A Little Ray of Sunshine by Kristan Higgins – a Review

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Description:
A kid walks into your bookstore and… Guess what? He’s your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise!
 
And a huge surprise it is.
 
It’s a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother…without a word to either her or his dad.
 
It’s also a surprise— to say the least—to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She’s spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can’t help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He’s moved back to town, three-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she’s always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things.
 
When Matthew walks into Harlow’s store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions—about what being a parent really means—explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined…and as both women learn that for them, there’s no limit to a mother’s love.

Review:

A Little Ray of Sunshine by Kristan Higgins is another one of her wonderful stand-alone novels. Harlow runs a bookstore in her home town of Cape Cod, close to all her family.  She is 35 years old, happily enjoying her quiet life, with friends and siblings; she does have a secret that only her bff knew about.  When she was 17 years old, a freshman in college, she was pregnant and secretly found a family who she thought would be the perfect couple to adopt. She never told anyone in her family.   Now 18 years later, when she sees a familiar face (the father who adopted her son) walk into the book store, with the boy she gave up (who is the spitting image of her younger brother). Harlow panics and faints, her life is about to change.

Monica, the adoptive mother, panics when she hears that her son, Matthew, manipulated them when planning a vacation in Cape Cod.  She always had a close relationship with Matthew, and was shocked when her husband told her Matthew walked into the book store to meet his birth mother. Sanjay (the husband) and Matthew had gone ahead to Cape Cod, with Monica and her daughter following a couple of weeks later; but with this news, Monica makes plans to leave immediately.

Harlow is happy to see her son, who hugs her and is close to his 18^th birthday; Matthew wants to know more about his birth mother and her family.  Once she gets over the shock, Harlow knows she needs to face her family and tell them the truth; her bff Rosie flies to Cape Cod to be there for Harlow.  All hell breaks loose, as Harlow’s parents are upset, she never told them, as well as her siblings who were shocked.  Harlow will bring Matthew to visit her family, and shortly after, bring Monica, Sanjay and Meena (sister) to meet everyone.  Harlow is thrilled to spend time with her son, but Monica tries to be supportive, though she is concerned and apprehensive. Matthew is loving spending time with Harlow’s family, especially the brother Robbie.

What follows is an emotional and informative story showing both sides of adoption, with perspectives of the birth mother, the adopted mother and family. I loved how Harlow reacted so beautifully to Matthew, and his determination to learn everything about her and her family.  We also get to see Monica reactions to Matthew’s behavior and her fears. I also loved seeing all of Harlow’s family, how they opened their hearts to Matthew, as well and Monica, Sanjay and Meena. The secondary characters were very good, including Rosie, Harlow’s grandfather, Robbie were great.

Harlow slowly begins to have feelings for Grady Byrne, old friend from school, having moved back to Cape Cod, who is divorced and has a three-year-old daughter. Will she be able to become serious with Grady, being used to a child-free life? So say too much more wouldn’t be fair, as you really need to read this book from start to finish.  It is that good, as well as very emotional.

A Little Ray of Sunshine was a wonderful, heartwarming and emotional story, that was so very well written by Kristan Higgins. This story also gives you a look at the complex lives of family, adoption, life changing, healing and a few surprises.  I wholly suggest you read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher