I have read several books by Catherine Ryan Hyde and loved them all. She writes stories that you can relate to. You can immerse yourself in and feel you are truly there. She has a way of drawing you into her books and not letting you out until the very last word. This is by far my favorite of her books. It’s one that will pull at your heart on every page.

Some quotes from this book that really touched me: “Well, you know how it is. We either grow up to be our mother or we make a solemn vow to the universe to be her polar opposite. Doesn’t work every minute of every day, though.”
A whole life changed in six or seven seconds.
“Brave girl,” she said. “Kite Girl.” I couldn’t believe she did that. I mean, she was, like two.
I think we all more or less know where we stand with people, whether we like to admit it to ourselves or not.

This is the story of a mother, Brooke. A mother who loses her daughter, Etta, one night and goes through the most horrible night of her life wondering if she would ever see her again. It’s the story of a young girl, Molly, also. A sixteen year old young girl living alone on the streets of LA.

Brooke loves Etta more than life. She would do anything to keep her safe. Brooke was a divorced woman who had to move back home with her mother even though she herself was a grown woman. She had Etta to think about and didn’t make enough money to have her own place. Her ex did not want children. He wanted nothing to do with Etta. Brooke’s mother is a horrible creature who I honestly despised. She did not seem to care about anyone but herself. She treated Brooke horribly and it was inexcusable in every sense of the word. Brooke was a good woman. A hard working woman and would do anything for her baby girl.

Molly was basically alone in the world. She was from Utah and living on the streets of LA because her mother put her out of their home and told her to never darken her doorstep again. All Molly had was her friend Bodhi who helped her get to LA and learn how to survive on the streets. Bodhi was a good friend but Molly didn’t always like the way he got things. She didn’t approve of stealing even though it seemed at times like the only way they could have food. She was a very smart young girl. She had a heart. She actually had a heart of gold and only wanted to be accepted for who she was.

When Brooke is carjacked on the way home from taking Etta to the movies she has no idea how her life is about to change. The things she will go through for a total stranger who needs her. Molly finds Etta and protects her from being hurt. She unselfishly gives her all the juice and snacks and herself goes without. She has a maternal feeling towards the baby she found on the sidewalk in the dark. She keeps her safe and goes through so much just trying to get her back to her mother. That is where Brooke and Molly meet. Brooke does not like Molly and thinks she should have found a way to get Etta back to her much sooner. She has no idea what Molly had to go through and what she did for the baby girl. But as time goes by Brooke learns everything about Molly. How she took care of Etta and why she is on the streets.

This book will definitely tug at your heartstrings. It will make you weep for a mother. For a teenage girl and for what happened to the both. The sweet things that Molly does will bring tears to your eyes. The way she cares for Etta even though she is homeless and has no idea what to do. This is one of the most touching stories I have read. It is a sad story and a happy story. A few things will make you laugh but overall you will wonder how can people be so cruel. Hopefully it will make you see that most homeless people are not homeless because they choose to be but because of circumstances beyond their control. If it makes you have a bit of empathy for their plight then so be it. Well done. Ms Hyde did a wonderful job of making me feel the sadness, loneliness, desperation, and love of a young girl who had no one, nothing and most especially no home.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #LakeUnion, #CatherineRyanHyde for this ARC. This is my own review.

I gave it 5 stars and would have given it many more if possible. I do highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a good heart touching book.

I've read and enjoyed other books by this author, and this one was no exception.

I loved watching the relationship between Brooke and Molly develop, and I liked the alternating POVs. This is a thought-provoking story filled with relatable scenarios and characters who come to life for the reader. It did have a bit of a YA (young adult) feel to it at times, which surprised me, though I do enjoy that genre. Some parts in the middle to latter portions of the story felt a bit repetitive, as the main event seemed to happen quite early on. Overall, this was a quick, enjoyable read.

Having recently read STAY by Katherine Ryan Hyde I eagerly anticipated reading BRAVE GIRL, QUIET GIRL; though my usual genre is psychological thriller I have found that I occasionally need an uplifting, feel good read, Ms. Hyde is quickly becoming my go-to author.

This is a good story about the complex, often difficult relationships between mothers and daughters. We are presented with three different mother/daughter relationships in all their dysfunctional glory.

Molly is living in a crate after being thrown out of her home by her extremely religious mother. Molly meets single mother Brooke when she finds Brooke's two year old daughter Etta after Etta is dumped on the street after a car-jacking. Brooke is recently divorced and living with her overly negative, critical mother. Brooke learns a lot about herself and her relationship with her mother when she gets to know Molly as a person.

This is a quick read with many heart-felt moments. I enjoyed it for it’s uplifting message at a time when I needed a little levity and warmth in my life.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Cathering Ryan Hyde is a gripping novel of homelessness, motherhood, and eventually hope. Brooke's, a single mother, car is carjacked with her 2 year old daughter Etta still inside. Later in the evening 16 year old and homeless Molly finds Etta still strapped in her carseat on the side of the road. With very little resources Molly cares and protects Etta until she can find a way to reunite her to her mother.

This is a journey from prejudice and anger to one of hope and trust.

I would like to thank Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book.

A beautiful story about love, loss, and acceptance of others. I really enjoyed this story. This one moved me and opened my eyes and helped me to walk in another person's shoes.

This is a wonderful novel that is part thriller, part heartwarming and compassionate. Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley . My review opinion is my own.

This book starts out with a car jacking leading the reader to believe it is a thriller. The author has surprises in store as she introduces us to wonderful charcters each bound by the crime, the Mother of the child in the car and the homeless girl who finds the child. As their lives intersect they find they have more in common then the welfare of the child and their lives open in new directions. I appreciate that the author has compassion for the homeless and writes a narrative to the reality of their lives. Very well done to the author.

A very enjoyable read with warm wonderful charcters.

I really enjoyed Brave Girl, Quiet Girl. I loved Molly from the start and was so hoping she would one day have a new life. She was a brave young girl. I admired Brooke determination to do what is right.
Four stars.

4.5 Stars

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a book that will take the reader by surprise. This dual narrative book is one that digs deep into the issues of homelessness and really gives the reader pause. The characters are also quite interesting in this well-written contemporary.

At first, this book seems as though it is going to be a thriller, as it starts off with a carjacking and a desperate search for Brooke’s daughter. However, after things begin with a bang, the story settles into a tale of two women in search of themselves. It is a really enjoyable novel that will make you think about the world around you.

❀ LIKEABLE AND INTERESTING CHARACTERS

Both Brooke and Molly are characters that are likeable and interesting to read about. I found the descriptions of Molly’s living conditions riveting and something that I have never come across before in a novel. The concept of being homeless is explored in great depth, including the struggle to find food, shelter, and a sense of community while living on the street.

❀ AN EDUCATIONAL ASPECT

I have come to expect that a Catherine Ryan Hyde novel will push my reading into a zone that makes me a bit uncomfortable so that I can discover another way of life. Her writing is so wonderful and vivid that the reality of homelessness is seen through a new lens. I was both terrified and angry as Molly is judged and mistreated throughout the book. There is always an educational aspect such as this in the author’s novels.

❀ A MUST-READ

If you are looking for a read that will cause you to stop and think, Brave, Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde is one to try. The story is intriguing and the characters are interesting. A must-read for fans of the author’s previous works.

A very easy read which I finished in a day or two.

The story was interesting overall, with a young homeless girl finding a baby following a carjacking, and the way in which the girl and the child's mum become close. I liked the two main characters and how they got to know each other.

However it was so obvious that this was heading towards a happily-ever-after that it put me off the book somewhat as there was no real tension or question of where the book was heading. .Everything was wrapped up far too neatly and perfectly, which was obviously going to happen but isn't very realistic!

Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
This book was ok for me. I almost 50 and it seemed like maybe it was meant for younger readers. Molly came across as really naive and inexperienced for a 16 year old on the streets.
It was just interesting enough to keep me reading it, but barely.

This book hit me in all the places, especially Molly's story. Brooke is a terrible person regardless of how she turned out, but Molly and Etta carried this well-written, thought-provoking book. I love how the author uses adult-child relationships in her books as a way to highlight our own failures, shortcomings, and strengths, as well as the power of humanity.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is my first novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde and it won't be my last!
The story opens with Etta, a little girl, stolen in a car jacking. She is then abandoned on a street, in a sketchy area, still in her car seat. Found by Molly, a homeless teenager, she protects Etta from harm until it is safe to take her to the police where she is returned to Brooke, Etta's frantic mother.
The story focuses on the struggles of living on the street, as well as the relationship between Molly and Brooke. It is one that develops and is the heart of the story.
Superb writing and a great storyline!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Review of eBook

After her mother threw her out of her Utah home, sixteen-year-old Molly ended up in a dark corner of a trash-filled vacant lot in Los Angeles sharing a crate with her friend Bodhi. Homelessness is a rough existence filled with despair and hopelessness but Molly lives by a personal code that doesn’t allow her to steal; she spends most days hunting for recyclables to earn a few cents to spend on food.

One evening she happens upon a two-year-old child strapped into a car seat sitting abandoned in the middle of the sidewalk. Unaware that the child was a passenger in an automobile that was carjacked and that the police are looking for the little girl, Molly takes it upon herself to keep the child safe as she hunts for someone with a phone who will call the police and tell them she’s found the toddler. After a difficult night spent bonding with the child while hiding her from three older boys who want the toddler in order to ransom her back to her family, she sees and flags down a passing police car and explains about having found the little girl.

Etta’s mother is devastated; her child is her whole world. Brooke’s contemnible mother, with whom she’s been living since her divorce, offers her daughter little comfort. But sympathetic Officer Grace Beatty explains how they are conducting the search for Etta and keeps Brooke updated on the investigation. It isn’t long before the police officers report they’ve found the little girl and bring Etta and Molly to the police station.

Brooke and Etta are reunited, but Brooke, still upset, cannot understand why Molly waited so long to contact the police. Nevertheless, through Etta, the two women form an uneasy connection that ultimately leads to unexpected revelations.

Misunderstandings and assumptions give way to understanding and compassion as a friendship slowly grows between the two women. The story, told alternately by Brooke and Molly, explores the relationship between mothers and their children as it defines what it means to be a family. Nuanced, believable characters and events pull the reader into the telling of the tale from the outset; emotion drives the unfolding story of heartache, sacrifice, and love. Despair gives way to hope in a narrative that is impossible to set aside before turning the final page. Don’t miss this one.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley
#BraveGirlQuietGirl #NetGalley

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

I pounced on this due to author recognition. One of my favorite books of 2019 was her beautiful story Stay. This offering isn't quite as good as that 5 Star read, but was enjoyable nonetheless.

The book takes place in Los Angeles. A divorcee named Brooke has a sweet, intelligent and adorable two year-old daughter named Etta. They are currently living at Brooke's mother's house due to lack of funds in the wake of her divorce. Sadly, Brooke's mother has few redeeming qualities. She's very pointed and judgemental, and if Brooke wasn't so desperate for shelter at this crisis point in her life, she certainly would find other lodgings. One evening as Brooke is playing with Etta in the bedroom that they share, once again suffering the strain of the blaring TV from the living room, her mother criticizes her for not taking Etta outside enough. It's now evening (so Etta won't benefit from sunshine anyway), but Brooke decides to take Etta to a movie. If it wasn't for Brooke's Mom's badgering, she wouldn't have gone out and therefore would have avoided a nightmare scenario for any parent.

