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About this item
Highlights
- 2021 Christy Award Winner for First Novel and Book of the Year!
- Christy Awards (First Novel) 2021 1st Winner, Christy Awards (Book of the Year) 2021 1st Winner
- About the Author: Amanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story.
- 400 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Christian
Description
About the Book
In this dual-time narrative, Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale but soon discovers her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames--she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption.Book Synopsis
2021 Christy Award Winner for First Novel and Book of the Year!"A beautiful story about broken people coming together to find healing."--Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol Award-winning author of Freedom's Ring and The Tea Chest
When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee her late grandmother's estate sale, she soon discovers that the woman left behind more than trinkets and photo frames--she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.
Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he's ever loved.
In this dual-timeline story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth--both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others--takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.
From the Back Cover
"A beautiful story about broken people coming together to find healing. With a masterful pen, Amanda Cox draws us into a story of dynamic characters, gentle romance, and an authentic celebration of life and humanity. A touching and brilliant debut novel that is sure to linger sweetly in the minds and hearts of readers."--Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol Award-winning author of Freedom's Ring and The Tea Chest***
When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee her late grandmother's estate sale, she soon discovers that the woman left behind more than trinkets and photo frames--she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.
Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he's ever loved.
In this dual-timeline story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth--both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others--takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.
Amanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story. She holds a bachelor's degree in Bible and theology and a master's degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. Amanda lives in Tennessee with her husband and their three children.
About the Author
Amanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story. She holds a bachelor's degree in Bible and theology and a master's degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with her husband and their three children.Dimensions (Overall): 8.4 Inches (H) x 5.4 Inches (W) x 1.0 Inches (D)
Weight: .75 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 400
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Christian
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Theme: Contemporary
Format: Paperback
Author: Amanda Cox
Language: English
Street Date: September 8, 2020
TCIN: 80624634
UPC: 9780800737405
Item Number (DPCI): 247-52-9767
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 5.4 inches width x 8.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.75 pounds
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4.8 out of 5 stars with 13 reviews
100% would recommend
4 recommendations
A Beautiful Story-
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
PhyllisR - 10 months ago
Have you ever felt like you were on the edge of something good? A life wanted but too far out of reach? The edge of belonging…to a family…a community…a future that might mean something? The edge of a real relationship with the God you don’t think you are good enough for? Oh, but then, He is gracious to give you something greater than good. A purpose; the beginning of a life…and you finally see that He orchestrated it all. Every bit of it, with you in mind. This book is such a loving, breath of God story that brings hope to all of its characters and readers alike. Amanda Cox, continue to write stories like this…so we will not forget the love of God and that Jesus taught us to love Him and love others…with others being all that God puts in our path…because He created each of us with a purpose and a waiting story of redemption. I read both the ebook and audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed Leah Horowitz’s interpretation of this story. Her diction, inflections and portrayal of characters, young and old, male and female, proved to capture the story and bring it to life. This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language.
Review from Rambles of a SAHM
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Fitzysmom - 4 years ago
The Edge of Belonging is Amanda Cox's debut novel. That thrills me. Because if this is what her first novel is like, I can't wait to read her tenth! The story is told by flipping between two time periods, the present day and 1994. The characters are a homeless man, an abandoned baby, a widow, and a childless couple. What unfolds is a beautiful tale of how a family is born. I cried and smiled and read until I couldn't read anymore. The story just gripped me. I wish I could tell you how it all comes together but that would ruin the surprise. I definitely don't want to do that because the ending is so beautiful and worth every minute of reading it took to get there. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a story of hope in a hopeless situation. You'll be reminded that man makes his plans but God guides his steps. I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.
A Favorite Read of 2020!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Connie Saunders - 4 years ago
As I read this book, I was amazed that a debut novel could touch me so deeply. From the first paragraph, when I met Harvey James for the first time, until the closing lines, I was mesmerized by this story. The Edge of Belonging is told in dual-time, alternating between 1994 and the present, but these times blend together so that I felt like I was seeing a movie unfold. Harvey James, who felt like he had never belonged, grabbed my heart when he found a newborn baby abandoned in weeds along a busy highway and decided that this baby would be treasured as he himself had never been. Move to present day and the story focuses on counselor Ivy Rose and newly discovered secrets of her past that will forever alter her future. Author Amanda Cox has created a cast of remarkable characters, including Harvey, Ivy, Pearl, Rose, and Reese and she tells their stories with memorable words that often made me cry. "Those people in children's services, they try to do a good job. But it's not the same as being loved by a mom and dad. It's not love when you can be given back when it gets tough." "Above all, Christ called her his and was gracious enough to give her people to remind her if she lost her way." "I think...I still can't believe I get to watch this beautiful life of yours unfold." Cox tackles some heavy topics, such as abandonment, abuse, addiction, and depression but she buffers them with love, hope, and the realization that a family unit can be created by more than blood ties. She also shows that there is mercy and grace through the power of God's love. If you enjoy contemporary Christian fiction, you absolutely need to read this book. I predict that Amanda Cox and The Edge of Belonging will be mentioned quite often in the months ahead and I wish that I could give it more than 5 Stars! I received a copy of this book from Revell. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.
A Family, but not Instantly!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Tickmenot - 4 years ago
Pearl is a grieving mom and widow. Henry is a homeless man who lived the nightmare of being unwanted, and passed around to numerous foster families while growing up. Pastor Thomas is a recent transplant from the West Coast. A new-born baby, Ivy, is abandoned in the woods, and left to die. Henry finds Ivy and wants to keep her a secret so she doesn’t live the life he had. Pearl wants to help Henry, but he is afraid she will discover Ivy. Yet how will he take care of Ivy without help while he tries to earn money? Will Pearl keep his secret? The pastor discovers Henry trying to take baby supplies from the church. How can Henry convince him he is not a thief, but keep quiet about Ivy’s existence? Fast forward a number of years, and the adult Ivy flees an abusive relationship to return to her hometown. She comes to clean out her grandmother’s home, but also hopes to find answers about her biological mother--and mysteries in her life. All of these people's lives become intertwined because of a baby, and create a story you will not want to put down. I highly recommend this 5-plus star book to anyone who enjoys clean, well-written stories from a Christian point-of-view. Revell Publishing has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, The Edge of Belonging, for the purpose of review. I have not been compensated in any other manner. Opinions are my own.
Predict a Winner for Debut Novel!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Babbling Becky L - 4 years ago
The Edge of Belonging is such a spellbinding, dual-time novel from Amanda Cox. I foresee Edge of Belonging winning an award for debut novels. For myself, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the page. Heart-rending themes such as foster homes, homelessness, human trafficking, depression, and PTSD are dealt with from both the sufferer’s and a loving helper’s POV. The raw loneliness hurt, and need that several of the characters experience is portrayed so poignantly. It seems each character in the earlier story (Harvey, Pearl, Thom, and Miriam) feels they are on the edge of belonging to some degree. In the later story, Ivy is the focal point who feels like she doesn’t quite belong, but her best friend Reese has often struggled with those same sentiments. I was thrilled to see how the book’s title applied to so many. I also loved seeing the hope and mercy that certain characters, especially Pearl and Reese, generously dole out to others. Again, so many of Ms. Cox’s characters show significant growth by the end of the story. While it is easy to see early on where the stories will connect, there remains the fascination of just how Ms. Cox is going to work it all out. I usually like to pick a favorite character, but they were all faves. I love Reese for his steadiness and undying care. Harvey, for the way he supersedes his own fears to love another. And Pearl, for her radar to find and genuinely love lost souls. Get your own copy of this must-read debut! I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Revell Reads via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and no positive review was required.
An Absolutely Stunning Debut!
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Rebecca Maney - 4 years ago
4.5 stars "There really are people who are alone in the world. People who have no one to look after them. . . . If the story of my life could say one thing, I'd hope it would show the importance of venturing into the highways and the hedges to let invisible people know they're seen and loved." Harvey James was one of "those"people. Alone in the world, surviving on his own by remaining invisible. . . . until one day the cries of one who was even more vulnerable than he, sounded from the edge of belonging; and life was never the same. Ivy Rose returns home with a heart full of sadness and a mind that hasn't fully recovered from the weight of her misjudgments; the fact of the matter is, she feels lost or maybe she was never found . . . . except that she was . . . found . . . all those years ago on her parents doorstep. Cleaning out Grandma Pearl's possessions will be bittersweet, but she won't be alone, not really. And she has so many questions . . . . and judging from her grandma's final correspondence, Pearl had the answers. "There are things I never told you. Sometimes I kept silent because I lacked wisdom to know how to speak difficult truths. . . . . I knew I couldn't leave this world without giving you answers to the questions that have plagued your mind since you were a little girl." But the journal that her grandma unveils . . . is nowhere to be found. Without a doubt, readers have just been introduced to an author with an incredible acuity for deep, authentic stories; delivered with a measure of tenderness and grace. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
DEALING WITH THE PAST
4 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Connywithay - 4 years ago
“The past is just information. Your choices today make you who you are,” Reese tells Ivy in Amanda Cox’s novel, The Edge of Belonging. ~ What ~ This four-hundred-page paperback targets those who enjoy contemporary Christian fiction regarding family relationships and abandonment. With no profanity, topics of depression, drug use, and death may not be appropriate for immature readers. The ending includes acknowledgments, a teaser of the author’s next book, a biography, and advertisements. In this current-day story that reverts to decades before, Ivy Rose finds herself at crossroads in life when she breaks off her engagement and goes returns home to deal with her grandmother’s estate. Having always questioned her background, she yearns to learn about her adoption yet those close to her are tight-lipped. Threaded throughout the tale is thirty-year-old homeless Harvey who finds an abandoned newborn who captures his heart and forces him to uncomfortably adapt to society. As the past becomes uncovered, several have to lean on each other to learn the truth. ~ Why ~ Dealing with abandonment and adoption can be tricky to write about, but Cox pulls it off with tenderness, love, and letting go in her debut novel. I liked that the story flowed nicely between the past and present and was easy to read. ~ Why Not ~ Those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ may not like the Christian undertones that include praying to God. Others may tire of the predictability of not only the outcome of adoption but also the romance intertwined between two protagonists. ~ Wish ~ I wish that most of the characters were not stereotypical, especially the pastor, his wife, close friend, and grandma. I found Ivy to be too immature in how she dealt with others. Also, I prefer all pronouns of God capitalized for reference. ~ Want ~ If you like a contemporary Christian read about how a family joins together for love while not being related, this one is readable and thoughtful. Thanks to Baker Publishing for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.
Heartfelt Read
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Thoughtsofareader - 4 years ago
"The Edge of Belonging" is Amanda Cox's debut novel. This is a split-time novel which means you get to go along with the main characters in the present as well as the past. You get to learn about the main character, Ivy Rose, both as a child and as an adult. You also will encounter some other remarkable people that are her adopted family. Ivy's life did not start out like you would expect a baby's life to start which is in a hospital with her birth mother. Nor is her adoption into her new family the way you would expect either. However, the one thing you would expect and hope would be true with any adoption of a baby is the love of family. Ivy does find that love among several people. Amanda Cox does an amazing job of bringing her characters and their world to life so that you feel as though you are right there with them. As she switches between past and present, she makes it easy to follow so that you are not confused or wondering which time period you are currently reading. If you are looking for a great book about love, forgiveness, and adoption, then I would definitely recommend this book. Not once was I bored with this story and at times I found it hard to put down in order to do things I needed to get done. I have to say that if this book is an example of how well written all of Amanda Cox's future books will be then I would love to read all of them. Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in order to give an honest review.
A must read!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
StaceyU247 - 4 years ago
The Edge of Belonging left me feeling better than it found me. After I finished reading it, I sat back and mulled it over. I realized I had just read a book about extremely heavy topics and yet I came away feeling lighter and more hopeful than before I started. I am blown away by how Amanda Cox took such tragic topics and wove them together in a truly beautiful, heartwarming story. This book is an insightful look at family and what being one really means. It is that and so much more. I will be recommending this book to all my reader friends.
Beautiful Story!
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Melmo2610 - 4 years ago
Beautiful. This story was truly beautiful. There is so much meaning and emotion in this story, it floors me. I am finding it hard to find the words to do this story justice in my review. Quite simply I adored the characters, the story, all of it. This may be Amanda's first book, but she writes like she has written many, many books. She has a new fan in me and I will NOT miss any future books by her. This one is destined for my keeper shelf. I received this book as a member of the launch team and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
Masterful Storytelling
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Lucy Reynolds - 4 years ago
Wow! Can I just say this book is waiting to bless you with an anointed story that will leave you breathless. What is love, what makes a family, how are the pieces of our lives connected. These are all questions that are intertwined into a masterpiece. The characters are lovable and relatable and it’s hard to pick a favorite. We are all part of Gods perfect plan and sometimes the slightest thing leads to puzzle pieces that connect to each other years down the road. I find it hard to describe what this book meant to me. In my opinion it deserves 10 stars and will go on my favorites list for 2020. Note to self have tissues nearby. I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
(no review title)
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Anne - 4 years ago
Well done, Amanda Cox! I highly recommend you read her debut novel, “The Edge of Belonging.” Amanda is a master story-teller! She leads us through Ivy’s journey to find the answers to questions about her adoption, and along the way, Ivy re-discovers her true self. Amanda uses the dual-time narrative to portray a beautiful story of love, adoption, redemption, and the true meaning of family. I fell in love with these characters. I laughed and cried along with them on this journey. I am amazed at how effortlessly the author weaves all the threads of their lives together. She even adds a couple surprises that made the story so much sweeter to read and truly demonstrates in a big way how nothing we go through in life is wasted. God redeems EVERY SINGLE part of our lives - even using the heartbreak and pain, and, in the end, bringing us all right back to Him and His overwhelming love for us. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. Disclaimer : Thank you to the author and Revell for an Advanced Reading Copy. I received a free copy to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own.
(no review title)
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs down graphic, would not recommend
Abby - 5 years ago
Love love and love this story!! What an incredible story of true love and family ties that know no bounds. Family is the circle of people who love and support you, whether related by blood or not. God puts each and every person into our lives for a reason. His love is the ultimate example, loving us even when we will never truly deserve it, yet He still calls us His children.
I received a copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own.