Empty Arms ~ Erika Liodice ~ 575 KB (Kindle Edition) ~ Amazon
5/5 stars ~ Copy obtained from the author
Empty Arms tells the story of Paul and Cate, a couple trying to get pregnant. As it turns out, Cate has unexplained infertility, but she also has a very big secret. When she was 16, she got pregnant and was forced to give her baby up for adoption. Working in the hospital where she gave birth all those years ago and caring for babies who are unwanted by their mothers sends her on a wild and crazy journey from New York to Texas and finally, to North Carolina to find her baby. Where she eventually finds her daughter is completely unexpected but it all comes together in the end.
Without giving anything away, I loved this book. I read a lot (or not enough) and this is one of the best books I’ve read all year. I didn’t want to put it down because I was dying to find out what happened next, but I also wanted to read it slowly so I could savor the story. To me, that’s a sign of a good story. Ms. Liodice hit the nail on the head with Empty Arms. It had romance, mystery, and was a moving portrait about the power of relationships and finding things where you least expect to.
Even though the book is not billed as a mystery, it has quite a few moments that find Cate playing detective and following the clues to find her daughter. Never once did I guess that things would end up the way they did. I was thankful the book had a happy ending, because I know that when it comes to adoption, the potential for things to the opposite way is huge.
Ms. Liodice’s writing style is excellent. It’s obvious that she didn’t rush through the writing of the story – everything happened exactly when it was supposed to. Nothing felt contrived or far-fetched. There was one point, when Cate and Paul were apart, that had me holding my breath for several pages, waiting anxiously to find out what would happen. The entire time I was rooting for Cate and Paul to reconcile and luckily, they did. But that’s all I’m going to say.
I’d recommend this book for anyone who has experienced adoption firsthand or knows someone who has adopted/been adopted (and anyone who just likes a good story).
Disclaimer: I received this book for review directly from the author. I was not compensated for my review, other than a copy of the book.
December 13, 2011 at 5:57 am
Hi Brianna,
Thanks for this outstanding review! I’m tickled to hear that Empty Arms was “one of the best books [you] read all year.” Wow!!
Erika
December 13, 2011 at 8:49 am
You’re very welcome.
December 13, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Brianna, It’s the first book I read on my Kindle and loved it. I agree on the mystery point. Had me hooked and wanting to finish it to experience all of the turns with Cate.
December 13, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Do you love your Kindle? I love mine (except now I want the Kindle Fire).
December 13, 2011 at 1:27 pm
I got the Fire. I think it’s still a bit jumpy, but hope there are some updates. But, YES, I love reading with an ereader. I found myself getting books and not finding time on the “computer” to read them. I like the idea that I can have it anywhere and can read a few pages, etc.
December 13, 2011 at 1:46 pm
You should check out Pixel of Ink (they have a Facebook page), but I get their e-mails. They post tons of free books each week. I’ve found some good stuff in there and since it’s free, there’s no guilt if something ends up being crappy – it’s not wasting any money and you can just delete it so it doesn’t take up any space.
December 13, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I think I followed a recommendation you gave for Pixel on the WU site. I do the same thing.
December 22, 2011 at 5:01 am
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