An absolutely heartbreaking story which beggars belief as to how awful some people can be. But on the flip side, how amazing foster parents can be in providing some stability.

This is my first time reading the author. I’m not usually a fan of what’s commonly called ‘misery memoirs’ but for some reason this book intrigued me. I really enjoyed reading it. I admired the author. Foster carers deserve much more support and recognition than they get. They can make a huge different to a child’s life. This book packs an emotional punch. I was devastated at times. My heart broke so many times reading this book. Lucy is such a lovable girl and her constant rejection by the family she’s so desperate to be a part of gut-wrenching and hard to read at times. Angela does an amazing job of helping Lucy. I was in floods of tears reading this book. You’re going to need a bigger box of hankies for this one.

Lucy is eight years old and ends up in foster care after being abandoned by her mum and kicked out by her new stepmother Wendy. Two aunties and then her elderly grandmother take her in but it seems nobody can cope with Lucy’s disruptive behaviour, but is she all of the things people say about her?

Social Services hope a stay with experienced foster carers Angela and Jonathan will help Lucy settle down. Throughout the book we constantly hear that Lucy just wants to be back with her Dad and family whom she misses terribly, but there is always a problem, an excuse and a whole concoction of he said she said tell tales from both sides. With Angela and Jonathan doing an incredible job of caring for Lucy, they only hope is for her to be returned home to her family, but will it ever happen?

I read this book in 1.5 days and was just cheering Lucy on from the sidelines. Feeling desperately sorry for her and wanting to just hug her, play with some Lego and show her some love. A beautiful account of a young girl who just wanted to belong somewhere, who was pushed around by her family... does it all work out for Lucy? Not a spoiler I’m going to give either way, but it is an incredible read that makes you really think!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. What a really emotional book in places it brought me to tears. This is a story of heartbreak and rejection. Good read.

I am a huge fan of non-fiction books such as these- books by inspirational foster carers, who have hearts of gold. I have really enjoyed all the books by Angela Hart, Cathy Glass and Casey Watson to name but a few. As soon as I can get my hands on copies of their new books, I have to dive straight in. ‘The Girl Who Wanted To Belong’ is Angela’s new book and it is heart breaking but also inspirational. I absolutely loved reading it but more about that in a bit.
My heart really broke for Lucy. She is voluntarily placed into foster care after her biological mother abandons her, her step-mother Wendy boots her out of the family home and placements with her aunties and her grandmother have broken down. Lucy absolutely adores her father and I don’t doubt that he loves her but he is so far under Wendy’s thumb that he has almost disappeared. Lucy is one confused and at times unsettled little girl. The world is a confusing place for anybody let alone a little girl of 8 years old. The ways in which the step-mother treats and speaks to Lucy are appalling. Lucy is a naturally inquisitive little girls and she asks questions about literally anything and everything. Lucy is very good with design and putting things together. There was one character that I would have quite willingly slapped across the face with a wet fish and that is the headmaster of Lucy’s prospective new school, who brings up the problems he had with a previous child in Angela’s care during a meeting about Lucy. To me that was bang out of order. I was so rooting for things to turn out well for Lucy. She had so much potential and I just knew that Angela and her husband were the people to help her reach it.
Part of my reason for enjoying foster care memoirs is the fact that it reminds me of being back at work in Childrens Services. I wasn’t anything as high powered as say a social worker (I was a lowly admin bod) but I had friends who were social workers and relatives who worked in the social care field. When I used to work within Childrens Services, I regularly had to liaise with the fostering team and some of the children, who were placed with foster carers. Some of the details were truly heart breaking and some of the cases affected me far worse than others. I am not going to go into specifics because that would be breaking confidentiality. All I will say is that I take my hat off to those who train to be social workers as well as to foster carers. It takes a special kind of person to be able to cope with all the poop that is thrown their way. I know that I couldn’t do it. Ladies and gents I salute you.
I was hooked on this book from the moment I picked it up and began to read. I took to Lucy from the start and I knew there was more to her case and to her than met the eye. I became addicted to reading ‘The Girl Who Wanted To Belong’ and I just had to keep reading to find out what fate had in store for Lucy, Angela and Lucy’s family. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t really that bothered about what happened to certain members of Lucy’s family because they angered me too much and I didn’t believe that they were acting in Lucy’s best interests. Reading this book certainly put me through the emotional wringer and then some. Whilst I was reading this book, I found myself wanting to cry, shout, scream, cheer and well you get the picture.
In short, I found reading this book really interesting and inspirational. It just goes to show what a child can achieve when they have somebody who believes in them. This book will certainly give the reader a sense of what happens within Childrens Services. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I can’t wait to read what comes next from Angela Hart. The score on the Ginger Book Geek is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

5 Stars.

I would like to thank The publisher and NetGalley for prviding me with a copy of this book.

