I’m a big Catherine Ryan Hyde fan. I know when I get a opportunity to read one of her books, that I’m in for a treat. I fell in love with this book on page one. Brooke is a young mother of a baby girl named Etta. Without giving too much of the story away, they meet a young teenager named Molly. Molly is only 16 and living on the streets. This book is a lot about relationships between mothers and daughters. And also it’s about love and acceptance. The characters are very well developed and the storyline is gripping, thought provoking, captivating. I realize those words are similar but they describe Ms. Hyde’s writing and this book in particular. I’m sorry to see that the book has ended. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

If you was to look on my kindle, you’d realize that I really enjoy reading books by author Catherine Ryan Hyde as I have purchased 15 of them so far. She doesn’t just write stories, she writes stories with a purpose! I always seem to take something away from reading them. It’s like they hold a type of life lesson for me. And Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is like that too. The characters are down to earth people just like the majority of us and I like that about her books. This particular story covers several different topics such as homelessness and living on the streets, being gay and not being accepted by family and learning to trust in others. This book just like her others really made me stop and think. I always feel like I come away with a better knowledge of the way the world is after reading her stories. This is another great book and one I think everyone will enjoy and learn from. I’d like to thank NetGalley for gifting me the e-arc to read and review. All opinions here are my own. I give this a 5 star rating!

This book is phenomenal! The first half had me turning pages so quickly to see what happens next. The writing is fast paced at just the right times and slows down perfectly as well.

The characters are so well developed that you truly get a sense of who they are. Their feelings, their pain and their hopes.

While it starts off as more of a thriller, this book ultimately comes down to relationships. How we forge them and how we break them.

Because of the powerful message behind the book, I 100% believe everyone should read it! It is an emotional rollercoaster though. So grab some tissues.

5 stars! I loved this new book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I love all of her books and this was no exception. I loved the character development and would recommend this book to anyone.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl begins with a mother's worst nightmare and ends with a young girl's dreams coming true, despite the odds against her. Hyde's ability to bring the reader to both highs and lows through real-life circumstances and situations shines through once again. Fiction that mirrors reality, Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is a thought-provoking glimpse into "family," in its various shapes and forms -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- leaving the reader with a message of hope and the inspiration to help make the world a better place.

I enjoyed this book so much. I finished it in 2 days! It was believable and emotional. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Molly has had a rough life, through no fault of her own. To begin with, she comes from a somewhat dysfunctional family, gets put out of the house by her mother and ends up living on the street. Then one day, she finds a baby, yes, a baby! She does her best to mother and care for the young little girl which sets in motion the series of changes in her life that take her places she never expected to go. A struggling reluctant hero, so to speak, does the best she can to help Molly out after a rough start to the relationship. Although slightly predictable, this book was an enjoyable quick read that I would recommend for anyone who needs to see how life can be on the other side. No matter your situation, this book will make you thankful for the things that you have. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

This novel tugged on my heartstrings from the very first pages. Brooke loves her daughter fiercely and with her whole heart. When a crime separates her from her daughter her whole world is upended. When homeless teen Molly finds baby Etta, her instinct is to protect this beautiful sweet child above all else.
As the story unfolds Brooke and Molly meet and an unlikely relationship evolves. This poignant tale looks at motherhood from multiple lenses and makes the reader wonder: What makes a good mother? Are some people just born to be mothers? Are we all destined to become a version of our own mothers? I could not put the story down until I knew how Brooke, Molly and Etta's story would be resolved.

This was my first book by Catherine Ryan Hyde and I really enjoyed Brave Girl, Quiet Girl. This turned out to be a story that gave you all the feels. Brooke is a single mom with a small child, Etta. She is not in the best place in life. Brooke is living with her mom and feeling down on herself after her divorce. One day, she is carjacked and the thief gets away with her mom's Mercedes and her daughter in the backseat. In comes Molly, a homeless teen, who finds Etta still strapped in her car seat on street in West LA. And from there is a 24 hour survival for Molly and Etta, trying not to succumb to the dangers on the LA streets. Hyde shows you the side of living on the streets and what put poor Molly there. This world needs more people like Brooke and Molly!
Overall, This book is well written and keeps you interested from page one to the end. I will be recommending this book to others and will be looking for other works by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Special thanks NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Catherine Ryan Hyde for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

#BraveGirlQuietGirl #NetGalley

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl is a touching story about two very different, strong women. If I were to classify this novel, I would explain that it is partly a coming of age book combined with a light thriller or suspense novel. Truly though, it is much more than that. Two characters who each share their own point of view that are connected from one senseless night.

Brooke is a single mom running an errand with her cute little daughter, Etta. Her car is taken along with her child and her world will never be the same again. Molly is a teenager who also happens to be homeless and she is the one who finds Etta, abandoned on the side of the road in a bad area of town in her car seat.

The book begins with the desperation that Brooke feels and the care that Molly takes for someone's little girl but it winds up spotlighting deep issues including how we treat the homeless. There are other issues that author Catherine Ryan Hyde handles with skill and grace as we get to know Molly, Etta, and Brooke better. I will say that Hyde has a way of drawing characters that are visible to the naked eye through the words and paragraphs on the pages of Brave Girl, Quiet Girl. I was not ready for the novel to be over or to say goodbye to these lovely women (and little Etta too). Why? Because somehow I wound up drawn into their imperfect world with all their mistakes and insecurities...into the hearts deep within. Truly a touching book!! So Highly recommend!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Hyde, and Lake Union Publishing for this temporary, digital advance review copy for me to read and enjoy. As always, my opinions are my own.

