From the blurb:

Christy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she’s free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that’s the least of her hurdles. 

Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way? 

Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed. A place where two very different women might bridge the gap between generations and education, and together make tough choices. 

Somewhere between the townships called Luck and Trust, at a mountain cabin known as the Goddess House, two very different women may even, if they dare, find common ground and friendship.

A poignant story with plenty of feel-good elements.

I loved the themes explored in this book – redemption, the meaning of family, self-development, trust and sisterhood. There is so much packed into the book: exploration of literacy, parents’ reactions to a child’s homosexulity, abandonment of a child. The plot is superbly woven together, with plenty of mystery that makes you want to keep turning the pages.

The setting is wonderful (I adore the view on the cover), and I found myself thinking wistfully that every town should have a Goddess House to shelter women who need time and security to find themselves. I loved the female characters in the book – their realism and willingness to have faith and help someone in trouble.

I didn’t think that the romance element of the book was prominent, but there are two love stories interwoven in the story that I found compelling. The focus, more, I think is on family – or perhaps it is just that those aspects of the book most jumped out at me, thought-provoking and powerfully written as they are.

The ending surprised me a little (not predictable, for me). Without wishing to give anything away, I think I’d have preferred a slightly different ending in terms of the resolution of a family issue, but I quite understand why the author wrote the book this way, and in fact I think she is courageous and educative in doing so.

In all, well worth a read if you love intelligently written books with plenty of story and loveable characters.

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust is available now from Amazon; click on the book cover below to visit the store.