An Unexpected Family - A Covington Novel [Hardcover]

Joan Medlicott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2007

LARGE PRINT EDITION Can an old betrayal turn into a brand new beginning? National bestselling author Joan Medlicott pens a heartwarming tale of a family found. Widowed Amelia always portrayed her marriage to Thomas Declose as complete perfection. They lived in Paris and entertained widely for a glittering crowd; only the tragic loss of their little girl marred what appeared an ideal existence. So when Miriam Smith arrives with her daughter Sadie on Amelia's doorstep in a snowstorm, claiming to be the illegitimate child of the long-dead Thomas, Amelia reacts with shock and fury. Could Thomas possibly have had a secret life he hid from her -- a life that would have made their marriage vows a lie? Rebuffing the wise counsel of her housemates, Grace and Hannah, Amelia dismisses the possibility of a family of her own and buries herself in the pain of betrayal and humiliation. Little Sadie is the spitting image of Amelia's own lost daughter, though, and she cannot help taking mother and child into her heart. But danger stalks Miriam, and it looks as if Amelia might lose this family, too. When Mother's Day arrives, will she be left with empty arms...or with her deepest longings fulfilled? This beautiful tale of mothers and daughters is an enchanting addition to Joan Medlicott's USA Today bestselling Covington books.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Pocket Books (2007)
• ISBN-10: 0739481754
• ISBN-13: 978-0739481752
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,122,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Medlicott was born and raised on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She lives with her husband in the mountains of North Carolina. Visit her website at www.joanmedlicott.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite in this Series, May 3, 2008

By 

J. E. Stephens "Jeanne" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: An Unexpected Family (Ladies of Covington, Book 7) (Paperback)

This book starts out rather dramatically. It was a dark and stormy afternoon. Snow was blinding the visibility outside. Amelia was home alone when the knock came on the door. "I am your husband's daughter! Please let us in we are cold." Imagine the shock and disbelief.

This story was very believable and I couldn't put it down. It brings an important issue to light. If we all had the courage and love to help people in the same situation as Miriam and Sadie, like the ladies and their extended families did, I know the world would be a better place.

You will enjoy this visit to Covington.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRAVA Joan!, May 27, 2007

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Unexpected Family (Ladies of Covington, Book 7) (Paperback)

Through the years, as we have followed the lives of Amelia, Grace, and Hannah, we rejoiced for Grace when she fell in love with Bob and again for Hannah when she and Max were married. Now, finally, we have the opportunity to cheer for Amelia Declose, whom many of us think of as the most delicate of the three friends, as she finds An Unexpected Family.

It was the ringing of the doorbell, followed by a frantic knocking, that changed Amelia's life forever. As she looked through the peephole of the front door, she had her first glimpse of a woman and child who identified themselves as Thomas Declose' daughter and granddaughter. Amelia was stunned and bewildered by these words - spoken by a stranger standing on her front porch. Thomas was Amelia's long deceased husband, and her only thought was, "Impossible! Our daughter died when she was nine years old." As memories and emotions whirled in her head, Amelia stood motionless and felt as if she was going to faint. As her struggle continued, Hannah's husband, Max, came up the porch steps and introduced himself to Miriam Declose Smith and her young daughter, Sadie.

Throughout the pages of this book, the reader is allowed an intimate look into some raw feelings of betrayal as Amelia deals with the unbelievable discovery of her husband's infidelity. Throughout their life together, Amelia believed Thomas to be completely faithful to her but now she must face the ugly reality that he led a double life with another woman and even had an illegitimate child by that woman.

We soon find out that Thomas's daughter, Miriam, is on the run from an abusive husband and is looking for sanctuary for herself and her daughter with the only person she felt she could trust - Amelia, her father's wife. To do so, she needed to tell Amelia a long story about Thomas' deception with her own mother, who died before Sadie was born - no easy task. In typical fashion, Hannah and Grace unite to help Amelia come to terms with her husband's adultery and to draw Miriam and Sadie (who were innocent victims in this saga) into their family circle.

***** This is not just a story about love, betrayal, forgiveness, respect, and friendship - although it is certainly all those things. To my mind, its main goal is to teach a painful lesson about self-inspection as Amelia is forced to confront, and come to terms with, a painful part of her own life and the depression she suffered following the death of her only child - which is when Thomas' infidelity began. I'll be waiting to read more about this unexpected family as they are incorporated into life in Covington! Bravo, Joan! *****

Reviewed by Ruth Wilson of Huntress Reviews.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For fans of the Ladies of Covington, April 7, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Unexpected Family (Ladies of Covington, Book 7) (Paperback)

In Covington, North Carolina, widow Amelia Declose is stunned when the proof that her late husband cheated on her arrives at her door. His daughter Miriam having no one to turn to has arrived at the hometown of her deceased father. She seeks shelter from her abusive obsessed former spouse. Amelia cannot refuse to help Miriam due to Sadie, her late spouse's young frightened granddaughter.

The three generations of females struggle to find common grounds especially with the two adults hurting from men who let them down. However, though Amelia and Miriam rationalize that they accept one another for Sadie's sake, both knows deep down they need each other too. Still neither will state that they are forging a family that could break apart if they fail to admit their need for each other goes beyond Sadie.

Fans of the Ladies of Covington will enjoy Amelia's turn in the hopper as her late husband's indiscretion arrives in town. Though somewhat feeling like a soap opera, the fully developed lead couple, Amelia who remains consistent with her past appearances and Miriam, keep the interesting story line focused as they initially sublimate their feelings while trying to do what is best for Sadie.

Harriet Klausner