Customer Reviews

Together for Good: A Novel

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As the vice president of Nulte PR, Abby Wagner has managed to bury her pain by immersing herself in work. However, her life soon begins to unravel when she is assigned a new public relations campaign for Heartsong Adoptions, the firm that had torn her family apart 20 years ago. Before long, she finds her job on the line as past anguish resurfaces.

When Abby's daughter Jessica decides to spend the summer on Orcas Island, the childhood playground she had once enjoyed with her father, Abby finally returns to the family cottage she has avoided since the day her son had been stolen from her life.

While on the island, Abby reunites with her childhood friend Damian De Lucia, who runs a tour boat business on Puget Sound. Prompted by Damian's concern about the dwindling number of orca's returning to the Sound each year, Abby embarks on a PR campaign to help publicize their plight.

As Abby works through her past, she discovers the God really does work all things out for the good of those who love him.

Together for Good is a beautifully written story of God's love and redemption for us all. In the midst of our pain, we often fail to see any good in the situation and are blinded to the overall picture God has painted regarding our lives. In her debut novel, Melanie Dobson has illustrated Romans 8:28 with tenderness and very real characters.

Set in the beautiful Puget Sound, Melanie successfully weaves two storylines into a well crafted novel which highlights both the pain and joy of adoption and the effects of pollution on wildlife.

Whether you have been touched by adoption or not, you don't want to miss this novel with its heart-warming characters and beautiful scenery.

Melanie Dobson's Together for Good is a heart-warming story about Abby Wagner, a woman who has never recovered from the loss of her adopted son when his birth mother changed her mind after four months and took him back. Twenty years have passed, but the wounds remain, festering beneath a work-a-holic veneer.

When Abby's world begins crumbling around her, she and her daughter return to Orcas Island, a place that holds both fond and heart-breaking memories for Abby. Through Damien, a dear friend from her youth, and Marc, his young sailing partner, Abby comes to realize she almost forfeited the real treasure she possesses for the sake of clinging to crushed dreams she built around her adopted son.

Dobson's descriptions bring the beautiful Puget Sound area to life, her pacing keeps the story moving, and her gift for suspense keeps the reader turning pages. The story is a metaphor for Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Abby not only finds healing from her past, she comes to understand why it had to be the way it was, and she receives a gift far greater than her loss.

Together for Good is an awesome read. It has a great plot with several unique twists and subplots. Instead of the same-old same-old, this time the story focuses on a woman who wanted a child and the birthmother reclaimed the child before relinquishing her rights. Now twenty years later, Abby needs to know if her almost-son was safe and doing well.

The author created loveable characters who felt like real people to me. And the guys were hunks! Amazingly well-written for a debut novel, IMHO. All around, I'm impressed. The character emotion and grief issues felt real. Plus, to top it all off, the author obviously did her research and got her facts straight about adoption. Whoo hoo! I hate it when an author is clueless about the subject matter and they guess at how the system works.

In addition, I felt like I was in the Puget Sound during the story. I love slipping into another time and place. Honestly, the scenery and sailing felt very real to me. Now I want to visit Washington and Puget Sound. I loved the snorkeling scenes and the wildlife sightings. Wonderful description of the orcas, too. Plus, this story had an environmental issue as part of the plot, so awareness about the harmful effects of pollution came across. Very cool.

The ending was a bit of a tear jerker, but it perfectly illustrated the scripture from Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.

I had a warm fuzzy along with my clogged throat when I reached the end of the story. the kind that makes you want to sigh with satisfaction. The story didn't have a tidy, unrealistic ending, but one that glorified God! I loved this book and highly recommend it! Oh, and it was very romantic even without a lot of physical contact. Very well done!

I was hooked on the story-line from page 1. I was so impressed and inspired by the characters. Their trials and joys were very realistic and touched the deepest parts of my heart. The Lord used Together for Good as an encouragement to me as a Christian. I highly recommend this book.

Melanie Dobson delivers a gripping story of adoption, of loss and of restoration, with a fresh twist--one I hadn't read before. Free of clichéd writing, this unique story echoed in my heart long after I turned the last page.

Set on Washington State's Puget Sound, Dobson's description of the area invoked nostalgic memories. My mother was born and raised on Puget Sound, and I spent many summers there as a child. I could smell the Sound as I turned the pages.

Excellent writing, coupled with unforeseen plot twists, this is a story you'll not forget. I found the way Dobson weaves in the characters' faith journeys refreshing and natural. A haunting story, Together for Good is highly recommended.

The storyline pulls you in from the beginning and makes it difficult to put down until the end. It has twists that you don't expect with a great ending that puts it all together. The positive values and morals that come through make this author a real pleasure to read.

Abby is a desperate business woman who has no expectations in life but achivements to overcome her loneliness in her devestated life. She first welcomes the warm baby love with her adopted son, Hunter. Unfortunately, joyful motherhood days long for only 4 monthes because Hunter is taken away from her to his biological mother, Stacie.
Hunter's absence makes her suffer at all times and causes her to argue with God at each bad moment she faces.
Her life is totally out of her control and she becomes outraged to God. Her life and belief in God truely changes when she returns back to her hometown - Orcas Island.

You will definetly find something about this book that feels "you".
I found the book a little bit religious - missionary, however overall God belief is impressing.

I really understood that I should keep calm how hard the situation is. No need to rush and get depressed by questioning everthing helplessly over and over again.
Should wait for the right piece to complete the puzzle.

Thanks for your beautiful novel Melanie!

Abby Wagner is vice president of an up and coming public relations firm in Denver. But when Nulte PR lands an adoption agency as a client, her already rocky world begins to collapse. Forced between staying alone in Denver for the summer or following her daughter to the old family stomping grounds on Washington's Puget Sound, Abby choses Puget Sound. Over the summer, she re-discovers what it means to let go of the past and embrace the future.

Abby learns to live and love again.