When Wes catches a strange woman taking pictures of his seven-year old daughter at the park, he calls the police on the probable kidnapper. But Laney has no malice towards either of them; she simply longs to see the daughter she gave up for adoption years ago. At first she only wants to look. But once she finds out that Amys adopted mother passed away, she decides that she wants to take part in the childs life. The ensuing battle results in a surprising conclusion.

In Never Again Good-bye, Terri Blackstock travels the emotional road of an adoptive parent who fears he will lose his daughter and of a mother who made a mistake that changed her life forever. This story deviates from previous Blackstock novels I have read, which have all been true-crime stories. In this novel, the first of the Second Chances series, Blackstock focuses completely on the emotional and spiritual development of two people who are both allowed a second chance. I suspect this was one of Blackstocks transitional novels, resulting from her change from Harlequin romances to spiritual stories. Although I enjoyed the story, I did miss the life-and-death struggles that are definitely Blackstocks forte.

The story itself was strong, although I was surprised at Wes acceptance of such an odd solution. It certainly isnt a story I could see unfolding in general adoptive circumstances. However, Blackstock creates realistic and credible characters. Both Laney and Amy respond appropriately to the situation. Most of the time, I thought Wes did, as well. However, I did feel Wes reactions to be a little out of place. The story itself didnt seem fully believable, and so I felt Wes was forced into the role, instead of moving there naturally.

The emotions for all characters shine through in distinct realistic form. Laneys loss, Wes fear, and Amys childish confusion all seem like viable feelings, echoing out from the page. I enjoyed this novel, though not as much as the crime novels, but I think part of the reason was the unexpectedness, the change in style. Having recently worked my way through the Newpointe 911 series and the Cape Refuge series, I was not expecting a straight emotional journey. On reflection, the novel was as well written as its predecessors, once my expectations had shifted.

Blackstock has managed again to capture intriguing characters and situations and kept the reader close to the story. I was intrigued by the notion of a relationship between adopted and birth parents, and, though I thought it could have used a bit more development, still found it intriguing.

Nola Redd

Freelance writer Nola Redd loves to write both fiction and nonfiction. She maintains a blog especially for small business owners and encourages you to drop by. She is also available if you need anyone to assist with your business writing.