"WOW" I am completely moved and emotional after reading this.

I dont normally go to read books like this because I prefer the fictional books. But I am glad that I got the chance to read this, it has completely opened my eyes to the fostering world and made me appreciate the job that foster carers do even more plus given me a clearer understanding.

Angela tells us about her time when she fostered Lucy and lets us see from her eyes what this little girl is like. We experience the diffculties that Lucy has but also the hope and heartache she has to see her Daddy again.

I can not express even how I am completely moved and emotional by reading this but it doesnt stop me from recommending this book.

Well Done Angela for giving people a clearer picture of what it is like for forster parents.

This is a true story written by a foster parent about a young girl she helped to hold her life together when there were problems at home. It is well written and draws you into the child’s life. I like how Angela didn’t take sides and tried to see the problem from everybody’s different point of view. It was heartbreaking but an interesting look into the world of fostering at the same time. I understand that Angela has written more books about other children she fostered over the years. I will definitely be reading these too.

Angela Hart tells this true story in such a gentle way that it captivated me right from the first page. I loved her conversational style and felt like I was having a coffee and a catch up with her each time I picked up the book. Although Lucy’s story was sad it wasn’t a depressing read in any way, rather it made me feel so frustrated for her in the way she was treated by her family. Fortunately Lucy had Angela and her husband fighting for her. They didn’t have an easy time with Lucy because she could be very disruptive, but they knew how to help her and gave her a loving home to stay in.

Angela and her husband Jonathan sound like a very patient and a very caring couple, the perfect people to be foster carers. I would be too impatient and angry to have to deal with all the bureaucracy they met with whilst fostering Lucy.

This book confirmed to me what special people foster carers are, and that they definitely deserve all the support they can get.

I’m so glad I read this book and I will definitely be reading Angela’s other books.

The true story of a little girl and her battle to get home again. Told by the foster mother who looked after her and gave her a lot of what she needed.

I didn't expect to read this so quickly but once I started I just had to keep reading. I needed to know what would happen to Lucy and if she would go home or not. It's heart wrenching for much of the story but there are some really warming, sweet moments. At times I wanted to cry with all she went through. The story is well written and very honest. Angela is always fair and reasonable in her telling of the story. The ending was good too and I'm so glad there was a resolution to the story.

I admire Angela so much for all she did and how calm she kept. I love how honest she has been in the story and how fair she was to Lucy's parents. A touching story and amazing read.

When Lucy was eight she ended up in foster care after being abandoned by her mum and kicked out by her new stepmother. Social Services hope she will settle down with experienced foster carer, Angela. Lucy misses her dad and three siblings and she is desperate for a fresh start back home.

Lucy is a bit of a wild child. She's been abandoned by her mother, her stepmother wants nothing to do with her, and out of desperation, her grandmother phones social services. Lucy gets placed with foster carers Angela and Jonathan. Lucy is desperate to get to go back home and live with her family. She misses them terribly. But there is always some kind of excuse and stories from booth sides of why she can't go.

This is a very informative book on foster care. At times, it can be a very difficult and heartbreaking job, but it can also be very rewarding. I think it takes a special kind of person to be a foster carer. I could not do it, it would break my heart. You must become emotionally involved no matter how much you try not to. This is the true story of Lucy's time with her foster parents, her relationship with her stepmother. It's also a very emotional read. I longed for Lucy's dad to do the right thing. Did he? Does Lucy get back home where she belongs? You will have to get a copy of this superb but emotional read to find out. Have the tissues handy, you will need them.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Pan McMillan and the author Angela Hart for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a real insight into the amazing job done by foster parents.
Clearly the author has lots of experience and I found the book very moving. It was clear from the outset that Lucy did just want to belong
Some children have a tough start in life but thanks to carers such as Angela and Jonathan they can have a small taste of family life

This is a heartbreaking and inspirational read. Angela and Jonathan are amazing and inspirational carers. They work so hard with Lucy and other children. I do not normally read books like this, but I am so glad I read this one.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I dont normally read true stories but this one grabbed me and Im so glad i did. A heart breaking read about a little girl called Lucy and her many difficulites and troubles she has with her family and being put in to foster care. I have always thought about fostering children especially now mine are growing up and this has moved me to consider it again. Make sure you have tissues handy when reading this beautiful moving story.

Felt so very sad for Lucy.
So desperately wanted to live with her family.
Wendy stepmother what a horrible person. Vindictive, nasty, controlling.
But it wasn't lucy's issues whatsoever it was all Wendy's problems. What an unhappy life she made for that little girl.
Made me feel mad as hell.
Brilliant read

A true gritty book that gives the insights into looking after a troubled child. Truest inspiring. Well written.

This is a true story that just breaks your heart. Lucy is just eight years old when she is torn away from her family to live with foster parents, supposedly for just a short time. Her mother left when she was just four years old, and she adores her father, but his new fiancé really doesn't like her attachment to him, she is jealous. You must decide yourself whether she is the epitome of the wicked stepmother. Poor Lucy is pushed from pillar to post, first she stays at the homes of a couple of aunts, but they reject her because they cannot manage her. This poor little girl is hurting, badly, she doesn't understand why she cannot be with her daddy. Then she is packed off to her grandmother, but she has just had a big operation and cannot manage the lively girl. Finally Lucy ends up with foster parents, who do their very best for her, providing the stability she needs. The interaction with her real family is pretty awful, even though Lucy tries really hard to be good, and be accepted so that she can return home. When she gets rebuffed and rejected she takes it out on everyone.

Everyone should read this book to learn about the work undertaken by Social Services, and foster parents, it opens your eyes to how hard it can be. I knew of a similar story when I was a young girl, and watching the seriously ill little boy who was pining for his mother, expecting the next person to come into the ward would be her, (it never was, even though she had promised!), just broke my heart, and I have never forgotten it. Lucy is one of the lucky ones in that she still has her her grandmother, and her foster parents, but the separation from her father and brothers and sister most certainly had a deep affect on the rest of her life.

A truly riveting story.

Excellent book. Not the type of book I normally go for but thoroughly enjoyed this. It's the story of Lucy, an 8-year old girl who goes into what should be temporary foster care with Angela and her husband. In Angela's care, Lucy is able to flourish, albeit with a few strops along the way. It's heartbreaking the way that her stepmother behaves with her and the fact that her father doesn't have the backbone to do what is right by his own flesh and blood. Would definitely recommend - very well written and the story flows and makes you want to know more.

This is an amazingly frank account of the trias of being a foster carer.  Although the narrator is the author, as the foster carer, the narrative is  very much focused on  Lucy the fostered child.  Since she is 8, this makes perfect sense as her  voice would not  represent the reality of  being a foster child.

As you read, you can  only admire the patience, understanding and  fortitude of long-term foster carers who  have little or no parental right to make significant decisions for those in  their care.
Lucy is a bubbly but  troubled little 8-year-old who is left with her  grandmother when her  relationship breaks down with her father's new  fiance, Wendy. 

Lucy is from a large  family with four children, and Wendy brings a  daughter Gemma with  her of a similar age to  Lucy. At the start, we  have some sympathy  with Wendy and Dean,  as the parents, but as  you continue to read you do wonder why the  couple are together and you almost anticipate  other children going into care, surprisingly this  does not happen.

This is not the type of  novel I would normally  read and admit there  were moments when I  wished to cry at the pure frustration of getting an  eager, loving, eight-year-old child home to live  with her family.

The title says it all, and  we need to be very  grateful to all those who pick up the pieces and  give displaced children a home.

I have a feeling this is a  good plot to start with  from hints given. Lucy is  just a challenge rather  than having a  background that would make the news.

One to give all new  teachers and parents, so they can understand the importance of patience.

I received a free copy  from net galley.com for my fair and honest  review.

Thanks to Bluebird Publishers for inviting me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who Wanted To Belong is about Lucy. Angela and her husband Jonathan are fostering Lucy. Lucy has been put in to foster care after her dad, Dean, gets a new girlfriend, Wendy, and her and her daughter, Gemma, move in with Lucy and her 3 other siblings. Lucy and Wendy really don't get on and so Lucy is temporarily put into care. This book is about Lucy's journey and trying to get herself back into her family home.

This was my first try at an Angela Hart book and after having loved all of Cathy Glass's books I jumped at the opportunity to read this book. I really enjoyed it and I'm glad there's a reasonably happy ending. Maybe because I started with Cathy Glass first I like her writing better than Angela's. I'm not saying Angela's writing style is bad but maybe I've just become too accustomed with Glass's style. Saying this, I would still read more of Hart's books.

This is my first Angela Hart book and I loved it. It was an emotional read about a little girl who is abandoned by first her mother then her dad & stepmum. It makes you wonder how on earth the poor girls family can treat their own flesh and blood like that. Thank god for wonderful foster parents like Angela who can make such a difference to a child’s life. I certainly have a new respect for foster careers and all they have to go through. If you are a fan of Cathy Glass then this is a must read.