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Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood

“What’s it like,” Marsha asked.  “Bein’ a mom?”  Jenny felt her chest swell.
“It’s amazing.  It’s awful. It’s too much and it’s too little.”

 I had several favorite parts from Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood, but this was definitely the one that hit hardest.  Keeping Lucy was my second book from Greenwood, published by St. Martin's Press on August 6, 2019.  I received my copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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Ginny gives birth to Lucy in Dover, Massachusetts in 1969.  She is devastated when Lucy is taken from her after they discover she has Downs Syndrome.  Her husband Ab sends Lucy away to Willowridge, a school for the "special" children.  He and the rest of his powerful and influential family try to convince her to move on, to forget her first daughter.

2 years later, Ginny's best friend Marsha shows her an expose on Willowridge.  They are both appalled to see the filth and neglect the children have been suffering.  Ginny packs her 6 year old son up, gets in the car with Marsha, and they drive to the school to see Lucy.  When they see for themselves just how terrible Willowridge is, they take off across state lines, and Ginny becomes a fugitive.

Ab and his super controlling father are trying to prevent Ginny from keeping Lucy.  For the first time in her life, Ginny will have to decide if she's strong enough to fight them for the right to keep her own sweet daughter.

Just a warning right off the bat----this book is heartbreaking.  You'll laugh.  You'll cry.  You'll get ANGRY.  You will feel all of the feelings.  That being said, I loved this book.  I didn't even care if it made me ugly cry.  Greenwood knows exactly how to reach in and pull all of your heartstrings.  The relationships are so complex and beautiful.  Marsha is the type of friend everyone needs to have.  She was so supportive when it came to helping take care of both of the children.  She also helped Ginny realize that the things you truly value are worth fighting for.  

I kept putting myself in Ginny's shoes, even though it was so devastating.  The stress she feels in every single scenario feels so real.  I could never imagine trying to decide between my daughter and my husband.  I have asshole in-laws, so that part of the book wasn't too far out of my realm of possibility.  Ginny's father-in-law was a monster, and it was so easy to hate him.  Lucy was so sweet and loving, despite all of the really TERRIBLE things that happened to her.  I know there are people in the world who think that kids with deformities aren't worthy of love, but I'm certainly not one of them.  Neither was Ginny.

The ending of this book was truly beautiful.  It stayed with me for the remainder of the day.  Parts of it were hard to read, but worth seeing all of the love Marsha and Ginny had for these sweet children.  This was an easy 5-star rating for me.  I will gladly volunteer to let T. Greenwood rip my heart out time and time again with her beautiful and gut-wrenching stories.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars
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