have you ever read a book so good that you didn't read anything else for a couple of days just to keep that feeling you get when you read a piece of literary art? This was one of those books for me.
To say I truly enjoyed it would be an understatement.

Blessings tells the story of Skip Cuddy, caretaker of the Blessings estate, who finds a baby asleep in a box and decides he wants to keep her, and of matriarch Lydia Blessing, who, for her own reasons, decides to help him. The secrets of the past, how they affect today's decisions and lives, what makes a person, a life, legitimate or illegitimate and who decides--these are at the cneter of this wonderful novel of love, redemption and personal change.

This novel begins when a teenage couple drives up, late at night, headlights out, to Blessings, the estate owned by Lydia Blessing. They leave a box and drive away, and in this instant the world of Blessings is changed forever. Skip Cuddy, caretake of the estate, finds a baby esleep in that box, and decides he wants to keep her. Matriarch, Lydia Blessing, for her own reasons, decides to help him. The secrets of the past and how they effect the decisions and lives of people in the present, what makes a person - a life, ligitimate or illigitimate and who decides; the unique resoources people find in themselves and in a community.

Blessings is the swankiest house/property around. The old house has been in the Blessing family for as long as anyone can remember; and Skip, fresh out of prison, has found employment there. He also found a baby in a box left outside his apartment over the garage. Skip decides to care for the baby on his own, but is careful not to let Lydia Blessing, his employer, find out about the newborn. Lydia Blessing has lived at Blessings her entire adult life, and now she mainly lives in the past. In her eighties, she lives alone and is quite unhappy. She's not close to her only child, Meredith. She was widowed by WWII mere months after her wedding; and her best friend died years ago. Inevitably, Lydia finds out about the child, but instead of insisting the Skip leave or turn the baby over to authorities, she begins to help him care for the child and an unlikely friendship begins.

I agree with other reviewers that the book was slow to begin, but after it picked up, I really enjoyed it. The characters--especially Lydia--are well-defined. It's a story of new beginnings, which always involve re-examining the past. Both Skip and Lydia evolve over the course of the novel--Skip eager for the change; Lydia, not so much. It's a nice story and a good read.

What a lovely, lovely book. Touched my heart and funny bone. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A beautiful, moving, well crafted novel that will leave you pondering the deeper meaning of what "family" means, and how love can grow between the most unlikely people. Savor the descriptions, the prose, and the feeling in every line.

Excellent book

powerful, moving. Very good read.

This was a wonderful story about an abandoned baby and an old woman who had to deal with her past. It was a real tender story and yet Anna had to really get down to brass tacks too.

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Enjoyable, easy read. Characters are likeable - good book

I did not enjoy it as much as her others but it was still a good read with decent writing.

An unusual yet captivating story of love and commitment.

Decent story of what makes a family.

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