The Edge of Belonging

 

GIVEAWAY

COX, AMANDA

THE EDGE OF BELONGING

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more trinkets and photo frames -- she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy'a adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he's ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth -- both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others -- takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

My Review:

This one is a real gobsmacker! And it's a debut novel! I'm, well, gobsmacked, (I see you rolling your eyes at me) but I'll try to pull some words together in an attempt to describe just why.

First of all, it's in the scope of the story. It's the kind of book you mull over for days afterwards, marveling at the intrinsic way the author blends details, peeling back emotional layers until they are so raw and exposed that your heart hurts just as much as the characters. 

"God doesn't want pretty. He wants real." That's the heart of this story. And it is illustrated in a myriad of wonderful ways through the lives of broken people searching for redemption, no matter where they are in their faith journey. Because we all get lost at times. And we all need friends and family around us to guide us back. 

Community. That's at the heart of this story too. The power in human connections. The thrill of being the hands and feet of Christ on earth. The yearning for a place to belong. For people to call your own. That a patchwork family can be just as precious as the biological kind.

It's an all-kinds-of-love story. Romance and familial and friendship. Complex and breathtaking. And these characters! I'm already missing them! I might have sobbed a time or two. And swooned. And wept some more. All punctuated by heartfelt sighs as I basked in literary oblivion. 

I listened to the audible edition narrated by Leah Horowitz. She did an excellent job capturing the essence of both character and plot which enhanced my bibliophile bliss that much more. 

At the risk of sounding redundant -- The Edge of Belonging is gobsmackingly good! A definite not-to-be-missed, savor-for-a-lifetime kind of read.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Edge of Belonging, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday October 3 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck