matter what the cost. This is a story that will stick with you long after the last page.

KEEPING LUCY by T. Greenwood is beautifully-written and heart-wrenching story of the power of a mother’s love and how far she will go to protect her children. It is set in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the affluent suburbs of Boston where Ginny Richardson has married into her husband Ab’s powerful family. They have a young son, Peyton, who is the apple of Ab’s eye. When Ginny goes to the hospital to deliver their second child, something goes horribly wrong. She awakens to learn that her daughter was born with Down Syndrome and based upon the recommendation of her controlling father-in-law, baby Lucy has been taken away and committed to a “school” for impaired children. Over time, Ginny tries to live the life that is expected of her, but she is always haunted by the memory of the baby girl she never got to see. Two years later, Ginny’s best friend, Marsha informs her that there has been a shocking exposé written about the institution where Lucy was sent. Confronted with evidence of the horrifying conditions under which the children at Willowridge exist, Ginny sets out to visit her daughter and see for herself. When she sees the deplorable abuse and neglect at the facility, Ginny takes Lucy and vows never to return with her. What follows is a wildly suspenseful journey to escape her husband and father-in-law’s attempts to force her back home without Lucy. Ginny discovers an inner strength and independence she has never had as she fights against all odds to keep both her children with her. The character development is excellent and the descriptions of the societal norms of the time period are spot on. I found the story even more compelling because it was based on true events. This is a book that will not soon be forgotten and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of Keeping Lucy in exchange for an honest review.

The story takes place in Dover, Massachusetts where Ginny Richardson, wife of a successful attorney, gives birth to a baby girl named Lucy who was born with Down Syndrome. Ginny is deceived by her husband and father-in-law who assure her Baby Lucy will be better taken care of in an institution

After the institution is exposed for its inhumane conditions, Ginny finds the inner strength to rescue her daughter despite her husband believing Lucy is better off institurionalized. There is nothing Ginny won't do to have Lucy safely back in her arms where she belongs.

As a loyal fan of T. Greenwood who has read all of her published novels to date, I will say that Keeping Lucy does not disappoint. This story will tear at your heart strings with its accurate description of what institutional living in this time period was like for its patients. I continually found myself rooting for Ginny- who becomes a fugitive in her desperate fight to take back her daughter.

5 star read. VERY difficult to put this book down. T. Greenwood-- you did it again with the amazing power of your words..

Hooks you in from the first page and I ended up reading in one sitting. Gripping story of a mother’s love for her child but bits of the plot seemed far fetched. The story is set in the 70’s which doesn’t seem realistic but could very much be possible. A good quick read.0

What a great book! I enjoyed the premise of the book, and was very impressed at the way children with disabilities were addressed. The friendship between the women had a Thelma and Louise vibe which I really liked.
Overall, it was a great book!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with a review copy of T. Greenwood’s newest novel, Keeping Lucy. In exchange for the ARC I offer my unbiased opinion.

Set during the late 1960’s and into the early 1970’s, mixing fact and fiction this novel tells the story of a determined mother who will fight her powerful family for the protection of her child. When Ginny delivers a baby girl who shows signs of Down Syndrome her wealthy father in law decides it best for the family to put the child in a home for special needs. Ginny is saddened by this decision but believes it’s only temporary and reluctantly accepts the circumstance. Told the home is a private facility with the best care softens Ginny’s fears.
Fast Forward to two years later when a friend of Ginny’s discovers the home where her daughter is living is being investigated for neglect, abuse, and other terrible accusations. Ginny demands her husband drive her out to the facility and see for themselves how their daughter is faring. When her husband refuses, Ginny finally takes matters into her own hands and goes looking for her baby girl, Lucy. What Ginny discovers is absolutely heartbreaking. No longer willing to remain silent, Ginny with the support of her friend will risk everything to keep Lucy safe.
This book really pulled at my heartstrings and I felt the story was mostly compelling. I did find parts repetitive, or somewhat cliche and several chapters felt more like page filler than actual plot points. I had the pleasure of reading another novel from this author last year and for some reason that book worked better for me. Perhaps had I not had a previous book to compare with, I might have enjoyed this one more.
I think plenty of readers will embrace this historical fiction novel. Perfect for fans of Beatriz Williams , Pam Jenoff and Christina Baker Kline.

Story about the great, unconditional mother-daughter love. Following your hear, placing your child above everything else. Beautiful, touching story

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Compelling novel set in the 60s and 70s about a family and their daughter who is born with down's syndrome.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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!

My uncle has Down syndrome so that has always been a sensitive topic for me. This was not an easy read but an important one. I definitely recommend this book.

As a former education teacher, I found this book to be a heartbreaking at times. It's an emotional read that may surprise or shock some readers in its accounts of how people like Lucy were treated. Characters were well developed, the pace stayed steady throughout., and the emotions were realistic.

The book was based on an actual place, which is just horrific to learn. Sadly, some things detailed in the book still occur throughout the world today. I thought the author accurately portrayed the mid- to late-70s. The story is a quick read, told in alternating years to give the reader the "then and now" story.

This book was absolutely lovely. I am a sucker for any book surrounding motherhood, and this one was no different. The narrative was light enough to stay sweet and endearing, but it was also so smart, and had such depth to its storyline. The characters were so honest and raw, dysfunctional but yet likable - one of my favorite traits for a character driven novel. The ending was a bit convenient, which knocked a star down for me, but overall I found this to be an absolutely delightful story!

This is such a sad, horrifying, and sweet tale spun around a little girl born with Down syndrome. This story spans the ‘60s and ‘70s when unsavory terms were used for children born with this chromosome issue.

The way it’s written is lovely, but what the characters experienced was not. I couldn’t help but needed to take breaks reading this one simply because it hurt my heart to go on at times.

This book is an important read, and one that will stay with me for a long time.

Loved it! One of the best books I've read this year. Says a lot for how things were for a wife in that time period (1968-1970). You had to have your husband's permission to even open a bank account. The main character, Ginny, really grew in confidence by the end of the story. It also shows how far we've come from calling Down Syndrome kids Mongoloids and putting them in institutions. E
Looking forward to reading more by this author.

This book was freaking amazing. I'm a huge T. Greenwood fan since Rust & Stardust, which by the way, you should definitely read if you haven't yet!

Lucy was sent to a home for children with disabilities as soon as she was born with DS and a heart condition in 1969. Ginny was pressured into practically giving her away by her husband and his overbearing, well-to-do father.
This book follows Ginny, and her friend, Marsha, on an adventure after reading newspaper articles about the horrible conditions of the school/home that Lucy was sent to. Ginny checks Lucy out for her first ever visit, and things spiral out of control from there.

This was a great read, although truly heartbreaking, just like T. Greenwood's last novel. The writing is amazing, with just enough detail, without dragging the story out. This book is definitely 5/5 for me! It comes out August 6, so preorder this so you don't miss out!

Thank you #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an early review copy of #KeepingLucy by T. Greenwood!

It's 1969, and Ginny gives birth to a beautiful little girl with down syndrome. Her husband Ab and his father think it is best to put her in an institution. Ginny wants to keep her daughter but her husband thinks it is best for Lucy in the institution. 2 years later, Marsha Ginny's best friend tells Ginny that the institution is being sued by other parents for lack of care for the children. Ginny goes to pick up Lucy, her first time seeing her daughter after giving birth. Ginny is horrified by what she sees there. She takes Lucy and is determined to keep her. This is a story of a mother's love for her children. Ginny loves her son Peyton and Lucy more than anything and will do whatever she can to keep them happy and safe. I loved the characters in this book. Ginny's love, Peyton's sweetness, Lucy's amazingly precious. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

Keeping Lucy is a story of love, loss, and family. It is heart breaking and heartwarming. You will not be able to put it down. Ginny and Ab are expecting their second child. The baby is born right after her baby shower, and the next time Ginny wakes up, her baby girl, Lucy, has been taken away to a school for children with special needs. Lucy has down syndrome, and in 1969, her husband was told that she would not be able to be cared for at home. For two years, Lucy lives at Willowridge, the school that her father in law sent her to. Until Ginny's friend Marsha calls her one day to tell her about an expose that was printed about the school and when Ginny hears about it, she has to go there and see for herself what is going on. From there, she begins a wild ride with Marsha, that she never expected to be on.... but one that opens her eyes and her heart to things that she had stopped really seeing for sometime.

