THINGS WE CANNOT KEEP

THINGS WE CANNOT KEEP by Amanda Cox

GREEN LIGHT

AGE: 9TH GRADE - ADULT

Things We Cannot Keep is the newest release from Christian author Amanda Cox. Those of you who participate in BOOK CLUB will recognize her name as the author of the wonderful book we read not too long ago, The Edge of Belonging.

A couple of Christmases ago, I came across the wonderful, and often times moving, British TV show, The Repair Shop. Dedicated to restoring people's broken heirlooms, there is always a story that goes with the item that is being repaired. Things We Cannot Keep makes readers feel as if they've stepped directly into the heart of that show.

Tess Holcomb has made her way in the repair shop world. What her customers and employees don't know is that Tess Holcomb has a secret. It begins with the fact that her name isn't even Tess Holcomb. Many years ago, she ran away from home and tried to bury all the memories that went along it. When a mysterious package arrives at the repair shop addressed to Tess Baker, there's some serious and uncomfortable explaining to do. Opening it up, she finds an unfamiliar item with mysterious instructions. At first, Tess chooses to ignore the package and go on with her life, but then someone from her past shows up at the shop - someone whose memory she thought she left behind in that little podunk town she grew up in. Now that everyone knows exactly what is going on, ignoring the situation isn't an option. Instead, she's going to have to solve the mystery of the sent item and figure out what exactly it has to do with her.

I have to admit, when I first started the book, I was a little disappointed to find it matched The Repair Shop so closely. However, once the story got a few chapters in, I was pretty hooked. Highly recommend!

HEADS UP - Readers learn about an affair that happened in the past with no intimate details. There are references to abuse and neglect. No gory or gruesome details.