THE BLOCKBUSTER HIT—Over two million copies sold! A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller“Poignant, engrossing.”—People • “Lisa Wingate takes an almost unthinkable chapter in our nation’s history and weaves a tale of enduring power.”—Paula McLain Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their … Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.
Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.
Publishers Weekly’s #3 Longest-Running Bestseller of 2017 • Winner of the Southern Book Prize • If All Arkansas Read the Same Book Selection
“Sure to be one of the most compelling books you pick up this year. . . . Wingate is a master-storyteller, and you’ll find yourself pulled along as she reveals the wake of terror and heartache that is Georgia Tann’s legacy.”—Parade
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This book is so good! Lisa Wingate always is a good pick!
I couldn’t put this book down. I still think of it, even though I read it over a year ago! It made me want to hug my baby girl a bit tighter while reading it. So sad and tragic, but an amazing story.
Very informative book about children that were taken from their families and adopted. I could not put it down .
The veins of truth in this story are so, incredible. The legitimacy of adoption & underlining darkness
Wow, this is a wonderful book! A great author who pulls you into her story and holds your there. I love this book and will read it again.
It is a piece of history even worse than the orphan trains but it depicts how strong family ties can be.
Very easy read lots of surprises. Definitely put on your list to read
This was a very good read – hard to put down. Sad to know that this would happen.
Very sad story, but a good read and an important piece of history.
I loved this book. Especially heart touching since it was based on real events and characters. Loved the ending. A great read.
One of the best books I’ve ever read! great characters and a terrific story! Can’t imagine what these kids went through and this was going on all over the United States. A must read, in my book!
Well written. I did not want to stop reading until I finished. Plot interestingly woven between characters and events. Loved it.
Fantastic story based on historical facts of a Tennessee orphanage.
Very good book. I recommend this book.
Not what I expected but very good.
I thought the historical information about the Memphis “adoption” agency was interesting, albeit heartbreaking. The back and forth between the historical and the modern day story gave some much needed relief from the relentless grimness of the old story. However, at its heart, this is a chick lit romance, settled into a historical fiction format, breaking no new ground.
Love the way this author told the story. It was sometimes emotional, with the lives of children at the center. I found it very hard to put down. Read it for a glimpse of the kids, their lives forever changed by circumstances beyond their control. And then read for the story of the adults who took their powers to far. Lastly, give a special look at the woman who solved her own mystery of her parents, and grandparents.
This was a fantastic book with appealing characters you just wanted to meet in person! I loved the ending too! It is sadly based on real life tragedies in this country but people need to know it happened.
A real page turner. While this is a novel, the Tennessee children’s home and its patrons are very real. The situations these kids found themselves in could have and did in fact happen to families in the 30’s and 40’s. Amazing story that I highly recommend.
Awesome historical book.