Little Lovely Things by Maureen Joyce Connolly ~ a Review & Teasers

by Susan Roberts

"A shiver of contentment raced through Claire's veins, overshadowed only by a strange feeling left by that dream."  (loc 86)

"Claire staggered toward the front of the station before her right foot knocked into her left and she crashed to the ground.  Forcing herself back onto her heels, she thought the outline of her palms looked like photo negatives in the gritty dirt.   She managed to stand even as her legs liquefied beneath her,  adrenaline alone keeping her afloat.  She faced the pumps and cried out 'My car!  It's gone!  My Girls!  (loc 382)

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April 2019; Sourcebooks Landmark; 978-1492672494
ebook, print (304 pages); women's fiction

This debut novel by Maureen Connolly will keep you on the edge of your seat as you keep turning pages fast to find out how the story ends.  It's every parent's worst nightmare about the abduction of their children and the way a family shatters after such a terrible event.

Claire and her husband have two little girls - 4 year old Andrea and 15 month old Lily.  Claire was in medical school with the end in sight where the family would have enough money and time to be able to enjoy their lives together.  As Claire takes her children to day care, she gets violently ill.  She stops at a gas station and leaves the car running because the girls are asleep but when she goes into the ladies room, she passes out.  When she stumbles outside, her car with her daughters in it is gone.  The police have no leads and Claire feels guilty and blames herself.  As hours and then days pass with no sign of the girls and no witnesses, all she has to hold onto is her strained marriage and her belief that her daughter is alive somewhere out there.

This was a difficult book to read because any book about children is difficult but it is definitely worth reading.  The characters are so well written that the reader feels Claire's pain and guilt along with her.  How will she learn to live her life again and cope with the differences in the way that she and her husband are grieving without feeling anger towards him?

This is a family drama definitely worth reading.  It's a debut novel for this author and I am looking forward to her future books.

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About The Author: 

Maureen is a former owner of a consulting firm that helped specialty drug companies to develop medications for ultra-rare diseases. Maureen received her Bachelor’s degree in physiology from Michigan State University and her Master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Wesleyan University. Her background in science and love of the natural world informs and inspires her writing. LITTLE LOVELY THINGS is her debut as a novelist. She is also an award-winning poet, published in diverse outlets such as Emory University’s Lullwater Review and Yankee Magazine.

Maureen is a foodie and appreciates interesting recipes. She also enjoys painting (especially flowers and sycamore trees), competing in races with her dragon boat team (Go Fierce)!, and reading (of course). She relishes spending time with her three children, her husband and her pets; a ridiculous terrier named Huckleberry, and a plump orange cat, Pumpkin.

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Susan Roberts lives in North Carolina when she isn't traveling. She and her husband enjoy traveling, gardening and spending time with their family and friends. She reads almost anything (and the piles of books in her house prove that) but her favorite genres are Southern fiction, women's fiction, and thrillers. Susan is a top 1% Goodreads Reviewer. You can connect with Susan on Facebook, Goodreads, or Twitter.

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