Happy Release Day!
Congratulations Anne
on the release today of
God Bless the Child!
God Bless the Child by Anne Shaw Heinrich
Family Life Fiction, 292 pages
Published June 7, 2024 by Speaking Volumes LLC
When we first meet Mary Kline in God Bless the Child, Book One of The Women of Paradise County series, she is sewing, her main obsession besides eating. It is hard to blame Mary for who she has become. She’s been perpetually hungry since childhood, and as she becomes a woman, she craves something far more delicious—a child of her own.
When Pearl Davis turns up pregnant after a church-basement encounter with James Pullman, the pastor’s son, Mary and her parents swoop in and “adopt” Pearl and her baby, Elizabeth. It’s a disastrous move.
As a teen, Elizabeth rebuffs Mary’s smothering affection and winds up pregnant. Mary insists on an abortion, which they both keep secret. When she later becomes a young mother, Elizabeth’s depression leads to severe OCD. When her irrationally patient husband, David, learns about the abortion and the harrowing nights Elizabeth witnessed as a child when her birth mother was abused, more secrets are revealed that explain Mary Kline’s insatiable appetite and her desire to be loved.
By the time Mary and Elizabeth confront the twisted truths that bind them, their entire family is sucked into grappling with layers of trauma spanning three generations.
Everyone in God Bless the Child must reckon with their past as they seek forgiveness and redemption.
My thoughts about God Bless the Child ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First lines—"I like to keep a dish of bridge mix nearby so I can nibble while I sew. I usually do my best work with a mouth full of milk chocolate."
What a delightful story full of quirky, dysfunctional characters that will fill up your heart. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but I thoroughly enjoyed everything about God Bless the Child. Each character within the pages has their own issues to work through and when they are all thrown together, what a mess it becomes. But I ended up loving each and every one of them and enjoyed this story so much.
This is book #1 in a new series and I can't wait to read more about this unorthodox group of people. I highly recommend God Bless the Child.
I received God Bless the Child from the publisher and this is my honest opinion of the book.
About the author
Anne Shaw Heinrich has written features and marketing copy for newspapers, the health and nutrition industries, higher education and not-for-profit organizations. A graduate of Eureka college in Eureka, Illinois with an english degree, she previously served as the society and entertainment editor for a suburban Chicago newspaper.
Besides reviewing local and national touring theater productions, she also interviewed celebrities such as Debbie Reynolds, Judy Collins, and Opera great, Beverly Sills. One of her essays, "Grandma's Big Secret" appeared in Marlo Thomas's book " The Right Words At The Right Time Volume 2: Your Turn!" ( Published by Atria Books, 2006).
In addition to her consulting work, Anne wrote a monthly column called " Small Talk" in the small town newspaper of Dwight Illinois, where she formally lived with her husband and three children. Anne has also contributed a chapter in " Chicken Soup For The Soul: The Cancer Book."
Anne is currently working in the fundraising/public relations department for City Academy. A private school that admits under privileged students on full scholarship. Anne also has two completed rough draft novels waiting to be published and several side projects are always in the works. ~ Goodreads
Connect with Anne
************************
Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!
