Little Mercies – Heather Gudenkauf

Sometimes, one small mistake can have life-altering consequences…As a veteran social worker, Ellen Moore has seen it all – the vilest acts one person can commit against another. The only thing that gets her through the workday is knowing her job helps children. That, and her family: her husband, Adam, and three beautiful kids, twins Leah and Lucas, and eleven-month-old Avery. But with a blink of an eye – with one small mistake – Ellen is suddenly at the mercy of the system she works for. Avery is ripped from her clutches, and her whole world begins crashing down around her.Meanwhile, ten-year-old Jenny Briard has been living with her well-meaning but good-for-nothing father since her mother left them. When her father decides to pack their belongings and move to a new state, Jenny thinks she might be on the road to a better life. But soon she finds herself on her own, forced to survive with nothing but a few dollars and her street smarts. Evading police and the social system, Jenny finds refuge with a kind-hearted waitress. The last thing she needs is a social worker, but when Ellen and Jenny's lives collide unexpectedly, little do they know just how much they can help one another.Praise for Heather Gudenkauf:‘This will have you gripped until the last page’ – Closer‘Deeply moving and lyrical’ – Company‘A memorable read’ – Sunday Express‘totally gripping’ – Marie Claire‘Set to become a bookclub staple’ – The Guardian'Fans of Jodi Picoult will devour this' – Red'Gudenkauf’s prose is searingly raw… Thrilling and emotionally tender, this novel, with its driving pace, will appeal to fans of…Jodi Picoult.' – Booklist‘This gripping novel is moving and thought-provoking’ -Heat‘Emotionally-charged’ -My Weekly