Immediately following the movie, an incident occurs which separates Etta from her mother. Unbeknownst to Brooke, Etta was discovered by a sixteen year old homeless girl from Utah named Molly. It's nighttime and there are some serious scary characters around, but Molly guards Etta with her life. She has some experience with younger siblings, so employs these skills to keep Etta entertained, and most of all, unafraid. This part of the book was a nail-biter and absolutely riveting. The title of the book is something Molly whispered to little Etta during this time: "Brave girl, Quiet girl". She only knew this little girl for less than 24 hours and found herself in love with her. And it was mutual.

The book was narrated in alternating chapters between Brooke and Molly, which provided deep insights into each character. However, I would sometimes forget who was narrating the chapter and although the dialogue had quotations, they were only identifiable by "I said" and "she said". This caused me intermittent confusion. Otherwise, the writing style was comfortable and free flowing, which I love.

I don't really want to spell out any more details, although the official blurb advertising the book goes farther than I am. I want future readers to enjoy the unraveling of this story. This author seems to have a secret sauce in her books of underdog characters, living difficult lives but imbued with inner strength to tackle life's challenges. You find your heart expanding, fighting tears with the hope of triumph over adversity.

This book was a great read and was character driven. Etta is taken in her mother, Brooke's, car after it is carjacked. Brooke fears for her daughter's safety. Molly is living on the streets after being thrown out of her home by her parents. She finds Etta, but all Brooke sees is that she is a street person, not the kindness shown to her daughter. I loved how the author developed the relationships between this characters, as they all have flaws and are good people

I have enjoyed so many books by this author and this one did not disappoint me. Two women with very unhappy live, trying to make it on their own but needing help. Their lives come together after a heart stopping event involving Molly's daughter. I got to know each and their story's touched on so many issues such as trust, trying to make it through each day, poverty, and respect. The story has you asking yourself what and how would you have reacted to the circumstances. I want to thank Net Galley for allowing me to acquire a copy and the review here is my own.

Another amazing book by one of my new favorite authors!! I seriously loved this one - I loved the characters Brooke, Molly & Etta and disliked Brooke's mom (even though she came through a little at he end) and Molly's mom!! The car jacking and abduction of Etta grabbed me from the very beginning! My heart raced as Molly tried to keep Etta safe and get her back to her Mama and then it grew while witnessing the relationship and trust grow between Brooke and Molly. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone! It's a thriller in a sense and a family drama at he same time <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
With many thanks to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for a digital ARC to read

Catherine Ryan Hyde has written many books (35+) but manages to keep her topics and characters fresh.

This emotional story begins when a car carrying mother and child is hijacked. Brooke, the mother, is thrown out and the car speeds away with Brooke’s toddler Etta still in the back seat. A homeless girl named Molly finds Etta out on the street late the same night still strapped into her car seat. Molly shelters Etta in a makeshift cardboard home which happens to be in the same neighborhood in which the carjacker lives. She makes several futile attempts to get help from strangers in finding Etta’s mother but a number of them turn away, seeing Molly as just a dirty homeless person not worthy of their attention. Three sets of relationships begin to unfold, highlighting family challenges, finding healing strength and transformation.

Wow!! What a great read!!! Molly and Brooke were both so incredibly well written! An amazing view of homelessness and how tragic and hard it must be!
Emotions were everywhere and I blew through this book in two days! Well done!!

BRAVE GIRL, QUIET GIRL by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a book you will pick up and not put down, or even move, until you finish it. In this novel, Ryan Hyde has created two characters that are real, flawed, and relatable. She also focuses on relationships, family, homelessness, prejudices, and carjacking. The two main characters are strong females that haven’t had the best of luck at this point in their lives, but their paths would never have crossed if not for a tragic incident that brings them together.
I enjoyed how Ryan Hyde developed the characters and the story. The situations and emotions around them are realistic and more common than most people realize. This novel will warm your heart and keep you thinking well beyond the last word.
Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.