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Behind the Clouds
Marlee Alden wants to be strong in her beliefs.
Seth Fletcher wants to escape his past.
Bethany James wants to be heard in a broken system.
Three colliding stories that change the meaning of home.
Marlee Alden does not like to stand out. However, on the first day of her sophomore year at her local community college, Marlee is assigned a project that forces her to confront what she has held dear, including the steadfastness of her relationship with her best friend, Seth Fletcher.
Seth is adopted. Wisteria Village never allows him to forget how privileged he is to have been saved from the system. He cannot help but feel pressured to live up to his fullest potential and accept a spot in a prestigious engineering program. Nevertheless, there is one roadblock: he wants nothing to do with college or engineering. When a figure from his past comes to haunt, friends redefine what purpose looks like, and when secrets are peeled back, Seth must confront once and for all where he is meant to be.
Bethany James never has a say in her life. That doesn’t change when she is thrown into the foster system. She wants nothing to do with her new foster family. All she wants is to graduate high school, attend college on scholarship, and never look back. However, when her foster family drags her to church for the first time, and a girl at school who won’t stop trying to befriend her, Bethany begins to question what she really wants in life.
As Marlee’s, Seth’s, and Bethany’s lives intersect, they must wrestle with questions that define the rest of their lives.
Seth Fletcher wants to escape his past.
Bethany James wants to be heard in a broken system.
Three colliding stories that change the meaning of home.
Marlee Alden does not like to stand out. However, on the first day of her sophomore year at her local community college, Marlee is assigned a project that forces her to confront what she has held dear, including the steadfastness of her relationship with her best friend, Seth Fletcher.
Seth is adopted. Wisteria Village never allows him to forget how privileged he is to have been saved from the system. He cannot help but feel pressured to live up to his fullest potential and accept a spot in a prestigious engineering program. Nevertheless, there is one roadblock: he wants nothing to do with college or engineering. When a figure from his past comes to haunt, friends redefine what purpose looks like, and when secrets are peeled back, Seth must confront once and for all where he is meant to be.
Bethany James never has a say in her life. That doesn’t change when she is thrown into the foster system. She wants nothing to do with her new foster family. All she wants is to graduate high school, attend college on scholarship, and never look back. However, when her foster family drags her to church for the first time, and a girl at school who won’t stop trying to befriend her, Bethany begins to question what she really wants in life.
As Marlee’s, Seth’s, and Bethany’s lives intersect, they must wrestle with questions that define the rest of their lives.
- GenresChristian Fiction
441 pages, Paperback
Published November 18, 2025
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Abigail G. Thompson
5 books270 followersAbigail is the teen author behind The Halcyon Epics and the poetry book Scrawled Out Timeline. Her mission is to write God-glorifying fiction that compellingly uplifts Biblical themes and promotes divine Truth through heart-pounding stories so lives can be transformed by the Gospel’s message of hope and inspiration. When she isn't writing the next epic fantasy book, you can find her reading her favorite books, hanging out with friends, being a gym rat, obsessively drawing, or serving her church.
Abigail is the founder of the social movement #ProtectCleanFiction, which aims to inspire and change the bookish culture around sexuality in books by providing a loving, thriving community of clean book lovers and educating others about the dangers of smut in fiction.
Stay updated on books, special announcements, and other things at www.abigailg.com
Abigail is the founder of the social movement #ProtectCleanFiction, which aims to inspire and change the bookish culture around sexuality in books by providing a loving, thriving community of clean book lovers and educating others about the dangers of smut in fiction.
Stay updated on books, special announcements, and other things at www.abigailg.com
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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February 27, 2026
I received an ebook arc in exchange for my review. This is one of those hard to review books. I liked some part and I didn’t like others. This is no hate to the author. This is my personal opinion. I felt like there was a lot of jumping around and bouncing around in between chapters. I wish it flowed a little smoother. I had a hard time connecting with either of the characters. I liked Bethany’s POV better than the other two and would’ve liked more of her. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t loving Marlee and Seth’s romance like other books I’ve read.
What I liked:
☁️ I liked the themes of fostering and adoption. The beauty and the painful parts of it. Those situations felt very real to me. Adoption is something I hope to do in the future and is very near and dear to my heart.
☁️ I liked the strong faith content and conversations. There were some very good quotes that I liked! More books need strong faith content and conversations. Great job on that, Abigail! 👏🏻
☁️ I liked the redemption arcs and themes of forgiveness and healing. I thought they were powerful and important.
☁️ I was pulled in once I started reading and I wanted to know what happened next.
☁️ I liked Pastor Lincoln. He reminded me of a character in one of my books.
What I didn’t like:
🌩️ Some of the words that were used like crap, flipping, freaking. Shut up was said a ton and it became repetitive. It’s just in my opinion that those were unnecessary.
🌩️ The formatting with the texts and journal entries felt thrown in and out of place for me. It kinda took me away from the story.
🌩️ There are some heavier topics dealt with in here that the author does warn about in her note. But there is a certain scene I felt like there was too much information. There were also a couple comments and a conversation that I felt was too far at least for me.
🌩️ The ending felt very abrupt to me.
Overall, I’m glad that I read it even though I didn’t love it. You can clearly see Abigail G Thompson’s love and passion for writing and Jesus as you read it.
What I liked:
☁️ I liked the themes of fostering and adoption. The beauty and the painful parts of it. Those situations felt very real to me. Adoption is something I hope to do in the future and is very near and dear to my heart.
☁️ I liked the strong faith content and conversations. There were some very good quotes that I liked! More books need strong faith content and conversations. Great job on that, Abigail! 👏🏻
☁️ I liked the redemption arcs and themes of forgiveness and healing. I thought they were powerful and important.
☁️ I was pulled in once I started reading and I wanted to know what happened next.
☁️ I liked Pastor Lincoln. He reminded me of a character in one of my books.
What I didn’t like:
🌩️ Some of the words that were used like crap, flipping, freaking. Shut up was said a ton and it became repetitive. It’s just in my opinion that those were unnecessary.
🌩️ The formatting with the texts and journal entries felt thrown in and out of place for me. It kinda took me away from the story.
🌩️ There are some heavier topics dealt with in here that the author does warn about in her note. But there is a certain scene I felt like there was too much information. There were also a couple comments and a conversation that I felt was too far at least for me.
🌩️ The ending felt very abrupt to me.
Overall, I’m glad that I read it even though I didn’t love it. You can clearly see Abigail G Thompson’s love and passion for writing and Jesus as you read it.
Read
June 18, 2025rtc
June 18, 2025
Endorsement:
"Behind the Clouds is a beautiful and poignant story, raw and real, touching on the realities of foster care, the struggles of growing up, and the challenges facing the youth of our world today. Within its pages the reader can feel seen and walk away with a deeper sense of what it means to truly find home and hope behind the clouds."
Characters:
Marlee is a strong and beautiful character, her internal strength despite physical problems. I loved her journey of learning to stand strong for what she believed in and in letting others in. <3
Bethany…I related a lot with her y’all. Her story of being in the system once and then landing it in the system again. Her grief over her mom’s decisions, her determination that she will make something of her life. I loved her determination, related hard with her emotional journey, and can’t say more or I’ll spoil it…but I loved her!
Seth, I don’t know how to communicate how much I loved him. He had such a depth and I’m in the same situation as him right now…forgetting most days that I was ever part of any family but the one I’m in right now. The memories that rush back with contact with bio parents, some good, some not so great…the war of love and hate and wanting to put it all behind me but knowing how…#irelate
Themes:
Finding home and family, reaching out to others, being an understanding shoulder to cry on, setting boundaries, standing for what you believe, talking about your problems with others, not carrying your past like a burden but instead learning to unload it on God…the range of themes is amazing and very impactful!
Language:
N/A
Romance:
A cutesy romance between Seth and Marlee, that is all awkward and adorable. There are some flashbacks of a much more intense romance scene, but it is touched on and viewed by both as something wrong and not something they want to repeat. There is a lot of good conversations about it and boundaries in general.
Violence/Gore:
N/A
Other Notes:
There are some mentions of sexual assault, pimps, sex, etc…all addressed within a Bibical worldview. Even LGBTQ+ was touched on through a Biblical lens.
Overall:
Behind the Clouds is a book every young adult could learn something from, but also enjoy. It opens the door to what it means to be misunderstood or outside the normal. It pulls the curtain back on the complicated complexities of foster care for both the foster family and foster child. The system isn’t perfect, but there are good people aiming to do their jobs well. I’m thankful for the numerous case workers who have helped keep me and my siblings where we needed to be over the years.
I think this book has the potential to be world shaking for this generation…the question now is…are you ready to be shook?
Recommend age 14-15+
"Behind the Clouds is a beautiful and poignant story, raw and real, touching on the realities of foster care, the struggles of growing up, and the challenges facing the youth of our world today. Within its pages the reader can feel seen and walk away with a deeper sense of what it means to truly find home and hope behind the clouds."
Characters:
Marlee is a strong and beautiful character, her internal strength despite physical problems. I loved her journey of learning to stand strong for what she believed in and in letting others in. <3
Bethany…I related a lot with her y’all. Her story of being in the system once and then landing it in the system again. Her grief over her mom’s decisions, her determination that she will make something of her life. I loved her determination, related hard with her emotional journey, and can’t say more or I’ll spoil it…but I loved her!
Seth, I don’t know how to communicate how much I loved him. He had such a depth and I’m in the same situation as him right now…forgetting most days that I was ever part of any family but the one I’m in right now. The memories that rush back with contact with bio parents, some good, some not so great…the war of love and hate and wanting to put it all behind me but knowing how…#irelate
Themes:
Finding home and family, reaching out to others, being an understanding shoulder to cry on, setting boundaries, standing for what you believe, talking about your problems with others, not carrying your past like a burden but instead learning to unload it on God…the range of themes is amazing and very impactful!
Language:
N/A
Romance:
A cutesy romance between Seth and Marlee, that is all awkward and adorable. There are some flashbacks of a much more intense romance scene, but it is touched on and viewed by both as something wrong and not something they want to repeat. There is a lot of good conversations about it and boundaries in general.
Violence/Gore:
N/A
Other Notes:
There are some mentions of sexual assault, pimps, sex, etc…all addressed within a Bibical worldview. Even LGBTQ+ was touched on through a Biblical lens.
Overall:
Behind the Clouds is a book every young adult could learn something from, but also enjoy. It opens the door to what it means to be misunderstood or outside the normal. It pulls the curtain back on the complicated complexities of foster care for both the foster family and foster child. The system isn’t perfect, but there are good people aiming to do their jobs well. I’m thankful for the numerous case workers who have helped keep me and my siblings where we needed to be over the years.
I think this book has the potential to be world shaking for this generation…the question now is…are you ready to be shook?
Recommend age 14-15+
March 5, 2026
Wow, wow, wow.
This is only the second of Abigail’s books that I’ve actually finished, so I went in a little blind, but I loved it! It’s a timely, gritty read, dealing with the realities of foster care with tact and sensitivity.
I especially loved the guys’ kind but uncompromising butting into each others’ problems to solve them. 😂 And Marlee and Lea had me missing my bestie . . . 🥺
I would love to see books about Eli and Jack. 😏
I will say that while it’s YA, I would not hand this to a young teen who didn’t already know something about the world. I personally wouldn’t recommend this to my sheltered young friends without having their parents read it first. That said, for the kids to whom these topics are relevant and older teens who are familiar with the topics presented, this is a great read.
It would make a great guided read for parents to use for introducing their teen to these concepts.
Content Warnings: honestly there are a lot of them for a YA book. 😅 But that’s what a biblical take on s*xual¡ty and foster care will give you.
Brought up or referenced are discussions, depictions, and depictions of the aftermath (trauma responses, panic attacks) of s*xual assault/abцse, hцмаn tr@ff¡ck¡ng, domestic abцse, substance abцse, homos*xual¡ty, p0rnogr@phy.
While technically spice free, there are bluntly put references to SA and a brief “steamier” scene of slipping into temptation and stopping shy of premarital s3x (bluntly put, nondescriptive kisses and shirts off, calling it what it is).
Imo it’s a book written with discretion for those who have or need discretion, not one for every teen reader.
Language warnings: crap, flipping . . . I don’t recall others? In general I’m not a big fan of the culture of cursing even if the words used are euphemistic or “light swears.”
I’ve given this five stars for story and impact, but I could see room for improvement in editing. Not to nitpick, but a heads up to the readers who are inclined to nitpick, you will have to turn off the mental grammar/typo judging sometimes. 😂
All in all a great book and I can’t wait to read Abigail’s next release!
This is only the second of Abigail’s books that I’ve actually finished, so I went in a little blind, but I loved it! It’s a timely, gritty read, dealing with the realities of foster care with tact and sensitivity.
I especially loved the guys’ kind but uncompromising butting into each others’ problems to solve them. 😂 And Marlee and Lea had me missing my bestie . . . 🥺
I would love to see books about Eli and Jack. 😏
I will say that while it’s YA, I would not hand this to a young teen who didn’t already know something about the world. I personally wouldn’t recommend this to my sheltered young friends without having their parents read it first. That said, for the kids to whom these topics are relevant and older teens who are familiar with the topics presented, this is a great read.
It would make a great guided read for parents to use for introducing their teen to these concepts.
Content Warnings: honestly there are a lot of them for a YA book. 😅 But that’s what a biblical take on s*xual¡ty and foster care will give you.
Brought up or referenced are discussions, depictions, and depictions of the aftermath (trauma responses, panic attacks) of s*xual assault/abцse, hцмаn tr@ff¡ck¡ng, domestic abцse, substance abцse, homos*xual¡ty, p0rnogr@phy.
While technically spice free, there are bluntly put references to SA and a brief “steamier” scene of slipping into temptation and stopping shy of premarital s3x (bluntly put, nondescriptive kisses and shirts off, calling it what it is).
Imo it’s a book written with discretion for those who have or need discretion, not one for every teen reader.
Language warnings: crap, flipping . . . I don’t recall others? In general I’m not a big fan of the culture of cursing even if the words used are euphemistic or “light swears.”
I’ve given this five stars for story and impact, but I could see room for improvement in editing. Not to nitpick, but a heads up to the readers who are inclined to nitpick, you will have to turn off the mental grammar/typo judging sometimes. 😂
All in all a great book and I can’t wait to read Abigail’s next release!
Read
June 5, 2025Endorsement
Book 21 of 2025
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance, Christian Fiction
Format: E-book
(Because I was asked to endorse this book, this “review” is written to reflect that.)
Pitch
Three teenagers finding the meaning of home. Sound of Hope meets John Green in this YA romance about foster care.
Endorsement
Behind the Clouds is a heart-gripping tale of love, loss, and legacy. It’s full of redemption and restoration. It’s heavy, but heartfelt, and ultimately, it points readers to the saving grace of Christ.
Review
This story discusses some hard themes. It addresses the realities of foster care and how some take advantage of that by trafficking children in the system. It also discusses some reasons a child might enter foster care, like: parental drug and alcohol abuse, neglect, and physical and emotional abuse. It also addresses areas where teens might struggle with lust, like watching pornography and going too far while making out.
Now, with that said, the book was written in a manner that addresses these things without being too graphic or condoning the behavior. Because it is a Christian fiction, it reminds readers that there is forgiveness for these things, and in Christ, there is redemption and restoration.
Read if you like: John Green, The Colors of Rain
Check out Abigail G. Thompson’s Kickstarter for her YA contemporary novel titled Beyond the Clouds. It’s currently in the pre-launch stage.
Book 21 of 2025
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance, Christian Fiction
Format: E-book
(Because I was asked to endorse this book, this “review” is written to reflect that.)
Pitch
Three teenagers finding the meaning of home. Sound of Hope meets John Green in this YA romance about foster care.
Endorsement
Behind the Clouds is a heart-gripping tale of love, loss, and legacy. It’s full of redemption and restoration. It’s heavy, but heartfelt, and ultimately, it points readers to the saving grace of Christ.
Review
This story discusses some hard themes. It addresses the realities of foster care and how some take advantage of that by trafficking children in the system. It also discusses some reasons a child might enter foster care, like: parental drug and alcohol abuse, neglect, and physical and emotional abuse. It also addresses areas where teens might struggle with lust, like watching pornography and going too far while making out.
Now, with that said, the book was written in a manner that addresses these things without being too graphic or condoning the behavior. Because it is a Christian fiction, it reminds readers that there is forgiveness for these things, and in Christ, there is redemption and restoration.
Read if you like: John Green, The Colors of Rain
Check out Abigail G. Thompson’s Kickstarter for her YA contemporary novel titled Beyond the Clouds. It’s currently in the pre-launch stage.
March 16, 2026
***ARC Review***
THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE
Behind the Clouds goes into the redemptive and tragic sides of adoption and the foster system in a vivid way that is gripping, memorable, gritty, and captivating. This book handles the topics of adoption, fostering, abuse, trauma, and healing in a way that would be good for anyone 16 and up to read and sit with. That said, I would be careful about giving to younger teens, since these intense topics are discussed very candidly. Though the whole book is written through a biblical worldview, it is probably too blunt for many younger readers who are unfamiliar with or aren't yet ready to sit with many of the harsh realities of the foster care system. Behind the Clouds is written for young adults, but it is not an easy read, since it brings you face-to-face with the actualities of the foster care system in a stark way that will sit with you long after you read it.
The characters are realistic and relatable. Despite their very different individual stories and backgrounds, Seth, Marlee, and Bethany are incredible main characters. Their intertwining stories are very impactful and made the book's message all the more poignant. I also loved that the love and redemption that can only come through Christ is essential to this book.
Behind the Clouds is a must-read for older teens and adults who want Christian books that don't shy away from and will force them to confront difficult topics.
THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE
Behind the Clouds goes into the redemptive and tragic sides of adoption and the foster system in a vivid way that is gripping, memorable, gritty, and captivating. This book handles the topics of adoption, fostering, abuse, trauma, and healing in a way that would be good for anyone 16 and up to read and sit with. That said, I would be careful about giving to younger teens, since these intense topics are discussed very candidly. Though the whole book is written through a biblical worldview, it is probably too blunt for many younger readers who are unfamiliar with or aren't yet ready to sit with many of the harsh realities of the foster care system. Behind the Clouds is written for young adults, but it is not an easy read, since it brings you face-to-face with the actualities of the foster care system in a stark way that will sit with you long after you read it.
The characters are realistic and relatable. Despite their very different individual stories and backgrounds, Seth, Marlee, and Bethany are incredible main characters. Their intertwining stories are very impactful and made the book's message all the more poignant. I also loved that the love and redemption that can only come through Christ is essential to this book.
Behind the Clouds is a must-read for older teens and adults who want Christian books that don't shy away from and will force them to confront difficult topics.
March 16, 2026
Rate: 5/5
Genre: Christian Romance
🚨TW: mentions about abused, being sexually assaulted, mentions about taking drugs and alcohol and even sell drugs, loss of love one, grief
Read it if you like:
🌻 Triple POV
🌻 Chronic illness rep
🌻 Friends to more
🌻 Foster care
🌻 Christian themes
🌻 Big family
🌻 Friendships
🌻 Pro-life themes
🌻 Book loving FMC
Three lovely characters struggling and love that they each of them found God and rely on Him. Will post the full review on release day. Stay tuned for it.
I was gifted complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. Thanks @official_abigailg.thompson for the ARC.
🚨CW: almost had sex,
Genre: Christian Romance
🚨TW: mentions about abused, being sexually assaulted, mentions about taking drugs and alcohol and even sell drugs, loss of love one, grief
Read it if you like:
🌻 Triple POV
🌻 Chronic illness rep
🌻 Friends to more
🌻 Foster care
🌻 Christian themes
🌻 Big family
🌻 Friendships
🌻 Pro-life themes
🌻 Book loving FMC
Three lovely characters struggling and love that they each of them found God and rely on Him. Will post the full review on release day. Stay tuned for it.
I was gifted complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. Thanks @official_abigailg.thompson for the ARC.
🚨CW: almost had sex,
March 14, 2026
A beutiful story of pain and healing. I could not put this down! Thompson did an amazing job portraying the pain caused by being in the foster care system and believing lies the enemy tries to tell us. All the charecters are well written and are very realistic!
romance: 2.75/5
violence 3/5
13+
romance: 2.75/5
violence 3/5
13+
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews