Say Goodbye for Now (Hyde)

Say Goodbye for Now 
Catherine Ryan Hyde, 2016
Lake Union Publishing
358 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781503939448


Summary
On an isolated Texas ranch, Dr. Lucy cares for abandoned animals. The solitude allows her to avoid the people and places that remind her of the past. Not that any of the townsfolk care.

In 1959, no one is interested in a woman doctor. Nor are they welcoming Calvin and Justin Bell, a newly arrived African American father and son.

When Pete Solomon, a neglected twelve-year-old boy, and Justin bring a wounded wolf-dog hybrid to Dr. Lucy, the outcasts soon find refuge in one another.

Lucy never thought she’d make connections again, never mind fall in love. Pete never imagined he’d find friends as loyal as Justin and the dog. But these four people aren’t allowed to be friends, much less a family, when the whole town turns violently against them.

With heavy hearts, Dr. Lucy and Pete say goodbye to Calvin and Justin. But through the years they keep hope alive…waiting for the world to catch up with them.  (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—1955
• Where—Buffalo, New York, USA
• Education—High School
• Currently—lives in Cambria, California


Catherine was born into a family of writers, and lived during her early life in the Buffalo, New York. (She points to a favorite teacher, Lenny Horowitz, for helping her change from being "the last kid picked" for a team to finally becoming a writer.) After an accelerated graduation from high school at 17, she headed to New York City planning to do something other than writing—anything that might provide a steadier paycheck. Over the years, she worked as a baker, pastry chef, auto mechanic, dog trainer, and tour guide.

Then, in the early 1980s Hyde decided to dedicate herself to becoming a full-time writer. By the mid-'80s, she had moved to a small town on California’s Central Coast, where she decided to come to terms with her alcohol and drug addiction. Twenty-five years on, Hyde is clean and sober—and now the author of nearly 25 novels, as well as numerous short stories.

She has won literary accolades throughout the world. Her bestselling novel Pay it Forward was adapted into a major motion picture starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt, and translated into 23 languages for distribution in over 30 countries.

When not writing, Hyde hikes, kayaks, and visits national parks. The research for Take Me With You was all done from her own little twenty-two-foot motorhome. (Adapted from the publisher and Wikipedia. Retrieved 4/10/2016.)

Book Reviews
Catherine Ryan Hyde delivers once again with this feel-good story guaranteed to be a hit.
Redbook


Catherine Ryan Hyde is a most discerning and gifted writer. She writes quietly yet powerfully, with words chosen and placed carefully, words that enfold and pull the reader deeply into her story.
Bookreporter


A moving story about patience, trust, the families we choose, and the love it takes to let somebody go.
Booklist


[A] moving family story that tackles broad themes of racism, compassion, abuse, and love. Readers will be hoping that the characters find true love and justice. Includes book group questions. —Jan Marry, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA
Library Journal


Hyde captures the determination of Justin and Pete's friendship as well as the wistfulness of Pete's love for the injured dog. Yet the love between Lucy and Calvin is rushed, underdeveloped, and difficult to believe.... A sentimental yet heartwarming tale of transgression and redemption.
Kirkus Reviews

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