“This novel is based on a true story of losing hope and finding forgiveness. The book was the 2011 Winner of the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal and it took First Place in the Royal Palm Literary Award Competition. It is a story that will touch your heart and leave you with a feeling of inspiration.’
The Words of Bette Lee Crosby
How can you look into those gorgeous blue eyes and not want to wrap your arms around the child and fill his life with love and happiness? The emotion this cover evokes almost overwhelms me. It’s as if he is pleading with me to make it all better.
I received a letter and immediately sat down and wrote a letter in return. I hadn’t seen my grandchildren in 20 years. My dreams had always been of a large family, always together. I was an only child, but I didn’t know it. I filled my life with an imaginary family, to take the place of my cold and unloving parents.
Charlie and I could only have one child, but I filled Elizabeth’s life with playmates. When she married Jeffrey and they said they were going to have a houseful of kids, I was ecstatic.
Elizabeth told us of her first pregnancy twenty-two years ago. That’s when I told her of my imaginary family of kids. We joked and laughed about how we both could picture their faces.
When Elizabeth became pregnant with their third child, she knew something wasn’t right, I did too. J. T. rode her hard and criticized her at every turn. Elizabeth knew it was because of his own failure, but she loved him and made allowances.
Funny how you think you know someone, but they are totally different. They have kept it hidden, but something like money problems exposes their weakness. Elizabeth’s dad, Charlie, wouldn’t give J.T. any more money. So, in an attempt to blackmail him and extort more money from him, he wouldn’t let them see the kids. He didn’t care who he hurt.
As Elizabeth’s health deteriorates, no one sees J.T.’s next move coming, until it is too late.
5 STARS – Would Buy It For Them (lol)
Bette Lee Crosby’s covers always portray such a mix of emotions, foretelling the roller coaster ride inside the pages of the book. How can you look into those gorgeous blue eyes of the child on the cover and not be overcome with a desire to protect and love. I just know something bad is coming by the look in his eyes, the pain I see there.
A very sad and tragic story. As I read, I became very angry. I can’t say much about why, but when you read the book, you will know what I mean. No words can tell how upsetting parts of the book were, while others were so uplifting. Whenever a child’s heart breaks, the mothers breaks also. Whenever a child’s heart soars, so too does the mother’s. Our children are always a child to us parents.
Elizabeth was a good and kind person. When she was a little girl, she brought home every stray she found, feeling it necessary to care for them and give them a loving home. When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would respond – a mom. She loved being a wife and mother. I remember my own mother’s answer when I asked her if she ever regretted staying at home and being a wife and mother. She said no, she loved every minute of it. Elizabeth would do almost anything for her husband and kids. She was a loving daughter, insightful and forgiving. Everyone loved her, except for, maybe, her husband.
J. T. was a mean, selfish, self-centered and vindictive adulterer. Because of his inability to accept blame for his failures, he had to blame them on someone else. So he picks the one person who loved him most, to become his whipping post. If I could have leaped into the pages of the book and punched his lights out, I would have.
Claire was a wonderful, loving and caring mother. She would do anything for her daughter. Sacrifice anything. She ached for her daughter’s pain. A heartbreaking vigil.
“Nothings perfect, life is like a sidewalk leading to heaven, we’re bound to come across a few cracks in it.”
“They’re Gods way of moving aside life’s cement. He’s giving us a chance to let something new grow.“
Bette Lee Crosby’s writing evokes such a wide range of emotions, I am continually surprised at how deeply her books affect me. Bette s books are so well written and the stories are so heartfelt and realistic, that you cannot help but respond to them. I couldn’t put the book down, as I read the blurred words through the tears in my eyes, until I reached the last word and closed the book.
I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review. That is never a problem with Bette’s books, because they do not disappoint.
.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bette Lee Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006, when she won the National League of American Pen Women Award for unpublished fiction with What Matters Most. Her novel, Cracks in the Sidewalk, received the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Award and then went on to win the 2011 FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal. In 2011 Spare Change received the Reviewer’s Choice Awards and it garnered a second Royal Palm Literary Award. Her books have earned numerous five-star ratings with readers acclaiming them as heartwarming and captivating.
Most recently, Bette completed a memoir written for Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as The World’s Longest Living Quadriplegic.
To see what Bette Lee Crosby is up to, follow the links below.
To purchase any of Bette Lee Crosby’s books from Amazon, simply click on the cover below.
To see my Review of Spare Change, go HERE.
To see my Review of Cupid’s Christmas, go HERE.
GIVEAWAY
Bette Lee Crosby is offering for the Giveaway
US – 2 (two) Paperbacks
International – 1 (one) ebook.
Easy entry as always, just leave your email address and answer the question:
What is a good memory you have as a child growing up?
Giveaway will run from 1/30 – 2/13, 2013 .
CLOSED. WINNERS are — PB Margie – PB Cindy Hamilton – Ebook Pragya.
Follow me by email to keep up on all the latest news, reviews and giveaways, not required.
Tweet and let your friends, family and followers know what’s going on, not required.
.
Related articles
- The Twelfth Child (irenewatson.typepad.com)