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Nora Crabtree had given up on her way-ward daughter, Tess, a long time ago. Tess has run away several times and even spent time in jail when her parents couldn’t pick her up right away. After her last disappearance, Nora and her husband, Ben, had given up hope of ever seeing Tess again. But suddenly she reappears, shocking Ben when she comes up to him in the local market. Tess is pregnant and her boyfriend told her to come back after she has this ‘problem taken care of.’ Tess is prepared to do what her boyfriend wants, until she hears the baby’s heartbeat.
Nora and Ben are willing to let Tess come back home during the pregnancy, but insist she must give the baby up for adoption. But when the baby, Tansy, is born, Tess makes another selfish decision and wants to keep her daughter. Less than a month later, the baby is abandoned when Tess rushes back to her boyfriend when he calls.
Since Tess refused to sign papers giving the baby up for adoption, Nora and Ben have no choice but to raise Tess’ baby. And now, seven years later, Tansy disappears. Will Nora and Ben find Tansy? Will they ever see their granddaughter again? Will relations ever heal between parents and child?
I cared deeply for Nora, understanding her deep love for her child and grandchild, and wanting to do things for them, to fix problems. I had more of a difficulty relating to Tess; some of the decisions she made really alienated me from her.
IF I HAD YOU read well and held my interest all the way through, but I
thought the ending was a bit rushed and too cut and dried. Other than
that, the story is good. There are discussion questions in the
back for use in your reading group.
Reviewed by Laura V. Hilton
for The Road to Romance
August 12, 2004
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