Friday, August 26, 2022

Beginning ~ with a walk home from school

Beginning
It was a nothing day.  Nothing exciting had happened at school, and nothing good was going to happen tonight with all the homework weighing down her backpack as she plodded along Wildwood Lane, heading home.
And Then She Was Gone ~ by Rosalind Noonan, 2014, legal thriller (Oregon), 384 pages
Eleven-year-old Lauren O’Neil vanished one sunny afternoon as she walked home from school.  Six years later, her parents — Rachel and Dan — still tirelessly scour their Oregon hometown and beyond, always believing Lauren will be found.  Then one day, the call comes.

Lauren has been rescued from a secluded farm mere miles away, and her abductor has confessed.  Yet her return is nothing like Rachel imagined.  Though the revelations about what Lauren endured are shocking, most heartbreaking of all is to see the bright-eyed, assertive daughter she knew transformed into a wary, polite stranger.

Lauren’s first instinct is to flee.  For years she’s been told her parents forgot her; now she doubts the pieces of her life can ever fit together again.  But Rachel refuses to lose her a second time.  Little by little they must relearn what it means to be family, trusting that their bond is strong enough to guide them back to each other.
Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts

5 comments:

Mark Baker said...

You know the instant they say nothing exciting will happen, something exciting will. Especially at the beginning of a book.

Juli Rahel said...

This sounds like a heart-breaking book, but also one that could be really hopeful! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a lovely weekend :)
Juli @ A Universe in Words

Lisa @ The Plain-Spoken Pen said...

Ooh, this sounds like it could be one of those books that just grabs onto your heart and doesn't let go. It might be difficult to read, but ultimately well worth the time.

Cindy said...

Oh wow, this sounds heartbreaking! I hope you enjoy it. Have a great weekend!

Anne@HeadFullofBooks said...

Every parent's biggest nightmare. Wouldn't this be awful? My quotes come from LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY