Als ich dich fand

by Catherine Ryan Hyde, Sonja Glück (Translator)

Als Nathan McCann ein halbvergrabenes Baby im Wald findet, geht er davon aus, dass es tot ist. Doch dann bewegt es sich, und in einem einzigen kurzen Moment ändert sich Nathans Leben für immer.

Der kleine Junge wird zu seiner Großmutter geschickt, um bei ihr aufzuwachsen, aber Nathan kann ihn nicht vergessen, und er stattet der alten Frau einen Besuch ab. Er bittet um ein einfaches Versprechen: dass sie Nathan irgendwann dem Jungen vorstellen und ihm erzählen wird, dass er der Mann ist, der ihn im Wald gefunden hat.

Die Jahre vergehen, und Nathan nimmt an, dass die alte Dame ihr Versprechen vergessen hat, bis eines Tages ein wütender, schwieriger Junge mit einem Koffer in der Hand vor seiner Haustür steht …

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Contemporary, Drama, Ebooks, Adult, Family

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2009

About the author

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the author of more than 50 published and forthcoming books.

She is co-author, with publishing industry blogger Anne R. Allen, of How to be a Writer in the E-Age: a Self-Help Guide.

Her bestselling 1999 novel Pay It Forward was made into a major Warner Brothers motion picture. It was chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list, and translated into more than two dozen languages for distribution in over 30 countries. Simon & Schuster released a special 15th anniversary edition in December of ’14.

Pay It Forward: Young Readers Edition, an age-appropriate edited edition of the original novel, was released by Simon & Schuster in August of ‘14. It is suitable for children as young as eight.

You can learn much more about Catherine at www.catherineryanhyde.com

Reviews

[Merri · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a professional in the foster care, adoption and counseling field, I enjoyed the message this novel shares about committing 100% to a child regardless of how hard they push you, test you, infuriate or emotionally hurt you. Nathan was the type of surrogate parent every professional in my field looks for when placing abused and neglected children. I applaud the author's insight in understanding the loss and grief process children such as Nat experience and the unconditional support their caregivers must provide. The message to be truthful with children about their past and not to create stories they will ultimately learn are false is one that is paramount in securing the trust foster and adoptive children needed to heal. This novel also touched a bit on some of the struggles adoptive parents encounter such as the emotional walls Eleanor build to keep Nat out and the affect this had on her marriage. I gave this novel 4 stars vs 5 simply because it left me questioning the development and demise of Nat and his wife's relationship. I would strongly suggest this book for foster and adoptive parents.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five tear-stained stars. This book had me blubbering like a baby at the end. Hyde writes characters that are flawed, yet so sympathetic, you can't help but love them and root for them. If you want a truly emotionally-resonant read, pick this one up.

[Penelope · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was expecting quite a lot from this book, so I was extremely disappointed with what I got. Hyde's writing is minimalist but emotionless (at least the majority of the time); books often bring me to tears but I could not even feel a twang in my heart. I love the minimalist style, but part of minimalism is not just saying few things and describing little; it's using as few words as necessary to pack a punch. It's meant to be like a 5 Hour Energy vs a Rockstar.

The pace of this novel is rapid; by the time I was digesting the fact that the baby had been found, he was already a juvenile delinquent. This means that important plot strings are picked up then dropped, and given no depth. Nat's relationship with Carol is meant to be deep and full of devotion, but we see her maybe twice before they're married. Their relationship does not grow within the novel, which would have added an extra layer to the story. They meet then they're married, which seems absurdly unlikely for someone who was sprung out of juvie two days prior and never had the chance to flirt with girls.

I found the novel's depiction of women to be repugnant; all three of the women who feature as wives are nothing more than dutiful wives acting as extensions of their husbands. They're pure and faithful (even Nathan's first wife, Flora, who I solidly disliked). Carol has no reason to exist other than for her husband and raises no objection even when he doesn't talk to her for nine years. She never sees anybody else. Flora and Eleanor both disappear from the story the moment they disappear from their husband's lives. (Well, granted, Flora died, but come on.) They are always somehow able to make beautiful, delicious meals for the table. Despite having four important female figures, none of them ever talk to each other or form a relationship. Three of them are extremely unlikeable. The only one who seems to have a kind heart is Carol, who is conveniently also a devout Christian who saved herself for marriage, adding a whole other layer of bad taste.

The only characters in the stories who seem to have real flaws are Nat, Eleanor, Flora, and Ertha. Everyone else seems to be living in some heightened state of awareness, even Manny, who allows Nat to skip out on his job. The character of Jack comes in as a major driving force in the story then disappears several chapters later; tantalizing hints are dropped about Jack and Nat's mother and father, but we never learn about them, leading to a keen sense of disappointment.

One other thing I would like to touch on briefly is Hyde's depictions of people of color; they are almost invariably colored with stereotypes in language or in behavior. Which is really kinda uncool.

All in all, I'm glad it only cost 99 cents; I have never read a book that frustrated me so much. I've never before rated a book one star, actually; the only thing that seems to redeem this is its basic plot.

[John Gilbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first Catherine Ryan Hyde book that I was unable to finish. As a matter of fact I did not like it much at all, even though the opening chapter was so promising with Nathan finding a baby a day old abandoned under a tree where he was duck hunting. Nathan promised to stand by the boy no matter what, and Nat proves to be a difficult boy indeed.

In the end it was Nat's love and passion for boxing that finally did it for me. Having started and been involved running a boxing program for young people many years ago, I found the down side of this brutal sport and now have absolutely no love for the sport or most people involved in it. I threw in the towel at 75% as I have loved so many of her books until now it was a dissapointment.
2 stars

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I Found You: a masterpiece of human emotion...

Just read this short paragraph, let the words sink in, then close your eyes and visualize what you've read:

"Nathan McCann stood in his dark kitchen, a good two hours before dawn. He flipped on the overhead light, halfway hoping to see the coffeemaker all set up with water and grounds and waiting to be plugged in and set to percolating. Instead he saw the filter basket lying empty in the dish drain, looking abandoned and bare."

Sometimes when we read an opening passage in a book, the words fit together so well, so perfectly crafted, that it creates an indelible image that sticks with us. This is the case with Catherine Ryan Hyde's When I Found You, a stunningly moving story of honesty, faith, perseverance and the human spirit.

Nathan McCann was a middle-aged man, married but without no children. While out hunting with his dog, he found a newborn infant in the woods, and assumed that the child was dead. But when the baby moved, Nathan's existence was changed completely, and that event became the beginning of a chain of events that span a lifetime.

Nathan took the baby to the hospital, quite taken by this small life that he had found. He wanted to adopt the boy, but the child's maternal grandmother claimed it. Nathan couldn't forget him, so he visited the child's grandmother and gave her a request: that when the boy was old enough, that he was to be told the truth. The grandmother gave her word that at some point she would introduce the boy to 'the man who found you in the woods.'

The boy was named Nat in honor of Nathan, and for the next fifteen years lived with his grandmother. Nathan watched the boy from a distance, not involved in his life, and sent birthday and Christmas gifts. Because she wanted to protect him, the grandmother chose to not to tell Nat that his own mother abandoned him. Her reluctance to be truthful with him caused problems, and he began to grow into being a troubled young man. His misbehavior resulted in the grandmother taking Nat to Nathan to raise, as she could no longer deal with him.

The appearance of Nat into Nathan's life brought frequent turmoil and battles. Nat was an angry young man, seemingly angry at everything in the world; Nathan was a man of principles, believing in always telling the truth. The tumultuous relationship between a father and son who are not blood relatives had some profound effects on both of them and the others in their lives. Yet this story, spanning a period of about thirty years, will surprise the reader with it's range of human emotion and how bonds can be strained yet not broken.

There are many books that can touch ones emotions and tug at the heartstrings. But there are few that are as well written, that can delve so deeply into how one tiny moment can be the catalyst of lifetime of events, of how one flash of faith can set off an amazing chain of human emotions that can be so profoundly moving. It's a tale of unconditional love and unwavering faith that few can match.

