A heartwarming novel set in the world of Good Man, Dalton!The Vanderhaven family of Manhattan has it all: wealth, prestige, good looks, and a thriving business empire. But their seemingly perfect world is ripped apart when their younger daughter, eight-year-old Brenna, runs off after overhearing her parents’ arguing. Out on the streets, she quickly realizes she’s lost. Even more frightening, … Even more frightening, Brenna soon realizes that a man is following her.
Meanwhile, in a townhouse in Brooklyn, Callie Griffin is throwing a birthday party for her one-year-old son, Oliver. The joy of the day is ruined by her sister Lauren’s too short, drive-by appearance. Once close, the two sisters haven’t been able to move past a falling out which took place three years before.
When Brenna notices the strange man getting closer, she panics and takes refuge in the Griffin home, befriending their four-year-old daughter, Summer, who is waiting out the party upstairs.
As family and friends search for Brenna, her absence helps her father realize the importance of family, even as her presence in the Griffin home unwittingly sets in motion healing for a mother’s heart.
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MISSING HER MORE by Karen McQuestion is a heartwarming follow-up to her wonderful book, GOOD MAN, DALTON. Having read and loved GOOD MAN, DALTON, I couldn’t wait to be reunited with some of the characters and to meet some new ones. MISSING HER MORE can be read as a stand-alone, but reading both books in order gave me more insight into the relationships and motivations of the characters. In this story, the main character from the Vanderhaven family is eight-year-old daughter, Brenna. After overhearing an argument between her parents, Brenna runs away and finds herself lost and alone on the streets of Brooklyn and being followed by a man she thinks might want to harm her. Looking for a way to reach her family, she enters the home of a young couple celebrating the first birthday of their son. The Griffins have no idea that Brenna is in their home. Meanwhile, the Vanderhavens have discovered that Brenna is missing and they use all their powerful connections and daughter Cece’s social media contacts to aid in the search for the little girl. As the story unfolds, the lives of the two families become intertwined in unexpected ways. All of the characters in the book undergo a soul-searching examination of their priorities and what is really important in life. I was on the edge of my seat for every page and I never guessed the surprising twist at the end. I truly enjoyed this touching and thought-provoking story of family, friendship and love and highly recommend it!
When it comes to sequels, Missing Her More, the charming story that follows Good Man Dalton, strikes every possible harmonious note. Without her parent’s knowledge or consent, an adorable little girl takes herself off on an adventure and becomes scarily, near hopelessly lost in the middle of New York City. Of course the police are notified. A crime has been committed. But what sort? A clue lies in the wonderful title of this delightful novel. She’s missing, but as her family soon learns while searching for her, she’s not the only one who hasn’t been present. Heartfelt and poignant, with an unexpected and mysterious twist, this story will keep you guessing until the very end. It isn’t necessary to read Good Man Dalton before reading Missing Her More, but I highly recommend it. Karen McQuestion’s books are just a joy to read.
I enjoyed meeting up again with the Vanderhaven family. I knew this was a HEA story but with the plot twists it was an interesting one. This is a stand alone book but I highly recommend reading the first in the series Good Man Dalton which is also a great read. Looking forward to more books from Karen McQuestion.
I enjoyed this book so much. It’s the sequel to Good Man, Dalton by the wonderful and very talented Karen McQuestion. I love her name… I started this book this morning and couldn’t put it down until I finished it…. That is something I rarely get to do.
This book continues with Cece and her cousin Greta’s lives. Cece’s little sister Brenna goes missing and they family is frantic to find her. She’s on one heck of adventure and does not even realize it. The things Brenna encounters will make her much stronger and help her family to find the healing that they need even though they don’t even know it yet. She’s just an eight year old little girl who wants everyone to get along. She does not like fussing or threats. She just wants her family to be normal. As normal as she knows things being as protected as she has been all her life. The thing she wants most if for her dad to not fire her nanny. Her nanny is her best friend. The one who listens when she is sad. The one who is always there when she is lonely. She’s more than just a nanny, she’s Brenna’s friend and most trusted grownup.
When Harry and Deborah come back home after being away things have changed. Harry does not like this but there is not much he can do about it. Cece is a grown up now and can do things her way. But when he blames the nanny and says he is going to fire her Brenna takes it hard. Little do her parents know that she leaves and is on her way to try and find her nanny’s home. She feels like things will be ok if she can only find her and let her know she didn’t do anything to cause this. Along the way she encounters so many things that she has never in her life seen or heard about. She gets lost and ends up in another family’s home with their daughter. As the day turns to dark she wants nothing more than to go home. Her new friend, Summer, tells her all will be ok. In the meantime her whole family is looking for her and are truly upset that she is gone. Each feels responsible in their own way and wants nothing more than for her to be back safe with them. In this big city of NY anything can happen and they have fears of these things.
This book starts having two stories going in a way at the same time. The family where Brenna is and of course the story of Brennas being lost. Summer’s mother and father have endured a heartache like on one should ever have to deal with and it caused a rift between Summer’s mother and her aunt, Lauren. This would in my humble opinion be the start of another great book. The continuation of their story or an explanation in detail of their story.
This book is full of so many feelings that you will definitely not be bored. You will follow little Brenna through the streets and subway of NY and through her parents and big sister’s fear of the unknown. This is also a love story. The love between Cece’s cousin and Dalton. It’s a well rounded beautiful emotionally charged and full of holding your breath story to the very ending.
I absolutely loved reading this book. It is so well written and the characters are so well loved. I was all set to not like Cece and Brenna’s parents but in the end I did. I felt so bad for them and was happy that they realized what was the most important in life despite their losses. Or could it be their treasure??
