Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

You really need to read the end of this book before you begin from the start, as you never really know why Melissa, put into the care of foster carer Angela and husband Jonathan, is running away and going missing for weeks at a time until you read the final pages and learn of Angela’s suspicions and theory of why. Then you find little clues through the book and can see the evidence of what might have been happening to Melissa during her time in the care of Angela. Another great read from Angela Hart.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl in the Dark = Angela Hart

I read this in one sitting and was left in a rather emotional state. How I admire the foster parents of this world, they are much undervalued by society as a whole. I feel that they should be labelled an essential service as they step into the breech for many adults and children when they are needed the most. They are unsung heroes in my humble opinion.

The young girl in this book is extremely troubled and Angela has the patience of a saint. The pain and worry that children carry with them must exhibit somehow and Melissa feels the need to show some of hers by running away.

I'm not going to rehash the synopsis or give any spoilers. I'm just going to tell you if you read Cathy Glass books then Angela Hart has a wealth of books for you to read.

Read for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Angela Hart and Pan MacMillan

Thank you to NetGalley, Angela Hart and publisher Pan Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read this very moving true account of what forstering childern is really like.

I have read one or two of Angela Harts books before and found them very eye opening and moving but this one has hit me more than I thought it would. I don't think that I could be a foster carer myself but juxt by reading these moving books I can get an understanding of what it might be like. It has made me look at things in a different light and appreciate what carer's need to do and what they go through in daily life.

I never really knew anything about fostering untill I read Angela's books, it must be hard on a day to day basis to be a foster carer. I take my hat off to you and your husband. Some of the things that you have written about sound awful to have gone through both as a child and carer, I struggled to read about them so god knows how you felt actually going through it. Yes I know you have written about how it was for you, so that we can get an understanding, but surely you might of been holding somethings back, so as not to upset the readers too much but at the same time still getting your experiemce across to us?

Well done on the job you do to help childern have a better chance at life that perhaps they mzy not of had otherwise. I look forward to reading more of your books/fostering experiences.

I would recommend Angela's books to anyone who wanted to know what it is like to be a foster carer. Very eye opening and moving in places.

Another bittersweet story from experienced foster carer Angela Hart.

Melissa is a runner but what is she running from/to? The answer is deeply disturbing.

Moving and compelling, this is perfect for anyone who likes their autobiographies to be down to earth and honest.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

This review contains spoilers.
This is the second book that I have read by Angela Hart and I gave ‘The Girl Who Wanted to Belong’ a high rating and thought it was an excellent read and a real insight into the foster care system.
I must start by saying that I have real respect for Angela and her husband Jonathan and the work that they do for children in crisis. They are truly amazing people to be able to do what they do and be able to add some stability to the lives of some very troubled children.
In ‘The Girl In The Dark’ Angela tells of her experience when ‘Melissa’ was placed with her and her husband on a short term foster placement. They knew she had a history of running away from foster placements and had met her in a secure unit where she had been placed - not because she had committed any crime but because there was not other suitable housing for her! Despite Melissa only being 12 years old she had a number of boyfriends some of whom were 17 years old. Angela and Jonathan were bound by red tape set in place by social services, they could not stop her going out with these men, could not prevent her ‘running away’ all they could do was report her absences after she was missing for an hour.
I was screaming as I was reading it - Melissa is being sexually exploited! But, it was 25 years ago and child protection was different then.
I was also disappointed with Angela at the end of the book when she realised, 25 years after the fact the Melissa was a victim of child sexual exploitation, and she goes onto propagate the myth that such men are ‘usually Asian’. This is completely wrong. Statistically, the largest number of perpetrators of child sexual exploitation are white.
I also do not think it is right that this book has been written by Angela about ‘Melissa’ without her consent or knowledge. Angela says that she has not seen her for over 25 years. Although ‘Melissa’s name has been changed, there are so many experiences that surely ‘Melissa’ and others around her at the time will be able to identify her.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love all of Angela Harts books but I have to admit that it was refreshingly honest if her to talk about “the one that got away”.
Such a sad story about a young girl that is unfortunately becoming more common these days but beautifully written as always

This was my second Angela Hart book, and the story brought tears to my eyes as before. Angela was a foster parent along with her husband and they genuinely care about the children in their care.

Melissa a 12 year old runaway was placed with Angela in the 1990s and it took their patience and fortitude to understand the reasons sh ekept running away.

Angela Hart is a brilliant writer but she is an exceptional foster mother with a tender heart who cared for all the children under her.
Every word written shook me to the core, and I couldn't help my heart breaking at the way some people take advantage of these kids.
This book brought out realities of life in a sensitive manner.

Absolutely heartbreaking.

Not the most dynamic book that I have read by Angela Hart.. Another insight into the struggle.of foster children trying to.fit into a..family and the hard work.and frustration of the foster parents, both frequently let down by Social Services. This book centres around Melissa, who constantly runs away to be with friends and although is only 12 has a number of boyfriends..Touching on Child Exploitation and showing how easily children can be manipulated by being in with the wrong crowd. Angela and Jonathan try so hard to help the children in their care against all.odds and with very little power. Unfortunately not all children get their happy ever after as happens here.

A very touching and heartfelt story it actually bought a few tears to my eyes.
Angela Hart is an absolutely remarkable author
5 stars

Melissa is a huge challenge to foster carer Angela. She is a runaway child and has finally been locked in a young offenders' unit. Can Angela give her the love, understanding and sympathy she needs? A touching, poignant story like all the other books in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

I received this book from the publishers in return for my independent honest review. This is the second book by this author that I have read and she never lets you down.
Angela Hart writes about her experiences as a Foster carer in an interesting and heartfelt way. This features another of her wards and their journey together.
The format is always very similar, however each case is individual and you get a sense of how difficult it can be to foster children and young adults and that it is no way a breeze in the park.
A brilliant series especially if you are interested in the fostering journey yourself.

