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Little Mercies
Little Mercies
Little Mercies
Audiobook8 hours

Little Mercies

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

In her latest ripped-from-the-headlines tour de force, New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf shows how one small mistake can have life-altering consequences.…

Veteran social worker Ellen Moore has seen the worst side of humanity—the vilest acts one person can commit against another. She is a fiercely dedicated children's advocate and a devoted mother and wife. But one blistering summer day, a simple moment of distraction will have repercussions that Ellen could never have imagined, threatening to shatter everything she holds dear, and trapping her between the gears of the system she works for.

Meanwhile, ten-year-old Jenny Briard has been living with her well-meaning but irresponsible father since her mother left them, sleeping on friends' couches and moving in and out of cheap motels. When Jenny suddenly finds herself on her own, she is forced to survive with nothing but a few dollars and her street smarts. The last thing she wants is a social worker, but when Ellen's and Jenny's lives collide, little do they know just how much they can help one another.

A powerful and emotionally charged tale about motherhood and justice, Little Mercies is a searing portrait of the tenuous grasp we have on the things we love the most, and of the ties that unexpectedly bring us together.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 24, 2014
ISBN9781480586550
Little Mercies
Author

Heather Gudenkauf

Heather Gudenkauf is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Weight of Silence and Not a Sound. Heather lives in Iowa with her family.

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Reviews for Little Mercies

Rating: 4.255555537777778 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

270 ratings29 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved how the character interacts with each other and while separate, their story lines seamlessly fused together to create a skillfully crafted story that makes you smile on the inside when you’re finished.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Tone and briskness of the Ellen part of the book. I only finished the book because of Jenny
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The narrator made this story difficult to listen to. The main character was breathless and whiney all the time.
    I’m not finding the character development very strong and part of the story are just too far fetched.
    Probably won’t bother with this author again.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved it. The pedagogist in me really enjoyed my own personal analysis of the children's characters and Ellen's love for her work.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing a great story. A great writer I can’t wait to listen to the next one, thank you for writing
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ellen Moore has been a social worker in Iowa, working with abused or neglected children for many years. One day when she is running late for work the unthinkable happens. Ellen is investigated and arrested.Meanwhile, Ellen’s mother. Maudene while working at a restaurant runs across a young girl all lone. Jenny gets sick at the restaurant. Maudene later sees Jenny walking alone. She asks if she can take her somewhere. Maudene ends up taking Jenny to her grandmother’s house, she finds out the grandmother has died. Maudene, tells her daughter about Jenny and Ellen urges her to call a social worker. This book handles some tough subjects with sensitivity.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Difficult topic, but nicely done! Loved the way the author switches between characters to tell the story from two points of view.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    First book I've read by this author and it won't be the last. I absolutely loved this book. There are two stories in one. It's about a social worker who leaves her baby daughter in the hot car accidently and pays the price. It's also about a runaway girl trying to find her extended family. Great storytelling and I loved all the characters. Good ending. At first I didn't like Jenny but after finding out about her past, I understood about why she acted like she did.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The premise of this story is really every parent's worst nightmare. To inadvertently hurt your child through your own actions is such a scary thought. I enjoyed the character development however thought that some of the story could have had a little more teeth to it. The way things wrapped up for the main character didn't seem completely believable even though that is what I was routing for. Interesting topic that needs to be re-emphasized in today's non stop society.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I simply could not put this book down. It started off with a moment of carelessness by a mom who had a lot on her plate and escalated. It is easy to see how bad things can happen to good people, as well as how a normal life can be upended in a moment. For this family a true tragedy was averted, but one can see how that is often not the case in real life, and one can imagine what happens when it doesn’t turn out well
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    At a time in the world when leaving children in a hot car is headline news this story grabbed me. Bad things do happen to good people. People do make mistakes. There are evil people out there also. This story makes you think about it all.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Ms. Gudenkauf just gets better and better. In Little Mercies Ms. Gudenkauf pulls us into the world of social worker Ellen Moore who in one moment of inattention changes not only her life but also her whole families lives. It's also the story of Jenny a young girl who end up in the same town as Ellen. This could have been too dark because of the abuse and cruelty that Ellen and Jenny have seen and experienced but it's balanced with the love between family and friends. It really was an issue that could be pulled from current events.

    The novel really made me think about how we treat those that are in the system and how we seperate them as different from of us whether it's less then or worse then and that we could never abuse or neglect children but Little Mercies reminds us that we're that second of not listening, a miscommunication or inattention away from something horrible happening to our own children.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Such an incredible book! I was so enraptured and drawn in. Lots of up and down emotions when you read it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a book about life. Real life. Ellen is a social worker. She is so busy in her life that one day tragedy strikes her. Even though it's an accident, crap hits the fan. Then there is Jenny, a ten year old who's father is an alcoholic. They are getting ready to head out io Iowa when he gets into trouble and Jenny is off to Iowa by herself. All alone, in a strange city she meets Ellen's mom. Their lives come together to show Ellen some life truths. This book was captivating. You think some times when you hear things this won't happen to me, but sometimes it does.Favorite quote: Motherhood is a process of goodbyes. Some bittersweet and filled with promise and hope, some gradual, a gentle prying away of your fingers from some precious, some more violent, unexpected.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My second book by this author and Heather did not disappoint. I loved it. Although very sad at times, it was a very engaging story. Ellen is like many parents and her struggles to balance her personal and professional lives leads to catastrophic event involving her daughter. Adam, a loving husband and father whose life is thrown into sudden turmoil. Jenny shows us the resilience children possess despite a life of poverty, abuse, and dysfunctional parents. These characters along with all the rest are very realistic and they drew me into their world and established a personal connection with me. In my world that is a great book!A well deserved shout out to the author, Heather Gudenkauf from "Fiction Addiction". Heather generously gave her time to join our book club via Skype on February 23, 2015 for a discussion about Little Mercies and her writing career. Thanks Heather! It was a pleasure chatting with you.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is the first book I have read by [Heather Gudenkauf], and I know I will read more. It moved along quickly with two intersecting stories - one about a social worker and her family whose life changes when she accidentally leaves her baby locked in her car during a heat wave. I almost couldn't read it, it was just so emotional to realize that tragedies such as that could happen to any of us. The other story line is about a 10-year-old girl with a history of abuse who finds herself alone, and begins to search for her grandmother based on an address from a birthday card five years ago. The stories come together, and I was invested in the outcome for these characters, who were so very believable.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A touching tale that weaves together the stories of Ellen, the social worker who makes a terrible mistake and Jenny, a neglected child. I didn't like it as well as Gudenkauf's other books - found it too predictable - but I already recommended it to a customer who snapped it up right away!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    As the saying goes, this one was "ripped from today's headlines." A social worker, distracted by a hostage situation involving her clients, does not realize that her husband has strapped their infant into the baby seat in her van. The story focuses on the mother as the child struggles for life in the hospital - her guilt, her legal situation, her agony. Well-written.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ellen Moore is a respected social worker but one day she makes a mistake and finds her whole life has been turned upside down. Meanwhile, her mother, Maudene, comes across a 10 year old girl, Jenny, who is alone and has found her way to the restaurant where Maudene works. Maudene takes Jenny under her wing and Ellen finds that there is more to Jenny's story than meets the eye.I always enjoy Heather Gudenkauf's books. She writes easy to read yet compelling stories and puts you in a "what would I do if" position as you consider what would happen if you found yourself in the situations that her characters find themselves in. This story is told in alternate chapters. Ellen tells her own story, and Jenny's is in the third person. I liked both but I particularly liked plucky little Jenny.This author's books are always a treat and I will look forward to her next one.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What if you dropped your guard and a terrible accident happened on your watch? What if you were an upstanding member of society when it happened? Two interconnecting stories are told in this novel. The story of Jenny a child who is mistakenly separated from her father, and the story of Ellen a social worker. I have loved all of Ms. Gudenkauf's stories and this one was also very good. I found myself changing my opinion on some long held beliefs while reading this story. The storyline is one that is happening more and more all over the country. The characters were well written and the stories were wonderfully told. I was surprised by the big reveal. The story ended well. Gudenkauf has never disappointed me yet!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    another great novel from Heather Gudenkauf and very timely. this book is powerful and at times hard to read. Little mercies is a book that has wonderful lessons about life and things that make you think about your own life.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Another winner by author, Heather Gudenkauf. I shared a connection with all of the characters in this book. More though with Jenny and Maudene but the events that where happening in Ellen's life drew me into her world as well. It was just that what was happening to Jenny drew at my heart strings. It was the way she reacted for such a young girl that got to me. However I can not imagine and hope to never feel what Ellen had to endure with her situation. You could say I became invested in Jenny and Ellen's stories that it time slipped away and I literally had to make myself put this book down to get some sleep. Although, it would not have been a bad thing to have lost sleep over a really good book. Their was a surprise and I don't know why I did not see it before but it was the connection between Ellen and Jenny.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In Gudenkauf's latest novel, moms everywhere won't be able to forget this story, ripped right from today's headlines. Gudenkauf, I'm sure, had no idea how timely her novel would be.Gudenkauf is an Iowan and sets her books around the people and places that are in the heart of the Midwest. She makes her books easy to identify with characters and the places they live. In LITTLE MERCIES, Ellen is a social worker exposed to horrific scenes of abused wives and children and hungry faces, but goes home to the idyllic life with a husband and child. There are days when the enormity of caring for other children can be exhausting and often times she has to care for others children over her own. One day, her career and her life combine into a crashing catastrophe.In another Midwestern community, ten-year-old Jenny is finding out she and her father are moving again. Life hasn't been stable since her mother left her and she moved in with her alcoholic father. On the day they are starting out on a new life, Jenny finds herself alone. She is forced to live off of the kindness of others and the few dollars in her pocket. When she meets a waitress, she finds herself wrapped in a kind of love and protection she has never known.Eventually Jenny and Ellen's lives collide. In that moment, they will realize the "little mercies, the good that can come from the terrible".I don't want to give away any of the twists and turns of this heart breaking and emotional story. What I do want to say, is it will break your heart, make you cry, remind you to appreciate the big and little moments in life, and to make time for those you love.Gudenkauf writes with heartfelt emotion, realistic situations, identifiable characters, and at a pace that will keep the reader guessing and constantly turning the pages. As a former social worker, I can say with confidence that the author did her research and put me right back into that chaotic world.This will make an excellent choice for book clubs that include women or men, mothers or grandmothers. I would expect it to be an emotional discussion for most members.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a powerful book, and at times hard to read. This is definitely a ripped from headlines book, when the unthinkable happens to social worker Ellen, how do you get people to understand that it was an accident when the guilt of it is ripping you apart. Then we have runaway Jenny whose dad is in jail and her mother ran off with the man that beat Jenny when she was younger but luckily she is found by a kind woman who also happens to be Ellen’s mother Maudene.Ellen has seen the most awful things in her career as a social worker but one moment of distraction changes her whole life and the life of her family and she ends up on the other side of the fence wishing with everything that she could go back and start the day over. This book shows the difference between outright abuse and neglect and accidents but sometimes social services and the media don’t see the distinction between the two. My heart broke in Ellen’s storyline when the awful thing happened my heart was racing and it was just really tough to read. Jenny is spunky and courageous and luckily pretty street smart I liked her and was rooting for her to find a better life. Although her storyline was a bit too happily ever after and felt a little rushed I was still happy for her.Tanya Eby’s narration as Jenny was very well done and believable but Kate Rudd’s narration was so hysterical it got really old, I can understand that in certain moments of this book the hysteria was needed but it was constant and it seemed to be all the characters are just screeching and whiny. I do understand this was a taut emotional book but I wish Rudd had dialed back a bit.As I said this is a powerful book, I think this would be a good book for a bookclub because I think it would bring about a great discussion. I wasn’t a huge fan of the ending I felt both stories were rushed and a bit too tied up in a bow for my taste.3 Stars
