Feelings of abandonment filled Helen at a too-young age when her mother died and her father walked out. Left in the care of her sister, Claire, she moved on, but never truly healed. Now thirty-five, married, and starting her own family, she must confront her inability to bear children by accepting the idea of adopting.
But just when Helen experiences holding her new baby for the first time, she is blindsided with the worst possible news: Claire has cancer. Helen’s wounds are again torn open as she balances the delight of parenthood with the grief of her ailing sister.
A poignant and probing exploration of life and loss, Daughters for a Time is a tale of unconditional love, the destructive and healing powers of family, and the search for solid ground between pain and joy.
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"I did enjoy this book. It was well written and I liked the story. It was kind of predictable but still good. It was about the relationship between 2 sisters and how they coped with their mom dying when they were young and having their father leave because he could not cope with it. The older daughter ends being responsible for the younger sister at a young age. The twists and turns of their lives are what the book is about. I would recommend the book."
— Donna (4 out of 5 stars)
" Unbelievably sad but touching. Well written. "
— Lisa, 2/7/2014" I read this because it was one of the kindle book deals. The story was poignant and beautiful although stilted at times. I could tell that this was Jennifer's first novel, but there are moments of brilliance. "
— Kirsti, 2/5/2014" I loved it! A very good story with many parts that I could relate to as both a daughter and a mother. "
— Christinegrabowski, 2/3/2014" nothing special but a nice story about love, loss and sisters. "
— Bonna, 2/2/2014" Jennifer Handford really pulled me into this book with her vivid writing style. I could completely relate to the main character, Helen and felt so close to her while reading this book. The story is just so heart-wrenching. It made me both smile and cry. I would highly recommend this book to any woman, married or single, mother or daughter. "
— Liz, 1/22/2014" Words cannot express how deeply this book moved me. I felt so many of the things Helen felt when she was unable to have a child and adopted one. This book will touch your heart. "
— Juana, 1/16/2014" Excellent first book. Really enjoyed it. "
— Jennifer, 1/13/2014" I loved it. The characters were believable and it was well written "
— Joan, 1/7/2014" I hate to say it but this book was soppy and boring. It was a struggle to finish! "
— Jane, 12/24/2013" easy read - not bad for a first novel "
— Ginny, 12/7/2013" Excellent, quick read. Emotional book for anyone who has struggled with infertility. Purchased this book on the kindle daily deal and am happy that I did. "
— Jill, 12/5/2013" I really enjoyed this book. I really cared about her and couldn't put this book down. Sometimes she really aggravated me but that made her real. That's what I liked about the book. "
— Darla, 12/5/2013" Depressing story with few bright spots. "
— Megan, 11/25/2013" Emotional story but enjoyable read "
— Marie, 11/25/2013" Sad, happy and everything in between. And enjoyable. I used many tissues. This book has left quite an impact on me. Definitely worth reading. "
— Debi, 11/22/2013" it was good. not bad for first time writing a novel. "
— Natalie, 10/29/2013" sometimes it got in my nerves seem Helen crying all the time. "
— Damaris, 10/21/2013" Nice story, we can all relate to about mother, daughter, sister relationships. "
— Sue, 10/19/2013" I really related to this book. Having gone through infertility and adoption it was an emotional, easy read for me. Very tender stories about this character. "
— Amy, 8/7/2013" I totally lived this book. The story has inspiration for every woman. "
— Cindie, 8/3/2013" Story of a woman who desperately wants a child but is unable to have children. She and her husband then decide to adopt a girl from China. After seeing the child it removes all doubts from her mind about adoption. Very touching story. "
— Jane, 7/8/2013" This book was wonderful. It makes me think of my own daughters, who have grown up to be good friends to each other as they have their own children. "
— Terri, 7/5/2013" Quick and emotional read. It would be hard not to feel for the characters. "
— Michele, 4/23/2013" Too much description about food "
— Cheryl, 12/27/2012" I loved it. It made me laugh and cry. "
— Yolanda, 11/13/2012" wow. This book was so touching. I cried several times. A well written book. "
— Kate, 9/15/2012" I kept waiting for "the other shoe to drop" in this story. I can't explain why, but I never bought into Helen's acceptance of the adoption. I was anticipating the downturn of events, and felt the outcome was a cookie-cutter storyline. All sweetness and butter cream frosting. "
— Sulaine, 8/18/2012" I didn't really like the main character, and I found the writing jarring at times. "
— Clare, 4/24/2012Jennifer Handford was born in Phoenix, Arizona, where she lived until she moved to Oregon for college and graduate school. After graduation, she moved to Washington, DC, and has lived in the Virginia/Washington, DC, area for fifteen years. She is married and has three daughters. Daughters for a Time was awarded one of three first place prizes in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest. It is her first novel.
Tanya Eby is a novelist and an audiobook narrator who has earned several AudioFile Earphones Awards and been nominated for the Audie Award. She has a BA degree in English language and literature and an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine.