Plenty Good Room - Hardcover

Edwards, Cheri Paris

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0446576476 ISBN 13: 9780446576475

Publisher: Walk Worthy Press, 2005

Synopsis

A heartfelt debut novel of old families ripped apart by the child welfare system and new families knitted together by the grace of God.When child care worker Tamara Britton is asked to temporarily take 14-year-old foster child Sienna Larson into her home, she agrees-but only because it is temporary. Soon, Tamara finds the outspoken, church-going teenager to be almost more than she can bear. Yet, despite herself, Tamara begins to open her heart as well as her home. It is the bond that they come to share that awakens Tamara to newfound truths about herself, her family history, and God.

About this title

About the Author

CHERI PARIS EDWARDS LIVES IN ILLINOIS.

Reviews

The protagonist of this debut novel is Tamara Britton, a reserved, devoted child welfare worker. The 30-something's quiet, tidy life is turned upside-down when her boss asks her to temporarily take in a foul-mouthed teen runaway named Sienna. During this stint as a foster mom, Tamara has to supervise homework, discuss teenage sexuality and wade into the murky world of pop culture. She is also motivated to put together some of the pieces of her own interrupted childhood and travels to prisons and hospitals in search of birth parents she never knew. Edwards richly develops the novel's characters, especially those who play supporting parts. Tamara's outrageous friend and colleague, Lynette, is a hoot, and Lynette and Tamara's sharply dressed but racist boss is well drawn. Still, the novel is far from perfect. The two plots—Tamara and Sienna's relationship, and Tamara's own childhood—tie together at the end, but the connections require coincidences that strain credulity. The stock features of CBA fiction are all predictably there: Tamara, who has never dated, is suddenly wooed by two fine men. And she not only finds love but also her faith—at a church altar call. This contribution to the flourishing field of African-American Christian fiction is promising, though it also suffers from first-timer flaws. (Apr. 20)
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Edwards has written a superb debut novel about children growing up in the child welfare system. Tamara Britton is a caseworker for the Care for Kids Agency in Springfield, Illinois. She works with "at-risk" children and families in the child protective unit. Tamara has lived much of her life trying to avoid being noticed. Yet, in spite of her timid disposition, she is a strong advocate for her clients. When she accepts responsibility and lets 14-year-old runaway Sienna Larson live with her temporarily, her uneventful life is disrupted. Sienna's intrusion into Tamara's way of doing things causes many upsets and conflicts. It isn't until Tamara learns about her own family's past that she is able to truly live in the present. She and Sienna discover that they have room to love one another, renew their spirituality, and love themselves. Sierra and Tamara find in one another that missing family that they both long for. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Walk Worthy Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0446576476
• ISBN 13: 9780446576475
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336