My Rating: A Must Read! I LOVED it.
Synopsis: When Helen Francis was a child, her mother died and her father walked out, leaving her to be raised by her older sister. Now thirty-five, married, and trying to start a family of her own, Helen has moved on but never really healed from her traumatic childhood. She has always believed that a new baby would help fill the loss of what was taken from her at such a young age. After four years of trying to become pregnant, however, she is resigned to the fact that she will never be able to bear children. Halfheartedly accepting adoption as an alternative, Helen gradually embraces and grows excited over the prospect. And when her new baby is finally in her arms, true happiness washes over her. But her unimaginable bliss is dashed when she learns that Claire, the sister who raised and loved her throughout her childhood and adult life, has been diagnosed with cancer.
For Helen, the pain of her childhood returns and the old wounds of abandonment are once again torn open. Balancing the joy of her new daughter with the painful experience of watching her sister, the physical embodiment of unconditional love in her life, slowly die, Helen must reconcile her inner feelings and heal her broken spirit. A heart-wrenching exploration of the ties that bind us and the lasting pain of childhood loss, Daughters for a Time is about longing for a family to heal a broken heart, experiencing unconditional love as a parent, and finding solid ground to stand on when suffering and elation have equally powerful holds on our life.
My Review: Oh My Goodness. Daughters for a Time is no doubt a must read. I couldn't read it fast enough. I ended up late for work one morning.....just needed to read one more chapter. That night, I was up until 2 am reading (and crying). I just had to finish it. Daughters for a Time is beautifully written.
I connected with Daughters for a Time on so many different levels. It covers so many emotions; infertility, loss of a parent, loving a child unconditionally, a beautiful relationship with a sister, loss of a sibling, reconciliation with a parent, and so much more. I too have gone through the pains of wanting a child so badly and having to go to alternative measures to finally being blessed with three. It is a heartbreaking experience. Also, I lost my mother to cancer (not at a young age), before I was even close to being ready to let her go. While I thankful that I have not lost a sibling, I have lost a brother-in-law in the prime of his life and left my sister and niece (7 years old) alone.
I truly believe without those connections I would have still loved Daughters of Time. I was drawn right into the story and Helen's life. I so enjoyed reading about how her and Matt feel in love in Paris. What a dream! I liked all the characters in the book, I believe the author (Jennifer Handford) did an excellent job describing each character, their role in the book, and their impact on Helen's life. I will say it again - beautifully written and a fabulous read!
I 100% recommend you pick up Daughters for a Time as soon as you can and read it. I have my book club this week and it is my turn to pick the book - you guessed it.....I am picking Daughters for a Time. I loved it that much! Jennifer - let me know as soon as your next book is available, I can't wait to read more from you!
Meet the Author: Jennifer Handford was born in Phoenix, Arizona, where she lived until she moved to Oregon for college and graduate school. After graduation, she moved to Washington, D.C., and has lived in the Virginia/Washington, D.C., area for fifteen years. Jennifer is married and has three daughters. Daughters for a Time was awarded one of three first place prizes in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. It is her first novel.
Wow, what a fantastic review for a debut novel! It sounds like a real tear-jerker.
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