Never Again Good-Bye (Second Chances Series #1) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Terri Blackstock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

Normally, Wes Grayson would have been attracted to the striking woman with the camera. But this woman has clearly been stalking Amy, his adoptive daughter and the center of his life. And a threat to Amy is a threat to Wes. Laney Fields has no desire to threaten anyone, just a longing to see the child she'd brought into the world six years ago and then been forced to release for adoption. But when she learns that Amy's adoptive mother has died, Laney becomes determined to play a part in her daughter's life. Between a man and woman torn by past losses, present fears, and the paradox of their growing fascination for each other, stands one small child. She could be the object of distrust that will drive them apart or the agent of faith in God that can bring them together.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

TERRI BLACKSTOCK is a popular novelist who has written for HarperCollins, Silhouette, Dell, and Harlequin. Her books have sold over 3.5 million copies over the last ten years. Her popular Christian suspense series, the Sun Coast Chronicles, includes Evidence of Mercy, Justifiable Means, and Ulterior Motives --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Normally, Wes Grayson would have been attracted to the striking woman with the camera. But this woman has clearly been stalking Amy, his adoptive daughter and the center of his life. And a threat to Amy is a threat to Wes. Laney Fields has no desire to threaten anyone, just a longing to see the child she’d brought into the world six years ago and then been forced to release for adoption. But when she learns that Amy’s adoptive mother has died, Laney becomes determined to play a part in her daughter’s life. Between a man and woman torn by past losses, present fears, and the paradox of their growing fascination for each other, stands one small child. She could be the object of distrust that will drive them apart or the agent of faith in God that can bring them together. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 312 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786216751
• ISBN-13: 978-0786216758
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,023,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual "new kid," her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

In 1994 Terri was writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening drew her into the Christian market. As she was praying about her transition, she went on a cruise and noticed that almost everyone on the boat (including her) had a John Grisham novel. It occurred to her that some of Grisham's readers were Christians, and that if she wrote a fast-paced thriller with an added faith element, she might just find her niche. As God would have it, Christian publishers were showing interest in the suspense genre, so she quickly sold a four-book series to Zondervan. Since that time, she's written over thirty Christian titles, most of them suspense novels.

Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers' online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope.

Other recent books include her stand-alone novel Shadow in Serenity, and Vicious Cycle (Book 2 in her Intervention Series). She's also known for popular series such as the Restoration Series, the Cape Refuge Series, the Newpointe 911 Series, and the SunCoast Chronicles series.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as "The 700 Club" and "Home Life," and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read with a light tone throughout, August 27, 2003

By 

Christian Bookshelf "Christian Bookworm Reviews" (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Again Good-Bye (Second Chances Series #1) (Paperback)

Adoption, romance, trust, and truth interweave in this book about second chances from the "Second Chances" series by Terri Blackstock.

Laney Fields returns to the town of her youth in a journey to recover the child she gave up for adoption several years before. The child's adoptive mother died recently of cancer, and her father, Wes Grayson, is struggling to make his construction company cover the costs of the medical bills.

Wes meets Laney as she surreptitiously takes pictures of his daughter playing at a playground. Suspicious and worried about a possible kidnapping, he calls the police and arrests Laney. From the beginning, Wes finds it difficult to trust the woman who may be trying to steal his child from him. They both realize that they're attracted to each other, but Wes can't trust Laney and she doesn't share his faith in Christ.

Their budding relationship is threatened by their pasts and their links to one little girl who carries the key that could bring them together or tear them apart.

In addition to confronting issues of adoption, Blackstock also suggests the consequences of relationships between Christians and non-Christians. The fact that this occurs at all suggests that Blackstock is not afraid of controversy. That a Christian man would knowingly enter into this type of relationship, no matter what the end results are, shows disobedience to God.

Throughout this book, the character of Laney is far more sympathetic than that of Wes. Wes, as a Christian man, shows far more weakness, sin, and stubbornness than Laney. He thinks through his decisions and makes purposeful choices about anger and distrust. Laney admits to confusion about religion, yet makes far fewer mistakes than Wes. She has one honorable goal, to love and care for her daughter. Unlike Wes, Laney's errors are accidental. Perhaps the non-Christian showing greater Christian attributes than the professed Christian is closer to reality than many would like to admit.

Nevertheless, many readers will find "Never Again Good-Bye" to be an enjoyable read with a light tone throughout. It is a fast-read with a clean storyline and happy ending that make it a great summertime read.

--- reviewed by Terri Pilcher for Christian Bookshelf

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, August 22, 2002

By 

Beverly J. Scott "Author and avid reader" (Ankeny, IA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Never Again Good-Bye (Second Chances Series #1) (Paperback)

Once again Terri Blackstock has penned a winner with her novel
'Never Again Good-Bye.' Combining the issue's of: losing your life partner and looking for and finding the child given up for adoption. Mss. Blackstock has written a captivating narrative that will keep you turning pages clear to the end. How refreshing to read a well-written entertaining novel without having to put up with unnecessary verbal garbage.
Blackstock is a talented author. I will continue to seek out
books she has written.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, January 11, 2000

By 

Tasha L. Aschmutat - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Again Good-Bye (Second Chances Series #1) (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading all Ms. Blackstock's other books, but this series, Second Chances, has left me disappointed. The character development is slow and shallow. It's actually difficult to like the woman who cares more for herself than her child. Wes comes across as wimpy. There is no suspense or action in this book that makes her other novels more enjoyable. I would much rather recomment her Newpoint 911 and Sun Coast Chronicles series.