ECONOGAL

Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey could go by many titles. Family Secrets or Family Ties pop into mind first. But Lost Child or Missing Parent fit too. This book covers foster care, adoption, abandonment, loss of child and other ways children and parents can be separated. Harvey pens an excellent story of family and all that entails.

Coach Mason Thaysden and star pitcher Drew Christianson find an abandoned newborn in the dumpster behind the school. Upon rushing the baby to the hospital they meet Cape Carolina newcomer Daisy Stevens, NICU nurse. Since this is a beach read, at least on the surface, there is an immediate attraction between the adults. But the novel presents much, much more than a summer diversion

Daisy, orphaned at a young age, was raised by her uncle and his wife. But ties were cut off after a divorce and she still feels the sting of abandonment. However, details of her parents split were kept from her.

Coach Mason was the star pitcher of his day. Then an injury changed everything. After struggling with altered life plans, Mason has put his life in order.

Aunt Tilley, mind and soul addled by her past, occupies a key place in the heart of Mason’s extended family. Her story of lost love explains eccentricity. At least in part. But her story is so much more complex. And serves as a contrast to the story of Maisy, the abandoned baby.

Theme of Summer State of Mind

A baby discovered in a dumpster provides a natural start to a complex story of unexpected children. Societal acceptance of unplanned pregnancies still faces obstacles. Family support is key to keeping children out of the foster system when birth parents die. Furthermore, foster care is a necessity and even with its’ challenges is a better option than the orphanages of yesteryear. (Read the review of Before We Were Yours by clicking here.)

Kristy Woodson Harvey writes with heart and depth. If you have not read any of her novels, I encourage you to look for her work. Look for novels she has penned at bookstores, online and at your library. They are more than a summer escape. The topics are current and make you think and feel.