Book Review: ‘Keeping Lucy’ Shows What One Woman Will Do To Save Her Daughter

In 1969 in Dover, Massachusetts Ginny Richardson gives birth to a baby girl Lucy who has down syndrome. Her husband Ab and his father make the decision to give the baby away and have it put Willowridge, a school for children like this. Ginny had no say in it and is not happy about it. She feels she could have taken care of Lucy. They have one other child a son named Peyton. Her husband’s family comes from money and society and don’t want anything to taint the family name.

Two years later Ginny learns that Willowridge is a horrible place and being sued in a class-action lawsuit for their practices. Ginny decides to go and visit Lucy and take her for the weekend. She sees for herself how bad the place is. When she gets Lucy and sees how bad she’s been treated she decides the cannot let her go back there. She tells Ab about this and is shocked to learn his law firm is representing Willowridge in the lawsuit. She is beyond shocked and takes Lucy and Peyton on the run with her friend Marsha.

They are going to drive to Florida where Marsha’s sister lives and works. They take off down the east coast not exactly sure how everything will work. It turns out Ab gave Lucy away completely and she’s a ward of the state. So now Ginny can be arrested for kidnapping when she takes Lucy. She doesn’t care. Lucy is happy and calling her mom. Getting to Florida Ginny has to form a plan to keep Lucy and her family together.

The story alternates between 1971 when Ginny takes Lucy and the past when she and Ab met and how they became a couple and married and both of their backgrounds. Ginny is a fierce woman who will do what it takes to save her daughter regardless the cost to her or the family. The story is a page-turner that you can’t put down as you root for Ginny at every step of the story.

Just a well-done job by author T. Greenwood. It does ask the question of how far would you go to protect your child? You can pick up the book in stores on Tuesday, August 6th from St. Martin’s Press.

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