What a tremendous book this is. I just devoured it. This story deals with family issues after a mom, Ginny, gives birth to a little girl with Down’s syndrome. It’s an incredible story and I highly recommend it. ( )

Though a work of fiction, this novel set in 1969 through 1972 reminded me of the real life Willowbrook "school" that many people of my generation will recall seeing Geraldo Rivera breach with a stolen key and a camera in tow, showing the world the horrors inside. If you are too young to know what I'm talking about you really should look it up, and I believe there is also a documentary available streaming on Prime.

When Ginny, a not so happy housewife gives birth to Lucy, a baby girl with Down Syndrome it becomes painfully clear that there are three people in her marriage, herself, her husband and his father. The baby is whisked away on her father-in-law's say so and her husband insists it's all for the best. At first her husband claims they can't visit their daughter for 30 days. Eventually it becomes apparent that they are not to visit at all. He even has the audacity to suggest they have another baby as if Lucy was just a pair of defective shoes they could so easily exchange. When Ginny discovers this so called school is really a dumping ground where the disabled are neglected abused and uncared for, she takes matters into her own hands, defying her husband who is too weak to stand up to his father and learning that she is much stronger than she ever knew.


I received an advance copy for review. ( )

As a mother, this was a hard read. as a woman, this was a hard read. Back in the 60’s, women did not have their own voice and men were able to choose what they thought was best for their family. This book is set 1968. When Lucy is born, Ab, the husband, along with his wealthy family, decides that it’s best that his newborn baby be put in a home for special needs because she has Down Syndrome. This goes against his wife Ginny’s wishes but Lucy is sent away anyway.

A few years later, a friend sees an article about the home, and the article is not good. Ginny knows that she cannot leave her daughter there, so she and her friend, Marsha, takeoff to rescue her.

When they arrive, it’s worse than expected and Ginny has to make a decision that will affect not only Lucy, but her son and her husband and her whole family. But any mother is going to do what is best for their child and Ginny is no different.

As Ginny learns things about Lucy’s placement that she was never told, she realizes she is in for the fight of her life. So she begins the battle to keep Lucy.

I really enjoyed Rust & Stardust, but I wasn’t quite as impressed with this book. There’s not any particular reason that I can think of other than it was different and I think part of it drug on a little bit too long. 3.5 ⭐️’s ( )

Wow! After reading a few books that were just "okay" I was feeling like I was in a little bit of a reading rut during these last few weeks. I started Keeping Lucy with high hopes and it was everything I hoped it would be. It was my first book by T. Greenwood and certainly won't be my last.

I was immediately drawn into this story and the characters. Greenwood's storytelling was wonderful and her attention to detail made me easily picture the scenes and the amazingly well-developed characters that were based in the 1960s and early 1970s. I have been wanting to read a book that just captivated me and this one did from the start.

I felt emotionally connected to the characters and was rooting for them all in different ways. Within the very powerful main storyline (that was based on real events) were smaller ones that also were very timely and powerful in their own right. Although it doesn't seem that long ago, the last 1960s were shockingly different in many ways and I was impressed at how Greenwood could bring me there with such vividness in her writing.

This book was filled with themes of fear, persistence, friendship, hope and the most wonderful thing of all, the power that we can all learn and change. The ending of the book all came together for me in a very satisfying way and I was sad it was over which is a sign of a book you really loved.

Thanks to NetGalley, T. Greenwood, and St. Martin's Press for sharing a copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest opinions. ( )

OMG. This book. I really am not sure why I put off reading this book, it’s been on my NetGalley shelf for a while. Maybe because this author’s previous book “Rust and Stardust” left me feeling gutted. By the description of this one, I knew it would be another tough one. So worth the wait! I need to go back to binge read her other books!

I cannot say enough about this beautifully written, tough subject book. Set in the late 60s, early 70s when things were different...men were expected to be the bread winners, and women we expected to sat home and keep house. Most wives went along willingly to what their husbands did, said and planned. Things that were not normal were taken care of.

Ginny married Ab, fell in love with him, not his father’s money or status. Ab fell in love with Ginny as she was. His Father, Abbott, is a wealthy lawyer who wants Ab following in his footsteps, even though it’s really not what Ab wants. Ginny and Ab are happily married, beautiful home, beautiful son and second child on the way. Until life throws them a beautiful curve ball, a baby girl named Lucy, who is born special. Special was not in Abbott’s vocabulary, or his world, he will take care of Ginny and AB’s special problem. What happens next is heart breaking, gut wrenching. The pain and atrocities inflicted on these beautiful children will tear your heart out.

My daughter is involved with Best Buddies and is currently thinking about majoring in Special Education. As I read this book, I kept thinking of her beautiful buddy and how much she means to my daughter, and my daughter means to her. It has been a definite blessing having this child in our lives.

This is an eye opening, gut wrenching, get mad, cry type book. Hopefully it will open your eyes to how special each person is, how insensitive people can be, and what words to never use! Thank God we have come a long way since the 1970s. Stellar writing, unbelievable story with authentic characters and settings true to the era.

Thank you to the Author, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this book. Opinion is mine alone. ( )