Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Borrowed Lives by Carol McClain

Book:  Borrowed Lives

Author: Carol McClain

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Release date: March 2021

 

God Only Lends Us Those We Love for a Season

 

Distraught from recent tragedy, Meredith Jaynes takes pity on a young girl who steals from her. Meredith discovers “Bean” lives in a hovel mothering her two younger sisters. The three appear to have been abandoned. With no other homes available, Social Services will separate the siblings. To keep them together, Meredith agrees to foster them on a temporary basis.

Balancing life as a soap maker raising goats in rural Tennessee proved difficult enough before the siblings came into her care. Without Bean’s help, she’d never be able to nurture these children warped by drugs and neglect—let alone manage her goats that possess the talents of Houdini. Harder still is keeping her eccentric family at bay.

Social worker Parker Snow struggles to overcome the breakup with his fiancée. Burdened by his inability to find stable homes for so many children who need love, he believes placing the abandoned girls with Meredith Jaynes is the right decision. Though his world doesn’t promise tomorrow, he hopes Meredith’s does.

But she knows she’s too broken.

 

Click here to get your copy!

Carol McClain is a new to me author. I was really interested in reading Borrowed Lives because of the Synopsis of the book. I also really like Fiction books. 

Meredith Jaynes is still dealing with a recent tragedy in her life. Bean is a little girl who is also going through a lot for a young girl her age. Meredith and Bean meet when Bean steals from Meredith. Meredith feels sorry for the girl when she discovers that Bean and her 2 siblings have been abandoned by their parents and Bean is taking care of them all. Social Services plans to put the 3 siblings in separate homes, but then Meredith steps up and agrees to foster them all, temporarily. Parker Snow, the Social worker, has struggled to find homes for so many children, he agrees that placing the children together is probably the best decision, he is hopeful. Meredith takes them "home" to her Rural Home in Tennessee, where she raises goats and is a Soap Maker. Meredith discovers the 3 sisters, Bean (Pearl), Roxie, and Crystal, have grown up with Drug Addicted parents. The girls really need some nurturing like they have never received before. Meredith is really trying her best to take care of her Soap Making and Goats, while caring for the girls. Bean, who is the oldest at 8yrs old, is a big help to Meredith. Will the girls parents come back and get the girls back? Will the girls become a part of Meredith's life forever? 

WOW, such a heart tugging and warming story. I started reading this book and could not put it down. Meredith has a generous and loving heart. I saw that from the very beginning when she had mercy on Bean when Bean was caught stealing. Meredith, through her own grief and distaught time in her life, found it in her heart to be an "Angel" to the girls. I really like how the Author takes a Fiction book and makes it feel so realistic. Foster Parenting is a tough thing, but a very rewarding task also. My only qualm about this book is Parker Snow. He allowed himself to "take his problems to work with him". I truly enjoyed this book. It is a book about LOVE, Hope, Forgiveness, giving to others and so much more! GREAT BOOK! 

Carol McClain is the award-winning author of four novels dealing with real people facing real problems. She is a consummate encourager, and no matter what your faith might look like, you will find compassion, humor and wisdom in her complexly layered, but ultimately readable work.

Aside from writing, she’s a skilled stained-glass artist, an avid hiker and photographer. She lives in East Tennessee. Her most recent interests are her two baby goats Peanut & Buttercup. Like all babies, they love sitting on our laps and being bottle fed.

 

More from Carol

People.

Their lives are messy, destructive, full of mistakes.

Mostly, their lives are beautiful.

For years, I worked with recovering addicts. When I first heard their tales, shock and disbelief overwhelmed me. I couldn’t understand the pain inflicted upon them by addicted parents or what they did in their own lives.

Without Christ, no redemption could be found in their misery. Doesn’t sound like a fun read, huh? Many recover from their addictive patterns. In the interim, the foster care system serves their families wonderfully.

All these factors, coupled with the theme that lives are only leant to us for a season create a story of hope, humor and redemption.

Aside from seeing faith in Jesus change people’s lives—there are always goats.

I love goats, but my husband hesitated in including them in our lives. Seeing as I live the lives of my characters (I am daft), I gave my protagonist in Borrowed Lives Nubian goats. I raised them in my younger years, and by including them in my story, I could have goats vicariously.

Couple the above (redemption from addiction, foster care, and my obsession for goats) with my love of East Tennessee where the people are kind and friendly, and the scenery unparalleled, Borrowed Lives was born.

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 1

Texas Book-aholic, September 2

Spoken from the Heart, September 2

Inklings and notions, September 3

For Him and My Family, September 4

deb’s Book Review, September 5

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 6

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 7

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 8

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 9

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 10

Rebecca Tews, September 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 11

Batya’s Bits, September 12

Pause for Tales, September 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 14

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/116b2/borrowed-lives-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour: Borrowed Lives by Carol McClain

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