This is a beautifully written true story of 8yr old Lucy who was put into foster care. Her stepmother, aunties and grandmother said they couldn't cope with her behaviour as she was disruptive. Angela and Jonathan are experienced foster carers who Social Services called upon to take her in. Showing her love and respect, along with boundaries Angela and Jonathan set about trying to reunite her with her family.
It's a sorry fact that many children are taken in to care when parents find they can't cope for one reason or another., but you have to give credit to the foster carers who bend over backwards to care for them.
My heart went out to Lucy who didn't always manage to be good but did try her best for the most part. At times I felt the father was weak and wished he would grow a backbone but oh Lucy did love her daddy so much. One person I didn't take to at all was Wendy, her stepmother. The way she spoke to Lucy at times was enough to make her play up. She seemed very controlling. Would there ever be enough harmony between them for Lucy to go back home? This is one story you really need to read to find out just what happens. I have no hesitation in recommending this book and it gets five stars from me. This is my honest and unbiased review.
My grateful thanks to Bluebird publishers for my copy via NetGalley

The Girl Who Wanted to Belong
The True Story of a Devastated Little Girl and the Foster Carer who Healed her Broken Heart



Book Description
The fifth book in the series by foster mum and Sunday Times bestselling author Angela Hart who, along with her husband Jonathan, has fostered more than fifty children.

I used to love reading books like this, I often dreamed of being a foster carer, I think it's an amazing job they do for young people who often need a temporary home.
There was a time I could read them and not feel so emotional. Then I had a child of my own and I got that I couldn't cope.

This one sounded great despite what the subject is, it was a fantastic read, brilliantly written and put together and totally pulling on my heart strings I found it an emotional read. But maybe I'm also in an emotional mood.


This book should come with a free box of tissues, it really got me into a totally snotty tissue fest. How one child can just need the help and support from someone who doesn't know them to help them along in life.
Oh I'm turning into a softie.

With no family to stay with, or who can look after her, and not wanting to be with her step mother and step sister 8 year old Lucy has gone into foster care. Luckily for Lucy she has been placed with wonderful and caring foster parents. Read this book and find out just what is going on in this little girls life and what these wonderful amazing foster carers do for this little girl and many other children the have cared for.


What an amazing couple they are.

The story of a girl who just wanted to go home and live with her family but was seemingly unwanted. This story is written with such love and compassion and it stirred my soul and broke my heart. I felt that i just wanted to reach out to this little girl and wrap my arms around her. Her story made me sad that families can turn their backs on each other. I felt sad that Lucy's family, particularly the dad she so obviously loved, missed out on her childhood Life is so short and family so important. She was a lucky girl to have been put with such caring foster parents and I take my hat off to them.. A stirring read.

A truly brilliant, moving true story. One that honestly touched me and I won't forget it for a long time!! I would definitely recommend it.

I admire foster careers and the huge service they do to help a child in their difficult journey in life when things go wrong.
My aunt used to foster for many years so I’ve a little insight of the troubles, the difficulties and rewards. Although, not first hand.

This little girl through no fault of her own finds herself in the care of Social Services. Her Mother went off, her Stepmother isn’t nice to her and that gradually comes to light.

Her Grandmother tried her best to look after her but she’s old, regrettably she had to ask for Social Services help.

Lucy finds herself away from her father who she dotes on. I could feel the love from Lucy coming through the pages. And although In the book he’s discribed in a sort of kind way, I disliked him immensely.

Angela and her husband have been fostering for many years and have a vast amount of experience. It shines through enormously the way the are with Lucy, helping her, bit by bit adjusting her unhappy thoughts, comforting her.

Each time she spoke to her father my heart broke for her. Lucy hides things well and Angela could see the pain and anguish she was going through.

All she wanted was to belong, belong to her Dad.

I couldn’t help but compare this to Cathy Glass so is another foster carers books I read.

Get the tissues because this is well and truly a tearjerker.

I’m not telling you the ending.

I received my copy from the publisher and enjoyed my experience in meeting Angela, Johnathan her husband and Lucy.

Thank you to net galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. This book is heartbreakingly brilliant. A Very well written true story. Such an emotional book, to think of an 8 year old or any age of a child to go through what Lucy did is just terrible. Poor Lucy just wanted some attention and her stepmother was not into giving Lucy any loving what so ever. She is just not a nice person at all. Brilliant book. Well deserving of 5stars and more. I love true stories and this was the best I’ve read in years.

Firstly thank you for the advanced copy of The Girl Who Wanted To Belong. This is without a doubt an emotional read. As the title suggest, the story centres around Lucy (an eight year old) and her relationship with her step mother.

Lucy is taken into foster care, Angela and Johnathon, who seek to take care of her and support building the relationship with her family until she can return home.

