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A Gift for Chloe
Her carefully ordered world is turning upside down…
Linda is the one who holds her family together. She’s an absolute rock—at least, she was until her daughter announced her pregnancy (wait, isn’t 40 way too young to become a grandmother?) and delivered the news that the baby has Down syndrome.
Now she finds herself standing in the middle of a bookstore, floundering to regain her equilibrium as her carefully ordered world tumbles willy-nilly around her. Instead of making a relatively simple decision about which book to buy, she’s spent an hour waffling between two titles and trying (and failing) to come to grips with this new reality she hasn’t had nearly enough chance to prepare for. It’s not that she hasn’t already fallen head over heels in love with baby Chloe, but this is something she’s not equipped to handle—she can’t even choose a self-help book on the subject, for goodness’ sake.
Her friends and the medical professionals blithely insist she’ll forget all about special needs the moment she sees her grandchild for the first time. Even the too-good-to-be-true, optimistic fellow customer she encounters in the aisle of the bookstore seems to think she’s worried over nothing.
This handsome stranger is obviously compassionate and knows a lot about Downs, but Linda is in no way interested in striking up a conversation with him, let alone a friendship, no matter how intriguing he is… until he performs a random act of kindness she can’t ignore.
Linda is the one who holds her family together. She’s an absolute rock—at least, she was until her daughter announced her pregnancy (wait, isn’t 40 way too young to become a grandmother?) and delivered the news that the baby has Down syndrome.
Now she finds herself standing in the middle of a bookstore, floundering to regain her equilibrium as her carefully ordered world tumbles willy-nilly around her. Instead of making a relatively simple decision about which book to buy, she’s spent an hour waffling between two titles and trying (and failing) to come to grips with this new reality she hasn’t had nearly enough chance to prepare for. It’s not that she hasn’t already fallen head over heels in love with baby Chloe, but this is something she’s not equipped to handle—she can’t even choose a self-help book on the subject, for goodness’ sake.
Her friends and the medical professionals blithely insist she’ll forget all about special needs the moment she sees her grandchild for the first time. Even the too-good-to-be-true, optimistic fellow customer she encounters in the aisle of the bookstore seems to think she’s worried over nothing.
This handsome stranger is obviously compassionate and knows a lot about Downs, but Linda is in no way interested in striking up a conversation with him, let alone a friendship, no matter how intriguing he is… until he performs a random act of kindness she can’t ignore.
- GenresContemporary
10 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 21, 2014
2 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Susan Lohrer
9 books12 followersSusan Lohrer is a Canadian romance author who got her start in writing by selling funny anecdotes about her family to the Canadian Reader's Digest. She also likes fish (in aquariums).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 3, 2019
I forgot my ereader at home this morning, so I downloaded this to read on my lunch break. Being a young grandmother myself (first time at 39), I could relate to the feeling of being unprepared for grandchildren. Being a special needs mother myself, I also was hoping that the topic was handled with consideration for those families who may have a Down child. (It was.)
My complaint is that it was just too short. Barely 50 pages altogether, so no real time to make a connection with the couple.
My complaint is that it was just too short. Barely 50 pages altogether, so no real time to make a connection with the couple.
August 22, 2017
Life’s Rollercoaster Ride
This is a makes-you-think short story. Linda, a middle-aged, grandmother-to-be for the first time was thrilled that she would become a grandmother. Unfortunately, the euphoria was shattered when the news arrived later on that this welcome bundle of joy would have Down syndrome. Linda is at the local bookstore attempting to select the appropriate book to educate herself on this new subject and having difficulty deciding between two good books. Unbeknownst to her, the author of one of the books is in the bookstore that afternoon for a book signing and as he wanders by he notices the two books in her hands. She feels a sudden attraction to him and his cologne. He commences a casual conversation with Linda concerning Down syndrome but does let on that he authored one of her books. At the checkout counter the clerk says her purchase, his book, has already been paid for by the author who is at the back of the store signing books. Linda goes back to meet him again, get her book signed, and to get to know him better.
This is a makes-you-think short story. Linda, a middle-aged, grandmother-to-be for the first time was thrilled that she would become a grandmother. Unfortunately, the euphoria was shattered when the news arrived later on that this welcome bundle of joy would have Down syndrome. Linda is at the local bookstore attempting to select the appropriate book to educate herself on this new subject and having difficulty deciding between two good books. Unbeknownst to her, the author of one of the books is in the bookstore that afternoon for a book signing and as he wanders by he notices the two books in her hands. She feels a sudden attraction to him and his cologne. He commences a casual conversation with Linda concerning Down syndrome but does let on that he authored one of her books. At the checkout counter the clerk says her purchase, his book, has already been paid for by the author who is at the back of the store signing books. Linda goes back to meet him again, get her book signed, and to get to know him better.
September 28, 2017
This novella was way to short. Actually it was two stories. The book is only 50 pages long. And most of that is advertisement for other books and about the author. It didn't give enough to get interested in anything beyond this book. It kind of makes me wonder what the purpose of this book was.
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March 28, 2020Since I wrote a novel about a family dealing with Down Syndrome, I've kept an eye out for other books on the same topic. The author got off to a good start, but to my disappointment, the story didn't continue.
July 25, 2020
Very short, sweet, but not much too it. More of a missed opportunity, if anything.
October 23, 2014
Susan Lohrer has another winner in this delightful short, sweet story.
Linda is about to become a grandmother to baby Chloe, who has Down Syndrome. While searching for information to help prepare her for a granddaughter with special needs, she meets an appealing outdoorsy man in a bookstore. Before long she's wondering if he's just being helpful, or is he hitting on her. When Linda is ready to pay for the book she selected, she's in for a surprise. Dan is much more than “outdoorsy”, and Linda is definitely interested.
Linda is about to become a grandmother to baby Chloe, who has Down Syndrome. While searching for information to help prepare her for a granddaughter with special needs, she meets an appealing outdoorsy man in a bookstore. Before long she's wondering if he's just being helpful, or is he hitting on her. When Linda is ready to pay for the book she selected, she's in for a surprise. Dan is much more than “outdoorsy”, and Linda is definitely interested.
July 9, 2017
I absolutely loved this story. It is very well written and has an interesting plot. The characters are well developed and memorable. In fact, they are so well developed and the plot so interesting that I wish it was longer. I will definitely being reading more titles by Susan Lohrer.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews