Is foster care the new literary hot topic? Story lines for recent or about to release novels would suggest it is. I’ve read three contemporary romance books in 2021 that have centered on characters who have lived in foster care. It’s interesting for so many new books to focus on one topic. But, as a writer, it eases some worries I have. These books prove multiple authors can have the same ideas but have unique characters and plot lines.

Provenance by Carla Laureano

Provenance focuses on Kendall Green, a prominent interior designer in California, who grew up in foster care. She’s a damaged soul who keeps people at arms-length. “Because if you didn’t let anyone in, you couldn’t be hurt by rejection. You couldn’t be disappointed. It was easier to be alone by your own choice than to have someone make that choice for you.” A trip to Colorado changes everything for Kendall. When she meets Gabe Brandt, the mayor of Jasper Lake, living alone becomes problematic.

Gabe is a perfect hero. He has a solid faith and tons of integrity, and wants to help Kendall find the answers to her provenance. Answers that may be hiding right in Jasper Lake. Provenance is a story about finding where your true worth lies. It’s about finding a Savior who says you’re His and you have a family. There’s a mystery involving Kendall’s grandmother that has a bitter sweet resolution. Provenance is a heartwarming romance with a great faith message.

Autumn by the Sea by Melissa Tagg

Sydney Rose is the heroine in Autumn by the Sea. She’s tried without success to discover why she ended up in foster care. When a private investigator shows up, Sydney learns she may have a family and sets out on an adventure. Soon after meeting the Muirs, Sydney thinks to herself, “It was as if she was homesick for a life she’d never lived.” What a great line. In Muir Harbor Sydney finds people she wants to be her family. “But always before the longing had been like a page from a child’s coloring book – black lines and blank spaces. Now…now her yearning had color. She wanted this family. She wanted this place.”

The overarching theme of the book is how family is more than blood relations. Family starts in the heart. The hero is a swoon-worthy Scot, who knows how to use his faint Scottish accent to its full impact. Neil MacKean has his own doubts about how much he’s loved. Watching Sydney and Neil’s romance develop was so much fun. In the end, this story is about a God we can trust to turn all our heartache into something good. You’ll laugh out loud and probably shed a few tears. Autumn by the Sea is a sweet book about the true meaning of love.

Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter

In Riverbend Gap, Kate Loveland ended up in foster care along with her brother when her mother chose alcohol over her children. Finding out why her mother would do this is something that drives Kate. The hero, Cooper Robinson, has been negatively impacted by an alcoholic father. However, unlike Kate, he and his brother Gavin were adopted by a good man.

Kate moves to Riverbend for work but her new boyfriend (Gavin) and her mother live there. Kate and Cooper are thrust together unwittingly by Gavin, and soon they can’t deny their growing feelings for each other. Love often arrives in the most unexpected ways and creates a very interesting dynamic in this story. In the end Riverbend Gap is about family and belonging.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed all three books and their unique approaches on the same topic. All three are part of a series, which means you don’t have to say goodbye to these lovable characters just yet. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with the secondary characters in the next installments.

You can find more reviews on my blog.