I read this in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down. At times I had so much frustrating feelings for Lucy and the treatment she was receiving from her step mother, admiration for Angela in working and supporting Lucy seeking the truth, annoyed with Lucy’s father for not seeing what was happening and being strong enough to protect her and the bureaucracy of social services and LEA that often seemed to hinder.

And on the other hand I had Tears that rolled of my cheeks (no spoilers). This story really helps the reader to understand a fostering relationship. I for one had not appreciated what they do. It also provides insight into how a child can feel in those circumstances. Coming from a very close family, full of love and devotion it makes for a very difficult read at times.

A compelling, informative and emotional read. Thank you.

I have not read anything from this author and so was very pleased to be offered an arc copy in return for my independent honest review.
Straight away the easy writing style drew me into the story about Lucy who had been fostered by Angela and her husband.
This is a very informative book about the important subject of fostering children and how difficult and complex the whole process can be.It is written in a fair and even handed way, the author being truthful about the highs and the lows of caring for Lucy and I admire the professionalism shown towards her parents when quite frankly they often didn't deserve it.
Lucy's story makes for a very emotional read and as a parent myself I found it very sad how she was treated and regularly let down by her Father and step Mother.
I admire people who can foster and show love to children experiencing difficult issues.
Overall a well written account of what life is like in this profession. It keeps you engaged and wanting to know what happens to Lucy and if life does improve for her.
A great emotional read which is both informative and heartwarming.

This book strongly resonates with me. I'll explain first that I was in Care in the 1940's for twenty-one years. For fourteen years I was fostered by a couple in their mid-fifties. My foster mum was harsh, controlling and neurotic. She would be prosecuted for her dire punishments nowadays. I was absolutely terrified of her. My foster parents also quarrelled all the time. Like Dean, my foster father wouldn't stand up against my mum's vitriol. Nonetheless, they gave me a good home with my basic needs met and opportunities I wouldn't have had if I'd stayed with my birth family, but it was devoid of the love, approval and understanding I needed. After reading your book, I felt envious and wished I'd had a loving, sensible foster mum like Angela. During my college holidays, I worked as an "Aunty" in foster homes and also did the rounds with the NSPCC Officer on Friday nights. For thirty years on and off I was a Primary School teacher including special needs teaching. Later I worked with adults with special needs and also trained care and social workers. In the present day, I have been married forty-eight years with three daughters, and I have six grandchildren. One of my grandsons has Aspergers, so I understand the difficulties attached to SEN and CAMHS. My other daughter has been a foster mum for three years. Child E is fifteen now, and she's had similar contact problems as Lucy. Now she's old enough to refuse contact with her family. I shall edit out this personal data for the review on social media after publication.

This is a well-documented account of how experienced foster parents, Angela and Jonathan take Lucy ostensibly temporarily into their home. There is so much warmth, compassion, selflessness and understanding in Angela's approach to fostering Lucy with commendable support from Jonathan. Angela knows from experience that eight-year-old Lucy comes with a history which is sketchily drawn up and there is the possibility of emotional baggage. Often records are inaccurate or written by a jaundiced ex-carer or family member. Lucy is a delightful child but she can be manipulative, and she's distinctly plausible. She idolises her father, Dean and desperately wants to have quality time at home with her daddy and her siblings. Sadly, Dean has brought a controlling, battleaxe female into the family called Wendy. There's a brick wall between Wendy and Lucy which ends in her removal from the family. Dean is disinclined to stand up against Wendy and does not engage in fighting from Lucy's corner. It's hard to believe he would sacrifice Lucy for this indomitable woman. This is the heartbreaking part. Angela is asked to support Lucy towards re-integration back into the family. Can she manage this challenge or are other forces working against her? Her problems start with trying to get Lucy into a local school. She needs special educational needs provision (SEN), but Angela is headed off time and time again by schools that are reluctant to admit a child who requires SEN support. There isn't the funding or the willingness. Angela exposes a huge hole of reluctance in the SEN funding in schools. They desperately need better funding in schools and specially qualified staff who know how to meet the needs of children like Lucy and many others. I liked how Angela carefully chose her moment and chose her battles when forced to discuss sensitive matters with Lucy. The book gives an excellent portrait of fostering. Every mother knows that children can be a challenge, but foster parents have to deal with social workers, birth parents, contact, meetings and problems with schools and endless training sessions. They have to be patient with agencies who would prefer to fob them off. The unfairness of Lucy's situation makes my blood boil. How will Angela and Jonathan cope with all these complications? Thank you to NetGalley and Bluebird publishers for such an eye-opening read. After publication, I shall post a revised review to Facebook, GoodReads, Amazon, Waterstones, Kobo, GoogleBooks and my two blogs.

