Leap of Faith
“Insanely complicated” is Faith Leah Kurtz’s conclusion about her life. She’s parenting a baby, whom she kidnapped when she found out that her drugged-out, sinister mother planned to sell the infant, Addy, to a dealer. Fleeing Ohio for Florida, Faith, now called Leah, lands softly into the kindness of a loving family, which has suffered its own private pain. Gradually, Leah and Addy find their way into the family and into the heart of the sweet and gentle son, Chris. While Leah tortures herself, living a lie, Chris continues to plan for their future together, with Grandma and Aunt Ivy’s support and Dad’s skepticism. In Blair’s warm portrayal, Leah’s resilience gives her the strength to confront her past. Will her well-intentioned but illegal, impulsive actions jeopardize her new life? Short chapters match the flow of Leah’s adventures as a teen mom. With a blindingly quick conclusion, readers are left with hope and faith that things will work out while they wait for the inevitable sequel. Grades 8-12. --Gail Bush