I had no idea what to expect when I started T. Greenwood's latest book. However, as I have come to expect, this book was beautifully written, displaying all of the challenges and rewards the characters face and the ways that trauma mold and shape a person, and keep a person stuck until someone is able to intervene. The book displays the ways that people interact with someone who is different from themselves, and the beautiful kind souls who see simply a person and not a difference. The book shows the kindness of some strangers and the dangers of others. There is honestly so much in this novel, that I am not sure that I can write them all down here.... what I can tell you is that this book was absolutely a home run.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital copy of this novel for review. A sweet story about Down's Syndrome set in the 1970s that also explores women's rights, motherhood, and what it means to come into your own. I enjoyed this read.

A beautiful story taking place in 1971 with flashbacks to the ‘60’s. Issues of class, women’s rights, and disabled children are described. There’s love and loss and friendship. Abortion, homosexuality, and abuse are also woven in. I enjoyed the characters and the scenes. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

T Greenwood has written an emotional story about a mother who must choose between her seemingly normal life and protecting the child that cannot protect herself. The book starts off with a story of choices made for her that she cannot fight and explodes from there. A race against time and her in laws, who only want "what's best for her" she must keep running to save her daughter. A really great story that will keep you reading and rooting for Lucy from start to finish.

I knew that children born with Down Syndrome and other conditions were labeled "feeble-minded" and often institutionalized at birth, but I'd never read much about it. This book was a very quick, very compelling read. It will stay with me a long time.

Whoa! I loved this face paced book and i loved it even more because it was inspired by a real life story! Definitely recommend.

Oh, Lucy... what a story your short life has been. The strong maternal drive to protect her child at any cost was beautiful. The more quiet, yet not insignificant story line is one of a long friendship and what we will do for one another when needed. I had trouble putting this one down and loved the ending. It was a surprise, not a jaw dropping one, but a sweet and happy one.

Keeping Lucy is not non-stop action and excitement What it is, is gripping.

Ginny Richardson's baby girl, Lucy, born with Down Syndrome, was taken from her. Under pressure from his powerful family, her husband, Ab, sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a special school for the “feeble-minded." But two years later, when Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her a series of articles exposing Willowridge as a hell-on-earth she knows she can't leave her daughter there. For the first time, Ginny must test her own strength as she fights Ab and his domineering father for the right to keep Lucy.

Greenwood has written a compelling story of one mother’s love. Leaving this reader asking herself “What would you do for your child?” Would you do anything for your child? For Ginny, that answer is a resounding yes! I’d like to think that myself and all mothers out there would respond similarly.

While the story slowed in the middle and the ending was abrupt, I still found this story satisfying. The characters have depth and believability and I spent a good deal of time cringing and sick to my stomach over the circumstances. Greenwood made me feel as if I were right there, that Lucy was my child. I wanted to be Ginny, I wanted to make it right.

Keeping Lucy doesn’t release until August. Can you wait that long to read it? I think the wait will be worth it.

I really enjoyed Rust and Stardust, so I jumped at the chance to read another Greenwood novel based on real events.
When Ginny and Ab Richardson's daughter is born with down syndrome in 1969, the infant is taken to an institution a the recommendation of Ab's father. When Ginny learns about neglect at Willowridge, she immediately takes action and retrieves her two-year-old daughter from the school and witnesses the neglect first hand.
The novel alternates between different points in Ginny's life and keeps readers engaged in the quest that becomes Ginny's life.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

While I was reading this I couldn't see how it was going to end well...I felt like I was taking an emotional journey with Lucy's mom on her desperate road trip. I'm glad I went along.

*Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

An sensational, Heartrending Page-Turner!

I did not prepare myself for this book and I felt my heart squeezed at times while reading it. I did not realize that I was reading too quickly to be able to see how it ends and I finished it the day I started, which is quite unusual for me.

Keeping Lucy is an emotional story about Virginia, a mother with a broken heart, who sets off on a road-trip to find the missing piece of her life: her daughter Lucy. This painful and, at the same time, heartwarming journey full of bittersweet parental adventure and discovery is aided and abetted by her best friend Marsha, who is the embodiment of what a real friend should be. I absolutely loved the turns and twists embedded in the story without much complication and how it flows so naturally.
Overall, a great read for a day at home.

This book is set in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when there was still so much confusion about and hostilities toward people with Down's syndrome. Our characters have to make their choices in that environment and with controlling families and societal expectations. The characters are real, flawed, and struggling. Lucy is a breath of fresh air for them all of they can just accept her. Wonderfully written. Details that place you in the moment. I usually think "what would I do if she were my child?" But not this time. I just fell in love with Lucy. I will remember this story for a long time.

www.goodreads.com/review/show/2767102577

Thank you netgalley for the advance copy of this title in exchange for my honest review/opinion. Keeping Lucy is a beautiful book! Being a Mom, the time setting, and social class was a difficult time for families of with children born with downs. I'm so happy that times are different. This was a fast read, exciting, heartbreaking, heartwarming, and well written.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
The birth of her 2nd child is devasting for Ginny. Not only does she find out that her daughter Lucy is "special," but also her father in law took Lucy to a home for the "feeble minded."
The year of Lucy's birth is 1969 when "special needs" children were either locked away at home or sent to an institution. Thankfully, the laws and ideas about these precious children have drastically changed.
What would a mother do to save her child? Ginny risks loosing everything but her son Peyton and daughter Lucy. Although this is not an easy book to read, it's a story that needs to be told and is a good one!

Captivating story from a wonderful author. Not my usual type of read but I thoroughly enjoyed this.

The year is 1969 and Ginny has just given birth to her second child. Since she was under anesthesia during the birth she awakens to find that her baby girl has been diagnosed with Downs Syndrome, or in those days a child was called Mongoloid. Her husband and father in law insist that the child must be placed in a special “school” and is not to be taken home. Ginny is devastated and depressed and she feels she must go along with this recommendation. She is meek and has always followed her husbands wishes.
Ginny lives her life taking care of her six year old son and is being a good housewife to her lawyer husband but she thinks of her baby girl all the time. There is never a discussion about her sorrow.
When a story breaks out in the news about the “school” her daughter Lucy was placed in Ginny is shocked to learn that it is a horrible and abusive institution and is not the nurturing school she was told about.
This is Lucy’s story as she decides to take her child and run away to protect her. Her husband and father-in -law are on the hunt to bring her back home and to send Lucy back. It is a scary and eventful journey and I was happy to see that Ginny’s maternal instinct and love for her child came through. I enjoyed this story and found it quite believable. Having been married myself in the early 70’s I recall that many young women were just like Ginny. They obeyed their husbands totally and they did not feel empowered to be independent. Their financial situation depended on their husbands jobs. I loved how Ginny blossomed into a strong and decisive woman in the face of opposition and threats.
I read this author’s prior book, Rust and Stardust and I enjoy her style of writing.
I received an advanced readers copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher. My opinion is unbiased and my own.

I adored this book. Not only did i really care for the characters, as well as being gripped throughout, I also felt I learnt a lot. It has to be every mothers worst nightmare to have to give up a child, but to find out it as under false pretences... well I don't blame her for her actions if I'm honest she was quite restrained! Lucy as a character really embodies a minor role, although the plot revolves solely around her and her freedom. However, this does not detract from the brilliance of this book and I would recommend it to anyone.

“Keeping Lucy” is based on true events, making the novel even more intense and heart-wrenching. When Ginny’s and Ab’s daughter Lucy is born with Down Syndrome, Ginny’s husband Ab and his father decide that the best thing to do is to send her away to a special “school”. Two years later, news stories emerge exposing the atrocious conditions of the so-called “school”, and Ginny knows she must go to her daughter. This novel depicts a woman finding her voice and strength after years of being on the sideline. I also appreciate the strong theme of female friendship between Ginny and her best friend Marsha, whom goes above and beyond to help her throughout this journey. I liked the structure of the novel, with chapters from Ginny’s and Ab’s developing relationship in the 1960’s, and from 1971 when Ginny starts her relationship with her daughter Lucy; I think it helped to have that background information dispersed throughout the novel. This is a moving book that is difficult to put down; 4.5 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Keeping Lucy is a compelling story that pulls at the heartstrings. Chapters in the present (1971) alternate with chapters describing Ab and Ginny’s early relationship from 1963 through the birth of Lucy in 1969. This affords the reader with the opportunity to see how their relationship changed over those years and allows for a better understanding of why each of them took/takes the actions that they did/do.

Keeping Lucy draws you in from the very beginning and has you rooting for Ginny and Lucy throughout. It’s a fast read that is both heartbreaking and uplifting as you follow Ginny’s fight for her daughter. I was unable to put it down, anxiously waiting to find out whether Ginny will be successful in her determination to “keep” Lucy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.