*I voluntarily received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts below are my own and I was not required to post a positive review. Also, this blog post includes affiliate links which means I will receive a commission based on sales generated via these links.

A Five Star Book Review of The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox, published by Revell. A Christian Fiction Novel about Adoption.

The Edge of Belonging is an incredible story of love, family and belonging that tugs on all the right heartstrings! It is one I will recommend over and over again.

Amanda Cox’s gentle storytelling and magnetic, multi-layered characters draw readers into a beautiful tale of life, hope and love. This brand new novel carefully wraps the characters’ pasts of hurt, grief and brokenness into sweet healing and offers a ray of hope as they surrender to the path God has designed for their lives.

"A beautiful story about broken people coming together to find healing. With a masterful pen, Amanda Cox draws us into a story of dynamic characters, gentle romance, and an authentic celebration of life and humanity. A touching and brilliant debut novel that is sure to linger sweetly in the minds and hearts of readers."--Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol Award-winning author of Freedom's Ringand The Tea Chest
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When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee her late grandmother's estate sale, she soon discovers that the woman left behind more than trinkets and photo frames--she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he's ever loved.

In this dual-timeline story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth--both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others--takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

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★★★★★ | I was so very impressed and touched by The Edge of Belonging, a newly released novel by author, Amanda Cox, published by Revell.

The Edge of Belonging features multi-layered characters in which we, as readers, can each find a piece of ourselves. Each character’s humanity was evident as they made broken choices, encountered life-altering events and struggled with depression, grief, loss, abandonment and helplessness, in turn making their joys, triumphs, and sacrificial love that much sweeter.

As a woman who’s walked through infertility and loss, and as an adoptive parent surrounded by the fostering community, my heart swelled over the hope, building of family and connections made in this story. From my own experiences, I’ve seen how God masterfully weaves stories together, even years later, and I cherish those blessings in my life. Amanda delicately, and masterfully, showcases God’s carefully designed plan in the details of Pearl, Harvey, Rose and Ivy’s stories. Through these very tangible characters’ heartwarming story, readers are drawn into a tender tale that wraps around one’s soul.

It goes without saying that this story is well-written, well-planned and well-executed. It offers a smooth pace of transition between present day Ivy’s life and the story surrounding her birth and adoption 24 years prior. The faith based elements are strong but gentle and ushered in a way that even secular readers would enjoy. The beauty of the bond of family not genetically connected, a childhood friendship that blossoms into romance and the various view points this story offers are an added bonus.

This story is rich in God’s goodness, timing and love. How He places just the right people around us at the right time...How He loves us unconditionally. How He has predestined us with a purpose in mind. I cried, I smiled, I rejoiced. For my adopted daughter, it is always my hope and prayer that she find comfort, purpose and light in her story and I think this book adequately demonstrated that with Ivy. What a sweet and precious novel... One I’m proud to display on my shelf and honored to recommend as a novel worth reading.