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review from the awesome author, Karen McQuestion. I give it a huge 5+ stars. It deserves way more by the way.
I highly recommend this book but I also recommend you read Good Man, Dalton first. Even though you can read this as a stand-alone it’s best to read them in order to know exactly who is who and why things happen the way they do. Both are 5+ star books.
Karen McQuestion calls this her “surprise book”! I was certainly surprised and excited to find out that this book was a sequel to Good Man, Dalton. It’s so well written that it can be a stand alone read, too. The inscription in Missing Her More is “For the readers who asked for more”. I loved the story in Good Man, Dalton and was thrilled the story was going to continue in Missing Her More. I was going to reunite with wonderful characters and meet new ones in a story that I was anxious to read.
It begins with eight-year-old Brenna Vanderhaven overhearing an argument between her parents that extremely upsets her. She feels she has no one to talk to or anyone who will understand except her “Nanny” who has been her rock and there for her all her life. Brenna decides she needs her and leaves her home to go to Nanny where she lives. Brenna finds herself hopelessly lost and becomes a “missing child” in the big city. In the meantime, the family is frantic and finds themselves where no parent ever wants to be. Having a missing child. They come together to support each other. There is much soul searching and reprioritizing they discover that needs to happen in the time that Brenna is missing. I felt their pain and fears. Where could she be in that big city? What kind of things could happen to a lost, little girl? What made her leave home? It’s devastating and heart wrenching not knowing where she is or if she’s hurt and scared.
Then there’s the parallel story that’s happening to a family that suffers a devastating loss. It’s a tragedy that has two sister’s relationship broken and seemingly irreparable because of the circumstances. There is a bit of mild paranormal in this scenario that is unbelievable but is written so well that it’s believable and works to bring answers to the family through Brenna and her friend, Summer.
The story has so many lessons written into it. Life can change drastically in the matter of moments. Putting priorities in order. Being there for each other. Opening up hearts and letting forgiveness in. It’s about having hope in hopeless situations. It’s about love that overcomes.
The ending of the story takes me back to the inscription at the beginning. Asking for more after Good Man, Dalton ended. This is a fantastic sequel and brought the story full circle with the characters I loved. I want to thank Ms. McQuestion for this wonderful read. It was a heart touching story and I enjoyed it so very much.
We are re-introduced to the Vanderhaven family (the family from Karen McQuestion’s book, “Good Man, Dalton”). The book opens with Cece Vanderhaven finally sharing with her parents that she is going to be taking control of her own life. She has moved out of the family home in their Manhattan apartment but is still in the same building. She and her cousin, Greta, are sharing the new apartment. Cece’s younger sister, Brenna, who is 8 years old is having a hard time with the new changes and overhears her parents arguing over firing her Nanny. Her Nanny is so important to her and loves her so much. Brenna cannot fathom life without her Nanny. She is upset and on impulse leaves the family home alone to set out for Nanny’s house in Brooklyn. Brenna quickly finds out that that it is not easy to find Nanny’s home and finds herself lost…no money, no cellphone and no address for her Nanny, with no idea how to get back home. When her family realizes she is gone, a search ensues, headed up by Cece, who takes the lead through social media to help find her baby sister.
Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, Callie and Colton Griffin are throwing a 1-year birthday party for their son, Oliver. Unbenounced to them, Brenna has sought refuge IN their home! She had come in during the busy party, unnoticed, after being invited by their 4-year old daughter, Summer, who was upstairs in her room. Brenna falls asleep and awakens during the night wanting desperately to return home to her parents. What ensues when the Griffin’s discover Brenna is in their home is the start of healing their broken hearts and a damaged relationship that Callie has with her estranged sister, Lauren.
I loved how the writer was able to entwine 2 separate families into this story to bind them together as this story unfolded. I think, you the reader, will love it as well. 🙂
Karen McQuestion, Author of “Missing Her More” has written a heartwarming, emotional, and entertaining novel. “Missing Her More’ is the sequel to “Good Man Dalton”. “Missing Her More” can be read as a standalone, but reading both is a great way to become acquainted with the characters. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance, with a touch of Magical Realism. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. This is a book of self-searching and second chances.
Brenna Vanderhaven is a young child having difficulty coping after her parents have a terrible argument. Although Brenna knows she is not allowed to go anywhere by herself, she takes off and heads to the subway hoping to go to her Nanny’s house. There is a man that is making Brenna extremely uncomfortable, and she looks for help and changes her seat.
Brenna gets off at a familiar stop but realizes she doesn’t know where she is. As she walks each block, looking for a building with a blue door, she gets very tired. Brenna notices the man again. She passes a house with Birthday Balloons, and a little girl at the window with her dog invites Brenna in. Before long, Brenna is sleeping in Summer Griffin’s bed. Brenna learns that Mrs. Griffin and her sister have become estranged.
When the Vanderhaven’s become aware that Breena is missing, they get the community and media involved in her search. The Vanderhavens are a very wealthy family. Mr. Vanderhaven realizes that he is an obsessive workaholic that has spent very little time with his family. He promises himself if Brenna is found, he will be a better father and husband. He will get his priorities straight.
I love that the author discusses such important topics as ‘Stranger Danger”, communication, important priorities, family, friends, emotional support , love, and hope. I recommend this delightful and thought-provoking story.
In a follow up to Good Man, Dalton, CeCe’s little sister, Brenna leaves home thinking she will take the subway to her Nanny’s house. Of course she gets lost and ends up at a house where a birthday party is in full swing.
This book had many touching aspects to it and I also enjoyed following up on the characters from the first book. The family dynamics are quite interesting as we watch the parents struggling to let their older daughter become independent and then the panic each member feels when they find that Brenna is missing.
Solid story by Karen McQuestion.