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I have devoured Gudenkauf's other books, but did not feel this was nearly as compelling to read. Perhaps it was just too emotional. The story of Ellen, a social worker, and Jenny, a little girl without a home, is very emotional and at times hard to read without tears. If you are a Gudenkauf fan, just remember, this is not like her other intense mysteries.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Once you start this book, you will not want to put it down. Ellen Moore is a stressed out social worker who has seen the worst that can happen to children during the course of her job. The best part of her life is the time she spends at home with her husband and her three children. One morning, when she is late for a meeting and called on an emergency to save two little girls and doesn't realize that her small daughter is in the car, she makes a mistake that makes her the victim instead of the advocate of the legal system. The novel is also about Jenny, who at 11 years finds herself alone and homeless. The chapters alternate between Ellen's story and Jenny's story. The novel is wonderful and is a reminder to treasure those around us that we love. Fantastic book!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Focused solely on the faces of the young, frightened children creeping from their home into the waiting arms of a police officer, the sweat dripping into her eyes from the fierce summer sun, social worker Ellen Moore ignores the shouting from the street behind her. Until she hears the sound of shattering glass and turns to see a stranger emerging from the minivan parked at the curb, cradling Ellen's eleven month old daughter in her arms.A harrowing tale highlighting the vulnerability of children and the heartbreaking consequences they are at risk of for the choices and mistakes parents make, Little Mercies is a gripping story that tugs violently at the heart strings.Ellen Moore is a loving, wife and mother, doing her best to balance her family's needs with her commitment to her career as a social worker, who makes a horrible mistake, one we would prefer not to acknowledge we are capable of, but which Gudenkauf demonstrates is all too possible. As her daughter's life hangs in the balance we are witness to the self recriminations, the crushing guilt and distress which tortures Ellen as she faces the terrifying consequences for her daughter, her family and her self.Entwined with Ellen's first person narrative, is a second, written in the third person, involving a vulnerable ten year old girl named Jenny Briard. Desperate to avoid the foster care system, when Jenny's alcoholic father is arrested she evades the police and heads for the only possible sanctuary she can think of - her grandmother's home in Cedar City. It is here she crosses paths with Ellen's mother, Maudene, and Gudenkauf slowly reveals the shocking tragedy that links Jenny and Ellen amidst the chaos of crisis.Well written, Little Mercies has a driving emotional intensity that urges the reader to keep turning the pages. The plot is well thought out, if necessarily a little contrived in parts. I thought the characters to be well developed and the issues surrounding events to be portrayed in a believable manner.A poignant reminder of the need to practice compassion, and the vulnerability of innocent children, Little Mercies is a compelling, emotionally affecting story. Heather Gudenkauf continues to impress.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Gunderkauf has, yet again, written a book that moved me to tears through her honest voice, keen perspective of relationships in various forms and gripping, intense and heartbreaking truth with characters that I not only related to, but also felt in my bones. Gunderkauf also highlights the little mercies that make each day a blessing. It is Gunderkauf's ability to create stories that balance the blessing and the curses of life that make her a favorite writer of mine. Life is filled with ups and downs, and Gunderkauf writes reality wrapped stories. This novel was emotional because it cuts to the core of humanity and our desire to attempt to do right when the world seems so wrong. I highly recommend this novel to ALL and rate it 5 stars!!!!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed Heather Gudenkauf's novel, "These Things Hidden". It was thrilling and compelling. I was excited at the chance to read "Little Mercies". I liked it even more. I am so glad that I didn't really know much about the storyline when I began. I immediately connected with the book and was totally hooked when the real shocker came. It literally took my breath away.Heather has the ability to allow you inside the head of her characters. You not only understand them, but you feel what they are feeling. Even in the midst of the worst possible experiences, though, there remains a touch of hope, and she keeps hope alive throughout this book. In the telling of the story, she constantly keeps things moving to the point that I actually felt like I was pushing myself to finish faster. I really cared about the characters, particularly the women. Heather writes about families, but she really shines in conveying women and girls. I fell in love with Jenny and Maudene. I suffered with Ellen. I felt sorry for Deidre. The title of the book, "Little Mercies", conveys the idea that life is about small good things that result from living, in spite of mistakes, pain, and suffering. Goodness and generosity of spirit make the dire situations in this book examples of little mercies. If you appreciate a complex, emotional story that leaves you feeling better for the reading, I think you will like "Little Mercies".I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. I am quickly becoming a fan of Heather Gudenkauf. I look forward to reading her other titles, "One Breath Away" and "The Weight of Silence", as well as anything else that she writes.