Warm Hearts Happy Family

I had the very real pleasure of receiving an advanced copy of Eileen Goudge’s latest novel Once In A Blue Moon to read and review.

First and foremost, I love to read. Books are my happy place and with little ones at home, time to relax and read is more than a little hard to come by.

This gave me the perfect excuse: “Honey, you have to clean up after dinner, bathe the children, and get them to sleep. I have to read…it’s my work.” Score.

Once In A Blue Moon exceeded my expectations. Goudge has a real talent for bringing your senses alive. She perfectly tapped into the angst of a girl—a child herself—carrying the responsibility of raising her baby sister.

This is where the story starts, with Lindsey, a 12 year old girl forced to grow up well beyond her years to take care of her younger sister Kerrie Ann, age 3. She struggles to hold their fragile reality together as best as a 12 year old can. Her world shatters when the girl’s mother is arrested and the sisters are sent into separate foster care.

Your heart will ache for these children as they are ripped apart from each other in fierce flurry of tears, panic, and deep sadness.

Lindsey and Kerrie Ann led opposite lives—the system working flawlessly for Lindsey, while quite flawed in Kerrie Ann’s case. Close to 30 years pass, never without Lindsey searching for her baby sister when circumstances reunite the women. And so starts part two of their story.

As you can imagine, different upbringings bring vastly different lifestyles. The girls clash immediately and you are left wondering how the hurt of the past will ever heal, and if friendship and family is in the cards.

Lindsey is forced to deal with emotions she had learned to bury, to keep just below the raw surface, while Kerrie Ann deals with trying to calm her outbursts of anger and emotion.

Both women face their own trouble and adversity, and fall into each others hearts when battling through their seemingly constant uphill battles.

Another unexpected thing came into the sister’s lives—men. Just when they least expected to find the healing that only falling in love can bring, there love was. And heal it did.

If you are looking for detailed imagery, feeling the spectrum of emotion, and a fantastic love story Once In A Blue Moon is a read for you. The story is accurate, to the point, and honest. I am a new fan of Eileen Goudge and look forward to reading more of her work.

Once In A Blue Moon is on bookselves now, so go pick up your own copy and settle in for a good read.

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