Author Catherine Ryan Hyde has a way of writing, of putting her words together, that makes us visualize as we read her words. Her earlier work, Pay It Forward, resulted in not just the highly acclaimed film of the same name, but a worldwide movement that continues to grow to this day. As a personal note, that book had been my favorite of all her works until I read When I Found You, and now I have two... different books in all respects, yet with a common bond in dealing with perseverance, human emotion and spirit.

Note: This review originally appeared on Amazon.com, and can be seen here:

• Review of When I Found You

Books by Catherine Ryan Hyde referenced here:

• When I Found You
• Pay It Forward

5/4/2012

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, following the lives of young Nat, who was abandoned at birth, and his 'rescuer' Nathan. The story mostly follows the relationship between these two, it was interesting watching the building maturity of Nat, and the way he grows up, finding his way in the world and how he cares for his saviour. The back story was boxing, a sport that has never interested me but was crucial to the storyline. I've read a couple of books lately where the characters have been such nice people, and this is one of them, you build a repore ~ it makes you feel like you're gunning for them and want the best for all involved. Written well, and easy to read while I have the distraction of school holidays and extra kids around, and all the other distractions that always seem to come my way. Highly recommended, a lovely book with beautiful characters and a very special relationship. The first of this author for me, and I have 'Pay it Forward' to look forward to.

[Maria Olga Lectoraapasionada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Qué bonita historia de amor, en definitiva una historia de un padre y un hijo, de un padre que no se rinde jamás, y es que a veces la familia se hace con el corazón, no con la sangre.
Si bien el libro no está narrado de una forma maravillosa, si deja claro el mensaje del libro, a mi me dejo un bonito mensaje ..

[Connie Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read of this author, I had expected a quick, perhaps rather fluffy chick lit story. Surprise when I found a heart wrenching, heart warming and touching book with men as the main characters. Well crafted and believable these were men that the I found myself rooting for.

Every young man, full of a difficult past and yearning for something should have a man such as Nathan in their life. Firm, yet kind and quieting, Nathan was yearning for something of his own to give his rather dull life meaning. He found it and more when he takes on Nat, and never quits on him. His take on the right and wrong ways to live a life was refreshing....and his belief in Nat did not fail him in the end.

Strong, well developed characters, and an easy writing style will have me returning to Ms. Hyde's work in the future.

A solid 4 star book!

[Patricia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It had so much heart. This author is very good at that. This is a story about a man named Nathan who finds a new born baby abandoned in the woods while he is duck hunting. The baby is eventually given to his grandmother who names him Nathan but calls him Nat. As the child grows up he becomes hostile and his grandmother has many problems with him. She ends up giving the young boy to Nathan, the man, because she can't control him and she thinks Nathan can help him. The story goes through the life and relationship of this man and the boy as he grows up into a man. It takes a while for the young one to realize that older Nathan is just trying to help him but under the guidance he finally grows up into a substantial person and starts to understand everything that has happened to him. This is a story of love and devotion. This man gave his whole life to this young man because he felt like that was what he was led to do, even gave up his marriage but he was always there for him. LIke I said this story has so much heart and I could not put it down until I finished.

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get it. I really do. The take home message here is that unconditional love is a powerful thing. It gives confidence and drive and a sense of self worth. The infallibility of Nathan who does so was the best part of this book - albeit frustrating. Nathan finds an abandoned baby and proclaims that no matter what, he will always be there for that child - and he surely delivers over and over as the boy Nat grows up and makes mistakes like you wouldn't believe.

And perhaps that is the message. People fuck up. And there will come a time when those people will alienate their friends and family... or in Nathan's case, not. The author is supposedly known for her other book Pay It Forward which promotes said powerful message - a tenet that is touched upon here. Nat finally redeems himself, finally gets it - but for me it was pretty much too little, too late.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second Hyde book (I read “Walk Me Home” not long ago). Like the first, “When I Found You” is a great story--well-written, straightforward, and with the right amount of drama to hold my interest. A man finds a newborn in the woods and makes sure his life is intertwined with the boy he has saved. With skill, the author explores all the permutations of passion, love, trust, and honesty. The plot has a good pace and the characters are well-developed and likeable.