Amazing, heartwarming book! The story about the bond between a single mother who was car-jacked with her baby still in the car, and the homeless teenage girl who finds the baby and protects her until she can turn her into the police department..

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by author Catherine Ryan Hyde is amazing! The book delivers the right amount of terror, fear, and emotional drama to keep me reading non-stop. A simple outing to the movies spins into disaster for a single mother. Brooke is savagely carjacked for her mother's Mercedes and her two-year-old daughter is taken as her car seat sits in the rear seat of the car. Brooke is terrified and the police issue an Amber Alert for baby Etta. Later that night Molly, a homeless teenager, finds a baby on the side of the street. She fears for the child's safety and hides her from three street bullies who are looking for the child to use her for a ransom because of the Amber Alert. Hidden under a flattened cardboard box, Molly tries to keep baby Etta quiet as she sings "Brave Girl, Quiet Girl" until the danger passes. The story helps the reader understand how others avoid the homeless in the streets even when they are asking for help. No one will stop and help Molly or call 911 to report finding a baby. I won't post spoilers, but there are so many depths to the emotions in this story. I love the characters of Brooke and Molly!
Publication Date: May 19, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review the ARC of Brave Girl, Quiet Girl.

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde was emotional and fascinating novel.

I have read everything Catherine Ryan Hyde has written and this novel did not disappoint.

Written from the views of Brooke, a struggling single mom and Molly, a homeless teenager, the novel explores friendships, homelessness, motherhood and what family really means.

I highly recommend Brave Girl, Quiet Girl.

Thank you #lakeunionpublishing, #netgalley & #catherineryanhyde for this ARC.

Brooke is a divorced single mom, financially strapped, living with her mother, and holding tight to the one thing that matters most: her two-year-old daughter, Etta. Then, in a matter of seconds, Brooke’s life is shattered when she’s carjacked. Helpless and terrified, all Brooke can do is watch as Etta, still strapped in her seat, disappears into the Los Angeles night.

Miles away, Etta is found by Molly, a homeless teen who is all too used to the darkness. Thrown away by her parents, and with a future as stable as the wooden crate she calls home, Molly survives day to day by her wits. As unpredictable as her life is, she’s stunned to find Etta, abandoned and alone. Shielding the little girl from more than the elements, Molly must put herself in harm’s way to protect a child as lost as she is.

Out of one terrible moment, Brooke’s and Molly’s desperate paths converge and an unlikely friendship across generations and circumstances is formed. With it, Brooke and Molly will come to discover that what’s lost—and what’s found—can change in a heartbeat.





I love Catherine Ryan Hyde's books, every one of them. A sweet, book which grabs you. She makes you feel and care for each person. LOVED it!
Thanks very much to NetGalley for the advance copy to review. It was an honor.

Wow this book was beautiful! First you get the terrible reality of losing your child, never knowing if you would seem them again. And a child finding her and taking care of her. It shows in real life what people judge others on the appearance. Not knowing who they are as a person. And then the becoming of how wrong you were. The relationship with Molly and Brooke. Just amazing! A heartwarming story!

Amazing book about Brooke, Molly and Etta and how family doesn’t mean you have to be related by blood! Beautifully written!

What would you do if you were carjacked and your child was in a carseat in the back portion of the car? This is what happens to Brooke, a divorced single mom of Etta, her two-year-old daughter in the book, Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde! What happens to Etta, who is found by Molly, a homeless teenager that survives by her wits and now tries to take good care and protect this new found child. Through these terrible circumstances, Catherine Ryan Hyde brings about an amazing story of friendship, hardship, heartfelt change, and a journey finding a place to call home. Loved every minute reading this book and I recommend the book to all readers! This is my voluntary review and honest opinion of this advanced readers copy from Netgalley!

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a great book about how we can make our own families. It is filled with love, compassion, and hope. This author never fails to deliver meaningful books that can be relevant to our lives.

one of my all time favourite books is by catherine ryan hyde, but the last couple i read unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. i was a bit worried about this one going in, but i really enjoyed it. it was heartbreaking and wonderful and i was on the edge of my seat. really really liked it.

I love Catherine Ryan Hyde's books and always read her books without even reading a review or knowing what her latest book is about. Single mother, Brooke, is living with her judgmental mom and teenager, Molly, is living on the street. Through a series of circumstances, Brooke is car-jacked with her 2 year old daughter, Etta, in her car seat in the backseat. The carjacker ejects Brooke, not realizing that Etta is in the car. When he sees that Etta is in the car, he cuts the car seat out of the car, sets it and Etta on the sidewalk and takes off to find a way to detail and sell the car. Enter Molly who sees the car seat as a sale able item, then becomes aware that there is a baby is the seat. Through a series of events, Molly protects Etta at her homeless site and Brooke endeavors to find Etta. This is a compelling story of love and forgiveness, second chances, relationships. Another uplifting story by this author. I highly recommend it and give it 5 stars. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to review this advanced reader copy.