Angela and Jonathan are foster carers who have also completed training to become specialist carers for “teenagers with complex needs”. The latest addition to their family is Melissa, who requires a short term placement. Melissa is a sweet, polite and seemingly young twelve year old, yet she has a history of running away from foster care.

While Angela and Jonathan have fostered children for several years, Melissa is the first “runner” that’s been placed in their home. They don’t know if she’s running from or to something and are given very little information about her history so they’re not quite sure what’s in store for them.

Though their experiences with Melissa are central to this book, Ryan and Marty, whose time in their home overlapped Melissa’s, are also discussed. Vicky, who I presume is the same girl in Angela’s previous book, ‘Terrified’, also appears briefly.

I vacillated between feeling like a voyeur, wanting to know more about this young girl’s life, and treating the story as fictionalised in order to assuage the intrusiveness I felt. I was glad to read that “Certain details in this story, including names, places and dates, have been changed to protect the family’s privacy” although at the same time I knew the horror I would feel if I learned a foster parent (even using a pseudonym) had published my story without my consent, regardless of how much it had been altered to de-identify me.

Given the author states * SPOILER - she has had no contact with Melissa since the final time she ran away, there’s no indication permission was granted by her for her story to be published, which concerned me - SPOILER *. It also seemed incongruous to be consistently reading about how the author wouldn’t divulge private details about any of her foster children to current or prior foster kids or even her mother, who was babysitting them, when I was reading all about them (albeit de-identified) in a published book.

I’ve been hesitant to read books based on real foster care experiences because of my concerns about privacy but can also see their benefit, as they provide insight into this often hidden world. It was the recommendation from Torey Hayden, whose books I devoured in my early twenties, that made me finally bite the bullet.

Good foster carers really should be praised for their tireless efforts in providing stability and a safe place for some of the most vulnerable young people. I hope books like this spur people into action who have considered fostering, as more foster carers are always needed.

I was frustrated by the rules that foster carers were expected to follow in the 1990’s when the events of this book are said to have taken place; rules that are supposed to protect foster children but instead leave them vulnerable to additional harm. I can only hope this broken system has been changed for the better in the UK since that time.

Some readers may find the themes of this book disturbing and rightfully so as it mentions * SPOILER - suicide, child abuse and neglect, grooming, trafficking and child sexual exploitation - SPOILER *. This was a quick read for me. I found some sections repetitive but overall the story flowed well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bluebird, an imprint of Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

Another good read by this author the children Angela and her husband Jonathan foster are often very disturbed or damaged and they really do make a difference to most of them in there care but one particular young girl in this story gives them much to think about as they try to understand why she keeps running away they are patient kind and caring as Melissa gives them much to think about but what they discover about her is truly horrific and sadly happens in society today but hopefully she turns out alright after being reunited with extended family a thought provoking novel

This is the second book I have read by the author.
It is a true story of foster carers and a young girl called Melissa who, aged twelve, has got into the wrong crowd and keeps running away. Social Services are only to pleased to let the foster carers take control but what will the outcome be.
This book also explores the relationships with Social services, the Police and other people in authority and the help that is available.

I’ve read a few of the author’s books and have surprised myself by really enjoying them. This book falls into the misery memoir category but is different than the usual titles you come across. This book contains a lot of tension and action and isn’t just a repetition of a routine or similar events. It really tugged at my heart strings which I cynically wasn’t expecting. I’ve never been a foster carer. I don’t have the right attitude so my hat goes off to Angela and her husband. It can’t be easy to do what they try to do for the children they take care of. This memoir is also easy to read. I’ve read similar books and have found them quite dense at times. This is well worth a read.

I was given a copy of Angela's book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book tells the true story of Angela and her husband Jonathan who foster children. They foster Melissa who is a 12 year old who has been in the care system for a few years, she is moved to Angel a after she keeps running away from her current foster home. Angela and Jonathan try to understand Melissa and how to stop her running away. It is a hard job looking after foster children as they have many different issues to deal with. A sensitively written account of dealing with trouble children.

A moving story with ribbons of joy and sadness woven into its texture. The author writes of what it is to foster children and shows a strength of character to be admired. Caring for an extremely troubled child who was all but unable to settle into a routine life I was deeply touched by the author and her husband’s strength of character to keep on trying and caring. I was introduced to a world of fostering I have previously been completely ignorant of. I had always thought that a child placed in a foster home would just be grateful, conform to the rules and behave. How naive of me. This story has opened my eyes into what an amazing work foster parents do. The girl in the story must have broken their hearts and almost, their spirit, on many occasions and yet they carried on. Giving love and support constantly.
I was touched by this story and grateful to have had my eyes opened to what an amazing job foster parents do.

Another great read by Angela Hart that catalogues her and her husband's experiences as foster carers, After training, they have moved on to deal with children who have more complexed care needs and Melissa is certainly sent to try their patience and stamina. The book is well written, interesting and will keep you hooked to the very end

‘The Girl In The Dark’, by Angela Hart is an exceptionally insightful book looking at the difficulties of foster caring and dealing with a disturbed child.

Angela and Jonathan combine fostering with running their own business and show all the issues, which need to be addressed, especially when twelve-year-old Melissa arrives. Know as a runaway the foster careers need to use all of their understanding.

It was a roller coaster, gripping read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan, Angela Hart for my ARC in return for my honest review.

Recommended.