This is the true story of a young girl put in to foster care as her fathers partner basically didn’t want her living with them, despite other children being allowed to stay. Because of the way she was treated Lucy was quite a troubled child but her foster parents did an amazing job with her. These stories always make me feel grateful for my life. A very good story

The Girl Who Wanted To Belong is about a little girl, just 8 years a old who is constantly being let down by her family, luckily for Angela Hart who fostered her was there for her and provided the love and care she desperately needed, I enjoyed every minute of this book and so happy there was a happy ending.

I loved this book and finished it in one sitting. I was exhausted just reading how much of a whirlwind Lucy was. Before reading this book I knew nothing about foster carers and my eyes were really opened by Angela’s story of her time caring for Lucy. It was heartbreaking to read of all the broken promises and manipulation that Lucy had to endure from her family. A thought provoking book that I would recommend for anyone interested in the role of fostering. Angela and Johnathan are two remarkable people.

#TheGirlWhoWantedToBelong #NetGalley What an emotional book! At times it seemed that it had to be a work of fiction but then I had to remind myself that this was a true story and Lucy's father and stepmother actually did treat a little 8 year old girl so appallingly! I kept turning the pages hoping that Dean would wake up, ditch Wendy and bring Lucy back into the family and then it was heartbreaking getting to the epilogue to read that Lucy stayed with Angela and Jonathan for another 7 years. Angela and Jonathan were the true heroes and it doesn't bear thinking about how Lucy would have turned out without their guidance and support. It seems wrong to say I really 'enjoyed' this book but I couldn't put it down - it was a compelling read and very well written.

This is a very compelling emotional read, I was very frustrated and angry in places that a child could be treated so badly but as ever all may not be what it seems.. Who knows who is telling the the truth but I certainly think Angela and Jonathan want a medal for how they dealt with the situation.

The Girl Who Wanted To Belong by Angela Hart is a true story of Lucy, a foster girl searching for the love of her family and seeking to find her place. It will break your heart.
Eight year olds should not have to fight for love. The reader sees the conflict between Lucy's father and his partner. He seems to be caught between a rock and a hard place. Every time the reader gets their hope up, it seems another brick is cemented in the wall. We 'feel' for Lucy.
The story is also about the foster parents, Angela and Jonathan who are seen to have infinite love, patience, respect and boundaries. Giving a healthy home for Lucy to be loved and nurtured. They diplomatically fight her corner.
My heart was in pieces for Lucy. I wanted her to be loved and wanted. I hated seeing hopes rise, only to be dashed. I understood her frustrations and patterns of behaviour.
This is a powerful memoir of a beautiful little girl who will just take up residence in your heart. I wanted to love Lucy every step of the way. Her desire to be loved and to please was heart wrenching.
You will need to read this with tissues.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

I don't usually read too many books that are emotional as I prefer to relax and not be upset by a story. That being said, lately I seem to have been reading more of these types of books with this just being one of them i've tried in past few months. What attracted me to this was the idea that it was going to be about giving a little girl redemption and letting her be a child. We all need to read stories like these from time to time to remind ourselves just how lucky we are!

Now we all know that foster carers are a special breed - caring for sometimes unruly and unloved children or those who have been abandoned by their biological parents cannot be an easy task. While those parents may be selfish and neglectful, foster carers happen to be the exact opposite - altruistic, selfless and beautiful people and this certainly comes across here.

This is a powerful true story that shows the redemptive power of love and care. Through no fault of her own Lucy has been dealt a bad hand and it takes a loving, sympathetic carer to turn her life around. I have no hesitation in recommending this book, it is a story I will remember for a long time to come. The world needs more uplifting books such as this, in my opinion.

Many thanks to Bluebird for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Omg! Omg! I couldn't breathe, my heart felt as if it would shatter under this pain. Pain not for me but for Lucy, an innocent child trying to come to terms with her family scenario...

A beautiful story of heartbreak and rejection. A story of patience and gentleness. A story of foster parents and their immense love and understanding for the children.

This is one book I couldn't put down, I was reading it till 2am. I had to cry the tears, I had to see my heart wrenching when the child is rejected again and again. I had to know the end.

The author Angela Hart has done a fabulous job in writing this true story of Lucy. A child in foster care because of her disruptive behavior and rejected by family and her aunts, who just wants to go back home and live with her family.

This book shows how Angela slowly draws Lucy out by the love in her heart. It is not easy being foster parents, but Angela and her husband Jonathan do it beautifully. I loved the flow of prose, the honesty of words and the pain which seeps through when Angela describes Lucy's life and how it was pulled apart by her stepmother and stepsister. (The father was pretty spineless in the entire book, though the author has been kind enough to call him a gentle soul, I wouldn't!!)

Lucy's love for her father is resalient and never-ending but sadly nobody but Angela could see what the child went through on every visit. Nobody but Angela could see that the child was acting out in pain. Nobody but Angela could see Lucy's hopes crashing again and again!!