Hyde also wrote “Pay It Forward,” which was made into a movie. “When I Found You" touches on the same theme as “Pay It Forward”: when something good happens to you, you don’t “pay it back” but instead you “pay it forward” to the next person. The fact that she uses the same theme in at least two books is interesting yet a bit annoying. One theme in two books? Can’t the author come up with different themes? And the theme is so goody two-shoes; almost too Hallmark-y for me.

Another problem is that the story is written very simplistically, and at times I wanted something more sophisticated. I know she writes a lot of YA books, so that’s probably the reason for the simple style. I couldn’t help feeling like I was reading at a sixth-grade level. Also, both of the books I read by Hyde are really wholesome, which left me craving an edgier read.

There’s one small editing mistake—the author reveals a secret in two separate chapters. At second mention, the character claims not to have heard it before, and the secret teller agrees he hadn’t mentioned it earlier. It’s a super minor point, but it bugged me.

However, as I said, the story is a good one and I was invested. I rate it a strong 3.5.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably would have rated this book higher if the last half wasn't a disappointment for not living up to the promise of the first half. It's an interesting premise for a story--a man finds an abandoned newborn early one morning when he's hunting in the woods. He actually wants to raise the child, but the infant's family is found and the baby is raised by his grandmother. The man keeps tabs on the boy throughout his young life but does not personally interact with him. The boy is troubled and when his grandmother delivers him in desperation to the man (rather than giving him up to the state), the man's determination to support the troubled teen kicks into high gear. The story of their evolving relationship and the boy's movement from adolescence into adulthood is the rest of the story.

Hyde's writing is eloquent and evocative ("The sensation was similar to that of dropping a heavy object into a bottomless well, and then waiting for it to make a sound. The news made no sound.")in the first third of the book. Then the plot becomes somewhat improbable. The main character (the man who found the infant) is almost saintlike in his determination to provide the home and anchor the boy always needed, but didn't really receive (the grandmother is not the bad guy--just ill equipped for parenting). The rich use of language ("One new thing to accept, that was difficult and exhilarating and stressful and wonderful enough. But kindergarten and a baby bird was almost too much. Like something in his chest might burst, and then that would be the end of him.")is sacrificed for the unlikely narrative.

[Oana Crâmpeie de suflet · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Când te-am găsit” este un roman de o frumusețe aparte, plin de emoție, care ajunge să te sensibilizeze de la prima și până la ultima pagină. Este o carte cu un subiect tulburător, care te face să te gândești încă la problemele aduse prin intermediul ei mult timp după ce ai închis ultima pagină. Îți lasă o impresie de gol în stomac, de durere profundă pentru toate nedreptățile care se întâmplă în lume, și, în același timp, te face să pui lucrurile puțin în perspectivă și să trăiești viața mai cu patos, mai cu dorința de a lăsa o amprentă a trecerii tale prin această lume și de a oferi la rândul tău bucăți din suflet celor din jur, fără a aștepta nimic în schimb. Doar așa, pentru că poți să faci o diferență în viața cuiva, că poți aduce puțină lumină cuiva, chiar dacă acea persoană nu e conștientă de acest lucru. Este nevoie doar să dai un sens vieții tale și să faci ceva care să conteze. De restul, se va ocupa viața.

https://crampeiedesufletblog.wordpres...

[Syndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Wen I Found You long time ago. I do not remember much of the story but knowing Miss Hyde previous book, I recall this is about raising a child. Not easy task. There were some mention about abuse etc.

3 stars

[Ildiko Szendrei · Rating 4 out of 5]

O poveste emoționată despre câte lucruri poate face dragostea atunci când doi oameni sunt sortiți să fie împreună. Și nu mă refer la un cuplu, ci la un bărbat și un bebeluș pe care îl găsește abandonat în pădure, într-o zi de octombrie.

Nathan avea aproape 50 de ani când găsește un bebeluș de doar câteva zile în pădure. De fapt, cățelușa lui cu care mergea la vânătoare este cea care îl descoperă. Copilul este viu și ajunge în grija bunicii sale. Nathan a păstrat legătura cu cel mic în mod anonim, ducându-i cadouri în fiecare an, și i-a cerut bunicii băiatului să îi spună la un moment dat despre existența sa.

Viața face în așa fel încât cei doi să se regăsească peste ani. Iar ce ajung să trăiască dovedește că dragostea, atașamentul și respectul pot schimba oamenii cu adevărat.

Dacă sunteți sensibili, pregătiți-vă la final cu câteva șervețele. 🙂

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonita, sencilla, intensa por la historia que cuenta que no tanto por la narrativa, simple y directa, en la que conocemos cómo un hecho puede condicionar la vida de las personas, para bien y para mal, y una lectura que te aporta mucho más de lo que crees y te deja con algo de resaca lectora.

Me ha gustado mucho la relación que se establece entre Nathan y Nat y todo lo que ello implica. Es verdad que no es una historia intimista a pesar de ser una novela de personajes, los cuales están muy definidos y trabajados.

Pronto opinión en el blog

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

You get what you pay for is believed to be true by many, including me, but I know there are exceptions to every saying and every rule, or so it seems, and this is definitely one of them.

As you can see I got this book for free, but it was worth so much more than that. I first came across When I Found You in another short story collection by Catherine Ryan Hyde and it grabbed me so much I was just about ready to go ask her where the rest of the story was. At the end of that short story collection I was told that it had grown into a full-length novel. Thank goodness!

Nathan McCann was out hunting with his dog, Sadie, early one morning when he found a baby wrapped in an over-sized sweater and a small little cap. He didn't even think the baby was alive, but when he realized it was, he quickly took him to the hospital and knew that his life would never be the same. He wanted to adopt this little baby even though his wife thought he was out of his mind.

It was touch and go for the little baby, but they finally found the mother, arrested her, and put the baby in the care of his maternal grandmother. Nathan had to know what happened and so he looked her up and let her know that he wanted this baby. Of course she thought he was nuts, but she agreed to keep him posted on baby Nat, who was named Nathan after him.

Fast forward several years and grandma can't take any more of Nat, and so she shows up on Nathan's door wondering whether he still wants to be a part of this boy's life like he said because she is washing her hands of him, something Nathan will never do.

I am surprised by how many of the reviews are negative and don't believe that a man can be this good, honest, and steadfast, but I have been blessed to know two people like this, including my father.

This is a touching story and I know I will not forget Nathan McCann and Nat Bates for a very long time, if ever. I didn't know how the author would end their story, but it turned out to be just right although I'm really glad I had some Kleenex nearby.

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absorbing read! I got into this book right away. It intrigued me throughout the book. I thought it was very well written with a lot of emotion, common sense and well being. I normally don't have much time in the day to read, but I found time in between cooking meals and cleaning. I picked it up at any oppotunity as I wanted to know what happens next.

The character were very well explained and portrayed, the narration was not overly long and when conversations were being had between characters you felt you were taking the part. I will definatly be reading more from this author.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nat Bates begins life by being left to die in the woods. The man who finds him, Nathan, saves his life in more ways than one. I fell in love with Hyde's characters and enjoyed every moment of watching Nat become a man worthy of Nathan's love.
It was Nathan's patience and commitment that interested me most.I think it is far too easy to give up on a difficult relationship, when if we hang in there it might become the most important thing in our lives. We might apply this to more than just the foster parenting relationship.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about unconditional love for a child not related by blood. It also shows us that life may not go in the direction we planned, but still can be a rewarding life. Nathan, married and childless, finds a baby in the woods and from there, the writer kept me guessing. This would be a good book for teens and young adults, but it left a lasting impression with me.

[Camie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“From the author of Pay It Forward comes a poignant tale of love, pain, and trusting people to stay by your side in a world where leaving is easy.”
I hope to eventually read every book by this author who specializes in imperfect characters trying to make the world a better place.
5 stars

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

One morning, hunter Nathan finds an abandoned infant boy in the woods. He wants to adopt the baby, but the baby's grandmother steps forward to take him in. Fifteen years later, the now-teenager has become difficult and the grandmother asks Nathan to raise the young man (Nat).

I did not like this book as much as I'd hoped. The Nathan character is far too "good" to seem like a real person. He shows very little emotion, just steadfastly goes about supporting Nat emotionally and financially, no matter what Nat throws at him. He's an admirable character, but his lack of frustration, regret or even conflicting emotions in this situation makes him an unrealistic character. And there is very little to explain his motivation to behave this way, other than a last-pages supposition by a minor character.

Nat's character is stronger. Even though he is less admirable, his emotions at least make him real.

Much of this book takes place in boxing gyms or boxing rings. That may add appeal for some readers; it didn't for me.

[Skip · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can unconditional love do? The book's premise is a duck hunter rescues a day old baby in the woods in October and from that moment on a long up/down story begins, and perhaps for the first time in his life, develops a deep connection, only to have the baby's grandmother adopt him. Hyde takes no shortcuts with this novel, following the separate and then merged lives of the baby and hunter. Her characters are flawed, but so sympathetic that you like and root for their salvation, but there are no quick fixes or miracles here -- only a steadiness of commitment, quiet love, and strong belief throughout.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was was my first book by Catherine Ryan Hyde. I was thinking it was a 3 star rating for me but the more I read I realized it would be 4. There are so many life lessons and wisdom between the pages of When I Found You. I loved Nathan McCann and will carry some of his wisdom with me. A story of circumstances we have no control over and making the choice to rise above them.

[Florina Iozefina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sentimentul transmis de această carte este unul de tristețe. De tristețe pentru bebelușul abandonat, de tristețe pentru copilăria lui, de tristețe din cauza deciziilor sale care l-au dus intr-o stare gravă.

Deși această carte nu este o capodoperă sau un thriller, așa cum mă așteptam să fie, sau o carte alertă, are acel ceva care te face să te întrebi ce se întâmplă în continuare și vrei să afli mai multe.

Nathan, aflat la vânătoare, împreună cu cățelușa sa, Saddie, găsesc un bebeluș abandonat în pădure, sub niște frunze. Îl duce la spital și acolo ii vine ideea de a adopta el acest bebeluș, in caz că nu are și alte rude, în afară de mamă care l-a abandonat. Dar apare bunica copilului și Nathan nu mai poate adopta copilul. Copilul rămâne la bunică, anii trec, iar Nathan se trezește deodată cu Nat, copilul abandonat, și bunica lui la ușă. Iar visul lui de a adopta copilul se materializează în sfârșit. De ce a ajuns Nat la Nathan, prin ce a trecut până atunci și prin ce au trecut împreună Nat și Nathan, vă las pe voi să aflați.

M-am tot întrebat pe parcursul cărții de ce Nathan l-a tot vrut pe Nat și de ce l-a ajutat de-a lungul timpului. Nu mi-am dat seama din prima, abia după ce am citit-o am stat și m-am gândit, și mi-am dat seama că uneori, deși ești cu cineva, tot te simți singur.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story of a man who finds a newborn in the woods, and, although the infant goes to live with his grandmother, the man stays a part of the boys life.

Nathan McCann cannot forget the newborn he found in the woods. He tells the grandmother that he only wants to meet the boy in the future. Fast forward 14 years and the grandmother brings the child, called Nat, to Nathan‘s home, telling him she was done dealing with him, and he could have him. Nathan promises himself, and Nat, that he would never wash his hands of him. No matter what. Through many trials with Nat, Nathan stays true to his word, even though it cost him dearly.

Nat is not an easy person to like, let alone love, as other characters find out. But he is broken in so many ways, and Nathan seems to make it his life‘s work to heal him, or at least not fail him. In the end, this is a love story of sorts between a man searching for meaning in his life and a boy searching for stability in his life and what it means to be a man.

