Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.

At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home.

REVIEW:

I was drawn in by the title and description and really wanted to like this book, but the story just fell a little flat. McMorris's descriptions of the setting and the era are vivid and well-researched, but the plot itself was disappointing -- I found her treatment of a major moral misstep on the part of Ellis Reed (and the subsequent lack of outrage from the only person who knows about it) to be immature, and the various romance angles felt weak. There were moments of brilliance in the text, when I truly experienced the characters' emotions, but others that should have felt meaningful and instead fell flat. I think my expectations were just too high, given the hype surrounding this novel, but at least it was a quick read! 2.5 stars.