Angela has also brought home a fact that - it just takes a small sliver of love from the parent for the child to blossoms. Sadly enough none of the adults in Lucy's family could see that.

I was literally breaking into pieces reading this story, yet each piece of me just wanted to know one thing — What happens to Lucy? Does she make it? Does she go back to her family?

Read the book, peruse every line, feel every word. Life is enriched when this story touches the heart!!

The girl who wanted to belong by Angela Hart.
This was a fantastic read with brilliant characters.  It was a very moving and emotional too. With characters like Angela Jonathan Lucy Maria Bella and Jess Lucy's dad but i couldnt stand her step mother Wendy. I thought she was very controlling. And how she kept letting Lucy Down.  I loved the ending.  Perfect. 5*. Would give more if I could.

Spent all afternoon reading this, I literally could not put it down. I've read many books like this by well known authors and without sounding weird, I love them. I've been in foster care myself so I know firsthand how much hard work the people who foster out into it. I felt really sorry for Lucy and I connected with her immediately she certainly pulled at my heartstrings and I felt quite emotional reading parts of this book. I think people who foster for the right reasons deserve a medal. They don't get the respect and credit they deserve. This book is a fantastic read the first few lines drew me in and I haven't put my kindle down since. It breaks my heart that kids are still passed around the system in this day and age but these stories need to be told, it's real, it happens! The author really tells you a story. It's hard not to get drawn in and become part of their lives when it's explained so well. I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm going to get the rest of this authors books

The story of a girl who ends up in the foster care system who wanted to go home to her family. A brilliant insight as to how the foster parents Angela and Jonathan fought for Lucy and were there supporting her as she encountered disappointments and set backs. Really touched my heart

As soon as I saw the title and cover of this book, I knew it would make an impact on me. I was contacted by the publisher and asked to review this title. I junped at the chance because I love this type of true story as it is a very powerful genre. I've read many stories of this kind by the author Cathy Glass and wanted to try one of Angela Hart's books because she is a new author to me.

Lucy's story is no exception. She's only 8 years old and has already been through more than a child should have to. Abandoned by her mum and kicked out by her stepmother, she lived with her elderly grandmother and aunts before she ends up at the home of foster carer Angela Hart.

Everyone Lucy was living with (except her grandmother) claims Lucy is too much to handle. The relationship between Lucy and her dad and grandmother is very good and her grandmother feels bad that she is too elderly to care for Lucy. Angela realises Lucy is not as relatives have described her. She's bubbly and talkative as well as willing to help out around the house and flower shop the family have. Soon, Angela notices subtle things about Lucy's behaviour. She's clingy, imptient yet wanting to know about everything.

Lucy wants to be at home with her dad and gran. But is home the right place? Will she prove too much for Angela, too? There are some very heartbreaking aspects in how much she misses her dad and gran but she has a great sense of humour considering everything.

There's a good amount of material in this book to keep me guessing and what we learn about Lucy's family dynamic is both heartwarming and shocking, how much she years for her dad and grandmother but talks awful things about treatment from a stepmother, Wendy. Her personality and character was very well represented and made me feel uncomfortable which was good as it was very realistic.

Lucy is enthusistic about life and also has to try and get on with Angela and Jonathan's other foster child, Maria which is another thing as Maria is hostile towards Lucy from the outset. Will she change for the better too?

The book has a pace that just made me get through it quickly. I was interested that Lucy was statemented at school as it is an experience I had personally and so I could identify with that.

Thank you so much to Angela Hart and Bluebird Publishing for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I'm really wanting to read more by Angela Hart.

Lucy is Eight years old and she’s put in the foster care being abandons by her mother .
Lucy is unhappy because she is missing her Dad and three siblings
But will she be nice to have her stepmother and her stepsister .
I had an ARC from Netgalley

You will definitely need a box of tissues when reading this heartbreaking book!! The fact that it’s a true story is unbelievable!!

Little lucy is eight and is taken into foster care when she is abandoned by her mum and her new stepmother, Although initially taken under her familys wings , they find her behaviour difficult, and her grandmother reluctantly has to contact social services for help.

Social services find her foster carers Angela and Jonathan who do all in their power to help Lucy. Their love and devotion shine through. The selfless love they show her is inspirational.

Lucy misses her dad terribly and her quest for his love and approval is heartbreaking.

This books explores the wonderful job foster carers do!! To love and look after a child with difficult behaviour is hard enough in itself but when the child isn’t your own takes a special kind of person .

My happy childhood was taken for granted and this story opened my eyes to the situations some children face. Working with children daily this book has also drew my attention to different family dynamics and the fact that those with difficult behaviour may be fighting their own battles away from school. I throughly recommend this fantastic book.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for my chance to read this book.

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.

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.