There are many complex characters in the story. Nat is hard to like, but he grows on you and breaks your heart at the same time. Nathan is an Atticus Finch type character, showing what it is to be a man by example, not empty words. The one character I really didn’t like was Eleanor and for good reason.

There are some surprises in the plot, but this is a typical Catherine Ryan Hyde feel good story. I feel like a better person for having read it.

A definitely recommend.

[Paula Vince · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this as a 99c kindle book and enjoyed it a lot.

Middle-aged Nathan McCann is out on an early morning duck hunt when he discovers a new born baby abandoned in the woods. Although he'd like to adopt the boy, the police trace his maternal grandmother, who decides to name him after his rescuer. For the next several years, Nathan leaves a present at their doorstep for the boy on his birthday. Then one day, the distraught grandmother knocks on his door with a surly 15-year-old in tow. She pleads with Nathan to take her delinquent grandson, Nat, off her hands before she completely loses her mind. That's when the story really revs up.

Nathan McCann is a deep-thinking, quiet man who deliberates carefully before he speaks and values the truth most highly. When he does speak, his words drip with depth and wisdom. I wasn't surprised to find many bits of his dialogue underlined on my kindle, as they are worth contemplating carefully. I love the way he takes the reader completely by surprise at times, such as the way he coolly tells the prison officer that he's not intending to pay bail for the boy. There's also the part where he tells Little Manny why the man has convinced him to back Nat's boxing career. My favourite, though, is the story he tells Eleanor when she's pressing him to make a 'hypothetical' choice between her and Nat.

Nat Bates, the youth, is rash and impulsive, often hurting himself with the bad choices he makes. Although his grandma had good intentions, she lacked sound judgment and simply floundered when it came to bringing up an energetic boy full of testosterone. It's easy to understand his abandonment issues and lack of trust for adults, particularly authority figures. One thing he most needs is to have somebody completely committed to him to speak the truth.

It warmed my heart to see both Nathans relate to each other through the years that follow. It is not a fairy-tale, idealistic type of story. Both men experience the collapsing of dreams, but that's what makes their bond all the more special. Clearly, Nathan was always the best thing that ever happened to Nat. When people asked the man, 'Why do you have such a remarkable commitment to that boy?' he'd simply reply, 'Why not? What else have I ever done that's remarkable?' Toward the end, we realise that it also goes the other way.

[Susan Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book on a Facebook page called Reader's Coffeehouse. I was very excited to start it and when I did I realized I had started this book already at some time and didn't finish it. I had only gotten about a chapter in when I put it aside for some reason, I honestly don't know why .
I am SO happy I won this because I would've missed out on a really great story.
The characters were so well developed, I couldn't love Nathan more if I tried. Every word he says in the story is profound. He is someone I think we would all like to be, someone who really thinks before he speaks realizes the weight of words. I am the mother of an adopted child. I took him when he was five and adopted him when he was seven from a very terrible situation. I also grew up with brothers and cousins who were amateur boxers. So those two things combined are probably why I related to the story so well. The writing was stunning, Nathan's dialogue was fantastic and the inner struggles for all of the characters can really be felt. Beautiful writing and a fantastic story. I would recommend it to anyone!


Susan Marshall

[Spider the Doof Warrior · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good. I love this book. Nathan has to be one of the best father figures I ever read in a book. The way he was so compassionate towards the boy he found in the woods as a baby was just a joy to read. He gave this kid unconditional love and support when his grandmother couldn't handle him. He let him take responsibility for his bad decisions and guided him into being a better person.

It was so good.

Also never marry a man or a woman who won't let you bring the dog in the house. I'd be like, that bitch is WELCOME inside or son of a bitch, you, not so much.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing style. So easy to read. It was so enjoyable to see the relationship develop between Nathan & Nat. I admired Nathan's ways & how he loved & taught his young friend/son. I'm looking forward to reading another book by this author. I would highly recommend When I Found You, one of the few books ive ever read about unconditional, dependable, loyal love!