Don't Let Me Go: A Novel
Alex Lake abducted a three-year-old child to rescue the traumatized girl from a monstrous father, relocated from England to New Zealand, and changed both their identities. Now, living in a cove on the shore in the loving atmosphere of family, life would be idyllic for Alex—going by the name Charlotte Nicholls—and the daughter she calls Chloe, except for the worry that someone will dig into their past. And someone does. Charlotte, accused of child abduction, is extradited back to England, and Chloe, just beginning to heal, is taken into custody by social services. A handsome admirer from Charlotte’s past resurfaces to act as her lawyer, and feelings ignite between them. What follows is a race to free a desperate mother from a flawed legal system and to save a lost little girl from further harm. Readers unfamiliar with the prequel, No Child of Mine (2012), may get hung up initially trying to piece together Charlotte’s secret, but when all is revealed, the novel becomes unputdownable. A compelling blend of family dynamics, courtroom drama, and love story. --Diane Holcomb