Review: Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood

The Details:

Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood; 320 pages; Buy On Amazon

Blurb from Amazon:

One of PopSugar's 30 Must-Read Books of 2019

From the author of Rust & Stardust comes this heartbreaking story, inspired by true events, of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter. 

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.

My Take:

A powerful, heart wrenching tale of an ugly time in our recent history (1971). Gin (Virginia) and Ab (Abbott jr) are a picture-perfect young couple. Gin is a stay-at-home-mom caring for their young son while Ab is a high-power attorney working for his father’s firm. Theirs is a loving marriage despite Gin feeling neglected by Ab's workaholic ways.

When Gin and Ab give birth to their second child, a daughter named Lucy, their idyllic life is shattered. Lucy, born with Down Syndrome.  For an upper crust family of the time, Down syndrome (really all disabilities) is something from which to hide/disavow.  But, Gin, taking one look at her daughter (and here you'll find some on the most heart warming descriptions of Lucy's little face) falls in love and wants to take her home.  Ab Senior has other plans: he arranges for a client of his to remove the child and place her in a "school" for those with special needs.  The placement of Lucy in to this school is done without her full knowledge (a heart breaking twist will be revealed on this note).

Gin is prevented from visiting her daughter but when she reads of a current lawsuit in the paper involving her husband's law firm , her heart sinks and she rushes to see her daughter for the first time at age 2. (I would love to hear about what you think that it took two years for Gin to finally go see her daughter?). When Gin finally does get to see Lucy, she is shocked and disgusted.  You will be too.  Having seen Lucy's condition, Gin is determined to save her from this wretched fate and she "kidnaps" her daughter from the facility.  

What follows is an aching portrait of love, guilt, grief and resilience. You will smile. You will cry. Your heart will absolutely break! You will get mad—really mad. But in the end your heart will be made whole again. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is one of those books you will be hearing about.  I recommend it fully!

Side note: I was also provided Rust And Stardust as an ARC via NetGalley by this same author. She is so talented and she writes some fantastic historical fiction!  I recommend you check out that book too.  

Thank you to NetGalley forARC in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.